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Thread: Rich's RV and Shootin' Tour 2017

  1. #21
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
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    Jan 2014
    Quote Originally Posted by wrmettler View Post
    Rich,

    Two suggestions: You must visit Canyon De Chelly in Chinle, Navajo Nation, Arizona. It is a most beautiful place, once you’re in the canyon. Do not just walk the rim, take a full day tour, and see the canyon from the inside. This is a must see place.

    Next, is the South Mineral Creek campground just outside of Silverton, Colorado. It is the most beautiful campground I’ve ever been to. There is hike starting right across the road up to a lake at 12K that is worth the effort. Ice Lake I think the name is. Also, unhook that trailer and see if your rig will make it to the top of Cinnamon Pass on the east side of Silverton.

    If you’re in Mesa/Scottsdale, give a call and we can do a beer or two.
    Thanks! Much appreciate the suggestions. We stayed in one of the mega-parks in Mesa, not really our thing. But Scottsdale was very nice, we ate lunch there after a nice morning tour of the desert gardens. Beautiful.

    November 2016

    So our planning for 2017 is taking a slightly different twist. Our late spring departure might get moved up, depending on how things go short term.

    Given that is the case, we may end up traveling through the winter, either in the FL panhandle, or around to Alabama (say Fairhope), or even down to Corpus Christie TX. Generally we wanted to stay near the water, and not have too bad a time with cold weather until things warm up.

    With that plan, we might end up on the southern route again, heading down I10 through San Antonio, Hill Country, Dallas, thence to New Mexico, then up through Colorado and Wyoming on our way to the Northern States (ID, SD, ND, MT) we want to see in the late spring / summer.

    I also wanted to update a few additional destinations/activities for future reference:

    Montana Kalispell, Bozeman, Flathead Lake (there is a possibility of a Givens class 1-2 July in Kalispell)

    Arizona Tucson and old Tucson, the Boneyard (DM AFB), Flagstaff again.

    Oregon Portland, Astoria, Bend, Crater Lake

    Idaho Boise, Coeur d'Alene, Craters of the Moon NP, Sun Valley, Idaho City, Hells Canyon Recreational Area

    South Dakota Mt Rushmore, Deadwood, Black Hills

    As to the RV (our 30' Airstream), we are more than convinced that it offers everything we need for extended travel.

    We just got back from a few days with my brother camping at Bonita Springs (near Naples) and the Middle Keys to Long Key State Park. Really enjoying the new layout with the rear dinette as well as the lounge area offered by the 30' vs. the 27' model we traded. The two 55w solar panels do an excellent job of keeping the AGM batteries topped up in storage. For example I was able to run the refrigerator on propane for several days before the trip and had no issues with the batteries falling off of charged voltage (13.7V).

    Long Key State Park is about 15 miles north of Marathon, and somewhat remote. All the sites back onto the water, so it was a pretty view. There was no sewer, but good 30A service and fresh water. No WiFi either, so it was interesting being pretty disconnected during the election last week.

    Here is my picnic table:

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  2. #22
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
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    Jan 2014

    Rich's RV and Shootin' Tour 2017

    December 2016

    Pretty big change in mindset this month: by this time next week, our cottage in Belleair FL should be for sale.

    We've spent a lot of time outside on the landscaping recently, as well as other improvements and decided, you know, let's get this show on the road.

    If it sells quickly (say inside 60 days) we may spent time connected at my brother's house near Ocala FL, or up in the panhandle possibly.

    After that, when it get's warmer we'll begin traveling slowly westward in 2017. At this point it's great just letting go and thinking of being fluid instead of tied down to the sticks and bricks house.

    We did a final contraction and dumped a whole bunch of stuff to various family members and friends. It is amazing what you don't need, really. All we need is our clothes, everything furniture in the house will be negotiable to the buyer. We'll either sell or donate anything left. I really don't want a storage unit.

    Our trailer is 8x30, so everything needs to go somewhere in the truck or the 240 ft sq of space we have. Fortunately we've been traveling off and on since 2013. Our run to The Keys was essentially fully loaded. We could have gone full time at that point.

    Really glad to have just the VP9 and P30SK, especially the shared magazines. I can fit a class's worth of ammo in the truck, and all my other shooting junk pretty much fits in my range bag and a backpack.

    More to follow once the house is sold.
    Last edited by RJ; 12-01-2016 at 10:43 PM.

  3. #23
    Rich, when you get to Flag, head west on I40 and just before you get to Williams, turn right (head north) to Valle. They've got a good aviation museum there. Once you get to Valle, there's nothing stopping you from continuing on to the Grand Canyon. The air tours are spectacular and Grand Canyon Airlines can hook you up to see and do other things, like the Sky Bridge. There's also the jeep tours down in Sonoma.

    There's some great things out here in Utah. I suggest you look into making a reservation to go camp on Antelope Island located out in the Great Salt Lake. Lots of wildlife, such as antelope and bison. Beautiful place. In Ogden, we have Farr's Ice Cream. The parlor is right next door to their ice cream factory and they have the best ice cream. There is also the Prairie Schooner restaurant, if you want a great steak.

    Up in Huntsville, is the Shooting Star Saloon that dates back to the 1800s. They make one of the best hamburgers in the area and the decor is best described as eclectic. Be sure to bring cash, ask about the dollar bills pinned to the ceiling and be sure to make at least one trip to the men's room.

    Tucked in between South Ogden and Layton is Hill AFB which has a good aerospace museum. Lots of stuff to see inside and a lot of interesting and historic static display birds to walk among.

    Quite a few other things to see and do. I don't drink "adult beverages" but I'd be more than happy to take you to the Shooting Star for a hamburger
    Last edited by MistWolf; 12-01-2016 at 11:51 PM.
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  4. #24
    Site Supporter SeriousStudent's Avatar
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    Mar 2012
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    Texas
    Don't worry, Rich. When you get here to Texas, we'll have plenty of loaner guns and ammo for you and the missus.

  5. #25
    The R in F.A.R.T RevolverRob's Avatar
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    May 2014
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    Gotham Adjacent
    Your movement from Indiana to the UP. Do you intend to drive around Chicago?

    It'd be tough to sight-see Chicago with your rig. But if you locate a park to stow the trailer in, the truck will be fine to drive into Chicago.

    Chicago is a solid 3-day weekend if you've the time.

    Museums (Field Museum, Chicago Museum of Art)

    Architecture (The Chicago Architecture Foundation has a dozen or more tours, but the downtown boat tour, and the tour of Oak Park, where Frank Lloyd Wright had his first home/studio and built most of the houses in the neighborhood are among the best!)

    Food - Chophouses, steak houses, more Michelin Bib Gourmand recognized restaurants outside of New York and San Francisco - http://chicago.eater.com/2015/10/22/...mand-list-2016

    You can take in a show at the Lyric Opera, or at the various theaters downtown if you fancy seeing "Hamilton The Musical" (not my bag...but they did Harry Potter earlier this year...that was more fune).

    And of course if you are here in the summer - A Cubs of White Sox game.

    ___

    If you have a valid permit in your home state, you can carry a loaded firearm inside of your vehicle on/about your person. So no need to comply with the silly handgun transportation laws in IL.

  6. #26
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
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    Jan 2014

    Rich's RV and Shootin' Tour 2017

    ^^^ RR - No plans to visit IL (Chicago) at this time, other than as a pass through.

    I studied Architecture my first year of college until I learned I liked math better, so I switched to Engineering. It also hurt me I have no design talent.

    But I have always been intrigued by Frank Lloyd Wright and made several visits to Pope-Leighey house in Virginia during High School. That guy was a fascinating talent.
    Last edited by RJ; 12-02-2016 at 09:24 AM.

  7. #27
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    Then when you travel through Phoenix/Scottsdale, visit Taliesin West in north Scottsdale. Wright bought it in 1938.

  8. #28
    The R in F.A.R.T RevolverRob's Avatar
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    May 2014
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rich_Jenkins View Post
    ^^^ RR - No plans to visit IL (Chicago) at this time, other than as a pass through.

    I studied Architecture my first year of college until I learned I liked math better, so I switched to Engineering. It also hurt me I have no design talent.

    But I have always been intrigued by Frank Lloyd Wright and made several visits to Pope-Leighey house in Virginia during High School. That guy was a fascinating talent.
    Brilliant talent and a smart ass too boot. A man after my own heart, for sure.

    There are a number of FLW buildings and houses in the area, that you can literally spend weeks studying them. If you decide to take the trip, I'm happy to show you and the missus around the Field Museum on a personal guided tour, provided I'm free that day, but with enough advance notice, just about any day can be freed up. Even if you don't make it this year, next year is still a possibility! Never too early to plan the 2018 trip.

    I wish I had discovered architecture before science. I'd probably be an architect now. Which isn't to say I hate my job, quite the contrary...Just you know staring at the buildings here leaves me wishing I'd taken more time to explore my artistic/design tendencies when I had more free time. All that said, it isn't stopping me from founding my own design firm next year...It'll be an open-ended concept with no focus on any particular output/product, but rather serve as an outlet for that untapped potential. So far all I've got is some furniture and piece of kit on the agenda, but the beauty of not being employed as a designer is I'm free to do what I want to do...
    Last edited by RevolverRob; 12-02-2016 at 02:09 PM.

  9. #29
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
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    Jan 2014
    ...aaand the house is on the market:

    http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/38.../47136937_zpid

    I have mixed feelings; it really is a cute little house in a great neighborhood, but we really want to be on the road for extended travel, so...

  10. #30
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    Jan 2012
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    Georgia
    Good luck on your continuing adventure Rich!

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