Headin' Out: Vacations 2024

[Fman99]

Also you should hike a bit of the Bright Angel trail - the full trail is 9+ miles down to a lodge at the bottom (which requires reservations months ahead of time), and there are relief/shade/water stops every 1-2 miles. It's really a cool perpsective. Fboy and I got to the first rest stop, 1.5 miles down, and he was ready to head back up from there. I was game to do 3 in and 3 back up but he was done (it was pushing 95 that day in his defense).

Also, be prepared. You will see idiots on the wrong side of metal barriers taking pictures. I bought a book to read while there that was all about the various people that died in the canyon. Good read !

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

My son and I went last summer. It was the first time there for both of us. We also stayed on the park grounds which is the best way to do it. It puts you at a 2-3 minute drive from all of the best views from the south rim.

Over the course of our week there we did walking tours, driving tours, a river ride (though it was of Glen Canyon, a few hours north of the Grand Canyon and misleadingly named), and, our personal favorite, the helicopter tour. My recommendation would be to do that if it's in your budget to do so, and, also, take a bus ride or walk and watch a sunset from the west rim.

Good stuff! Are you able to access the tours -- the bus, the train, the helicopter -- from within the park, or do you need to go outside? I'm reading horror stories of two-hour waits to get in the park, so I'm worried about leaving for an activity and then struggling to get back in!

Yeah, most of the tours start in town and then re-enter the park through various ways, but we never waited more than a minute or two to get admitted. Plus you can pay for up to a week on your initial entrance, when you arrive, and then you can just show your receipt on subsequent entries.

Perfect! Thank you very much!

My daughter likes to hike, but my knees might require me to take the chopper type of view!

Will definitely stay on the right side of the barrier.

[ashie62]

Not a vacation but I am going from Surgeries to Poughkeepsie to do the Walk over the Hudson

Have heard nothing but good things about it

[kcmets]

If you're having lunch in Pahskippy you can't go wrong here.

It's not far from the end of The Walkway.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Going to San Diego next month, I think! (My girlfriend is a single mom, so travel plans with her are often tenuous. Fortunately, I've arranged everything to be highly cancelable with limited penalties.)

If we do go, there will probably be a nine- or ten-day pause in Schaefer voting. Watch the Schaefer thread in the BBF for further announcements.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

We spent a week in SD last summer.

what I liked best were the random brewpubs you happened upon on the corners. Same with the mexican restaurants. Also, pack a light jacket as it can get chilly when the sun goes down and breezy. We had to go to a discount store and buy a sweatshirt b/c I didn't pack anything.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Good tip! Thank you!

[Frayed Knot]

I still have the sweatshirt my dad had to buy when we were out in S.D. ... in July!!

[Centerfield]

I’m going to Spain tomorrow. Barcelona. Tossa De Mar. Then Madrid.

Like. What should I go see?

[MFS62]

I’m going to Spain tomorrow. Barcelona. Tossa De Mar. Then Madrid.

Like. What should I go see?

I don't know how far it is off your intended route, but I'd like to see the Santa Cruz barrio of Seville. It is the old Jewish district before the Jews were expelled from Spain.
Enjoy your trip. And the Prado museum is a must see.
Later

[metirish]

I’m going to Spain tomorrow. Barcelona. Tossa De Mar. Then Madrid.

Like. What should I go see?

Camp Nou and the Santiago Bernabeu , I'm sure little CFers could like those

[DocTee]

Off to St. Lucia on Friday for a five day, four night vacay. Long overdue and much needed.

[whippoorwill]

Have a good time!

[metirish]

Heading to Indian lake islands for camping in the morning, they emailed to say a bear has been seen in the campgrounds , let's see how it goes

[Frayed Knot]

re: Bears
- eastern black bears aren't generally interested in people and tend to avoid us as much as you should avoid them
- they're searching for berries, twigs, fruit, nuts etc. but will eat almost anything so don't leave food around. If you do they will seek it and find it
- don't approach one (duh!) but don't run away either. Running may put the idea in their heads that you're prey and encourage pursuit
- and, whatever you do, don't approach one of the cubs. Even if mama seemingly isn't around she's coming back at some
point and will kick your butt. They have sharp teeth, sharper claws, and more muscle than any five of us put together.



P.S. I apologize for the video but it's the first thing I thought of. It's a truly awful song.

[metirish]

Yeah, they also said in the email that they are pretty used to people, so clapping and shouting won't do much , but we should have bear spray , doesn't inspire confidence in me

[Frayed Knot]

While much has been made about humans encroaching into bear territory, the opposite is often true as well.
'City' bears who live closer to towns tend to be heftier and therefore have larger litters of cubs than their less plump country cousins. Bears see stuff like those suet-based hanging bird feeders in suburban backyards as a calorie-fest on a string and tend to go searching to see if there are more of them around. And that's not even to mention garbage cans at the curb or dumpsters behind restaurants.

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

Also you should hike a bit of the Bright Angel trail - the full trail is 9+ miles down to a lodge at the bottom (which requires reservations months ahead of time), and there are relief/shade/water stops every 1-2 miles. It's really a cool perspective. Fboy and I got to the first rest stop, 1.5 miles down, and he was ready to head back up from there. I was game to do 3 in and 3 back up but he was done (it was pushing 95 that day in his defense).

Also, be prepared. You will see idiots on the wrong side of metal barriers taking pictures. I bought a book to read while there that was all about the various people that died in the canyon. Good read !

Thank you for all the tips! We had a fantastic time. Staying inside the park at the Maswik Lodge was helpful because it kept everything nearby. We did walk a ways down the Bright Angel trail, which was beautiful! We did the sunset bus tour, then a ranger-led dark sky program. Got up early to see the sunrise, then went on a ranger-led fossil hunt. Took advantage of the shuttle buses to see the park from end to end.

You are right about the people going right to the edge! Crazy!

The canyon itself was beyond what I could imagine.

We started the trip in Phoenix, staying within walking distance of Chase Field. We visited the State Capitol Complex and the former Capitol, which is now a museum. Some really interesting exhibits. You know the famous photo of Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders atop San Juan Hall? The flag in that photo is in the museum.

Chase Field is a decent park. It seems kind of dark on the concourse. Someone in a Facebook group told me about a team museum tucked away in centerfield, and it was worth seeing! DBacks wore their City Connect uniforms, and the Twins did not help our cause that day.

We drove up to the canyon the next day. I was neat to see the landscape change. Phoenix was 109 degrees, and definitely desert. As we headed north we saw thousands of the huge saguaro cactuses on the brown hills. As we drove to higher elevations the temperature dropped and there were fewer cactuses and more small scrubby trees. The canyon area was in the 80s and had lots of pine trees.

We stayed in Flagstaff the next night, and then passed through Sedona on the way back to the airport. Sedona has the red mountains that are unlike anything I've ever seen in person. A very enthusiastic person in the visitors center gave us a map showing where there are vortexes in the area, and said we would feel tingly. We got coffee at a quirky place instead.

Overall a great, bucket list trip, and I appreciate all the guidance from the Pool!

[Fman99]

Glad you had fun. I want to go back now and do all the excursions that you did, which all also sound awesome.

[Lefty Specialist]

We went looking for those vortexes when we were in Sedona. All I found was a cactus thorn in my foot.

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

We went looking for those vortexes when we were in Sedona. All I found was a cactus thorn in my foot.

That would have caused the tingly feeling I was promised!

[MFS62]

Thank you for all the tips! We had a fantastic time.

Your facebook pics look like you really had a great time.
Later

[whippoorwill]

re: Bears
- eastern black bears aren't generally interested in people and tend to avoid us as much as you should avoid them
- they're searching for berries, twigs, fruit, nuts etc. but will eat almost anything so don't leave food around. If you do they will seek it and find it
- don't approach one (duh!) but don't run away either. Running may put the idea in their heads that you're prey and encourage pursuit
- and, whatever you do, don't approach one of the cubs. Even if mama seemingly isn't around she's coming back at some
point and will kick your butt. They have sharp teeth, sharper claws, and more muscle than any five of us put together.



P.S. I apologize for the video but it's the first thing I thought of. It's a truly awful song.

First thing I thought of too and the dancing is a hoot

[Edgy MD]

I dig the that track. I dig the 'Sills.

I always liked how the song Susan seemed to be dancing to in her head was always about 40% more rockin' than the actual one they were playing.

[whippoorwill]

Exactly!


Not so fun fact: one of the Cowsill boys disappeared in Hurricane Katrina