Planning to motor West

[ghanson]

Planning on a trip out West (We live in Louisville, KY) and am asking for comments on what to do along the way.  In March, about a ten day trip, ending in either Albuquerque or Denver, and then flying home, leaving the bus (Which is a topic for another post - where are we going to leave the thing.)  Then coming out in June, doing the Grand Canyon, four corners area, then on to Denver - fly home.  We'll worry about getting it home later. 

So, is Route 66 anything to focus on? I've got a tour book of it around somewhere, but it seems kind of hokey.  We plan on Bowling Green, maybe, Corvette Factory, Graceland (Elvis), and some factory tours from our "Made In America" book,  eventually the Denver Mint, Hot Air Balloons in NM.   Etc.... We home school the kids (9,12,16) and would like to whip a little education on them along the way. 

So, for those that have driven I40, any thoughts? 

And, while I'm at it, any thoughts on where to leave this thing (MC9) for about eight weeks while we go home and come back later?   Probably in Albuquerque, but maybe in the Denver area if that's all we can come up with.

The bus rally at the Caverns in May sounds like fun....for me.....the kids might not be as excited......

Anyway, thanks folks, for any thoughts.  I'll post a distress call when it catches fire again, as it did in Colorado a couple of years ago. 

glenn hanson
ghanson@ipapilot.org

[Sojourner]

Long time...no hear! Good to hear from you!

Route 66 along I40 is a great educational trip but need to have a prep talk before trip to know the history of "route 66"well. I went though there in 1949 and 1995. It has been many changes along the way. Since 1949, road been rebuild once before I44 came though. You look along to I40 and see the old 66 in the country drive thorough.
One of my most remembered trip in my life time....of course that was 1949 era.
History:
http://www.historic66.com/
Route with "click" information along the way.
http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/2489/travel.html

Eric Hall's trip:
http://www.erichall.eu/2002u090.html

About Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon...October 3 to 12
http://www.balloonfiesta.com/

Sedona, AZ is a red rock valley...like being at bottom of Grand Canyon look up. It gorgeous red rock castles all over. Kids will like the slippery rock slide.
Many water falls out of side of canyon rock wall in spring...need to call chamber of commerce for right time to see it. Its water falls dry up in the summer.
http://www.sedonavision.com/

About Denver trip....I would wait until roads are less hazard condition due to cold climate. Down hill traveling will be more treacherous such as wet & slippery.

Somebody here on this board can be must more informative on this subject.

About where to park it...I am no help there. Unless go to winter snowbird park and ask???

FWIW

Sojourn for Christ, Jerry

[ghanson]

Jerry,

Thanks for the quick reply.  Thanks for the info on Route 66.  Eric Halls site is a good one, and it seems that the nostalgia of Route 66 is probably going to be far, far less than anticipated.  I'll probably pass on that, because if I can't find the thrill in it, I'm sure the kids will be less enthused.  Anyway, I'll probably stay on I40 and check some things out - something modern.   It's mostly to position the bus anyway, and spend time with the kids. 

A few years back I hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon with one of our exchange students.  That was a great time, but my own kids have never seen it.  I'd like to see that thing the Indians built that juts out into the canyon to the tune of several million dollars.  We were in Sedona then.  I recall looking up the skirt of a nine foot tall indian statue to see if the sculpture had paid attention to details.  He did, and I'm sorry I looked.

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=442

We're also considering a family mission trip to Romania, but it's hard to get it together.  Also, with the dollar so weak I figure it's time to explore America.  (I'm writing this from Singapore, but that's another story.....)  We're going to avoid the snow, as it makes my bus unhappy, as does the cold.  Then again, the heat makes us feel bad, so timing is everything. 

Thanks for the links, especially Eric Halls.  He's kind of got me considering getting my kicks somewhere besides Route 66. 

Blessings.......glenn

[rip]

Glenn;
          The corvette tour was worth the time. Also,the corvette museum a few blocks away is also worth your time. Several great places to visit in AZ. The north rim of the Grand Canyon is a different look and Lake Powell is among one of my favorites. You can take boat tours of the lake or rent a boat for the day. I am building a house in Surprise AZ. on 5 acres,so if that fits in yourplans you could leave your bus here. I will be leaving sometime in May for the summer,but you could leave it here as long as you want.
  Don
       

[Utahclaimjumper]

 Four Corners would almost require a trip to Monument Valley (WWW.gouldings.com)
then on to the north rim which opens the Grand Circle of Utah for inspection. Good driving conditions and liberal amenities both for adults and kids.East-West on the north side of the canyon is by far more senic than the south side, a short run up state road 191 to canyonlands and Arches NP would give the kids a lot of run room.>>>Dan 4106-1261

[Hobie]

If you plan on hitting Slide Rock near Sedona, get there early as it is popular and parking is tight.  Avoid the section of ALT 89 between Cottonwood and Prescott.  It goes through Jerome.  It is a very steep grade with tight turns.  Read hot brakes!   

[Utahclaimjumper]

If planning to do the balloon fiesta you need to plan a year in advance, last year turned out over 800 thousand people and all facilities were booked at least six months out.>>>Dan

[jjrbus]

Dad took Rt66 to Las Vegas 1956 when I was a kid. I took brief jaunt on Rt66 in 1995, cause my Dad took me there when I was little. Give your kids a chance to say my Dad took us here when we were young. Everything does not have to be exciting!!!

[Melbo]

I have a place I store my bus here in Albuquerque -- It isn't free but it is reasonable.

If you need some info on Alb you can PM me and I will find out whatever I can for you.

And yes space to stay for the balloon fiesta is sometimes hard to come by but may still be available now.

Melbo

[niles500]

If you didn't live in Louisville I would send you to the Slugger plant which just happens to be in Indiana. Not in any special order -Mammoth Caves (excellent on hot summer days), GM's Corvette Plant Tour, Corvette Museum, my kids didn't like Graceland, St. Louis Arch, Santa Fe, Bandelier, Taos Pueblo, Durango's Narrow Gauge RR to Silverton, Mesa Verde, Dams like Hoover and Glen Canyon, ALL of THE National Parks in So. Utah - Arches (Great place to go rafting on the Colorado in Ducks as the river is very docile there), Canyonlands(from 5 different directions), Capitol Reef, Escalante, Bryce Canyon, Zion - Try the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and Jacobs Lake, if your into something different - If you head  east from GC through the Vermillions Stop and look down from the old bridge over Navajo Gorge, Monument Valley, Sunset/Meteor Craters, Petrified Forest, and if you come back the south route there is Carlsbad Caverns, Big Bend and whatever you do take your kids to Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels but get a 2 day pass also there is some whitewater occasionaly on the Comal River - I left out Colorado because it appears you have done that before -



**** If you buy a one year pass at your first national park it should get you into every other one free and some other federal operations (like the Denver Mint) free or reduced rate

[Dallas]

If you didn't live in Louisville I would send you to the Slugger plant which just happens to be in Indiana.

Louisville Slugger moved to downtown Louisville in the mid 1990's. The old manufacturing plant in Jeffersonville, In. is now a large baseball field/playground/park.

I was living in Southern Indiana at that time and it was kind of sad to see the destruction of the old plant.

Dallas

[ghanson]

rip

Don,
Yes, I agree the Corvette is a must see, whether you're into them or not.  That's just down the road from us, and while we've done it, it's always worth doing it again, so I think we'll probably hit that first stop.  In 1992, a friend dragged me down there to be present when the 1,000,000th corvette rolled off the line.  It's sitting in museum across the street (along with the only 1983 Vette in existance) and if you look at the photo they took, my mug is there in the back row.
Lake Powell is one of the things I've always wanted to do, and that's to rent a houseboat.  Too bad I can't drag my boat with me, but then I wouldn't have a toad.  I did tow the boat to MN once, but I have family with cars to help out, the boat got filthy (had to have it detailed upon return) and the last time I broke down without a toad (the toad broke first and we had to leave it) it was a real disaster.  Armed with a new toad, we're ready to try it again. 
Thanks for the offer to leave the bus in surprise.  I'll take you up on it if we get that far South.

       
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Utahclaimjumper

Dan,

Actually, Four corners & Mese Verde & Monument Valley is the main reason we're going out there.  I've been almost everyplace I care to go in North America at least once, but I've never been there.  My parents did take me to Mese Verde as a kid, but my kids haven't been there.  That area is going to be nice, but it May be hard to milk ten days worth of activity out of the drive between Louisville and ABQ.   We'll do it.....thanks.

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Hobie

We do plan on hitting Sedona, but probably only with the toad.  I suffered through a time share presentation in January out in Lake Tahoe, and one of my rewards was two nights in another place of theirs, and we're choosing Sedona. 

<<Avoid the section of ALT 89 between Cottonwood and Prescott.>>

We'll avoid that, and thanks for the warning.  I have mapquest on the computer and I run the mouse up and down the road to see what the elevation does.  Then I go anyway, but I some of the roads I took near Jackson Hole really kind of scared me, so I'll take your advice on that.
Thanks......g
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Utahclaimjumper

Dan,

I'll probably avoid that for the same reason I avoid Oshkosh airshow.  Don't really like crowd, and I particularly don't like them when my bus is involved.  I could probably find someone to take us up, however, as it's one of those things you gotta do before you die, if not while you die, like jumping out of a perfectly good airplane.  Haven't done that yet.


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jjrbus
JJRBUS

I will hit bits of it Route 66 for a while, but then when I40 lures us back, we'll give in. 

<<Give your kids a chance to say my Dad took us here when we were young.>>

I took my kids to the Rolling Stones last year - the oldest one twice!  He's was 17 at the time.  The youngest one was 14, and I made him go.  He had a good time, but was very much take it or leave it.  A far cry from when I saw them at age 15!

<< Everything does not have to be exciting!!!>>

Very true, but something does! 

<<I used to be indecisive. Now, I'm not sure.>>

I like this one.  Like "I do not contradict myself - but sometimes I do."

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Melbo

<<I have a place I store my bus here in Albuquerque -- It isn't free but it is reasonable.>>

This will help!  Sent a PM
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niles500

Niles,
Some of these places we've done, but will research the rest.  Thanks for the great information - this is the reason I posted on the Bus BB.  It seems, however, that there is not much between where I live and where I'm going.   I'll have to keep looking.

The reason I'm kind of bent on Graceland is that I used to fly with a guy that was Elvis's pilot.  Flew the Convair 880, which is on display there.  He had some fun Elvis stories.  Apparently, Elvis was a great guy to work for. 


Again, thanks.....g

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Dallas

Southern Indiana is where I do live.  We call it Louisville because that's the area, but KY.....I don't know.....we lived on the KY side of Cincinnati before moving here, and I guess it's kind of a North/South thing for me, but I didn't want to live there again.

"What this country needs is kids who think tearing a lawnmower engine apart is more fun than video games"

True.  Very true. 

<<Working Our Way Across the USA! Need Help on Your Conversion?>>

Where are you now?

http://busconversionstuff.com/home/

 843.496.9176

[Dallas]

Glenn,
Right now we're in Rossville, Ga about 30 feet from the Tn line at Chattanooga.

Next week we'll be headed up to Cincinnati to swap engines in a bus. We'll be there for a couple of weeks then we'll head back down to Tn/Ga for awhile.

I use to live in New Albany, and Jeffersonville and even spent a few months in Utica working on an 18th century wood cabin.

Small world, Eh?

Dalas

[niles500]

Thanks for the info Dallas - We must have been one of the last to be there!