Where to in 2013?

[markopolo]

Anyone have any plans for 2013?

Cape Breton in Nova Scotia is on my list. There are other places in Nova Scotia I'd like to see so maybe two or three visits. It's not far from us.
Years ago, a teacher in high school had us read Canadian Hugh MacLennan's novel Barometer Rising. The story is set around the events of the tragic Halifax Explosion. That's when I first learned about the Halifax Citadel. It's a place I always figured I'd visit so maybe this is the year. I sometimes look for that book in used book stores. I probably have a good chance of finding a copy there.

[booster]

We will be coming your way in August through September. Minnesota-North side of the lakes, Quebec, Nova Scotia, LLBean in Maine, Niagara Falls, then south the Blue Ridge mountains before heading home in October. It will be our first extended trip after I get retired, and the practice run for Alaska the next summer.

[Davydd]

We drove in a car all the way to Williamsburg, Virginia and back to Minnesota over the holidays but I guess that was still 2012.

Our first trip this year will be starting out sometime in March and heading south to Texas then maybe over to Arizona or even Southern California. Then back to South Padre Island KOA for a BEE Social on April 15. Anyone is welcome to show up there. All you have to do is call and make reservations and be sure to mention BSG Social to get any discounts they are offering. There are no fees. All you have to do is be prepared to participate in pot lucks, maybe beer or wine tastings and a cheap $5 or so gift to play Snatcho Bingo. You don't even have to have a B.

http://www.facebook.com/groups/76503857041/

The next trip will be to Michigan's UP to the RV.net B Rally in May. After that rally we will head down to Indianapolis for the Indy 500 which is something I do every year.

http://www.b-rally.org/

We will make another trip to the Washington DC area probably in July.

This fall is still up in the air. There may be another BSG Social in Kansas but nothing has been firmed up as yet. We have also kicked around New England and the Maritimes. We have also kicked around just going to Germany's Black Forest and Alsace areas but not in a B of course. We have gone as far as thinking we could hike the Welsh coast too. Lots of things to do and so little time.

[markopolo]

I'll recommend the Kiwanis Oceanfront Campground in St. Andrews, NB, if anyone is in that area on a Maritime trip. I posted a few photos here: http://www.classbforum.com/phpBB2/vi...hp?f=22&t=2363
That is you like campgrounds that are within easy walking distance to town for exploring.

[Mike]

No plans yet. Considering the western mountain NPS parks again sometime, but that might wait until after Labour Day, when the weather out there is generally nicer and the crowds have thinned. We have about 10 State Capitols left on our list, but they're mostly near D.C. so that will be after April, probably. If we can, we'd like to do something closer to the end of March, but no idea what or where. Probably too early for Maritimes, that might have to be in late July, early August. Cape Breton is interesting, but you haven't really been on a roller coaster, until you've driven the Cabot Trail. Maybe one of the rallies or socials? We never know where we'll wind up, until it becomes visible on the horizon.

I'll keep following this thread looking for ideas. I've seen some excellent ones in the past.
This is always a good topic, and once again Mark has taken the initiative, and started the 2013 version. Thanks.

[g1g]

If I can get my whole vacation at one time and money is OK we may try for Mt Rushmore area. If not it will be someplace closer.

[Davydd]

Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills is a hard day's drive for us and is usually a stop coming and going when we travel west.

Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks are iffy after Labor Day. Glacier generally closes down mid September. I was caught in 18F and snow the weekend after Labor Day in Yellowstone.

[Mike]

The altitude thing, can become problematic after Labor Day, for precip. It is hit and miss as you say apparently. Were your observations last year, in 2012?
We did our north/south trek down the NPS parks in 2011, and had decent weather day/night for most of our trip.
1st NPS park was TRNP in ND. It was actually hot during the day there on October 1. I think 2011 was a hotter than average year, so our results may be abnormal.
After a quick trip up into southern Alberta (which was also comfortable and dry) we started at GNP. It was a mix of sun/cloud but no rain/snow on October 3, temps were moderate, but there was snow visible higher up on the slopes.
Yellowstone/Grand Teton were the same, above freezing temps overnight, and no precip to speak of.
Jackson, WY was dry and cool, no precip. I've never seen park entrances framed with animal horns before. In fact animal horns were part of a lot of structures there. Elk mostly, I'll guess, with the National Elk Refuge there.
RMNP was where we finally hit active precip (snow) as we drove up the road to Bear Lake. Nice park, but limited amenities. Still, worth a look if you're in the vicinity.
Everything else south of that was comfortable temps and no precip. We finally worked our way through the rest of the NPS parks until we hit I-10, and decided we'd had enough, and started the long meander home.

[booster]

Originally Posted by g1g

If I can get my whole vacation at one time and money is OK we may try for Mt Rushmore area. If not it will be someplace closer.

If you are going to want to stay in Custer State Park, which is a beautiful park, you will need to make reservations very soon. For Custer they don't use the rolling 90 day reservation window like they do for other parks. Custer reservations open up Jan 2 for the whole year. There are only a few non reservables. We made reservations for our first post retirement trip for 6/11-6/25, which is usually a very nice time of year there. It gets very hot later on. The last time I looked, most of the more popular campgrounds were already nearly full. The one we like, Stockade Lake South, is more off the beaten path, and has less amenities, so it is not filling as quickly. There are also lots and lots of commercial campgrounds in the area.

[Davydd]

We haven't had many problems in the Black Hills, Mt. Rushmore and Custer SP finding campsites. We even got a Saturday night campsite in Custer SP during the Bison roundup in late September but it was the last site in the whole park system. We were naive and didn't know about the annual roundup when we went there.

Our last campsite was last August at Horsethief Lake National Forest campground in the Black Hills a couple miles west of Mt. Rushmore. It doesn't get any better.

[booster]

Originally Posted by Davydd

We haven't had many problems in the Black Hills, Mt. Rushmore and Custer SP finding campsites. We even got a Saturday night campsite in Custer SP during the Bison roundup in late September but it was the last site in the whole park system. We were naive and didn't know about the annual roundup when we went there.

Our last campsite was last August at Horsethief Lake National Forest campground in the Black Hills a couple miles west of Mt. Rushmore. It doesn't get any better.

You do stand a much better chance of getting a drive up if you don't need electricity. We tend to go for a week or two, so we do want power. A couple of days, no big deal, unless it was during the hot time of the year, which can be very hot.

[dicktill]

We're thinking of going to Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone, Glacier, North Cascades, and Crater Lake National Parks sometime in the August to October time frame. We don't necessarily have to go in that particular order, although that is the easiest mileage-wise. We've never made reservations ahead of time, and would like to keep it that way (hence our motto "no more deadlines"), and would prefer to keep our schedule flexible. Will we find "no room at the inn" at some of these spots? Generally we can live without full hookups; just need a place to park, so to speak. Would appreciate any recommendations as to campgounds (including adjoining National Forest ones) and timing/weather. [Davydd: "Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks are iffy after Labor Day. Glacier generally closes down mid September. I was caught in 18F and snow the weekend after Labor Day in Yellowstone." --- Mike: "...we started at GNP. It was a mix of sun/cloud but no rain/snow on October 3, temps were moderate, but there was snow visible higher up on the slopes. Yellowstone/Grand Teton were the same, above freezing temps overnight, and no precip to speak of."]

Thanks, Dick 09/10RTC190P Allegany NY "no more deadlines"

[booster]

I BET WE ALL KNOW SOMEONE WHO MAY WANT TO GO HEEEEERE!!!!!

http://marcopololand.ca/

[markopolo]

:P :P :P :P

I should make a reservation someday ..... That would be a fun phone call last name: Polo, first name Marko!

[Mike]

Originally Posted by dicktill

We're thinking of going to Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone, Glacier, North Cascades, and Crater Lake National Parks sometime in the August to October time frame. We don't necessarily have to go in that particular order, although that is the easiest mileage-wise. We've never made reservations ahead of time, and would like to keep it that way (hence our motto "no more deadlines"), and would prefer to keep our schedule flexible. Will we find "no room at the inn" at some of these spots? Generally we can live without full hookups; just need a place to park, so to speak. Would appreciate any recommendations as to campgounds (including adjoining National Forest ones) and timing/weather. [Davydd: "Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks are iffy after Labor Day. Glacier generally closes down mid September. I was caught in 18F and snow the weekend after Labor Day in Yellowstone." --- Mike: "...we started at GNP. It was a mix of sun/cloud but no rain/snow on October 3, temps were moderate, but there was snow visible higher up on the slopes. Yellowstone/Grand Teton were the same, above freezing temps overnight, and no precip to speak of."]

Thanks, Dick 09/10RTC190P Allegany NY "no more deadlines"

We agree with the "no more deadlines" tenet. We rarely reserve anywhere, preferring pot luck to possibly scrambling to make a sign in time or lose a deposit/payment. So far, it has been pretty successful.
Davydd and our weather results show you, you can't depend on the weather. Our results were between September 30 and October 21 2011.
We google the places we might want to visit before we head out, and check the official NPS websites for "park alerts". There's usually good info as to what they have for amenities and what's open and closed. Camping pricing also.
I would recommend getting the "America the Beautiful" annual park pass. It'll save you money and time getting in and out of the park, since a class B usually goes with you if you want to leave the NPS park to explore, returning later. Available at most park entrances, when they are manned, or just get them the next morning. They are very trusting, and it's largely an honor system after hours, but you may already know that.

[ennajean]

If all goes as planned will be heading to South Padre Island in April, then to the RV.net B Rally in Michigan in May. Have a few weekend plans for local Wisconsin campgrounds during the summer. We always do a two month or so fall trip but so far nothing planned on where we will go.

[dicktill]

Originally Posted by Mike

We agree with the "no more deadlines" tenet. We rarely reserve anywhere, preferring pot luck to possibly scrambling to make a sign in time or lose a deposit/payment. So far, it has been pretty successful.
Davydd and our weather results show you, you can't depend on the weather. Our results were between September 30 and October 21 2011.
We google the places we might want to visit before we head out, and check the official NPS websites for "park alerts". There's usually good info as to what they have for amenities and what's open and closed. Camping pricing also.
I would recommend getting the "America the Beautiful" annual park pass. It'll save you money and time getting in and out of the park, since a class B usually goes with you if you want to leave the NPS park to explore, returning later. Available at most park entrances, when they are manned, or just get them the next morning. They are very trusting, and it's largely an honor system after hours, but you may already know that.

Thanks Mike. We already have our "Senior Passes", not that we're really that old, or anything. : )

Dick 09/10RTC190P Allegany NY "no more deadlines"

[Davydd]

The permanent, not just annual, "Senior Pass" for American citizens age 62 and older is one of the best bargains there is. For a one time fee of $10 you get a plastic card that gets you into national parks and monuments for free and generally half off campground fees in all Federal campgrounds. If we head west and camp and visit national parks, monuments and forests we save a lot of money. Both husband and wife should invest in and carry the card as there are some tours such as Mammoth Cave that require each individual to carry a card to get in free.

[Mike]

For $10, that has to be one of the best investments a qualifying traveler can make.
If we had US citizenship, we'd absolutely have a pair of senior passes in a few years, when we'd qualify.
Alas, the basic annual $80 pass will have to do for us non-resident alien (that always sounds so weird to me) visitors forever. However, with the amount of places we go, it pays for itself pretty quickly. It's just so much more convenient, too.

[dicktill]

Originally Posted by Mike

For $10, that has to be one of the best investments a qualifying traveler can make.

...yeah, but in a sense it is "a return on investment"; Marti and I (and Davydd) paid a lot of income taxes over the years ... : )

Seriously, it is a great thing that our government is doing for us.

Dick 09/10RTC190P Allegany NY "no more deadlines"