Patrick

Well, if you could just figure how we could get that Z-3 to California and back, that's the car I'd prefer to be driving ON the west coast (but not to and from it from Florida). We sort of checked once, and dropped it when it went over a couple thousand dollars to have it transported each way.

And if we hadn't done the long drive to the West Coast from Florida half a dozen times already, the expense and the time could be worth it.

deeaugust

This is exactly the info I needed! My husband and I are planning a trip from DE to CO the first 2 weeks in Sept. We have $2000.00 and the last week we've been doubting ourselves about that amount. I see here it can be done but we have from the 3rd to the 17th for the trip. Is that nuts? We're driving a 6 cylinder explorer and doing the circle thing in CO, boulder, denver, Rocky mtn natl. park, san juan parkway, mesa verde, durango, and home the southern route thru Texas. Camping occasionally is possible. I LOVE that i found this info!!!!

utahtea

deeaugust,

Plan on camping in Mesa Verde. They have a really nice large campground with showers nearby at the store. This campground never fills up.

Rocky Mountain will be another good place to camp if you can find a campsite.

Utahtea

BTilke

Definitely go. We loved our drives from PA to OR (and back). Do you really think gas is going to be a lot cheaper next summer or the summer after that?

Debden

IMHO
I think your crazy to drive across country and it has nothing to do with gas prices!!!
Here are a few reasons: the other driver,bad roads,the detours,the accidents,the bumper to bumper traffic,the headaches and arguments along the way.....
I'm sure everyone gets the picture.
Fly.
Debbie

justme22

like the last poster, you aren't crazy because of gas prices. the question is are you driving to SEE the country on your way to your destination, is the "drive" your destination or do you just want to get from point a to b and your detination is what your trip is all about.

when i had little money, i drove cross country because i wanted to see it, so i did some camping to save dollars, it didn't matter that i really couldn't afford a 3 week vacation!

gas prices may stablilize but we'll be lucky if we ever see 1.95 per gallon again. the oil companies are raking in the bucks right now and greed only increases.....

JJ5

To me, although I do many more fly vacations, the only way I feel like I SEE this country or meet its people in the way I would most like to/ interact/KNOW them is by a drive vacation. You see many places that are NOT primarily in the tourism business.

I'm envious. You will love it. I've done three long, long treks in my life cross country or vertical N/S and they were the best vacations of my life.

sylvia3

The gas prices are never going to get any cheaper, you know.

utahtea

Debden,

The world is full of CRAZY people like me that prefer road trips to flying. I love the open road.

Flying can have it's own problems: Busy airports, long lines for security check ins, bad weather and bumpy flights, screaming babies on the airplane that cry the whole 4 hours of your flight, waiting in line for the rental car, getting the wrong size car even though you had reserved a larger model, bumper to bumper traffic as you exit the airport city, the headaches and arguments along the way.....I'm sure everyone gets the picture. There's nothing wrong with road trips just ask the MILLIONS of RV owners over on RV.net!

Utahtea

utahtea

Oh I also forgot to mention cancelled flights!

Utahtea

Debden

Utahtea, Well now that you put it that way!! I'm not sure I want to fly either!!
OK your point has been taken.
To each his own...
Debbie

LoveItaly

This has been an interesting thread, even though it started a few months ago.

My late husband and I did lots of roadtrips and I have such fond memories of them. Pulling off the main road to a small town, going in to an obvious small cafe that has been there forever for lunch such as a hamburger and fries, strolling down the street to check out the business district.

Stopping somewhere around 5:00pm, checking out the yellow pages for a restaurant. Going to a local restaurant and getting acquainted with the owner and locals. I will always remember for example the German restaurant in a small once upon a time house in Klamath Falls. Food to die for and the owners sat with us for two hours after we finished dinner just talking and sharing their history etc. Something money can't buy.

Beautiful scenery, unexpected pleasures such as a waterfall, a small beautiful little lake or pond, a farmhouse out in the middle of nowhere.

Now I fly to get from point A to point B. And I have no problem flying anywhere. I just "go with the flow" and anticipate that somewhere along the way there will be problems.

But I am sure glad that I had years of just taking off in the car and enjoying road trips. And we flew a lot too. But as far as getting from here to there I remember the road trips more than I do the flights.

And I too think that gasoline prices will never go down. Good grief, I remember when everyone had a fit when the cost of gas went up to $1.00 a gallon, LOL. Guess I am showing my age!

However you choose to travel I wish everyone happy and safe vacations.

Stephanie

I remember gas being $1.00/gallon when I travelled through the Southern U.S. in 1995. So it wasn't so long ago. Actually we are pretty spoiled, as a kid I remember in the early 1970s we though paying $.45-.50/gallon was way too expensive and that was about 30 yrs ago.

LoveItaly

Hi Stephanie, would you believe that gasoline in the SF BayArea got up to $1.00 a gallon somewhere around 1976. Although there are a lot of oil refineries ringing the SF Bay we have always paid some of the highest gasoline prices in the US.

djkbooks

You can do it or not, it's entirely up to you.

seniormsuedu

"Keep Ithaka always in your mind. Arriving there is what you are destined for. But do not hurry the journey at all. Better if it lasts for years, so you are old by the time you reach the island, wealthy with all you have gained on the way, not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.

Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey. Without her, you would not have set out. She has nothing to give you now.

And if you find her poor, Ithaka won't have fooled you. Wise as you will have become, so full of experience, you will have understood by then what these Ithakas mean."

Measure that against paltry gas prices.

seniormsuedu

This post is a year old but relevant today, especially from sensible Utahtea and BAK.

bodi

Just drove 80 and gas was under $3.00 til California. Lots of construction of more new smooth roads, yet never a problem and no traffic until Auburn to SW of Sacramento, then smooth sailing once again. I'd rather drive, flying must be even more challenging with no liquids allowed. Wish Trains would see the light and improve for a good option. Train travel use to be affordable & fantastic!

rjw_lgb_ca

For the type of travel I tend to do, I am forced to fly. Besides, I won't drive more than 200 miles away from home, except maybe to go to the Santa Ynez Valley wineries.

The restrictions will have to be reviewed and eventually lessened-- especially once better screening is available (like they have in Australia).

bodi

Do you think they will go back to the airlines serving food and water, if we can't board our own and what about mothers with little one's needs? How is it done down under? How many 'air screens' are in use?