NeoPatrick

Yesterday I found a little journal of our road trip we did in 1986. We left Naples, Florida in a new gas-guzzling conversion van. We drove to NYC for a few nights, then stops at Sag Harbor; Mystic; Newport; Nantucket; Chatham on Cape Cod; Boston; Ogunquit, Me.; North Conway, N.H. and headed back home -- all within three weeks. It remains a highlight of all road trips we've taken.

Here are a few fun things I discovered.

We drove a total of 4511 miles and spent a total of $291.52 for gas. (I noted just outside NYC that "gas was $1.09!!!!)

We paid $11 to park the van for two nights in the Hippodrome Garage in NYC. But I see we tipped the guy a dollar extra when he brought the van down.

Our bill for two nights in a "deluxe" room at the Algonquin Hotel in NYC was $293.92.

Two full price tickets to Sweet Charity on Broadway cost a total of $97. Two tickets to House of Blue Leaves at the Vivian Beaumont cost $65.50

Drinks for two and tip at the Oak Bar in the Plaza, NYC -- $ 10.75

Three nights in a park facing room at the Ritz Carlton in Boston was a total of $462.41 (Breakfasts and parking included in a package rate)

One night at the Holiday Inn in Kingsland, Georgia -- $38.52

Two tickets to see Michel Learned and Eileen Heckart in Pack of Lies at the Ogunquit Playhouse -- ready, now? -- $26.00 -- that's $13 each. Oh, remember those golden days of Summer Stock?

But here's probably the biggest splurge of the trip -- one day Jeep rental on Nantucket -- $110.

Ozarksbill

1986? Usually we were in our RV touring the U. S. But that summer we went from Okla City to NYC by plane. Our daughter was working at
Frauncis Tavern Museum so we visited her and I attended a seminar at Union Seminary. Ate in Chinatown, Greenwich, etc. Enjoyed "Big River" on Broadway, also "House of Blue Leaves" and then "Aida" in Central Park.

In a rented car we drove up the Hudson Valley and stayed at the Beekman Arms (oldest inn in America) and toured the area...West Point, Hyde Park, also went to Woodstock but nothing much there.

Ah those wonderful family trips of years ago. My notes say we flew on Republic Airlines! Wonder what the ticket cost!

Ozarksbill

Fodorite018

LOL, we used to live in Kingsland, GA.

trippinkpj

I loved those prices Patrick. Makes me miss the good ol' days!

Anonymous

Ah, but what was your salary in those days?

wliwl

^ I like that question about salaries. I don't know how old you are NeoPat, but, sadly, in 1986 we had the most disposable income of our whole lives (pre-kids!).

And how great that you kept a journal! I harp on that all the time - write stuff down - names of restaurants and record all your expenses. It's so interesting!

Also, isn't it cool how the simple trips sometimes are the most memorable.

NeoPatrick

"Ah, but what was your salary in those days?"

A lot more than it is today. I'm now retired and have only a small fraction of income I did in those days -- kind of the peak of my earning power -- and the most disposable income as wliwl says. But I get the point. Comparatively speaking, I wouldn't think of spending those prices for a park facing room at the Ritz in Boston or such a one day Jeep rental on Nantucket today.

The reasson I found this was that an employee had given me a little "trip journal" for that trip, so I filled it in. But I didn't have it with all my trip journals I started doing in earnest after our retirement in 1995,

trippinkpj

I'm not retired, but when I think of how much less things cost back then, I think DH and I are worse off today if I prorate our income.

NeoPatrick

One thing I didn't point out was meals. Oddly, the prices for meals, particularly dinners were very similar on that trip to what we just paid during our month in New York. In fact some of them were more! That is no doubt due to the fact in those days we'd each have a cocktail first and always order a bottle of NICE wine. Last month in NYC, Lee wasn't drinking at all, and I'd order one cocktail or sometimes two. The final bills came out similar to what we were spending per meal 22 years ago! That shows the disposable income pattern then.

LizQ

Hi NeoPatrick

What a great post. Made me feel nostalgic (like '86 was so long ago!!!). You've been coming back to NYC for quite a few years since then (and maybe before).

Does anyone actually do "Road Trips" anymore?

NeoPatrick

Well, in 2001 we spent five months doing a "road trip". It started with a repeat of much of the one described above, but from Maine we went across Canada, did a month in Alaska, then down the west coast, and back to Florida across Texas, etc. That one was 16,496 miles -- and we spent $ 1823.86 on gas! Now THAT was a road trip.

wliwl

I have such fond memories of our road trips - surprisingly, especially the ones when the kids were small.

Now though, I'm so sick of the car!!! I have an 8 year old car with over 150,000 miles on it. Blech.

I want to do a road trip but minus the road part. Heehee.

RedRock

""Does anyone actually do "Road Trips" anymore?""

We will be starting our annual road trip next weekend. Will be traveling 6-8 weeks. Florida to the upper Midwest, Iowa and on to the Black Hills and Yellowstone. All on the back roads of America, no interstate highways.. Have not figured out our return route as yet.

wliwl

RedRock - That sounds fun. Have a great time.