| |
Subject |
Author |
Date Posted |
Forum
|
 |
RE: grand canyon camping
When the NR & SR get debated I always like to somewhat define the differences to people and let them make up their own minds.
The NR is very wooded and pretty. The campground is nice - but no hookups. You get a very limited view of the Grand Canyon; only a small portion. If you are doing an photography you will be shooting into the sun almost 100% of the time. Less crowds and facilities (there is, obviously, a reason).
The SR is the commercial part; no question. And the most crowded. I do not have the figures but I would guess that well over 97% or more go to the SR. Trailer Village is fine; not a resort. But close to everything. There is a shuttle that will take you all along the major portion of the SR. There are nice paths along the rim as well as, of course, the trails down. We hardly see anyone on the rim paths between the major spots. Yes, lots of places to shop and eat, etc. Early morning and late afternoon photo shoots are great. Virtually all the pix you see of the GC are along the SR someplace.
For people who are going to the GC for a once in a lifetime experience, I strongly recommend the SR.
Anyone who wants can email or PM me for info. And, yes, I have been to both places - NR twice and SR many more than that.
|
Lauren
|
12/04/08 10:23am |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
|
|
RE: grand canyon camping
Now living in AZ and loving the GC (been there a few times) I think the above posts give you excellent info. Personally, if I had a choice I would go early Sept - June could be cool even on South Rim. Stay at Trailer Village; not a luxury resort but good and also very close to the rim so you can run back and forth. To whet your appetite check out our website at www.laurenbarbara.com and look at the GC from this year.
|
Lauren
|
12/04/08 09:04am |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
|
|
RE: Reservation Hogs
Guess what, gang, there will always be people who feel the rules are not for them and find ways to get around them. They are just toooooooooooo important. Or is that egotistic and self centered.
I was on the committee that put in a very fair to everyone golf reservation system here in our community. Did not take the cheaters but a couple of weeks to find out ways to defeat it and get what they want. So we corrected it. You should hear them! How unfair we were to them. Honest. People will be people no matter what.
Be safe.
|
Lauren
|
12/04/08 09:00am |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
|
|
RE: Where to Go in Oregon
"Close" is hard to define. I don't know anything right in that immediate area but you should drive over to the Coast to Florence and down to Winchester Bay, etc. You DO NOT want to miss the Coast.
|
Lauren
|
12/03/08 08:30am |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
|
|
RE: Glacier NP what's it like?
Lived in Estes 1995-2003 and love Rocky Mtn NP. That being said, I think we love Glacier just about as much - been there 4 times; it is spectacular in our minds. Great hikes (east side) and lots to do. West side is the commercial side. Check our website www.laurenbarbara.com under '07 - 06 Trips for just 4 photos.
Each side is different and the Going To The Sun Road connects them - unless you have an RV, then you have to go around the south end.
Lots of places to stay depending if you want FHU private or not. Can advise there if you PM or email me.
To really see the Canadian Rockies you have to go to at least Banff (been there 4 - 5 times as well). Or head over to Revelstoke that we love. First time, I would suggest Banff but it is pretty touristy. Stay at Tunnel Mountain. Make sure you go north to Peyto Lake (also in the photos) and the Ice Fields. Jasper is a long way up and nice if you have the time; to us it is really a long haul and maybe not worth it. Depends on how much time and fuel money you have - fuel is much more expensive (as is food and most everything else) in Canada. But the dollar fluctuation may be more in U S favor now.
If you have any specific questions or if I can help, like I said, just PM or email me.
Be safe.
|
Lauren
|
12/02/08 05:03pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
|
|
RE: Page AZ & Kanab UT RV Campgrounds?
Hey, Thunder Mountain, former Estes Lauren here (will be there for a month next summer).
Don't know those hikes but never heard of any that have a lottery to hike!
In Kanab go to RV Corral - not fancy but good and clean. North of Page is Wahweap right on Lake Powell - fairly new and very good. Get a pull thru site as then you will look at the lake from your dining area. Got to our website and look under '07-06 trips for very last picture to see the view you get.
Be safe.
|
Lauren
|
12/02/08 04:50pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
|
|
RE: Death valley ca.?
Yes, do go there! Check our website for some pix www.laurenbarbara.com
(I don't post pix on Forum).
|
Lauren
|
11/30/08 08:43pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
|
|
RE: Where to Go in Oregon
Have a good friend who has lived his life in OR - says Diamond Lake is the best kept secret in OR.
|
Lauren
|
11/30/08 04:11pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
|
|
RE: I10 through Tucson
We just did a "Tucson Run" - go to Beyond Bread for breakfast, Trader Joe's, Sam's Club, etc and wind up at CostCo. This is right near I10 on the north side and north of the construction.
It is 6 miles from the north end of the construction to I19 on the south end which is the south end of the construction. Love the lack of merging traffic on and off - wish it could stay that way.
OK, to the Pima A & S Museum you just continue south (east) on I10 to Valentia Road; just a few miles past the south end of the construction. It is just off I10 to the northeast. And, if any of you get a chance you should also go to it's counterpart, the Titan Missile Museum down here in Sahuarita off I19. Only one left like it in the U S.
Be safe.
|
Lauren
|
11/30/08 04:07pm |
Roads and Routes
|
|
RE: speed cameras
The photo pix take your license plate and driver at the same time - at least that is what I heard about them up on the 101 in Scottsdale area.
We drive I10 from Tucson to Phoenix several times a year. I drive the 5er at the normal 65 so no big deal in the 75 zone but drive the convert about 80. We are passed by probably 10 times more people - including very fast 18 wheelers - than we pass.
And I think, by law, when speeds are reduced, there has to be a warning of so many feet prior to the reduction so you do have the opportunity to drop down.
Be safe.
|
Lauren
|
11/30/08 08:09am |
Roads and Routes
|
|
RE: I10 through Tucson
Hi, we live near Tucson and deal with this. You can read the technical stuff but here is reality.
If you are traveling thru it is a piece of cake. Honest.
Not sure why you wanted to go around it.
For about 10 miles all the downtown exits and entrances are closed. Simple as that.
What does that mean? If you are going thru on I10 - either direction - you have 6-7 miles around the west side of town that is two lane, reduced speed, no on and off traffic issues. Does it get congested at times - particularly at both ends? Sure, during rush hour. Or an accident or something.
All downtown traffic is dumped off at either end and uses very wide frontage roads.
I think the due date is sometime in 2010 and they are ahead of schedule.
Email or PM me if you have specific questions.
Be safe.
|
Lauren
|
11/30/08 07:58am |
Roads and Routes
|
|
RE: A CAMPGROUND WITHOUT HOLIDAY SPIRIT ?????
OK, I have read thru this, well kinda sorta. I don't know both sides of the story. I don't know the law as such - which could probably vary some. Let me toss this out.
Why does not the campground or the person collecting provide a container that states that the cans / bottles / whatever recyclable they collect put in that container raises money for charity? The person collecting signs an agreement with the campground releasing them from liability of any kind.
I would suggest the campground pay for the container as they could make it up in increased number of campers by becoming known for their goodwill.
And maybe other rv parks / campgrounds could do the same. There is a lot of recyclable material that goes into "trash" containers heading for a landfill; many places do not have separate containers.
Get out of the problem and into a solution as we used to say.
Just MHO.
|
Lauren
|
11/30/08 07:45am |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
|
|
RE: Where to Go in Oregon
Do NOT miss Diamond Lake - beautiful area, lake was drained completely and re-stocked a couple of years ago. 12 mile walking / biking trail around the lake. Many hikes in the area. And a short drive to Crater Lake which is, of course, a must see. Other than the Coast from Cannon Beach to Winchester Bay this is our favorite places.
|
Lauren
|
11/30/08 07:29am |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
|
|
RE: ARIZONA RV PARKS
We took a run over to Yuma early Feb for a long weekend. Stayed at Del Pueblo and visited a friend in SL (park model). We liked DP; newer and lots going on. And Yuma will be about the warmest place in AZ in Jan - Mar.
|
Lauren
|
11/29/08 06:47pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
|
|
RE: Goodyear 614 Ply Separation
Got my check from GY - 11 days after I fax'd the claim. Full amount; no question. I also told them I wanted 4 more tires to replace the other 4 China made ones - have to bring in the trailer for "tire inspection" before they will replace them but I don't think that will be an issue. In fact, when talking to the GY store manager he said he would order them in and have them ready for me.
|
Lauren
|
11/29/08 04:30pm |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: ARIZONA RV PARKS
You might tell us what you are looking for - how do you define "nice"? Brenda may have parks that meet you needs but a long way from anything in this AZ desert. You might want to get in around Tucson.
And when are you going? Seniors?
|
Lauren
|
11/29/08 02:53pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
|
|
RE: I-40 south on CA 95 or AZ 95?
We came thru Needles about a year or so ago. Needed an overnight and the place we stayed was not too expensive; but it was Sept and 107 degrees or something. We thought we would go into "town" (about a mile) and get a DQ. It was tied in with a gas station. Had heard about the fuel prices so did not plan to buy. But I think the DQ cones were at least double the price we had ever paid anyplace! You are right, there is the AM/PM and then if you are going on east there is a Chevron and a Pilot I think at AZ95; right at the intersection of I40; both easy in and out to go south on AZ95. My memory tells me the diesel was $1.20 / gallon or more less expensive there than Needles. Incidentally, they have really worked on AZ95 from I40 down thru LHC and it really moved well thru there; once south of LHC it is 2 lane again but is pretty and we went right along.
|
Lauren
|
11/29/08 06:50am |
Roads and Routes
|
|
RE: campground costs
"Out west" is hard to define - northwest, southwest, CO west, etc. Have been RVing here in all the states we have a pretty good idea of costs. I log it all. We do FHU private parks. Have not been to the southern CA coast area. We average about $33-35 / night. We are not KOA bashers by any means but know we do pay more there - much for services we don't use. But that is our choice to do sometimes - or sometimes it is by necessity. We use RV Park reviews and other sources a lot - like RV Park Reviews. We look for 8 rated parks and above. Be safe.
|
Lauren
|
11/28/08 06:03pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
|
|
RE: I-40 south on CA 95 or AZ 95?
Hey, Marv, Happy Thanksgiving - and to the rest of you as well.
I would do AZ95 for sure. Nice drive. The cutoff mentioned is great but even going thru Q is not that big a deal for the route you will be on. The Flying J in Ehrenberg is the worst zoo on the planet. I would fuel at I-40 & AZ 95. The absolute LAST PLACE IN THE WORLD to fuel is Needles! Feel free to email or PM me on this or anything.
|
Lauren
|
11/27/08 07:57pm |
Roads and Routes
|
|
RE: Million $ Highway - Ouray to Silverton, CO 550
This must be at least the 200th posting on this! I think it is only exceeded by KOA bashing on Campgrounds! :-)
From a driving standpoint - drive it! Without your RV. It is spectacular.
Now, if you are comfortable with two lane road (in good condition) with spots of no guard rails, little or no shoulder, tight turns, sheer dropoffs, etc, go for it with your RV. But remember, which so many forget, your half is NOT out of the middle -- that is my biggest fear. Well, the tight turns, no shoulder and dropoffs and pulling a 5er don't excite me. When the 5er is forced off I am hooked to it! And I am used to driving mountain roads.
|
Lauren
|
11/27/08 12:05pm |
Roads and Routes
|
