Where are you going to go in 2006?

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by juel

How I envy all of you, your plans to travel. I plan to work and hope to get to the lake on week-ends. I know I could go more often if I could just teach myself to back a trailer. My husband works out of town a lot, so if he's not here the trailer doesn't get out of the yard. Sitting in your Argosy out by the side of the house isn't quite as much fun as going to Yellowstone.

Juel,
Hook it up and take it to a parking lot with some cones and practice! It is not that hard to back up a trailer. My 5'-2" wife jockeys our 31' around like a pro. On one that big it does help to have spotter, but it can be done without. The only way you are going to be comfortable with it is to practice.

FWIW the technique I recommend for backing is to put your hand at the bottom of the wheel, if you want the trailer back end to move left, you move your hand to the left, and rear right, move had right. Take it slow and make small corrections and don't be afraid to pull forward straighten out and try again. We all had to learn sometime First time I ever drove a big rig, the driver let me try to back in and I got about as far sideways as possible with a 45' trailer

Aaron

[DEO]

Good topic !

We will definitely attend the Region 1 rally in August (will be playing guitar at the campfire) and whatever other New England rallies we can squeeze into our schedule.

Possibly a trip to Florida (Orlando)

If all goes well we also hope to purchase property in Arizona (Tucson area) so our Airstream will have a new home.

[Mike Lewis]

Rodney--- I live close,150 miles, to Canyon De Chelly and was over there a few weeks ago. Yes the road is good going in there. I would come in from the north or south on RT 191. There are some secondary roads that bring you over the mountain from the east but some of that is under construction and pretty rough. I know what you're taking about when you describe the road into Chaco. That is little more than a path. The Cottonwood campground is at the visitor center in Chinle. Lots of big Cottonwood trees and it's free. Most of the sites are rather small. We went over to check it out thinking it would be a good weekend destination.
There are a few, but not a lot, of sites that would take anything bigger than a 25'. It was after the tourist season when we were there so I have no idea how crowded it gets.-------Pieman

[till]

Trips planed for '06
Two trips to Axis Axle (one to drop off old axle for pattern, one to pick up new pair)
Couple of trips to the lumber yard (plywood floor and such)
Lots of trips to the hardware store (no job is complete with out a bunch of these)
Minumum one camping trip in the aluminum tent.

[dscluchfc]

Originally Posted by igor

David,

Is your last photo of the Cottonwood Campground? I am planning on being there the last part of March.

Les Brush

Yes, that is in Cottonwood Campground.
They have very few drive through spots. They are more pullouts than drive throughs. Most are back in and very short. Mine is a 31ft Excella, and I was lucky enough to get one of the pullouts about noon when I arrived from Grants, NM after spending the night in Grants.
This was taken in mid-June 2005.
We continued on from Canyon de Chelley to Page, AZ and took in the sights at Lake Powell, Rainbow Bridge, Antelope Canyon, North Rim Grand Canyon, and then Monument Valley on the way back to Lubbock, TX.
It was a wonderful trip.

[wayner1239]

We have attended the Florida State Rally in Sarasota for the last couple of years but have had problems finding places to stay after the rally. We would like to stay in Florida for 4 or 5 weeks. We don't make reservations very far in advance because family sickness has caused us to return home early several times. Campgrounds in Florida usually will not give refunds.
Suggestions for possible places to stay in the Tampa or Orlando areas without year ahead reservations would be appreciated.
Wayne

[Mike Lewis]

Agenda ''2006''----We have a new 30' classic on order which should arrive at the dealer in Tucson this next week. Hopefully we can pick that up right after Christmas. We just reciently joined WBCCI. We've been Airstreamers for a few years but up until now had not been a part of anything clubwise. We're thinking of making the Winter Fiesta International at Anthony Tex in Jan. That will be our first experience with WBCC except for a couple luncheons we've attended with the local unit we're signed on with. From Anthony we plan to go over to Organ Pipe Nat Mon. for a week, then to Quartzsite and meet up with some friends there for another. We hope to make a couple of the NM Rallys this summer as well as our annual week at the Grand Canyon North rim over the 4th of July weekend. The International in Salem is also a possibility. There are a couple Bluegrass Festivals back east we'd like to make some summer also. Alot depends on the health of a elderly family member we have to keep an eye on and whether we'll have anyone to watch over her. We live within a days drive of Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Mesa Verde, Arches, Natural Bridges, Canyonlands and a host of other neat places for short trips, lots of which are just spur of the moment things. We've changed our travel style some over the past few years, especially after retirement. Now we spend more time at one place rather than so much time on the road. Quality time seems more important now than quanity. Full timing is something we would like to do should we become free from family obligations.-----Pieman

[pmclemore]

We have in the back of our minds to go to Alaska this summer - likely return home in September. Any Alaska road-tripping experts in the group?

Pat

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by pmclemore

We have in the back of our minds to go to Alaska this summer - likely return home in September. Any Alaska road-tripping experts in the group?

Pat

I havent done that trip yet, saving that for the summer after tenure. Anyway, you do know about milepost dont you?

[pmclemore]

Rodney,

Yes - I haven't bought my copy yet but have hopes to find one under my tree. There are so many places to go - Page and I took a 10-day planes, trains and ship trip to Alaska back in '96 and came back with a desire to return.

You and we were on similar tracks this fall, as I recall. You went to Yellowstone and we wandered out to Rocky Mountain and back. That was one of our best trips ever. I am getting antsy to hit the road again, but likely will wait til Feb, then try heading South - perhaps the Keys.

Pat

[jfowler218]

PMClemore
We did So. Calif to Alaska. Left Aug 3, 2005 and got home Oct 1. 13,000 miles of my longtime dream. There are so many things to do and see that I can't list all of them here. Send me some questions and I will try to answer.
jim

[dieterdog]

Juel, both you and i need to really learn to back our trailers. then you could come up to montana and i will show you all of the great fishing spots and gorgeous places to just take in the views. we will have an argosy mini caravan.....donna

[redeagle313]

We are planning to do a two week trip in July '06 from Indiana out through the Dakotas, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado.

[Tin Can]

Greeting all! For us, because this is our first year with the new trailer we are planning on alot of close trips. Probably within 100 miles or so. I would like to go camping at Allegany State Park. And then some smaller trips up to Lake Ontario and watch the sunsets and smell the lake breezes. Everyone have a nice holiday season and stay safe.

Tin Can

[SilverSurfer]

Not sure about 2006, but here's where I went today! Not bad eh?

[Airstream25]

Originally Posted by Gen Disarray

Padre Island sea shore, maybe hit the Alamo. Then on to Big Bend NP, Gudalupe NP, white sands, Roswell, and over to Silver City.

Anybody familar with any of these areas is more than welcome to chime in on the details and things to see, I would greatly apreciate that sort of information ahead of time.

Here is my 2 cents;
North of town on South Padre Island, you can pull off the road and camp directly on the beach, either Gulf side or bay side. No hookups obviously.

Cottonwood campground in Big Bend is nicely shaded and some grass. Water available but no hookups. Used to be a guy with a row boat that would offer to take you to Mexico for a dollar. Directly across the Rio Grande is the Mexican village of Santa Elana, about 30 homes. We went and had a great time. Have heard the rowboat guy has been shut down post 9-11 but you could check.

Oliver Lee State Park is close enough to White Sands for day trip visits. Some full hookups. No shade but nice views. Local stories about Frenchie the hermit.

[flyfisher]

Originally Posted by Tin Can

I would like to go camping at Allegany State Park.

Tin Can

I have fond memories of staying there in a tent for a couple weeks with two guys I grew up with when I was a teenager 40-some years ago. I never went back until my wife and I returned there with our grandson a couple summers ago. Probably not much had changed there during the interim, but somehow it just didn't seem the same.

There's also several nice forest service campgrounds near the Kinzua Dam on the Allegheny River not far from there. I did the initial surveys for them when I had a job with the Forest Service when I was in college during the 1960's.

[72 tradewind]

We hope to go from Tucson, AZ to NYC Via Santa Fe, OKC, St. Louis,Zanesville,Wilimgton and probably Cleveland and Mi. How I am going to get the time off of work is another story!

[PluffMudd]

Every since elementary school when I saw my first pictures of cars driving through the Redwood Forests...I've wanted to go there. Hubby says, "Make it so!" I'm hoping we'll make it out there. That would be like the big grandaddy of all trips for us.

[wingfoot321]

Sarasota rally in February.

Leaving May 15th heading west. Black hills, Teton, Yellowstone, Montana, Idaho to the intl rally in Salem. Then the reverse mapleleaf caravan from Salem thru Washingston state, Vancouver island, British Col, Alberta, back to Montana around August 25th.

We will leave the mountains when the snow flies.

Normally go to the Rio Grande Valley but, wife says 5 months is enough.