ISO: Vacation Ideas

G

Gautier

Joined
Aug 31, 2006
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So, summer, and therefore my usual vacation time, is just around the bend. Late May, early June to be precise. Now, the problem is I haven't a clue what to do with that time this year, and the wife is just as bereft of ideas as I.
Ideally we'd like to get out and do some hiking and camping, and possibly a bit of fishing or something along those lines. That takes care of the "what", and the "when" but leaves the "where" open to suggestions, your suggestions. :p
Some criteria that I'd like met might help you to help me. So, I'll throw some things out there that I consider requisite, and hopefully some of you good folks will have some ideas.

1) I think it goes without saying that any area I go to has to be "knife friendly"...I'll say it anyway. :D (firearms friendly is also a plus)

2) Budget limits this trip to North and Central America

3) Must be free of any burn-bans, smoking bans, etc. (Wife and I are smokers, and I don't pack a stove to save weight)

4) Temps under 120-130 are preferable, I get enough of that here :mad:

Other than that, I'm pretty well wide open to any ideas you're willing to throw at me. :thumbup: Thanks in advance, I look forward to hearing some responses on this, because I'm drawing a complete blank this year. :confused:


Gautier
 
How about the AT? Good temps, gorgeous area, you can be a bit selective about which states you want to travel in depending on the applicable laws there.
 
I would reccomend a day on mackinaw island, MI. And to spend some time at Tequaniman falls, MI. But of corse, thats me, and I am a Michigander. The sleeping bear dunes are also nice.
 
When was the last time you hit up good old Jellystone? Its not firearm friendly (yet) but it is blade friendly. Plenty of hiking and fishing.
 
Definitely some good ideas, I hadn't thought of the AT or Yellowstone. The latter of which might be something to ponder for a while, I know the wife's never been. The firearms friendly thing is a bit disconcerting, something I'll have to weigh in my mind.
Until then, feel free to keep those ideas coming. :thumbup:


Gautier
 
British Columbia or Alberta is great for what ails you- unless you are handgun happy! Other than that it should be fantastic if you like the outdoors and stuff (and good beer).
 
I haven't been everywhere, but of the places I have been there are 3 that stand out....Yellowstone, Moab UT and the Black Hills.

Yellowstone: Knife friendly, not firearms friendly, plenty of hiking and camping, I'm pretty sure open fires are only allowed in fire rings. You could also do the Wind River range or the Absaroka range instead, those are both near Yellowstone. They'd be firearms friendly, the open fires I think depends on how dry things are at the time. The same would apply to the Bighorns.

Moab: It's going to be warm there, plus since you live in the desert it wouldn't be a big change scenery wise for you. I'm not sure what the fire regulations are, but outside the national parks there should be no problem with firearms.

Black Hills: Knife friendly, firearms friendly, no open fires outside of campgrounds. Most of the Hills are Nat'l Forest so there are tons of places to hike and camp there. There's also good trout fishing.

Glacier Nat'l Park is another spot that could be good, but again you run into firearms and maybe open fire problems.

I think the open fire thing will rule out a lot of places, particularly in the west. In a lot of places open fires are only allowed in established campgrounds.
 
Yeah, seems these days they want you to have a stove everywhere ya go, or to set up camp in campgrounds(I kind of like my privacy). Good suggestions though, might toss the Yellowstone and Moab ideas by the wife.
She's a desert rat and would probably feel more at home in the Moab's scenery, but I'd kind of like some trees personally :p


Gautier
 
Rio Grande National Forest
http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/riogrande/
You can check out Taos and Santa Fe while you are in the "area" :thumbup:

I know of a lot of cool places in the Sierra Nevadas too

Ever been to Subway Cave?
subway2.jpg


http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/lassen/maps/brochures/rog_subway.pdf
 
Everyone like to promote thei area so I will too. Consider the Black Hills of South Dakota. Pretty good fishing. pretty good gun laws very good summer climate.
 
The Sierras are right next door in California.

I would look up a lake or river/creek and check to make sure there are no burn bans, but if there are campsites, then they more than likely have rock campfire rings.

You could check out the kern river, if you're looking to do some golden trout fishing. I've never been there because it's in Souther California, but I'm sure you could find a suitable spot if you look hard enough.
 
Definitely a lot of great ideas, and has got me to thinking more. I appreciate all the suggestions. Just needed a little jump-start to get the brain working I guess. :o
That cave there looks like it'd be a blast to explore. So many places to see, so little time and money :(


Gautier
 
stingray4540 said:
The Sierras are right next door in California.

I would look up a lake or river/creek and check to make sure there are no burn bans, but if there are campsites, then they more than likely have rock campfire rings.

You could check out the kern river, if you're looking to do some golden trout fishing. I've never been there because it's in Souther California, but I'm sure you could find a suitable spot if you look hard enough.
Click to expand...

I can attest that Southern California camping is LAME in general IMHO
All shrubbery and high desert cr@p
I need pine trees, mountain lakes and trout streams
I know there iare places like that in SO Cal but I haven't found too many :thumbdn:

Maybe I was spoiled by the Sierra Nevadas and The San Juan Mountains as a youth :confused:

Subway Cave had me all paranoid
I had my Beretta 92F at the ready
I kept thinking about Tom Sawyer and Injun' Joe
(or was it Huck Finn?)
Didn't Injun' Joe live in a cave??
Heheheheh
I probably would have ruptured my ear drums if I busted a cap in there though :eek:
It was scary to turn off my MagLite
And cold in there too.....
 
I like the four-corners area a lot, but may-june might be a little early for the high country.
If it is forests you want then hit northern-Cal, Oregon , Washington, BC. Especially if you haven't been before.
I personally try to stay away from National Parks (they call it a park because that's where you park your RV) Instead of Yellowstone you could check out one of the wilderness areas around it.
 
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