RMO - why you should make a trip out to Calif!

[DandyDon]

You're probly youner and fitter than I, and I know that Robin is, but when I do a long distance driving trip - I rent the car here instead of there and put the miles on their car. Mileage costs can be much more than gas costs.

Of three times I mentioned diving the Channel Islands, one was a one day escape from a family trip, the other two I used Supper Shuttle to get to the Long Beach dock and had no need for a car.

Car rentals have indeed gone up a lot, in part because cars cost more, plus a lot of those charges go to "fees & taxes."

 

[Waterskier1]

No offense Don, but do you also have plastic wrap on all your furniture so it stays clean too .

I bought my vehicles to use, not sit home in the garage. Mileage cost do add up. So do car rental cost. Both have the added cost of gas. That is why I have several (4 plus motorcycles and boats). Each is used for it's purpose. If it's just me or two of us, I take the GTI. It get good gas mileage, and the Turbo is a blast to drive. If I'm towing my boat, I take the Suburban (usually). A trip to the dump, or to the home improvement store or whatever other hauling I use the pickup. If I'm going camping it's either the Suburban (4x4 back country) or the Motorhome. Most are equiped with the things to make my trip enjoyable, not just tolerable. I have satellite navigation (GPS) satellite radio, tv, DVD, MP3, telephone, 2-way radio, along with comfortable seats. I'd much rather sit in my car than a rental (or an airplane), but that's me. Some of us bought cars with the features we like because we use them. I only rent a car at the destination because I can't get mine there timely. That's the only reason I fly too. If I had the time, I'd drive or boat, but, again, that's just me. Each of us has our preferences, but that doesn't make the other person's preferences wrong. You won't find plastic wrap on my furniture, or cars sitting around collecting dust instead of miles while I pay to use a rental. But, that doesn't make you wrong and me right. Just different which if fine.

 

[DandyDon]

No offense Don, but do you also have plastic wrap on all your furniture so it stays clean too .

Nah, and I can see your position - a nice collection of wheels. The SUV I saw Robin's family and poodle in once seemed nice, too. I just have one set, and while I am amazed how well it runs with 345,000 miles on it, I wouldn't take further from home than the Blue Hole. :lol2: I also don't like to drive that much; like to wake up on final approach.

 

[dwaters]

Couldn't help but to jump in and welcome any and all to So.Cal. If you don't make it to one of our planned beach and/or boat So.Cal.Kelp Diver's trip, please let us locals know when you plan a trip and we would love to join in the fun (if you have room of course). Check out our forum for more So.Cal. input.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forumdisplay.php?f=88

 

[RonFrank]

I just have one set, and while I am amazed how well it runs with 345,000 miles on it, I wouldn't take further from home than the Blue Hole. :lol2:

At 345,000 miles, I wouldn't take it out of the driveway!

I'd like to do this, and the trip in November sounds NICE. They have put together a great diving package, and some good hotel rates to boot.

I may be hunting during that time, I have to see. But I may run out of vacation, and then flying would not be a bad idea. I found RT to LAX at under two hundred from Denver.

Driving would not bother me, but see my vacation day dilemma above! Driving adds two days, and those would be weekdays. The airfare maybe cost justified in that case.

 

[DandyDon]

At 345,000 miles, I wouldn't take it out of the driveway!

Yeah I know, need to go shopping. Yuck. It gets me around my low mileage circuit ok. Usually the furtherest is the airport.

 

[robint]

Nah, and I can see your position - a nice collection of wheels. The SUV I saw Robin's family and poodle in once seemed nice, too. I just have one set, and while I am amazed how well it runs with 345,000 miles on it, I wouldn't take further from home than the Blue Hole. :lol2: I also don't like to drive that much; like to wake up on final approach.

I am guessing you are talking about a different Robin than me... no poodle and less than 6k miles on my Element plus I have only taken it to BH once! One of the reasons we bought it was for a dive vehicle since the back seats are removable and no carpet to get full of sand, mud, etc. It worked very well for the dive trip - easy to clean too, when we got back just had to sweep it out.

Seriously, flying out was a bit quicker but not easier. I hate paying parking fee, going thru security, then sitting in airports, and going thru security again just to sit and sit, airline food (yuck).... then waiting for luggage when you get there, then taking a shuttle to the rental car place and standing in line again, then driving to dive shop to pick up rented tanks and wts,... a day of hurry up and wait!

Driving out in MY OWN vehicle, taking my time and sightseeing a bit, not having to "pack for security searches", etc. It was so nice to just throw anything we wanted to take in the car and not think about it. We had 2 lg. dive bags full of any gear we thought we might need (didn't have to worry about bag weight!), 2 softside coolers holding our cameras, camera bag (for chargers, batteries, tapes), a clothing duffle bag and toiletries not in a little qt bag, a tote bag with dive logs and stuff, a cooler for snacks for the trip, 2 tanks, bag of weights, and lots of CDs to play while driving thru the radio-free desert... Honestly, it was much easier.

Next time we go out (probably not this year), I would guess we will drive out again... it just worked. Period. If we lived farther away maybe it would be a hassle. But since it is a 12 hour drive from ABQ it was a day each way which we had the time for. When you fly you have to wait 24 hrs after last dive anyhow so driving out only kills a full day instead of half day. Not that big a difference in that respect.

Just my 2 cents.

robint

 

[georoc01]

Right now Frontier Airlines is having a sale for $208 RT.

I doubt I could drive to LA for that. However in time savings, like Robin says, I could leave right after and be back to Denver in 14-16 hours depending on traffic whereas Flying you have the 24 hour fly rule.

The other downside of driving once you get to November is snow in the Rockies. Nothing like driving for 10+ hours only to hit a blizzard that starts shutting down Vail pass like what happened to me driving back from Utah last fall.

 

[DandyDon]

I am guessing you are talking about a different Robin than me... no poodle and less than 6k miles on my Element plus I have only taken it to BH once!

I guess I am, ooopppess. Sounds like you did make a nice trip out of it.

Yeah, George - and from ABQ there's the high country around Flagstaff and the Canyon. I don't know how often they get snowed in, just remember the time I did there.

I guess a lot of how to get there depends on personal preferences. I hate driving more than 3 hours each way to Santa Rosa, prefer to fly to DFW or ABQ, and anything further - danged right. ilot:

I have that Bahamas boat in December, but after losing Cozumel last month, I'm thinking about going on in Oct maybe.

 

[Waterskier1]

The other downside of driving once you get to November is snow in the Rockies. Nothing like driving for 10+ hours only to hit a blizzard that starts shutting down Vail pass like what happened to me driving back from Utah last fall.

I used to make the LA trip several times a year, and often in the winter. I started driving I-40 versus I-70. For me, it's a bit longer, but faster, and less likely to have blizzared conditions. Don is right, you have a stretch around Flagstaff, and another around Gallup (this is usually worse in my limited experience) that can have snow, and, of course Raton Pass. I like the southern route (but I'm an hour + closer and an hour + further to I-70 than you in Denver). I find the driving easier than through the mountains ( I make that trip a lot too, to the houseboat at Lake Powell). I just set the cruise at 80 and relax. I plan the trip so I don't go through cities during rush hour (except LA, where it's alwasy rush hour ). I do a lot of my driving at night and early moring, but that's just my preference. I hadn't considered the 24 hour no dive aspect, since the furthest I've driven and dove is the Blue Hole. I don't drive to Caribbean or Mexico - I end up flying.

BTW, Don, I'm going to Cozumel 27 Oct thru 3 Nov - the first time I've dove there (besides snorkel). It will also be my frist time drift diving. I was on a liveaboard in Bahamas end of June.