Vacation stories/pictures thread
- Thread starter TexasRaceLady
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It's still beautiful though bud.Took a drive a couple of days ago before work. Gloomy, wet day.
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Whizzer
Gig'em
Beautiful photos, Clutch. Trying to talk my Bride into visiting your country. So far, not much luck but like the ad for the New York State pottery used to go, "HEY! You never know!"
muggle not
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WOW, outstanding photos. You are fortunate.Took a drive a couple of days ago before work. Gloomy, wet day.
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The route for this summers vacation. 8,000 miles round trip pulling the Beast. A month long with a 2 or 3 day stay at locations E through O. The rest we've already seen or done everything that's interesting to us so it's only one night. I just bought our Sonoma Race tickets and already have reservations for every stop but one and it only has a 4 month reservation window. Which sucks because the rest have a year or six month window.
sdj
Just a race fan
Be sure and spend some time in the Sequoia National Forest in Ca.
sdj
Just a race fan
I saw where you are going up the PCH, make sure to visit, http://avenueofthegiants.net/ , North of SF and Sonoma. It is a humongous old growth Red Wood Forest.
We have been all the way up the PCH from SF to Oregon boarder, it was a great adventure.
We have been all the way up the PCH from SF to Oregon boarder, it was a great adventure.
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sdj
Just a race fan
If you are going all the way into Kings Canyon plan a full day, maybe you will see Kings River during snow melt, that in and of itself is pretty spectacular. Kings Canyon is the deepest glacier cut canyon in the USA. We spent a lot of time in the Sierra Mountains there when I worked in Cali for 6 years.
sdj
Just a race fan
Sun and Fun Fly In photo's Lakeland Fla. 4-4-19.
We took a day and went yesterday, Beeeyouteeful Day. Saw the Blue Angles do their pratice and was able to listen to them as they pointed out land marks to line up on for the show, way cool, this was at Noon, then at 5PM they put on the show. Lots of aircraft flew, but no P-51's
. But we did see a lot of Trainers both new and old old old. The B-25 flyby was a treat. The Corsair did a tribute flight but no strafing runs. Except for the Blue Angles and the F-16 doing it's high performance routine, the show was very tame.
Blue Angles Practicing
Static P-51 One of a pair there. Immaculate condition. Me in the Photo
Like a kid in a candy store
B-25 Mitchel, saw it fly and it was in beautiful condition.
X-82 refurbish history, photo of plane next
XP-82 (TWIN P-51's) the plane, I had read about these before but this was my first up close and personal look at one, quite a piece of work.
Chinook Helicopter with twin miniguns and twin 308 machine guns
It was a great fun day, with perfect weather.
We took a day and went yesterday, Beeeyouteeful Day. Saw the Blue Angles do their pratice and was able to listen to them as they pointed out land marks to line up on for the show, way cool, this was at Noon, then at 5PM they put on the show. Lots of aircraft flew, but no P-51's
. But we did see a lot of Trainers both new and old old old. The B-25 flyby was a treat. The Corsair did a tribute flight but no strafing runs. Except for the Blue Angles and the F-16 doing it's high performance routine, the show was very tame.Blue Angles Practicing
Static P-51 One of a pair there. Immaculate condition. Me in the Photo
Like a kid in a candy storeB-25 Mitchel, saw it fly and it was in beautiful condition.
X-82 refurbish history, photo of plane next
XP-82 (TWIN P-51's) the plane, I had read about these before but this was my first up close and personal look at one, quite a piece of work.
Chinook Helicopter with twin miniguns and twin 308 machine guns
It was a great fun day, with perfect weather.
sdj
Just a race fan
I saved this one for a spot by itself out of respect for what it represents.
This is the actual C-47 that was the first C-47 to transport Paratroopers across the English Channel on D-DAY. It gave me chills to walk around it and look it over and know the history of what this aircraft represented to our great country and the liberation of Europe.
This is the actual C-47 that was the first C-47 to transport Paratroopers across the English Channel on D-DAY. It gave me chills to walk around it and look it over and know the history of what this aircraft represented to our great country and the liberation of Europe.
Whizzer
Gig'em
Where is that Q stop?
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That's South Llano River State Park Junction Tx. I updated our route since I posted that picture and forgot to post the new one. I just added some stops but we're still stopping at Junction though. I'll post the new one shortly.
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mmmmmm, Junction is less than 2 hours from my home. Just saying.
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The wife is still laughing. Hint hint. We're gonna think on it and talk to ya in a PM later.
I was thinking about driving over and meeting you there. I can spend the night in one of the hotels and drive home the next day.The wife is still laughing. Hint hint. We're gonna think on it and talk to ya in a PM later.
Whizzer
Gig'em
Junction, Texas, where Bear Bryant coached the Texas Aggie football team his first year as coach at A&M. He was a real task master and would never get away with the rugged training schedule he utilized at the time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junction_Boys
I hope you two can meet up.That would be great if you could arrange it.
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We should be there in late June and arrive at about 3 pm and leave the next morning at 7 or 8 am.
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sdj
Just a race fan
This is one more photo from the airshow last week in Lakeland, Fla.
It hit my funny bone pretty hard. The lady with this backpack was in her 60's.
Still young at heart with a sense of humor.
It hit my funny bone pretty hard. The lady with this backpack was in her 60's.
Still young at heart with a sense of humor.
Whizzer
Gig'em
Gee, she wasn't even making an effort to get the monkey off her back.
2 Sweet
HMS 4-life
My wife and I just got back from spending a week in Florida. When I was growing up, my family used to vacation in Clearwater Beach every year, but this was the first time I've been back to Florida since 2004. I was pretty excited to finally get back down there.
Coming from Ohio, we spent the majority of the trip on I-75. Our first day of the drive we stopped in Macon, GA overnight.....
We spent the next night in Gainesville, FL. I'm a big Gator fan, but I've only seen them play on the road against Kentucky or Vanderbilt. I had never been inside The Swamp, so I made sure to schedule our trip so we could watch the Florida spring game in person....
Right after the game, we drove straight to our spot in Clearwater Beach...
All the beachfront motels are long gone in favor of high rises, sadly. It's been that way here since the turn of the century, but there are still a few old Florida style motels a couple blocks inland (on the marina side). I definitely prefer the older mom-and-pop beach motels over the more expensive high rise chain hotels. It's less than a 5 minute walk to the beach, and the view is still pretty good....
The beach was wayyyy busier during our stay than I had ever seen it during any spring break or summer vacation there in my past. I guess that's a sign of just how much this place has grown in the last couple decades. It's very "commercialized" now, almost too popular for it's own good, but I still enjoyed the heck out of it....
We spent a day in St. Pete as well. My grandparents used to rent a house by Coffeepot Bayou every winter, so we stopped by for a walk. The bayou hasn't changed a bit, still as beautiful as ever.....
Later that day, we stopped by a rooftop bar for Happy Hour and had a pretty nice view.....
And went to a Rays game, of course.....
It was a great vacation, but it went by too quick. They always do.
One other note.....Traffic on the way down and the way back wasn't bad, except Atlanta. My God what a PITA. It's 6 freakin lanes wide, yet still takes 2 hours to get through.
Coming from Ohio, we spent the majority of the trip on I-75. Our first day of the drive we stopped in Macon, GA overnight.....
We spent the next night in Gainesville, FL. I'm a big Gator fan, but I've only seen them play on the road against Kentucky or Vanderbilt. I had never been inside The Swamp, so I made sure to schedule our trip so we could watch the Florida spring game in person....
Right after the game, we drove straight to our spot in Clearwater Beach...
All the beachfront motels are long gone in favor of high rises, sadly. It's been that way here since the turn of the century, but there are still a few old Florida style motels a couple blocks inland (on the marina side). I definitely prefer the older mom-and-pop beach motels over the more expensive high rise chain hotels. It's less than a 5 minute walk to the beach, and the view is still pretty good....
The beach was wayyyy busier during our stay than I had ever seen it during any spring break or summer vacation there in my past. I guess that's a sign of just how much this place has grown in the last couple decades. It's very "commercialized" now, almost too popular for it's own good, but I still enjoyed the heck out of it....
We spent a day in St. Pete as well. My grandparents used to rent a house by Coffeepot Bayou every winter, so we stopped by for a walk. The bayou hasn't changed a bit, still as beautiful as ever.....
Later that day, we stopped by a rooftop bar for Happy Hour and had a pretty nice view.....
And went to a Rays game, of course.....
It was a great vacation, but it went by too quick. They always do.
One other note.....Traffic on the way down and the way back wasn't bad, except Atlanta. My God what a PITA. It's 6 freakin lanes wide, yet still takes 2 hours to get through.
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My wife and I just got back from spending a week in Florida. When I was growing up, my family used to vacation in Clearwater Beach every year, but this was the first time I've been back to Florida since 2004. I was pretty excited to finally get back down there.
Coming from Ohio, we spent the majority of the trip on I-75. Our first day of the drive we stopped in Macon, GA overnight.....
We spent the next night in Gainesville, FL. I'm a big Gator fan, but I've only seen them play on the road against Kentucky or Vanderbilt. I had never been inside The Swamp, so I made sure to schedule our trip so we could watch the Florida spring game in person....
Right after the game, we drove straight to our spot in Clearwater Beach...
All the beachfront motels are long gone in favor of high rises, sadly. It's been that way here since the turn of the century, but there are still a few old Florida style motels a couple blocks inland (on the marina side). I definitely prefer the older mom-and-pop beach motels over the more expensive high rise chain hotels. It's less than a 5 minute walk to the beach, and the view is still pretty good....
The beach was wayyyy busier during our stay than I had ever seen it during any spring break or summer vacation there in my past. I guess that's a sign of just how much this place has grown in the last couple decades. It's very "commercialized" now, almost too popular for it's own good, but I still enjoyed the heck out of it....
We spent a day in St. Pete as well. My grandparents used to rent a house by Coffeepot Bayou every winter, so we stopped by for a walk. The bayou hasn't changed a bit, still as beautiful as ever.....
Later that day, we stopped by a rooftop bar for Happy Hour and had a pretty nice view.....
And went to a Rays game, of course.....
It was a great vacation, but it went by too quick. They always do.
One other note.....Traffic on the way down and the way back wasn't bad, except Atlanta. My God what a PITA. It's 6 freakin lanes wide, yet still takes 2 hours to get through.
It sounds like our vacations, we stay busy busy. We're glad that you enjoyed yourselves.
Atlanta has always been that way. 2 lanes, 4 lanes, 6 lanes it didn't matter. The traffic just outgrew the roads faster than they could build them. I try to go through there around 5 or 6 in the morning, it's not so bad then
Nice pics bud and I enjoyed your commentary. Looks like a really nice place.... But busy! I see you are from Ohio.... Funny thing that in February we had 2 guests stay with us for 10 days from Ohio. We only knew one of them from a Mediterranean cruise 9 years ago! Anyhow he texted us and he came with a friend he is from Orrville and the friend from Wooster.... If never heard of these places. Anyhow we all had a blast!
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sdj
Just a race fan
My wife and I just got back from spending a week in Florida. When I was growing up, my family used to vacation in Clearwater Beach every year, but this was the first time I've been back to Florida since 2004. I was pretty excited to finally get back down there.
Coming from Ohio, we spent the majority of the trip on I-75. Our first day of the drive we stopped in Macon, GA overnight.....
We spent the next night in Gainesville, FL. I'm a big Gator fan, but I've only seen them play on the road against Kentucky or Vanderbilt. I had never been inside The Swamp, so I made sure to schedule our trip so we could watch the Florida spring game in person....
Right after the game, we drove straight to our spot in Clearwater Beach...
All the beachfront motels are long gone in favor of high rises, sadly. It's been that way here since the turn of the century, but there are still a few old Florida style motels a couple blocks inland (on the marina side). I definitely prefer the older mom-and-pop beach motels over the more expensive high rise chain hotels. It's less than a 5 minute walk to the beach, and the view is still pretty good....
The beach was wayyyy busier during our stay than I had ever seen it during any spring break or summer vacation there in my past. I guess that's a sign of just how much this place has grown in the last couple decades. It's very "commercialized" now, almost too popular for it's own good, but I still enjoyed the heck out of it....
We spent a day in St. Pete as well. My grandparents used to rent a house by Coffeepot Bayou every winter, so we stopped by for a walk. The bayou hasn't changed a bit, still as beautiful as ever.....
Later that day, we stopped by a rooftop bar for Happy Hour and had a pretty nice view.....
And went to a Rays game, of course.....
It was a great vacation, but it went by too quick. They always do.
One other note.....Traffic on the way down and the way back wasn't bad, except Atlanta. My God what a PITA. It's 6 freakin lanes wide, yet still takes 2 hours to get through.
Glad you had a great time, there is nothing like a GATOR game in the SWAMP! I have been to many, having lived in Florida since birth 67 years ago.
You said: I definitely prefer the older mom-and-pop beach motels over the more expensive high rise chain hotels, Me also!!!, open up the sliders right to the beach, it was great.
Two key factors have ruined a lot of Florida, The interstate system and affordable whole house air conditioning.
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I'm too damned old (Florida native) to attend games in the swamp anymore. The electricity in the air is overwhelming for my 75 year old senses. There's no place like it.Glad you had a great time, there is nothing like a GATOR game in the SWAMP! I have been to many, having lived in Florida since birth 67 years ago.
You said: I definitely prefer the older mom-and-pop beach motels over the more expensive high rise chain hotels, Me also!!!, open up the sliders right to the beach, it was great.
Two key factors have ruined a lot of Florida, The interstate system and affordable whole house air conditioning.
There are still a lot of the small clean motels down both coasts and even inland but are getting harder to find. The old folks are dying off and the kids are selling out to the big condo/hotel/time share scalpers. This was one of our favorites before I bought my first RV in the 70s.
https://www.google.com/travel/hotel...G9yaWRhGhgKCjIwMTktMDQtMjUSCjIwMTktMDQtMjZSAA
2 Sweet
HMS 4-life
Thanks! I'm just a few miles west of Columbus, which isn't too far from Orville and Wooster. Less than two hours away.
Hopefully I'll make it to a real game there soon. I can only imagine how fun that place must be in the fall.
We used to stay at this place in Clearwater Beach called the Angler.......
^ I found this pic online from the late 70's. It was demolished in the late 90's and replaced by the Hilton, just north of Pier 60.
sdj
Just a race fan
We used to stay at this place in Clearwater Beach called the Angler.......
^ I found this pic online from the late 70's. It was demolished in the late 90's and replaced by the Hilton, just north of Pier 60.
Hell yeah, that's what I am talking about, couldn't beat it.
Now we have eleventy million people here and we hardly have any access to our beautiful beaches.
I remember back in my younger days in 1970 and 71, we would occasional on weekends, party like crazy on the sand dunes and beach on the east end of Panama City Beach, away from town, now it's all town. I probably spilled more liquor there than most people will drink, LOL.
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During the 60s and 70s the west end of the beach was the same. That's where we hung out when we were there. Build a bonfire, party like crazy and sleep it off on the beach. Try it now and the snow birds that's taken over everything would probably beat you with their canes for sleeping on "Their" beaches. That and go to jail is what I've heard usually happens.Hell yeah, that's what I am talking about, couldn't beat it.
Now we have eleventy million people here and we hardly have any access to our beautiful beaches.
I remember back in my younger days in 1970 and 71, we would occasional on weekends, party like crazy on the sand dunes and beach on the east end of Panama City Beach, away from town, now it's all town. I probably spilled more liquor there than most people will drink, LOL.
sdj
Just a race fan
Me either. Did just fine.
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Day 1 of our 32 day, over 8,000 mile odyssey ended just fine. We're going from the West coast of Florida to the Oregon coast and back again pulling the beast. Our first four day's are 5 to 6 hour shakedown runs to check everything out. So far so good except for a couple of minor glitches. We're sitting on the shores of Shadow Lake in Roosevelt State Park MS just enjoying life.
Whizzer
Gig'em
Okay, Johali. Got my U.S. Road Atlas out and following your trip. Looking forward to daily reports of the places you've been and things you have seen. I love to travel but no longer enjoy doing the driving part. I guess six years of following NASCAR around the U.S. is what did me in.
Anyway, love to hear your adventures so I can live vicariously through you and your Bride. Keep pictures and articles coming and between you and DPK I'll have an outside view of various parts of the country.
Safe travels!!
Anyway, love to hear your adventures so I can live vicariously through you and your Bride. Keep pictures and articles coming and between you and DPK I'll have an outside view of various parts of the country.
Safe travels!!
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Day 2. Arrived without incident at Tyler State park TX. Looking out over the lake watching the cloud reflections drift through the water.
A 3500 HD diesel 4X4 Ram pulling a trailer passed us today on I-20. On the trailer was a cherry 1969 GTO Judge like the one below. It had a Vanity Texas License Plate "AND JURY". We got a few pictures but they weren't very clear.
The link to this one.
https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/pontiac/gto-judge/2274137.html
A 3500 HD diesel 4X4 Ram pulling a trailer passed us today on I-20. On the trailer was a cherry 1969 GTO Judge like the one below. It had a Vanity Texas License Plate "AND JURY". We got a few pictures but they weren't very clear.
The link to this one.
https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/pontiac/gto-judge/2274137.html
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We arrived safely at the Lake Arrowhead State Park in Wichita Falls TX this afternoon. 30 miles East of Dallas we ran into a huge thunderstorm that lasted until 25 miles NW of Fort Worth. When we passed the Texas track we could see some haulers and Cars/Trucks in front of the gate. It was raining too hard to tell anything about them.
It's been raining here so much this year that the lake is out of it's banks and a mess. But we're relaxing and enjoying ourselves.
It's been raining here so much this year that the lake is out of it's banks and a mess. But we're relaxing and enjoying ourselves.