On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Folks,
We’re trying a new feature here, so let’s see how it goes for the next week or so before it’s fully automated.
This post is for Balloon Juicers who are on the road, travelling, etc. and wish to share notes, links, pictures, stories, etc. from their escapades. As the US mainland begins the end of the Earth day as we measure it, many of us rise to read about our friends and their transient locales.
So, please, speak up and share some of your adventures, observations, and sights as you explore, no matter where you are.
Have at ’em, and have a safe day of travels!
Iowa Old Lady
So far, I have to say I prefer having travel comments mixed in with the regular open threads. A dedicated thread does give them room, which is nice, but it’s easy to check the thread once and then miss what gets added.
satby
I wish I was able to travel right now, Quinerly and Majorx4 have my feet itchin’ to go somewhere. But the next big trip is planned for November, when I go on a volunteer vacation to teach English in northern Thailand and Cambodia. I have TEFL certification, and want to use it in underserved rural areas.
Quinerly
Good Morning! Still loving the funky little Cameron Trading Post, Restaurant and Motel…the closest accommodations to the Desert View entrance of the Grand Canyon…huge dedicated dog area and great home-style cooking in the restaurant. Highly suggest if you are ever in the area checking out the 5 pueblo ruins that comprise the Wupatki- Sunset Crater Volcano (National Monument) loop drive. Fantastic! Also loved the historic district in Flagstaff. If you are looking for a pretty drive and want to check out the San Francisco Peaks, drive highway 180 out of Flagstaff to Valle, AZ. Wonderful day, indeed. Maybe today I’ll actually make it to Sedona and/or Jerome. Have a great day, and thanks for all the interest and helpful comments. (this place has the absolute best fry bread??)
Quinerly
@satby:
Oh, wow! Now that’s a trip! I quit going overseas years ago. Miss it a bit. Seems like at this point in my life, I like the freedom of the car tightly packed (I just can’t help it, over packed once again) and a dog to keep me company. Can’t wait to hear about your trip in November.
Quinerly
@Iowa Old Lady:
It really doesn’t matter to me. I feel like I kinda suggested it…because I was afraid I was hijacking that morning thread with a long comment. Sometimes I can’t be politics all the time and the Trump shit show and worries had me so disturbed when I started out almost 3 weeks ago…it was a nice break to wake up to you guys and share what Poco and I had done, get encouragement…and helpful suggestions. I know it sounds childish, but on these once a year trips, I used to call my mom in the AM and “report in”….lost her a little over a year ago. Whatever is decided suits me…on Thurs, I leave this area and head to Kanab, Utah.
Eric S.
@satby: that would be a very cool trip. My big plans are to visit friends in Stuttgart and Budapest this summer.
@Quinerly: I get the car thing. There’s definitely s sense of freedom there that is lacking on some other trips. I’ve been enjoying the stories so far.
frosty
@Quinerly: Many years ago when my sister-in-law was (briefly) living in Scottsdale we flew out to have Thanksgiving with her. That weekend, we took a day trip to Wupatki, Jerome, another old town whose name I forget, and Sedona. The guidebook recommended three days!
frosty
@Eric S.: a singer named Butterfly Boucher has a good road song (Another White Dash) with one of my favorite lines:
There is something exciting about leaving everything behind,
Something deep and pulling, leaving everything behind.
Something about having everything you think you’ll ever need
Sitting in the seat next to you.
Alain the site fixer
@Quinerly: we’ll see how it goes but I think it’s nice to have a spot where you can go daily to catch up on folks’ travel news. It’s easier to find travel updates with a dedicated area from my personal perspective so thought it was a great suggestion. And yes, I missed the grumps about you as being friendly ribbing, but i also can understand if some readers feel like it’s bragging and don’t want to read it, so again, I see value in segmenting this content to a daily post. I’ll ask the commentariat next week for what they think.
frosty
@Alain the site fixer: As a roadtripper myself I like the dedicated post. Plus it’s easily searchable with the tag.
If the commenters peter out after awhile then we’ll know it didn’t work out. But let’s keep it going til then.
Tenar Arha
I’ll admit it, I like it separate because it’s not a long thread. This way I still get my morning envying of The Traveling Juicers in, without having to read a 100+ comments.
Quinerly
@Tenar Arha: @frosty: @Alain the site fixer:
I rather liked the idea of it separate so if people didn’t want to read about other’s travels it wasn’t being forced on them. Certainly didn’t mean to come off as a braggart…I have done a big trip in February since turning 50 six years ago…always with a dog (my Leo died on the 2014 trip)…plan and budget 6 months out. Love reading about other’s adventures and thought it was a nice interlude from politics…a group of people who for the most part have common interests and appear to be a clan of misfits. Off to Sedona! Thanks for all the kind comments. Have a great Sunday! Take care.
frosty
So, Road Trip news. We’re at Blue Spring State Park for a couple of days. This is our 4th FL state park campground this trip and they’ve all been great. The park system has won “Best in the country” awards three times and they deserve it.
Planning a boat tour of the St John’s River today and hoping to see a manatee or two wintering in the 72 degree spring.
Alain the site fixer
@frosty: If you see any, get some pix!
I just setup an email account for BJ pics, so should you, or anyone else, get something nice on the road (and Raven, that’s a passive cry-out for pics of the fish you catch!), send it in. Right now it’s just me with access, but I can add other frontpagers as well.
It’s [email protected]
Alain the site fixer
@frosty: If you see any, get some pix!
I just setup an email account for BJ pics, so should you, or anyone else, get something nice on the road (and Raven, that’s a passive cry-out for pics of the fish you catch!), send it in. Right now it’s just me with access, but I can add other frontpagerss as well.
It’s [email protected]
SFBayAreaGal
I like the dedicated thread for travel. For me, it is easier to follow. I can go back to this thread to check for updates rather than scrolling through hundreds of comments in other threads.
Thank you Alain.
frosty
@frosty: Prescott AZ was the other town.
BellyCat
Out attempt at leaving yesterday fell short due to migraine intervention (MommaCat) and over ambition. Leaving tonight around spawn’s bedtime.
Packing, packing, packing!
First stop in VA or NC, FSM willing. Fingers crossed….
Mnemosyne
I am leaving for Disneyworld 2 weeks from today, and I started packing 2 weeks ago.
These are the kinds of weird adaptations that one does when one has ADHD and is afraid of forgetting important stuff.
amygdala
Greetings from gently rainy Portland (Oregon). I got in yesterday late morning and spent most of the afternoon at Powell’s Books. A friend asked why it would be such a short trip, and I said it was to have a half-empty suitcase to bring back all the books.
Going to Stockholm for a week next month. First international trip since the inauguration. I’m guessing it’ll be like when W was in office, with locals gently trying to sort out if I actually support the current WH occupant, and when I say, well, no, asking me “WTF is going on over there?!”
Zinsky
I’m not sure I understand this “development”, so I will just keep my figurative mouth shut.