Road Trip - LA to San Fran to Vegas

Thanks all for your input and thoughts...

I was not aware of the potential for fog (yikes!) and an alternate
plan would be a great idea...we will look at keeping a day up our
sleeves. Unfortunately we can't do the trip in reverse due to hotel
commitments.

We've been to LA before and were hoping to see other parts of CA this
time around, so no, not much time there at all.

Based on the feedback above, I think we'll spend less (or no) time in
Napa and spend a bit more time in the parks - a couple of the
recommended hikes sound good.

Just curious - why not DV? Is it because it's intensely hot in Aug?
Hmm...another consideration.

Yes, we will be seeing some of the sights around Vegas, so the time
there is probably adequate.

Also - thanks for suggesting we book Alcatraz early we will do that
for sure!

Many thanks for all your input - much appreciated!!!

Based on the feedback above, I think we'll spend...
a bit more time in the parks

If you enjoy parks you also might want to consider Point Lobos, which
has nice hiking trails with dramatic ocean views. It's located on
Highway 1 about 125 miles south of San Francisco, just south of Carmel-
by-the-Sea.
http://pt-lobos.parks.state.ca.us


Just curious - why not DV? Is it because it's intensely hot in Aug?

You'll be fine at Death Valley as long as your car has good air-
conditioning and you use common sense. It's a fascinating place with
beautiful desert scenery. Just read the safety tips at the website and
be sure to carry water in your car.

James

wrote in message
...

Based on the feedback above, I think we'll spend...
a bit more time in the parks

If you enjoy parks you also might want to consider Point Lobos, which
has nice hiking trails with dramatic ocean views. It's located on
Highway 1 about 125 miles south of San Francisco, just south of Carmel-
by-the-Sea.
http://pt-lobos.parks.state.ca.us

But don't forget those caveats as per coastal fog. If the fog is in, not
much to see and tough driving.

Just curious - why not DV? Is it because it's intensely hot in Aug?

You'll be fine at Death Valley as long as your car has good air-
conditioning and you use common sense. It's a fascinating place with
beautiful desert scenery. Just read the safety tips at the website and
be sure to carry water in your car.

Europeans - Germans in particular - seem to find it fascinating to be out in
100 plus (fahrenheit) degree weather. Do stay on the more travelled roads.
And make sure you fill up with gas at Lone Pine - last gas stop before
hitting DV on your itinerary. Gas will be pricey, but good idea to have as
full a tank while in DV...gas is much more pricey there.

Actually, many also find interesting Bodie - the West's largest ghost town.
And the Bristlecone Pines - oldest living complex thing - and the Eureka
sand dunes are also of interest. However these are somewhat off the beaten
track - but off the beaten track are some of the more interesting sites.

On Thu, 5 Jun 2008 02:02:11 -0700 (PDT), Whateverdudejustgo
wrote:

Just curious - why not DV? Is it because it's intensely hot in Aug?
Hmm...another consideration.

It's not just the heat, per se, and I realize that a lot of
tourists just want to be able to say they were in 120F heat.

The problem is the heat, though, because it interferes with the
enjoyment of Death Valley, a really fascinating place. The heat
will make you stay in your air-conditioned car rather than
getting out and tromping around some of the features. If you
haven't lived in the desrt, you have no idea of what the
"hair-dryer effect" is like.

I see at http://www.death.valley.national-park.com/weather.htm
that the temp will be hitting 111F by next weekend. That's NOT
hot for Death Valley.

If you go, carry several gallons of water, and be aware that in
the dry humidity you won't seem to be sweating, but you will be
and it is evaporating immediately. It's not hard to dehydrated
pretty quickly. This could be critical if you were to have a car
breakdown, or decide to spend time outside your car.



--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

gas is much more pricey [in Death Valley].

I just did a quick Google and found a blog photo showing a DV station
selling it for $5.27 a gallon...
http://tinyurl.com/6983wu


Europeans - Germans in particular - seem to find it fascinating to be out in
100 plus (fahrenheit) degree weather.

Yes, a friend of mine used to work in DV and told me that Europeans
sometimes outnumber U.S. visitors in the summer. They're interested in
experiencing extreme heat which can't be found in Europe.

James

On Jun 5, 8:24*pm, Hatunen wrote:
On Thu, 5 Jun 2008 02:02:11 -0700 (PDT), Whateverdudejustgo

wrote:
Just curious - why not DV? Is it because it's intensely hot in Aug?
Hmm...another consideration.

It's not just the heat, per se, and I realize that a lot of
tourists just want to be able to say they were in 120F heat.

The problem is the heat, though, because it interferes with the
enjoyment of Death Valley, a really fascinating place. The heat
will make you stay in your air-conditioned car rather than
getting out and tromping around some of the features. If you
haven't lived in the desrt, you have no idea of what the
"hair-dryer effect" is like.

I see athttp://www.death.valley.national-park.com/weather.htm
that the temp will be hitting 111F by next weekend. That's NOT
hot for Death Valley.

If you go, carry several gallons of water, and be aware that in
the dry humidity you won't seem to be sweating, but you will be
and it is evaporating immediately. It's not hard to dehydrated
pretty quickly. This could be critical if you were to have a car
breakdown, or decide to spend time outside your car.

--
* ************** DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* ** * * * Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow * * * * *
* ** My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

What we always do when driving around the SW US in summer is buy a
cheap styrofoam cooler and keep it stocked with drinks and ice in the
back seat. When you leave, just give or throw it away. And if you
decide to have a picnic lunch, it's a good place to store it in a
waterproof plastic bag, especially if your car has been parked in the
sun.

George

wrote in message
...
gas is much more pricey [in Death Valley].

I just did a quick Google and found a blog photo showing a DV station
selling it for $5.27 a gallon...
http://tinyurl.com/6983wu


Europeans - Germans in particular - seem to find it fascinating to be out
in
100 plus (fahrenheit) degree weather.

Yes, a friend of mine used to work in DV and told me that Europeans
sometimes outnumber U.S. visitors in the summer. They're interested in
experiencing extreme heat which can't be found in Europe.


True for Northen Europeans perhaps but it gets pretty dammed hot in
southern europe in summer. Temperatures in Athens in August regularly
hit over 100F.

Keith

george wrote:
On Jun 5, 8:24 pm, Hatunen wrote:
On Thu, 5 Jun 2008 02:02:11 -0700 (PDT), Whateverdudejustgo

wrote:
Just curious - why not DV? Is it because it's intensely hot in Aug?
Hmm...another consideration.
It's not just the heat, per se, and I realize that a lot of
tourists just want to be able to say they were in 120F heat.

The problem is the heat, though, because it interferes with the
enjoyment of Death Valley, a really fascinating place. The heat
will make you stay in your air-conditioned car rather than
getting out and tromping around some of the features. If you
haven't lived in the desrt, you have no idea of what the
"hair-dryer effect" is like.

I see athttp://www.death.valley.national-park.com/weather.htm
that the temp will be hitting 111F by next weekend. That's NOT
hot for Death Valley.

If you go, carry several gallons of water, and be aware that in
the dry humidity you won't seem to be sweating, but you will be
and it is evaporating immediately. It's not hard to dehydrated
pretty quickly. This could be critical if you were to have a car
breakdown, or decide to spend time outside your car.

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

What we always do when driving around the SW US in summer is buy a
cheap styrofoam cooler and keep it stocked with drinks and ice in the
back seat. When you leave, just give or throw it away. And if you
decide to have a picnic lunch, it's a good place to store it in a
waterproof plastic bag, especially if your car has been parked in the
sun.

Just get one of the folding coolers and take it with you on vacation.
It's great for hotel rooms with no fridge too.

Just curious - why not DV? Is it because it's intensely hot in Aug?


A good website to visit (peel back the URL a little and you'll find a
lot more good stuff)
http://www.nps.gov/deva/faqs.htm

I think Dave Hatunen got it right. It's a time of year to visit for
bragging rights (for a while it held the outright world record for
highest temperature) but in a cooler season you can appreciate
additional dimensions of it, such as "anything very far outside your
air-conditioned rental car."

Spring wildflower season, especially if you happen to catch it at the
right part after a rainy winter, is an example of a great time to
visit California's deserts in general.

Vegas will be none too comfy outdoors either, though not like *that*;
besides which, the whole town is set up to get you indoors and keep
you there (until the money is gone, anyway).

--Joe

I think Dave Hatunen got it *right. *It's a time of year to visit for
bragging rights...but in a cooler season you can appreciate
additional dimensions of it...

I agree completely. But even if it's not the ideal time to visit, it
can still be fun & educational, especially if the original poster has
never been there before.

James