By Jeff on Tuesday, June 05, 2001 - 01:20 pm: Edit

My wife and I are thinking about doing a week long road trip. I am working on gathering some ideas of where to go. We live in the midwest, so good access to the entire country. Oh, and not Highway 1, that is in the plans for next year.

We are looking to camp and do the Bed&Breakfast thing. Also, any back road tours would be a cool idea.

What are some of your favorite spots you have visited?

By Stephen on Tuesday, June 05, 2001 - 01:24 pm: Edit

How about Canada? Your dollar goes a long way here right now!

By Jeff on Tuesday, June 05, 2001 - 01:27 pm: Edit

Stephen, were are you at in Canada?

I work in Waterloo, Ont. a lot.

I had a friend who went to the Canadian Rockies one time, that looked really nice.

Yes, the dollar does go a long way.

What route would you suggest, what are the sights?

Thanks

By Stephen on Tuesday, June 05, 2001 - 02:33 pm: Edit

I'm in Calgary, Alberta.
The Rockies are definitely worthy of a road trip. Be sure to see Banff, Jasper,& Calgary in Alberta. Also do some research into British Columbia's Rockies. Vancouver, Whistler, and the Sunshine Coast are all worth seeing. Victoria (on Vancouver Island) and the Gulf islands are also high on the list.
I would drive from the states to Alberta (check out Waterton Park) to Calgary. Then to Canmore for a stop ,and off to Banff National Park, and up the Parkway to Jasper National Park. Then make your way thru the Rockies to Vancouver (lots to see in between). Then take BC ferries up the Sunshine Coast to Powell River then across to Vancouver Island. Then drive down to Victoria(be sure to go whale watching from here for Killer Whales ) , perhaps seeing some of the Gulf Islands on the way. Then you could take a ferry back to the mainland and drive back into the States to Seattle.
This would represent at least a week of travel - to properly see all the sites. However, you can drive straight thru from Calgary to Vancouver in approximately 14 hours!
Hope this wasn't to much babble and that it helps. Let me know if you want more specifics on anything.
Stephen

By Bud on Tuesday, June 05, 2001 - 03:06 pm: Edit

Jeff - Where in the Midwest? And when are you planning to go?

By SmokinBro on Tuesday, June 05, 2001 - 03:24 pm: Edit

Stephen has excellent suggestions.

I live in Vancouver and I'd add a little very scenic detour.
Once you've seen Calgary I'd head for Vancouver.
Take highway 1 and down the Fraser Canyon. Nice scenery, slower drive on a very steep mountain highway. Go into Lillooet, B.C. and then take the Gold Bridge Road to Pemberton and then to Whister. The Gold Bridge Road is an excellent gravel road - you'll feel like you are in the middle nowhere!

Stop at Whister - bring money!

Good luck

By Jeff on Tuesday, June 05, 2001 - 05:15 pm: Edit

I am in Kansas City.

Bud, are you in Neosho? I saw you making fun of everyone poking their heads out their window. LOL

Hey I think we (FlatlandRoverSociety) is having an event down in your neck of the woods. Some guys from Springfield are planning it.

I was just down your direction for Labor Day, went canoeing on the Buffalo.

By Bud on Wednesday, June 06, 2001 - 07:22 am: Edit

Neosho, correct. Let me know if something is going on down here. Who is the local contact? I was in KC last weekend for the "Monsoon". Soccer Tourney, of course, in Lee's Summit. Saw couple of Discos there. Hit Independence Center to do a couple of curbs while we were there. How was the Buffalo? Haven't floated it, but I go down about once a year to cave. Awesome territory.

By Paul on Wednesday, June 06, 2001 - 09:57 am: Edit

Jeff, The Canadian Rockies are beautiful, but it is a bit of a commute from KC. You are probably looking at two days up and two days back just to get to Calgary. Assuming you stop at nights for sleep.

I assume you have a Disco and am also assuming you might want to do some type of off road driving???? I would suggest you hit the US Rockies and come to Colorado or New Mexico. You should be able to arrive in the Denver area in one day and from Denver you are within some great mountain country in a matter of hours. You could start your trip in Estes Park, see Rocky Mountain National Park, head over the pass and drop into Breckenridge, then finish your trip in Crested Butte or somewhere like that.....

Another suggestion would be to just hit the Durango area and spend a week in the San Juans. This is where the Disco2Guy resides. Actually, if I were you I would spend my time in the SanJuans and visit Durango, Silverton, Ouray, Telluride, Lake City, Creede, etc. Great area, fun trails and plenty of other things to keep most wives happy. Lot's of easy, but extremely scenic 4wd trails and many other much more difficult trails. If you go to Durango, book now to try and get a reservation on the train ride to Silverton. You can also go visit Mesa Verde near Cortez. Old Anazai ruins... Of course you are only a 1/2's drive from the Canyonlands area if you so desire.

Let me know if you want more info....

Paul
paul@geotrail.com

By Jeff on Wednesday, June 06, 2001 - 10:35 am: Edit

Hey thanks Paul

We did the Denver area trip over Thanksgiving last year, so somewhere else. We were considering moving there.

I have a good friend in Durango, that I have always promised I would go see, hum sounds like a fun trip. Since I will be a long way from home with little or no support it would be nice to find some scenic trails that are easy. I like this idea!

Are there "backroads" from place to place down in that area or all of the roads "backroads"? Dirt or gravel roads would be a great way to see the sights.

Bud, actually I think I am the guy you talked to about the Series for sale. A guy in Ozark bought it. Anyway, I will send you an email when I know more about the event this summer.

By Bud on Wednesday, June 06, 2001 - 10:53 am: Edit

Great! Any idea who the guy in Ozark was? I lived in the Branson area during the 70s and have several friends down that way.

By Jeff on Wednesday, June 06, 2001 - 12:23 pm: Edit

I will look his name up, Dan I think, he was a machinist for the reserves.

I used to live in Branson, in the summers, worked at Kanakuk.

What do you do in Neosho?

By Bud on Thursday, June 07, 2001 - 07:49 am: Edit

IT Admin for La-Z-Boy. Part time (to pay for Disco) at Lowe's in Joplin. You worked for the White's, huh? Great folks. What an operation. I worked at SDC for nine years. That was back in the old days. I used to take my 76 Bronco off-roading at a creek on "the other side". It is now Dogwood Canyon. Part of Bass Pro's Big Cedar Lodge. They ferry guests around on tours of the place in Defenders. We used to go up on Baird Mountain above Tablerock dam and 4-wheel also. Small world.

By Jeff on Thursday, June 07, 2001 - 09:44 am: Edit

Yes it is a very small world.

Did you ever happen to know a Rex Matzenbacher. He worked at SDC for years, I worked with him at Kanakuk in maintainance.

There would be some really cool 4wheelin in the Branson area if it wheren't so civilized. I am sure there is just as much great stuff over your way, about 2 years ago we went on some great trails around the western most end of Table Rock, just above the ARK/MO stateline. Nothing too difficult but very nice scenery.

Yeah I have watched the revamping of Dogwood Canyon, I have been to Branson every year for the last 15 years, either to work or leisure on Table Rock Lake. I would really like to go fly fishing in there. I have never been in there and now it looks like I will have to pay to see the area.

By Bud on Thursday, June 07, 2001 - 02:44 pm: Edit

Rex. The bloodhound guy. Boy, if there was ever a laid back hillbilly, Rex was the man. He used to play the Deputy in the street troupe and my ex-wife was Sarie Ellen, the daughter of one of the feuding families. You're bringing back some old memories. My first year there was '71. Six guys roomed together in a dilapidated old two story house in Reeds Spring. One of the guys was named Bob Holden. He was a Stage Coach driver. I think he lives in Jefferson City now. ;>)