Vacation Time is Close:...(Your Favorite ever?)

[Generals64]

I was just thinking about past vacations and wondered how the rest of you fared through the years.....I'm sure we all had "Great, Good. Not so Good and Horrible Vacations" during our lives....Are you willing to share them with us"???I am....
One of the best vacations I have taken through the years was in 2002 when it was just my wife and I with our Four wheelers in tow.....We headed out I-40 towards Arizona and hung a right at Flagstaff, Arizona. There we went to "slow" highways up to Four corners are of the U.S. We then headed West towards Bryce Canyon, Utah and ended up in Knabb, Utah. The local scenery
was unbelievable....My ultimate destination for the first part of the trip was to go to Zion National Park so, West of Knabb about 30 miles you come up on one of the most intriguing areas in the U.S. is located along with a small (very small) town by the name of Springdale, Utah.....Catered mainly to the tourist....The park is such a wonder you could spend days there and not see everything. A picturesque river (The Virgin River) runs through the valley and there is hiking, fishing, caves to go through etc.
We went to the ONLY Mexican food place in the area (Pretty good) and asked what the locals do around there....The response was "Nothing" but if you go here then there you'll come up on a dead-end road and you'll be able to see where they filmed Butch Cassidy and The Sundance kid.....couldn't eat fast enough.
We went the right directions and, as luck would have it the owner of the property was feeding his cattle and after we volunteered to help feed he let us have the run of the old town (Now hay barns) and showed us where all the scenes were shot.....Then we went up the mountain to where there had been an Indian massacre....and where Butch and the kid jumped into the river river scene shot and a cemetery of only those killed by the Indian trice....That ws kinda sad because it was an entire town that was killed....

Great Place (very inexpensive) to visit....Vegas is only 150 miles further west.....We heade home and stopped in Creed Colorado and took the four-wheelers for one of the most exciting rides we have ever done.....

[RealJimbo]

When I was a kid, all of our vacations except one were spent staying with relatives. That one vacation we camped at Platt National Park, now Chickasaw National Recreation Area by Sulphur, then Clayton Lake Park and Lake Wister. We came home covered in ticks, worn out, and I had almost cut my finger off trying to stab my pocket knife into a tree. City kids shouldn't have knives.

But after I had a family, we had several awesome vacations. In 1986, TG&Y was winding down operations in the HQ office. I had signed up earlier to go to a national conference that I begged to go to even though the company was closing, on the pretext of using it to find employment. The conference was in D.C. and because I was on a retainer contract that would pay me an additional 25% from March to September, I felt I could afford to take the family, since my airfare and hotel were already being paid. We took the kids out of school for that week and they learned more than ten years of government school could teach them. At Will Rogers, Henry Bellmon, who was then running for his second term as governor, asked if he could join us in the waiting area. Of course we we happy for him to sit down with us. It had been raining outside and he had a big, expensive leather briefcase with him that was very wet and the knees of his pants were wet too. I said something like "it sure is wet outside", looking at the briefcase and his knees. He looked kind of embarrassed - but then he always looked kind of embarrassed - and said "oh, I'm going to see my daughter in Baltimore and she always insists that I bring her some Oklahoma beef. My briefcase is full of frozen beef, so that's sweat you see on the briefcase. As for the knees of my pants, my wife and I are renting a condo while we are campaigning and when I was leaving this morning, I reallized I had left the beef inside. I went in to get it and when I came back out, I had locked the keys in the car and it was running. It was raining too and so when I got down on my knees to fetch the hide-a-key from under the back bumper, I got my pants wet." He laughed more heartily than I had ever seen on TV. Anyway, we had a great visit with him before we left on our flight. We stayed in the Hilton in D.C. that is about a block away from the White House. It was also right next door to the Russian Embassy. It was very luxurious and my kids loved it. My youngest daughter ordered hot chocolate at the hotel restaurant on our first morning there and they put whipped cream on top of it, in her very own little serving pitcher. That place was really expensive! We ate breakfast at the Burger King a block down the street every morning after that. We did all the tours. We went to all the public buildings and monuments, including all the Smithsonian facilities. We went to the National Zoo, Ford's Theater, FBI HQ, National Geographic HQ, Arlington Cemetery (including the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknowns - that is AWESOME), Mount Vernon, and rode the Metro. I'll never forget that trip and I doubt if my family will either.

[Prunepicker]

I don't think there's a favorite, ever. Every vacation was different even if we
went to the same place. Visiting relatives on both coasts was always fun.
We'd have several vacations each year. There was the 'big one' and a then
a couple of others that only lasted a few days, or maybe a week.

Seeing the Grand Canyon was a biggie.
Pete's Place on the way east.
The usual tourist traps no matter where you went.
New Mexico, Arizona & California were spectacular ALL of the time.
Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi were totally fab in their own
right. Western North Carolina can't be described in words.

Did someone mention fly fishing? I've been doing it for 45 years. When are
we leaving?

[corpsman]

Back in the day,my wife and I used to take our vacation and celebrate our wedding anniversary at the same time. We were wed on OU-Texas Saturday and the Albuquerque Balloon Festival seemed to fall at the same time. The history and mystery of northern New Mexico being what they are made the trips that much more enjoyable. We'd do the balloons in the AM and then take off for wherever the road would lead us. Once we decided to take the high road from Santa Fe to Taos. About half way to Taos, we came upon the village of Truchas and since the road was blocked by various law enforcement agencies we decided to get out and walk around. We weren't all that disposed to inquire as to why all the flashing lights, but we did find out from one of the local artisans that a movie was being filmed. It was The Milagro Bean Field War. Early October in that part of the world is simply wondrous. The aspens are turning, but have not yet shed their leaves, apples are being turned into the most delectable cider, tourists are thick only around the balloon festival, the weather is perfect, cool crisp mornings, mild afternoons, and oh yeah, the chili peppers are just being harvested and a person can score fresh red pepper straight from the roaster and watch as it is ground into powder.

[gen70]

I don't think there's a favorite, ever. Every vacation was different even if we
went to the same place. Visiting relatives on both coasts was always fun.
We'd have several vacations each year. There was the 'big one' and a then
a couple of others that only lasted a few days, or maybe a week.

Seeing the Grand Canyon was a biggie.
Pete's Place on the way east.
The usual tourist traps no matter where you went.
New Mexico, Arizona & California were spectacular ALL of the time.
Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi were totally fab in their own
right. Western North Carolina can't be described in words.

Did someone mention fly fishing? I've been doing it for 45 years. When are
we leaving?

I hear the trout around Asheville N.C. have been heard to say: When is Prune going to come back and tease us?

[corpsman]

I hear the trout around Asheville N.C. have been heard to say: When is Prune going to come back and tease us?

Man, that drive from Asheville to Knoxville early in the morning this time of year can be so beautiful....unless you get caught in one of the early Spring snow storms

[gen70]

Man, that drive from Asheville to Knoxville early in the morning this time of year can be so beautiful....unless you get caught in one of the early Spring snow storms

Yeah, it's a beautiful drive. Right now I-40 is still closed near the Tenn. N.C. border by a rockslide which happened a few months ago, ya gotta take a big detour around it.

[Prunepicker]

Yeah, it's a beautiful drive. Right now I-40 is still closed near the Tenn. N.C.
border by a rockslide which happened a few months ago, ya gotta take a big
detour around it.

What is the best detour?

[gen70]

What is the best detour?

I got a buddy that lives over Knoxville way and was traveling to Cherokee and back everyday. I'll call and find out the hwy. #'s and let you know. My buddy is from this area all his life and, knows his way around.

[Generals64]

I got a buddy that lives over Knoxville way and was traveling to Cherokee and back everyday. I'll call and find out the hwy. #'s and let you know. My buddy is from this area all his life and, knows his way around.

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Be careful '70:....Prunepicker will figure out a way to stay over there from now on.....He's probably going to ask if you have a couple of extra beds.... Just for a little while you know....

[Prunepicker]

I got a buddy that lives over Knoxville way and was traveling to Cherokee and
back everyday. I'll call and find out the hwy. #'s and let you know. My buddy
is from this area all his life and, knows his way around.

Anyway but through Tourist hell, aka Cherokee. But if it's really the fastest
way then I'll go, but I won't stop. Not even to use the restroom!

[Prunepicker]

Be careful '70... Prunepicker will figure out a way to stay over there from now
on... He's probably going to ask if you have a couple of extra beds... Just for
a little while you know...

Heeheehee. Thou knowest my wellspring of action, too well!

[gen70]

Anyway but through Tourist hell, aka Cherokee. But if it's really the fastest
way then I'll go, but I won't stop. Not even to use the restroom!

HEY, Prune... Do not go toward Cherokee (unless you want to) Go by the detour off 40 by the signs posted. My bud tells me that the posted detour is the best route. You will go ...
towards Kingsport Tenn. and then catch 26 to Asheville and then, I know that you know where your at, Peace...Murph

[Generals64]

HEY, Prune... Do not go toward Cherokee (unless you want to) Go by the detour off 40 by the signs posted. My bud tells me that the posted detour is the best route. You will go ...
towards Kingsport Tenn. and then catch 26 to Asheville and then, I know that you know where your at, Peace...Murph

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Why not just fish the Blue River and take the rest of you money and buy everone Rootbeers and Hotdogs at Coits????We'll back you on your story with your wife.....Huh????

[Prunepicker]

Why not just fish the Blue River and take the rest of you money and buy
everone Rootbeers and Hotdogs at Coits? We'll back you on your story with
your wife... Huh?

WHAAA? I need to get out of Oklahoma so I can be reminded of how great a
place it really is.

The Blue River is fair at best. Also, I don't care to fish around spinner
fishermen, either.

[gen70]

One of my favorite vacations was when I got my first work-paid vacation. I was 1972, I was 20 yrs. old and single, had just bought a brand new 72 Monte Carlo and me and a bud headed out to Galveston Tx.. Well you know what 20 year old boys do so, to say the very least I had a great time.

[MadMonk]

All time favorite: Hawaii - Kauai and Oahu

Memorable runners up: "Vega$, baby!", Myrtle Beach resort, Grand Canyon, NYC for a week.

Planned future contenders: Caribbean cruise, Colorado skiing, exploring the Yellowstone area, maybe tour Europe if I'm lucky.

[sam greenroyd]

WHAAA? I need to get out of Oklahoma so I can be reminded of how great a
place it really is.

The Blue River is fair at best. Also, I don't care to fish around spinner
fishermen, either.

Yea Prune try the White River in Arkansas, a group of us go every year a week after labor day weekend and allways have a ball. Really pretty place.

[Generals64]

Yea Prune try the White River in Arkansas, a group of us go every year a week after labor day weekend and allways have a ball. Really pretty place.

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Sam:....I know I know you from your business but, where did you go to Junior High School. I know the last group of 7th - 12th Graders at Grant was the Graduating class of 1965 and the others went to Roosevelt or Jefferson. I'm asking as my wife is beginning to put together the 1966 class reunion for next year...sheesh this will be a year of fun....... and I mentioned your name and told her you had older siblings but, I didn't know when the Graduated from Wherever....

[Prunepicker]

Yea Prune try the White River in Arkansas, a group of us go every year a
week after labor day weekend and allways have a ball. Really pretty place.

Every time I've tried to go to the White something came up. I hope to fish it
some day. A friend of mine has caught some nice trophies in the White.

[Prunepicker]

Yea Prune try the White River in Arkansas, a group of us go every year a
week after labor day weekend and allways have a ball. Really pretty place.

Do you fly fish?

[sam greenroyd]

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Sam:....I know I know you from your business but, where did you go to Junior High School. I know the last group of 7th - 12th Graders at Grant was the Graduating class of 1965 and the others went to Roosevelt or Jefferson. I'm asking as my wife is beginning to put together the 1966 class reunion for next year...sheesh this will be a year of fun....... and I mentioned your name and told her you had older siblings but, I didn't know when the Graduated from Wherever....

I went to Jefferson Jr High, My older brother went to CHHS I think he would have graduated in 64 or 65 but he dropped out his senior year (joined army). Man she's got her hands full putting that together.

[sam greenroyd]

Do you fly fish?

No Prune I'm a bass fisherman. fly fishing is a art, I allways admired you fly fishermen. we allways drift fish catch lot of rainbows a few browns. If you get to go call me i'll tell you some spots on the river it's only about a 7 hour drive

[decepticobra]

last may when i went to san francisco was pretty awesome.

[Prunepicker]

No Prune I'm a bass fisherman. fly fishing is a art, I allways admired you fly
fishermen. we always drift fish catch lot of rainbows a few browns. If you
get to go call me i'll tell you some spots on the river it's only about a 7 hour
drive

I like to bass fish, some. Wormin' is a favorite means, i.e. flippin' and pitchin'.