OT: What do you folks do for vacations?

[Fishbike]

Well vacation season for many is ticking away. What do you guys like to do? International? Nearby? Cities or nature? Culture or camping? Do you try new places or have a favorite destination? Must you ride? Do you unplug? Are you among the many that do not take vacations? If so, why?

As for me, I am obviously avoiding work at the moment. Next vacation is a week in Berlin. I like to see different places. I hardly ever unplug, unfortunately. But it helps pay for the bike habit at least.

[54ny77]

I like to tour the country in an RV and visit Walmarts, park in their lot overnight. All while wearing Rapha cycling gear.

:banana:

[csm]

Depends. So far this year 5 days during the winter in the adirondacks, 4 days bicycling in the Finger Lakes and planning a 5 day motorcycle ride somewhere. And most likely a week in the Alps next March.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[happycampyer]

I like to tour the country in an RV and visit Walmarts, park in their lot overnight. All while wearing Rapha cycling gear.

:banana:And eat red meat, lots of red meat. And watch Lance Armstrong videos.

[54ny77]

Oh yeah.

http://odditymall.com/includes/content/kreweser-motorized-cooler-scooter-goes-up-to-18-mph-0.gif

And eat red meat, lots of red meat. And watch Lance Armstrong videos.

[seric]

I tend to destroy any weight loss achieved in the few months leading up to any vacation... Luckily, I don't find the Bay Area to provide the best dining experiences so I only really seek out those experiences while traveling.

I tend to visit metropolitan areas when vacationing, often to see friends at the same time. Often seeking out museums, recommended sights, or hidden gems. I used to travel with a good amount of full-frame photography gear, but now I find myself sticking to a 1" point to avoid all the luggage.

Otherwise, it's Hawaii/Tropics for the wifes enjoyment. Snorkling would be the activity we seek out most, sea kayaking as well which we also do at home.

[fiamme red]

I like to tour the country in an RV and visit Walmarts, park in their lot overnight. All while wearing Rapha cycling gear.

:banana:And of course stock up at Walmart on school supplies for the kids. ;)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DGzzu9XXoAA3Goc.jpg

[donevwil]

Staycation whenever possible (allowed) allows me to enjoy what is offered locally without fighting the weekend crowds.

[dustyrider]

My vacation:
Early morning light breakfast followed by a bike ride in the 3-4 hour range depending on terrain/tempo and such
Shower and some liquid calories
Walk in the park with my old dog, lounge in the shade
Make a glorious lunch and dine slowly to some kind of comical media
Spend 3-4 hours doing something with my mind and hands like building/mechanics/learning/etc. and/or complete basic life tasks like bills/groceries/talk or hang with friends and family/etc.
Walk in the park with old dog and a nap in the shade
Cook dinner and dine slowly usually try to read media during this time
Watch a movie or a couple shows, or finish/continue some project
Sleep in my own bed
Wake up early and repeat for a few weeks as often as you can.

[Clean39T]

Vacation? What...do you think all endurance athletes are upper-middle class white collar workers or something? ;)

[Seramount]

I've ridden 202 days this year. a vacation would be getting away from anything that involves a bike.

recently took 4 days to go diving in the Gulf of Mexico.

[wpod]

Lucky and stoked to be living a leisure lifestyle, so it's hard to ever justify vacations.:bike:

[Tickdoc]

New Hampshire with my group for seacoast century:beer:

[Bruce K]

Varies -

We like foreign travel
We like US travel
We like staycations
We like 1 or 2 spots as getaways

We try to mix it up from year to year

BK

[seanile]

In the past ive done...
Two weeks in ireland with my family visitng family.
A week and a half snowboarding the salt lake city area.
10 days of exploring seattle and car camping at olympic national park.
Driving tour of lake michigan's perimeter with my golf clubs and campsite reservations.
10 days at the jersey shore with my bro and his wife.

Late May this year i did two weeks in an italian town with bikes and bike friends.
Next weekend, a 5 day bikepacking tour in northern vermont with a buddy.

If this bikepacking trip goes well..im thinking next winter ill do 2 weeks in new zealand with a week of bikepacking and a week of exploring a city.

These all sound extravagant but theyve cost at most $1800 (italy) and as little as $400 (jersey shore).

[PeregrineA1]

So far this year.....

5 days fishing, beachcombing, snorkeling, and SUPing at a resort on the East Cape of Baja California.

5 days on the north rim of the Grand Canyon MTBing and hiking. Stayed in one of the WPA era log cabins.

And for November an 11 day trip to Baja. Watch the Baja 1000, kayaking, fishing, and beach combing. A driving trip with a combo of camping and hotel.

Plus a number of long weekends for cycling and sightseeing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[commonguy001]

This year we did a week in Spearfish SD and did a ton of riding in the hills.
We also got back from a trip to Glacier just less than a week ago where we did a week of big day hikes and are leaving again soon for a north shore of Superior week of riding and a bunch of time on the superior hiking trail.
We mostly use our RV as base camp.

Over the years I've done a ton of motorcycle traveling all over North America but prefer how we do it now as I don't have to hotel or tent.

Time to start planning next year already, looking at a couple weeks in CO and UT along with some time up in the UP of MI mountain biking in Coper Harbor.

[PaMtbRider]

This, as much as possible
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170811/bc9e831bea8d08141dd68c7b40ff2042.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[texbike]

We try to do 2 primary vacations a year - one skiing and the other a "get the hell out of the Texas heat" vacation toward the end of July or beginning of August. For the Summer vacation, we try to go to an area near a cool City that has access to a lot of outdoor activities and cooler weather (than Texas).

The past 6 Summer vacations have been to Oahu, Scotland, Seattle/The Olympics/Vancouver, Denver/Boulder and Rocky Mountain National Park, San Francisco/Marin, and San Diego/La Jolla. Each has been great.

Texbike

[Ken Robb]

We try to do 2 primary vacations a year - one skiing and the other a "get the hell out of the Texas heat" vacation toward the end of July or beginning of August. For the Summer vacation, we try to go to an area near a cool City that has access to a lot of outdoor activities and cooler weather (than Texas).

The past 6 Summer vacations have been to Oahu, Scotland, Seattle/The Olympics/Vancouver, Denver/Boulder and Rocky Mountain National Park, San Francisco/Marin, and San Diego/La Jolla. Each has been great.

Texbike
Here in La Jolla we expect folks from Arizona (Zonies) in July and Texans in August. They are usually more fun (younger?) than the snowbirds who visit in the winter. :)

[andeww]

Right now in my life, I love south east Asia. Thailand-Cambodia-Vietnam are all amazing places that I love to escape to. I like the food, I love how foreign it feels and the price is right. I have gone each year since my first visit 4 years ago, but wish I could have seen it 15+ years ago.

[seric]

This, as much as possible



I really like the van in Orange. I just had mine repainted white while getting a high top added, now I'm having buyers remorse.

[Cameron]

I like any and all vacations ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

However, I really like international trips. We (wife, son and I) shoot for off season trips to save money and beat the crowds. That has allowed us to go to some amazing places. In the last couple years we've hit Iceland twice (for my birthday 2 years in a row) and just got back from a trip to Kenya and London. Our son is only 8 so we're just now getting back into these international trips since he was born. Stoked he's old enough now to come with us to the far flung places.

Before we had him we did trips through New Zealand, Europe and South America. Once we had him we stuck with USA for a few years and even then we hit Hawaii, California, Utah, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania, road trip from Portland to Minnesota and back and a couple other states/cities along the way.

We go hard on our trips to see and do as much as possible, it suits us well :hello:

[ERK55]

2 weeks in Italy for $1800?
With airfare?
Even without I'm impressed.

[stien]

Our honeymoon was going to the last year Tour of the Catskills was a stage race (2015). Now we go back to the Catskills every year and stay at the same B&B (awesome food) and do our own riding. 4 days, ~200 miles w/ ~20k ft of climbing.

We did Boulder recently as well. Similar deal. Got a Air BNB downtown and just rode our brains out. But yeah, I want to go riding in the mountains in another country.

[sokyroadie]

We typically take a couple of short 3-4 day trips within a few hours drive. We really like:

Chattanooga, TN - 3.5 hours away
Franklin, TN - 2 hours away

Occasionally I can talk my wife into flying somewhere but only once in 20 years for more than a few days. That was a business trip for me to Italy for a week.

Getting my wife to spend the night away from home is really hard. We live on a 10,000 acre lake with a pontoon boat in the water a few minutes walk away and she will maybe go out on it 2-3 times a boating season.

Jeff

[chiasticon]

we've found that if we go somewhere and set up shop for a week, we're bored and sitting around watching tv after a few days, going "we could be doing this at home..." so, we usually do a handful of 3-4 day trips within reasonable driving distance. we like to bring our pooches and I like to bring my bike. riding is usually not "epic" lengths, and doesn't need to be, as I don't want to leave my wife alone for hours on vacation. it's fun to just experience different spots, riding and life-wise. short trips are great just to "recharge the batteries" as they say.

[Mustangski]

Right now in my life, I love south east Asia. Thailand-Cambodia-Vietnam are all amazing places that I love to escape to. I like the food, I love how foreign it feels and the price is right. I have gone each year since my first visit 4 years ago, but wish I could have seen it 15+ years ago.

I couldn't agree with you more, we are probably closer than most since we live in Okinawa so the travel is much cheaper. However, I have a feeling we will be traveling to Asia long after we make it back to the states.

South East Asia offers so much for so little money, the people are amazing, food is great, everyone loves it. My family and I have climbed the Great Wall of China, lived the life of royalty in a villa in Bali, and are heading to India to see the Taj Mahal, Jaipur, and New Dehli in November. South East Asia is addicting, we can't get enough. Our trip to India hasn't even started yet and I have already started planning Malaysia, start in Kuala Lumpur and either go South to Melacca or North to Penang.

[Nooch]

Did a five day stint in Disney back in February, heading up to Cape Cod this weekend for beach, bikes, and relaxation.

Loading up the trailer and the trail-a-bike on the roof to keep everyone rolling :)

[redir]

I don't really fly much anymore unless I have to. I never really liked traveling unless it's to a remote place, or oddly enough, a big city. But in either case I would prefer to just go to one place and stay there rather then travel all over the freakin' place trying to see EVERYTHING.

I just don't like being a tourist, don't like being pampered, waited on, cared for etc... And I absolutely hate crowds. Honestly I'd rather just see really good pictures or perhaps a National Geographic show on ancient Roman ruins then to go visit them in person. My favorite trips in the past was going on mountain climbing trips and cave exploration trips, mostly in Mexico but elsewhere too. It's not touristy so much and has a sense of purpose.

Now I'm happy just staying local, I have the ocean and the mountains to choose from. I have to go to San Diego next month so I'll take a week off there and visit an old friend.

My ultimate goal is to live in Costa Rica and have a sailing yacht :D

[seanile]

2 weeks in Italy for $1800?
With airfare?
Even without I'm impressed.

675 round trip airfare, 375 for my portion of a 2wk apt rental via airbnb, the rest is going out and making memories!

[Nooch]

Speaking of Vacations, does anyone actually own and travel with an RV? Pros and cons? I've resigned to the fact that it's truly cost prohibitive to fly a family of five anywhere, and while minivan travel is good (God bless the Odyssey) maybe an RV would be more fun, down the line..

[Tandem Rider]

Anymore, if it includes the kids, then a beach is usually involved, and after about 4 hours I'm bored to tears. Until my daughter's diagnosis, we went on a ski trip every year for Christmas. If the kids have other commitments MrsTR and I tour on a tandem staying in motels or B&Bs. The last one of those was about 600 miles in 5 days up a section of the Mississippi river.

[flydhest]

We are wrapping up our big vacation for the summer. My job for the past couple of years has prevented a long vacation--or really any vacation. Even when we have taken them, I was on email or the phone for half of them. With the new job, a leaf has been turned. Two weeks coming to a close now. I am writing from the Eurostar from Paris to London. We flew into London last Sunday. We stayed with friends of mine Sunday and Monday nights, then went to Colchester for a night (second prize? Two nights in Colchester) to visit my wife's uncle. Then three nights on the Kentish coast outside of Dover visiting more of my wife's family. Then the ferry from Dover to Calais and a TGV to Paris, where we met up with a close friend from grad school and his two daughters. The 7 of us rented a car and drove to the Loire where we had rented a house with yet another grad school friend and her family. The ten of us split the house for a week. Day trip to Paris. Saw Chaumont and Blois castles. Did a couple of markets. The house we rented had a pool for the kids (5 of them aged 4-1/2 to 14), Cooked in and ate on the terrace. Visited some wineries. My idea of a good time. The one hotel of the trip will be tonight, in London, near Paddington, so we can take the Heathrow Express in the morning to catch our flight. Planning my semi-retirement when my younger goes to college. Will buy a house in the French country and do bike camps like the one that I did years ago in Tuscany with Connie Carpenter and Davis Phinney (but in France, because I am a Francophile)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Bob Ross]

Cities or nature?

Nature please! I live in New York City, the last place I want to go when I'm vacationing is another big city. But I'll tolerate a small city if it has easy access to nature.

Culture or camping?

Well...neither, really. We love the outdoors, but we also love sleeping on a comfortable mattress in a clean room, so we're not really into camping. Give us a place where we can see some beauty and then go back to our swanky hotel room.

Do you try new places or have a favorite destination?

Both.

Must you ride?

If at all possible, yes.

Do you unplug?

Not nearly as much as I probably should. But I find if I keep tabs of my work email while on vacation at the very least I can filter out the crap-ton of spam I always receive so I don't waste an hour upon my return just doing that, and often I can help my coworkers so that I'm not walking into a complete clusterf*ck when I return.

[54ny77]

That sounds like a lotta fun. :beer:

If the kids have other commitments MrsTR and I tour on a tandem staying in motels or B&Bs. The last one of those was about 600 miles in 5 days up a section of the Mississippi river.

[seanile]

Speaking of Vacations, does anyone actually own and travel with an RV? Pros and cons? I've resigned to the fact that it's truly cost prohibitive to fly a family of five anywhere, and while minivan travel is good (God bless the Odyssey) maybe an RV would be more fun, down the line..

from what i've experienced, and have been told, you are far better off to rent one for the trip. most people who own them don't use them enough to justify the cost and the occupied space..and many of them actually end up renting them out.

[Ralph]

Been retired almost 20 years, and have done/gone every thing and place that was on our list. We had already been over the Atlantic. So our goals were to really see the USA. We have done that, drove to Alaska from Florida etc, and currently live near the coast, live near a 30 mile 14' wide paved bike trail that leads to rural roads, and have a nice pool.....so going to fancy destinations and resorts not so appealing to us. We think we already live in a resort. So....our favorite thing now to do is pick some place out west we can fly cheaply.....buy some round trip tickets, and just go drive around for a week without too many plans for the week. We do like Ft Collins, Co, special for a place to use as a home base. Or Frisco....depending on time of year.

[Ralph]

Been retired almost 20 years, and have done/gone every thing and place that was on our list. We had already been over the Atlantic. So our goals were to really see the USA. We have done that, and currently live near the coast, live near a 30 mile 14' wide bike trail that leads to rural roads, and have a nice pool.....so going to fancy destinations and resorts not so appealing to us. We think we already live in a resort. So....our favorite thing now to do is pick some place out west we can fly cheaply.....buy some round trip tickets, and just go drive around for a week without too many plans for the week. We do like Ft Collins, Co, special for a place to use as a home base. Or Frisco....depending on time of year.

[buddybikes]

Bought a house on the ocean, no more driving or flying needed

[54ny77]

Do you have to put on dive gear to get underwater and scrub gunk off the foundation?

:D

Bought a house on the ocean, no more driving or flying needed

[Ken Robb]

I think a family can have a good "out-doorsy" vacation for reasonable money in Wisconsin. There are so many lakes that land prices are fairly low so rental/guest rates tend to be very reasonable. The fanciest/priciest places I can think of are in Door County but there are plenty of options.

[torquer]

For several years, we headed north after Labor Day to take in one or both of the ProTour races in Quebec City and Montreal; watching live racing can't be beat. True, these were more of a long weekend than a vacation, but those two cities offer a lot, and the drive wasn't bad.

Last year we took our first overseas trip since the aughts and spent a week in Bermuda. Very nice B&B, only downside was being dependent on taxis, busses and ferries to get around. (Ferries were cool, actually.) If and when we do it again we'll rent mopeds to get around. Didn't do that this time because the left-hand traffic was intimidating, but one day's bicycle rental and I was plenty comfortable by the end of our stay.

[notsew]

Summer Vacations look like this:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hDesNi6NKh9irpCkkMMrT8XP5b7wNuyQ67u_AOvQa6Wq_Sqemd D_LM7TrsbloQHoV56rpwg1DUrNp1QzmCbvoRdJ8ljbim4iGN7J PtCzVhPUoFiyK5LAz-BFezzgZ9g1N4pSDWWQnC0x1hWEkpZ9tc9dIcoZXTUeya8JRd4z oEtpwjAmw0J_ZEo5HmZ8zjgenKQ4vKQSKr3vCMWXAzHSjBulzp WYMvvnq6QlDzYWQCj-65PJe8OC0bazX6pYnfwSWkfoGZQK0FxleIQBY-lijQj_Y7HPW92Mb8LnYeXS_96MuDTqNDQAZ66FRzW5EZS5NMVK u22VCzUkDHhE9Hemw8OQECyRcpFE_Ux8ttpUnA8C96HdA9slek CAPV0vCyn5BF2YCZgZHApldpK_mdtf-KPPS6WktG1uk6SlLvP72VFNvUGS7SEeCbYMlOrYESf6Z6pSwFc prPi5gDvZEBTaj3stGAb4h61-sCsFzfyTHJprMGPGaIDPGXB9m4vjo52nhJw3BkH3J2J8xdnP47 WMd534WP8HuieDg7iaSjji_QqWSGfVlc75qAEy00w4hNsxTr2Z 1BhpL-6WuYR52bJayMZj2P7DJ7x6clofsMtyq7X_FI8A0-iO=w512-h682-no
Sailing our boat in our backyard, the beautiful San Juan and Gulf Islands.

Winter Vacations, with little kids have tended towards Hawaii and look like this:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/HaITih7W2VzuiMmetUj_DbdcLdZzbkk1SHsI-8mg4xK3FxgRQPdXb2MwCGjxu9Z0V0s6uqPEIQ-jeV0TXdZNu4XyBG_qK0qUFkB9Ct43_OObfff2xWB214S0Tuzf2 6lPVRVNmoiEvuUHgKzMbDstuZwATuflPbYwvjJQVzTZVAhsRJ8 GXJYX2jbuBHZ7a1xHS5ZdZt4BXEQqch3GLsb5790V-IkCg4At2gHZib0sC0puMT9Z5RnEBhVT67rd4vRupL3WP5NFC-zqV6hKBFIuHVHvgMYWFwlxGN_ost0ZhtXxfGlET1WXCxCaE3Pc z7x-2Yeyo-rWmtht9xCen27b_z06UUPpSzFJYEAfO38hRaF1GYsR6zFAnSgt KznfvqOYpscKqcZdPB_CBYGEE246Yn1JnFtXztomU3uknA65KU R--y7dMEwJ7_L2_GxnKqayACIE9P9IzqRLPiW2kBFJ2MweHm0yGvK WnnzDNv2j18cAdjHnJAyYTf_M27YQu1dQm9coksDAsWZucalE8 I8GwvxuDdPIrRL3nxcummSe9QiaL8XAPFsFklQOqtzNZk3M9s4 8pB4q1e-dTPmCgX8qcELLQWdbkxt27ZACWJL9o3WgEwW-LYSdGG7-=w384-h682-no

It will be fun to travel further afield when the little guys are older, but that's a ways off yet. I certainly can't complain.

[Ralph]

One thing still on my to do list is ride the trail from Glenwood Springs to Aspen. Being by myself......do not mind a trail. Not much of a ride, but enjoyed scenery on the GlenWood Canyon Trail.

[PaMtbRider]

Speaking of Vacations, does anyone actually own and travel with an RV? Pros and cons? I've resigned to the fact that it's truly cost prohibitive to fly a family of five anywhere, and while minivan travel is good (God bless the Odyssey) maybe an RV would be more fun, down the line..

Not an RV, but we have traveled a lot with a travel trailer. It really is a lifestyle choice. Financially it is definitely cheaper to travel after the initial investment. You get to sleep in your own bed, and eat your own cooked meals. I prefer to spend my evenings sitting by a campfire sipping a glass of wine or beer, as opposed to sitting in a hotel watching tv.

The downsides are obviously the initial cost. We spend about 50 nights a year in our trailer, and it will be a long time before we make up what hotels and meals would cost. Hopefully we can retire in a few years and get to the break even point faster. You also have to consider, upkeep of the unit, insurance, and where you are going to park it when not in use. Some people are intimidated by driving an Rv or pulling a trailer.

Definitely rent first to see if you like the lifestyle.

[commonguy001]

Speaking of Vacations, does anyone actually own and travel with an RV? Pros and cons? I've resigned to the fact that it's truly cost prohibitive to fly a family of five anywhere, and while minivan travel is good (God bless the Odyssey) maybe an RV would be more fun, down the line..

I mentioned RV in my post but I should clarify that we're also in the travel trailer camp, we don't have an all in one unit. We tow our trailer all over the place and it's great from the standpoint that you just need to find a campground to overnight on your way to your final stop.
You have your own bed(s), prepare all your own meals, have your own bathroom, etc.

We're also in the 45-50 nights per year range with ours and probably the best thing about it is hitting a state park, spur of the moment, for a weekend of hiking or biking or just hanging out outside.

We have a number of friends who have big motorhomes from something like the Winnebago Braves all the way up to a Newell Coach. They all flat tow a second vehicle with them and also have engine and drivetrain maintenance on an extra vehicle. I know the Braves with a V10 gasser don't do all that well on fuel so they're not cheap to run around in. Something like a Newell will run you 6 grand just to do tires and entry prices even well used are in the 500k to million range.

I'd also suggest renting an RV just to see. My only advice is be careful as it's a ton of fun and you may end up really wanting one.

This is a picture of our current set up. We're looking at going to a 5th wheel that's a bit bigger next spring.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/719/32332598146_f2c5abfbeb_c.jpg

[bking]

What a wide spectrum there is in what each of us considers a "vacation". As i think about this, I have more or less two vacation modes: one is to rest, relax, "recreate"; the other is to do and to see. Without question, the first is my favorite. Like Redir above, I hate crowds, lines, and being a tourist. If we travel, I'd rather pick a spot or two, and spend some time. We're headed to Italy in Oct for two weeks and will move once.
Years ago I dreamed of buying an RV and doing 4 week road trips with the kids, no daily agenda. But one fateful summer I took some scouts to Lake Powell, a lake that sits at the east end of the Grand Canyon. Two friends had purchased shares in a houseboat and we based from that. I've been hooked since 1995. Since then we added one other partner and the four of us have owned 4 different boats, had three of them built for us. There is no place my kids, or grand kids (though if taken in a weak moment, Disneyland may get a vote or three from the latter crowd) would rather be than on this lake. It is truly like no place on earth. I've run into folks that come annually from Germany to rent a houseboat and spend a week, lots of folks from France when we where there last week. If you do water at all, try mixing it with the Grand Canyon for a week, you just might find yourself hooked.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Boats/Lake-Powell-2017-Big-Gulp/i-sGwdjjj/0/9402b809/X2/IMG_4554-X2.jpg
A little early morning ride up the canyon on water smooth as glass, feels like flying:
https://photos.smugmug.com/Boats/Lake-Powell-2017-Big-Gulp/i-cf5SgFJ/0/b520deea/X2/IMG_4491-X2.jpg
La Gorce arch up the Escalante River:
https://photos.smugmug.com/Boats/Lake-Powell-2017-Big-Gulp/i-DnPNGGx/0/cd06930b/XL/IMG_4528-XL.jpg

If you ever get the chance, go. It's the one place I can go and sit and watch the sun, the skies and the stars do their dance with mother earth, and never want to be somewhere else.

sorry if this sounds, looks like a promo...stuff this good, heaped up and running over, you just have to share;)

[Nooch]

I mentioned RV in my post but I should clarify that we're also in the travel trailer camp, we don't have an all in one unit. We tow our trailer all over the place and it's great from the standpoint that you just need to find a campground to overnight on your way to your final stop.
You have your own bed(s), prepare all your own meals, have your own bathroom, etc.

We're also in the 45-50 nights per year range with ours and probably the best thing about it is hitting a state park, spur of the moment, for a weekend of hiking or biking or just hanging out outside.

We have a number of friends who have big motorhomes from something like the Winnebago Braves all the way up to a Newell Coach. They all flat tow a second vehicle with them and also have engine and drivetrain maintenance on an extra vehicle. I know the Braves with a V10 gasser don't do all that well on fuel so they're not cheap to run around in. Something like a Newell will run you 6 grand just to do tires and entry prices even well used are in the 500k to million range.

I'd also suggest renting an RV just to see. My only advice is be careful as it's a ton of fun and you may end up really wanting one.

This is a picture of our current set up. We're looking at going to a 5th wheel that's a bit bigger next spring.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/719/32332598146_f2c5abfbeb_c.jpg

I've gotta ease my wife into the idea of camping -- i've never really done it either, but have always wanted to and will try to car camp before the end of the year (solo).. I just don't think she's sold on the whole on the ground/outside thing, so a camper would be cool.

But of course then there's the buying one (though there are quite a few on craigslist in the low-teens range that seem totally capable, like this one (https://longisland.craigslist.org/rvs/d/2005-class-chevy-freedom/6215552791.html) or buying a truck to tow one (though I hear the odyssey has the capability, if properly equipped).

It's a down the line idea, for sure.. but think it could be a ton of fun..

[PaMtbRider]

A rock climbing friend has a bumper sticker that says My idea of vacation is your worst nightmare.

[alexstar]

Up until 2014, I could never afford to take two weeks off at once. Now that I can, I have done the European vacation thing, which is excellent: one trip to Tuscany and Venice, one trip to Austria and Budapest, one trip to London and Amsterdam, and this year we went to Madrid and Paris. We'll branch out eventually but international travel is still a novelty to us and there is so much in Europe that I have always wanted to see. We find that splitting a trip between two destinations is ideal for us, minimizing transfer days. In the future I'd like to rent a car and drive around England and Scotland for a bit, and start visiting more of the national parks that I haven't seen yet.

[buddybikes]

...Do you have to put on dive gear to get underwater and scrub gunk off the foundation?


Nope, just enjoy sunrises...

1697944261

[redir]

Summer Vacations look like this:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hDesNi6NKh9irpCkkMMrT8XP5b7wNuyQ67u_AOvQa6Wq_Sqemd D_LM7TrsbloQHoV56rpwg1DUrNp1QzmCbvoRdJ8ljbim4iGN7J PtCzVhPUoFiyK5LAz-BFezzgZ9g1N4pSDWWQnC0x1hWEkpZ9tc9dIcoZXTUeya8JRd4z oEtpwjAmw0J_ZEo5HmZ8zjgenKQ4vKQSKr3vCMWXAzHSjBulzp WYMvvnq6QlDzYWQCj-65PJe8OC0bazX6pYnfwSWkfoGZQK0FxleIQBY-lijQj_Y7HPW92Mb8LnYeXS_96MuDTqNDQAZ66FRzW5EZS5NMVK u22VCzUkDHhE9Hemw8OQECyRcpFE_Ux8ttpUnA8C96HdA9slek CAPV0vCyn5BF2YCZgZHApldpK_mdtf-KPPS6WktG1uk6SlLvP72VFNvUGS7SEeCbYMlOrYESf6Z6pSwFc prPi5gDvZEBTaj3stGAb4h61-sCsFzfyTHJprMGPGaIDPGXB9m4vjo52nhJw3BkH3J2J8xdnP47 WMd534WP8HuieDg7iaSjji_QqWSGfVlc75qAEy00w4hNsxTr2Z 1BhpL-6WuYR52bJayMZj2P7DJ7x6clofsMtyq7X_FI8A0-iO=w512-h682-no
Sailing our boat in our backyard, the beautiful San Juan and Gulf Islands.



Now that's what I'm talkin' about! :beer:

[mcteague]

We used to head to Deep Creek lake (https://www.deepcreeklake.com/), western MD, for many years. Lately, just having a week to ride my bike, hike with the dog, listen to music and just relax is a great vacation. Unfortunately, my spouse does not quite agree. She is retired but I am still working. Sometimes getting everything together for a trip away is as much stress as working. Once, at the lake, it poured rain every day, all day. I just sat thinking how much money I was spending to be sitting at someone else's house!

Tim

[JLNK]

In the summer I am expected to visit family/parents in Madison, WI. Go for long bike rides out into the countryside to places like Belleville, New Glarus, and Verona. Its heaven.

[54ny77]

Gorgeous!

I was just joking about "on" the water (as opposed to on land but adjacent to water).

Meaning, you were on a houseboat.

...Do you have to put on dive gear to get underwater and scrub gunk off the foundation?


Nope, just enjoy sunrises...

1697944261

[livingminimal]

Since I was very young, my Dad has taken us all (now is second wife and their kids, and my wife and our kids) camping on the central coast of CA, which just happens to be my favorite place to ride a bike in the world, and my favorite place in general. Each Summer, we do four nights camping and then my wife and kids and I do two nights at the Madonna Inn (http://www.madonnainn.com/). If you're note familiar, I highly recommend clicking the link. The place is amazing.

I get to ride stuff like Prefumo Road and Turri Road and even highway 46 or Old Creek Road every single freaking day. It's amazing. I look forward to it all year, even though we typically do a couple of day or overnight trips up this way, this is a week where I fully disconnect from work. It's fantastic.

We do other things too, depending on budget and time constraints, but this is the one annual standby.

[choke]

Some of my vacation time the last few years has been spent going to Eroica CA and Cino Heroica.

I love to spend time in the mountains, either with the bike or on foot. For me, it's pretty hard to beat spending a few days in a place like this and not seeing another person the entire time.

http://ciocctoo.com/mirlake/ml17.JPG

[ripvanrando]

Riding my bike anywhere fun. Snorkeling. Big game hunting. Golfing. Eating good food. Going to museums. Visiting battle sites. Pretty much anywhere. I like France.

[estilley]

I don't get much time off with grad school and working nearly full time but I was lucky enough growing up to visit some really cool places with the family.

Favorites were Vietnam, Turkey, Belize/Guatemala and a couple week-long raft trips in Idaho.

I've realized over the years that I really like vacations where I get to do my favorite things, just somewhere else. In a few weeks the family is getting together and we're going back to a cabin bordering federal land on the western slope in CO. I get to ride, fly fish, and read as much as I want. The lack of cell phone service is also a huge plus. 10 days of pure enjoyment!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk