Gary Marshall
This is the longest story I will write in this journal - here is our trip summary
Well - I am in the final stages of planning this trip. WOW - I cannot believe it is just a week away. I am so excited. I know I travel a lot, especially compared to most, I thank God that I am blessed and at a point in my life I can afford to travel, and have a job that I can travel with.
You all know me, growing up I would die for the opportunity to drive somewhere, and if I could pull a trailer. Just ask Jayne how many times I would beg to haul the horses, or to haul something, anything to any where, for any reason, well I did not need to have a reason - just to do it was good enough for me.
For those that do not know what I am planning, I am leaving for 7 to 10 weeks. My Mom and Aunt are flying in to Dallas and we are taking the RV to Los Angeles. Well let's just say, DON'T call your parents when you are drunk and say "This sounds like fun" Thankfully I talked my cousin into flying from Buffalo to LAX to meet us so I would have a buffer, and someone I could go out to get our drink on. From here, we spend some time in the LA area. I wanted to go see Bob Barker and try to get on the Price is Right. Well as you know - the old s*** retired this year. 35 years of watching the Price is Right and he could not hold out 3 months for me. So instead, my cousin and I have decided that we are going to find a classic Hollywood Style Hooker on Hollywood and Vine.
From here we leave and travel up the Pacific Coast Highway. You will be amazed at the pictures; this is the famed curvy road on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. We travel up to Big Sur, then to Carmel. After that, we go to Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park and back across to San Francisco.
Here we will see Lombard Street (the Zig Zag Road) Fisherman's Warf - Alcatraz and of course the Golden Gate Bridge. When we leave here, it is time for my cousin to fly back to Buffalo from San Francisco. After there we continue up the Pacific Coast Highway all the way to Oregon. Eventually ending up in Seattle where my Mom and Aunt Fly Home - Can anyone say Cocktail Hour??? I don't care if I have to drop them off at 5:30 in the morning at the airport - it is always five o'clock somewhere - besides, last I checked Mimosas and Bloody Mary's are a breakfast drink - The breakfast of champions. Oh wait that was Wheaties.
From Seattle I go in to Vancouver British Columbia. Duane Flies in to Vancouver. Unfortunately, time will not allow us to go to Victoria Island. Besides, it would cost about 100.00 if not more to take the ferry to the island each way. There are no bridges. I will say, if anyone has the opportunity, plan a trip here mid spring, it is beautiful here in the spring. Remember their spring is a bit different then Buffalo due to their latitude, and the mild ocean. Duane and I travel from Vancouver thru Kamloops, BC to Clearwater BC. With a stop at Wells Gray Provincial Park. WOW - it's claim to fame is over 250 cascading waterfalls.
From here we go up to Jasper National Park, Lake Louise, Banff National Park to tour the Canadian Rockies and Massive Glaciers. Then on down to Calgary Alberta. For those that do not know Alberta is the Texas of Canada. Duane Flies back from Calgary on Labour Day. I then spend two days in Calgary alone. Time for some good R&R, maybe a massage/spa day. One does have to pamper oneself occasionally - At this point, I will have driven 6000 miles in a month. Can we say oil change and tire rotation.
On Wednesday one of my good friend's Aunt from DeRidder, Louisiana flies in to Calgary. She is 83 years old and a hoot to hang with. She is like an older Paula Dean, for those that watch the Food Network, and loves her scotch and water. It has always been a dream of her to go to Montana and the Canadian Rockies. I am so glad I remembered that she told me this one night many years ago when we were drinking. Again for those that know me, DON'T tell me something when I am drinking AND expect me to remember it.
That Saturday my good friends - her niece and nephew - Galyn and Melba fly into Calgary from Dallas and Houston and we are off again. From here we will go back up to the Banff and the Canadian Rockies and back in to British Columbia to spend one night in Illeawest, BC in the Canadian Glacier National Park then head south to Montana thru Kootney National Park via the Columbia River. This is an absolutely beautiful river, classic mountain river. Into Whitefish Montana on the western edge of the US Glacier National Park.
From there we head south thru the wild and awesome Montana mountains and the Bitterroot Valley into Idaho. Over to Yellowstone, Grand Tetons in Wyoming and then down to Denver via Snowy Mountain Range and Rocky Mountain National Park and into Denver. They all fly back from Denver and I spend the week in Colorado actually working. I do quite a bit of business in Denver, Vail and Breckenridge.
From Vail I head west to Grand Junction Colorado, south to Telluride, Durango and back to Dallas. Again, if anyone has the chance, take a trip to Telluride to Durango on the Million Dollar highway. They call this area the Alps of the US and the pictures will show you why. Oh - it cost a million dollars per mile to build this road because of the terrain.
This was a major task to plan this trip, mainly because of every one going on this trip. Why? Who the hell wants to pay 4$/gallon for diesel hauling a big RV in the mountains for 8000 miles? Not exactly fuel efficient - You Ride You Pay! That puts everyone's' fuel cost to about 1$/gallon.Well I am at home now - home sweet home - probably need new tire on the truck and RV again - hell - probably need a new truck....
Where to next year? Anyone up for Alaska?
