A little vacation

[Danr55]

Well, sounds like mid Sept is the desired time frame. That was.easy.

[Danr55]

Thanks.Mike. your input is i valuable. With the exception of Stinson Beach, that's pretty much the route I'd planned. I guess that in order to be in Tahoe by Sept. 23 for Gary and Vicki, we would need to leave Phoenix on the previous Thursday the 15th morning about 0400hrs. That shoud get us across the majority of the desert before the serious heat starts. First night in Santa Monica and then on up the coast. Second night in Buelton or Solvang. Then Morro Bay, two nights in Monteray then Sausalito, Napa Valley and a night in Benicia and then on to Tahoe. That should put us in there late in the morning or early afternoon of the 22.

[Danr55]

Scotty, always thinking of your stomach.. By the way, if any members from any of the other clubs would care to join us along the way, you're more than welcome. Touch base with me and we'll arrange to meet up somewhere.

[Mesa Mike]

Gary....I've been to the marina where all the old wooden Criss Craft boats are stored. Very true about the beauty of these boats. The annual boat show brings a lot of boats from around the states. It is something everyone enjoys.

[Karl Bebout]

Scotty is "always thinking of his stomach", but then he'd be stopping every 23-30 minutes to take a squirt!

I'm all over going to the antique boat show. The quality of the workmanship is amazing.

[hinoonaz]

Google, Thunderbird boat on Lake Tahoe. It will be at the show. It is unbelievable. They always have a drawing to take a cruise around Lake Tahoe. All the boats are in our wheelhouse from a gear head point of view. Maybe a cruise by where they filmed The Godfather also

[Danr55]

I've done some research and found motels that range from $80.00 to $135.00 per night for a double. Some are cheaper for a single some are not. If that works for everyone, I will start calling and see if I can get a group rate. I will post a list of hotels and dates as soon as everything is firmed up. Right now it looks like we need to leave Phoenix on Thursday Sept. 15 to finish the first part of the trip and be in Tahoe by Thursday 22, for those who choose to go to the boat show.

[aliedog]

Sounds great ,should be fun ,lots of miles

[Karl Bebout]

Attaboy Danr. The pricing is fine, and who knows, maybe they offer a GEEZER discount for those of YOU that qualify.

[hinoonaz]

Do we want to make a run or meet at the Gainey ranch car show and firm up for everyone the schedule of events and timing etc. (sticky buns-Solvang)!
A cruise on the Thunderbird is $ 5,000 per hour, minimum two hours.

[Danr55]

I'm not sure what year thunderbird it is. I've owned two of them. But $5K per hour isn't going to happen. I Will be at Gainey Ranch.

[hinoonaz]

The Thunderbird is a boat that carries 16 people plus crew. Art Deco style from the 30's. Penske is this next Saturday, maybe then

[DWRAT]

Originally Posted by hinoonaz

Do we want to make a run or meet at the Gainey ranch car show and firm up for everyone the schedule of events and timing etc.

Originally Posted by Danr55

I Will be at Gainey Ranch.

Guy's next Saturday the 18th is NOT at Gainey.
It's the Penske Cars and Coffee located at:
7125 E Chauncey Ln, Phoenix, AZ 85054

[Mesa Mike]

Dan...you will find many, many motels along north shore. You might try looking at the North Shore Hyatt, it has a casino or there are a few hotels/motels on north shore state line, one is CalNeva. That area is a hugh winter ski area so there are motels all along the area with most nestled around Tahoe City, CA. A short side trip would be to Squaw Valley for a ride up the tram. Discount tickets on line. 10,000ft elevation with fab view. Reno is a short drive north and east of Tahoe City. Also nicer return to AZ is on the eastern side of California on route 295. Takes you through or by Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park. Starting point for t his return is Carson City, NV.

[Karl Bebout]

I'm liking the sounds of Mesa Mike's ideas about going through Yosemite and Sequoia. Pretty beauteous scenery.

[Danr55]

It's all open to discussion. Might even have to add a day or two to the trip to see Yosemite and Kings Canyon..??

[mikiec]

Get those GoPros out, Video cameras also.

[hinoonaz]

September and October is the Off-Season for Lake Tahoe, so to speak. Like Mike said, all along the north shore are hotels. Truckee also which is 15 miles away.. By the way, the drive around the lake is awesome. 73 miles and especially Emerald Bay..

[Mesa Mike]

Dan...Topanga Canyon is just that, a canyon. It has no overnight accommodations. I would forgo that as the drive up PCH is much more scenic. To get to the canyon you would take I-10 to 210 to Glendale 134 to 101 and south on 27 to about Santa Monica. The reverse route would miss Malibu and a lot of PCH ocean view, that is, Santa Monica up the canyon to 101 and on to Santa Barbara. North of Santa Barbara is a famous Inn on PCH called The Madonna Inn. Google and plan to stop there for a break or a meal. You can't linger going between Santa Monica and Santa Barbara unless you plan an over night. It's 6 hours to Santa Monica and another 2-2 1/2 to SB. Make sure you plan the route to avoid any LA rush hours. It will be unbearable anywhere before 11am and after 3pm on any highway. If you depart PHX at 4am that puts you in Santa Monica at 10am without stopping. I's say departure at 4am with gas stops put you in SM a 11-12am. Get out of SM as fast as you can north on PCH. Not much to see but ocean on PCH between SM and SB. I would target Santa Barbara for overnight. Bkfst the next day at the last surviving Sambo's in the U.S. After SB there is little pressure on PCH until you get to the ocean drive and motor homes.

Solvang is boring to me and instead of Buelton I would head on up to Pismo Beach. Pick up PCH again at Moro Bay. Easy drive to Monterey but I would think of taking a tour of Hearsrt Castle in San Simeon. Tickets and reservations are a must. Not many facilities of any kind along Big sur (between San Simeon and Monterey).

Take the 17 mile drive while in Monterey and drinks at Pebble Beach. From Monterey up to Castroville, Watsonville, Santa Cruz, Davenport, Pescadro, Half-moon Bay. There plan on lunch at Barbara's Fish trap at Princeton by the sea, just north of Half Moon Bay. On to Daly City and a drive along San Francisco's Ocean Beach on your left shoulder and Golden Gate Park on your left. Past by my mother-in-laws house and then cross the Golden Gate Bridge.

Next is a drive tourist don't know. Once you cross the GGB exit and go under the highway and drive west up the steep hill for photo ops at several locations. Go to the top keeping left at an intersection. Stop at the top of the hill to take a short walk through a tunnel that leads to an WWII artillery location. East side tunnel view of Bay, west side view of west and the Marin Headlands. There you will see the Pt. Bonita lighthouse. Do not go back down the way you came but head west down the narrow road that goes down the hill. Follow to the Light House and take a walk. Continue towards Sausalito as the road is one way. Catch the road leading to Sausalito and head dow there for what ever.

Sausalito is very close to Muir woods (nice redwood grove). Take Shoreline and which is on the same road to get to Muir Beach, Stinson Beach and pickup PCH again. Since you saw, if you stopped at Pt. Bonita, a lighthouse you can skip Pt. Reys. Route would be Stinson, Pt. Reyes Station, Tomales, Petaluma, Temecula, Sonoma, Napa.

There is nothing, I repeat nothing you want to see Benica. You could overnight around Vacaville instead. That area is s jumping off spot for Lake Tahoe, Reno, Carson City, NV and south multiple routes back to PHX.

[Danr55]

THanks Mike.. I wasn't planning on driving Topanga, but there was a motel on PCH just south of Topanga that I was trying to find. Pretty reasonable last time I stayed there..