#1 -  Cingular is allright as an emergency plan - but there are major
problems - the circuits are always busy and the coverage is so so.  AT&T has
great coverage - (It actually worked in the middle of death valley - my
friend has cingular - and I had hundreds more miles of coverage than she
did).  What's more, the circuits are never busy.  So I think AT&T is worth
the extra 3 bucks or so a month. Plus - are you ever really going to use it
more than the 1000 anytime minutes?

#2 - Southern Utah is paradise in red.   If you can - visit Zion and Bryce
Canyon.  They are just amazing.  Zion is like something out of the land of
the lost, and Bryce is a crazy alien landscape....  On the western side of
Utah, Arches is fantastic too (as is the town it's in, Moab) and it's only
like 40 something miles off I-70.  Well worth the trip, to be sure, and
perhaps an extended stay (especially for the mountain biker or rock
climber)...  It will be hot as anything there though, so be prepared.

#3 - Oregon - Crater lake - 'Nuff said.  You must go.
If you're going north, the Columbia river gorge, on the border with
Washington, is beautiful too, and a good route inland.

I did a Pacific northwest trip last year around July 4, and it was amazing.
This was before I had my Westy too, so I was sleeping on an air mattress in
the back of my truck.  Sure I could drive faster but it was so much less
comfortable, especially with me, my girl, and my dog.....  I look forward to
doing a similar trip in the new Westy.  I can't wait.  So far the longest
trip I've done in it was 2 days.  Not long enough......  Granted - I've only
had it 2 weeks now, but still.....

The greatest way I have found to travel is to bounce from National Park to
National Park.  You wake up to a herd of 20 something Mule deer grazing next
to you as you admire the stream running by a red rock ridge and at night you
go to sleep staring up at the stars through the doug firs.  What could be
better?

BTW - I'm in the bay area and would love to meet up for a drink or
something.  Though I don't have any spectacular mods to show off yet,  I
would love to see yours.  Shoot me an email if you want to get a drink or
need some help finding a good place to pop your top and crash.  I know some
great places just across the golden gate, less than 30 minutes from downtown
and less than 15 from the highway.

Good luck.  And enjoy your trip.

-eric

----------------------
'85 Vanagon GL Westfalia Camper (Moby)
San Francisco, CA

On 5/7/02 11:53 AM, "Chris Hinkle" <chris_hinkle@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:

> Folks,
> In early June I'll be driving the Westy from Austin TX out to L.A., then up
> the coast to the Bay Area for a day or two, then up to Oregon, where my
> girlfriend will fly in and meet me and other friends for a long mountain
> cabin weekend.
>
> Then, between June 17-30 my girlfriend and I will drive from Oregon back
> home to Austin.
>
> Would appreciate feedback on cool things to see/do along the way.  We have
> never been to any of the Rocky Mountain States, Oregon or Utah, before.  I'm
> more interested in advice on the return part of the trip, as I *have* been
> thru New Mexico, Arizona and SoCal before.
>
> Would be interested in meeting listers along the way, if only to share a
> quick drink, compare mods, or whatever.
>
> Am also looking for advice on the best cell phone plan, just for
> emergencies.  So far it seems that Cingular has the best plan, but I don't
> claim to be an authority.
>
> Thanks in advance for any feedback.
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Chris
> '87 Tiico Westy
>
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