Florida suggestions...... edit 30 Nov see post #9

[billwilson]

So Cal to Key West and back
5,800 miles
10 days straight driving
fuel alone $2,500.......

CONSIDERING:

Fly there with dog $1,000
Rent Class C $1,000
air and rig $2,000

direct flight
maybe 7-8 hours for The Cooper (dog)

ya feeling me

Any suggestions:
Orlando
Destin/Panhandle
Clearwater/St Pete
Sarasota (again
to Key West
Back up Atlantic side
7-12 days on the road

any first hand experiance?
i have seen some pretty cool campground/bushwakin

bw out

[jage]

You need to be there on a certain day or something?

I'm biased: I hate to fly. When I was considering taking the time to drive to Fresno one consideration was not being able to take much of what I generally use to camp and live as I didn't want to leave all of it in the van having to fly back and out again. Renting a C you'll have what's in your suitcase or you'll have to ship stuff.

And I don't know about a dog, but I talked to my vet back in the day about flying Scribbles (cat) when we were moving to Tucson to save her the 4 day drive out- the vet said hands down the driving, and then the 3 nights in hotel rooms, was WAY easier on her then one few-hour flight alone in a cage.

I've also done Indiana to Key West in (out of) my Jeep Wrangler. I wish I'd had more time and an SMB at the time to wheel around the Everglades and everywhere else. My aunt and uncle spend a month or so all over Southern Florida in their Chinook and never seem to lack for places to spend their time.

[billwilson]

Limited time off work (my own shop)

Wife and I love to fly

Taking off enough time for a leisurly drive to and fro
plus Coastal camping would cost me a ton
not so much in $ but in moving up my retirement date

I have done some home work:

5 hour direct flight = Dog in crate for 7-8 hours
Dog is crated at home and that time will be ok

Decent rig about $1,000 a week

Air and rig rental still less than my fuel cost
and saves me 2 weeks drive time

I would LOVE to drive coast to coast and wander around
not doable with my shop open

[Ford_6L_E350]

What kind of lousy mileage do you get? I figured I could drive there and back for about $1200.

Maybe it is time for a penthouse and a diesel?

Mike

[billwilson]

Originally Posted by Ford_6L_E350

What kind of lousy mileage do you get? I figured I could drive there and back for about $1200.

Maybe it is time for a penthouse and a diesel?

Mike

LOL
love my cruiser top
and still cant spel desil
10 mpg at 75 mph with ac on full

6,000 miles
600 gallons
600 gallons x $3.50 per gallon = $2,100

[TomH]

Depends on the kind of stuff you like to do.

Disney World actually has more square miles than the city limits of San Francisco. Lots of fun, but lots of people too, although it's quieter in Jan. and temp can be in the 70s-nicest time of year there. Very different than Disney Land. The African Safari in the Wilderness Park will make you think you really are in the Kalahari. Downtown Disney has great nighttime dance clubs, and there's shopping galore along the Disney boardwalk for the wife. Nearby are Universal Studios (2 parks), Sea World, and Kennedy Space Center. North of there Silver Springs is nice. Like city life-Miami.

Sportsmobile owners buy their vehicles so they can get away from crowds and see some natural beauty, so I'm guessing that even though you won't have the Sportsmobile with you, the boonies still appeal to you. How about an air boat ride through the Everglades? Fishing? There's deep sea fishing everywhere and fresh water fishing at Lake Okeechobee. Adjacent to Florida, at the southern end of Georgia is the Okeefenoke Swamp where you can take a small boat tour, or rent a canoe and paddle for several days, camping on small platform docks deep in the watery wilderness. Cumberland Island is a wilderness barrier island, 23 miles long and 1/2 to 1 mile wide, the most southerly island before Florida. Access is only by boat and several ferries (people only-no vehicles) a day go from St. Marys. You can wilderness camp in the giant dunes. Sometimes the beach is a half mile wide and is strewn with millions of shells. There is one single hotel there, an elegant yet rustic small Victorian called the Greyfield Inn. JFK Jr. honeymooned there. No phone, tv, etc., yet very nice Victorian charm. (It does have electricity, and fine dining.) From there you can hike the trails through the giant oak forest and down the miles of desolate pristine beach.

Hope this helps.
Tom

[billwilson]

Tom
thanx buddy

took the wife to Disneyland twice, we left early once....

However, still will make a run at it

My thoughts:

Olando
West, down the coast
Bushwack / Beachwack where we can
Small out of the way places the best
down to Key West
same same, mellow as few folks as possible
wife wants to fish ( read that catch

am at work now
will re-read and pic yer brain

bw

[Ford_6L_E350]

If you've never been, Cape Kennedy Space Center is well worth the trip.

Up in Ocala is the Don Garlits Drag Racing Museum with many great cars mostly from the 60s and 70s.

Alligator Alley is a must see. We drove for an hour without seeing any alligators. Major disappointment. So, we stopped along the road just to look for 'gators. Then we noticed that all the down logs we 'gators. In fact there were so many that they were literally one on top another! When they started moving, we got back in the car. I don't think I would get out of the car at night to take a leak. Everglades Park.

Key West has much to see. Margaritaville - stop and make a donation to Jimmy Buffet's bank account. See Hemingway's house. Climb a light house. Day trip to the Dry Tortugas. Fort Taylor. Many bars and much nightlife. The southmost point on the continental US.

Have fun.

Mike

[billwilson]

Gents:

any SPECIFIC remote/funky/bushwack/out of the way

places/campgrounds/waterways ??????

you can PM me if ya wanna keep em secret

In a former life i lived in Fla
I know for a fact i can find the tourist stuff, that will be easy
Looking for the funky/original stuff
Just short of Deliverance !!