On Our Way Stateside... Advice Please...

OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CJ!!!!!!!!

I have fallen in love with those cottages and cabins !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you - my credit card company will also thanks you if we book one!




Mysteryman - Gotcha - will ensure we don't stop in one of them - thanks

Oh My Goodness....

have just emailed two cabin places for availability..... sheesh - these places are fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gosh - I wish there was a bunch of us going - this National Park is incredible. My eldest son would love this....I could just leave him fishing for 4 days - he would be in heaven.

I don't remember which place we stayed at, but it was an added bonus that
the cottages have little kitchenettes to at least enjoy breakfast and some of the
meals "in house", and it saves money too! Plus, when traveling with kids who seem to always be hungry at odd hours (at least mine is), a kitchenette
is more than practical.

On altitude..

it causes some people some problems. The higher elevations, like the one Dys quoted, can be a surprise re your stamina. Or so I gather.

We went over a high pass when I was a kid and I don't remember any problemo. I recently moved from a few feet above sea level to Albuquerque and didn't have any problems, except that of blasting heat in August. At the top of the tram here, a couple of thousand feet higher, I didn't notice difficulty... and I'm a person with longterm chronic but under control asthma (cat and mold induced, and sometimes exercise induced).

My house is at a mile high, similar to the city of Denver. The park, from the link below, goes from something like 7200 feet to 12,000+. You might want to watch that re your road choices, Izzie, but, again, I'm no expert.

Here's a link re altitude and the park - http://www.nps.gov/archive/romo/visit/park/hiking.html

I'm thinking altitude will not be a problem for you, Izzie, but wanted to give a heads up if you have a variety of road selections to make, either through the park or driving elsewhere.

Thanks Osso

Yep - have been looking at the "accessible" routes too - tho I would love to be climbing a few mountain trails - it's not going to be possible - but there are a few that have wheelchair access - so I figure I'll be able to walk them with the little fella. There's also the free shuttle bus - which may be a plan for one of the days - I know that's a bit touristy for my liking - but would be practical and takes you to all the places you SHOULD go - then 3 days of driving around just the 2 of us.

Cooooooooooooooooooooool

ooh - we crossed posts - yes, thanku Osso - will definitely be driving "up" if we can so that information is good to know

Keep in mind the Democratic Party's national convention is in Denver this year the last week of August. It's going to be an absolute zoo around there.

The further from that date you plan your visit, the more enjoyable and less crowded it will be for you.


Here's a link to the local newspaper if you want to do some scouting on prices and places to see.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/

Really good point, Butrflynet. The convention is August 25th-28th -- it sounds like Izzie may make it beforehand?

Also good point about altitude.

Re: driving, the part that gets me most is the sheer drop-offs on one side of the road...!

This kind of stuff:



(The caption notes that's one of the few guardrails on that stretch.)

As with other things that have been mentioned, more just info to integrate while making plans than anything else. I like driving in general, it's relaxing. Definitely had to concentrate when driving in the mountains.

Izzie,
If you can get (or if you have) a cell phone from AT&T, T-Mobile, or AllTel, they have a road service plan with them.
They have a phone # you can call and get a tow truck, gas, tire change, or other roadside assistance.

My wife works for the company that answers those calls, and while I am not advertising for her company, it is something you might want to consider.

You may not need it, but my attitude has always been that its better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it.

quick question anyone.......


How hot is Arkansas in August?????? Hot Springs????


Can find the temps for now - does it get a lot hotter in August? Humidity???




(I can't get travel insurance right now.... no-one will cover my pre-exisiting conditions.....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm - ringing around!)

According to this, pretty darn hot...



http://www.arkansas.com/helpful-info/weather/

Very Steamy...

Thanks Soz / RH - that answers that question then

Hey ho.... still looking at what to do and where to go!

Yes, Arkansas in August is uncomfortably warm and humid. There are beautiful mountains, yes, but the elevations remain low throughout the state. Most areas in the USA except the high mountains and northern coastal areas are normally very warm in August. You do have less humidity in the mountain and western states which some think makes the heat less uncomfortable. In the low desert areas (Arizona, California, Nevada, far southern New Mexico, Texas), triple digit heat is normal. Otherwise, in most of Colorado and New Mexico, triple digit heat is uncommon and nights can even warrant a sweater.

But again, so long as you have access to air conditioning, short periods out in the heat are not dibilitating for almost anybody, and if the heat becomes bothersome, a quick retreat back to air conditioning refreshes you immediately.

If I were you I would just plan to go where it is convenient and interesting to go without worrying a whole lot about the weather.

You could always come home to the Bay Area where the high in SF today is 60 degrees! You'll need heaters not air conditioning.

Air conditioning does help, but a lot of places are keeping their temps set at 78 these days so once you're over the initial relief going from outdoors into air conditioning, it still can be rather warm indoors if you're very active.

August is just not the best time to visit many of the states and also avoid hot weather. Your first instinct was right, to head to the mountains. Unfortunately, Denver won't be very hospitable for tourism during the convention week.

Another area you might consider is Tennessee and the Blue Ridge Mountains in the eastern portion of the state. It would be similar in climate and activity as that of the parks around Denver. My elderly but active dad and his wife went there in the summer for their honeymoon when they married about 20 years ago and enjoyed the scenery and activities, especially Smoky Mountain National Park. You also have Memphis and the home of blues, gosphel and rock and roll music with Elvis' Graceland.

Weather:

June through August: Summer in the Smokies means heat, haze, and humidity. Afternoon showers and thunderstorms are common. Temperatures increase through the period with July and August afternoon highs in the 90s in the lower elevations. Evening lows are usually comfortable with readings in the 60s and 70s. In the higher elevations, the weather is much more pleasant. On Mount Le Conte (6,593' elevation), no temperature above 80 degrees has ever been recorded.

Memphis has a humid subtropical climate, with four distinct seasons. The average high and low in July are 92°F (33°C) and 73°F (23°C), with high levels of humidity due to moisture encroaching from the Gulf of Mexico. Afternoon thunderstorms are frequent during some summers, but usually brief, lasting no longer than an hour.

And Nashville, the state capital and home to country music and the Grand Ol Oprey.

Websites of interest for Tennessee:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee

http://www.tnvacation.com/

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/

Thanku folkies - all good info there...

I really am that disorganised - it will pobably turn up at the airport and see whats going! RMNP is quite expsenive - there are cheaper places but am I'm now planning to do less driving ( yep - I know you are all right on that subject and I proove it to myself each day ) - flying is an option. Love the sound of the Smokey Moutains - will look that up to tomorrow - many many thanks.

Trying to fit in around my beautiful young nieve - love her so much and may not get to see her for a while after this visit. She's a wee youn Scottish Lassie ... just gorgeous - and FUN! Tenneessee sound charming.

(cannot believe how disorganised I am - kinda nice in someways - as long as the littel fella is happy - that's what matters.

Booked my Flight bcak from KC - do definitely going there. Little fella has a special person to visit in those climes. :wink:

Heading to hit the head on the bed pillow now.

Thanku - keep the thoughts coming if you would be so kind - I am very random and go with the flow. x

Don't know if this will be any help, but may be worth a look, an article in the SF Chronicle about travel insurance --


http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/24/DDPM11T3BA.DTL&type=printable

Hey All

Thanku Osso so much for seeking that info out. I have read and inwardly digested. Made numerous phonecalls - now - what they are saying is that having a pre-existing condition is one thing - having 2 or 3 is another - and having surgery and follow up consultant appointments within 6 months is entirely a no go on the insurance front. So..... the only company I have found so far prepared to insure me is going to charge me just over £200 (pounds) in total to cover me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTH!

So - I spoke to my brother who said realistically - this is RA/SLE - the chances of me having any emergency admission etc are remote. However, I said that if I were to trip and damage my feet (or if someone were to tread on my feet or drop something on them e.g. at the airport and I wasn't wearing steel toe capped boots) then I would not have the cover for damage as this would be pre-existing and within 6 months etc etc etc.

Sooooooooo - looks like I will have to go with company that I took the insurance with when I booked my tickets .... or take the risk. As I am not long walking (tho I am walking quite well if I do say so myself) then I guess I will have to go with the unexpected expense which will limit the other adventures we had in mind.

Hey ho!

In 5 days we'll be leaving

that insurance charge is quite inexpensive in relation to ANY U.S. hospital costs

one night in a U.S. hospital can easily lead to $10,000 - without any particular treatment - it is all private and it is very expensive by the standards of those of us used to other public, or a mix of public and private insurance

200 pounds is nothing in comparison to the cost of any U.S. medical costs