Where are You Vacationing this Year?

[Rich Riddle]

We are in the midst of planning a vacation to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for a couple of weeks. A friend lets us stay four days on his lakefront house on Torch Lake and from there we progress up to the Upper Peninsula. This year includes a trip to Copper Harbor and Isle Royale. Nothing like being outside with wild wolves to make one appreciate vacation (wife says).

Anyway, where are you folks going to vacation this year. Please no curmudgeon vacation-hating responses, just happy ones about where you plan to visit.

[Larry Browning]

Not this summer, but next spring or maybe summer we are planning a 2 week tour of Italy. SWMBO is retiring after 30 years of teaching 8th grade English. Her school lets her accumulate personal/sick days from year to year and she has managed to save up a total of something like 120 days. They pay her what ever the substitute is paid for each of those days when she retires. So we decided that was sort of "free" money and we are taking the vacation we have always dreamed of taking, but could never afford.

[Jim Rimmer]

We spent a few days in San Marcos, TX with daughter's family. They tubed the San Marcos River; we all swam in the Blanco River (the San Marcos is 72 degrees year round so I passed), visited the old Aquarena Springs. It's a conservation area now but used to have a mermaid show and Ralph the Swimming Pig.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Earlier this year, February 15-March 21, my wife and I spent 34 days in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. It was a once in a lifetime trip....the honeymoon we couldn't afford 45 years ago. That will probably be it for this year.

[Howard Garner]

Already done with my vacation.
Attended a model railroad convention in Memphis for a weekend.
Then north to St Louis to visit the arch.
Then to LeClaire, IA for a boat trip up the Mississippi to Dubuque, overnight-ed and then returned by the same boat.
Dropped the wife in Oconomowoc, WI with a daughter
I then when to LaCrosse for a weekend of operating model railroads.
Picked the wife up and returned home to SC
Two weeks on the road.
Typical of my vacations, trains are involved somewhere along the line

Howard Garner

[Justin Ludwig]

We took one already to Dallas. Forced the kids (11 & 12) to endure a week of Six-Flags, Hurricane Harbor, a Rangers game and other amenities.

Next up is a flight to LA in early August. We got a condo near the beach. We'll be spending time with in-laws that are flying in from Australia, attending an Angels vs Dodgers game and just taking it easy.

[Tom Leftley]

My wife and I are going to a fishing lodge during the second week of August again this year.
This lodge, which is called "Old Mission Resort" is about a twelve hour drive from home.
It is located about 300 miles north-west of Toronto.

This lodge is located on a lake on the Ontario/Quebec border.
It is rather small with only about 8 or 9 cabins.
No hydro, no cell phone coverage, but lots of good bass fishing.

We have developed a "painless" way to pay for this trip (about $1,000) total.
All year, at the end of the day, we empty our pockets and put all of our loose change in a large jar.
Then in late July, SWMBO deposits the coins in a special savings account. (As of this week, total is 1,024.95).

[Rich Riddle]

Already done with my vacation.
Typical of my vacations, trains are involved somewhere along the line
Howard Garner

Mine as well. Love the trains. This year Amtrak to and from a destination. Would rather ride the train than take a plane.

[Phil Thien]

My wife won't commit. We were (are?) going somewhere for our anniversary (Oct.). Her first thought was NYNY. Then she thought maybe we should wait a little longer into winter and go to FL. It wouldn't be a long trip either way, but it sure would be welcome.

[Shawn Pixley]

We spent a few days in San Marcos, TX with daughter's family. They tubed the San Marcos River; we all swam in the Blanco River (the San Marcos is 72 degrees year round so I passed), visited the old Aquarena Springs. It's a conservation area now but used to have a mermaid show and Ralph the Swimming Pig.

When it is 110 degrees out, you appreciate that temp in the San Marcos - DAMHIKT. When I was single it was a great place to meet the girls at SWTSU.

[Matt Meiser]

We already took our primary vacation for the year. We rented a cabin on a mountain above Pigeon Forge, TN and had a great time doing a mix of nothing, touristy stuff, shopping, visiting the National Park, and a day trip over to Biltmore.

With moving this summer we've only gotten away one weekend and the primary purpose of that trip to Ohio Amish country was to look for some furniture we need for the new house. We do have an overnight trip to Kalahari coming up--need to use a gift certificate we bought at the school auction last spring.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Later in August we'll make a trip out to western NY (Rochester area) to visit my elderly parents for a few days. In November we will take a week and go to the Washington DC area for the annual CAP Marine Veteran's Association reunion. It's a mix of touristing and veteran type stuff. My wife is particularly looking forward to the tourist as she loves going to DC. We'll also do a couple of long weekend getaways up to the mountains.

[Jim Matthews]

I'm home all Summer with two kids under the age of 10.

Traveling with children this young isn't relaxing.
They go to camp this year - our vacation budget.

It's cheaper than therapy, or pharmaceuticals.

I get one "man-cation" this year, and it will be the
first Friday of WIA in Winston-Salem.

Even if it's just two nights eating room service and watching cable TV,
it will be a slice of sanity away from the asylum.

[Joe Tilson]

We probably will just take day trips to GA, or NC, maybe up to TN to see mom. We just don't like to travel like we used to. We might even travel the seven miles up to Howard Garners home town of Pickens,SC to the Wednesday jockey lot. One of the best flea markets around.

[Gordon Eyre]

We spent some quality time at Seabrook on the Washington coast. It was my 80th birthday and we rented four cottages for 45 members of my immediate family. What a great time we had. When I say immediate family members I mean my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren (plus spouses). There were 15 that could not make it due to previous commitments but all those that came had a great time.