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Advice about Las Vegas plan [message #311362]

Thu, 08 December 2016 08:55

Matt Colie

Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan

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Senior Member

Daniel,

Vegas is an unbelievable place. We used to go there pretty regularly. You do have to get to a Cirque show, at least one.....
Most of your plan sounds reasonable as most of it is in range from Las Vegas. San Diego may be a bit of a problem.
From LV it is about a 6 hour drive and there are very few campgrounds in San Diego and they are not near the things I want to see. This is not to say it can't be done, I am just saying that planning has to be pretty complete.

I am planning a stop there after the International in Shawnee. It will the start of a Pacific Coast Highway tour. We will be going there from LV (Summemlin) as that is where Mary's brother lives. Even that will have problems as his community does not allow Overnight parking of RVs.

Our plan is still in process.

Matt

Handyman wrote on Thu, 08 December 2016 07:07

Handyman wrote on Wed, 28 September 2016 16:26
Thanks, Peer, Rob, Kerry and Tom,
Very good advise. Will think it over.
.... from now on I will closely follow dates and infos on the various rallys and convincing my wife it will be a nice expirience combine it with our next trip in the USA.

And so I did convince her!

As I saw on the website of the GMCWS.org there was a rally this Spring in Pahrump, NV. 20-24 April 2017, I instantly started planning and getting offers from our travel agent. And yes I contacted Nick and Donna, the GMCWS President and GMCWS Secretary, and we are welcome to attend Many Thanks!!
We arrive Sunday 16 April, in Las Vegas, on a KLM/Delta Flight, with a layover in Atlanta, getting our rental MH on Monday and go to see some places around LV, then to the rally and I am now in the process filling and planning the rest of the weeks ... ...

I think of course: Death Valley, Joshua Tree, perhaps San Diego, Phoenix-region, and I wouldn't miss Sedona (we were there one time before, we loved it, and as an exception the chairman of the Elk's let us stay the night with them, even invited us for the weekly members dinner! Very nice people) Grand Canyon, South-Rim, but now a Heliflight, Page, Zion, Valley of Fire (onesmore, also a place I would love to have nearby) and then back to LV, for 2-3 days and perhaps attend a nice show (as we did sometime ago, the Cirque du Soleil: LOVE show, gorgues and brilliant)

If you have some insidertips for us, or about items to bring, please feel free to mention them.

We are very happy and looking forward to it!

Daniel and Marjon

Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit

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Re: Advice about Las Vegas plan [message #311364 is a reply to message #311362]

Thu, 08 December 2016 10:24

Handyman

Messages: 229
Registered: April 2016
Location: The Netherlands

Karma: 2

Senior Member

Thanks Matt,

What you said about San Diego, think you're right, it is some off-track.
I can ajust the route without a problem.
With San Diego it will be about 2000 miles, without about 200-250 less I think.

As you suggestet, Cirque du Soleil is on our list as well, we already saw the Beatles show: LOVE.
One needs 10 eys and ears, to see up and down and left and right, all that is happening, awsome !!!
And not to forget that music ... Wonderfull.

For LV RVsites our travelagent, who is a specialist for Canada and the USA advised us the Oasis RV campground.
Otherwise near the strip is the former KOA, now run by the Circus, Circus Holel. A big concrete parkinglot ... But convinient for visiting the Strip.

Daniel

Daniel Jacobs, NL-USA 1977 GMC Eleganza II, Rebuild 455 (2019) 3.55 FD. FiTech and (Modified) FCC, Electric Pump, insulated GasTanks, 100A Alternator, APC, McDash, Schräder Valves + extern Fills, Ceramic Film, TPMS, FlexSteel Seats

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Re: Advice about Las Vegas plan [message #311367 is a reply to message #311364]

Thu, 08 December 2016 15:41

Matt Colie

Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan

Karma: 7

Senior Member

Daniel,

Please do not be offended, but I find Europeans frequently do not comprehend the distances in the US. This is not specific to Dutchmen. We have often had discussions with some the think things are less distant than they are here.....

If you really wanted to go to San Diego, there is no reason you can't, but you will kill a day on the road each way. Between the Zoo and the Wild Animal park, it might be worth it, but campgrounds are tough to come by in that area, or so I have found.

About Las Vegas RV Parks, they are all parking lots of varying crowding. Three are on the strip. Oasis is actually south of McCarren, the standard spaces there are only barely more than parking spaces with hookups. Circus is just north of the active "Strip", and then there is Main Street Casino's lot (FHU?) that is in old LV on Main Street. You can find them on Google Earth. If you do not pan to rent a car, I would suggest Circus. LVs public transport used to be pretty good and when we used hotels there, we didn't rent a car. When we had the condo, we did because we were then familiar enough to go other places (Like Red Rock Canyon, etc).

If you have not driven the loop of Red Rock Canyon (West out Charleston Blvd) you might consider that before Valley of Fire. Both are desert scenery, but unless you love bare rocks and sand, we were quickly bored with Valley of Fire. There is very little view of Lake Mead from the North Shore Road. There is adequate hiking to be done in both places, but go prepared. If you do go to Red Rock, take the time to walk the museum that is there.

We never have had the coach in Las Vegas, so I am afraid that I cannot be too specific, but if you have a question I am pretty sure that someone here can answer it.

Matt

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Re: Advice about Las Vegas plan [message #311368 is a reply to message #311367]

Thu, 08 December 2016 16:12

Hal StClair

Messages: 971
Registered: March 2013
Location: Rio Rancho NM

Karma: -12

Senior Member

You might look into some of the RV sites off of Boulder Hwy. Public transport runs along that road but the traffic is a lot easier to deal with. Lived in the Las Vegas valley from 1967 until just recently and the traffic has gotten pretty tough on the strip. We stayed away and let the tourists' have at it.
Hal

"I enjoy talking to you. Your mind appeals to me. It resembles my own mind, except you happen to be insane." 1977 Royale 101348, 1977 Royale 101586, Diesel powered, 1974 Eagle Bus 45',w/slideout, Rio Rancho, NM

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Re: Advice about Las Vegas plan [message #311369 is a reply to message #311368]

Thu, 08 December 2016 17:55

Carl S.

Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.

Karma: 13

Senior Member

A number of years ago, we attended a Western States rally at the Oasis RV Resort in Las Vegas. It was a very nice park and convenient to the strip. Rates look to be a little on the high side, but are probably in line with other places in the area.

http://www.oasislasvegasrvresort.com/index.htm

My daughter and Son in law live in North Las Vegas and we are planning a trip in January. There is a reasonably priced park near their home:

http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/nevada/north-las-vegas/clark-county-shooting-park

Word is it is pretty quiet at night, but you can hear shooting during the day.

Carl Stouffer '75 ex Palm Beach Tucson, AZ. Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member

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Re: Advice about Las Vegas plan [message #311371 is a reply to message #311362]

Fri, 09 December 2016 01:09

Handyman

Messages: 229
Registered: April 2016
Location: The Netherlands

Karma: 2

Senior Member

Hello Matt, Hal and Carl,

Thanks for the inside info.
And no I am not offended, you are absolutly right, the distances are more and longer as what we europeans are "programmed" with Very Happy

The biggest advantice of travelling with a MH is you are more flexible in making alternations to route and direction.
Based on the places we want to visit, your inside tips and the global route to follow, to come back and delliver the MH on friday the 12 Mai, I always build in shortcuts and alternatives, but also extra's when the timetable allows it.
I consider that also a part of the travelling-fun.

@Matt: Are you attending the GMCWS Spring Rally also, since you're visiting LV also?

Our schedule roughly is LV Start, Red Rock Canyon, then Pahrump, the GMCWS Rally, Death Valley, different places to visit, then direction Joshua Tree, Phoenix, Mesa, Sedona, Grand Canyon (South Rim) Page and then Zion, and then south back to LV staying there a couple of days. Do some sightseeing, pick a nice Cirque du Soleil show ....

And naturally there will be nice places to visit and see during our travelling, along the route.
Many things can be found online, but the insider knowledge you have here is more then welcome.

Daniel

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Re: Advice about Las Vegas plan [message #311373 is a reply to message #311362]

Fri, 09 December 2016 03:17

Ken Burton

Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana

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Senior Member

Many years ago a couple of German friends of my brother flew in to Chicago. My mother loaned them a car and off they went to the west coast. Their return trip was via Houston where they ran out of time for their scheduled return trip from Chicago to Hamburg. They abandoned the car in Houston and flew to Chicago to catch their scheduled flight to Germany. They had under estimated the distances and spent most of their trip driving instead of seeing things along the way.

I ended up flying to Houston to drive the car back to NW Indiana again. When I landed at 9PM is was 98 degrees and the humidity was about the same. I got in the non-air conditioned car and started driving north (all night) until it cooled off enough to be comfortable again. I think it was Little Rock when I stopped. I have never been back to Houston again.

Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

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Re: Advice about Las Vegas plan [message #311374 is a reply to message #311362]

Fri, 09 December 2016 04:49

Handyman

Messages: 229
Registered: April 2016
Location: The Netherlands

Karma: 2

Senior Member

...

Back then, Ken, you could do easy more then 200 km/h on the German Autobahn, almost no trafficjams, perhaps that brought them in trouble. As they were used to making much km in a short time.

Since I live in the south of the Netherlands, near the border, all my life, I am used to those German Autobahs, drove my BMW Motorcycle from Aachen to Basel in a few hours, staying on the left lane almost all the time, no problem at all ... Don't try that now a days ....

But I know by expirience, since we visited the USA now three times. If you see some place is still 250 miles ... It is not nearly as if I see 250 kilometer.
And one must reprogram their "distance-feeling". (Perhaps terrible expressed in english, but you will understand what i mean)

Once I got that out of my mind, planning went much better, and we had really time to spent visiting and looking at all those nice sites.

The only weird thing, I found it quite confusing driving from Canada to the USA and back....
Switching from km to miles and back.

Daniel

[Updated on: Fri, 09 December 2016 04:50]

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Re: Advice about Las Vegas plan [message #311379 is a reply to message #311371]

Fri, 09 December 2016 09:19

Matt Colie

Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan

Karma: 7

Senior Member

Handyman wrote on Fri, 09 December 2016 02:09

Hello Matt, Hal and Carl,
<snip>
@Matt: Are you attending the GMCWS Spring Rally also, since you're visiting LV also?
<snip>
Daniel

Daniel,

We managed to work that a while back, but not this time. For our plan to work, we have to be past that area 3 weeks too early.
There may be other rallies that we can visit, but I haven't found them yet..

Matt

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Re: Advice about Las Vegas plan [message #311404 is a reply to message #311374]

Fri, 09 December 2016 20:40

Ken Burton

Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana

Karma: 10

Senior Member

I have driven the Autobahn many times. Once is a very old VW. I was the slowest thing out there other than the French Citeron ducks. The Germans hated me because I could not go any faster.

Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

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Re: Advice about Las Vegas plan [message #311414 is a reply to message #311404]

Sat, 10 December 2016 03:36

Handyman

Messages: 229
Registered: April 2016
Location: The Netherlands

Karma: 2

Senior Member

...

1970 ... My father bought his first new car.
It was a DAF 55, a real Dutch Car Factory who made a quit nice little car, with their famous automatic ... The Variomatic.
They started with that invention in their first models "DAF Daffodil"
Later this Dutch invention of the variomatic was the base for the CVT transmissions (Continuously variable transmission) they now use in several cars.

As you surely know since you bin to europe thoose days, driving an automatic car was not so common in thoose days.
But he had to since he only made his driverslicense for "Automatic". You could make a chouce back then, in our country, my sister did it also that way. And after a period of one year they were allowed to drive, the stickshifting ones Wink

It was not so "difficult" for them Wink

The car had a watercooled Renaultengine (vier cilinders and 1108 cc) and its topspeed was less the 125 km/h.
But due to its variomatic, its acceleration was quit impressive for those days.
I can know since I was allowed to drive that car a lot. My father did not really like to drive, only if it was absolutly neccesairy.
So I think I was the one who made the most miles in it Laughing

Since the variomatic worked both ways you could even drive backwards with the same speed as forwards. That was fun!
Don't ever try this (at home) Smile

) The steering went so light on the car, at higher speeds one could easy flip over. That point I luckely never reached!
At some point they even started races with DAF's only, backwards driving ... that was fun watching, as they flipped over and only the most skilled drivers made it...

Comming back to the Autobahn: My Father had some cousins living in Germany, and he had to drive the Autobahn ... so what you are telling is absolutly true, the germans hated him for crauwling allong with only 80 km/u where much more was allowed. If I was at home he always asked if I had the time to drive, and everytime he kept telling me: " ... how is it possible, when you are driving, those german drivers don't use the horn or their "Lichthupe" ..."
The car was with its about 50 HP engine quick enough for the normal cars, like the Opel Kadett, the Audi 80 or the normal Mercedes-Benz.

(If you look up: "DAF 55" and "DAF Daffodil" you get pictures and info about them.
I saw once on a show from Dwayne Carrini "Chasing Classic Cars" that one made it to the USA Smile

He even knew what he was talking about. Impressive.

Daniel

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Re: Advice about Las Vegas plan [message #311415 is a reply to message #311362]

Sat, 10 December 2016 03:51

Handyman

Messages: 229
Registered: April 2016
Location: The Netherlands

Karma: 2

Senior Member

Back to our visit to the US from 16 April - 12 Mai 2017.

The miles I calculated with some extra, will be between 1750 and 2000 miles.
That seems to be a resonable distance for a 4 week period.
Leaving us enough time for visits and sightseeing.

I also, for the first time, took a look, at the "Black List" and the Google Map.
Impressive and quit interesting.
Many members at LA, San Diego and Phoenix region, also two near Sedona, one in Vegas, but none direction of Page.
Although, this won't be all the owners with a GMC in the region, there must be a lot more of them, I think.
Perhaps we meet several of them at the Spring Rally.
We are really looking forward to attend the rally.

Daniel

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Re: Advice about Las Vegas plan [message #311425 is a reply to message #311415]

Sat, 10 December 2016 13:25

Carl S.

Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.

Karma: 13

Senior Member

Handyman wrote on Sat, 10 December 2016 02:51

Back to our visit to the US from 16 April - 12 Mai 2017.

The miles I calculated with some extra, will be between 1750 and 2000 miles.
That seems to be a resonable distance for a 4 week period.
Leaving us enough time for visits and sightseeing.

I also, for the first time, took a look, at the "Black List" and the Google Map.
Impressive and quit interesting.
Many members at LA, San Diego and Phoenix region, also two near Sedona, one in Vegas, but none direction of Page.
Although, this won't be all the owners with a GMC in the region, there must be a lot more of them, I think.
Perhaps we meet several of them at the Spring Rally.
We are really looking forward to attend the rally.

Daniel

We've done over 1850 miles in ten days. That included stops in Las Cruces NM (overnight), Carlsbad Caverns, NM (cave tour) Ft Stockton TX (overnight), San Antonio, TX (several day stay), Fredericksburg, TX (three nights), Hueco Tanks SP, El Paso, TX (two nights) and back home to Tucson. Kind of a whirlwind trip, but it's all about the journey in a motorhome.

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Re: Advice about Las Vegas plan [message #311447 is a reply to message #311414]

Sun, 11 December 2016 05:03

Handyman

Messages: 229
Registered: April 2016
Location: The Netherlands

Karma: 2

Senior Member

Handyman wrote on Sat, 10 December 2016 10:36

Since the variomatic worked both ways you could even drive backwards with the same speed as forwards. That was fun!
Don't ever try this (at home) ) The steering went so light on the car, at higher speeds one could easy flip over. That point I luckely never reached!
At some point they even started races with DAF's only, backwards driving ... that was fun watching, as they flipped over and only the most skilled drivers made it...
Daniel

Managed to find an example video on Facebook Wink

DAF Cars backwards Racing https://www.facebook.com/CPZandvoort/videos/1211251878956166/

Daniel

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