Place for the summer

[Walldog]

How about a discussion on a summer place? If you had one to three months available from May to October, where would you spend it? Some criteria for us is a place that we can stay in our motor home and have our little tug with us. A coastal area with a mild summer and away from most hurricanes. Or an inland area with plenty of waterways to explore. We are researching the Lake Powell area and will encourage input on it plus your favorite spots. Join in and lets see what evolves.

We are cross posting this on the TugNuts site, hope that is OK.

 

[Captains Cat]

I don't think I'd go anywhere, just unplug the telephones...

This is in our backyard, about 400' from the house!!



Charlie

 

[Walldog]

I don't think I'd go anywhere, just unplug the telephones...

This is in our backyard, about 400' from the house!!



Charlie

OK GREAT....I see a spot by the 16 I can tie up Tugboat Willie....now if you just have a spot by the house to plug in my motor home, we will be set.

 

[Dreamer]

Herb,

There's an RV Park overlooking Sequim Bay. Lots to explore with the Tug. June through August would be very pleasant. San Juans and Gulf Islands are close by.

 

[RCurry]

I'm kind of partial to where Sea Baby is homeported - Pamlico County, NC.

Here it's 85 F and sunny 365 days a years! Easy access to the Pamlico Sound, Outer Banks, and the ICW (so we can go up and down the Eastern Seaboard). Of course, we do have to take into account the hurricane season but that's part of life and keeps us from being bored by a mundane lifestyle.

Oh - did I mention plenty of fishing around here too?

 

[Captains Cat]

I don't think I'd go anywhere, just unplug the telephones...

This is in our backyard, about 400' from the house!!



Charlie

OK GREAT....I see a spot by the 16 I can tie up Tugboat Willie....now if you just have a spot by the house to plug in my motor home, we will be set.

Herb, I DO! C'mon up!

Charlie

 

[Jazzmanic]

I don't think I'd go anywhere, just unplug the telephones...

This is in our backyard, about 400' from the house!!



Charlie

AKA "The good life"... Good on you Charlie. :thup

Peter

 

[matt_unique]

OK GREAT....I see a spot by the 16 I can tie up Tugboat Willie....now if you just have a spot by the house to plug in my motor home, we will be set.

Ha ha - I was thinking the same thing. Nice setup!

 

[Anonymous]

Take a look at the upper Mississippi River from Minneapolis to Keokuk, IA, Iowa.

Ever changing scenery, historic river towns, great food , reasonable cost of living.

Considered as one of the Great American cruises.

Regards,

Ron, Connie and Bear Fisher

 

[Walldog]

I'm kind of partial to where Sea Baby is homeported - Pamlico County, NC.

Here it's 85 F and sunny 365 days a years! Easy access to the Pamlico Sound, Outer Banks, and the ICW (so we can go up and down the Eastern Seaboard). Of course, we do have to take into account the hurricane season but that's part of life and keeps us from being bored by a mundane lifestyle.

Oh - did I mention plenty of fishing around here too?

Coastal NC is a great suggestion and we know the way. We adopted Tugboat Willie from a very nice couple in Wilmington. One of my daughters was born at Cherry Point while I was conscripted in the Marine Corps. Yes the hurricane season is a factor. Summers here in the Tropical Tip are very nice, considerably cooler realitvely speaking than the rest of Texas. But we have spent the last two summers in Houston for surgeries and hope to find a better spot for this summer.

 

[rogerbum]

In my opinion, it's pretty hard to beat the Pacific Northwest from mid July through mid September. We get very little rain then, the temperatures are generally moderate (especially on the water) and there's a huge variety of cruising available within +/- a few 100 miles of Seattle. Hopefully Bill and El or Jim of Wild Blue will chime in. Both have spent a good amount of time in the PacNW but Bill and El probably have the widest variety of experiences to compare locations.

 

[Chuckpacific]

I've been a few places....I'll take the PNW.

 

[starcrafttom]

I have lived in 9 states and spent more then drive thru time in ten more. both coast , north and south.

I live in western washington on purpose. I just love the summers here. Its only cold here if you are one of the hell born that love 100 degree weather. If it never gets over 80 I will be just fine right here.

But why pick one place. If you are going to be RVing it , just choose something different every year, I would. But I would choose north in the summer and south in the winter. And for that matter north west in the summer because I have spent a few weeks in new york when it was 98 degrees out, no thank you.

and 85 degrees from north carolina on south is not the same as it is here. Its fine if you like to sweat everytime you breath or swat bugs, but thats all its good for in the summer.

 

[thataway]

Lake Powell is lovely in the summer, and we have spent at least a week there for the last 6 years. BUT it is very hot. I would not consider it as a place to stay for a long time. (Might be OK if you had full hookups for the RV--and didn't go out in the mid day sun!).

The rivers in Mid America can be hot and muggy also. Certainly the Carolinas would be nice, but we lived on the Chesapeake for 2 years, and that seemed a but hot and muggy to me.

S. Calif is great--but no waterfront areas (affordiable) to camp.. (The Dunes in Newport beach is expensive).

We also spent a couple of weeks in the PNW each summer--Sequim is certianly a great place--and we have stayed at that RV park that Roger mentioned (in fact it was our home when we "preped" the Cal 46 each year--and put her to bed in the Winter. As much as I love this area, there are cool days, and it gets a bit crowded in the Islands, plus the crossing is a bit for the tug on some days. Further up Vancouver Island there are some nice camp sites on the water. Reasonable shelter etc.

I agree, travel a bit. A little time in the Sacramento Delta, some in Oregon, Idaho, Montania etc--lots of great lakes, and mild temps.

 

[toyman]

We ALWAYS get outta Texas for the summer - Newfoundland/Labrador is Nice, The N.Y. Canals were OK, NW is nice, thru BC & the Yukon to Alaska. This summer we'll do Voyageur NP, Rainy Lake and Lake of the Woods.

 

[JamesTXSD]

Hi Herb,

So, is the boat name "official"? For summer wandering and cruising, I have to go with Roger's suggestion of the Pacific Northwest. We did that for two summers and barely scratched the surface. If it wasn't for the 9 1/2 months of "The Rain Festival", I would consider moving there. In my opinion, the finest cruising to be had in coastal US.

I don't have any hands-on with the RVing there, but an hour with the Trailer Life Campground Guide would give you a gazillion options.

The San Juan Islands, north the the Gulf Islands in Canada, across to Victoria on Vancouver Island, south in Puget Sound to Seattle (what a great city!), further south to Olympia. I get excited just thinking about all the possibilities.

If you want something on a smaller scale, there is a lot of water to had in South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming... and cooler summer weather. The Missouri River is dammed in the Dakotas, making for some huge lakes and lots of shoreline to explore. Trace the route of Lewis & Clark. Drop down into Wyoming and explore Yellowstone and the Tetons - plenty of RVing and boating. You'll be at the 6,000-8,000 foot elevation, so cool nights and crispy days.

Lake Powell is absolutely magical, but (as Dr. Bob said) it is HOT there during the summer. September is great there, and could be on your route from either of the options above. Then back to south Texas for another helping of great weather for the fall.

Give me a call and we'll get together and swap some more stories.

Best wishes,
Jim

 

[Walldog]

Hi Herb,

So, is the boat name "official"? For summer wandering and cruising, I have to go with Roger's suggestion of the Pacific Northwest. We did that for two summers and barely scratched the surface. If it wasn't for the 9 1/2 months of "The Rain Festival", I would consider moving there. In my opinion, the finest cruising to be had in coastal US.

I don't have any hands-on with the RVing there, but an hour with the Trailer Life Campground Guide would give you a gazillion options.

The San Juan Islands, north the the Gulf Islands in Canada, across to Victoria on Vancouver Island, south in Puget Sound to Seattle (what a great city!), further south to Olympia. I get excited just thinking about all the possibilities.

If you want something on a smaller scale, there is a lot of water to had in South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming... and cooler summer weather. The Missouri River is dammed in the Dakotas, making for some huge lakes and lots of shoreline to explore. Trace the route of Lewis & Clark. Drop down into Wyoming and explore Yellowstone and the Tetons - plenty of RVing and boating. You'll be at the 6,000-8,000 foot elevation, so cool nights and crispy days.

Lake Powell is absolutely magical, but (as Dr. Bob said) it is HOT there during the summer. September is great there, and could be on your route from either of the options above. Then back to south Texas for another helping of great weather for the fall.

Give me a call and we'll get together and swap some more stories.

Best wishes,
Jim

Just got back from a nice turn up the IC. Lots of Dolphins right in the channel. One cleared the water about 4 foot several times.. by myself..no camera. But really had a great time.

Yep someplace cool for the summer, back here in the fall, and someplace different next summer. Sounds like a plan. I will try to call you tomorrow.

 

[jennykatz]

We will be in Lake Tellico TN. from July 15th - Aug 15 Hopefully we will see some C-Brats on the lakes near Knoxville to Chatanooga . PM me if you guys are near Tellico village in TN. this summer .

 

[colobear]

With respect to Brats from other parts of the country;

We moved to the Pacific Northwest for the boating and have not been disappointed. No heat! No bugs! Yes Lake Powell is hot, so we're going there in late September. Yes the San Juan Islands can get too full of people so we head up to the Gulf Islands, more laid back, less crowded.. This summer a group of brats is heading up to the West side of Vancouver Island to Barkley Sound, the Broken Islands, others will head up the East side to the Broughton Islands, still others will head up the inside passage to a place as close as Princess Louisa Inlet, Desolation Sound, or as far as Alaska. On the way here Yellowstone Lake would be beautiful, then to Lake Tahoe...and on and on and on.

Other parts of the country can be beautiful and we look forward to the Erie Canal, perhaps the upper Mississippi, the Trent-Severn waterway but while planning those trips we said we would have to remember not to be disappointed since beautiful as they should be, it was unlikely any could match our home waters.

 

[Bill Uffelman]

As a resident of Las Vegas I concur in Thataway's assessment of summer at Lake Powell -- HOT! OK for a few days but it will wear you down pretty quickly.

How about a trip north or south along "I 5 corridor" -- Puget Sound, Columbia River, Willamette River, Lake Shasta, SF Bay and the Delta, Lake Berryessa (wine tasting too), Lake Tahoe and other lakes east of the mountains -- Paulina, East Lake in Oregon, etc -- then Lakes Mead and Mojave/Mohave if you need a dose of heat.

http://www.oregonphotos.com/pagethirty-Z.html Paulina and East Lakes
http://goberryessa.com/
http://www.tahoe.com/ -- it will be warmer in summer 8>))

Jealous--

Bill Uffelman
Las Vegas NV