JUNE 26, 2006

Well, my first blog. Hmm, sounds sort of Newbie doesn't it?

Anyway, I'm going to use it this summer to document our BIG SUMMER TRIP that we have planned so well. This will also let the kids do some interesting stuff while we are travelling, y'know, like posting pictures, showing routes and telling stories, sort of like a diary. Hope it is fun for them, otherwise I'll be doing it all.

My contribution to the whole thing was to get a laptop computer (used) and a Microsoft Streets and Trips with GPS (eBay). Kendra says we don't need this stuff and it is just "Boys and their toys." I look at it as an essential part of a safe and efficient trip.....

My wife is the real driving force behind the planning. She figures out when, where, how, why, and who. (Thankfully the "who" part includes me!)

So, here is our plan. It will be interesting to see how close we come to sticking to it. See, yet another reason to have a GPS, we can make lots of changes in our trip and always know where we were, where we are, and where we are going!

• July 1 thru 8 - Kids at camp (Whoopee!!)
• July 12 - Las Vegas - Circus, Circus
• July 13 - Kanab - Parry Lodge
• July 14 - Marble Canyon - Cliffdwellers Lodge
  
• July 15, 16 - Grand Canyon - Maswik Lodge
• July 17, 18, 19 - Sedona - Belle Rock Inn & Suites
• July 20 - Williams - Canyon Motel
• July 21 - Laughlin - Colorado Belle
• July 22 - Primm ('cause Ed told me to) - Buffalo Bill's
• July 23, 24, 25 - Vegas - MGM Grand
• July 26 - Home - Sweet Home

My wife is a whiz when it comes to getting deals on hotels, cars and airline flights. Within a couple of hours on the computer, she saved us about 50% on all those expensive things. It is amazing how different travel sites can give you totally different rates for absolutely the same hotel room or car. Sometimes the different car rental companies charge monumentally different rates for the same vehicle. It pay$ to search around. It also helps to pick the brains of your friends or relatives who have been there.


We are renting a Dodge Magnum. Whoopee!
This is another essential. The Mrs. thinks something like a Chevy Sprint would be OK. Little does she know!