OK, so kind of off topic, but I just read this article and wanted to comment that I'm really I glad I choose to travel by RV, rather than by airline: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101115/ap_on_...irport_security I have never been "scanned" or "patted down" entering my motor home. Good travels everyone.
QUOTE(Fitzjohnfan @ Nov 15 2010, 11:59 PM) [snapback]24878[/snapback] OK, so kind of off topic, but I just read this article and wanted to comment that I'm really I glad I choose to travel by RV, rather than by airline: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101115/ap_on_...irport_security I have never been "scanned" or "patted down" entering my motor home. Good travels everyone. Years ago before there were even metal detectors, when you got a boarding pass and walked onto the plane with no assigned seating I traveled a lot. Had the whole USA for a territory. I cannot imagine the frustrations of today's business travelers. I have not been on an airplane in many years and hope I don't have to. This new pat down or body scan is going a bit too far. George Orwell would be proud.
Me too! It costs about the same to drive long distance as it does to fly. All you save is time. I'll take my RV or my car and hotels over flying. JJ
I was thinking which most of the time is not a good idea for me, but, if the drive is say 6 hours or around 400 miles or so doing 70 on the interstate and you have to get to the airport 2 to 3 hours in advance because of all the screening and so on and it is a 2 hour flight you really didn't save much time and of course there is always the possibility of delayed or canceled flights.
We go back to Iowa to see family twice a year. Sometimes flying is faster and cheaper then taking the RV. We have gone through the full body scan. NO BIG DEAL John Tyner is a drama queen. Get over it, dude.
QUOTE(Fitzjohnfan @ Nov 16 2010, 12:59 AM) [snapback]24878[/snapback] OK, so kind of off topic, but I just read this article and wanted to comment that I'm really I glad I choose to travel by RV, rather than by airline: We're considering a trip to Disney - now that we have an RV worth staying in for a week, flying down and paying twice as much for accomidations is not even a consideration - besides, if you fly, you can't stop at all the kitchy/fun/tacky/entertaining/enlightning/educational - did I mention tacky - places along the way! Sometimes it should be about the journey too.
I have had my trailer searched going into a nascar race years ago. Think about what is going on lately. It is your safety and people around you that they are looking out for. The extra time at an airport, train station and sports event might be well worth it. If I have the time, I would definitely take my RV. As edcornflakle said, most of the fun is getting there and back. I understand about people that fly a lot being ticked off about it. Just remember these people have nothing but time on their hands. It could be one person with 1,000,000 air miles that they pick to carry a bomb. If they don't check someone out on my flight, guess what, I'm telling somebody something. My family,or yours is on that flight with me. This is just my opinion.
Without a doubt if you have the time and the money going by RV is the luxury way of travel compared to plane, rent car, hotel. But if you want to go a long distance of say 2,000 miles for a week to see family flying is what needs to be done. I used to fly constantly for work. I stopped flying frequently about the time of 911. Actually I was because of 911. I switched work so I would not have to fly much. That is one decision I do NOT regret. I hate flying these days. There is all the screening stuff, but there are the small seats (I am 210 lbs and 6' 2"), massive lines and crowds, and just the general un-fun-ness off it all. The travail has certainly been put into air travel. Too bad, air travel used to be fun. Sort of like Las Vegas in 1980. Lots of glamor and no crowds. And of course there is the final thing. There are more bad guys out there wanting to bomb planes out of the sky. RVing gets my thumbs up. Flying - thumbs down.
Since I am retired military, I get to use the military camping facilities on various installations. But on some installations, the search of your rig by military security makes the TSA screeners look like pikers. Redstone Arsenal comes to mind in that regard. All the interior storage opened, including the refrigerator, all of the interior of the truck thoroughly searched, including the use of military working dogs.
Having just gotten back from a four month, 5,000 mile trip, there are two answers. For comfort AT THE END OF THE TRIP, you can't beat a plane. It will take me another week before I feel "back to normal". For overall comfort over a longer period of time, I'll take my motorhome. As far as the inspections are concerned, at my age, like Lindsay, I'll take my groping whenever and wherever I can.
You betcha! I sleep in my own bed, on my own sheets, on my own pillows.....guaranteed no bedbugs. I don't have to take off my shoes unless I want to. Nobody cares how many ounces of toiletries I'm carrying. If there's any groping going on.....it's because I'm in the mood for it. If Estimated Time of Departure is 9:00 a.m., then 9:00 a.m. it is....not 10:00, then 11:00, then 1:00, then not at all.
We just got back from Alaska, too far to drive our Roadtrek so we flew from Ft. Myers FL to Vancouver BC took a cruise north and then rented an RV in Anchorage to see Denali National Park and the Kenai peninsula. Air travel was the WORST part of this wonderful vacation. Squeezed like sardines for hours. The airline industry is killing themselves by treating people this way. I will never fly cross-country again, only short flights if absolutely necessary. I am spoiled by the luxury of RV travel and being able to stop, get out and stretch my legs every once in a while. It's simply unhealthy to put your body through airline torture. Not to mention being patted down in 3 different airports: Ft. Myers, Toronto and Vancouver. We really appreciate just how much the RV improves our life out of town after carrying our computers and cameras everywhere because we didn't have a secure RV to leave them in. Man those are heavy when sightseeing around town. (Not talking about the cruise which is just like a big RV lol). Thanks for letting me vent. Non-RVers just think I'm whining. :lol: P.S. I took a look at the first class/business section of the plane to see if they had more legroom and it appeared they did not. There was more room side to side but not legroom. For which you pay 300% more. Bleh.
QUOTE(Lindsay Richards @ Nov 18 2010, 08:45 AM) [snapback]24897[/snapback] Gosh, I was thinking of taking my wife down to the Orlando airport so we could get a free groping. Yep the old retired folks in Florida get there thrill`s where ever they can find them.
QUOTE(Fitzjohnfan @ Nov 16 2010, 01:59 AM) [snapback]24878[/snapback] I have never been "scanned" or "patted down" entering my motor home. I get "scanned" just about every time I go into my RV. Then I get told to "take those muddy shoes off" or "don't even think about sitting on that couch until you brush off that crud", etc. As for being "patted down", as long as the kids aren't with us that is always an enjoyable experience for both me and my wife.
Yes, and you can take as much luggage as you want in the RV without all the fees! I've got to add a plug for one of my favorite ways to travel, when not in the RV. My RV & I were in New Mexico, and I had scheduled a Cruise out of Los Angeles (San Pedro). Should I take the RV, just the truck, or fly? I had to be back in NM right after the trip. I ended up taking an evening train that arrived in LA the next morning, and it was delightful! No security check, no luggage fees, etc. Seats were much roomier than on a plane. A relaxing dinner was served in the dining car, then it was watching the towns go by from the club car . I actually was able to fall asleep on the train, something I have never been able to do on a plane. The train arrived in LA an hour ahead of schedule. In the morning I took the $1 shuttle (with an Amtrak ticket) from Union Station to the Port (people flying in were paying $75 for a taxi). The whole experience was less expensive than driving and parking, or flying etc. and much more fun. I know it's nothing compared to the schedules and speed of the European trains, but just wanted to throw another option out to those of you that are fed up with flying. Looking out the window will be more like traveling in your motor home, but at 79 mph (okay not always) without the traffic and gas stops.
