Ode to Tehachapi

[GaryHinshaw]

Were the mountain passes *great* too?

Mark (plans to traverse the PNW in summer)

Yes!!  The highway in the above shot eventually leads to Lost Trail Pass, on Hwy 93:



Warning: if you take a summer trip to the PNW you will never go back to DC.


-Gary

[TrainCat2]

I have already planned to spend the day at the loop on the Monday following the National show in Sacramento. I'll find a place to stay that Sunday night and spend Monday railfanning before starting the drive back towards south Fla. Anyone else going to the NTS and possible Tehachapi visit?

[stuntman]

Bring an umbrella  ;D

 I'll second that.  ;D

[stuntman]

Just to keep the momentum going on this thread:

Prelim planning puts us landing into NYC on Friday 1st April 2011 (no joke) and leaving LAX on Friday 29th April.

My current thoughts are a couple of days in NYC and then Chicago, before picking up a car and following the UP across the plains to Denver. I had wanted to head up and north west through Mt Rushmore, Yellowstone etc to Portland but everything I've read so far suggests the parks are still snowed under in April. So we'll probably head down to ABQ and follow the BNSF Transcon into SoCal. From there I'd like to head north and follow the coast up to Portland and fly back to LA to depart. Obviously still a lot of planning and research still to do and we might end up flying some of these routes to spend more time "off the road."

So, ballpark dates for a Tehachapi meet would be in that last 2 weeks of April.

Any interest in the group hitting Feather River / Donner on the way down or Cajon too?
I'll be trying to hit these places anyway.....

One option would be for us to fly from Chicago to Vancouver / Seattle and join the convey down. Depends on how rushed you guys are too....

 Don't forget to squeeze a day in there for the Oregon Cascades or Siskiyou's...... I'd be willing to show you around.

[ednadolski]

I'm trying to see if I can change my travel dates.   I'm still not definite, but how does the weekend of April 23-24 look for you guys?

Ed

[James Costello]

I'm trying to see if I can change my travel dates.   I'm still not definite, but how does the weekend of April 23-24 look for you guys?
Ed

Ed, that was the weekend I was going to suggest and would suit me best. Gives me 5 days in SoCal afterwards to show the wife around before we fly out on the Friday.

At this stage our plan is still to be driving down from Portland and hope to have a few days in NoCal before the weekend, probably based out of San Fran.

Scott, I'd love to do the Cascades and will take you up on being a guide! I'll send you a PM - hope to see the layout too!

[SirTainly]

I heading back to the UK next week to get a new passport, so should be set for an April meetup still.

[John]

I heading back to the UK next week to get a new passport, so should be set for an April meetup still.

can't the consulate issue those?

[SirTainly]

can't the consulate issue those?

nope, only temporary ones.

http://ukincanada.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/passports

I can get it done in a day if I go back, and if I left it to the postal service here to send it to/from Washington I'd never get it in time. (packages from Chuck are a 4 week+ wait, so who knows how long a passport take to get here).

[ednadolski]

how does the weekend of April 23-24 look for you guys?

I was looking at flights for this, and then my wife pointed out that the 24th is Easter Sunday.

Ed

[ednadolski]

I'm trying to lock in on a date to book a flight.   Can I ask for a show of hands, how would the weekend of April 16-17th work of everyone?   How many go/nogo do we have for that?

Thanks,
Ed

[GaryHinshaw]

Hi Ed,

I was just looking at flights a few days ago too.  Unfortunately, I can't do the 16/17th since I have a bunch of relatives visiting that weekend, and for much of the following week.  I can do the 23/24th but I still have one son in town that weekend (he leaves the 26th), so it's not ideal. The best for me would be either the 9/10th, or some time during the week of the 25th (I'm not confined to a weekend).  But the 23/24th is still fine too.

Anyone else?

-gfh

[ednadolski]

Well, I guess it’s about time to settle in on a date & book something.   Who is still interested, and when can you make it?    My first preference would be April 16-17, but if that’s out then I can also do April 23-24.

Ed

[James Costello]

Here's my current bookings and plans:
1) Fly into Denver 5th April, pick up rental car. Probably two nights around Denver before heading west - weather permitting.
2) Booked into accomodation in Anahein 27-29th April before flying out Friday night.

It might be too hard to combine my plans with everyone elses, especially considering Easter is in there too, so feel free to work it out amongst the remaining members.

My current thoughts are to be in Glacier National Park 10-12 April, Portland weekend of 16-17 April, head down to San Fran and onto LA.

I'd like to spend some time in Sequoia National Park, but could do this before or after Tehachapi.

So I guess based on current planning I have a window from 23/24 April to 26th April that a day on the loop would be achieveable.

The whole thing might go out the window if you get any more snow.....

[GaryHinshaw]

Well... I'm afraid I have a new monkey wrench to throw in the works: I bought a house today and we are scheduled to close on April 27 and move right afterwards, so I'm afraid Tehachapi in April will be untenable.  I might be able to work in a short road trip to Portland in mid-April.  Any interest in that? 

-gfh

P.S. Being the insane market that Vancouver is, we bought a duplex with no basement.  But it has a finished 10x20 garage that will house the new empire, starting this summer.  I'm excited!