The Gipper's Guide to America

The Gipper

@gftchris said:
Nope, no differences in law. It's more like differences between EU countries to be honest, which I get, but you have one country. And think about this - I start on the AZ/NV border, and it's midday. I go east, in to Navajo land, it's 1pm. I keep going east, and it's back to 12pm.

You are probably in the only part of the country where that would happen.

One Post

Ar. is one hour ahead of MT time half of the year.

mjp28

"One said:
Ar. is one hour ahead of MT time half of the year.

I remember one of our steel manufacturing plants was in St. Joe, IN and they did not change for daylight savings time (might now who knows?) but it was strange coordinating with engineering, manufacturing, sales, the office etc.

They'd have to assign at least one girl there to follow us in Ohio. Confusing for our clients also.

gftChris

Everything is so big here. Which seems odd until you see the people, then you realise it's all in proportion.

syd

@the-gipper said:

Here is some food for thought as you plan your summer vacations. Some hints for your travels, all USA (incl. possessions):

Best Sunset: Cape Flattery, Washington

Best Sunrise: On top of Mt. Haleakala, Maui. (honorable mention: Quoddy Head, Maine)

Best Beaches: St. John, US Virgin Islands

Best Patriotic site: Fort McHenry, Baltimore

Best Trees: California: Redwoods/Sequoias/Ancient Bristlecone pine/Joshua Trees

Best Single Vista: Inspiration Point, Yosemite NP (Multiple vistas: Grand Canyon)

Most Fun Town: New Orleans. (Honorable mention: Chicago)

Best Small Town: Woodstock, Vermont. (honorable mentions: Chatham, Mass. Seaside Fla.)

Best Consistent Architecture: Santa Fe, NM

Campiest Attraction: House on the Rock, Spring Green, Wisconsin

Nicest College Campus that is not Kenyon: Duke (honorable mention: Notre Dame)

Nicest State Capitol building: Olympia, Washington (more for it setting than the building itself)

Best Tall Building: Empire State Building

Best Statue not called Liberty: Mt. Rushmore

Best Scenic Town Setting: Sedona, Arizona

Best City Park System: Savannah, Georgia

Gawdiest Display of Wealth: Newport, Rhode Island

Best Stadium: Wrigley Field

Best preserved Western Town: Tombstone, Ariz. (honorable mention: Lincoln NM)

Best hiking for the average person: Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Best Lake: Crater Lake

Best Mountain Range: The Grand Tetons

Best Casino: Lakeside Inn and Casino, Stateline Nevada (Tahoe)

Best Aquariam: National Aquariam, Baltimore

Best Breakfast/Dinner combination: Camellia Grill and Commander's Palace, New Orleans

Feel free to add your own

just at crater lake last week before last

gftChris

Lots of things are very different. When I get back homeboy sure I will go in to lots of detail. But for now...every ATM charges like $3-4 for withdrawal? What's up with that? And gas stations are weird with the prepaying. That doesn't exist back home - you pull in, fill up and pay.

Not that things are bad, just different.

DieHardBrownsFan

@gftchris said:

Lots of things are very different. When I get back homeboy sure I will go in to lots of detail. But for now...every ATM charges like $3-4 for withdrawal? What's up with that? And gas stations are weird with the prepaying. That doesn't exist back home - you pull in, fill up and pay.

Not that things are bad, just different.

You're not in Kansas anymore.

The Gipper

@gftchris said:

Lots of things are very different. When I get back homeboy sure I will go in to lots of detail. But for now...every ATM charges like $3-4 for withdrawal?

I don't know about this....perhaps because you are using a foreign account....or more because they are just greedy. Banks are greedy in case you haven't heard.

What's up with that? And gas stations are weird with the prepaying. That doesn't exist back home - you pull in, fill up and pay.

While this is very nearly universal and understandable. Way,way too many gas and dash going on here if they didn't require prepayment.

Not that things are bad, just different.

That works both ways....in case you don't remember this famous conversation:

You know what the funniest thing about Europe is?

What?

It’s the little differences. I mean, they got the same shit over there that we got here, but it’s just…it’s just there it’s a little different. Take McDonald's. In France, you can buy beer at McDonalds. And you know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?

They don't call it a Quarter Pouder with Cheese?

No, they got the metric system, they wouldn't know what the fuck a Quarter Pounder is. They call it a Royale with Cheese

Pulp Fiction

The Gipper

@diehardbrownsfan said:
You're not in Kansas anymore.

Or Kensington.

gftChris

Fucked up weather. Did not expect 60F and 20+ mph winds in Moab. Still,the arches are pretty cool.

The Gipper

@gftchris said:
Fucked up weather. Did not expect 60F and 20+ mph winds in Moab. Still,the arches are pretty cool.

60 seems pretty nice to me. The wind though, that could be a bitch....considering all the sand that would blow up.

But the Arches are cool....especially Granny's Bloomers.

The Gipper

Best hiking for the average person: Dolly Sods Wilderness, WV

I actually got to the Dolly Sods Wilderness in WVa....but did not do any hiking. I just drove through it on that terrible dirt road, and the fog was so thick when we went through we couldn't see anything,

The Gipper

Further updates on travel:

Last summer for my anniversary we went to my son's place in Ithaca NY. He took us on a wine boat tour out on Lake Cayuga, one of the Finger Lakes. Very cool. Nice calm evening They brought in wine from a local winery, had a good time. Very cool. Don't know where else in the country you can do that sort of thing.

Also, last fall, I did a trip to Idaho. Flew into Boise, stayed in Sun Valley most of the time. There is beautiful scenery around every bend you turn. Did my usual National Parks thing. Craters of the Moon ....a huge lava bed with some cinder cones. City of Rocks...very cool interesting rock formations. Hagerman Fossil Beds...mainly for the small fossil museum. Also went over to John Day Fossil Beds in Oregon. A great fossil museum...but also spectacular scenery.

Also did another WWII related location: The Minidoka Internment Camp national monument. This is where all the Japanese from like the states of Oregon and Washington were brought during WWII.

Came in and out of Boise. A very nice, clean city.

The Gipper

@diehardbrownsfan said:
You're not in Kansas anymore.

I just came back from a week in Kansas.

The Gipper

This is a topic on this thread that I thought I had covered here before this, but in reviewing all 12 pages, I do not see where I posted it anywhere. This is part of my "Gipper's List". In this case, it is my opinion of what the best cities/towns are of varying sizes and categories. It covers North America, not just the USA:

5 Best Big Cities:

Chicago

Toronto

New Orleans

San Francisco

San Antonio

5 Best "Midsize Cities":

Savannah, Ga.

Quebec City, Quebec

Santa Fe, New Mex.

Santa Barbara, Cal.

Madison, Wisc.

5 Best Small Towns #:

Woodstock, Vermont

Chagrin Falls, Ohio

Seaside, Florida

Wellsboro Pa.

Cooperstown, NY

5 Best "Resort Towns"

Sedona, Arizona

Taos, New Mexico

Aspen, Colorado

Carmel, Cal.

Naples/Key West Fla.

#Note on this: I have seen a few publications that have place the town of Litchfield, Connecticut as a top small town. I have never been there so do not rate it. However, I do plan to make a brief visit there this summer.

Others have also placed Blowing Rock NC on this list. Again, I have not been there, so I cannot rate. Hope to stop by there some day soon.

TexasAg1969

@the-gipper said:

QUOTE (calfoxwc @ Apr 8 2010, 12:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Best Sunrise: On top of Mt. Haleakala, Maui. (honorable mention: Quoddy Head, Maine)
Best Beaches: St. John, US Virgin Islands Gipp

*****************************************

Mt. Haleakala was an amazing place. I think we have pictures from it, I should post them sometime. It is absolutely breathtaking.

St. John, is a smaller island just off the American Virgin Islands' St. Thomas.

St. John is about 75 % national park, I think it was... and the beach is Trunk Bay.

It has an -underground- park underwater, with stones describing certain places and plants, etc.

two really outstanding places places to go see.

Trunk Bay is perhaps the best known of the St. John beaches, but there are several on that island, any of which are great.

I totally agree on both Maui and St. John. Great view from up there and also some excellent snorkeling places, though a couple of people were killed by sharks on Maui just before we got there. St. John is just one of a kind. Bucket List stuff.

Favorite hiking zone for me is trails throughout Rocky Mountain National Park just outside Estes Park. I'm getting a bit old now for the really long 12-15 milers I used to do in my 30s and 40s. I always spend the first week taking the relatively shorter and lower altitude ones before taking on a few 10 milers (round trip).

For a fall trip I tell people drive to western Mass and drive up through Vermont (Woodstock is as you said) and on to the White Mountains of N.H. There is a very excellent art gallery in Williamstown, Mass. that is worth spending a few hours in before taking the drive further on. Unbelievable collection that most are unaware even exists there. Take a look at their permanent collection.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Art_Institute

The Gipper

Williams College, alma mater of James Garfield...and George Steinbrenner I believe.

TexasAg1969

Erin Burnett of CNN-did not know that before looking it up-knew there was a reason I like watching her show.

mjp28

@texasag1969 said:
Erin Burnett of CNN-did not know that before looking it up-knew there was a reason I like watching her show.

She's cute, used to be on CNBC when she was starting out.

The Gipper

I think it was on this thread that we were relating which battle fields in the US we have been to. Earlier this fall I did visit the Droop Mountain Civil War battlefield, which is in southeast West Virginia.

https://wvstateparks.com/park/droop-mountain-battlefield-state-park/

Also, earlier this summer, I went to the Corydon Battlefield, which again is Civil War, and in southern Indiana. It is the only Civil War battle fought in Indiana:

http://www.corydonbattlepark.com/battle.html