The perfect vacation thread..

[KB3LAZ]

What is your idea of "The perfect vacation"? Or have you already experienced it?

I have come close, Tennessee. I have on several different occasions traveled to the middle of nowhere Tennessee(outside of Chattanooga). Location, a little place called toe string cottages. It was a little nook hidden in the woods on the edge off an inlet. The surroundings were quite serene, to say the least.

It is amazing that such a feeling of tranquility can be brought about just by leaving the world behind. When I was there I was truly happy, no worries or cares. Just fishing, swimming, bait collecting, bird watching, and so on. There was no tv, no radio, no cellphone, and few people. I think the best part is that I got to spend so much time with my father.

The place was run by an older couple and while there they truly made you feel like family. It seemed as if each summer things grew older and more complicated. Things changed and for the worse at that. Trees disappeared and business came in. One summer my father tried to book us a stay but we were informed that the older gentleman(Otis) had passed and that his wife went to live with her children. He also learned that the place had been sold and split up, commercialized. Sad...

Well those times have passed and it is time for me to find a new hideaway from reality. Those were the summers of my youth and the were quite memorable. I doubt that I will ever find such a place again. It is not that other similar places dont exist, its just that they hold no memories. I guess one day I will have children of my own and a similar place to share the same experiences.

So does anyone else wanna share their slice of utopia?

[kf0rt]

I don't know how old you are, Travis, but kind of suspect that you're young and wise well beyond your years.

For me, the utopic vacation was always a little place just outside Custer, SD. Bunch of little cabins run by the state park there under the name Legion Lake Resort. I was five or six when we first went there and this was the vacation spot of my youth. This would have been 1961 or so; 48 years ago. We went every year for three weeks in August, just before the start of school. My Dad was a schoolteacher, so the timing worked for all of us.

Many, many memories of the place and we (my wife and I) still go for a week every summer, though there were many years where we didn't make it up there. The drive from Denver is about 6 hours through the most boring part of Wyoming. Torrington, Lusk... I rode it many times as a kid with my Dad at the wheel of the family station wagon, and have driven it many times now myself, but never more than once a year. About 350 miles and I don't need a map or directions to get there or any advice on the best places to eat.

The amazing thing is that it hasn't changed that much in 50 years. Yeah, the rates on the cabins have gone up and they now have TV's (but still no telephones). As a kid, our family would walk around the lake each evening and Dad would buy everyone a soda at the gas station towards the end of the walk. 90 cents would buy one each for him, my mom, me and my three siblings. 15 cents each. The roads have changed around a little and the gas station was torn down in the late 70's as I recall, but I still take that same walk every day for one week out of the year. By myself, I prefer it in the early morning.

As a teenager in the mid 70's, I took my old Galaxy V up there and threw a longwire in the trees and made contacts on 20 meters. Last year, I took my IC-7000 up there, but forgot the power cable, so it was never turned on.

It's not the same, but I'm not sure it was ever really the way I remember it, either. In my youth, those were the carefree days of summer. Hiking, swimming, fresh air. The only care in the world was the subtle reminder that the future loomed ahead; spoken in the words of "Back to school" sales, broadcast on the AM radio. Sometimes, we'd go into Rapid City to the Pennington County Fair where we could get sick on cotton candy and take rides at the carnival. Dad always made sure we were legal to go fishing at any time, and we did a lot of that. Most days were pretty much unsupervised -- make sure you're around at meal time if you want to eat.

Alas and forsooth, adulthood spoils all that with it's endless responsibilities. Mom died a couple years back and at 53, I take care of Dad more than he takes care of me (all in all, that's only fair!). What we had then was simply the innocence of youth. And once that's gone, you can never get it back. Guess what I'm saying is that the changes happen even if the bulldozers don't come in and ruin the place.

Y'know, my wife and I went to Cancun for a week a couple months ago. First time. Pretty much spent a week on the beach getting drunk and watching babes in bikinis (me, not her!). That was fun, too, but a completely different kind of fun. No real history and no real future there, but sunny beaches and bikinis in February doesn't suck when you live in Denver.

Those summers in the Black Hills meant the world to me as a kid and mean the world to me today. When you have kids of your own, you can start new traditions. Actually, the odds are you've started them already and just don't know it.

[KB3LAZ]

0rt:

You are correct on your assumption, I am younger(21).

Very well said. I do believe that the "innocence of youth" had a lot to do with it. And I imagine you are right, things will change no matter what. It would seem that, that is just how things are. The inevitability of change is not necessarily a bad thing, just different. Even though I am still young I can feel the memories and spirit of my youth slowly fading. I spent my entire life wanting to grow up but now I just want it to slow down.

In the end the memories of simplicity will echo within my thoughts and heart.


"Those summers in the Black Hills meant the world to me as a kid and mean the world to me today."

My sentiments exactly.

Thank you for sharing...

[N7RJD]

Best vacation we have taken was a 5 day cruise through the Eastern Caribbean. While we enjoyed spending a little time at various ports the ship itself provided relaxation like we hadn't enjoyed in years.

Of course just being out of cell range was a major plus. The phone would have worked but at nearly $5 per minute roaming we considered it out of service.

Probably the best part of the whole trip was that it was paid by the company. We still managed to find ways to spend a few hundred dollars but still came in at a fraction of what it would have cost us to finance the whole trip.

[KB3LAZ]

Best vacation we have taken was a 5 day cruise through the Eastern Caribbean. While we enjoyed spending a little time at various ports the ship itself provided relaxation like we hadn't enjoyed in years.

Of course just being out of cell range was a major plus. The phone would have worked but at nearly $5 per minute roaming we considered it out of service.

Probably the best part of the whole trip was that it was paid by the company. We still managed to find ways to spend a few hundred dollars but still came in at a fraction of what it would have cost us to finance the whole trip.

I went on a cruise with my parents when I was in the 10th grade. I have to say that it was my least favorite vacation. Sure it was technically a vacation but only physically. If I cant find a spot that is mentally utopic then it will not be peaceful.

Why I didnt like the trip. To many self absorbed individuals aboard making asses of themselves. It was fun but not what I am looking for when I vacation.

Im glad you had a good time. I know that many people would love that opportunity but for people like me, well lets just say its not our thing.

[PA5COR]

A very nice house on an mountain slope in Southern France.
Next neighbour 2 miles away on the other side of the mountain.

OCF antenna at 40 feet high, noise level 0 S points on 80 meters :shock: ( took me checking out the whole antenna system to believe it)

Nice 2000+ year old towns and cities within 20 miles.
Friendly peeps if you speak the lingo.
Beautifull weather, sipping an cool drink in an busy old town, after an day of wandering in and out old Cathedrals, and other old buildings.making lots of video/pictures.
Have a chat with locals.

In the evening drive back to our rented house, make a nice BBQ, sit outside till 02.00 in the night, enjoying the bands.
In the morning get fresh french bread, some orange juice, fresh coffee, butter and cheese and munch away looking over the valley.
Have a nice swim in the local rivers, climb the mountains, enjoy the views.
Staying away from other tourists as far we could be.
Buying fresh vegetables and products on local markets, bartering along the way since that is mandatory and fun.
Have a laugh beeing 7 feet tall walking along little French people 5 feet tall and have a chat about that with some.( wife is tall, son is 6' 8".....

Yep, hollidays are fun

Might have to relocate after the wife and me will have our pension ;)

[kf0rt]

0rt:

You are correct on your assumption, I am younger(21).

Very well said. I do believe that the "innocence of youth" had a lot to do with it. And I imagine you are right, things will change no matter what. It would seem that, that is just how things are. The inevitability of change is not necessarily a bad thing, just different. Even though I am still young I can feel the memories and spirit of my youth slowly fading. I spent my entire life wanting to grow up but now I just want it to slow down.

In the end the memories of simplicity will echo within my thoughts and heart.


"Those summers in the Black Hills meant the world to me as a kid and mean the world to me today."

My sentiments exactly.

Thank you for sharing...

This is exactly what I mean by "wise beyond your years," Travis. VERY few people "get this" at your age. I know a lot of people my age who still don't get it.

I wish things would slow down, too. Wish I had an answer, but I think it's possible to choose a more simple life. The key is to probably ignore about 95% of what you're told and just follow your "inner compass" more. You would not believe how many people at my age "wish they knew then what they know now." And an awful lot of it involves getting trapped in what we call the American Dream.

Anyway, don't want to get too deep in the philosophy of it all. This could turn into a barnburner of a thread, though. ;)

[KB3LAZ]

Best vacation we have taken was a 5 day cruise through the Eastern Caribbean. While we enjoyed spending a little time at various ports the ship itself provided relaxation like we hadn't enjoyed in years.

Of course just being out of cell range was a major plus. The phone would have worked but at nearly $5 per minute roaming we considered it out of service.

Probably the best part of the whole trip was that it was paid by the company. We still managed to find ways to spend a few hundred dollars but still came in at a fraction of what it would have cost us to finance the whole trip.

I went on a cruise with my parents when I was in the 10th grade. I have to say that it was my least favorite vacation. Sure it was technically a vacation but only physically. If I cant find a spot that is mentally utopic then it will not be peaceful.

Why I didnt like the trip. To many self absorbed individuals aboard making asses of themselves. It was fun but not what I am looking for when I vacation.

Im glad you had a good time. I know that many people would love that opportunity but for people like me, well lets just say its not our thing.

That does however remind me of a trip I took with my grandfather(KE3CK) the following year. It was not really a vacation but a way to easy our minds. You see, My grandmother had just passed and we were overcome with grief. I know that everyone thinks that their grandma(formerly AA3MW, since reissued) was the best but I truly believe that mine was special. It kills me when I get to thinking about all the things that she has missed. But thats neither here nor now.

Fade......Its a cold snowy day in December, the year 2004: Im sitting in school when an announcement comes across the loud speaker for me to report to the office. (I can still remember the class and the teacher, Mrs Kelly's marine bio class.) Little did I know that I would not return to class for two weeks(13 day actually). I arrived at the office only to find my grandfather standing there. Surprised and somewhat scared I ask what was going on and my grandfather told me, "We are going on a read trip". I shook my head and we were on our way.

Turns out that my grandfather radio buddies had suggested that we take a road trip to ease our minds. The plan was to stop at all of their houses for a couple of days. Which is exactly what we did. I cant remember every detail but what I can recall is that it was a life changing event.

Finally on the road (map in hand), we started our journey. Our first stop, Arkansas to visit with lee(W5RLB). What a great pair of people Lee and his wife are. They brought us in, made us feel like family, and made us forget about the sorrow we held in our hearts. What a great feeling even if only temporary. Two days went by so fast and it was time to continue on down the road.

Continuing on our trip we end up in Madisonville, KY, the home of Jim(K9KXQ). Wouldnt you know it, a warm welcome even in a time of confusion. It turns out that Jims mother was in the hospital. Yet still we were welcomed in and treated like family. Our time with Jim and his wife was short but meaningful. For, in this short time we had made a lifetime friends as we did with everyone on this trip.

Our next stop was Kings mountain NC, Richard's(N2KP) house. Yet another warm welcome upon arrival. (It was here that I started listening to the radio once again.) Most of the time spent there was spent in the basement(Richards shack) listening to the radio and chatting about the rest of the guys. After a few days of compare and contrast about life we were on our way once again.

Back on the road, destination Stanley, NC to meet Carol(W4CLM). This is where the trip changes for me. I step into the shack of W4CLM and am instantly blown away with disbelief. I had never seen so many radios in my life(I had no clue what they were at the time). It seemed as if immediately there was a connection between her and I, there was it was amateur radio. That was it, I had been bitten and thus the journey to KB3LAZ arose. Carol stayed up with me all night and halfway through the next day explaining the fundamentals of radio to me and demonstrating how all of the equipment worked. I learned more in that one night then I have collectively over the last five years in the hobby. Well a feeling of frailty overcame my tired and overwhelmed mind, so it was off to bed.

I woke up with the day half behind me and the sun setting but I was eager to discover what knowledge Carol had to bestow upon me. Sadly I was informed that we had little time left on our journey and that we would be voyaging home shortly. After making a meal fit for a king Carol gave me a box containing many magazines (such as QST) and a "Look who's talking now tech manual". And just like that we were on our way and our journey was nearing completion.

Grandpa and I made a few short stops on our way home but those mentioned above were the most memorable. Not a vacation but a fruitful journey none the less. I think that is why I hold my license so dear, the fond memories. Even though I have told this story hundreds of times (Ok dozens) and it varies somewhat, it sticks with me and I never grow tired of telling it.

Sorry I wrote a book but I like to share memorable times with my "extended family".

[KB3LAZ]

0rt:

You are correct on your assumption, I am younger(21).

Very well said. I do believe that the "innocence of youth" had a lot to do with it. And I imagine you are right, things will change no matter what. It would seem that, that is just how things are. The inevitability of change is not necessarily a bad thing, just different. Even though I am still young I can feel the memories and spirit of my youth slowly fading. I spent my entire life wanting to grow up but now I just want it to slow down.

In the end the memories of simplicity will echo within my thoughts and heart.


"Those summers in the Black Hills meant the world to me as a kid and mean the world to me today."

My sentiments exactly.

Thank you for sharing...

This is exactly what I mean by "wise beyond your years," Travis. VERY few people "get this" at your age. I know a lot of people my age who still don't get it.

I wish things would slow down, too. Wish I had an answer, but I think it's possible to choose a more simple life. The key is to probably ignore about 95% of what you're told and just follow your "inner compass" more. You would not believe how many people at my age "wish they knew then what they know now." And an awful lot of it involves getting trapped in what we call the American Dream.

Anyway, don't want to get too deep in the philosophy of it all. This could turn into a barnburner of a thread, though. ;)

Even knowing what I do and what I have been told I fear that there will be things in my life that I later will wish I could undo or relive. But that is life, take it as it come and if you dont like the direction it is headed then change it.

Thank you for the kind words and your thoughts.

[PA5COR]

Sorry I wrote a book but I like to share memorable times with my "extended family".

Don't appologise.

Loved reading it :D