Driving from Phoenix to Seattle via Las Vegas (details inside)

Started by ExLibrisMortis, November 21, 2011, 12:01:18 PM

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Niri Te

 You KNOW that both Tee and I will go to the Boeing Museum with you, just figure a day, either before or after the meetup, so that We know which days to reserve the motel room for up in Seattle.  I know that at 62 trips around the Sun, I should be able to get the van far cheaper, neither Tee or I can do it. Back in 1995, we were hit by someone with no insurance, Tee was air evaced out to a Hospital in Phoenix, and the medical bills totaled over a quarter of a million dollars, as a result, neither of us can get a credit card, and, if it is possible, have credit scores in NEGATIVE numbers, we have them.  Believe me, I would if I could, but I have tried in the past, and CAN'T.
Niri Te
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

ExLibrisMortis

Ok, so I can rent the car. But just figure its going to add another $25 a day to the total. (not divided total, but total total.)

Niri Te

Quote from: ExLibrisMortis on January 26, 2012, 11:36:30 AM
Ok, so I can rent the car. But just figure its going to add another $25 a day to the total. (not divided total, but total total.)

That's fine by me, ma tsmukan
Niri Te
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä

These budgetary figures are still well within my budget as well, and holding down costs is important.

As I see the hotel room situation, it sounds like Ateyo and Niri Tee want a room to themselves, which is completely understandable. You (ExLibrisMortis), I and DJ should be able to share a room, unless you bring your wife. In that case, you would probably want your own room, and DJ and I would share a room with possibly others. If Ateyo and Niri Tee are already reserving a room, I can reserve the other room if that helps you.

The minivan idea is a very good one, and it sounds cost-effective as well. It will also give room for whatever luggage we need (I don't need much luggage space, especially fi we are not camping. One other possibility is to drive as far as Las Vegas or Reno and rent the minivan there, if that saves money. I have good credit, if that is important.

Doing the museum on a day before or after AvatarMeet is probably best. Or, if Monday is like Monday last July, we would likely  have plenty of time to visit the museum as a group. Of course, if others are interested, we could do this as a bigger group.

Yawey ngahu!
pamrel si ro [email protected]

AketuanNavi

Ok, yeah. I guess it depends on timing, but we could combine our groups into one big carpool.  :)

I'm definitely planning on doing the backpacking though, so this may not be compatible with your plans...

I guess we'll have to see how things work out. I'll see what 'Oma Tirea has in mind as we will be carpooling together.


Niri Te

Quote from: `Eylan Ayfalulukanä on January 26, 2012, 03:10:16 PM
These budgetary figures are still well within my budget as well, and holding down costs is important.

As I see the hotel room situation, it sounds like Ateyo and Niri Tee want a room to themselves, which is completely understandable. You (ExLibrisMortis), I and DJ should be able to share a room, unless you bring your wife. In that case, you would probably want your own room, and DJ and I would share a room with possibly others. If Ateyo and Niri Tee are already reserving a room, I can reserve the other room if that helps you.

The minivan idea is a very good one, and it sounds cost-effective as well. It will also give room for whatever luggage we need (I don't need much luggage space, especially fi we are not camping. One other possibility is to drive as far as Las Vegas or Reno and rent the minivan there, if that saves money. I have good credit, if that is important.

Doing the museum on a day before or after AvatarMeet is probably best. Or, if Monday is like Monday last July, we would likely  have plenty of time to visit the museum as a group. Of course, if others are interested, we could do this as a bigger group.

Ateyo and Niri Te will be reserving their room in Seattle on the first if we have nailed down what day the two of us need to be in Phoenix to connect with the car pool. We can add a day for the Boeing Museum trip either before or after the meetup dates, being retired, we are very flexible that way, we just need to know the dates so that we can get the room reserved.
Niri Te
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä

Ma AketuanNavi, there is some flexibility here. Here are the possibilities:

1. If it helps DJmakto/ExLibrisMortis/Ateyo/Niri Ti to have one less person (especially with controlling costs), I could 'jump ship' and travel with you instead. My suspicion though, is that it does not help them to do this. ExLibrisMortis needs to comment on this.

2. You are still free to use my place as a 'stop' on your trip, if scenario 1 works out that I travel with them. There is plenty of room to camp, and if that is not what you want, I should probably be able to accommodate two people inside.

3. If we were to do the Boeing museum at the same time you are camping, it may work out that we can still travel together.

3. For the return trip, we will probably be in a better position to caravan.

Yawey ngahu!
pamrel si ro [email protected]

ExLibrisMortis

The price differential between 5 and 4 people is neglible. It actually may be cheaper to drive 4 people as we wont have to rent a car at a higher rate.

But the change in price per person will be $30-$40.

I know for a fact DJ Makto doesn't want to spend more days there than we have to. So I see us going to the meetup for just the 5 days of the 19-23rd. I think that he would be ok with adding one more day to the event on either side. But, the thing is, the actual planned events for the meetup days are rather empty, so we could talk to the people actually making all the official plans and see if we can't officially squeeze the Boeing museum in as an official part of the meetup.

AketuanNavi

Quote from: `Eylan Ayfalulukanä on January 27, 2012, 03:08:32 PM
Ma AketuanNavi, there is some flexibility here. Here are the possibilities:

1. If it helps DJmakto/ExLibrisMortis/Ateyo/Niri Ti to have one less person (especially with controlling costs), I could 'jump ship' and travel with you instead. My suspicion though, is that it does not help them to do this. ExLibrisMortis needs to comment on this.

2. You are still free to use my place as a 'stop' on your trip, if scenario 1 works out that I travel with them. There is plenty of room to camp, and if that is not what you want, I should probably be able to accommodate two people inside.

3. If we were to do the Boeing museum at the same time you are camping, it may work out that we can still travel together.

3. For the return trip, we will probably be in a better position to caravan.

2. Again thank you for the offer. I'll check with 'Oma Tirea and we might just do that.

3/4. Yeah I hadn't considered that, great ideas.

I'll check with my carpool and get back to you.

Quote from: ExLibrisMortis on January 27, 2012, 06:58:24 PM
so we could talk to the people actually making all the official plans and see if we can't officially squeeze the Boeing museum in as an official part of the meetup.

It seems like there is a lot of interest for this. One thing to clear up is that even though the calendar may look empty right now, we are working to get lots of things to fit in that time frame. ie... Cosplay, viewing...ect

Also if I remember correctly, the museum would require a bus trip or carpool for all 60 some people...I think we are planning to have some "explore Seattle" time built in and people can split up and go where they want. That might be the ideal time...dunno.



`Eylan Ayfalulukanä

Good point, AketuanNavi. I know I have signed up to help Txona Rolyu teach. It would also not surprise me if I end up doing event photography again.

The museum is a ways out, compared to other things. Also, I doubt that everyone would have a desire to visit the museum. The museum is hard to do as a group, unless you 'blow through' everything in a hurry. I think I spent 5 hours there, and did not begin to see everything.

Yawey ngahu!
pamrel si ro [email protected]

ExLibrisMortis

Ok so, having +1 day won't hurt us, by us I mean DJ Makto or me.

So it really comes down to if Eylan is riding with our group or not. Up to you, ma Eylan. It makes little changes in prices comparison, just a difference in driving my car, or a rental. And I'm fine with either.

Once that decision is made I can commit to specific dates and plans. Thus allowing for us to get some cheap deals.

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä

And do you think the +1 day will before or after the meetup? Before would bet this item out of the way, and not get in the way of any events at Avatarmeet. The museum is also open late on Thursdays. It also works better if things work out that I would travel with AekutanNavi and company. OTOH, doing the museum afterwards  makes for a nice end for the trip (Tuesday) (seeing most of us are aviation nuts, anyway), and enables us to stick to the original 'travel to Seattle' timeline. And depending on how things end up working out for the Avatarmeet schedule on Monday, this might be possible Monday afternoon, and we can stick to our 'return home' schedule. This would save everyone a night in a hotel.

I have no confirmation from AekutanNavi or Oma Tirea yet. As I, too want to get this settled, I want to try and get this pinned down in the next couple of days. If I had to make a decision right now, it would be to travel with you folk (ExLibris Mortis and company), as it is logistically considerably simpler. In the meantime, lets decide for Thursday or Tuesday for the museum.

Yawey ngahu!
pamrel si ro [email protected]

ExLibrisMortis

I'm just going to take some initiative and say that we will tack on the Boeing museum trip to the end of the stay in Seattle. Benefits to this is that it will not have us rush to get there or potentially miss going there, AND it's a good placeholder in case the events on Monday are just departing events/stuff we're not interested. Also, the option, as mentioned by Aketuan, that there will be an "explore Seattle" part that we could utilize for the museum if it allows. There's just a lot more freedom to having it at the end of the event.

IF anyone has any objections, then please let me know.

Eylan, based upon this, I'm going to need a firm decision on the matter of if you are riding with us or then. Once you give me that I will place hard dates down and people can start getting those sweet sweet deals.

Niri Te

Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä

Based on this decision, I am in with your group! I agree with you that it will be more fun/relaxing that way.

Yawey ngahu!
pamrel si ro [email protected]

ExLibrisMortis

Niri Te and Tee, what time could both of you be here on the 18th. I'm looking for earliest possible.

Niri Te

We could take a Greyhound up from El Paso and be in Phoenix on the morning of the 17th, spend the night in the motel, and be ready to go at first light.
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Niri Te

Both Tee and I used to live in the Phoenix area, so we know our way around a little bit, even after being gone for nine years.
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

ExLibrisMortis

#58
Ok then, here's what the schedule looks like for Avatar Meet in terms of our group. Let me know if something doesn't jive or what not.

July 17th: Niri Te and Tee arrive in Phoenix.
July 18th 6AM: I depart from my house, pick up Niri and Tee and start the trek toward Las Vegas
July 18th 12PM-1PM: We arrive in Vegas and pick up Dj Makto. We leave for Reno
July 18th 9PM-10PM: We arrive in Reno at Eylan's place. We sleep for the night.
July 19th 4 to 6 AM: We leave Reno and power our way to Seattle.
July 19th 4-6PM: We arrive in Seattle.
July 20th: Avatar Meet!
July 21st: ? ? ? ?
July 22nd: Profit!
===Now this is where it gets tricky===
July 23rd: (Optional Day)
July 24th: With the option of having 23rd be this day, we go to the Boeing museum, have fun there.
July 24th/25th: We head back down towards Reno, stay the night.
July 25th/26th: We make the final trek back to Las Vegas/Phoenix and call a good time good.


So that's the set schedule. I notice one thing. Rental companies have a "per week" rate that will probably be our hard limiter on our dates. Thus said, it seems that the 25th is when I will need to return the car. So, the 25th is when I need to be back here, with the car. That being said, we can still do the trip to the Boeing museum on the 24th, but we'd have to drive through the night to get back. Option? Sure. Recommended? No really.

Other than that, those are proposed as hard dates. Once I get a confirmation from everyone here saying this is muy beuno, then they are set.

AketuanNavi

Im still talking to Oma Tirea, but it looks like we won't be able to join your group as things are. And there is a faster route for us that does not involve going through Reno.

Have fun and we'll meet you all in Seattle on the 19th. :)