Grand Canyon - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

beck · 09-30-2005, 11:09 AM

Hi all,
my friend and I are hiring a car from vegas to do a tour round the grand canyon, monument valley, and some other parks for four days STARTING ON THE 7TH OCT, then ending up back in Vegas.
If anyone would be interested in sharing the cost all or part of the way, let me know!
Becky.

**omisan** · 10-03-2005, 02:06 AM

Damn, if I weren't so bogged down at work, I would SO do that trip again. It was fantastic. You're gonna LOVE it!

Here's a pic I took in Monument Valley, which is by far one of the most magical natural chunks of land in the country...

I highly recommend staying at the Grand Canyon Hostel in Flagstaff, AZ. The staff and people were *awesome* and the place was pretty nice, as well. It's also a good launching point for going to (duh) the Grand Canyon, but it also puts places like Monument Valley and Sedona within reasonable daytrip distance.

**bookofkels** · 10-03-2005, 08:00 PM

It takes about 6 hours to get from vegas to the grand canyon thats why i did the plane ride from vegas, the car ride would be awesome though, i just didn't have the time frame, but i think the grand canyon has got to be seen to be believed i only thought Niagra Falls was spectacular but it is nothing compared with the canyon, i only wish i could go with ya's to experience it all again!

I'm attaching some photos just to give you an idea of what your in for, but believe me photo's don't do it justice

have fun, Kel

**bellelass** · 10-03-2005, 09:31 PM

I dont think it took us 6 hours to get from lv to grand canyon... hmm.. 4ish? wasnt bad. quite do-able...

**space virgin** · 10-04-2005, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bellelass@Oct 4 2005, 04:31 AM
I dont think it took us 6 hours to get from lv to grand canyon... hmm.. 4ish?* wasnt bad.* quite do-able...
[snapback]79678[/snapback]

Yeah, and since your "limo driver"

drives like a pussy, it would take a normal person less. And someone who drives like me even less than that.

(sorry babe, couldn't resist taking a potshot at the limo driver.

)

**Joker** · 10-04-2005, 12:20 AM

When I was in vegas a few years and many beers ago, the rental agency suggested that if i wanted to make it to the Grand Canyon, I could, but the trip was about 200 miles each way. Average of 60mph, thats about 3.5 hours each way.

I would have done it, but the rental had a limit of 300 or so free miles before I had to pay per mile. With that in mind, I went to Hoover Dam and went offroading on Federal property. Likely that I have a bench warrant out for my arrest and the Great State of Nevada may not let me back in until the statute of limitations is up in 2 years :D

**omisan** · 10-04-2005, 12:34 AM

Hahah.. well, if we're gonna talk about driving and illegal stuff...

The drive between Vegas and the north rim of the Grand Canyon is pretty short... Just keep in mind that the north rim is closed for a lot of the year when it starts snowing. The drive to the south rim isn't all that bad, either.. I think my friend and I did it in about 4 hours, but that was because of severe stoppage around Hoover Dam. Some post-9/11 paranoia had them checking every car for bombs before going across the dam. Other than that, we averaged about 114 - the electronic speed limit for our rented Chevy Malibu.

We rented the Malibu at LAX, getting the unlimited mileage option... never mind that that option's null and void if the car leaves the state of California. We criss-crossed that poor Malibu all over the southwest, constantly flooring it and chugging the engine out at the 114 limit on desert highways. In Monument Valley, we ignored all the "4x4 only" advice and took her out on to the dirt loop. At one point, when I was driving, I thought it'd be cool to drive her up this big hill of red dirt up to this scenic overlook... very loose red dirt. It took a LOT of wheel spinning, but I finally got her up to the top, which was very worthwhile. The car was covered with red dirt at this point, and you couldn't open a door without the weatherstripping and seals being caked in red... Oops.

We drove back to Flagstaff in time for dinner and some drinking at the hostel. Drove out to Sedona the next morning and caught a snowstorm on the way down and back through the mountains. Overnight, back in flagstaff, the coating of snow froze solid on the car, mixing with all the red dirt from the previous day's adventure. Our little white Malibu was now pink. Most of the tinting came off between driving to Vegas, then back to LA, and through a car wash, but the car was still pretty pinkish when we came back - especially inside the seams. Thank god for the Loss Damage Waiver.

**TheJake** · 10-04-2005, 06:23 AM

I am not too far from the north rim and I am actually living near the gateway to both Zion and Capitol Reef NP's. I should be moving to moab within a couple weeks though so if anyone is going to Arches or Canyonlands or Monument Valley, give me a shout out!

Oh and for the record I am leaving today for training so I wont be around for 8 days. The longest I have gone without T-Punk since the day I joined.

**omisan** · 10-04-2005, 12:12 PM

You can make it, man.. just think of all the stories you'll have for us when you're done with training!

**Joker** · 10-04-2005, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Omisan's Vegas Adventure
We had two bags of grass, seventy-five pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high-powered blotter acid, a saltshaker half-full of cocaine, and a whole multi colored collection of uppers, downers, laughers, screamers... Also, a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of beer, a pint of raw ether, and two dozen amyls. Not that we needed all that for the trip, but once you get into a serious drug collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can. The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge, and I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon.

When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro! :D

**Somnambulation** · 10-04-2005, 09:19 PM

Ive been to the Grand Canyon once but that was long ago and it was a horribly boring journey in my grandparents motorhome. I definitely need to do a roadtrip around the southwest. Have fun on yours.

**bellelass** · 10-04-2005, 10:17 PM

Quote:

(sorry babe, couldn't resist taking a potshot at the limo driver.* )

*quiet snicker*

damnrepoman · 10-05-2005, 05:46 AM

grand canyon is an awsome trip

went a couple of years back with an ex who was living in flagstaff. also have to recommend going to sedona as well. i think it was only like another hour and a half from GC but the views were spanktacular! just would have wished the ex would have been thrown over the rim...