Coach Tour: - Never! ….. Car Hire: - Crammed! ….. R V: - Now we’re talking!

The R V was chosen over the car to solve the pack and unpack nightmare, being campers anyway the RV offered flexibility - and was damn good fun.

We did a one way road trip starting in Los Angeles. We took in Las Vegas, The Grand Canyon, kings Canyon N.P, Yosemite N.P, Lake Tahoe, and Sacramento, ending up in San Francisco.

R V rules state a compulsory overnight stay after a transatlantic flight. You get to watch a video on how to trash your R V - advisable to watch or you could end up with crap on you hands! Within an hour we were tearing up the tarmac on the open highway.

We hired a C-30 R V motor home, the largest Cruise America had to offer. A Ford E450 which slept 6-8 people, it was 30 foot long and almost 10 foot wide; it had a 13.5ltr V10 strapped under the hood…… Sweet!!

We drove across the Mojave Desert and tripped over the border into Vegas, where we hooked up in an R V site on the strip. Vegas was something else, awesome in the full sense of the word: and an autoholics paradise. Vettes revolve round on pedestals in the casinos waiting for that lucky winner. Mustangs, Vipers and Harleys are all readily available for hire.

The weekend draws in hundreds of America’s finest muscle to cruise the strip. Low riders do their thing and cars go head to head at the lights. (We go to shows or drag strips to see this back home). NB: Be advised, tape the R V fridge door closed before any such antics….. Take our word for it!

The Imperial Palace Automobile Collection is a must. Free tickets are available from the casino’s cashier. The hotel’s fifth floor houses a dream collection with two hundred and fifty cars on display and the same again in storage.

The wonder of Vegas was only matched by the sheer awe of the Grand Canyon. A sight you have to see in your lifetime. We travelled back across the Mojave Desert replacing glamour and excess for the wilderness. We headed to the giant sequoia and Redwood Forests in the national parks, driving through cattle ranches and towns that time forgot. These are perfect places to pick up your western boots etc.

The R V sites varied greatly: from tarmac in Vegas, to desert in Victorville, with grass and Redwoods in the national parks. We pre booked all our sites through Kampgrounds of America (www.koa.com) by using their trip planner. We would be more adventurous next time though, as there are so many privately owned sites. All our sites had swimming pools; some had hot tubs as well. We have good memories of relaxing in the hot tub with a beer, under a blanket of stars.

Our planned route was 1250 miles; we did 1650 miles including sight seeing. The ride was very comfortable and the notorious long straight roads were a joy.

The R V set up was perfect for us; you can stop virtually anywhere for a bite to eat, a kip or to take in the scenery. The bonus is where ever you go or stop there is always a shower, a toilet, cooking facilities and a place to take a breather after the shopping malls (just turn on the generator and the air conditioning is instant). Just keep an eye out for those Grizzlies when cooking those bacon sarnies in the national parks!

Our next trip is in planning New England in the Fall, and this time it has to be an A class.

If you are interested in this type of holiday and would like some advice you can email me at daicolley@hotmail.com I would be happy to help.

Dave and Mel Colley.