[rostov]

Hi,

I have 5 days 4 nights at my disposal to roam around starting in Las Vegas (long story here). Flights or driving ok. Primary mission : my wife will be with me, and she wishes to see how the USA is like.

Background : last visit to Los Angeles / Chicago / NYC / Vegas was in 1999. Since then, we're very PO aware (relocated to New zealand), and financially very aware as well.

Am open for suggestions here. Should I go for places to see how f*ck*d things are (and where might these be?) or should I go for places which are post-peak viable locations (and again where might these be?). I have a few parents (correction -- was "mothers") around FL, TN, TX, CA that may make our trips easier, but overall weightage on such travelling crutches is low.

Any suggestions welcomed. Note : I don't wish to turn this into any sort of debate where a certain place is argued with fervour (it's screwed up! "no it's not", etc). Give me hellor give me heaven.

Thanks

[IanC]

Be good to yourself. Come visit Portland. Rent a bike and you'll be able to see all the best stuff. Add it to the light rail line and you can even see some of our blighted suburbs if you must. The weather is pretty wet right now, but we've had a TON of snow if you want to go skiing in the mountains (1.5hrs away). The coast is always beautiful (also 1.5hrs away).

People fly in from all over the world to bear witness to the results of the vigorous urban planning in the Portland metro area. Instead of seeing the worst the US has to offer, see a city that might, just might, do a little better than most after the oil crash. We also have more microbreweries per capita than any other city in the US. That should clinich it if you're a real Kiwi! : )

-IanC
Portland

[Plantagenet]

The Grand Canyon is close to Las Vegas and well worth seeing.

Get a nice room at the the El Tovar and enjoy the sunrise.

[the_sword]

Yellowstone National Park.

http://www.nps.gov/yell/

[mistel]

Close to Vegas as well, Hoover Dam, I was there a few years ago and they had tours that took you right to the generating station. Not sure if that has been shut down ? You know, that terrorism thing. I thought it was pretty cool.

What I tend to notice when I visit the US is how difficult it is to get around without a car. You don't see bus stops, the huge sprawl is very transit unfriendly. (As mentioned in every second post on Peakoil). Now we are not much better here in Canada, it just seems that you notice it more when you travel. I guess you don't notice it as much where you live.

[cube]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('rostov', 'H')i,

I have 5 days 4 nights at my disposal to roam around starting in Las Vegas (long story here). Flights or driving ok. Primary mission : my wife will be with me, and she wishes to see how the USA is like.

[Kingcoal]

Just keep in mind that you can't see the USA in just four days. You can see parts of it, but don't make the assumption that the rest of the US is similar. The US is a very diverse place and what you'll be able to see out there in the west is about as different from the Northeast as it is from Europe. Have fun, there are very good suggestions given.

[smallpoxgirl]

If you want to see how screwed up America is, I'd say Vegas should provide an excellent example of that without having to go anywhere. Massive city in the middle of a desert. Food, power, water all transported in from far far away.

[cynthia]

I agree with Ian--not because Portland is my home town--but because it is so beautiful in every season. This vibrant city offers cultural stimulus, great food and a friendly atmosphere.
San Francisco would be another suggestion for atmosphere.
Your time line is short such that I would google specific landmarks within 100 miles of Las Vegas (a place I never plan to visit) and see if there is something of interest that will give you the US experience you seek.
Welcome!
cynthia

[Tanada]

Skip all the big cities like Detroit and Chicago, instead fly over to Grand Rapids, MI and drive north to Traverse City. Notice how lightly populated the forest and farm country is, not to mention how lovely the vista's before you are. Enjoy life, don't waste it on some over crowded dirty pest hole of a city.

[rostov]

Thanks so much for the replies folks! Now that puts me in a tight spot : looks like searching for places where hell exists isn't a problem.

So let me extend the question a little bit more. Where in the USA could I visit and scout for a few days (know that I bush walk and hunt a little) if I were to look and consider a bug-out place for homestead, etc?

Of course there are considerations put aside for how much infrastructure (which will gradually fade/fail post-peak) I want nearby, but if there's a thread of a similar tone in the past questing for such places, do let me know too.

Much thanks

[BigTex]

If you are going to be close to Arizona check out Meteor Crater in Arizona, which is truly a one of a kind place. It's like being on Mars or something. One mile across.

As for bug-out spots there are many opinions and many approaches. I live in Texas and there are many nice places to live here where the weather, cost of living, quality of neighbors, etc. are not too bad.

Another good bug-out approach would be the entire state of Utah. It was basically settled as a large scale Mormon bug-out, and I can almost guarantee you that your neighbors there would be able to teach you a thing or two about preparation.

Enjoy your visit.

[Tanada]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('rostov', 'T')hanks so much for the replies folks! Now that puts me in a tight spot : looks like searching for places where hell exists isn't a problem.

So let me extend the question a little bit more. Where in the USA could I visit and scout for a few days (know that I bush walk and hunt a little) if I were to look and consider a bug-out place for homestead, etc?

Of course there are considerations put aside for how much infrastructure (which will gradually fade/fail post-peak) I want nearby, but if there's a thread of a similar tone in the past questing for such places, do let me know too.

Much thanks