Where is a good place to spend a short vacation, between Michigan and Nebraska?|168083

Preferably in the middle of the two.

We visited Duluth MN a few years back. Its a very cool place! Nothing spectacular, but the large great lake freighters, nice shopping, cool lake front. I love lake superior. Anyway check out the visitors bureau

http://www.visitduluth.com/

Great Traverse City Business Directory
http://www.searchtc.biz

Try the National Hobo convention in Britt, Iowa

Are minors allowed to camp by themselves in the US National Parks?|125768

The ages would be 17s and 16s. Is it possible for us to make reservations and check in without an adult?

no, must be 18 or have an adult chaperon

Would it be possible to Sail the East Coast from Florida to Maine?|101021

What size recommendations would a sailboat need to be?
I have always had a love of the ocean. I want the ancient feeling of sailing some distance to my destination.
Any other tips and info would be appreciated.

Um, have you EVER SAILED before? I_m gathering not if you_re asking for tips and info.

I_d first take courses on marine safety and boat safety. There should be a United States Power Squadron near you. Take some classes.

As for a boat, it depends. Forget a sunfish or a dinghy. You_ll need some mass and length under you, and the ability to lay on some sail. If you plan to stick to the intercoastal waterway you_ll have a navigable route that doesn_t involve a lot of open sea from Boston on south to Florida.

I used to have a 26_ Chesapeake that I sailed once solo from Seabrook (near Houston) to Corpus Christi and back. With the southwest winds I experienced I made Freeport in 8 hours, but it took four more days to get to the CC Yacht Club (because I was continually tacking into those self-same winds). Only three days home. I made this trip because I loved to sail and wanted to justify my purchase of a (then) $20,000 boat in 1985. Eight days by myself was enough. Aside from my solo trip my girlfriend and I used it as a party boat for our friends on some weekends.

This was in the days before the Internet, so I was listening to NOAA weather radio at the top of every hour for storm info (it was June, which was early in the hurricane season, so there was little chance of encountering one, but I wanted to be sure). Since there is a fair amount of traffic on the Intercoastal I refrained from using my homemade autopilot most of the time ( two lines securing the rudder in a straight course)... just long enough to use the head if I needed to do more than pee.

It is a lot of work, and unless you_re an expert I_d recommend against it.

To see if you_d like to continue on this quest you might check into one of those windjammer type cruises where you work as crew on a sailboat for a week in the Caribbean.

yes it is possible--that_s where the phrase _Downeast_ came from...travleing _downwind_, so from the south heading north so that the wind is at your back..and traveling in an easterly direction since the coast of maine actually travels east and not north..sorry but that_s the only advice I have since I_m not a sailor

its done yearly. i don_t know sizes, i just watch them.

How far is the distance from Austin texas to Leesville Louisiana?|191284

I am planning a trip to Leesville Louisiana from Austin Texas and I would like to know what is the distance from here to there....

That is exactly 6 and 1/2 hours, if you are traveling the back way through Brenham and on hwy 8 through Louisiana. That also is the best scenic view by the way.

Total Est. Time: 6 hours, 0 minutes
Total Est. Distance: 334.74 miles

map

How early do you need to get to the Macys parade to get seats in Columbus Circle?|100916

I live two blocks from Columbus Circle and would like to know so that we can get good seats before it gets too crazy.

leave right now

Well the Parade should start @ 9 A.M from 72nd Street this is going to end at Herald Sq. i would leave aprox. 9:30-10:00 so if yuo are early should might happen because they have to control to Ballons with the high wind

you writing this too late they are already there

Am I crazy to move from the Pacific Northwest to Austin TX?|101876

We currently live in Washington state but are seriously considering moving to Austin. Our main reason for moving is to get away from the cold and rain. I love heat and humiditiy (have lived in Florida) so that is not an issue. We have researched schools, houses, etc and visited Austin so if we move, that is where we will go. My husband can keep his job and work from home. Everyone up here seems to think we are crazy for moving to Texas though! I love the outdoors (hiking, etc) but hate the cold so much that I can only be outside about 4 months a year up here. Has anyone made a similar move? Any advice our opinions? I dont_ want to regret this! Thanks.

I made this same move several years ago (Seattle to Austin) and it was a great move for me. I really just prefer sun and heat (I love the summers here in Austin) so Seattle was just not a good fit for me (I do not miss having to carry around coats in summer for the second the sun went down!), and I would never consider moving back. My quality of life increased so much just because of the climate change, that nothing else really mattered (like the fact that I make less money, job market is still a little tight, minimal public transportation, etc). People thought Texas was a weird choice for me as well, but that was just because none of them had ever been. I_ll admit I was a little nervous at first because of the Texan stereotypes, but I haven_t found any of them to really be true in Austin (except for people are friendlier here, that_s true).

Austin is great, i moved here from cali last november. it_s definatly different from the west coast... most people are alot nicer!! housing is great, not nearly as expensive as the west coast... theres alot of things to do and its very diverse.. you will run into alot of different people here... jobs are great cuz its the tech hub of the country.. i live around the corner from dell and samsung. so if your wanting to move to texas.. austin is the perfect choice~!

We moved from CT to 2 blocks outside of Dallas, Texas. That was over 20yrs ago, no regrets! We currently live about 24 miles from Dallas, just outside of McKinney, so we_re 6 miles from the nearest gas/groceries, not out in the sticks, but very pleasant. The only thing about your decision I would question is the city, Texas has a low cost of living, but Austin has the highest in the state. Why not McKinney, San Antonio or a hill country town like Fredericksburg? Depending on what you want to be near.
Below is some info I previously put togethe:r
If you want to be in the city then Dallas or Fort Worth, but there are small towns like Lucas within commuting range so you can have the best of both worlds. McKinney is less than 30 minutes from Dallas _ is growing but still real pleasant, Lowry Crossing or Princeton are real short hops from there but offer nice homes not double-wides, on land, for great prices, like 1,900 sq ft on 1 acre for around $155k. If you like the coast, consider Galveston or Corpus Christi. Avoid Houston, it is over-populated due to refugees from Katrina. Cost of living is much lower in TX and there is a huge range of terrain and climate.

One of the best things with Cities in Texas, if you can work a schedule that is a little off the normal hours, traffic isn_t bad. Living in the McKinney area gives us country living but short drives to all the amenities of the city. Dallas museums, opera, symphony, landmarks, restaurants, race tracks (dirt track, drag racing, TX Motorspeedway for NASCAR). Hospitals in McKinney, Allen, Plano, Richardson, Dallas: Healthsouth, Presbyterian, Baylor etc.
It is important to understand the difference between driving commutes in other states/TX; if I work late the I can make the 27 mile route home from Dallas, in 35 minutes, w/o breaking the speed limit, as there are only 2 lights _ 1 Stop sign. At rush hour I take back roads, 24 miles, yet still make the trip in under an hour, sometimes as quick as 45 minutes.
Real Estate:
Site w/home finding parameters including lot size:

http://www.ebby.com/properties/propertie��



http://www.mls.com/
you have to register to use this site, but it is useful.

Helpful Texas sites below, some of the places are a ways from Dallas, like Galveston at 300 miles, but due to open highways that_s only 5-6 hours, most folks think nothing of making a run like that for a 3 or 4 day weekend. Email me any questions:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/


http://www.galveston.com/


http://www.cctexas.com/
Corpus Christi

http://www.portaransas.org/


http://www.txtreasure.com/
Gambling boat

http://www.nps.gov/caha/


http://www.rockinr.com/
for tubing the Guadalupe river

http://www.hill-country-visitor.com/defa��


http://www.fossilrim.com/index.php


http://www.mesquiterodeo.com

No, you are not crazy. The weather_s great and so is the city. From a political standpoint, Austin is very much like the northwest and the entire west coast, so it won_t be very different from that aspect. Lots of people come here from California for many reasons, so you are not the only one to make a _drastic_ move to Texas. Not all of us are cowboys. lol

No, you are not crazy. I am native Texan and moved to Washington State. I lasted almost 2 years before I had to move. The sun never came out and it rained all the time. The cost of living was outrageous and you could not get any good Mexican food. After 2 years I moved to Florida and have never been sorry. I would prefer to be back in Texas (that_s where all the family is) but until I can transfer Florida is fine.

Sounds like a good idea to me, especially with your husband being able to keep his job. You definitely won_t be as cold! Good luck to you both in your move!!!!

I live in San Antonio. San Antonio could also be possibly a good move, although it is slightly more humid here. But, Austin is fantastic! The city in general is beautiful! The small epicenter of metropolitan area of downtown is clean, easy to maneuver (unlike San Antonio_s downtown area) and delightful to walk around in. The parks are fabulous and kept clean, the lakes and rivers are abundant and the view is spectacular. The culture is diverse, interesting, and is a mecca of musical diversity and variety. It is a perfect place to raise a family, has a great history of education (schooling and career choices), and plenty of activities for all age groups. The cost of living is affordable (in certain areas, as with any other place some places are higher) and choices abound.

Altogether I would say that it is an ideal move. San Antonio (a larger populated city with a larger Hispanic population and culture) is only an hour away (with Six Flags and Sea World), Houston 5 hours away, and Dallas/Ft. Worth only 3-4 hours drive. So, Austin is a great central base to operate out of as well.

Great choice in relocation consideration and we welcome you and see you soon!...lol

~jaz~

It_s true, I_m sure Hollywood has made it difficult for many to picture themselves living in Texas.

The skies are bigger in Texas....one advantage of smaller trees.

as for rainfall. We have more rain than LA...hope that helps.

almost all of the heavily populated areas voted dem. in the last election..

Austin has more book sales per ca pita than anywhere else in the country I hear.

economically it_s likely the best place to be right now.

at least people in WA have an opinion about us...

Where do you live in Washington? It_s not cold there.

What part of California is good place to live at that is not too expensive but not ghetto?|102357

I_m coming from Texas but I have lived in the city of Chicago! so yeah and I_m also transfering to a college there pretty sure...also what much is rent there for a decent apartment?

Goto Eureka, Arcata, or Redding. All three are beautiful, the cost of living isn_t too high, and they are a million miles from the nearest ghetto. -beaver (Rock Island, Illinois)

northern california is nice. Chico/Redding and Eureka. Those areas.

Anywhere north of the Sacramento Valley. LA, San Diego, San Fran, Sacramento, are all pretty expensive. The Yuba City,Marysville, Chico area are relatively inexpensive compared to everywhere else in the state. I live in Yuba City. The housing market is at a boom, and it_s way cheaper than Sacramento. It_s a small metro area, about 100,000 people. 45 minutes from Sacramento. 2.5 hours from Lake Tahoe, 2 hours from San Fran. Pretty much right in the middle. And Chico State with all it_s parties is only 30-40 minutes north. I would definetly check the area out.

ALL I CAN SAY IS FIND ANOTHER STATE,CAUSE ALL IS EXPENSIVE, UNLESS YOU GONNA LIVE ON A PARK BENCH(SMILE)
NAHH, JUST KIDDING. I WOULD CHECK WITH THE SCHOOL YOU_RE GOING TO ATTEND. CHECK ON SCHOOL BULLETIN ONLINE, IF NOTHING THERE, THEN POST SOMETHING ON THERE YOURSELF AND CHECK IT OUT BEFORE YOU TOTALLY MOVE, YOU KNOW. HOPE I WAS HELPFUL.* P.S. CALL THE SCHOOL, THEY MAY HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR YOU.

west hills or woodland hills

but more in the suburbs part of the towns

on sherman way and shoup r some good condos/apartments

in bell is a verry nice little city in la not getto at all compared to south centrsl la

How long will it take for mail to travel from Utah to Missouri?|186898

A letter was mailed to me Friday, (4/11). It is coming from Salt Lake City, Utah to Saint Louis, Missouri. About how long should I expect it to take, and when should it be here? Also, is there anywhere on the USPS website for this?

I_d say about 4 days on average. I live in Montana and mail to Kentucky to my family, and that_s usually how long snail mail will take.

What is a cheap alternative to airline travel within the United States and Canada?|112095

I wanted to go to Chicago a few months ago. I needed to save money, so I checked out bus and train travel. It is JUST AS EXPENSIVE as taking a plane!! What_s the deal?

Go to bookingbuddy.com

I know. I bought plane tickets for New York from Toronto tomorrow and it_s the same price as Greyhound and Amtrak. I bought it yesterday so it_s pretty last minute. I think it_s a factor of lower oil prices and lessening demand for travel due to harsher economic times.

Hey, this ain_t Europe where everything is great for travel. Plan to spend your money regardless. Are you travelling on a vacation?
But then you say Chicago...from where? Fares vary. How much time do y_all have...???

you book a plane trip in advance. it will cost about 25% cheaper or the same price as a coach for a 1st class ticket.