Long Term Update 3: 2011 Honda Odyssey

I have recently (re)discovered that the Honda Odyssey is just about the perfect road trip vehicle. Over the long holiday weekend, I took the minivan on a camping trip up to Sequoia National Park. Having not made a campground reservation, we removed the second row seats in the Odyssey in case of a last minute need for sleeping in the van. Luckily, that wasn't necessary since we eventually found a campsite. Two reasons why this was lucky: first, the lock-down points for the seats protrude above the floor level, making kneeling or sitting in the center of the floor less than comfortable (let alone sleeping on it). And second, can you call it camping if you're not sleeping in a tent? Aside from the floor knobs, the Odyssey really feels cavernous with the second row removed. We could have fit a bear in there!

During our stay in the giant forests of Sequoia, we were tempted to forgo a campfire, make ourselves comfy in the third row seats, and fire up the DVD rear entertainment system with its 16.2-inch wide screen. Instead, we enjoyed our view of the night sky, and the peace and quiet afforded by the surrounding wilderness. It's nice to know the luxuries are available but, more importantly, the Odyssey got us there and back in comfort, with plenty of room to spare.

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