I might sound bold posting this, but I'm curious about your trip plan. I keep seeing parts of your trip plans and requests for information in different posts (a month in NYC, one night in Minneapolis, some time in Alaska, etc.) but would like to know the whole plan.

Thanks in advance.

Ok, this same thing happened last summer with all my postings about Europe and I was even accused of being a liar -- someone insisted that no one can do all we were planning. We are essentially retired and have lived in Florida many years. Unlike many people around here who go "up north" to a second home or cottage every summer, we travel for 5 to 6 months spending the money that otherwise would be put into owning and maintaining that second place. Usually that includes an extended trip to Europe, but this summer we are "staying home". This summer we leave Naples on April 25. We will be arriving in New York City on May 1 until June 1. We visit friends in Mass. and Maine, then go to Niagra-on-the-lake for 4 nights of theatre at the Shaw festival, Toronto for a weekend, then 4 nights at the Stratford Festival for more theatre. We go to Dearborn -- one of us wants to see the Ford museum again after many, many years. Then through Minneapolis and Fargo (North Dakota is the only state I haven't been to except Hawaii and Alaska). We hit Winnipeg and then cross Canada to Calgary and Edmonton, up through Whitehorse and Dawson City to Fairbanks (going across the "top of the world" highway. We spend three nights at Denali backcountry wilderness lodge, then Anchorage, three nights at Kenaii Backcountry Lodge, Sewart, Kenaii, Homer, and Seldovia. Next we go up to Sheep Mountain near Palmer, to Tok, and down to Haines and Skagway. We take the Marine Highway ferry with a three day stop in Juneau, and an overnight at Ketchikan, then the ferry to Bellingham. Several days in Seattle, four nights at the Ashland, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, then to stay at Lake Tahoe with my partner's brother and wife. Los Angeles for one month, San Francisco for 10 days, the Ahwanee at Yosemite for a couple of nights (if it seems odd we go to LA then SF, it's because of the availability of when we could get into the Ahwanee. From there we spend a couple of nights in Death Valley, the in Las Vegas we will be joined by a couple of friends staying at The Bellagio. They join us for a drive to Grand Canyon north rim, stays at the lodges in Zion and Bryce, three nights in Aspen, one night in Denver and two nights in Kansas City where they will leave us for a conference. We will then head back to Florida via Branson (just gotta see it, plan to hate it), and visit a former employee who now lives in the Ozarks, then home, arriving about the 10th of October -- a little less than 6 months, and a whole lotta miles on the old Range Rover.

Now please do me a favor! If any of you are reading this and are tempted to post some nasty vicious comment about my being a pompous ass, just remember that I was asked politely and I responded politely. If you aren't interested, no one is forcing you to read this or to comment.

Awesome trip Patrick. Hope you can post periodic trip reports along the way (especially the West Coast portion for me).

And I'll thank you politely. If anyone wants to take issue with me, email me at the address above . I don't care if you're a pompous a** or not, I'm just curious and the only way I was going to find out was by asking.

Wow, what a plan. I give you credit for getting out there and seeing the world. I guess I can start planning for a big trip like this after I retire (30+ years of planning should make for a great trip.)

Enjoy, and you might even enjoy Branson.

I too think it sounds fabulous and hope you will keep us posted along the way.

Patrick, wow, impressive plans. You are so lucky to have the opportunity to that. Have you thought about stopping in on the west coast of Canada? Maybe Vancouver Island to see Victoria or Tofino and Long Beach? In any case, I hope you have a great trip.

Wow! I am truly impressed. They say that Life begins when the children leave home and the dog dies. Just curious, how much do you pack? And if you say, a carry on -size bag each, I will be REALLY AND TRULY impressed. I am also amazed that you do not get homesick and tired of living out of a suitcase?

Well Patrick, you are my new hero. Please post trip reports for the rest of us. And if anyone does not want to read them, well nobody is forcing them.

So when are you going to get to Hawaii and have all 50 states under your belt?

Hawaii? Well, I just can't get excited about that. I live near the beach in Florida -- not that I compare it to Hawaii, but it just means that Hawaii isn't calling out to me like many other places are.
Have visited Vancouver and Victoria in the past -- pretty good.
About the packing? Well, going to Europe and traveling by train and/or car, we each take a fairly large rolling duffel and a backpack which serves as both a carryon and as a backpack for day trips. We just plan on hitting a laundry every two weeks or so. This trip we will have the luxury of having our own car, so will probably pack more than usual -- but covering such extremes as the wilderness of Alaska to LA in September, to theatre in NY and elsewhere, we seem to need a bigger variety of clothes.
No lap top, and not sure how many internet cafes or access we will have along the way without paying huge hotel fees to use a computer, but we shall see about posts along the way. I did a lot of posting last summer from Europe on the European board, but internet cafes are everywhere in Europe -- not necessarily in the US.

Most public libraries have internet access. The branch library I go to has a sign up sheet and a limit of 30 minutes, but you are not required to show your library card to use the terminals. Maybe you could get a guest card to the NYC Public Library.

If you need Internet access when you're in NYC there is a new Internet "cafe" on the "new" 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Ave. It's a huge, garish place wiht bright flourescent lights and no atmosphere (not really a cafe despite the misleading name). It is very inexpensive - a few dollars per hour vs. the $10-12 per hour (or more) charged nearly everywhere else in NYC.

Yes, but all NYC branch library, as well as the research library on Fifth at 42d, have computers you can use for free; usually you have to sign up for a specific time, but in some (like the branch around the corner from my home), there is a computer reserved for walk-ins with a fifteen-minute limit (but if no one else shows up to use it...). You certainly can't beat the Rose Reading Room at 42d St. for atmosphere. Love doing research thee.

Patrick, since you're making a point of hitting North Dakota as state number 49, I thought maybe you were trying to hit all 50!

I love your posts on the Europe Forum and can't wait for this trip -- do tell us all (well, OK, almost all!!) If anyone objects to your posts, etc. they are the ones with a problem. The trip sounds wonderful and I am happy you are able to do it.

Actually, Caitlin, I hadn't really been trying to hit all the states, but there was a recent post here "how many states. . " and when I did some counting, it occured to me that those were the only ones left. So when we looked to drive from Detroit to Winnipeg, there were two options. The other one up through Sault Ste. Marie and around the lake might be more scenic, but was an estimated 5 to 7 hours longer driving time, so why not go through North Dakota and add it to the list. Couldn't quite figure out how to detour through Hawaii to get from Florida to Alaska though, so that remains.
Thanks for the library tips. I must say that getting a computer at our local library is like winning a lottery, or else you have to stake it out for a couple of hours. Hope that some of these other plans work better.

Patrick,

My dad retired when I was seven. His last day at work was a Friday, he bought a new car on Saturday, on Monday our family left for a 10 week vacation, cross country, with no specific plans. We got as far as northern California. I don't remember much of it, but how I would love to be able to do that today!

You're visiting several places we've been (and loved, esp. Seattle, San Fran and Aspen. I'm very interested to hear how you like some of the places we'd like to visit (Alaska!). We're taking our kids skiing in Tahoe next week and it will be our first trip there.

FYI - when we travel without the kids, most hotels have been very kind and allowed us to use their computers to drop a line home. Maybe that's one way you can give us a trip report and satisfy our travel envy!

Have a great trip.

I say, good for you, Patrick. (Of course, I hate you for being able to do all this traveling!)
Anyway, Patrick, don't worry about finding an internet cafe or other outlet. Instead, spend the time enjoying yourself!

Patrick, will you adopt me?

I am EXHAUSTED just reading your itinerary! By the way, Naples certainly is a lovely spot in Florida, but in my opinion it CAN'T hold a candle to Hawaii by a long shot! I hope you change your mind and visit at least three islands someday (oahu, Maui and Kauai, or the FABULOUS combination of the Manele Bay/Koele Resorts on Lanai). Of course, it's possible that you might hate them all, who knows!!

Your trip sounds really great Patrick. I too enjoyed reading all your postings on the Europe board last year,nice to get an American view on the Isle of Wight! We too will be in Niagara on the Lake in June as part of of trip to Ontario, a pretty tame couple of weeks compared to your six months though!

18 responses and not one negative comment!
Sounds like a great trip Patrick. I find your comment about one of you wanting to see the Henry Ford Museum after many years amusing. You won't be disappointed.
I recently read Bill Bryson's "Lost Continent", which had to be one of his more sarcastic books. I started to cringe when I got to the part where he traveled through Michigan, but was surprised when even he wrote nice things about the museum.
I would also like to vote for a regular update while you on your trip.

Ron