The Great North American Road Trip
Apr 11th, 2012, 12:30 PM
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The Great North American Road Trip
Can I post a trip report before the trip has been taken? This is more like a preview of coming attractions. At the end of the week, we are heading off on the Great North American Road Trip. A workshop in Toronto will be followed by a run to Detroit, and then 2 months of travel south, west, and then north and east...some of it planned, some not; some old favorites (Big Sur, Lake Louise) and some new explorations (Santa Barbara, Portland).
Ground Rules:
1. Maximize time in national parks and focus on good hiking options
2. Minimum one hour of exercise a day
3. Order wine by the glass, not the bottle, and split sandwiches
4. Spend no more than four hours a day in the car.
I tried to have a “no hamburger” ground rule, but I couldn’t muster the votes.
DH and I both love to travel, but have been restricted to 2, or very occasionally 3 week blocks, always with work looming in the background. This trip is different – nothing pulling us back. It has been challenging to pack for two months, three seasons, settings rural and urban and a real mix of activities...but now it is (mostly) done and I am getting pretty excited. Come along for the ride!
Ground Rules:
1. Maximize time in national parks and focus on good hiking options
2. Minimum one hour of exercise a day
3. Order wine by the glass, not the bottle, and split sandwiches
4. Spend no more than four hours a day in the car.
I tried to have a “no hamburger” ground rule, but I couldn’t muster the votes.
DH and I both love to travel, but have been restricted to 2, or very occasionally 3 week blocks, always with work looming in the background. This trip is different – nothing pulling us back. It has been challenging to pack for two months, three seasons, settings rural and urban and a real mix of activities...but now it is (mostly) done and I am getting pretty excited. Come along for the ride!
Apr 12th, 2012, 03:59 AM
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Tomfuller, we are driving a Volvo S60 that we bought last year with road trip in mind. We could use more trunk space, but then we would just take more crap. And it is great for the highway.
We are not campers; we will mix it up with motels, staying with friends (as in Detroit) and finally get to cash in some hotel chain points that have been accumulating. This is a reward/milestone trip, so there are some special places where we plan to splurge.
On the road to Toronto this morning. See you soon!
We are not campers; we will mix it up with motels, staying with friends (as in Detroit) and finally get to cash in some hotel chain points that have been accumulating. This is a reward/milestone trip, so there are some special places where we plan to splurge.
On the road to Toronto this morning. See you soon!
Apr 12th, 2012, 09:28 AM
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Looking forward to the ride. I second the request for photos!
We will be in Utah next week on a 7 day 1,000 mile road trip.
We will have 2 long drive days (4hours+) but lots of hiking in between and although I am happy to stick to the no burger rule it will be a struggle for my traveling companions. Maybe I'll suggest this is a ONE burger trip lol!
We will be in Utah next week on a 7 day 1,000 mile road trip.
We will have 2 long drive days (4hours+) but lots of hiking in between and although I am happy to stick to the no burger rule it will be a struggle for my traveling companions. Maybe I'll suggest this is a ONE burger trip lol!
Apr 16th, 2012, 11:35 AM
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Day 1 - 5
Toronto - St Jacobs and Elora - Detroit
Workshop wrapped up, some time around it to walk around Toronto. It is, IMHO, one of the great walking cities. We often choose a restaurant in a distant neighbourhood and walk back to our centrally located hotel. This time it was Brassai on King St East to the Intercontinental on Bloor, through the so-called entertainment district and the university grounds. I had a free night to use at the Intercontinental.
We hit the road Sunday morning in a rainstorm. Since we didn't want to get to Detroit until late afternoon, we decided to do our first spontaneous exploration off the direct route into St Jacobs. It is a well-known (but not by us) Mennonite settlement, famous for produce, markets, crafts. Of course, on Sunday morning in April everything, including the public washroom, is closed. If we had wanted to go to church, we would have been well set. We didn't. I realized we were not too far from Elora, home of a famous choral music festival and a gorge. We discovered on arrival at the gorge that the road was barred, not yet open for the season.
So much, so far, for spontaneity!
The rain let up for an uneventful drive to Detroit. More precisely, to Grosse Pointe, close in geographic proximity but distant on virtually very other measure. Yet even here, our friend says, property values have dropped about 40% in the last 5 years. It is Monday, museums and art institute closed. We had an excellent walk in the neighbourhood where spring is so much more in evidence than it is at home. Magnolias almost finished.
We are just chilling today. The next two days are about the heaviest drives of the trip to get to Arches National Park by Thursday.
Toronto - St Jacobs and Elora - Detroit
Workshop wrapped up, some time around it to walk around Toronto. It is, IMHO, one of the great walking cities. We often choose a restaurant in a distant neighbourhood and walk back to our centrally located hotel. This time it was Brassai on King St East to the Intercontinental on Bloor, through the so-called entertainment district and the university grounds. I had a free night to use at the Intercontinental.
We hit the road Sunday morning in a rainstorm. Since we didn't want to get to Detroit until late afternoon, we decided to do our first spontaneous exploration off the direct route into St Jacobs. It is a well-known (but not by us) Mennonite settlement, famous for produce, markets, crafts. Of course, on Sunday morning in April everything, including the public washroom, is closed. If we had wanted to go to church, we would have been well set. We didn't. I realized we were not too far from Elora, home of a famous choral music festival and a gorge. We discovered on arrival at the gorge that the road was barred, not yet open for the season.
So much, so far, for spontaneity!
The rain let up for an uneventful drive to Detroit. More precisely, to Grosse Pointe, close in geographic proximity but distant on virtually very other measure. Yet even here, our friend says, property values have dropped about 40% in the last 5 years. It is Monday, museums and art institute closed. We had an excellent walk in the neighbourhood where spring is so much more in evidence than it is at home. Magnolias almost finished.
We are just chilling today. The next two days are about the heaviest drives of the trip to get to Arches National Park by Thursday.
Apr 16th, 2012, 03:08 PM
#11
I'll second bbqboy's invite to Oregon.
Looks like 3 8+ hour days from Detroit to Moab. Tomorrow Des Moines and Wednesday to Sterling Colorado or Denver if you push it.
You'll get more than an hour exercise hiking to Delicate Arch.
Looks like 3 8+ hour days from Detroit to Moab. Tomorrow Des Moines and Wednesday to Sterling Colorado or Denver if you push it.
You'll get more than an hour exercise hiking to Delicate Arch.
Apr 17th, 2012, 03:37 AM
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Thanks Tom. Our drive takes us in the direction of the recent "life threatening weather", we will pay attention to reports en route. It was very windy even here in Michigan, but things seem to have settled.
Thanks, too, for picture requests. I am new to this, and had decided a blog was too much like work for this initial adventure. Will think about the picture postings, though...what are the recommended sites?
Thanks, too, for picture requests. I am new to this, and had decided a blog was too much like work for this initial adventure. Will think about the picture postings, though...what are the recommended sites?
Apr 19th, 2012, 07:33 PM
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Day 6 - 8
Detroit - Iowa City - Sterling CO - Grand Junction CO
Three themes emerge: corn, cows and canyons.
Our pace was a little more relaxed than tomfuller proposed...just because we can! Even then, we blew by the birth place of John Wayne (Winterset), the radio station where Ronald Reagan had his first job, and the Amana colonies (which might be interesting...)
The corn fields in Iowa advertise mazes. They should offer a discount at this time of year, the stubbly fields don't present much of a challenge.
The expected herds and flocks are enlivened by spring calves and foals, very entertaining. But the gigantic feedlots in Nebraska were disconcerting. We are dedicated omnivores, but are rarely confronted with the bare and hard reality of where our meat comes from...the intense industrial enterprise so evident here is a stark contrast to the pleasant bucolic pastures we had seen to that point.
And on to Sterling, where dinner was a steak with cheese sauce. I swear it was the healthiest thing on the menu.
We had fantastic weather for the stunning drive to Denver and into the mountains. We have been able to see the sharp edges of some turbulent systems in these huge skies, but the rain has been around us and not on us. I love that part of Hwy 70 west of Vail is maintained by "Friends of John Denver".
Tomorrow, hiking in Arches. Will be great to be walking in something other than a shopping mall.
Detroit - Iowa City - Sterling CO - Grand Junction CO
Three themes emerge: corn, cows and canyons.
Our pace was a little more relaxed than tomfuller proposed...just because we can! Even then, we blew by the birth place of John Wayne (Winterset), the radio station where Ronald Reagan had his first job, and the Amana colonies (which might be interesting...)
The corn fields in Iowa advertise mazes. They should offer a discount at this time of year, the stubbly fields don't present much of a challenge.
The expected herds and flocks are enlivened by spring calves and foals, very entertaining. But the gigantic feedlots in Nebraska were disconcerting. We are dedicated omnivores, but are rarely confronted with the bare and hard reality of where our meat comes from...the intense industrial enterprise so evident here is a stark contrast to the pleasant bucolic pastures we had seen to that point.
And on to Sterling, where dinner was a steak with cheese sauce. I swear it was the healthiest thing on the menu.
We had fantastic weather for the stunning drive to Denver and into the mountains. We have been able to see the sharp edges of some turbulent systems in these huge skies, but the rain has been around us and not on us. I love that part of Hwy 70 west of Vail is maintained by "Friends of John Denver".
Tomorrow, hiking in Arches. Will be great to be walking in something other than a shopping mall.
Apr 21st, 2012, 07:49 AM
#20
Amana IL was the stop of the Mormons before Brigham Young led them to "New Zion" (Utah). Joseph Smith was murdered there before Young led them west.
I believe their is still an appliance factory in town now owned by Whirlpool.
I believe their is still an appliance factory in town now owned by Whirlpool.
