Many of you have asked, “What does your travel plan look like? Do you know your route?” I (Kevin) sometimes still answer these questions with a 5 minute description of our intended route but have been coming to realize that most people have lost interest in that level of detail by the 29th second… Sorry. I was considering today that it almost feels like I know more about what we’re doing 6 months from now than I know about what we’ll be doing in the next 6 days. Weird, but true.
In any event, listed below is our rough travel agenda. We’re sure it will change. Many times. But, it is the best we have at the moment and we welcome your comments on great destinations along the way.
January
Florida (Tampa)
North Carolina (Franklin and Ashville)
Arkansas (Hot Springs)
Texas (Dallas and Austin)
February:
Texas (it’s a BIG State, Big Bend, Guadeloupe)
Arizona (Tucson, Petrified Forest)
Southern California (Anza Borrego, San Diego Zoo, Joshua Tree)
March/April:
California (Death Valley)
Utah (Arches, Canyonlands)
Arizona (including the bottom of the Grand Canyon!, Sedona, Flagstaff)
New Mexico (Monument Valley, Four Corners)
Colorado (Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes)
May:
Utah (Zion, Bryce)
California (Yosemite – YES!, Kings Canyon, Sequoia)
June:
California (Northern Coast, Redwoods, Lassen Volcanic)
Oregon (Crater Lake, Coast, Bend, Portland, Columbia River Gorge)
July:
Washington (nice to see you again Olympic and North Cascades)
British Columbia (Vancouver)
August:
British Columbia (Mountain biking in Whistler!)
Alberta (Jasper, Banff)
Montana (Glacier NP Rocks!)
September:
Wyoming (Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, maybe even a return to the Wind River Range!)
Colorado (Aspens and more great friends to see!)
Dakotas (Carhenge, Black Hills, Teddy Roosevelt NP, Badlands)
October:
Minnesota (Voyageurs)
Michigan (Praying we’ll see the Northern Lights in Isle Royale NP!)
November:
Washington DC (history, museums, the White House)
New York (Hello, Macy’s Parade!)
Pennsylvania (Philadelphia)
December:
Florida (you can’t do a trip like this and not see Everglades NP in your home State!)
In all, we hope to see over 30 states and 30 National Parks, lots of friends and family, and lots of one another. We’re anticipating about 20,000 miles of driving over the course of the year.
Finally, for those that are about to ask, “Why not Alaska?” YOU’RE KILLING ME! Alaska has been on my bucket list since I was 13 years old and a Junior High School teacher showed our class his pictures from summer vacation… I SO want to see Alaska. But, I also know we don’t have time next year to see it the way it deserves to be seen. It’s going to have to be another time, I’m afraid.
So that’s the plan – as it were. We’d love your feedback so please share your comments. For now, it’s back to planning the next 6 days!