Where would you go given limitless time on a cross-country road trip?

[Johnny Thunder]

I'm planning a multi-year bike tour and was interested in what your dream trips/hikes/locations would be given limitless time. Where would you want to go and when?

Here's what I have so far:

PCT April-October in Cali, Oregon, and Washington.

A tour of the South Eastern coast in the early part of the year so something like 5 weeks from Asheville to Key West through Charleston.

Mardi Gras (late February) New Orleans, LA

SXSW (mid-March) Austin, TX

Colorado Trail, CO August/September

Isle Royale and the Upper Peninsula, MI late fall

Work at a ski hill in Colorado/Utah/Idaho/Montana

Revisit the Northern CDT summer (June/July/August)

Work on a farm

Clip **** in Humbolt for extra cash

Olympic NP, Washington (Fall after PCT)

What am I missing? I've been leafing through back issues of Backpacker and National Geographic Traveler for ideas. What cities/towns should be visited and when?


Johnny T.

[white_russian]

Throw Alaska in there somewhere.

[Johnny Thunder]

That's on the secondary list but might require a trip all it's own. It'd take us at least a month each way.

[white_russian]

Just take the ferry if time is short.

[Johnny Thunder]

Just take the ferry if time is short.

That's a good idea...where does it go from/to? Part of the reason we're doing to bike trip is to hopefully promote sustainable travel among folks our age. Not sure the ferry fits into that as well as we'd like.

(When i say "we" I'm talking the royal "we". Really I'm just talking about me and my precious.)

[white_russian]

That's a good idea...where does it go from/to? Part of the reason we're doing to bike trip is to hopefully promote sustainable travel among folks our age. Not sure the ferry fits into that as well as we'd like.

(When i say "we" I'm talking the royal "we". Really I'm just talking about me and my precious.)

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/index.shtml

I would say the ferry fits in with the sustainable thing. Some of those towns there is no other way to get there but fly. And you get to pitch your tent on the open deck.

[Cookerhiker]

Eastern Canada in summer - Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces. Enjoy Quebec City with its European ambiance. Drive north and camp or canoe in the Quebec North Woods. Head back to the St.Lawrence and drive all the way around the Gaspe Peninsula. In New Brunswick, you can hike the IAT. Take in PEI and Nova Scotia - try some sea kayaking. Board the ferry to Newfoundland and backpack in Gros Marne National Park followed by a drive along the coast.

For a nice touch, treat yourself to the ethnic festivals, especially the Scottish ones on Cape Breton.

[Jester2000]

Make sure you see The Thing in the Desert. It's in Arizona.

[No Belay]

A cross-country jaunt that doesn't include the Grand Canyon is like an omlet without eggs. The Canyon is a lot like sex. You can see the pictures, read about it, and have your friends tell you about their exploits but you never appreciate it until you experience it yourself.

Savor Happy!

TaTonka

[Connie]

Southwestern Desert wildflower tour: websites report wildflowers just like websites in the East report autumn leaves. How about a colorful autumn leaves tour in the eastern states, like upstate New York.

[sasquatch2014]

You have to stop at Wall Drug, Free Ice Water.
Cool spots along the Oregon Trail to check out.
Wild ponies in the Red Desert
The Dells of Wisconsin
Great Sand Dune in Colorado
Cut loose at some big happening in the West - Sturgis, Burningman, Telluride Bluegrass and Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Medicine Wheel in the Northern Big Horns of Wyo
Yellowstone

On and on it could go.

[Press]

While you're in Texas, go on down to San Antonio and bike around the old Spanish missions. San Antonio is a nice city that doesn't feel as big as it is. I also recommend Bandera and Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country.

[Pacific Tortuga]

San Antonio is a nice city that doesn't feel as big as it is. .

But the River Walk, will kick your butt.

[Skidsteer]

While you're in Texas, go on down to San Antonio and bike around the old Spanish missions. San Antonio is a nice city that doesn't feel as big as it is. I also recommend Bandera and Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country.

And Kerrville and Boerne and Bergheim and Gruene.

[eman245]

If your planning on going to CO, then I would definitely ride the Rio Grande trail. Its paved/gravel and goes from Glenwood Springs to Aspen, passing through a few interesting towns. Great scenery, and once in Aspen, you can ride up to the Maroon Bells and up Independence Pass. If you ask me, thats the best of the Rockies...

[Belew]

If y'all get to southern Utah, Zion NP is Beautiful. It's not very big and you can see a lot of it in a week. If you are friends with Wonder on facebook, I think she has pictures of our trip posted there. Also, Las Vegas is worth checking out and Lake Mead is boring.

[sasquatch2014]

If your planning on going to CO, then I would definitely ride the Rio Grande trail. Its paved/gravel and goes from Glenwood Springs to Aspen, passing through a few interesting towns. Great scenery, and once in Aspen, you can ride up to the Maroon Bells and up Independence Pass. If you ask me, thats the best of the Rockies...

there is a great hole in the wall This restaurant or at least there was one in Poncho Spring Right at the intersection with Rt 50. also don't pass up a chance to soak in Mt Princeton hot springs if you are going that way. A day plus will put you at the great Sand Dunes NM in the San Luis Valley of Colorado. Or head west and check out Gunnison Colorado and then south to Telluride for the Bluegrass festival or the mushroom festival if they still hold it there.

[mweinstone]

my hatred of this thread pales in comparison to my hatered of this trip. you suck johnney thunder.precious? ha! shes precious if you stay home and make a family. go see the dessert megaphone in arrazonia and call it a trip idiot. you have children inside you both screaming to come out and go hiking with you. what? youll have kids later? no. when i created johnney thunder and freefall, i made them as a childbearing hiker production grouping. not some freeloading roadtrashed hippie couple clippin in humbolt. yeah thats fun. now you listen to me johnney. this is not the time in any of our lives to be on vacation. and calling it a philanthropical teaching to others of the wilds of wildeing, aint all there. you sir , are spoiled. spoiled by me and the appalachian trail. i should have never taught you such lifestyles as happysteak or morninggravy. now you listen to ol matthewski. heres a what yerr gonna do.

hump
kids
diapers
hike
retire in dammascus into wolfs house when hes dead.

[Johnny Thunder]

@connie - We're both from Connecticut/Jersey/PA and New Hampshire, respectively. Not sure that a foliage tour is our idea of a "trip".

@Sasquatch - I'd heard that Burningman had sort of run it's course. We are a bit limited by the fact that we'll be on bicycles but Sturgis might be fun.

@Cookerhiker - I keep mentioning the eastern canada thing....Jess is from NH...not sure if I'll convince her to head North in that stretch. Refresh my memory...did we grow up in the same town or go to the same college? I forget.

@Solemates - Duhhh...of course we want to do that. Except some states are lame.

@No Belay - We're saving the Grand Canyon for a winter or fall all to itself.

[Zoooma]

some states are lame.

Every state has something worth seeing, something that's part of the history of this great country, some spot where you can kick back and enjoy the heck out of a beautiful sunset... yes, Delaware, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota included.

Be environmentally unfriendly and go to the website for each state's Visitors Bureau and order their free tourist info. Look through each guide and you'll find some places that look interesting to check out.