I'd post in the 'road trips' board but I don't know if hypothetical road trips that probably will never come to fruition count, due to the board description. Staff, please move if it is better suited for that board.
Anyway, a friend and I were talking about road trips and a few dream ones we'd like to take. Here's a rough idea of what I came up with, nothing that detailed like specific routes, but generally I'd avoid Interstates and go off the beaten path. Ideally I'd spend a few days in all the major destinations.
Start: Charlotte, NC
Charleston, WV
Wheeling, WV
Put-In-Bay, OH & Kelleys Island, OH
Tour U.P. of Michigan, north coast - places like Marquette and Copper Harbor
Duluth, MN
Follow I-90 to Seattle
Take State Ferry network around the islands of WA
Take I-90 E, down to I-82 then Kennewick
Tour Columbia river to Astoria
Drive down Oregon Coast, visit iconic bridges
Drive down Calif. Coast, stop in San Fran for bridges
Tour the marshy, low-lying area between SF and Sacramento, take ferries and bridges on the rivers
Go back to SF & continue drive down Calif. Coast
When reaching San Diego, go north to Vegas, I-15, tour Hoover Dam
Stop in St. George, UT, take I-70 to Grand Junction then take non-Interstate route through Rocky Mountains
Go south to Albuquerque, El Paso
Cross Texas to Louisiana
Tour the Gulf Coast, staying close as possible to it with local routes
Go down Florida, through places like Tampa, Marco Island, make way to Key West
Go up Florida East Coast
Head to Morehead City, NC, then Cedar Island
Clinch NC 12
Take the long route to New York City, take Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Cape May-Lewes Ferry
Go up to Maine, stop in Fort Kent
Make way to St John's, NL
Make way to Labrador City, NL
Drive across Canada to Thunder Bay, ON
Drive to Vancouver, BC
Go to Vancouver Island, travel its East Coast up and down
Take mainland route to Prince Rupert, BC
Start Alaska Marine Highway, travel entire length from Prince Rupert onward to Unalaska
Go to Anchorage, Fairbanks, then up to Prudhoe Bay
Make my way home
Dream road trips. Thats a toughie. My Dad and I do road trips every year and have knocked out quite a few of my dream ones. As it stands now, the Alaska Highway because I doubt I might ever be able to do it, bit it looks really fun. Also California's Ridge Route which very well may never be fully open to traffic ever again. Especially now that Harrison Scott gave up on fighting to reopen it. Maybe someday by bike? I live not too unreasonably far away in Arizona. The Lincoln Highway was the third on the list, but we will be tackling that next year. US 6 may be another struck off the list given Dad and I might do that one too.
As it stands, we have accomplished modern US 101, the US 1 Overseas Highway, US 66 full way twice, old US 99 border to border and old US 80 coast to coast. All of those were once dream road trips but became reality.
VS988
All the way to Beijing and back :sombrero:.
Also, if I make my way to the USA I'd like to explore off the beaten path areas in addition to the well known routes.
Once PA's I-95/I-276 interchange is complete, I'd like to drive the entire length of I-95 from Florida to the Canadian border.
Well, I'd try to go through all 48 states in one shot, with Seattle as my starting point. Keep in mind that some doubling back may be involved, but this would be my route:
I-90 east to I-82 (WA)
I-82 east to I-84 (WA, OR)
I-84 east to I-86 (OR, ID)
I-86 east to I-15 (ID, MT)
I-90 east to I-29 (MT, WY, SD)
I-29 north to I-94 (SD, ND)
I-94 east to I-196 (ND, MN, WI, ID, IN, MI)
I-196 east to I-96 (MI)
I-96 east to I-69 (MI)
I-69 east to I-94 (MI)
I-94 west to I-75 (MI)
I-75 south to I-595 (MI, OH, KY, TN, GA, FL)
I-595 east to I-95 south (FL)
I-95 north to I-26 (FL, GA, SC)
I-26 west to I-77 (SC)
I-77 north to I-90 (SC, NC, VA, WV, OH)
I-90 east to I-91 (OH, PA, NY, MA)
I-91 north to I-89 (MA, VT)
I-89 north to the end (VT)
I-89 south to I-93 (VT, NH)
I-93 south to NH 101 (NH)
NH 101 east to I-95 (NH)
I-95 north to the end (NH, ME)
I-95 south to I-85 (ME, NH, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA)
I-85 south to I-65 (VA, NC, SC, GA, AL)
I-65 south to I-10 (AL)
I-10 west to I-55 (AL, MS, LA)
I-55 north to I-70 (LA, MS, TN, AR, MO)
I-70 west to I-35 (MO)
I-35 north to I-80 (MO, IA)
I-80 west to I-76 (IA, NE)
I-76 west to I-25 (NE, CO)
I-25 south to I-70 (CO)
I-70 east to I-135 (CO, KS)
I-135 south to I-35 (KS)
I-35 south to I-45 (KS, OK, TX)
I-45 south to I-10 (TX)
I-10 west to I-15 (TX, NM, AZ, CA)
I-15 north to I-80 (CA, NV, UT)
I-80 west to I-5 (UT, NV, CA)
I-5 north to I-90 (CA, OR, WA)
Would be fun to take several weeks off and just be able to drive across the US and railfan at various locations, IMHO.
Key West to Houghton using US 1 to the maximum degree. I would love to compare that route to US 101, of which I have driven every mile.
For a second choice I would consider turning right in Newport OR and taking US 20 to the eastern end.
Rick
Anything that hits 8-12 National Parks and traverses less than 300 miles of freeway generally meets the criteria for me regarding a "dream trip." That said I would like to drive all existing surface segments of US 66 east to Chicago over a solid 10 days.
Quote from: nexus73 on September 11, 2018, 06:32:03 PM
Key West to Houghton using US 1 to the maximum degree. I would love to compare that route to US 101, of which I have driven every mile.
Not including the remainder of US 1 to Fort Kent?
A few come immediately to mind:
--Travel the entirety of US 202.
--I've had this idea of doing a "perimeter" drive around the contiguous 48 states -- a route in the counties along the north border, Pacific Coast, down to Texas' RGV, along the Gulf Coast and back. Pick up a bunch of counties and see a bunch of stuff.
--Doing a drive up to Tuktoyaktuk would be something of a dream trip, although I am a little daunted by the lack of services.
--Drive from Berlin to Trieste and Dubrovnik.
--Want to drive across the Niobrara Valley at some point.
Just in general, I am looking forward to the day where I am able to just live in a trailer and be a nomad.
Quote from: nexus73 on September 11, 2018, 06:32:03 PM
Key West to Houghton using US 1 to the maximum degree. I would love to compare that route to US 101, of which I have driven every mile.
Rick
Houghton? IIRC US 1 doesn't go to Houghton MI, US 41 does. But then, US 41 starts in Miami, doesn't go all the way through the keys like US 1 does. Perhaps you meant Houlton ME... and even then, as vdeane pointed out, US 1 doesn't end there like I-95 does, but extends further North to Fort Kent.
Hmm. I finished my two "dream" trips in one shot when I clinched both I-35 and US 61 a few days apart a couple years ago, although I plan on returning to 61 and doing that in its entirety again eventually.
The Lake Superior Circle Tour is the one thing I must do still that I haven't. I'd like to do a "coast to coast" trip, but being in the middle of the country makes that perhaps unnecessarily annoying.
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on September 12, 2018, 04:05:49 AM
Quote from: nexus73 on September 11, 2018, 06:32:03 PM
Key West to Houghton using US 1 to the maximum degree. I would love to compare that route to US 101, of which I have driven every mile.
Rick
Houghton? IIRC US 1 doesn't go to Houghton MI, US 41 does. But then, US 41 starts in Miami, doesn't go all the way through the keys like US 1 does. Perhaps you meant Houlton ME... and even then, as vdeane pointed out, US 1 doesn't end there like I-95 does, but extends further North to Fort Kent.
Okay, so I don't know where the end of the road is...LOL! That'll make things more interesting when I drive the damned thing! Heck, I have never even been on the East Coast before so sue me.
Rick
Quote from: nexus73 on September 12, 2018, 09:37:17 AM
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on September 12, 2018, 04:05:49 AM
Quote from: nexus73 on September 11, 2018, 06:32:03 PM
Key West to Houghton using US 1 to the maximum degree. I would love to compare that route to US 101, of which I have driven every mile.
Rick
Houghton? IIRC US 1 doesn't go to Houghton MI, US 41 does. But then, US 41 starts in Miami, doesn't go all the way through the keys like US 1 does. Perhaps you meant Houlton ME... and even then, as vdeane pointed out, US 1 doesn't end there like I-95 does, but extends further North to Fort Kent.
Okay, so I don't know where the end of the road is...LOL! That'll make things more interesting when I drive the damned thing! Heck, I have never even been on the East Coast before so sue me.
Rick
You ought to be able to completely clinch US 41 if you were inclined to start from US 1 in Miami. US 41 has some interesting surface segments like; The Tamiami Trail, Kewenhaw Peninsula, and Lake Shore Drive.
My dream trip. Assuming I will be retired and living in gulf coast Florida by then.
I-75 North to Cincinnati,
I-74 West to Bloomington, IL,
I-39 North to Rockford, IL,
I-90 West to merger with I-94 West,
I-94 West to Fargo,
I-29 North to Pembina, ND,
MB 75 North to Winnipeg,
TCH/MB 1 West to MacDonald, MB.
Yellowhead Route/MB16/SK 16/AB West 16 to Edmonton,
AB 43/BC 2 West to Dawson Creek, BC,
Alaska Highway to Delta Junction, AK,
AK 2 West to Fairbanks,
Haul Road North as far as legally allowed,
Return to Fairbanks,
AK 3 South to Palmer,
AK 1 South to Anchorage.
Sell vehicle, fly home.
I have a few, but I've done a pretty good job crossing stuff off my list at this point - the main ones I have left are trips that will have to wait for retirement because as a working stiff I'm not going to get enough time off
1. Paris to Istanbul over the course of a couple months
2. Cross-Canada, avoiding the TCH as possible
3. Some good old- fashioned 48 state entirely off interstate drive
4. Clinching some of the major US Routes in one swoop
5. Road trip to the Panama Canal - this one I will likely do in about five years when my car is still reliable but more worthless
I have a ton of dream road trips because I don't own a car yet and I haven't had a ton of real driving experience (I've never even driven out of state!), but one of my dream road trips would be to do a classic coast-to-coast drive, starting from Wisconsin, driving to one coast and then the other, while generally avoiding interstates, going on all the scenic routes I can, and stopping at all the major tourist attractions and national parks along the way.
Another dream road trip I have (which is probably unrealistic) is driving on the entire Quebec Route 138 when hopefully the entire route is connected (there is currently a gap from Kegashka to Vieux-Fort), and then driving the bridge/tunnel between Newfoundland and Labrador if it ever gets built. Then I would drive around Newfoundland, take a ferry to Nova Scotia, and drive around the rest of the Maritimes.
Quote from: corco on September 12, 2018, 04:23:49 PM5. Road trip to the Panama Canal - this one I will likely do in about five years when my car is still reliable but more worthless
Five years should be plenty of time
to figure out how to bring a car into all of the countries between here and there. Hopefully by then the State Department won't advise against overland travel along that route.
Road trip? I think a riverboat cruise would be dreamier. My late friend Irish Bill had his wedding reception on a Connecticut River boat, but I'd like to check out the Mississippi. It's more relaxing than driving and more scenic than Amtrak.
The big one I really would like to do is finish off US 60. I need from just west of the MO/OK border to the route's western terminus.
I'd also like to do that "drive the perimeter of Kentucky's state border both within and outside the state" trip that was discussed in another thread.
Outside that, any long road trip that would allow me to clinch routes and visit states and counties would be fine with me.
Quote from: abefroman329 on September 12, 2018, 07:09:15 PM
Quote from: corco on September 12, 2018, 04:23:49 PM5. Road trip to the Panama Canal - this one I will likely do in about five years when my car is still reliable but more worthless
Five years should be plenty of time
to figure out how to bring a car into all of the countries between here and there. Hopefully by then the State Department won't advise against overland travel along that route.
They already generally do, and I've found that the state department warnings for the last couple years, particularly in Latin America, have been really paranoid compared to the ones Canada and the UK put out so I rely on those.
Drive to every small town in the Northwest and ride the closest thing they have to transit. Would also involve a lot of road clinches, of course.
Quote from: corco on September 12, 2018, 11:43:47 PM
Quote from: abefroman329 on September 12, 2018, 07:09:15 PM
Quote from: corco on September 12, 2018, 04:23:49 PM5. Road trip to the Panama Canal - this one I will likely do in about five years when my car is still reliable but more worthless
Five years should be plenty of time
to figure out how to bring a car into all of the countries between here and there. Hopefully by then the State Department won't advise against overland travel along that route.
They already generally do, and I've found that the state department warnings for the last couple years, particularly in Latin America, have been really paranoid compared to the ones Canada and the UK put out so I rely on those.
The discrepancies in travel warnings are because criminals in Latin America are far more interested in harming citizens of the USA than Britons or Canadians, not "paranoia." It's not like Al Qaeda or ISIS, where they hate all Westerners more or less equally.
Every winter I spend an unhealthy amount of time putting together an itinerary by car for the following summer that would allow me to see a game at the home park of every full-season Minor League Baseball team, plus whatever short-season clubs I can fit in. If, just once, I ever had the wherewithal to carry it out, I think I could die happy.
Somewhat more feasibly, I'd most like to spend a couple of weeks making a loop around the Great Plains, Mountain West, and Pacific Northwest. ND, SD, NE, ID, MT are the only continental states I haven't been to, and I've only been to IA, KS, WY, NV, AZ, WA once each. So much stuff out there I'd love to see.
My dream: be retired today, and money is no object. So now that I am dreaming, I would love to spend about a month in each state exploring all of the historic sites, clinch all of the counties, and just relax & enjoy life.
Well, back to reality.....
Quote from: cjk374 on September 16, 2018, 10:11:39 AM
My dream: be retired today, and money is no object. So now that I am dreaming, I would love to spend about a month in each state exploring all of the historic sites, clinch all of the counties, and just relax & enjoy life.
Well, back to reality.....
Assuming I make enough between pension, investments, and social security I've thought it would be pretty cool to do a 1 year rental in certain states. I definitely could hit up everything in a geographic area like; cool roads, Natiional Parks, historical points of interest, etc. Honestly it seems way more appealing than RVing or spending time tending to a house 24/7.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on September 16, 2018, 11:34:36 AM
Quote from: cjk374 on September 16, 2018, 10:11:39 AM
My dream: be retired today, and money is no object. So now that I am dreaming, I would love to spend about a month in each state exploring all of the historic sites, clinch all of the counties, and just relax & enjoy life.
Well, back to reality.....
Assuming I make enough between pension, investments, and social security I've thought it would be pretty cool to do a 1 year rental in certain states. I definitely could hit up everything in a geographic area like; cool roads, Natiional Parks, historical points of interest, etc. Honestly it seems way more appealing than RVing or spending time tending to a house 24/7.
Some RVs are the price of a house...and maintaining either are not cheap. I would like to be able to do all of the cross-country driving in my old '83 Grand Prix (with it all fixed up of course), just to say I did the trip in a car so old.
Quote from: cjk374 on September 16, 2018, 11:50:38 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on September 16, 2018, 11:34:36 AM
Quote from: cjk374 on September 16, 2018, 10:11:39 AM
My dream: be retired today, and money is no object. So now that I am dreaming, I would love to spend about a month in each state exploring all of the historic sites, clinch all of the counties, and just relax & enjoy life.
Well, back to reality.....
Assuming I make enough between pension, investments, and social security I've thought it would be pretty cool to do a 1 year rental in certain states. I definitely could hit up everything in a geographic area like; cool roads, Natiional Parks, historical points of interest, etc. Honestly it seems way more appealing than RVing or spending time tending to a house 24/7.
Some RVs are the price of a house...and maintaining either are not cheap. I would like to be able to do all of the cross-country driving in my old '83 Grand Prix (with it all fixed up of course), just to say I did the trip in a car so old.
Not only that you suddenly become obstruction to everyone on the road and sap away all the fun that driving can entail. Personally I'd rather just pack a tent or throw a sleeping bag in the back of the car/SUV.
A trip through the South where the themes are BBQ, bourbon, and US highways. Texas, KC, St. Louis, Memphis, Kentucky, Alabama, South and North Carolina. (California's Santa Maria-style tri-tip is very good, but already closer to home.)
From the southernmost to northernmost driveable parts of Japan, starting with Route 58 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_National_Route_58) in Okinawa.
Follow traces of the old Roman roads in England (a fair amount of walking)
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on September 16, 2018, 11:34:36 AM
Quote from: cjk374 on September 16, 2018, 10:11:39 AM
My dream: be retired today, and money is no object. So now that I am dreaming, I would love to spend about a month in each state exploring all of the historic sites, clinch all of the counties, and just relax & enjoy life.
Well, back to reality.....
Assuming I make enough between pension, investments, and social security I've thought it would be pretty cool to do a 1 year rental in certain states. I definitely could hit up everything in a geographic area like; cool roads, Natiional Parks, historical points of interest, etc. Honestly it seems way more appealing than RVing or spending time tending to a house 24/7.
That probably sounds like something I would do when I retire. Basically spend all my time traveling the country, probably renting houses in places out west.
Quote from: MantyMadTown on September 16, 2018, 11:40:09 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on September 16, 2018, 11:34:36 AM
Quote from: cjk374 on September 16, 2018, 10:11:39 AM
My dream: be retired today, and money is no object. So now that I am dreaming, I would love to spend about a month in each state exploring all of the historic sites, clinch all of the counties, and just relax & enjoy life.
Well, back to reality.....
Assuming I make enough between pension, investments, and social security I've thought it would be pretty cool to do a 1 year rental in certain states. I definitely could hit up everything in a geographic area like; cool roads, Natiional Parks, historical points of interest, etc. Honestly it seems way more appealing than RVing or spending time tending to a house 24/7.
That probably sounds like something I would do when I retire. Basically spend all my time traveling the country, probably renting houses in places out west.
Sounds better than staying in one place. Granted my family is spread through the entire country. Most snowbirds generally maintain a home at their state/region of origin due to family being present.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on September 17, 2018, 12:05:25 AM
Quote from: MantyMadTown on September 16, 2018, 11:40:09 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on September 16, 2018, 11:34:36 AM
Quote from: cjk374 on September 16, 2018, 10:11:39 AM
My dream: be retired today, and money is no object. So now that I am dreaming, I would love to spend about a month in each state exploring all of the historic sites, clinch all of the counties, and just relax & enjoy life.
Well, back to reality.....
Assuming I make enough between pension, investments, and social security I've thought it would be pretty cool to do a 1 year rental in certain states. I definitely could hit up everything in a geographic area like; cool roads, Natiional Parks, historical points of interest, etc. Honestly it seems way more appealing than RVing or spending time tending to a house 24/7.
That probably sounds like something I would do when I retire. Basically spend all my time traveling the country, probably renting houses in places out west.
Sounds better than staying in one place. Granted my family is spread through the entire country. Most snowbirds generally maintain a home at their state/region of origin due to family being present.
Yeah I would probably still have a home in Wisconsin or wherever I live during that time. I still have my whole life ahead of me so I have no idea if I will stay.
Quote from: MantyMadTown on September 17, 2018, 07:15:37 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on September 17, 2018, 12:05:25 AM
Quote from: MantyMadTown on September 16, 2018, 11:40:09 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on September 16, 2018, 11:34:36 AM
Quote from: cjk374 on September 16, 2018, 10:11:39 AM
My dream: be retired today, and money is no object. So now that I am dreaming, I would love to spend about a month in each state exploring all of the historic sites, clinch all of the counties, and just relax & enjoy life.
Well, back to reality.....
Assuming I make enough between pension, investments, and social security I've thought it would be pretty cool to do a 1 year rental in certain states. I definitely could hit up everything in a geographic area like; cool roads, Natiional Parks, historical points of interest, etc. Honestly it seems way more appealing than RVing or spending time tending to a house 24/7.
That probably sounds like something I would do when I retire. Basically spend all my time traveling the country, probably renting houses in places out west.
Sounds better than staying in one place. Granted my family is spread through the entire country. Most snowbirds generally maintain a home at their state/region of origin due to family being present.
Yeah I would probably still have a home in Wisconsin or wherever I live during that time. I still have my whole life ahead of me so I have no idea if I will stay.
Heh...if anything life has taught me anything is that the above sentiment isn't exactly a certainty. I grew up in Michigan around family but really didn't see much of a future in it. I ended up bailing out at the age of 18 and pretty much built a career on moving from one place to the next. I've been around family, friends, and significant others that all thought they had all the time in the world to pursue the things they wanted to do, see, or otherwise experience. Time and time again I've seen that "I'll wait for tomorrow" mentality turn into regret when people got too sick, passed away, or financially unable to pursue their ambitions and see things they dreamed of doing. My advice is not to take the mindset, you really don't know when there won't be a tomorrow. Try to see and do as much as you can when you have the opportunity.
To that end, I don't have much attachment to pretty much any particular place. It's hard to fathom being content staying in one place for the rest of my life now.
Quote from: cjk374 on September 16, 2018, 10:11:39 AM
My dream: be retired today, and money is no object. So now that I am dreaming, I would love to spend about a month in each state exploring all of the historic sites, clinch all of the counties, and just relax & enjoy life.
Well, back to reality.....
I could do that now that I am fully retired and could afford to do so, and am not married so it would my decision alone. However after about 16 months since retirement I have ample activities around Richmond plus a few long trips per year, that I really don't do much different from when I was working, in my non-work activities. My annual mileage was about 22,000 and now is about 27,000, so I do plenty of driving and enjoy and see a lot of interesting things in this region of the country. It is relaxing.