As we near the end of the year, probably time for a new thread.
Here's what I have planned so far:
Driving from Sacramento up to the Medford area where my wife and I will explore, probably driving down to Redwoods, and then driving up to Portland to fly home.
Renting a car in Johannesburg, driving down to Lesotho, back into South Africa and then entering Eswatini. This will be my first time driving in a left-hand traffic country and my first time driving in Africa. I have previously driven in Asia and Europe. This will also be the only time outside of crossing from the U.S.->Canada and vice versa that I have driven a car across a national border, which I will do three times on this trip.
All I know about Johannesburg is that they were advertising flamethrowers for cars to discourage carjacking. :D
Quote from: Rothman on October 08, 2024, 01:09:27 PMAll I know about Johannesburg is that they were advertising flamethrowers for cars to discourage carjacking. :D
It's not THAT bad (having been there before), but either way, the airport is quite a ways out of town in the direction I'll head to go to Lesotho, so I won't be entering the city limits.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 08, 2024, 01:13:35 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 08, 2024, 01:09:27 PMAll I know about Johannesburg is that they were advertising flamethrowers for cars to discourage carjacking. :D
It's not THAT bad (having been there before), but either way, the airport is quite a ways out of town in the direction I'll head to go to Lesotho, so I won't be entering the city limits.
https://youtu.be/oGZLYx8StWk?si=QRHz7ZzJLhs9IzkW
Quote from: Rothman on October 08, 2024, 01:15:40 PMQuote from: JayhawkCO on October 08, 2024, 01:13:35 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 08, 2024, 01:09:27 PMAll I know about Johannesburg is that they were advertising flamethrowers for cars to discourage carjacking. :D
It's not THAT bad (having been there before), but either way, the airport is quite a ways out of town in the direction I'll head to go to Lesotho, so I won't be entering the city limits.
https://youtu.be/oGZLYx8StWk?si=QRHz7ZzJLhs9IzkW
Budget had the option to rent an armored car, but alas I chose the economy model instead since it wasn't a stick. :)
Early next summer, when the days are long, I'm planning to drive from home in San Diego out to Douglas AZ, then drive US-191 from Mexico to Canada, then come back down I-25 to Las Cruces NM, and then go home. I'll also fill in a substantial gap in my I-90 coverage between Billings MT and Buffalo WY, and with some backtracking here and there clinch US-87 in MT, WY, and CO, before it wanders off into TX from Raton NM. I'll also grab a few Interstate bits around Denver, so I'll have clinched all the Interstates in the 11 westernmost states. It'll probably be a two week trip, maybe a little less.
Late January, probably going to do another week in the redwoods (Crescent City area). I want to finally clinch US-199 and visit Oregon Caves along the way. Maybe take a long day trip to Crater Lake as well, not sure.
Quote from: Quillz on October 21, 2024, 01:42:48 AMLate January, probably going to do another week in the redwoods (Crescent City area). I want to finally clinch US-199 and visit Oregon Caves along the way. Maybe take a long day trip to Crater Lake as well, not sure.
The only thing that will be open at Crater Lake will be the south entrance, and typically only the first two parking lots are accessible (comfort station 72 and 68). In January, it might not even be open at all. I've been there in April twice, and both times the snow on the side of the road looked about 12 feet deep, although the road was clear. The first time the lake was full of fog, and the second time it was crystal clear and beautiful, but I had to climb an enormous pile of snow to see it. I was also in the area around the end of June, and the rest still wasn't opened yet, so I skipped it. It's still on my bucket list, but I'll have to go up there in August.
If that's the case, that's fine. Would just be a bonus. Mainly just want to spend a week in the redwoods/on Crescent Beach. Been there early in the year before and it's always great, usually the rain comes in but the canopy is so thick it doesn't even reach you.
Despite how many times I've been to the area, still have never clinched US-199 or CA-36. For this trip I'll probably try to get both done.
So far my wife and I have only seriously considered Molokai and Southern Utah. I would imagine we are obligated to return to the southeast to see my sister next year also. We've talked about Colorado briefly also.
I have a trip planned for Kentucky for April 20th thru April 25/26th.
Also got another Lynchburg (VA) trip planned for sometime in late March.
Starting to make plans for a late spring trip that loops around a few more states and cities I missed on my drive down to Texas to see the eclipse.
A few of the proposed sections and stops: US 12 through Lolo Pass; Devil's Tower; Minneapolis and St. Paul; Madison; Kenosha's little streetcar; Chicago; Des Moines; Denver; I-70 through Glenwood Canyon; another Utah national park; and returning via the Loneliest Highway or through Idaho.
One of the goals will be to add to my list of visited state capitols. I had to miss South Dakota and Colorado, so those are a high priority.
Doing a Spring Break trip (probably the last with both kids) to Baltimore. Stopping at Gettysburg on the way. Visiting Annapolis, and making a side trip into Delaware as it's the only state east of the Mississippi that the kids haven't been to.
No massive road trips this year. Not like 2024. But plans are starting to take shape for the first half of the year.
January: Flying to Burbank, renting a car, doing some stuff there, driving down to San Diego, do some more stuff, fly home. Nothing particularly interesting or new road wise. Mostly just to visit some theme parks and escape the cold.
March: Driving to Reno for a weekend for a concert. I'll mostly stick to US-95 and I-80, but might check out a few of the highways around the Reno/Carson/Tahoe area, depending on how my wife feels about it, and weather.
May: Fly to Philadelphia, spend a few days there, rent a car, then drive up to Niagara Falls, then Vaughan (outside of Toronto) for a few days, then fly home. Never been to any of these places (though I will be stopping at Hersheypark and staying in Harrisburg, where I have been) so lots new to see there. I'll mostly be using public transit around Philadelphia and Toronto proper though, but roads along the way like future I-99 look interesting.
I'm planning on attending consecutive PGA Tour events, the final weekend of March in Houston and the first weekend of April in San Antonio. I'm leaning toward driving my own car rather than flying and renting a car. It would be the first time I've ever driven my own car east of Interstate 25; all previous trips east of there have been fly/rent.
From Lake Tahoe it looks like Houston is slightly more than three days' reasonable driving. I think the return from San Antonio could be done in three days. However, I could add a little time to explore some places I haven't been to.
Routing would likely be a version of Vegas-Albuquerque-Dallas on the way there, and El Paso-Phoenix on the return. It's about 3800 miles total via the two direct routes, plus any side trips.
Quote from: gonealookin on October 25, 2024, 05:54:30 PMRouting would likely be a version of Vegas-Albuquerque-Dallas on the way there, and El Paso-Phoenix on the return. It's about 3800 miles total via the two direct routes, plus any side trips.
Unless you have specific points of interest to visit along the way, I-10 is pretty boring. You should consider taking some of the smaller roads, like US-180 or US-70/60/93. I'd even rather drive I-40 once in both directions.
Quote from: pderocco on October 26, 2024, 12:02:30 AMQuote from: gonealookin on October 25, 2024, 05:54:30 PMRouting would likely be a version of Vegas-Albuquerque-Dallas on the way there, and El Paso-Phoenix on the return. It's about 3800 miles total via the two direct routes, plus any side trips.
Unless you have specific points of interest to visit along the way, I-10 is pretty boring. You should consider taking some of the smaller roads, like US-180 or US-70/60/93. I'd even rather drive I-40 once in both directions.
El Paso is one of the few large cities in the country I've never been to, and that's about one day's (550 miles) drive west on I-10 from San Antonio. You are right that I can probably do a lot better from El Paso than I-10 west to Phoenix, a place I've been to a lot, and San Bernardino; some route through central parts of New Mexico and Arizona up to Kingman, AZ would hit roads I've never been on.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 08, 2024, 12:55:02 PMRenting a car in Johannesburg, driving down to Lesotho, back into South Africa and then entering Eswatini. This will be my first time driving in a left-hand traffic country and my first time driving in Africa. I have previously driven in Asia and Europe. This will also be the only time outside of crossing from the U.S.->Canada and vice versa that I have driven a car across a national border, which I will do three times on this trip.
Sadly, this exact portion of the trip has been scrapped. There's a lot of civil unrest in Mozambique right now which was the main destination for my trip. So, now I'm going to fly into Nairobi, Kenya, take a shuttle down to Arusha, Tanzania and climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. I'll also have brief stopovers (where I leave the airport) in Cote d'Ivoire and Ethiopia.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on December 16, 2024, 03:19:17 PMQuote from: JayhawkCO on October 08, 2024, 12:55:02 PMRenting a car in Johannesburg, driving down to Lesotho, back into South Africa and then entering Eswatini. This will be my first time driving in a left-hand traffic country and my first time driving in Africa. I have previously driven in Asia and Europe. This will also be the only time outside of crossing from the U.S.->Canada and vice versa that I have driven a car across a national border, which I will do three times on this trip.
Sadly, this exact portion of the trip has been scrapped. There's a lot of civil unrest in Mozambique right now which was the main destination for my trip. So, now I'm going to fly into Nairobi, Kenya, take a shuttle down to Arusha, Tanzania and climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. I'll also have brief stopovers (where I leave the airport) in Cote d'Ivoire and Ethiopia.
Any plans on seeing the Serengeti? That would be an all-time bucket list item for me.
Quote from: paulthemapguy on December 16, 2024, 04:48:16 PMQuote from: JayhawkCO on December 16, 2024, 03:19:17 PMQuote from: JayhawkCO on October 08, 2024, 12:55:02 PMRenting a car in Johannesburg, driving down to Lesotho, back into South Africa and then entering Eswatini. This will be my first time driving in a left-hand traffic country and my first time driving in Africa. I have previously driven in Asia and Europe. This will also be the only time outside of crossing from the U.S.->Canada and vice versa that I have driven a car across a national border, which I will do three times on this trip.
Sadly, this exact portion of the trip has been scrapped. There's a lot of civil unrest in Mozambique right now which was the main destination for my trip. So, now I'm going to fly into Nairobi, Kenya, take a shuttle down to Arusha, Tanzania and climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. I'll also have brief stopovers (where I leave the airport) in Cote d'Ivoire and Ethiopia.
Any plans on seeing the Serengeti? That would be an all-time bucket list item for me.
So, alas, since I'm going by myself, I have a general rule that I don't go to place/do things that are on her bucket list. We had driving safaris planned in Namibia and Botswana back in 2020 and 2021, obviously cancelled for Covid reasons, so I'm intentionally not trying to do much in the way of wildlife. That will probably be a trip for a few years down the line when I can go with my wife and my son (who is only 3 now). I do have a morning to kill in Nairobi so might go to the Nairobi Giraffe Center, but nothing in the wild.
It's also why I switched my trip around altogether. I was planning on just spending a couple days each in Lesotho and Eswatini on the way to the beaches of Mozambique, but if I'm avoiding Mozambique, I thought about staying longer in those two countries. The problem is, they're very small and there's not a lot to do OTHER than wildlife stuff.
So, I decided to change things around completely.
Quote from: gonealookin on October 26, 2024, 02:48:59 PMQuote from: pderocco on October 26, 2024, 12:02:30 AMQuote from: gonealookin on October 25, 2024, 05:54:30 PMRouting would likely be a version of Vegas-Albuquerque-Dallas on the way there, and El Paso-Phoenix on the return. It's about 3800 miles total via the two direct routes, plus any side trips.
Unless you have specific points of interest to visit along the way, I-10 is pretty boring. You should consider taking some of the smaller roads, like US-180 or US-70/60/93. I'd even rather drive I-40 once in both directions.
El Paso is one of the few large cities in the country I've never been to, and that's about one day's (550 miles) drive west on I-10 from San Antonio. You are right that I can probably do a lot better from El Paso than I-10 west to Phoenix, a place I've been to a lot, and San Bernardino; some route through central parts of New Mexico and Arizona up to Kingman, AZ would hit roads I've never been on.
Another option would be to curl south on historic US 80, from Lordsburg NM to Douglas AZ, then through Bisbee and Tombstone.
Might go for another Myrtle Beach trip sometime next summer, since I loved the two trips there from this year.
My first conceptual routing there would be:
US 29 -> Greensboro -> I-74 -> I-95 -> US 501 -> Myrtle Beach
My brother has floated the idea of a long roadtrip next spring. The only definite destination/stop is Albuquerque, where he'll be making a left turn visiting the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. Since he mentioned it to me, I presume I'll be going. I probably won't have much input into the trip; as with the last two long trips I've taken out west with him, I'd just be along for the ride. I'm going to suggest a stop at the Pyramid Bass Pro Shop in Memphis, which is someplace he's said he wants to go, so at least I'd get clinches of I-40 in Oklahoma and Texas out of the deal. Outside of Albuquerque, I have no idea where we'd be going.
Only thing so far, aside from the usual work travel to New York, is my 30-year college reunion. But that barely counts as a roadtrip.
If I list my plans here, it'll jinx them.
Quote from: Rothman on December 17, 2024, 05:42:26 PMIf I list my plans here, it'll jinx them.
Same. I've taken to being very cagey around revealing my plans for non-roadmeet, non-family trips because every time I have, it's collapsed.
Quote from: vdeane on December 17, 2024, 08:09:34 PMQuote from: Rothman on December 17, 2024, 05:42:26 PMIf I list my plans here, it'll jinx them.
Same. I've taken to being very cagey around revealing my plans for non-roadmeet, non-family trips because every time I have, it's collapsed.
I look at it as manifesting, although my trip to Mozambique I had planned apparently set off the civil unrest.
Quote from: vdeane on December 17, 2024, 08:09:34 PMQuote from: Rothman on December 17, 2024, 05:42:26 PMIf I list my plans here, it'll jinx them.
every time I have, it's collapsed.
Same here. I've had the same trips fall through numerous times and just decided to cancel them all.
That's one big reason I haven't been anywhere since October, and have only been on 1 to-trip a month from June to October this year.
So I have a New Year's day-trip truly planned to Gettysburg, PA and back via Hagerstown, MD to break my drought.
Also I'm sticking to my personal belief that the travel-related stuff on January 1 is a "preview" of how the rest of the year will play out. 2023 started with a road trip, that became my biggest travel year ever. 2024 started with a short mini-trip after a road trip was cancelled, that is looking like a short travel year with many cancellations. If I start 2025 in Pennsylvania then maybe I'll have lots of out-of-state trips next year.
I mentioned this in the 2024 Road Trips thread;
Quote from: D-Dey65 on July 24, 2024, 10:48:28 AMI've got another Florida day trip plan, and it will involve Florida's Turnpike. One reason is that I want to increase the number of Wikimedia Commons images for the Canoe Creek Service Plaza:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Canoe_Creek_Service_Plaza
Not to mention start new Wikimedia Commons galleries for the remaining service plazas along the turnpike.
And if I get the chance, I'll do the remaining I-95 rest area images on the way back up. The only problem is, I don't know if I'm going to do it this year, or I'll have to save it for 2025.
But it looks like I'm going to have to save this for sometime in 2025, along with a few others going north.
I have a Pacific Coast Highway trip planned this coming spring, immediately after graduation. I will fly in to SNA, take the highway up the California coast, hopefully clinching CA 1. I'll see if I can find some cheap camping spots along the route, or just sleep in the car. Not dealing with coastal California hotels. Once CA 1 ends in Leggett, I'll take US 101 north, staying in Portland for a day or two. From there, I'll either fly from PDX directly to ANC drive up to SEA and fly in. This will be my first time in Alaska. I'll spend about five days in the state, visiting some national parks, before flying back to DEN.
This is a step down from what I had originally planned, which basically elimitanted the flight part of the trip. I would've driven down to Los Angeles, went north all the way to Anchorage, and driven back. That would've taken significantly longer though. I couldn't get that much time off, so the quicker version it is.
I previously had another trip planned, tripping to southern Georgia, but the people I would've met there are coming here, or rather Wyoming. I'll go up there some time this summer.
My other out-of-state trip for this year is dependent on whether Colorado State qualifies for a bowl game. That will be near the end of the year.
Road trip to Atlanta next weekend.
GO IRISH!
The Gettysburg-Hagerstown trip has unsurprisingly been delayed, but hopefully I'll do it on Tuesday. However, there is a slight chance I drop it back to the early spring just to see the area when it's green and I can spend more time at the stops as there's the later sunsets. (I like to race the sun)
Quote from: jlam on January 11, 2025, 02:21:52 AMI have a Pacific Coast Highway trip planned this coming spring, immediately after graduation. I will fly in to SNA, take the highway up the California coast, hopefully clinching CA 1. I'll see if I can find some cheap camping spots along the route, or just sleep in the car. Not dealing with coastal California hotels. Once CA 1 ends in Leggett, I'll take US 101 north, staying in Portland for a day or two. From there, I'll either fly from PDX directly to ANC drive up to SEA and fly in. This will be my first time in Alaska. I'll spend about five days in the state, visiting some national parks, before flying back to DEN.
This is a step down from what I had originally planned, which basically elimitanted the flight part of the trip. I would've driven down to Los Angeles, went north all the way to Anchorage, and driven back. That would've taken significantly longer though. I couldn't get that much time off, so the quicker version it is.
I previously had another trip planned, tripping to southern Georgia, but the people I would've met there are coming here, or rather Wyoming. I'll go up there some time this summer.
My other out-of-state trip for this year is dependent on whether Colorado State qualifies for a bowl game. That will be near the end of the year.
This looks like a wonderful trip. One bit of information: CA-1 is only called PCH up to the Santa Barbara area, then becomes the Cabrillo Highway up to the Golden Gate, then the Shorline Highway to Leggett. Also, the Cabrillo highway has been closed in a couple of places for quite a while, so I hope they manage to finish up their work before your trip.
I've never been up to Alaska, but I think you're probably right to fly up there. I've looked at the trip through BC and YT on Google Earth and Street View, and it looks like is has many longueurs.
Quote from: jlam on January 11, 2025, 02:21:52 AMI have a Pacific Coast Highway trip planned this coming spring, immediately after graduation. I will fly in to SNA, take the highway up the California coast, hopefully clinching CA 1. I'll see if I can find some cheap camping spots along the route, or just sleep in the car. Not dealing with coastal California hotels. Once CA 1 ends in Leggett, I'll take US 101 north, staying in Portland for a day or two. From there, I'll either fly from PDX directly to ANC drive up to SEA and fly in. This will be my first time in Alaska. I'll spend about five days in the state, visiting some national parks, before flying back to DEN.
This is a step down from what I had originally planned, which basically elimitanted the flight part of the trip. I would've driven down to Los Angeles, went north all the way to Anchorage, and driven back. That would've taken significantly longer though. I couldn't get that much time off, so the quicker version it is.
I previously had another trip planned, tripping to southern Georgia, but the people I would've met there are coming here, or rather Wyoming. I'll go up there some time this summer.
My other out-of-state trip for this year is dependent on whether Colorado State qualifies for a bowl game. That will be near the end of the year.
Just know that outside of Denali, the national parks in Alaska are completely undeveloped. You should have a plan about where you're going and what you're doing. Because most parks don't even have trails.
Quote from: Quillz on January 12, 2025, 07:09:07 PMJust know that outside of Denali, the national parks in Alaska are completely undeveloped. You should have a plan about where you're going and what you're doing. Because most parks don't even have trails.
Kenai Fjords (near Seward) has trails, and also can be seen from tour boats. Wrangell-St. Elias is decently developed in the Kennicott area, though the access highway is mostly unpaved and not rental-car friendly. Glacier Bay in SE Alaska has tour boats.
The bigger problem is jlam wants to spend only about five days in Alaska. The state is so huge that it's hard to get anywhere in so little time. Just Denali and Kenai Fjords would be pushing it. Maybe sub in Glacier Bay, flying back home via Juneau with a side trip to Gustavus where the tour boats are.
Quote from: oscar on January 12, 2025, 10:20:45 PMQuote from: Quillz on January 12, 2025, 07:09:07 PMJust know that outside of Denali, the national parks in Alaska are completely undeveloped. You should have a plan about where you're going and what you're doing. Because most parks don't even have trails.
Kenai Fjords (near Seward) has trails, and also can be seen from tour boats. Wrangell-St. Elias is decently developed in the Kennicott area, though the access highway is mostly unpaved and not rental-car friendly. Glacier Bay in SE Alaska has tour boats.
The bigger problem is jlam wants to spend only about five days in Alaska. The state is so huge that it's hard to get anywhere in so little time. Just Denali and Kenai Fjords would be pushing it. Maybe sub in Glacier Bay, flying back home via Juneau with a side trip to Gustavus where the tour boats are.
I get a bit more time on this trip after another plan cancelled since posting. Here's my planned itinerary as of this evening:
I will leave Flag Day, taking two days to drive down to Dana Point (taking my car so that I don't have to pay for a rental). I'll then have eight days to get up to Portland, not Seattle, to catch a flight to Anchorage. Should have plenty of time. Much of the route up the Pacific is still up in the air, since CA 1 probably won't entirely be open by then. I'll leave my car with friends in Portland before flying to Anchorage on the 24th.
I booked an AirBnB in Anchorage, where I will be staying for six days, not five as previously planned. I'll probably spend the first full day exploring Anchorage, winding down from the trip. On the 26th, I'll drive up to Denali (or McKinley, as it may be called by then), spending a day at the park. Alaska will get a lot of daylight at that time, so I'll have plenty of time to get back. Might want to find a place with blackout curtains. Not sure what I'll do on the 27th, but it'll probably be another Anchorage day, maybe checking out some whales. On the 28th, I'll drive down to Seward, spending a night there before getting on a boat and exploring Kenai Fjords. I'll fly back to Portland on the 30th.
From Portland, I'll pick my car up and drive back home along Interstates 84 and 80. I don't have anything planned yet for those few days. Overall, I would've spent a bit less than three weeks on the road/air/water. This would be my second-longest vacation ever, behind my month-long trip east back in 2020.
Do you think I would have time to do all that stuff in Alaska?
^ Kenai Fjords NP has a visitor center in the Exit Glacier area, in the only road-accessible part of the park. I suggest you review the park website, to make sure you allot enough time in the Seward area to hike whatever trails in the Exit Glacier area you want to do.
There is other stuff between Denali and Seward you might want to check out on your trip, such as viewing the tidal bores of Turnagain Arm and/or a side trip to Whittier. But I suggest deferring that for your next trip to Alaska. What you have on your list already seems manageable.
For Alaska, I'd just spend your days in one area. A week in Anchorage, a week in Fairbanks, etc. It's too hard to do too much all at once. During the winter, I like Fairbanks because I can see the nothern lights, and there are some places in the area you can go hiking. During the summer, Anchorage is nice because you've got access to places like Far North Bicentennial Park, and the Chugach Mountains.
For driving, the Glenn Highway is nice. I do long driving trips between Anchorage and Valdez (both summer and winter), and the part where Mt. Drum comes into view near Glennallen is beautiful. Then on the way to Valdez, you can stop at the Worthington Glacier (summer only) and then down into the town itself, which has a few trails in the area.
Back in the late 90s, I visited Juneau and the other islands via cruise ship. In 2018, I visited the North Slope (Barrow, specifically, with a brief stop at Prudhoe Bay). So I'd pick an area of the state to focus on, and make separate vacations for other areas.
Later in the year, 3 national parks (White Sands, Guadalupe, Carlsbad); Las Cruces NM, El Paso, Carlsbad NM. US 54, 62, 285 will be new sign photo pickups (with various state routes). Wondering what else might be of roadgeek interest in that area.
So at the end of January I will be visiting the redwoods again. Pretty standard trip for me, but I love that area during the winter, usually get some rain. This time I'm going to get to Arcata in a single day, the drive is about 11 hours. Will be doing a rather standard route for me: 5 to 580 to 101. I usually take 1 as much as possible, but will be avoiding it entirely this time in the interest of getting there in one day.
Coming back, I'm thinking of taking 36 to 5. I've never been on 36 west of 5 before and want to see how it compares to 299. Assuming it's open, it often closes during the winter.
I was planning to stay in Crescent City, but I'll be there for a week and it doesn't seem like a good place to spend a whole week. It's more a waypoint kind of location. Doesn't have a lot of sit-down restaurants, things like that. Arcata to the south just has a lot more going on, and I have always liked the marsh which doubles as a bird sanctuary.
I was hoping to use this long weekend to go to Watertown and re-clinch NY 12E, but all the snow is causing problems. Today there's lake effect across the Tug Hill, so I couldn't do the trip today. Tomorrow, there will be a major storm going up the coast to hit Albany, so I can't do the trip then. And Monday, there will be another lake effect event starting in the Tug Hill; it looks like the serious snow will begin in the evening, but if it starts early, it could be a problem.
I'm thinking of getting a hotel around Utica so that I can do the trip tomorrow and come back to Albany after the storm passes, but the storm is expected to clip Utica. It's not currently forecast to be a problem, there, but if the storm tracks any further west (and it's tracked further west every time the forecast gets updated), it could be. So, should I book a hotel, and hope the storm doesn't go further west? Or should I do the trip on Monday, and hope the lake effect holds off until evening? This is REALLY stressing me out, so any advice anyone can give in the next few hours before I have to make a decision is appreciated.
Quote from: vdeane on January 18, 2025, 02:07:27 PMI was hoping to use this long weekend to go to Watertown and re-clinch NY 12E, but all the snow is causing problems. Today there's lake effect across the Tug Hill, so I couldn't do the trip today. Tomorrow, there will be a major storm going up the coast to hit Albany, so I can't do the trip then. And Monday, there will be another lake effect event starting in the Tug Hill; it looks like the serious snow will begin in the evening, but if it starts early, it could be a problem.
I'm thinking of getting a hotel around Utica so that I can do the trip tomorrow and come back to Albany after the storm passes, but the storm is expected to clip Utica. It's not currently forecast to be a problem, there, but if the storm tracks any further west (and it's tracked further west every time the forecast gets updated), it could be. So, should I book a hotel, and hope the storm doesn't go further west? Or should I do the trip on Monday, and hope the lake effect holds off until evening? This is REALLY stressing me out, so any advice anyone can give in the next few hours before I have to make a decision is appreciated.
Heh. We've got a couch! :D
The weather just sounds terrible all around. It was supposed to just rain today and we got snow until the afternoon. Sorry to say it, but I wouldn't trust the weather forecasts as is and, although my car's got good tires on it, it's the other dope on the road you have to worry about. So, if you trust yourself driving in iffy weather, go for it. Otherwise, stay home?
Started the year with the return leg of my trip to Key West via Columbia, Atlanta and Orlando.
Have a trip to Oahu in April and a family reunion in western NC in June. Otherwise, not much additional major travel planned for this year. I think there's space later in the year for perhaps another trip out west, we'll see.
Quote from: jlam on January 11, 2025, 02:21:52 AMI have a Pacific Coast Highway trip planned this coming spring, immediately after graduation. I will fly in to SNA, take the highway up the California coast, hopefully clinching CA 1. I'll see if I can find some cheap camping spots along the route, or just sleep in the car. Not dealing with coastal California hotels. Once CA 1 ends in Leggett, I'll take US 101 north, staying in Portland for a day or two.
Are you sure you're still going to be able to do that? I imagine after all the wildfires, the Pacific Coast Highway will be closed due to the threat of mudslides.
Quote from: D-Dey65 on January 23, 2025, 07:39:14 PMQuote from: jlam on January 11, 2025, 02:21:52 AMI have a Pacific Coast Highway trip planned this coming spring, immediately after graduation. I will fly in to SNA, take the highway up the California coast, hopefully clinching CA 1. I'll see if I can find some cheap camping spots along the route, or just sleep in the car. Not dealing with coastal California hotels. Once CA 1 ends in Leggett, I'll take US 101 north, staying in Portland for a day or two.
Are you sure you're still going to be able to do that? I imagine after all the wildfires, the Pacific Coast Highway will be closed due to the threat of mudslides.
I think the only place along CA-1 that would be threatened is around the Palisades fire, and by then they'll have the road open because so many people depend on it (including construction vehicles).
I think it's more likely that the Cabrillo Highway through the Lucia area may still be closed.
So far, the one trip I've planned is skiing in Banff/Lake Louise, AB the first week of March (my first time skiing there). I'll be getting a new airport pairing (YKF-YYC) and some new mileage on TCH 1, so not much in terms of "travel stats", but skiing out west should be fun unless we have bad luck with weather.
Not sure where else I'll go this year. Last year was a quiet travel year since I purchased my first house, but I hope to go on at least one other trip this year. Unfortunately, I don't plan on visiting the US anytime soon based on recent news, but there's lots of other places to explore. This year could be a good opportunity to try out my flight benefits courtesy of my brother (an Air Canada pilot), either standby if I'm with him, or 25% ticket discount.
Well, I'm going to try for my South Florida Turnpike Rest Area crusade, either late in February, or early in March. This will also include a return trip on I-95 for the southern rest areas there.
Hopefully, some of my other trips will include Brevard County, St. Augustine, the Big Bend, and another Folkston, Georgia excursion. Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll get the chance to return to the New York Tri-State area.
This weekend is going to be my first road trip of the year (as mentioned in the OP).
My wife and I are flying into Sacramento and spending the night at a hotel there. In the morning, we're going to drive up to the Medford area, staying in Jacksonville, and visiting wineries in the Rogue Valley -- source of some of my favorite domestic wines. We're also going to visit the Redwoods and a bit of the northern California/southern Oregon coast. Then we're driving up to Portland on Sunday to fly back home. From a clinching perspective, assuming things go to plan, I'll clinch at a minimum:
6 Counties in California
7 Counties in Oregon
I-5 from Sacramento all the way up to Canada, leaving only the portion from Oceanside to Sacramento to finish it off
I-105
All Oregon interstates
US199
The Oregon/California border which is one of the ones I'm missing
2 New counties "in which I've spent the night" - Yolo, CA and Jackson, OR
Quote from: JayhawkCO on February 10, 2025, 05:57:40 PMThis weekend is going to be my first road trip of the year (as mentioned in the OP).
My wife and I are flying into Sacramento and spending the night at a hotel there. In the morning, we're going to drive up to the Medford area, staying in Jacksonville, and visiting wineries in the Rogue Valley -- source of some of my favorite domestic wines. We're also going to visit the Redwoods and a bit of the northern California/southern Oregon coast. Then we're driving up to Portland on Sunday to fly back home. From a clinching perspective, assuming things go to plan, I'll clinch at a minimum:
6 Counties in California
7 Counties in Oregon
I-5 from Sacramento all the way up to Canada, leaving only the portion from Oceanside to Sacramento to finish it off
I-105
All Oregon interstates
US199
The Oregon/California border which is one of the ones I'm missing
2 New counties "in which I've spent the night" - Yolo, CA and Jackson, OR
And of course, the weather gods have decided to fight me on this. I-5 north of Red Bluff has chain restrictions and I can't find a single rental car company at SMF that has an AWD/4WD car with snow rated tires. And I'd still have to buy chains (and return them). So, I switched my flight to Portland for both directions. Maybe I'll see if the wife will let us drive a different way than normal so I'm not just doing I-5 in both directions.
Quote from: kurumi on January 13, 2025, 11:06:54 AMLater in the year, 3 national parks (White Sands, Guadalupe, Carlsbad); Las Cruces NM, El Paso, Carlsbad NM. US 54, 62, 285 will be new sign photo pickups (with various state routes). Wondering what else might be of roadgeek interest in that area.
New Mexico has enough garbage signage to keep any roadgeek interested (and irritated).
Seriously, though... If you're looking for some scenery that's more interesting than US-62 between Carlsbad Caverns and the town of Carlsbad, then I suggest
Dark Canyon Road and NM-137 (https://maps.app.goo.gl/NccmgU5zser4Cumd6).
Returning used, perfectly good, chains sounds like a good study for an ethics course.
I still have never actually used my chains in all the years I've lived out here. All CHP has ever cared about is if I had them in the car.
Quote from: Rothman on February 13, 2025, 02:07:30 PMReturning used, perfectly good, chains sounds like a good study for an ethics course.
I wouldn't have used them and returned them obviously. It's also against the rental agreement to use them on the car. I was just going to have them in the trunk.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on February 13, 2025, 06:06:30 PMQuote from: Rothman on February 13, 2025, 02:07:30 PMReturning used, perfectly good, chains sounds like a good study for an ethics course.
I wouldn't have used them and returned them obviously. It's also against the rental agreement to use them on the car. I was just going to have them in the trunk.
<.<
>.>
Sus. ;D
Quote from: JayhawkCO on February 13, 2025, 01:38:46 PMAnd of course, the weather gods have decided to fight me on this. I-5 north of Red Bluff has chain restrictions and I can't find a single rental car company at SMF that has an AWD/4WD car with snow rated tires. And I'd still have to buy chains (and return them). So, I switched my flight to Portland for both directions. Maybe I'll see if the wife will let us drive a different way than normal so I'm not just doing I-5 in both directions.
The obvious different way is US-101, but that takes forever. I'd opt for US-97, and maybe US-197 to or from the Dalles.
Of course, this is their rainy season, even more than ours in California.
My road trip goal is my proverbial White Whale. I've never fully clinched a 2di in it's entirety, only through individual states. The closest is I-71. I'm only missing a mere 2-mile stretch in Cleveland. I hope to accomplish that sometime this year. Along the trip I intend to finish US 42 (I'm missing between Delaware and Cleveland) and OH 3 (I'm missing between Columbus and Cleveland). That would be the first US Highway I've fully clinched and the longest state highway (any state) I've clinched.
Quote from: Rothman on February 13, 2025, 02:07:30 PMReturning used, perfectly good, chains sounds like a good study for an ethics course.
If I ever drove through winter weather again (which I probably will someday) and I'd have to buy chains, I'd rather buy a set I can keep and put in storage somewhere.
Quote from: D-Dey65 on February 18, 2025, 10:22:33 PMQuote from: Rothman on February 13, 2025, 02:07:30 PMReturning used, perfectly good, chains sounds like a good study for an ethics course.
If I ever drove through winter weather again (which I probably will someday) and I'd have to buy chains, I'd rather buy a set I can keep and put in storage somewhere.
I bought chains for my last car, and never used them for the ten years or so until I junked the car. Now I have another car which requires larger chains.
Quote from: D-Dey65 on February 18, 2025, 10:22:33 PMIf I ever drove through winter weather again (which I probably will someday) and I'd have to buy chains, I'd rather buy a set I can keep and put in storage somewhere.
Of course, considering that the original context was a trip that includes flying and then renting a car... that would involve having an extra suitcase for your tire chains on the return flight.
My wife and I might drive back up to Guadalajara for a family day trip this week. My father in law didn't seem too enthusiastic about that idea so we'll see if him to go.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 19, 2025, 03:17:54 PMMy wife and I might drive back up to Guadalajara for a family day trip this week. My father in law didn't seem too enthusiastic about that idea so we'll see if him to go.
Have you been to Tequila? My wife and I took a tour of the José Cuervo distillery on our honeymoon.
Quote from: kphoger on February 19, 2025, 03:52:25 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on February 19, 2025, 03:17:54 PMMy wife and I might drive back up to Guadalajara for a family day trip this week. My father in law didn't seem too enthusiastic about that idea so we'll see if him to go.
Have you been to Tequila? My wife and I took a tour of the José Cuervo distillery on our honeymoon.
Not yet, I keep bringing it up as something I want to see.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 19, 2025, 04:09:25 PMQuote from: kphoger on February 19, 2025, 03:52:25 PMHave you been to Tequila? My wife and I took a tour of the José Cuervo distillery on our honeymoon.
Not yet, I keep bringing it up as something I want to see.
When we did the tour back in '06, we were the only English-speaking participants in that particular group. But the tour guide was decently bilingual and translated everything into English just for us.
Quote from: kphoger on February 19, 2025, 05:17:25 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on February 19, 2025, 04:09:25 PMQuote from: kphoger on February 19, 2025, 03:52:25 PMHave you been to Tequila? My wife and I took a tour of the José Cuervo distillery on our honeymoon.
Not yet, I keep bringing it up as something I want to see.
When we did the tour back in '06, we were the only English-speaking participants in that particular group. But the tour guide was decently bilingual and translated everything into English just for us.
I'm getting better at speaking Spanish myself, but I'm only barely functioning. My wife is fluent in English and Spanish. When we visit here I'm basically the only one besides my oldest niece who doesn't speak almost exclusively Spanish.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 19, 2025, 05:19:41 PMI'm getting better at speaking Spanish myself, but I'm only barely functioning. My wife is fluent in English and Spanish. When we visit here I'm basically the only one besides my oldest niece who doesn't speak almost exclusively Spanish.
For me, it definitely depends who's talking. We once took a tour of Casa Madero (named after Francisco Madero's family), which is just north of the town we've done Christian ministry in for years and is the oldest winery in North America. I understood about 10% of the guide's Spanish. A couple of years later, when our friend's pickup truck broke a wheel bearing and we enlisted the help of a couple of hitchhiking migrant farm workers we'd picked up to help find a mechanic, I understood even less of their Spanish. So, small town farm Spanish ("ranch Spanish"), not so much. But when I've been around college-educated professionals, I've been able to understand their Spanish perfectly well.
Quote from: kphoger on February 19, 2025, 05:31:13 PMFor me, it definitely depends who's talking. We once took a tour of Casa Madero (named after Francisco Madero's family), which is just north of the town we've done Christian ministry in for years and is the oldest winery in North America. I understood about 10% of the guide's Spanish. A couple of years later, when our friend's pickup truck broke a wheel bearing and we enlisted the help of a couple of hitchhiking migrant farm workers we'd picked up to help find a mechanic, I understood even less of their Spanish. So, small town farm Spanish ("ranch Spanish"), not so much. But when I've been around college-educated professionals, I've been able to understand their Spanish perfectly well.
I sometimes have the same issue with English speakers.
Quote from: kphoger on February 19, 2025, 03:11:41 PMQuote from: D-Dey65 on February 18, 2025, 10:22:33 PMIf I ever drove through winter weather again (which I probably will someday) and I'd have to buy chains, I'd rather buy a set I can keep and put in storage somewhere.
Of course, considering that the original context was a trip that includes flying and then renting a car... that would involve having an extra suitcase for your tire chains on the return flight.
Nevertheless, since I won't fly up north, and would actually drive all the way up, I stand by my statement.
Speaking of which, if I ever get to Rockland County again for any reason, one place I'd like to visit is Sloatsburg. The southwest end of Seven Lakes Drive that allows more than just passenger cars seems like an interesting feature to take pictures of.
Quote from: gonealookin on October 25, 2024, 05:54:30 PMI'm planning on attending consecutive PGA Tour events, the final weekend of March in Houston and the first weekend of April in San Antonio. I'm leaning toward driving my own car rather than flying and renting a car. It would be the first time I've ever driven my own car east of Interstate 25; all previous trips east of there have been fly/rent.
From Lake Tahoe it looks like Houston is slightly more than three days' reasonable driving. I think the return from San Antonio could be done in three days. However, I could add a little time to explore some places I haven't been to.
Routing would likely be a version of Vegas-Albuquerque-Dallas on the way there, and El Paso-Phoenix on the return. It's about 3800 miles total via the two direct routes, plus any side trips.
After more consideration I bailed on the long drive on this one. The two golf tournaments with the three days in between gives me 11 days in Texas, and the driving days from Tahoe were going to extend it to 18 days which is a bit more time on the road than I care for. Still doing the two PGA Tour events, but flying RNO to SAT and renting a car.
The Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, TX is conveniently between San Antonio and Houston, so that tour is on the schedule. If it's beach weather between the two golf events I might go down to Port Aransas (I liked South Padre but it's a bit too far), otherwise the Mon.-Wed. gap will be filled in the Hill Country.
My South Florida Turnpike Rest Area WikiPhoto Crusade is officially happening on Tuesday. I just hope I can get back to Hernando County before the day is done and still gather some I-95 rest area images on the way up, and maybe not run into any serious traffic jams.
Let me remind the rest of you of what's there as of this writing;
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Florida%27s_Turnpike_service_areas
*One image in the Canoe Creek Service Plaza category.
*Eight images in the Fort Drum Service Plaza category.
*Nine images in the Okahumpka Service Plaza category.
*Seven images in the Fort Pierce Service Plaza category.
*Twelve images in the Turkey Lake Service Plaza category.
And three loose images from the Pompano Beach, Port Saint Lucie, and Snapper Creek Service Plazas.
I have an upcoming business trip to Sacramento, but for rather obvious reasons I'll be flying out. The only nonstop flight available arrives at 10 PM, however, which would feel like 1:00 AM. So instead I'm flying to San Francisco, taking the BART to Richmond, and then taking Amtrak up to Sacramento, then on the trip home I'll take a cab to the airport in Sacramento because the nonstop heading east gets home at a civilized time (although it has a very early departure).
I'm not going to be renting a car because I won't get reimbursed for it and I won't have time for any recreational activity anyway. But does anyone have any restaurant recommendations for Sacramento? I'll be staying near Sutter's Fort, although the work site is downtown.
I think my next Florida day trip, which will probably be in April or May will be in the vicinity of St. Augustine, specifially West St. Augustine. I believe I've mentioned in another post that I want to capture the former US 1 via Volusia County Road 5, and some segments of historic downtown West Fort King Street (Volusia CR 214).
And I just remembered I wanted to make another SunRail runs from the DeLand Amtrak station. Only I don't want to go as far south as Tupperware station like I did last time.
Trip #2 is coming up sooner than expected! I'll be spending Fri-Mon (last weekend of March) in Halifax/Dartmouth, NS. My cousin's son is having his first birthday and it'll be my first time meeting him. It's also been 22 years since my one-and-only trip to the Maritimes, so it'll be cool to revisit. We'll be renting a car so we can explore outside the city too.
There's also an 83% partial solar eclipse happening Saturday at sunrise. It's a cloudy time of year there, so time will tell if it's even visible that morning, fingers crossed. Meanwhile, I'm impatiently waiting for the August 2026 total solar eclipse in Spain, which I really hope to see!
Quote from: 7/8 on March 23, 2025, 10:31:08 AMTrip #2 is coming up sooner than expected! I'll be spending Fri-Mon (last weekend of March) in Halifax/Dartmouth, NS. My cousin's son is having his first birthday and it'll be my first time meeting him. It's also been 22 years since my one-and-only trip to the Maritimes, so it'll be cool to revisit. We'll be renting a car so we can explore outside the city too.
There's also an 83% partial solar eclipse happening Saturday at sunrise. It's a cloudy time of year there, so time will tell if it's even visible that morning, fingers crossed. Meanwhile, I'm impatiently waiting for the August 2026 total solar eclipse in Spain, which I really hope to see!
I loved my trip to the Maritimes back in 2021. Right around Halifax, I really liked the drive east of town on NS107.
I've been to Elkins, WV, many times (including last year) but I recently discovered another Elkins that I need to visit, that being Elkins, Ark. I now have a more road-worthy vehicle (a 2011 Chevy Impala with 103K miles that was a gift from my brother, who inherited it from his late father-in-law) so once I get some minor repairs made to it, I may head west. That would give me a good opportunity to clinch US 412 in Arkansas.
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on October 24, 2024, 07:53:33 PMDoing a Spring Break trip (probably the last with both kids) to Baltimore. Stopping at Gettysburg on the way. Visiting Annapolis, and making a side trip into Delaware as it's the only state east of the Mississippi that the kids haven't been to.
This trip did happen, though we spent longer than anticipated at Gettysburg so we didn't have time for the side trip to Delaware.
Quote from: 1995hoo on March 10, 2025, 09:00:35 PMI have an upcoming business trip to Sacramento, but for rather obvious reasons I'll be flying out. The only nonstop flight available arrives at 10 PM, however, which would feel like 1:00 AM. So instead I'm flying to San Francisco, taking the BART to Richmond, and then taking Amtrak up to Sacramento, then on the trip home I'll take a cab to the airport in Sacramento because the nonstop heading east gets home at a civilized time (although it has a very early departure).
I'm not going to be renting a car because I won't get reimbursed for it and I won't have time for any recreational activity anyway. But does anyone have any restaurant recommendations for Sacramento? I'll be staying near Sutter's Fort, although the work site is downtown.
My Sacramento trip was cancelled. So now the only things I have on my radar are my class reunion in May and an anniversary trip to the Inn at Little Washington this summer.
I'm planning to visit my mom in the Myrtle Beach area in June or July and plan to spend the night in Norfolk/Virginia Beach on my way down, then the next day retrace the steps of a way my dad took through eastern NC one time that involved driving through Greenville.
Next weekend I will be going to the Eastern Sierra. I usually like Mono Lake and the nearby crater, but they might still be buried in snow. (CA-120 is still closed). If they are, I will do two days in Death Valley instead of just one like I was planning.
For all my life, I've somehow avoided Death Valley. Only been there twice: once a decade ago and didn't actually see any of the famous spots (just Scotty's Castle + a couple nearby things), then last summer just drove through it. This time I plan to actually see the cool stuff, of course Badwater. Maybe a few other things.
Mainly I did a really long loop drive home last year where I finally did CA-168 over the White Mountains, CA-266, from there went into Nevada and then came down via Daylight Pass. Loved the drive and CA-190 through Death Valley. So I want to do a proper trip there before it's unbearably hot. (Looks like it will "only" be about 100 F).
Quote from: Quillz on May 04, 2025, 08:00:12 PMNext weekend I will be going to the Eastern Sierra. I usually like Mono Lake and the nearby crater, but they might still be buried in snow. (CA-120 is still closed). If they are, I will do two days in Death Valley instead of just one like I was planning.
I doubt it will be buried in snow. 120 to Benton stays closed because it's over a thousand feet higher.
Quote from: Quillz on May 04, 2025, 08:00:12 PMFor all my life, I've somehow avoided Death Valley. Only been there twice: once a decade ago and didn't actually see any of the famous spots (just Scotty's Castle + a couple nearby things), then last summer just drove through it. This time I plan to actually see the cool stuff, of course Badwater. Maybe a few other things.
Glad you saw Scotty's Castle. That's been closed for several years now. And don't skip Dante's View. If you don't mind some graded but sometimes washboardy dirt roads, you might consider going between Big Pine and route 190 via Eureka Dunes. They're pretty impressive. I've done that drive twice in regular passenger cars.
Quote from: Quillz on May 04, 2025, 08:00:12 PMMainly I did a really long loop drive home last year where I finally did CA-168 over the White Mountains, CA-266, from there went into Nevada and then came down via Daylight Pass. Loved the drive and CA-190 through Death Valley. So I want to do a proper trip there before it's unbearably hot. (Looks like it will "only" be about 100 F).
That is a nice loop. And 100F isn't that bad; we get that where I live many times in the summer, 20 miles from the ocean.
There is a chance I might be doing another road trip to Florida like last year. And not really a road trip but I will be in St. Louis for the first weekend in June.
Wife and I are flying to Ohio to visit our old stomping grounds.
Among the areas, Cleveland, Akron, Columbus and Toledo. Also planning to hit Girard, near Youngstown, to what is considered one of the largest collections of playable pinball machines (mostly older) under one roof. Because, ever since I was a young boy, I played the silver ball.
I'll be driving to Minneapolis in a week and visiting a few cities on the way back (hoping to see Madison, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Denver for the first time). 15 days to travel in a wide loop this time around.
Quote from: Bruce on May 12, 2025, 02:02:06 PMI'll be driving to Minneapolis in a week and visiting a few cities on the way back (hoping to see Madison, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Denver for the first time). 15 days to travel in a wide loop this time around.
If you're stopping in Denver for the night and want to grab a beer, let me know!
Back from my weekend Eastern Sierra trip.
Saturday was nice, stayed in Mammoth (very empty right now, it's between seasons) and did Mono Lake. Indeed, there was no snow or any issues. Always like walking around the area. I was considering doing a really long loop consisting of CA-167 to US-6 back to CA-120 (which was open, despite what it says on QuickMap and other sources), but this was nearly 200 miles so I passed.
Sunday was Death Valley. Hit 114 F at Badwater Basin. Visited that, did the Artist's Drive, walked on the Mesquite sand dunes, and did a 2-mile loop around Ubehebe Crater (which by the end of the day, had cooled down to 98 F). Love the drive on CA-190 heading east, it's much more dramatic than west. In all, did about four big stops, with a fair bit of driving in between. Unfortunately, the road that connects Scotty's Castle to Scotty's JCT in Nevada is NOT open, despite what two park rangers told me, despite what several maps show, and what the Death Valley NPS page says. (They all mention the castle being closed, which is correct, but say the road connections are open). So when I go to the crater, I had to turn back to Daylight Pass. (There is a sign saying that the US-95 connection is closed, but it would be nice if all this information was synced). Getting there was 203 -> 395 -> 136 -> 190. Coming back, I did Daylight Pass to Beatty, NV. Then 95 to 266 (both states), 168 back to 395 and then 203. And I think the Westward Pass drive is nicer westward, since you can see the Sierra from really far away (at least 40 miles or so).
Coming home today, I did the new Olancha bypass. It's pretty smooth because I didn't even realize I was on it until I noticed the old road off to the left. The views are pretty much the same as before, although it seems that there's still a lot going on. Looks like where 190 used to connect to 395, it's now being extended straight west to the new bypass, as there was a lot of construction going on right here, and a compactor rolling over new asphalt. I guess that will be an additional access point to go alongside either end of what will be a new business loop (and the southern extension of CA-190).
I only had one day in DV, and there's obviously a lot of stuff I missed (didn't even go south of Badwater). I am planning a full weekend trip there later in the year, maybe winter. Already made a list of a lot of things I want to see, maybe try to hang out at night and do some amateur astronomy. There are some other things I'd like to see (the famous sailing stones), but 45-mile dirt roads that have awful washboarding (according to many recent reviews) is probably not going to be in my plans.
I'm going up to Washington and British Columbia in July. I've never been to Vancouver so that will be new. Nothing we have planned for Washington is new territory for me.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 12, 2025, 04:18:53 PMI'm going up to Washington and British Columbia in July. I've never been to Vancouver so that will be new. Nothing we have planned for Washington is new territory for me.
Vancouver is nice. Went there a lot during the 90s. It always felt like "Seattle North" to me, very similar culturally, but more smoking.
Recommend renting a bike and riding Stanley Park. And doing a drive on the Sea-to-Sky Highway up to Whistler.
Taking the family to Toronto in June. Going to cross at Port Huron one way and Detroit the other, but haven't decided which order yet.
In addition to my NYC interstate clinching day before my Africa trip, I'll also be driving from Dulles to Providence on the back end to catch my flight back to Denver. My full routing will be somewhat dependent on day-of traffic and any potential flight delays, but I hope to at least clinch I-84 and all Connecticut "counties" at a minimum.
Quote from: Quillz on May 12, 2025, 04:16:56 PMSunday was Death Valley. Hit 114 F at Badwater Basin. Visited that, did the Artist's Drive, walked on the Mesquite sand dunes, and did a 2-mile loop around Ubehebe Crater (which by the end of the day, had cooled down to 98 F). Love the drive on CA-190 heading east, it's much more dramatic than west. In all, did about four big stops, with a fair bit of driving in between. Unfortunately, the road that connects Scotty's Castle to Scotty's JCT in Nevada is NOT open, despite what two park rangers told me, despite what several maps show, and what the Death Valley NPS page says. (They all mention the castle being closed, which is correct, but say the road connections are open).
This has always said it's closed:
https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/conditions.htm (https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/conditions.htm)
I keep an eye on that, because it's the only bit of California road that I haven't clinched in TravelMapping.
I did my most recent SunRail photography crusade last Thursday, taking Bi-County Road 42 to FL 44 in order to go to DeLand's Amtrak and SunRail station. I took the train to Sand Lake Road station in Pine Castle in order to capture more images of CSX's Taft Yard. Somebody added a Wikimedia commons category with only one pic, and I decided it could use a little filling.
I also captured two other stations in between.
I even got some road signs or two along the way.
I still want to take trips to St. Augustine, the Big Bend, some railroad pics related to Polk County, and a few others. I'm even considering another SunRail trip. My chances of hitting the New York Tri-State area seems to be depending on whether or not any family members die.
After spending the spring driving all over Alabama, on Tuesday I will take my first trip to Tennessee since 2018 and my first trip to Nashville in 20 years.
It's been a couple years since I've been able to travel somewhere other than Chicago in the summer, but this year I'll have two trips to look forward to. Next month I'll be traveling to Alabama to visit family. I see them every Christmas in Alabama so the route is no stranger to me. On the flip side, I'll be visiting the other side of the family in eastern PA in July. I haven't been on the PA Turnpike since I was five, and I'll be looking forward to adding I-76 and I-283 (and potentially I-277) to my list of interstates driven.
Next weekend, I'll spend four days in southern UT and northeastern AZ--and maybe further south. I'll be hitting the Grand Canyon North Rim for the first time, and I hope there isn't much snow left up there. Also, UT-143 and UT-148 look like they're open, in the mountains east of Cedar City. I'm hoping the 20-mile dirt part of UT-153 further north is open by then. I like elevations with five digits. Just for grins, I'll probably drive what was once called US-89T, the temporary routing of US-89 south of Page AZ from ten years ago. I don't have much left to clinch in AZ, and I'll undoubtedly finish off a lot of it, but some may have to wait for a two-week trip I'm planning for late June or early July.
Winding down a long western roadtrip.
Clinched:
current I-11
I-25
I-215 (NV)
I-470 (MO)
I-805 (CA)
AZ/NM 80
CA 15
CA 75
NM 21
NM 292
NM 333
NV 172
a bunch of business loops mostly in NM and AZ
I'm going to Arizona in September. I want to drive the windy mountain 191 if it's still open then
Quote from: texaskdog on May 22, 2025, 03:23:46 AMI'm going to Arizona in September. I want to drive the windy mountain 191 if it's still open then
I'm driving that this weekend. Those mountains aren't very snowy, so I would expect it's likely to be clear in September.
A mid-June trip. We'll take a day to drive to the easternmost part of the Upper Peninsula for some sign photos, then head to Interlochen. Mrs. wanderer is participating in an adult string orchestra event for a few days; I will wander around the area for sign photos or (if the weather is decent) some dayhiking at Sleeping Bear Dunes and the Leelanau Conservancy. From there we'll take a day to get to Stratford, Ontario to see some shows. Our last show is a Saturday evening performance and we decided to drive home that night; I'm hoping the traffic backup at the Port Huron border crossing will be lessened, and it will give me a day to unwind before returning to work.
October will be our usual drive to the Baltimore cruise port. I'm still thinking about detours for sign photos on the trip home. Maybe I-68 west from Hancock to get photos around the US-220 and US-219 interchanges before getting back on the Turnpike.
I'm getting my plans ready for this year.
From April 18-20, I clinched US35 and I-79 on a counterclockwise loop, but that is in the past now.
May 29-June 1: Drive down to the Jonesboro, Illinois area to experience the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. Try and clinch IL-3 on the way south, and get some mileage along IL-37 on the way home. We will mainly use I-55 south and I-57 back north.
July 2-6: Finish "routesnapping" Wisconsin, by driving across the western part of the state and photographing route markers for the shield gallery. This will take me to La Crosse, Menomonie, Duluth, Grand Rapids (MN), St. Cloud, St. Paul, Decorah, and Dubuque. US52 will be clinched from St. Paul to Dubuque. (Trip waypoints are shown in dark red if you click this parenthetical.) (https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1WcnQdLEsO_NJ75JGxXhNOLhcb-k&usp=sharing)
July 24-27: Head down to Huntsville, Alabama for a long weekend. Day 1 will land me in the Memphis area, and Day 2 will involve a morning clinch of I-22.
September 12-28: A big, big trip to Los Angeles (https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1_PBpwlHVLAgNsA08Tbxn10E8Qs7as_M&usp=sharing) by way of clinching I-90 west of me and all of I-15. I start off by clinching all of US10 west of Lake Michigan, then finishing US52 north of I-94 in North Dakota. I head to Seattle, then loop back east to the north end of I-15 in Sweet Grass, Montana. I will clinch all of I-15 in one swoop, coming back north on I-5 to end up in Los Angeles. Then I see theme parks with my wife and fly home after that.
October 8-13: Maybe I start collecting sunflowers? (https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1GGGa92gPR4j7PoaIuciUTwhNqoeCE2g9&usp=sharing) This would be a 6-day trip to photograph all the sunflower route markers in Kansas, because I like them. The goal, as with all routesnapping, is one photographed example of each route number in Kansas. This trip would be one of two needed to complete the state.
We are planning on spending late July and early August on a cross-country trip. We'd definitely go to south-central Washington state (where my wife grew up - her mother is still there) and possibly Salt Lake and/or friends and relatives from southern California to the DFW metroplex.
A relatively short road trip this weekend, but one I haven't done in quite a while: Rochester, NY to Cleveland, OH area and back.
I'm going to clinch I-10 this summer (and with a very slight possibility of also clinching I-40), somehow. It'll be a while but I think I'll get through it. I've already gotten just over half of it cleared from previous trips (El Paso to points east, and the section between I-5 and I-15).
My next trip will include a southern Polk County railroad photography crusade, and probably another round trip on SunRail, but this time it will be from Poinciana to Longwood and back.
The thing is though, one of the locations I'm looking for is Welcome Junction in Keysville, Florida, because it's the junction between the Plant City and Valrico Subdivisions (https://www.google.com/maps/@27.8653027,-82.0919964,245m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDYwNC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D). However, in order to actually capture the junction I need to either;
A)Try to sneak onto the tracks from the railroad crossing of an active railroad line (https://www.google.com/maps/@27.8646008,-82.0959151,3a,75y,110.69h,95.75t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sEmBBkxDL8QLYleCLLBkfGA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-5.751411163157499%26panoid%3DEmBBkxDL8QLYleCLLBkfGA%26yaw%3D110.69042480880928!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDYwNC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D).
B)Trudge through some swampland between East Keysville Road and the Valrico Subdivision (https://www.google.com/maps/@27.8644435,-82.0917182,3a,75y,329.41h,91.16t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s29wMBBEBv5m8V2fMqG0ZTg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-1.1637858305572735%26panoid%3D29wMBBEBv5m8V2fMqG0ZTg%26yaw%3D329.40627996867534!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDYwNC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) with God only knows what hiding in the tall grass.
C)Blow a butt-load of money on a drone, and the FAA License to go with it, with the risk of losing control of the thing and never getting it back.
Quote from: D-Dey65 on June 09, 2025, 01:09:47 AMMy next trip will include a southern Polk County railroad photography crusade, and probably another round trip on SunRail, but this time it will be from Poinciana to Longwood and back.
The thing is though, one of the locations I'm looking for is Welcome Junction in Keysville, Florida, because it's the junction between the Plant City and Valrico Subdivisions (https://www.google.com/maps/@27.8653027,-82.0919964,245m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDYwNC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D). However, in order to actually capture the junction I need to either;
A)Try to sneak onto the tracks from the railroad crossing of an active railroad line (https://www.google.com/maps/@27.8646008,-82.0959151,3a,75y,110.69h,95.75t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sEmBBkxDL8QLYleCLLBkfGA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-5.751411163157499%26panoid%3DEmBBkxDL8QLYleCLLBkfGA%26yaw%3D110.69042480880928!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDYwNC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D).
B)Trudge through some swampland between East Keysville Road and the Valrico Subdivision (https://www.google.com/maps/@27.8644435,-82.0917182,3a,75y,329.41h,91.16t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s29wMBBEBv5m8V2fMqG0ZTg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-1.1637858305572735%26panoid%3D29wMBBEBv5m8V2fMqG0ZTg%26yaw%3D329.40627996867534!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDYwNC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) with God only knows what hiding in the tall grass.
C)Blow a butt-load of money on a drone, and the FAA License to go with it, with the risk of losing control of the thing and never getting it back.
It might be nice if Google starting putting "street view" cameras on trains.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on May 12, 2025, 05:19:32 PMIn addition to my NYC interstate clinching day before my Africa trip, I'll also be driving from Dulles to Providence on the back end to catch my flight back to Denver. My full routing will be somewhat dependent on day-of traffic and any potential flight delays, but I hope to at least clinch I-84 and all Connecticut "counties" at a minimum.
And because my trips to Africa seem to always have something weird happen to them, I won't be making either of these road trips. I managed to contract pneumonia and so can't do my Kilimanjaro climb next week. I managed to change my plans to later in the summer, but it won't allow for the road trips.
Damn. Feel better.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on June 09, 2025, 03:39:23 PMDamn. Feel better.
Thanks. It's a bit of a rough go honestly. Caught it despite being in arguably the best shape of my life right now, which also makes this more annoying since I can't keep doing my training runs until I get this all cleared.