Comments | nyias: I've got the itch

nyias

I've got the itch

Feb 19, 2009 17:45

Is this too ambitious for a 2009 summer travel plan? I have an itch to travel, and I know that this summer is one of the last opportunities I'll have to do this kind of ridiculous sweep of a continent before I have to settle down and get a real job. (If any of those are even available in late 2009, that is.) Assuming money is no object, my idea... ( Read more... )

ljfriends, travel

Comments 5

screendoor3 February 20 2009, 02:47:12 UTC

I liked Kitchener. There is a cool book store, but the city center is kind of ghetto. I hear London is kick-ass.

I could've shown you around Minneapolis.

South Dakota is great. I'd say drive, because you can stop where you want and see things. I hear Lincoln is pretty cool. Try some Kansas City-style ribs if that's where you're heading. I liked Pierre, but I didn't see much of it. Aberdeen is pretty touristy, and Watertown has the Terry Redlin museum, but you won't be on that end of the state. I hear Custer State Park is cool. I like the Dakotas. Salt Lake City would be interesting. You could see all the Mormon things.

nyias February 22 2009, 22:07:07 UTC

I don't know a lot about what's in southern Ontario. For most Canadians who don't live in the province, it seems like all the other cities (Kitchener, London, Hamilton, St. Catharines, Barrie, etc.) are just part of Toronto's urban sprawl.

It's too bad you won't be in Minneapolis then. I'll probably spend that time with my family, though, hence the side-trip there.

My only concern with driving around the USA is that I have never really driven on a proper highway with traffic. I did drive on a highway, once, all day, but I was pretty much the only vehicle around. On the other hand, I feel like driving in South Dakota (or Nebraska or Kansas or Wyoming) would be the logical next step in getting acquainted with highway driving. There would be some traffic, but not to New Jersey levels. I might e-mail some of their Transportation departments and find out what the actual traffic volumes are on their north-south highways.

screendoor3 February 23 2009, 00:53:42 UTC

I thought Barrie was Toronto. :P

In those states, there really isn't any traffic, except maybe in Rapid City. Sioux Falls might be a little busy. Omaha/Lincoln...E-Mail them. :P

nyias February 26 2009, 00:55:55 UTC

I will! My weekend is going to be full of figuring out highway routes and asking odd questions of Nebraska DOT.

(The comment has been removed)

nyias February 22 2009, 21:56:44 UTC

I really enjoyed taking the train through Manitoba and Alberta last summer (and Saskatchewan, but it was dark out the entire time), which is partly where I came up with the Kansas / Nebraska idea. I think that the prairie is gorgeous. I don't think I'd really intend to go, like, hang out in Lincoln for a week.

Some of my family lives in western Michigan, and some of my friends live in southern Ontario, so I'd be able to visit them. And in general I just dig Chicago; it's my favourite city. If I'm gonna be in the neighbourhood I should really go.

And although Austin does sound like a fabulous place to visit, I think it's just a little too far for this summer. :(