OK, after years of dreaming, planning, wishing, dreaming some more, we are finally about to take the BIG TRIP! Below is a tentative itenery, with starting locations, routes, stopping locations and estimated road time for each day.

I’m asking any of you with experience in these travel areas to make suggestions. I’m particularly in the dark as to my drive times, as I have no knowledge of local traffic conditions. Also, I’ve picked no particular campgrounds, so let me know if you have favorites, or ones to avoid. Trish, I may need extra help up your way, as I only know a few words of Canadiannian; “That’s a bear, eh?”

We will be three in my little Toyota class C, my wife and myself, and of course, Kit. As you know, I like historical venues, particularly Amerindian culture, art museums, local festivals, and SCENERY. You may notice that we are travelling almost every day. This has worked for us in past years, as we have seldom stayed anywhere more than a day or two. We’ve made several trips of longer than 2 weeks, but never in anything so small as the Toyota.

Many of the normal vacation activities of the west are not ideal for us. Since Kit is almost blind, we never plan “thrill” rides. I love to hike and Kit likes to walk gently, but anything over a mile is pushing it, and I’m too old to carry him very far like I used to. Boat rides are great for everyone, (especially if they serve a good “Bloody Mary”). My wife would spend the entire trip in Santa Fe, alternating betwen the art galleries and the jewelry shops.

I detest heavy traffic, and would like to avoid the Interstates whenever possible, and the Toyo is only a 4 cyl, so I worry about extreme mountain passes. I like to drive with 60 as a top speed, and much less in pretty country. I’m aiming for drive times of 4 to 6 hours normally, with a few longer days, as we cross familiar miles of Texas.

Finally, I realize that we’re trying to see an awful lot in 28 days. I had originally planned to be on the road for 6 weeks, but that was before my wife decided to go, and still, four weeks in the little Toyota with 3 of us may be a little tough. However, I could stretch it out a day or two, if there is something additional we really want to see. I hate to miss places nearby like Yellowstone or Yosemite, but figure they are worth another trip of their own.

I’m afraid I might have to miss Aunt Bee, as we’re not realy going too near her home, but we are practically driving through Tricia’s front yard. I really hope we can meet up with some of you. Rob, isin’t it time for a little trip out west? We could brainstorm on a plot for my “Leistener” story.

Day 1 - Beaumont TX - IH10 West - Balmorea TX 12 hours drive time

Day 2 - Balmorea - IH 10 W-70 W - 180 N- Alpine AZ - 7 hrs

Day 3 - Alpine - 191 N- Canyon de Chelly AZ - 4 hrs

Day 4 - Canyon de Chelly - 191N - 95 W -24 W - Capitol Reef NP UT - 5 hrs

Day 6 - Capitol Reef - 24 W - 50 W - Fallon NEV - 7 hrs

Day 7 - Fallon - 50 W -IH 80 W- IH 505 N to Winters CA - 128 W to Geyserville - due west to Stewarts Point on Hwy 1 - 6 hrs

Day 8 - Stewarts Point - hwy 1 N IH 101 N- Redwod NP Klamath CA - 6 hrs

Day 9 - Klamath - 101 N - 12 E - IH 5 N - Seattle WA - 8 hrs

Days 10, 11, 12 , 13 - Seattle, Vancouver day trips visit with family

Day 14 - Seattle - IH 5 N - 539 N at Bellingham into Canada - Hwy 1 N and E - Kamloops - 5 hrs

Day 15 - Kamloops - Hwy 5 N - hwy 16 E - hwy 93 S - Saskatchewan - 5 hrs.

Day 16 - Saskatchwan - hwy 93 S - Whitefish MONT - 5 hrs

Day 17 - Whitefish - Glacier NP - Red bus ride, Going to the Sun Road - Whitefish

Day 18 - Whitefish - 93 S - Craters of the Moon NM, ID - 6 hrs

Day 19 - Craters of the Moon - 26 W - 20 W - 26 W - 191 S - Vernal UT Dinosaur NM - 5 hrs

Day 20 - Dinosaur NM - 191 S - Blanding UT Hovenweep NM - 5 hrs

Day 21 - Hovenweep sightseing - Farmington NM - 3 hrs

Day 22 - Farmington - 64 E - Chama NM - 4 hrs

Day 23 - Chama Steam Train ride

Day 24 - Chama - 84 S - 285 S - IH 40 E - IH 27 S - Palo Duro SP, TX - 8 hrs

Day 25 - Palo Duro SP and Canyon, TX sightseeing

Day 26 - Palo Duro South to Brownwood TX (family visit) - 7 hrs

Day 27 - Brownwood TX - Beaumont TX - HOME

-- Lon and Kit (& Freddie if she don't kill me on the first day) (lgal@exp.net), May 27, 2004

Answers

BUMP!

-- Lon (lgal@exp.net), May 27, 2004.

It sounds like a grand trip, Lon!

Hardliner and I have very fond memories of when you and yours stopped in and had supper with us one early summer evening here on the Hilltop; I hope you'll be able to catch up with Tricia and spend some time together.

I'll be looking forward to some postcards, however long they may take to arrive in this 'mailbox'.

Hope y'alls have a terrific time!

-- Brooke (Happiness@Hill.top), May 27, 2004.

Wow! That's some trip you've planned, Lon. 27 days!

Have a great time. Hope you meet up with some of our fellow FRLians. I've never been to many of the places you mentioned and will look forward to a postcard or two assuming (and hoping) you get the time.

-- (sonofdust@27.days), May 28, 2004.

Actually it's 28 days, Rob - I left out a day! We'll probably spend a day in Canyon de Chelly, just touring the ruins and such. OR..... we might just scrap the whole thing and spend two weeks with Brooke and Hardliner out on the hilltop!

-- stressedoldlon (lgal@exp.net), May 28, 2004.

no wait.....I left out a day, (day5), but it's still 27 days. Of course, some of those days are only 12 hours, so they're only half-days, right? I've been working 12 hours a day around here, and the missus says I've only been putting a half-day's work, so maybe it's only 13 days or so.

But, then I'll be heading west, where the days are longer, and of course, I'll have some days on Canadianna time, and who the heck knows how many hours of Canadian it takes to make one hour of Texan? Also, being in the mountains some days, the sun will go by faster, and as anybody knows who has ever watched even one episode of "Death Valley Days", the sun lingers directly overhead for hours on end when you are lost in the desert of Aridzona.

I think we're gonna have to ask the FRL Engineer about this. I'd hate to run out of spam-on-a-stick in some god-forsaken terminus of the earth, like California.

-- braindeadlon (lgal@exp.net), May 28, 2004.

we might just scrap the whole thing and spend two weeks with Brooke and Hardliner out on the hilltop!

Heh.

I happened to notice the other day that your cell phone # is still faintly visible on the refrigerator out in the sunroom from when you called for directions! HL grabbed the first thing he could find to write with (wax pencil) and wrote it on the first surface he could find (the old fridge, long since moved out of the kitchen).

That's been a quick 4 years, hasn't it?!

-- Brooke (Happiness@Hill.top), May 28, 2004.

Four years?!!! Brooke, are you out of your mind? That was only about 6 months ago! (Man, no wonder I'm looking so old, four YEARS, sheesh.)

-- lon the elder (lgal@exp.net), May 28, 2004.

Brooke, are you out of your mind?

Why, yes I am! That's long been established.

-- Brooke (SanityIsHighlyOver-rated@Hill.top), May 28, 2004.

mmmmrffff,,,,, mmmm---mrrrrrfff---mph

discretion discretion.

We been workin HARD on that down to the shop......

-- night-train (Night.tr@in.lane), May 28, 2004.

WOW! I haven't been anywhere in YEARS!

-- envious helen knows no campgrounds west of her yard (neither@does.the.mule), May 29, 2004.

The trip cometh. Ol Lon the adventurer goeth. Maybe-eth. We'll see- eth. Thorry, typing that new pathword broke two of my fingerth. Redneck snorted so hard he hurt his soft palette somehow, and is now glowering from behind the sports section and making snicking sounds between sips of chocolate milk, which he claims has all kinds of restorative and preventative powers.

But we're mostly just jealous that Lon's set to see new country and we're not.

Redneck can't keep quiet. He intones that he's not jealous about that 4-cyl Toy, though, but suggests if Lon gets to Denver, there used to be an outfit up there called Transaxle of Colorado that could turn it into a 4WD, and bets they can recommend a shade tree mechanic to give it a Chevy drive train, too. You know Redneck. If the tires don't whine to where you have to shout to carry on a conversation, it's not transportation. His philosophy is that it's no fun to just drive up a grade, you have to "subdoo it!" (sigh)

Lon, I'll bet you wish you had that big ol' Foretravel with the walk- in shower back afore you're out of Texas. Of course, with gas out of state at two-plus a ding, maybe the Toy's the way to go.

About those drive times, my method is to pour over the map and then divide the miles by 60, figuring I'll have to slow down for towns or buy gas or such like now and then. But if you are figuring on topping out about 60, you might want to knock that down to divide-by- 50 or something. You really want to seal yourself into the committment with that twelve-hour run to Balmorhea right off the bat. That's something like having to hit the driver off the first tee. I prefer shorter holes until I get warmed up a little.

Sounds like you've got some slack to decide to cut it short or wander around somewhere longer than originally planned. I like contingency planning. Plan "B" might be "sell the Toy and fly back from Seattle," or "list the new place with a realtor and resettle in Camloops" (Camloops, Camloops. What a weird word. Camloops.) But remember, after awhile, you'll get homesick for Ledue's gumbo, or at least to find out what's that thing in the bottom of the bowl.

The road is a powerful muse. Post something along the way. My impression is that every tree within a hundred miles of Seattle has a little hollowed out place with a thermos of cappucino and a plug for your laptop.

If you can get away, Buena Suerte. If you can't, I'll send Redneck over to help you finish the projects.

-- J (jsnider@hal-pc.org), May 31, 2004.

Arrrrggghhhhh!!!

I hate it when life gets so busy I miss a week of FRL!

Now, Lon, I hope I'm not too late to "help" you just a bit with your itinerary. On day 16, if you're planning to go all the way to Saskatchewan, you'll need a bit more than 5 hours!!! That's also the day you'll be closest to where I live, let me know which day 16 is and I will do my very best to get to Jasper to meet you. Jasper is the name of the very small town where hwy 16 and 93 meet. It's in the Canadian Rockies and is a beautiful place to stop. You won't get to Whitefish in 5 hours, though. The drive south on 93 is gorgeous, but the speed limit is about 55 and you have to factor in that you'll be travelling in, not winter, but the slower of the 2 seasons - roadwork. Ask Gayla :-)

I just spent the weekend in Banff. It is also gorgeous and you'll pass just east of it, if I've read your plans correctly. If you don't make sure of meeting up with me, I'll track you down and haunt y'all!!!! I'm sending you an e with additional info - make sure you get it by Vancouver!

Oh, and you should check with AB, she may be out to the Seattle area visiting while you're out that way. I can assure you that her fudge is worth a side trip :-)

I sure hope your trip is a go and that you each enjoy it bunches and piles and lots! See y'all soon (or in Canuckian - see ya~).

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), June 02, 2004.

Hi Trish (you're up late!)

Well, it looked good on paper anyhow. Everyday that goes by, the trip gets smaller and shorter. It's down to 21 days now, with us leaving late next week. I've heard from so many folks along the route, telling me that the drive times are unrealistic, that I'm thinking of cutting much of the trip out alltogether.

My latest plans have us going fast through Colo, up through Utah and into Seattle in about 4 days, all on interstates. But, that's about 12 hours of driving a day, and I'm not sure if I can do it, now that I have diabetes and my feet go numb when I sit so long. I cut out the California part and also the days up into Canada. Still planning to get to Kalispell and Glacier, but with a tighter schedule, we may only make it into Utah and have to turn back.

I had originally planned this for 6 weeks, with only Kit and I going, but when the missus decided to go along, everything changed. I swear, I'm on the verge of just staying home and mowing grass.

-- Lon (lgal@exp.net), June 02, 2004.

Hey, Lon, if you have to shorten the trip but get as far as Santa Fe for the wife's shopping, you might go on north into Colo and take a left on that road that runs over Wolf Creek Pass to Pagosa Springs and Durango and Mesa Verde and Cortez and points west. You can keep going to Utah from there or make the loop back down through the reservations and Farmington and Albuquerque and home (or in the reverse, since I see Farmington on your original itenerary). Fruitland and Kirkland are good places to load up on produce, but it's probably still too early in the year for that. Good news is that there's a BIG RV park on the upper Rio Grande this side of the Pass called (don't laugh) "Fun Valley" near South Fork, Colo. It's a pleasant place to stay, and you can take it at your own pace (fish for stocked trout, tube in the shallow river, eat at the park's cafe, hike, bike, take pic's of the hummingbirds, gab with neighbors and check out the craft wares some of them make, etc. Or...don't. I spent some time up there just sitting in the shade, cooled by the altitude, listening to the squirrels chatter. Bad news is it's super- busy this time of year with school out and all, and circling down through the reservation (or for that matter the in-betweens that lie north of Santa Fe) involves some reaches of pretty hot and desolate country. By the way, I was working in and about Santa Fe one time and had to ask directions to a local steak joint called "The Ore House" (turned out to be upstairs on the court house square). Be careful how you ask or you could get a purse laid up aside your head!

I don't know if I'd recommend Mesa Verde considering Kit and a vehicle that may not be fond of grades, but there's the narrow guage out of Durango and other stuff around there if you want to go on over the Pass, which is not too tough. It's high, but not steeply ramped if I recall. Wave at the football field if it's still low on your left as you go through Pagosa. I was knocked out in a game there one time and didn't know it for twenty years until my dad mentioned it. I thought I'd played every down of that game! Sets me to wondering how much of the rest of my life I might have missed in like manner. Hmm.

-- J (jsnider@hal-pc.org), June 04, 2004.

Mornin' Lon,

Skipping Aridzona is probably a good idea, although the Alpine isn't exactly dry! A beautiful little town, last I was there, many years ago. I understand Canyon de Chelly is packed this time of year, so best to avoid Arizona all together-sniff. Not that I won't miss youse guys, I will, to be sure! It's really too dang hot for most folks. Scheduled to be around 110 degrees today.

But your trip should be a joy! Looks like you've scheduled lots of cool and beautiful places to travel. I'll probably miss you in Seattle-Vancouver as I'm not planning to go until August.

I'll be sending you cyber fudge and waiting for those famous postcards along your journey.

Happy Trails to you and Kit and the missus (waves~)!

-- Aunt Bee (Aunt__Bee@hotmail.com), June 05, 2004.

OK, here's the new plans. We go up through the Texas panhandle, zip across Colorado to Salt Lake, then straight up to Seattle. Mostly interstates and long driving days, but we get to see my brother and spend 3 days up there. Then, across to Glacier, and south through Montana all the way to Hovenweep and Canyon de Chelly. Finally, across southern N Mexico to Balmorea and the long road across Texas back to Beaumont.

My brother was really disappointed when I told him we might not make it, but still, if we get too tired travelling like that, we'll just have to cut the distance short, and head back. I'm now planning on about 20 days, which is manageable for the missus, and we plan to leave next wednesday, which will put us in Seattle on the 19th.

I was really hoping to get to Aunt Bee's and up to see Tricia, but who knows, all plans are changeable at any point.

I do hope I get to recharge and the muse comes back to spend a little time with me. This house project has made me healthier and given me new energy, but it has also really worn me down. I'm sitting here in my office, looking out three big windows towards the bayou after a nice overnight rain. The last of 85 loads of soil has been spread, the retaining wall is done, the decks are done, the steps are done, the 3-car carport is done, the new septic system and sprinkler system are done! I still have to build the docks, a wheelchair ramp (for later) and remodel the old cabin, but all that can wait for a few weeks.

I got an idea. Why don't all ya'll come down HERE? (everybody except Redneck, that is) We don't have no mountains, no ice water streams, no trout and no cultural points of interest. But we're minutes from the beach, the ferry ride to Galveston, the marshlands of southern Louisiana, and we got a fine fishing dock right out the backdoor.

Well, I'll post again right before we leave, and let you know the new, new plans. And, Helen, PLEASE change the password! I know I mentioned that "Lonthemagnificient" or "Lonforking" each had a nice ring, but I can just see everyone cringing when they have to type "password".

-- lon (lgal@exp.net), June 05, 2004.

I most certainly will not change the password!

And didja hear him, guys? We're all invited down there! I dunno about the rest of you, but I'm going.

The Mule will require his own bathroom, of course.

-- helen begins packing red socks (this@time.for.real.and.I.mean.it), June 05, 2004.

Oh boy! Are the red socks for me, Dear Helen? How did you know !!!! ;- )

Uh, about the pswd thingy. Before we decloakify, a mod will have to edit the above post (delete or 'x' out the word). Either that or change it, since it is almost a sure bet that cloaking will be needed again in the future at some point.

-- (sonofdust@red.socks), June 06, 2004.

I think the frl_admission princesses should make a new password and get it to everyone through BEFORE we decloak. Then if an emergency cloaking goes into effect, we'll already have the new password.

Whatcha think?

-- helen (should@be.in.church.but..), June 06, 2004.

... get to everyone THROUGH EMAIL ... I meant ...

-- helen (should@be.in.bed), June 06, 2004.

:-(

I was looking forward to a visit, but I do understand how these things go. I hope your trip is a fabulous trip with lots of wonderful memories created. And I hope you make it back north for a trip through our mountains some year....

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplaent.ent), June 06, 2004.

Lon's message was altered to prevent password from being unusable. He'll just have to cringe some more.

-- Lurking (Princess@FRL.here), June 07, 2004.

What???!! I've been, been,....EDITED?!!!!!

That's the last straw, and I mean it this time. I'm clearing out, gonna vamoose, light a shuck, git! Youse can break my plate, take my name offa the door, rip me out of the family photos! I'm gone, and I don't need you all anyway. Don't need no cyber fudge, no silly stories, no red sox, and I'm just plain sick of stepping in the leavings of them stealth geese! Don't wish me well, don't sniffle and say how much you'll miss me, don't grovel and beg me not to go, 'cause I ain't listenin' to it. No sir, and I don't need no Canadiannian vistas, no romantic desert nights, no friendly waves and no invites for fudge and munchies. And I still DON'T need to be held in the firm immensity of Helen's busom, neither!

So that's it. I won't let the doorknob hit me on the way out, and don't blow no kisses after me, 'cause I'm gone. This time for sure.

Really!

I mean it.

Really.

-- censured old lon frankenstien (lgal@exp.net), June 07, 2004.

I think he's taking this very well...

-- (sonofdust@red.bosum), June 07, 2004.

Rob, please, please just let him go this time. He never stays gone anyway, but we really didn't have room in the camper for him. It wouldn'g be so bad, but he insists on packing along 4 sets of extra bolts for his neck. One set is even black, in case he gets invited to a formal dinner (yeah, like THAT is gonna happen!)

Anyway, this is about the last chance I'll get to visit here for a while, as we are leaving a little early, and hope to get away tomorrow morning. Which means that Redneck will probably show up tomorrow afternoon and clean out the fridge and bait trap.

I still don't exactly know where we will be when, but we hope to make it to Seattle for a visit. Freddie wants to worship at the first Starbucks, and I want to eat fresh salmon on the grill, or smoked, or sushi, or...

Kit just wants to GO! He has been grinning like a possum eating a praline for a week now. He understands "go" perfectly, but doesn't quite grasp "next week", or even "day-after-tomorrow". But, he has packed and repacked all his Hulk shirts and tapes and CD's. When he's asleep tonight I'll go through them and weed out all but a few. Since the little camper is smaller by far than anything we have tried for this kind of a trip before, we are packing really light.

I finally got excited about the trip. It seemed that the last push to get things done around here before we could leave took all the effort I could muster. But, now I'm already thinking about the continuance of "Listener", as well as maybe some other little things. I'm really excited at the chance to finally see Canyon de Chelly and Hovenweep, as you know they are my kinda thing. The Amerindians called the canyon country of Utah "the land of the sleeping rainbow", for the colors in canyon walls. (I feel a fit of inspiration coming on.)

I hope to get online along the way, and let you all know how it's going. Maybe I'll find a laundramat with internet, like I did in Costa Rica. Sharing that trip with you all kinda made me feel like you were tagging along, which would be the greatest thing I can imagine.

So, if you all got any last minute suggestions, other than J wanting me to desicrate my pristeenly original, 16 yr-old Toyota with a set of mud-dog tires, now's your last chance to speak up. Otherwise, I'll be seeing you on the road!

-- about to be travelin' Lon (lgal@exp.net), June 07, 2004.

(((Lon and Kit and Freddie)))

Have a wonderful time!

-- helen sheds an envious tear ... (the@mule.is.jealous.too), June 07, 2004.

Well, geeze, Helen. Ok, I guess you and Mike can go along. Pack a bag for him, willya, and make sure he has plenty of clean underwear. BTW, did I mention that there is only one bed in the little camper? No big deal, we'll just schooch over a little. Mike doesn't mind that Kit sometimes kicks in his sleep, does he?

Oh, and we'll need some money for gas, ya know.

-- very friendly Lon and all (lgal@exp.net), June 07, 2004.