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Epic Roadtrip 2008 Itinerary (Ver 1)
Good times my browser crashed (because google maps has a high tendency to crash my browser) ... and for some reason lj didn't autosave my entry this time and the whole thing was lost!! )= Its been a long time since I've experienced this incredibly aggravating situation.
Anyway I'll try to recreate it but now I'm in a hurry and aggravated about doing it a second time so this will be much more abrupt than it was the first time.
I spent much time working on the Epic Roadtrip Route today. Its still aggravating that I can't find the tools that seem like they should exist for putting a roadtrip together. Roadtripnation has lists of sites to visit on roadtrips but they seem to be exclusively totally crappy things to visit -- its got giant artichokes and "windmill themed Dennys" but doesn't have anything about any national parks or other places that actually would be of redeeming value to visit.
So if you know of anything between San Fran and Vancouver thats worth visiting please advise me!
Current Itinerary
Probably subject to extensive revision, but you gotta start somewhere so here's the first draft. All commentary / advise / suggestions are appreciated.
Day 1: Aug 15th - Up the Coast to San Fran
Sites of note include: the coast! Getty Villa maybe? SS Palo Alto. Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz Mystery Spot?
Day 2: Aug 16th - Nor Cal Coast!
Some SF stuff maybe, like Emperor Norton's grave, but one can spend days in SF and I feel like we'll all be back there sooner or later so I'm hoping not to spend too much time there (On Epic Roadtrip 2007 I didn't spend any time in NY City based on the same logic); (B) Nike Missile Silo just north of SF; (D) Point Reyes; (E) "Old Faithful of California" geyser; (F) Boonville, where the Anderson Valley Brewery is, and they speak Boontling (!?). Will probably find somewhere to camp somewhere in the area of Eureka, CA.
Day 3 Aug 17th - Oregon: Eugene, Salem and Portland!
(B) There was something in Orford but I forget what. Blame googlemaps for crashing my browser and making me lose what I'd written; (C) Eugene! My good friend Garian is there and so is ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
shamster; (D) Salem, Oregon! Willamette School of Law is here; (E) Portland! meowmeowpants is in Portland, and she's an expert on the many things to see and do there!
Day 4 Aug 18th - Mt St Helens (East) & Mt Rainier!!
(B) Lava Tubes!! (C) Mt St Helens!! (D) Mt Rainier!! So basically we're gonna spend the day cavorting in the mountains and camp out there somewhere.
Day 5 Aug 19th - To Seattle!
RoadTripNation tells me there's a lot of crap in and around Seattle but I'm sure we can find quality things to do and see there too. RTN did bring a tour of underground tunnels to my attention though which sounds awesome.
Day 6 Aug 20th - Seattle To Vancouver!
With a major detour out to San Juan Island, site of the Pig War, because I've always kind of wanted to see those islands! Also a detour to (D) a random tiger farm.
Day 7 Aug 21st - Vancouver to Mt St Helens (West Side)
Since there doesn't appear to be a route from the East side to the West st of Mt St H, we'll hit one coming and one going. Also planned a mere five hour jump so we can spend some more of the morning poking around Vancouver. Will look for camping around M St H this night.
Day 8 Aug 22nd - Oregon Coast
From Mt St H to the mouth of the Colombia River, (B) "Sea Lion Caves"; (C) Deadguy Ale Brewery; (D) Back to Eugene
Day 9 Aug 23rd - Crater Lake and Into California
(B) Bend, Oregon, home of the Deschutes Brewery (I'm not actually familiar with any of their beers but participant kilkenny suggested we see if we can fit it in and you don't need to tell me twice to visit a brewery!! (C) Crater Lake. I hear its lovely. I'm assuming we'll want to find somewhere to cmap or something before we get to Chico. Probably more like halfway between Crater Lake and Chico if we spend time at the first two places.
Day 10 Aug 24th - Chico to Davis
While this is only a 2 1/2 hour drive, remember we'll probably still have a few hours from the previous day's leg before Chico. Anyway (A) Chico seems nice and the Sierra Nevada Brewery is there ;) (B) abandoned ICBM Missile Base next to that odd mountain the middle of the valley (I couldn't find the location of the missile base anywhere on the internet (!) except that it was near the mountain. Narrowed it down by references to "Near North Butte," "15 miles NW of Yuba City," and poured over satellite images of the area until I found it! Felt very accomplished.) (C) Davis!! Whats not to love about Davis. Also there are underground tunnels in neighbouring Sac I've been really meaning to visit.
Day 11 Aug 25th - Davis to San Fran
I told you we'd probably be back here someday. This is only an hour and a half drive, so I dunno, maybe we'll take our time eating at Crepeville in Davis that morning. Or maybe we'll visit that Jelly Belly factory on the way that I've always wanted to visit. Or Napa Valley. Or see more sights in SF. Who knows what we'll be in the mood for by then! Or the Budweiser Brewery ahahahahahaha jk jk no thanks.
So there you have it. Some of the roadtrip planning features I wish google maps had are to put it all on one map with some way to distinguish whats on what day. Or even if I could just put it all on one map with a different coloured route coming back than going up. /=
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I've heard the geyser (E) is lame... I went there, but I refused to pay them money to see their fenced-in geyser, so I didn't see it. I have heard that it's a hilariously tepid geyser, though, and is so lackluster that it must be supplemented with a petting zoo(!).
If you're willing to get off the beaten track a little bit, Lava Tubes National Monument, in the upper right corner of California, is kind of cool.
Fugitives and Refugees is an interesting book about Portland (an unconventional guidebook of sorts) by the author of Fight Club. Recommended. Probably have it at the library.
Olympic National Park is beautiful. There are some hot springs you can hike to.
Portland has lots of wacky stuff, like Voodoo Donut. And Powell's Books.
Viva Cascadia!
Off the Five
Thanks for the other advise! Will keep in mind.
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Ditto for SF to Eureka (Check Ft Ross on the way)(Might want to substitute a drive slightly inland through the coastal redwoods, ie Richardson's Grove state park environs
Another day to drive up Oregon Coast
Must ferry out on Puget Sound to Orcas Island or other similar Island
Fish Market in Seattle is reputed to be cool
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a must read for any would be road trippers!
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It all sounds like cool stuff but make sure Jennifer is on board. It was her idea in the first place and she probably has some good ideas about what she wants to do. All and all your list will give us some stuff to do to flesh it out a little.
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Once my family borrowed Grammy and Roger's old Turtle, and went all along the North West Coast. The water is really clear. My dad likes it enough that he has talked about moving up there someday.
I think I've also been to Crater Lake at least once, but I don't remember it very well. Good for a day hike maybe?
I've also been to Davis. :-)
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umpqua hot springs
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ENViouS!!!!
Re: ENViouS!!!!
Thanks for the comment!
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just wondering if maybe i could go along up to seattle/vancouver with you..
i'd definitely help out with gas.. and i'm pretty good with directions. although, i'm sure you already have a gps.
feel free to add me on facebook- search by name: Carolyn Cisneros
or e-mail me at crc123@live.com
thanks!