A few months ago I left my first job for a number of reasons. The work wasn't really lining up with my background or intended career path, I was/still am considering further schooling to boost my qualifications in that line of work, and, lastly, I really wanted to go on some of the long term trips I had always dreamed of while I wasn't locked in to a long term career, which me brings me to the point of this thread.
I had planned on doing a backpacking tour around Europe this Summer. Had my passport materials readied, (never traveled abroad before) a loose itinerary created, and was working on the rest of my plans when I went on a canoe trip with my family. Waters were high that weekend on the river and I got dragged under after the canoe got flipped. My foot got trapped under a rock while I was still underwater and I began to drown. I twisted the ankle to free myself and got loose, but at the cost of a fractured ankle. End point being I've been in a cast and my summer Europe plans were kind of cancelled. Can't very well hike around a continent without being able to use one leg.
So on to the next plans. I'll be out of the cast in a week and hopefully into a smooth recovery. While laying down with nothing better to do I happened snag tickets to the International tourney for Dota 2 in Seattle as they went on sale. Well, several of the schools I had been considering are in Washington state and I always wanted to move out West, either in my former job or in a new one, so I decided that I'd like to take a road trip from Atlanta, Georgia to Seattle to coincide with the tourney. If the physical therapists think it's ok, I'd be leaving late July and traveling throughout the remainder of the month and a good deal of August.
A few points to keep in mind, both for me and any recommendations:
1) Probably doing two routes. A northern route and a more southern route. Not sure which will be which way yet, but I'd guess northern first and southern on the way back, although there is a chance someone will be joining me on the leg back and there's more that we're both interested in on the northern route, which may be reason enough to make it second. It'll be Summer throughout both legs, so it doesn't make that much of a difference I guess.
2) Stopping in Whitefish, Montana to check out a job prospect for sure.
3) Trying to keep this as budget as it can be. I have enough in savings to go all out, but I have some other travel plans for the coming year that involve overseas travel. (Thinking Nepal or New Zealand) I camp for fun, so it shouldn't be too hard to keep sleeping arrangements down in cost. I'll want hotels in a few select spots if for no other reason than to clean up, though. (Whitefish and Seattle) Absolute, no negotiating max is $4000, which I hope I don't even get close to.
4) Specific plans: Driving through Monument Valley on one of the routes is a must. As is taking the Going to the Sun road. I'll probably camp in Glacier for a bit. If it works for the Southern route, I'll probably head down the Pacific Coast before crossing over into Utah. I'm even thinking of heading into Canada including Banff on the northern route, although that would add an extra day in travel alone, plus any additional time for activities there.
5) Was planning on taking my car which has good gas mileage (~40mpg) and is fairly new. No question that this would put a ton of miles on it and its 2 wheel drive may be an actual issue for certain terrain. Renting seems out of the question expensive, though.
So that's what I have for now. Lots of general plans without specifics, I know. I'm looking into hotel reservations for the Seattle portion of the trip now as those dates are locked and prices are rising. Would like to avoid making reservations unless necessary for the other legs of the trip as I want to have the flexibility of changing plans as I see fit when on the road. Any specific recommendations from GAF?
Rough, Greedy Draft of the Route: The Road
I had planned on doing a backpacking tour around Europe this Summer. Had my passport materials readied, (never traveled abroad before) a loose itinerary created, and was working on the rest of my plans when I went on a canoe trip with my family. Waters were high that weekend on the river and I got dragged under after the canoe got flipped. My foot got trapped under a rock while I was still underwater and I began to drown. I twisted the ankle to free myself and got loose, but at the cost of a fractured ankle. End point being I've been in a cast and my summer Europe plans were kind of cancelled. Can't very well hike around a continent without being able to use one leg.
So on to the next plans. I'll be out of the cast in a week and hopefully into a smooth recovery. While laying down with nothing better to do I happened snag tickets to the International tourney for Dota 2 in Seattle as they went on sale. Well, several of the schools I had been considering are in Washington state and I always wanted to move out West, either in my former job or in a new one, so I decided that I'd like to take a road trip from Atlanta, Georgia to Seattle to coincide with the tourney. If the physical therapists think it's ok, I'd be leaving late July and traveling throughout the remainder of the month and a good deal of August.
A few points to keep in mind, both for me and any recommendations:
1) Probably doing two routes. A northern route and a more southern route. Not sure which will be which way yet, but I'd guess northern first and southern on the way back, although there is a chance someone will be joining me on the leg back and there's more that we're both interested in on the northern route, which may be reason enough to make it second. It'll be Summer throughout both legs, so it doesn't make that much of a difference I guess.
2) Stopping in Whitefish, Montana to check out a job prospect for sure.
3) Trying to keep this as budget as it can be. I have enough in savings to go all out, but I have some other travel plans for the coming year that involve overseas travel. (Thinking Nepal or New Zealand) I camp for fun, so it shouldn't be too hard to keep sleeping arrangements down in cost. I'll want hotels in a few select spots if for no other reason than to clean up, though. (Whitefish and Seattle) Absolute, no negotiating max is $4000, which I hope I don't even get close to.
4) Specific plans: Driving through Monument Valley on one of the routes is a must. As is taking the Going to the Sun road. I'll probably camp in Glacier for a bit. If it works for the Southern route, I'll probably head down the Pacific Coast before crossing over into Utah. I'm even thinking of heading into Canada including Banff on the northern route, although that would add an extra day in travel alone, plus any additional time for activities there.
5) Was planning on taking my car which has good gas mileage (~40mpg) and is fairly new. No question that this would put a ton of miles on it and its 2 wheel drive may be an actual issue for certain terrain. Renting seems out of the question expensive, though.
So that's what I have for now. Lots of general plans without specifics, I know. I'm looking into hotel reservations for the Seattle portion of the trip now as those dates are locked and prices are rising. Would like to avoid making reservations unless necessary for the other legs of the trip as I want to have the flexibility of changing plans as I see fit when on the road. Any specific recommendations from GAF?
Rough, Greedy Draft of the Route: The Road
I will be in Washington D.C. at first, but I want to travel a bit.