We’re back! …and counting down ( 2 weeks and a couple of days) to another of our Grand Bucket List journeys. I mentioned at the end of this post that after our early trips to the USA we were so enchanted by the scenery and variety of the landscape that we’d concocted a plan, a “Grand Bucket List Plan” to visit every one of the 50 states. It’s been great fun to have a real objective in mind when planning our future travels and we’re now more than half way though the mission, 26 states down and 24 to go!
Over our kitchen table I’ve hung a photo map to document our journey and Neil, Liam and I often sit back on a weekend evening over dinner and swap notes about the places we’ve seen; and Neil and I use it to trace out our hopes for future holidays. Somewhere along the planning journey, Neil also decided that we need to visit ALL of the American National Parks. I’m a huge fan of any plan that inspires a trip but this one is a considerably more ambitious undertaking – I’m not sure if I’ll live long enough 🙂
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| Still a lot of empty spots on the map |
The USA is such an enormous country, and there are so many sights to see that it will take us several years to fill in all those gaps but by taking it slow and steady we sincerely hope WILL get there ( health and funds willing!) .
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| The Grand Tetons |
This year we’re aiming to fill in the top left hand corner. Our Pacific Northwest trip will be our first visit to the mountains and lakes ( and great seafood!) that abound in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. It also takes us back to a couple of new wonders and old favourites in Montana, Wyoming and California.
In fact, there’s a real theme of “going back” in this trip, or really it’s a case of going back to try again…. Every traveler is at the mercy of the weather and thanks to extraordinary weather conditions, we’ve suffered a few setbacks on past holidays.
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| Big Sur |
In California in 2005 our plan to drive the iconic Highway 1 drive along the Big Sur coastline was frustrated by torrential rain and mudslides that closed the road.
In Montana in 2009, early snowstorms frustrated our efforts to drive the fabulous Beartooth Highway into Yellowstone National Park.
Those same snowstorms also stymied us from seeing the striking peaks of the Grand Teton Mountain Range and prevented a visit to the old western town of Cody in Wyoming ( made famous by “Buffalo Bill” Cody)
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| The Beartooth Highway |
So, were having another go! Please wish us luck because we have some pretty ambitious scenic drives planned and, as usual, we’re working to a tight timetable; and while you’re at it, keep your fingers crossed that the wild fires currently burning in Glacier National Park, Montana are controlled by the time we get there. Otherwise we won’t be able to enjoy stops along the main feature journey in the park, a meandering drive along the “Going to the Sun Road“….
and we’ll have to plan another trip, another time…
to try again!
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| The “Going to the Sun Road” – Glacier National Park |
'Going to the Sun' trip? WTF? So which one of you is playing Daedalus and which one is playing Icarus then?
I fancy myself as Icarus 🙂 However, don't blame us, that's what they named the road. http://visitmt.com/listings/general/scenic-highway/going-to-the-sun-road.html
Love the cork board, you are so clever
Thankyou! Not really though 🙂