The Trayce 21st Century US/Canada wandering tour (a possible plan)

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(Hey why don't we have a travel category? Anyway...)

So. Lately, I've been seriously contemplating a major holiday to Canada and the US next year, with a specific purpose - to travel around and meet up/hang with a whole heap of ILXors and see a ton of places while I'm at it.

This is the thing: I don't drive. I'd probably be doing this on my own if I did it (this is all speculative for the moment anyway). I'd probably want to cruise around on, I dunno, trains and busses, rather than fly too much.

Is this a completely insane idea? Should I do it? I mean would anyone be interested in meeting me at all?

Places I'm thinking of hitting up, due to there being lovely ILXors I'd like to meet there:

Montreal
Toronto
NYC
San Fran
LA
Boston
Chicago
and err... Bloomington (trust Tep to live somewhere out of the way)

Obviously I'd see more if I knew where to start! And more people if I knew where to go, etc ;) So dont anyonebe upset I left your city out - I'm sure Ive forgotten places.

Lets call this a daydream for now, but my ILX peeps - what do you think? What are some ideas? Hit me up with inspiration :)

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 21:20 (twenty years ago)

Avoid the LA/OC area ILXors, they are evil smelly creatures.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 21:35 (twenty years ago)

Plus, the whole Wee Britain thing.

― KSTFUNS (Ex Leon), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 21:36 (twenty years ago)

That'd be all those koala tacos you ate, Ned ;P

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 21:36 (twenty years ago)

Oh yeah I should also point out, I'm only thinking US/Canada as Ive already been to the UK before...

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 21:37 (twenty years ago)

Unfortunately, with the price of rail travel in the US, you might do better to hire an albino gorilla to chauffer a solid-platinum cadillac.

Greyhound bus is quite affordable, but you better get ready for some genuine on-the-road populism. Years ago, Greyhound was ridden by a large segment of the population, including unaccompanied children and little old grannies, but now it's largely the poor, and some poor travellers as well. Also, they've sliced the number of towns they stop at, though all the cities you've listed will have terminals.

― andy --, Tuesday, 8 November 2005 21:53 (twenty years ago)

(That said, I still ride the 'Hound every so often, mostly to visit my otherwise unaccessible small hometown... lots of fresh-out-of-prison passengers these days.)

― andy --, Tuesday, 8 November 2005 21:58 (twenty years ago)

If you make it to LA/San Fran, might as well head north to Portland and Seattle, too.

― kingfish orange creamsicle (kingfish 2.0), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 22:15 (twenty years ago)

It should be fairly easy to get around without a car in some or all of most of the biggest cities. LA is a major exception, but it's not impossible, especially if you have chauffeurs to assist. Trains (Amtrak) and buses (Greyhound/Peter Pan/"chinatown" buses) are good ways to get between cities in the Northeast (between NYC and Boston, DC, Montreal, etc.), and the rail scenery might be worth the long distances along the West Coast, but unless you have a lot of time, you probably want to fly between further-flung destinations. While it might be dominated by retirees and/or middle-aged Asian tourists, Gray Line Tours, a tour bus service, can get you from some major cities to some destinations you might otherwise need to drive to.

Setting aside transportation difficulties, and ignoring the people factor, my place thoughts: I would definitely go for NY and LA. I would also go for at least one of Chicago and SF (neither of which I've been to), but SF might be more similar to alternative possible destinations. Boston would be well worthwhile, but inessential or more similar to alternatives. Bloomington might not be my choice, but somewhere heartlandish would be interesting. Some other options you might consider: a national park or two (Grand Canyon, Yellowstone/Tetons, Mt. Rainier), rural New England (a detour from Boston or NYC), the Pacific Northwest (Seattle or Vancouver), the Mid-Atlantic (DC/Baltimore/Williamsburg/the Delmarva Peninsula/the Outer Banks?), the Southwest (Santa Fe? Austin?), the Mississippi (New Orleans? Memphis?), and the South (Savannah? Nashville?).

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 22:32 (twenty years ago)

Air & Space museum in Wash DC.

Good times!

― kingfish orange creamsicle (kingfish 2.0), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 22:36 (twenty years ago)

If you make it to LA/San Fran, might as well head north to Portland and Seattle, too.

Hell yeah! :)

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 22:55 (twenty years ago)

gabbneb: hey thanks those are some great ideas. I always forget about the obvious touristy things; I admit I'm mainly interested in seeing the big cities, but I'd be remiss in missing things like the Canyon and Yellowstone and the Rockies and such.

The non driving thing is going to be a bitch - I dont drive at all so I cant even hire a car - I guess if I ever do this I'll be hoping a couple of lovely ILXors will be able to ferry me around in their home towns, and for the rest I'll hoof around on planes and busses =)

Ah, its all a pipe dream for now, but I wanted to see if it was feasible :)

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 22:59 (twenty years ago)

i'd add seattle to this list, for definite

i'm thinking about doing something similar. i have been to the US a couple times, but never done a coast to coast greyhound trip. i'm interested in the iowa/nebraska/wyoming/idaho leg, for the kind of photographs i like to take. i quite fancy cutting north at mpls and going through western canada instead of america thoughj

when next year are you going?

― terry lennox. (gareth), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:00 (twenty years ago)

If I did go, I'd probably go on either edge of summer - late spring or early autumn (to avoid the worst heat and high season costs). If I go it may also depend on wether various people I'd like to meet will be free to hang out, as well.

This'll all hinge on wether I still have the money I have now - I mean if I wanted to, I could walk outside now and go to the airport and fly to NYC, but practical things like work prevail ;)

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:03 (twenty years ago)

april/may is a great time to go. im not sure i will be able to wait that long, and am looking at february.

― terry lennox. (gareth), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:07 (twenty years ago)

Don't forget Wall Drug! And House on the Rock in the Wisconsin Dells!

Too bad you're not driving, otherwise you can't take advantage of a site like this: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/

― kingfish orange creamsicle (kingfish 2.0), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:11 (twenty years ago)

Avoid the LA/OC area ILXors, they are evil smelly creatures.

I object!

― luna (luna.c), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:12 (twenty years ago)

Yeah for once in my life I am very much regretting not knowing how to drive. And that unfortunately isn't going to change (I have a pathalogical fear of driving cars).

Heh maybe I can learn to ride a motorbike and cruise round on a Virago or something =)

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:13 (twenty years ago)

xpost hehehe luna. You better believe you're one of the first people to meet on my list!

Man, the more I talk about this the more I want to do it, and its all a bit scary really.

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:14 (twenty years ago)

good luck with it! My folks live about an hour from Tep, maybe I could figure out how to drive you over there, esp if you go through st louis. Keep us updated!

― teeny (teeny), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:16 (twenty years ago)

If I'm not a bum living off the streets (a distinct possibility), I could def. drive you around the Bay Area!

― Wolfcastleee (Leee), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:18 (twenty years ago)

Amtrak has a 30-day US and Canada pass, off-peak, for $543 - that's pretty excellent, compared to flying. If you land in LA, you can take the train all the way up to Vancouver. From Portland, you can take the train over to Chicago. From Chicago, you can get all over the east coast.

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:18 (twenty years ago)

April/May or September/October would generally be best (but a bit early/late for anywhere really mountainous)

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:22 (twenty years ago)

Just poking around on the Amtrak site - non-US and non-Canadian residents can get a 30 day national US railpass for $385 off/$550 on peak.

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:26 (twenty years ago)

Aw teeny, thats very sweet! And I'd like to come see St Louis too :)]

Man, this could turn into a very long winded exercise hehe ;)

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:29 (twenty years ago)

I object!

Luna is the exception, of course.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:29 (twenty years ago)

Jaq those Amtrak monthly passes are one thing I was thinking of for sure, and 300-500 bucks is great value really.

Unless, flying internally is pathetically cheap in the US? like

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:30 (twenty years ago)

Whoops it killed my bracked. Like, less than $100 one way cheap, I meant to say.

― Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:30 (twenty years ago)

Ive already been to the UK before...

Pah, if you've not been to Ormskirk you've not been to the UK

― Matt (Matt), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:34 (twenty years ago)

Unless, flying internally is pathetically cheap in the US?

Given all where you want to go, the train option sounds the best.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:37 (twenty years ago)

Flying, it can be horrendously expensive, though sometimes you can get excellent deals between major cities. With flying, you can get a good deal if you book weeks in advance, stay over a Saturday, etc. I think the train pass would give you more flexibility and maybe let you see more of the country.

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:37 (twenty years ago)

that rail pass is for coach only, and upgrades apply if you want a sleeper car. it seems useful if you're actually taking 2 weeks or more and making several stops without great distances between them, but it's not worth the time if you have a week or 10 days and want to get from the West Coast to Chicago or NYC.

provided you buy sufficiently in advance, you can fly coast-to-coast for as low as about $200 round-trip, and between Western cities for under $100 one way.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:38 (twenty years ago)

People have good and bad opinions of Southwest Airlines, but flying into Oakland (Bay Area, SF, etc.) from pretty much any spot on the West Coast one way costs around $100 or so at most, if you act early enough. From Oakland airport you can easily take Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) into San Francisco, which takes about 40 minutes, and it costs around $4 or so (including the Oakland Airport Bus To BART station fee).

Oakland being the midpoint of the West Coast, you could hop up to either Seattle/Portland or L.A via Southwest.. Speaking for PacNW, you can take an Amtrak bus/train between Seattle/Portland and Seattle/Vancouver roundtrip for around $40-$50 or so. Other busing options might be cheaper...

― iDonut B4 x86 (donut), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:40 (twenty years ago)

I advise against any major train only because long haul Amtrak trains up and down the west coast are NOTORIOUSLY late... I'm talking an average of 5 hours late from Seattle to L.A. or vice versa. I'd take one-shot bus rides as opposed to waiting for a long-trip train at a station (i.e. the Coastal Starlight on the West Coast) Just a warning.

― iDonut B4 x86 (donut), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:43 (twenty years ago)

Basically, iDonut and gabbneb want to fly and destroy the atmosphere while Jaq and I want you to take the train and destroy the land. Solution = skateboard.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:46 (twenty years ago)

Some trains may give you worthwhile views of countryside you would otherwise need to drive to, but generally I would err on the side of spending the time in your destination, rather than in transit.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 23:48 (twenty years ago)

I have a romantic view of train travel because I've never done any in the US. I live on the Empire Builder route and really should take the train down to Portland and back to get it out of my system.

― Jaq (Jaq), Wednesday, 9 November 2005 00:01 (twenty years ago)

Oh if I do this - if I do it - I want to take a couple months, at least, of slowly travelling around.

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 9 November 2005 00:21 (twenty years ago)

hey trayce! it would be great to have you visit NYC!! you should also go to see philly and baltimore if you come (both are in between NYC and DC, and have ILXors)!!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 9 November 2005 00:22 (twenty years ago)

Yes, Philly was another place I thought of! And I have to meet you of course, Tad! :)

(that IS the idea of this plan after all - maybe no one wants to actually meet me, sniffle)

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 9 November 2005 00:29 (twenty years ago)

Come to Toronto! We will ~~ply you with liquor~~ give you big hugs!!!

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Wednesday, 9 November 2005 00:30 (twenty years ago)

Trayce, if you take the train from Portland to Chicago, you must stay with us in Washington's wine country for a bit! (shameless plying with liquor - but there's not much else to recommend the area)

― Jaq (Jaq), Wednesday, 9 November 2005 00:34 (twenty years ago)

Canada is the main reason behind this whole plan, Tant :) My ex fiancee lives in Montreal, and I was going to go there a couple years back, but then we broke up. So I still dearly want to go, and seeing as like, you and Dyson and Sundar and Sean are all in that Torontoey area (is that right?) then hey, how can I sat no to my northern twins =)

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 9 November 2005 00:35 (twenty years ago)

Washington has wine country? Cool! I spose that makes sense if NoCal does as well.

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 9 November 2005 00:36 (twenty years ago)

Ahem, we prefer NorCal. Nocal is what our Southern counterpart barbarians call us.

― Wolfcastleee (Leee), Wednesday, 9 November 2005 00:43 (twenty years ago)

Hee whoops :D See, I'm learning ;)

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 9 November 2005 00:45 (twenty years ago)

(wait, where do you live, Leee? I just realised I have no idea)

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 9 November 2005 00:45 (twenty years ago)

Many wines from Washington (Merlot and Riesling esp) and Oregon (Pinot Noir esp) are on par with or better than those from Northern and Central California. There are also (typically much lesser) wineries in some other US states - New York, Virginia, I think Ohio

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Wednesday, 9 November 2005 00:48 (twenty years ago)

I went to Vancouver about three years ago and purchased me one of those 30 day Greyhound passes. I had a fantastic time considering the budget I was on - I saw Seattle, Portland, LA, San Franciso, San Diego and Vegas before I finally gave in to air travel when I realised it was a three day ride to Chicago. You meet some really interesting people on the bus and if you travel overnight you save on accommodation and wake up in a new city in the morning. Plus you will feel like Jack Kerouac.

― wombatX (wombatX), Wednesday, 9 November 2005 00:52 (twenty years ago)

Alas we have no Easy Jet, but Southwest can be cheapish, true.

― andy --, Wednesday, 9 November 2005 01:10 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 122 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Otherwise shit yeah, I'd hire an RV and do it that way.

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 01:38 (fifteen years ago)

Unless someone wants to come on a road trip with me for a month, haha :P

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 01:38 (fifteen years ago)

Driving up and down the coasts will let you stop at see the REAL AMERICA.

Except for the non-coastal 2/3 of the country, sure.

― w/no hesitation (mh), Monday, 7 February 2011 01:41 (fifteen years ago)

another lol sorry but lol trayce in a caravan lololol

― tricycle wazoo (Schlafsack), Monday, 7 February 2011 01:41 (fifteen years ago)

Why is that so hilarious! >:|

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 01:43 (fifteen years ago)

http://rvtravel.com/publish/images/homerrv.jpg

― bouquet brigade (electricsound), Monday, 7 February 2011 01:44 (fifteen years ago)

I was thinking more like:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__IeGb0cu1OY/SGG2q2Y1umI/AAAAAAAAAHI/qejlZI14zo4/s400/TheLongTrailer.jpg

(knowing me)

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 01:44 (fifteen years ago)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2sYXHRFeJNk/SB_G4_Ub1zI/AAAAAAAADI8/ZlZzqdAs-98/s400/Mickey%27s+Trailer.jpg

― w/no hesitation (mh), Monday, 7 February 2011 01:46 (fifteen years ago)

Is that where u live.

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 01:47 (fifteen years ago)

...sorry that was a really crap zing wasnt it?

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 01:47 (fifteen years ago)

BTW ljub I got yr webmail but I cant reply to it cos it doesnt send your email address!

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 01:48 (fifteen years ago)

I am in Tucson, AZ, & it's pretty out of of the way.

― A Alphabetical Leader (Abbbottt), Monday, 7 February 2011 01:48 (fifteen years ago)

Why is that so hilarious! >:|

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 12:43 (9 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

coz you are not 65+ and/or morbidly obese and/or a 3aw listener

― tricycle wazoo (Schlafsack), Monday, 7 February 2011 01:54 (fifteen years ago)

not YET anyway

― bouquet brigade (electricsound), Monday, 7 February 2011 01:55 (fifteen years ago)

You're not going for at least three months! LEARN TO DRIVE

― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Monday, 7 February 2011 02:12 (fifteen years ago)

Driving ain't never gonna happen. I'm too terrified of it.

I would happily go everywhere on trains but y'all keep saying they are expensive.

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 02:48 (fifteen years ago)

They really don't exist in half the country, either.

― w/no hesitation (mh), Monday, 7 February 2011 02:48 (fifteen years ago)

http://www.mapmash.in/amtrak.html

― w/no hesitation (mh), Monday, 7 February 2011 02:49 (fifteen years ago)

we looked at training it from sf to chicago - it was gonna cost something ridic like $400 each way, and that wasn't even for a sleeping car. also bewared of greyhound buses - my parents had some 'interesting' experiences on one.

― just1n3, Monday, 7 February 2011 02:50 (fifteen years ago)

Yeah everyone says the busses are dodgy. I'm just so used to that being cheap n cheerful travel here! But hey if planes are cheap I wont complain.

I'd like to visit you guys, jus!

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 02:51 (fifteen years ago)

mike that amtrak website just loaded up a map of Africa, wth o_0

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 02:52 (fifteen years ago)

hahahaha

― w/no hesitation (mh), Monday, 7 February 2011 02:53 (fifteen years ago)

btw the reason amtrak is so difficult to use is it routes through africa

just sayin

― w/no hesitation (mh), Monday, 7 February 2011 02:53 (fifteen years ago)

I just laughed out loud at my desk and water came out my nose :(

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 02:53 (fifteen years ago)

sacramento -> boston via kinshasa $890 inc. taxes and rabies shots

― tricycle wazoo (Schlafsack), Monday, 7 February 2011 02:56 (fifteen years ago)

my city of Eugene, Oregon welcomes you (if you happen to be going south on Interstate 5 from Seattle).

― sleeve, Monday, 7 February 2011 02:57 (fifteen years ago)

I need to hold some kind of centralized FAP and make you all come to ME.

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 03:00 (fifteen years ago)

via kinshasa

― tricycle wazoo (Schlafsack), Monday, 7 February 2011 03:01 (fifteen years ago)

Take Amtrak Cascades train from Vancouver BC down to Eugene OR, it is supposed to be v. nice. Then catch a bus (or the Coast Starlight train) from Eugene to San Francisco.

― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Monday, 7 February 2011 03:07 (fifteen years ago)

I hear the train from NYC to MTL is also a very pretty ride? Had considered that one in times past.

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 03:17 (fifteen years ago)

yes, the NYC/MTL route is gorgeous.

Trains are expensive, buses are crappy, flying's expensive...you should hire an unemployed ilxor with a car for 3 weeks.

― where'd ya get that crapp? (pixel farmer), Monday, 7 February 2011 03:20 (fifteen years ago)

NTVP thanks for your email! That snail project looks amazing. I'll have to read the whole thing when i get home.

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 03:22 (fifteen years ago)

I would actually srsly consider paying one of you guys with free time to come with me and drive me round the country, hahaha. For serious.

Could be fun, lol.

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 03:23 (fifteen years ago)

Trains are expensive, and often ludicrously late, but they are also AWESOME.

I will drive you around Texas, I make this promise confidently because international visitors never come here.

― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Monday, 7 February 2011 03:25 (fifteen years ago)

lol

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 03:29 (fifteen years ago)

gabbneb had never been to san francisco or chicago?

― iatee, Monday, 7 February 2011 04:04 (fifteen years ago)

Trayce if I don't get to meet you I will just die.

How big did you think the US was, exactly??

― crème neppa venette (Stevie D(eux)), Monday, 7 February 2011 04:07 (fifteen years ago)

LOL I was joking about that! And I sincerely hope mh was with that map too. Taking 10 hours to get from A to B ain't no thang for us mongrels, everywehere is that far apart anyway :/

I would love to go bar hopping with you Stevie! (where do you live again, I forgot)

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 04:12 (fifteen years ago)

Amtrak do a 30 day railpass for about $570 fwiw which is a pretty good deal. Pity you guys' train network is about as shit as ours is.

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 04:13 (fifteen years ago)

And flying's cheap, so fuckit.

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 04:13 (fifteen years ago)

I live by Philadelphia which is p much 2 hours from NYC

― crème neppa venette (Stevie D(eux)), Monday, 7 February 2011 04:18 (fifteen years ago)

http://www.personally-selected-aboriginal-art.com/images/2.21-Australia-over-the-wor.jpg

fyi

― crème neppa venette (Stevie D(eux)), Monday, 7 February 2011 04:19 (fifteen years ago)

THIS A TAKEOVER

― scraping Doritos off the wheel (haitch), Monday, 7 February 2011 04:23 (fifteen years ago)

LOL stevie

― acid druthers temple (crüt), Monday, 7 February 2011 04:25 (fifteen years ago)

how did you get hold of steve irwin's cultural invasion blueprint xxp

― tricycle wazoo (Schlafsack), Monday, 7 February 2011 04:29 (fifteen years ago)

Now THATS a map.

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 04:29 (fifteen years ago)

Have got theme to "Dad's Army" in my head now.

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 04:30 (fifteen years ago)

♫ who do you think you are kidding mister kelly ♫

― tricycle wazoo (Schlafsack), Monday, 7 February 2011 04:37 (fifteen years ago)

lmao

― bouquet brigade (electricsound), Monday, 7 February 2011 04:38 (fifteen years ago)

I will do my best to meet as many of you gorgeous people as I can, btw. Keep september free and ready the bars for me!!! <3

― Cyclone Yazoo (Trayce), Monday, 7 February 2011 06:35 (fifteen years ago)

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