Recap of RT01: 48 States in 30 Days

[Kinless]

After a brief haitus, I'm back on the Forums. For those of you who have only been on RTA a few months, I had taken a month-long road trip, covering all 48 states (12,537 miles) in 27.5 days, during the Summer 2005. We covered most major cities and, with the right timing, even got to witness the space shuttle launch Discovery.

My website that I used to update my excursion is still there:

http://www.kinless.com/roadtrip.asp

All blogs and pics are still up. I only mention this because you can see first-hand what its like to spend a month with your friends. Of course, I added a little "drama" effect to make you keep reading, but otherwise everything there is accurate. Only the finale "blog" is on that page. Scroll down to the bottom and you'll find the link to read the rest. You'll also find daily pictures on the site (although only the last half is on the page, there's a link at the bottom to see all the pictures I took).

My next goal for this year is to visit Alaska and Hawaii, the last 2 states I need to set foot in and claim my 50. Obviously, I won't be traveling by car to either state, which becomes outside the scope of this forum. :)

I welcome any questions you have, if you are planning to do anything remotely similar, or may have questions about a certain area.

[Mark Sedenquist]

After a brief haitus, I'm back on the Forums.

Welcome back...

My next goal for this year is to visit Alaska and Hawaii, the last 2 states I need to set foot in and claim my 50. Obviously, I won't be traveling by car to either state, which becomes outside the scope of this forum

. Actually, Alaska is still in North America and we have always "claimed" Hawaii, so it IS in the purview of this community.

Thanks for the offer of intel -- feel free to offer any special lessons and/or locations you discovered while on that earlier adventure.

Mark

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome back, I really did enjoy following your trip last year.

So why aren't driving to Alaska? It just seems like the natural follow up to a roadtrip of the lower 48.

[PNW Judy]

Welcome back, Joey. You had a heckuva trip! I will try to read more of your blog entries soon. Sounds like you had a great, yet frustrating, time. Sometimes solo roadtrips are easier in some ways.

I also think you should drive to Alaska. However, I realize you may not have the time for such an epic journey. It's something I've wanted to do for years.

So, enjoy Hawaii and Alaska and come back here and tell us about your trips.

[Kinless]

A few reasons I'm not making a roadtrip out of the next excursion:

1) I don't have 4 weeks of vacation this year. :)
2) I'm making Alaska/Hawaii back to back, and it needs to happen in a 2-week timespan, and the size of Alaska and wanting to see the 3 major cities (plus Barrow Point) prevents me from doing so.

I will fly from home to Juneau, then to Fairbanks. From there, one of the only ways to get to Barrow (at the very north tip of Alaska) is by commuter plane, since there are no open roads to take you up that far. (And I really don't feel like renting a dog-sled.) After experiencing the sun at 3:00AM I will fly back to Anchorage, and then from there take the ocean view to Hawaii.

For 2007 or 2008 I will probably do another roadtrip and cover the western half of the US in greater detail, more thoroughly visiting the places I didn't have much time for on the 48-state trip.

[PNW Judy]

With only 2 weeks, I would fly, too.

Wow....you have no idea how much I envy you going to Barrow. The idea of putting the tip of my finger (too cold for my toes!) into the Artic Ocean is just too cool. I can't imagine living in such a remote area but I'd sure love to visit it!

I would be interested in hearing more about your plans for getting to all 8 islands in Hawaii. I've only been to Oahu, Maui, and Kawaii (sp?). They were all gorgeous but also very different from each other in some ways. I'm really wanting to get to the Big Island to see those lava flows!

[Mark Sedenquist]

From there, one of the only ways to get to Barrow (at the very north tip of Alaska) is by commuter plane, since there are no open roads to take you up that far.

Pt. Barrow is on private land -- owned by one of the oil companies -- and is often (maybe always) for a visitor to go beyond the guard shack at the gate a couple miles south of the sea. When you go, you might want to arrange an entrance pass a head of time -- because I have heard that no amount of "coin-at-the-door" will get you through that gate.

Mark

[PNW Judy]

But there's also the town of Barrow, Alaska, on the shore of the Arctic Ocean. They have two airports, one is named after Wiley Post and Will Rogers who crash-landed and were killed when leaving Barrow. I took it that this is where he was going?

According to my map, Pt. Barrow is still part of the mainland. It's about 8 miles from the town of Barrow. In fact, it looks like there's a small village on Pt. Barrow itself called Nuwuk. According to Wikipedia, it's a location of one of the Global Atmosphere Watch stations that monitors changes in air quality. It would be interesting to visit that.

Wow....either way, this would be a fascinating place to visit. If I was going that far and needed a special permit to get as farth north as the land goes, I'd sure look into it.

[AZBuck]

As long as you're at it, when you get to Hawaii, go to the southern tip of the Big Island, known appropriately as South Point, which is (for the time being anyway) the southernmost point of land in the US.

AZBuck

[Mark Sedenquist]

as South Point, which is (for the time being anyway) the southernmost point of land in the US.

For the time being? Is the US about to acquire some more territories?

Still I love knowing where the northern and southern points are in the USA!

Mark