I’m planning an ambitious road trip to the Midwest this fall that will have me covering up to 13 states, and after doing some research on what routes to take and where to go, I realized something about myself: I HATE trip planning. HATE IT. It’s one thing to do research, which I don’t mind too much, but to put together an actual itinerary, ugh. Pass me the Tylenol please.
I tried some of the trip planning sites out there, but it doesn’t take long before my eyes glaze over and I start seeing pink elves dancing and prancing on my computer desk. Detailed trip planning just isn’t my thing. You know how I like to plan things? I pick a direction and a date, and just drive (or fly). The end.
I realized this when I was checking out log cabin rentals located near the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee, and because of their popularity you have to book early or there won’t be any vacancies left by the time you’re ready to go there. That meant having to lock myself to a specific date where I HAD to arrive by that time or I am hosed, royally. As much as I desperately want to stay at a log cabin in the mountains, I hate the idea of losing the flexibility of traveling without a deadline, and I can see myself already racing like a Dale Earnhardt on crack through all the target cities I want to visit, just so I can arrive at the Smokey Mountains in time.
Nope, can’t do it. I’ll just have to hope something will be available once I’m in Tennessee, and if not I can at least scout the area to see where some of these cabins are located for future reference. For now I’ll just take a leap of faith and if it’s meant to be, there will be a cozy log cabin waiting for me to light my Yankee candles in. :-D
As for the rest of the trip, I have certain target cities in mind, but beyond that I will literally be making this up as I go along. The target cities include Pittsburgh, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Springfield and Little Rock, after which I will visit my best friend in southern Arkansas before making my way back home again. Then it’s the countryside of Louisiana, Mississippi and on to Memphis, Nashville, the Smokey Mountain region, then Asheville in North Carolina, Roanoke in Virginia, Gettysburg in Pennsylvania and possibly even Philadelphia.
Like I said, it’s an ambitious trip, spanning probably 3 weeks. Yet I can’t think of a better way to kick off my new traveling lifestyle than a trip like this, especially when fall foliage will be at its peak.
Who knows, I might even wind up bringing home a southern belle with me. Although more realistically, I’d be happier just finding a fried twinkie in Mississippi. Mmmm mmmmm MMMM!
To me, there’s just something liberating about taking a trip with no hard itinerary, where my plans could literally change from one minute to the next in a spur of the moment decision, and I realized that’s who I am. I don’t plan, I don’t organize down to the last minute detail. I just do, and hope that it all works out in the end.
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Yey! Cincinnati is my home town. You must absolutely try Skyline Chili while you’re there. Even if it doesn’t sound appetizing, you must give at least a 3-way a try ;-)
Do they call it three way because it makes you go to the bathroom three different ways? :-D
I got several suggestions for Cinci already, seems to be a happening city. Is Dayton a run down area in comparison? I wasn’t sure about that region which is partly why I’m driving further south to Cinci to get around it.
Cincinnati def. Trumps Dayton. Cincinnati is bigger too. More to see and do.
As far as recommendations, I know you said you already have some…but I’ll spit a few more out – just to make it more difficult… Sharon Woods might be a nice quick stop (near 71 too). It’s a park with a gorge, 2 earth caches on the .8mi trail. (See http://coord.info/GCA691)
Fountain square is nice down town area to check out too.
Wow, that looks really nice. I’m hoping the geocaches around the area will lead me to some nifty spots too. :-D
The people are nicer in East Tennessee. I’d recommend Knoxville over Memphis. I thought I was in a different universe when I went through Memphis.
Yeah, there’s a reason they call it Memphrica. But the interstate runs through there so if I want to fast track it to Nashville and then on to the Smokeys I’ll have to drive through the city. If I swing around to Germantown in East Memphis though I’ll see a better part of the city and should be ok, then I can get some ribs and get out of there faster than you can say bad country music. :-D
I could however take the Natchez Trace Parkway, which I just found out about today. It looks awesome and it appears to route through the most scenic areas of Mississippi and Alabama.
I’m completely the opposite. I’m a planner. When I’m traveling, I research for weeks and love finding the perfect things “to-do” and sites to see.
I forgot about the Natchez Trace.
Are you going to see when in Memphis?
Researching I don’t mind, it’s the “Breakfast at 8:30AM, Checkout at 9:15AM, Drive to museum at 9:23AM, visit park at 11:34AM, take bathroom break at 12:17PM, etc, etc, etc, etc,” that makes me reach for the Vicodin.
I liked being armed with a wealth of knowledge about where I’m traveling to, but I tend to make my decisions on where I go only when I’m actually there, and usually as a spur of the moment. That’s what makes my iPod so handy too, it tells me all about everything within x miles of me near instantly and makes sightseeing much easier. :-D
The Natchez looks awesome too, I see your gubmint occupation has already done some damage and made you absent minded.
Am I gonna go see Elvis? Honey, I AM Elvis.
Wait…I thought you said Midwest? No Chicago? No Wisconsin? What gives Linc?! ;)
If you are truly on a quest for pizza, Chicago has to be on your travel log. Gino’s East MUST be on your list. Nothing like their deep dish patty sausage pizza. Yea, I know that Chicago can be an adventure when it comes to driving, but it is worth it.
You can hop on up to the land of beer and cheese too! We’ll teach you how to eat! :-D Granted, you probably have coronary heart disease before you leave the state, but you will be full and happy!
Chi-town will have to wait, I’m just not going that far north for this trip. I will be in Springfield though to see Lincoln’s grave, but that’s about as high as I’m willing to go, then I shoot down to da South for some tasty fried twinkies. Mmmmmmmm… twinkies.
I’ve got the same traveling style…do a lot of research, get a general notion in mind..maybe even some specific lodgings, then pay attention, enjoy and see what happens.
But if you’re going to be going in fall, shouldn’t you see Michigan where the leaves are gorgeous by the 2nd week in Oct and highway 22 follows Lake Mi and Traverse Bay which is supremo?
Think about land-locked Omaha too, if you have the time. I’ll meet you in Old Market, we’ll have a drink and a lot of laughs and you’ll be on your merry way. You may even see some Cornhusker cuties. I’m too old for you, but could serve as your paraninfo.
Too far north, the fall foliage I want will be in the Smokeys anyway, so I won’t be missing it. Besides, MICHIGAN? As in Detroit, Dearbornistan and Michael Moore?? No thanks.
I do plan to visit every state in the Union eventually, if only to achieve my goal of finding a geocache in all 50 states. :-D
You are speaking only as a person who has never been to Michigan..western Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. Once you get there..maybe another vacation..you’ll see what I mean. You’ve got to see fall foliage by Lake Michigan. No prettier sight. But have fun with your semi-planned itinerary.
I have heard of Traverse City being gorgeous (or near it I think). I have a friend who went there once and never wanted to go home. Michie sours on me for some reason, maybe it’s because I knew another friend who lived there and she decided to never chat with me again for reasons unknown. I do need to figure out how I’m going to visit these midwestern states in the future, including Minnesota, Kansas and good old Nebraska. :-D
Well, all in good time! Cornhuskers are notoriously patient…had to be to survive the winds, the humidity, the soddies, the prairie fires etc. Looking forward to the reports from wherever!
btw, when was your birthday? And happy belated!!!
Not my birthday yet, I was celebrating my blog’s birthday, which is now 4 years old. :O
What. No Huntsville, AL? But we have NASA and Rockets and an arsenal and a mountain!
http://www.huntsvillealabamausa.com/chamber/news_events/news/announcements.html
But you know, whatever. Drive on through. Everyone forgets Alabama anyway. Except all those people who move here for jobs.
You lieeeeeeeeeee, everyone knows NASA is in Florida! :-D
Looks like it’s a bit too far to the west for me. if I hit Alabama it will be from the Natchez Trace Parkway while I travel north to Nashville.
Okey doke. Happy Birthday blog…and many happy returns..and cynical ones, and t’d off ones and mystified ones, and sad ones, but never depressed ones because he is Lincoln Adams. Back to the happy caching and traveling. ‘Nuf said.