49 States by Car:

After 4 years of retirement I’ve realized that I have been neglecting my Bucket List. To date I have completed only one of my original five long term bucket list items:

• Travel coast to coast by train.

The reasons for procrastinating are many and valid, but over time it just looks like a bunch of excuses. Besides the reality of a bucket list is that time is not infinite. So its time to knock another one of the 5 original/primary goals off of the list

Five things that have always been on my long term to do list:

• Write more. (So far so good) Blogging, finished and self-published two family history books: “Our Ancestral Namesakes” and “Military Roll Call, The Littrell Family Of Mississippi County, Missouri” Currently working on “The Montgomery-Williams Project”, a book & blog history of Kelly’s ancestors on her mother’s side.
• Hike the Appalachian Trail.
• Travel the length of the Mississippi, either by bicycle or water (Kayak/Canoe)
• Visit all 49 states, by motorcycle (Then Came Bronson style) or car (Route 66 style).
• Travel Coast to Coast by train. (Completed August 2012.)

“Then Came Bronson”

 Next UP:

Visit all 49 states, not Hawaii, by motorcycle(Then Came Bronson style) or car (Route 66 style).

It looks like its going to be by car. Rent increases have pushed me to the point where I will not be renewing my current lease next spring, and the plan is to move anyway, therefore once the lease is up I’m moving everything into storage. The goal is to complete the lower 49 states by the end of summer (2017) and then move into a new apartment when the task is completed:

Plan A: primary/basic

1. Vacate the Apartment and put everything in storage.
2. Leave Indianapolis.
3. Try to travel at least no more than one full tank of gas a day.
4. Overnight stops will be: roadside, rest stops, camp sites, and very seldom a motel room.
5. The HHR and trailer, ride-alongs welcome if you can stand the conditions.
6. Daily updates: this blog with pictures and video.

Plan B: if possible

1. Do something in each state.
2. Cross all/most of the great rivers of America.
3. Visit Littrell cousins.
4. Travel Route 66 and U.S.Route 40 and the other top 10 highways as much as possible.
5. Toe dip in all 5 great lakes, the Atlantic & Pacific, the Gulf of Alaska, and the Gulf of Mexico.  [All the waterways touching the US coastline.]
6. Hike as many trails, historical or connected to the POI, as possible.

Plan C: if all goes well

1. Drive to Alaska
2. Visit all 12 Canadian States(?)
3. Don’t get killed

To follow this bucket list adventure click on “49 States by car” under the “Bucket List” (upper right, under the “Growing-up Glenn” video.

• NEXT ROAD TRIP STOP: Mapping the route: The Eastern Leg

GlennDL

click the Travel Center tab under the banner to see everything on the 49/49 road trip plan.