Bessam used to get his kicks here...

Moving!

2007-06-19T15:48:00.000-04:00

So, apparently I already owned http://bessam.blogspot.com, so this blog will be moving to there.

http://bessam.blogspot.com. Update your bookmarks!

Evolution of an Itinerary

2007-06-10T22:58:00.000-04:00

So I've spent the better part of this weekend going through maps and guidebooks instead of studying for my LSAT (which is tomorrow...); only time will tell if this was a good idea.

There's a few big changes to the schedule as I see it-

(1) Once we leave Los Angeles we're going to forsake the inner state/national parks and instead drive Highway #1 up the coast all the way to San Francisco. I really wanted to see the big trees, and by all accounts there are Redwoods in Big Sur. Plus, the Pacific provides a much more interesting ride than the freeway.

(2) The trip back from San Francisco has changed slightly as well to make things more interesting. From San Francisco we'll go to Sacramento and stop for the night in Reno, because who the hell has heard of Winnemucca anyways? It'll make the next day's drive to Salt Lake City a bit longer, and we'll be pushing about 850 km a day for the final five days of the trip. That's a lot of miles, but I think a leisurely departure from California is worth it.

(3) Cheyenne got chopped in favour of Denver, even though Denver adds 200 km to the overall journey, because I just couldn't find a whole lot of positive things about Cheyenne. Sorry, Wyoming.

(4) I thought about bumping Omaha for Kansas City, but I don't think we'll be able to get to KC in time to make it worthwhile. Plus, Omaha has the prospect of sleeping in teepees.

On the note of sleeping, sticking to bigger places like Reno and Denver will make couchsurfing a whole lot easier.

Stop: Toronto - Chicago - St. Louis - Oklahoma City - Amarillo - Albuquerque - Flagstaff - Grand Canyon (North Rim) - Las Vegas - Los Angeles (2 nights) - Big Sur - San Francisco (4 nights) - Reno - Salt Lake City - Denver - Omaha - Chicago - Toronto. (10 000 km, 15 states, 1 province)

The Revised Route Plan

2007-06-09T09:56:00.000-04:00

The initial plans for the trip were to follow Route 66 from Chicago to LA, and then swing up the coast all the way to Vancouver, before coming back to Winnipeg and through the USA again on the way to Toronto. Obviously, that's a lot of driving, and too much to do in the three weeks we've got. This is the new plan, with overnight stops listed:

Toronto, ON - Chicago, IL - St. Louis, MO - Oklahoma City, OK - Amarillo, TX - Albuquerque, NM - Flagstaff, AZ - Grand Canyon, AZ - Las Vegas, NV - Los Angeles, CA - ~~Sequoia National Park~~ Big Sur, CA - San Francisco, CA - Winnemucca, NV - Salt Lake City, UT - Cheyenne, WY - Omaha, NE - Chicago, IL - Toronto, ON.

All told it's more 9 500 kms through one province and 13 states over 21 days. We leave on August 6th, and are due back by August 27th.

Bessam Gets His Kicks on Route 66

2007-06-09T09:35:00.000-04:00

Hello! This blog is being set up to document my highway adventure across America in August of 2007. Sure, it's still a ways off in the distance, but I can't really help myself. In time, this blog might encompass other things and trips, but right now, it's all about Route 66. If you want a postcard, just shoot me an email!