One Year

[Fishinmission]

My grandfather and I did 4 weeks in Alaska in an RV 4 straight years from the time I was 11-14. There was a thing called “Milepost Magazine”. I’m sure there’s some online version now, but it told you where to stop, camp, fish, what you’d catch, etc. It was amazing for Alaska. I drove a 29’ RV on a mountain road around an inlet 200’ below me when I was 12 while he napped. That’s livin

When you cross the pass west of Jackson heading toward Salt Lake, get a Huckleberry milkshake.

Breathe some clean air, build lots of fires, eat fresh things, and enjoy.

I’m envious and selfishly can’t wait to hear about it.

ETA: my distant relative is Martin Buser who lives in Eagle, AK and has won the Iditarod a few times. He’s a big deal there and we spent a few days with he and his dogs

Thanks for the milepost tip. Thats super solid, and actually one of their routes they have is exactly what I planned to take, but they show you a bunch of places to stop along the way and fishing spots and all that.

Let me know if you hit Northern California. I’m about an hour and a half north of San Fran in the edge of wine country. I have kayaks and a bass boat if you want to hit some of the local waters out here. We can even run the coast for rockfish, lingcod, horseneck clams, and dungeoness crabs.

The Badlands are pretty sweet. Yellowstone is worth a drive through. Obviously the Grand Canyon is a must see. Don’t speed through Wyoming at night or you likely won’t make it without hitting a mule deer or a prong horn antelope. If you’re not on an interstate they are everywhere and love to stand on the white line at the edge of the blacktop! Texas is bigger than you think and if you use I10 is unbelievably boring to drive!!

Enjoy the ride. I’ve gone coast to coast almost a dozen times and there’s always lots to see especially if you have time to stay off the interstates!

Hell yeah, I will definitely make it out that way and will be in touch. Super generous offer, thanks.

[WoodieSC]

I've driven cross-country twice... the first the 'middle route' via Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, up through Oregon to Seattle... and back the Northern route via Montana, Minnesota, the Dakotas, etc. Unfortunately I'd lost my camera while I was in Seattle so had no pictures on the way back, and being a young, single guy I couldn't afford to buy a new one. But your trip is going to be an outstanding once-in-a-lifetime one that I envy.

Don't take any wooden nickels, in case you haven't been told that yet... and be careful who you trust, especially in today's environment.

I think you're picking the wrong time of year if you're heading out soon since many mountain passes may/will be closed, and will limit where you can go. Hope you're starting in mid-Spring or so.

Places to try to see, in no certain order...

- Mt. St. Helens, WA - it will blow your mind as you attempt to visualize the magnitude of what actually took place there;
- Mt. Rainier, WA, stay at Paradise Inn (8K feet.), and try to get in on a climb to the summit (14+K feet), but I believe that will need to be in the Summer months.
- Olympic Peninsula, WA - a truly wild place with the only 'rain forest' in North America.
- Antelope Canyon - I never got there, but my brother and SIL did and one of his pics is on their current brochure. An incredible place as I understand it.
- See Ring King in Northern CA. I can no longer recommend any other place since from San Francisco down is now a cesspool or full of people you don't want to meet unless you just want to sight see down the coast road, but swing West before you hit LA unless you love traffic misery.j
- If it's convenient, check out Crater Lake, OR, but only as a sight-seeing wonder. The same with Lake Tahoe, CA. An incredibly beautiful place, and some fun gambling, but expensive as all git-out and I was there a looooong time ago.
- Vancouver, BC and points North on your way to or from Alaska.
- The San Juan Islands in Washington... again, just as a sight-seeing tour on the ferries.
- Skip Portland since it's turned into a cesspool. It used to be a beautiful city.
- Skip downtown Seattle. Again, it used to be a cool city, and I lived their twice, but have no interest in returning into what used to be my favorite location in the US.
- East Coast... up the Maine coast to Bar Harbor... but not between July 4 and Labor Day. In those two months there are normally over 30,000 tourists to a town with a population of 3000. Drive across Maine and New Hampshire to Vermont and you can take the ferry across Lake Chamberlain(?) and you're only 35 miles below the Canadian border and about 70 miles below Montreal. Personally, I'd skip Montreal and go to Quebec if you can.

*** Just know that DO NOT have any firearms in your vehicle in NJ, NY, or at the Canadian border unless you check all the regs first. A single hollow point bullet found in NJ can put you in jail for a minimum of three years and they do it. A non-preregistered gun in NY State can do the same. I'd check fresh regs for all States, for that matter, and if the Dems actually get control of the US Govt, check for updates regularly as those bastards could pull anything.

Many of my other ideas are already listed above. Congrats on a cool decision and be safe... and keep us updated!

[Fishinmission]

I've driven cross-country twice... the first the 'middle route' via Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, up through Oregon to Seattle... and back the Northern route via Montana, Minnesota, the Dakotas, etc. Unfortunately I'd lost my camera while I was in Seattle so had no pictures on the way back, and being a young, single guy I couldn't afford to buy a new one. But your trip is going to be an outstanding once-in-a-lifetime one that I envy.

Don't take any wooden nickels, in case you haven't been told that yet... and be careful who you trust, especially in today's environment.

I think you're picking the wrong time of year if you're heading out soon since many mountain passes may/will be closed, and will limit where you can go. Hope you're starting in mid-Spring or so.

Places to try to see, in no certain order...

- Mt. St. Helens, WA - it will blow your mind as you attempt to visualize the magnitude of what actually took place there;
- Mt. Rainier, WA, stay at Paradise Inn (8K feet.), and try to get in on a climb to the summit (14+K feet), but I believe that will need to be in the Summer months.
- Olympic Peninsula, WA - a truly wild place with the only 'rain forest' in North America.
- Antelope Canyon - I never got there, but my brother and SIL did and one of his pics is on their current brochure. An incredible place as I understand it.
- See Ring King in Northern CA. I can no longer recommend any other place since from San Francisco down is now a cesspool or full of people you don't want to meet unless you just want to sight see down the coast road, but swing West before you hit LA unless you love traffic misery.j
- If it's convenient, check out Crater Lake, OR, but only as a sight-seeing wonder. The same with Lake Tahoe, CA. An incredibly beautiful place, and some fun gambling, but expensive as all git-out and I was there a looooong time ago.
- Vancouver, BC and points North on your way to or from Alaska.
- The San Juan Islands in Washington... again, just as a sight-seeing tour on the ferries.
- Skip Portland since it's turned into a cesspool. It used to be a beautiful city.
- Skip downtown Seattle. Again, it used to be a cool city, and I lived their twice, but have no interest in returning into what used to be my favorite location in the US.
- East Coast... up the Maine coast to Bar Harbor... but not between July 4 and Labor Day. In those two months there are normally over 30,000 tourists to a town with a population of 3000. Drive across Maine and New Hampshire to Vermont and you can take the ferry across Lake Chamberlain(?) and you're only 35 miles below the Canadian border and about 70 miles below Montreal. Personally, I'd skip Montreal and go to Quebec if you can.

*** Just know that DO NOT have any firearms in your vehicle in NJ, NY, or at the Canadian border unless you check all the regs first. A single hollow point bullet found in NJ can put you in jail for a minimum of three years and they do it. A non-preregistered gun in NY State can do the same. I'd check fresh regs for all States, for that matter, and if the Dems actually get control of the US Govt, check for updates regularly as those bastards could pull anything.

Many of my other ideas are already listed above. Congrats on a cool decision and be safe... and keep us updated!

Just added some of those to my must see. Awesome list, thanks.

Yeah as far as traveling with my firearms, I will be sure to check each state and make a list before I go of different regs and then before I enter each state that I know is difficult about it I will double check. The stuff on the internet about it is about as clear as mud so I will definitely not be leaving anything up to chance on that topic. Don't need this trip getting side railed. Not too worried about canada, Looks like a few forms that if you mail to them a few weeks before you get there and everything checks out when you arrive at the border you are good to go. I have a couple friends who have done this semi-recently, but again I will double check before going. I wont have anything crazy with me, 7Mag rifle, 12 and 20ga regular old shotgun and one handgun. The only one I am concerned about is the handgun in certain areas, but worst comes to worst I will just stop off at an FFL and ship that home before going to any controversial areas.

[JABIII]

Easy peasy Canada forms. Holler if you need help. DO note that if you have ever had a DUI, or anything that Canada considers a felony and the US doesn't, they will not let you cross. There are things you can do to mitigate it beforehand.

As to guns crossing, beware that a single pistol round can really ruin your day with the wrong Border/RCMP person. Clean that vehicle well...

[Dawhoo]

After high school myself and some buddies did a 8600 mile national park road trip, still surprised our parents let us. My cant miss spots were Rocky Mountain National Park, sleeping on beach Pacific Coast Highway, camping on Antelope Island Great Salt Lake, spending time walking through Redwood Forest, and spending a few days with limited supplies out in Yellowstone. We didn't hunt at all but be spent 34 or 35 nights under the stars camping and experienced everything from severe altitude sickness to summer time whiteout blizzard at nearly 14, 000 to complete solitude in the grand canyon and Teton.

You could make 1 month out of Alaska from driving up to Fairbanks this working coastal from Anchorage, seward, Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, etc.

[JABIII]

What you should do is pick a specific fish or game like Halibut in AK, and Dungeness crab in where ever they be at. Then overnight them to me and I will report on your progress. Thanks in advance.

[HARV]

What you should do is pick a specific fish or game like Halibut in AK, and Dungeness crab in where ever they be at. Then overnight them to me and I will report on your progress. Thanks in advance.

Or wild caught Sockeye Salmon. Border closure is still in effect for non essential travel . US citizens can cross at certain POEs and drive direct route to AK. Border crossing closure renews or revokes again Dec.21st. I expect it will remain closed . Woodie why not Montreal ? Quebec City is kinda old like and severely french. Beautiful old City mind you but a 25 year old might be more entertained in Montreal.

[Fishinmission]

Will get around to posting some photos but some things I've learned so far:


When they say Texas is big they aren't kidding. Didnt know if I was ever gonna get through that state.
Austin Texas could be the best city in this country if it wasnt over run by homeless people.
New Mexico is under rated, and has great national parks.
California is actually wilderness wise my favorite state so far - Shame its ruined by senseless government.
Oregon is the best state in this country, I came to the realization they have the best of everything (I stayed out of portland)
Seattle isn't as bad as I was expecting, and the fishing was great. Mt Rainier is impressive for sure.
Boise Idaho is where I would live if I didn't live in the Lowcountry. Incredible Place.
Arches National park is the best national park in the country, in my opinion.
The desert still gets cold as hell at night, learned that one the hard way waking up in my truck to 16 degrees.
Weed tax is making states where its legal rich, and should be legal in every state and invested in schools and roads.

Thats what I've learned so far.

34 National parks
58 State Parks
12,000 Miles on truck, who knows on my legs - alot of hiking.
Countless ass whoopings by elevation gain on hikes

Thanks everyone for the recommendations. Ive definitely used this thread to make some decisions and they've been great.

[Duckkiller]

Will get around to posting some photos but some things I've learned so far:


When they say Texas is big they aren't kidding. Didnt know if I was ever gonna get through that state.
Austin Texas could be the best city in this country if it wasnt over run by homeless people.
New Mexico is under rated, and has great national parks.
California is actually wilderness wise my favorite state so far - Shame its ruined by senseless government.
Oregon is the best state in this country, I came to the realization they have the best of everything (I stayed out of portland)
Seattle isn't as bad as I was expecting, and the fishing was great. Mt Rainier is impressive for sure.
Boise Idaho is where I would live if I didn't live in the Lowcountry. Incredible Place.
Arches National park is the best national park in the country, in my opinion.
The desert still gets cold as hell at night, learned that one the hard way waking up in my truck to 16 degrees.
Weed tax is making states where its legal rich, and should be legal in every state and invested in schools and roads.

Thats what I've learned so far.

34 National parks
58 State Parks
12,000 Miles on truck, who knows on my legs - alot of hiking.
Countless ass whoopings by elevation gain on hikes

Thanks everyone for the recommendations. Ive definitely used this thread to make some decisions and they've been great.

Very cool. What date did you leave? Keep on enjoying it.

[Chap]

Outside of working on a dude ranch in CO in college, I never got to take a big adventure like that. Way to go, man. Live it up. I look forward to hearing more about what you saw, caught, killed, ate, avoided, etc., when you get back and can really lay it all out for us.

[possumwhiskey]

Well done, my man!

[Tigerbdog]

Good for you! I can't speak for everyone else, but I feel safe saying a lot of us are a little envious because we didn't do the same.

[huntinghagen#12]

Enjoy it.

I had an “adventure” trip soon after graduating college that lasted around 6 months. I didn’t realize it at the time, but it would be a chapter of my life I’d day dream about a lot down the road.

Savor it.

[willk]

Badassedness.

[SCswampCAT]

I rode cross country with my aunt and uncle the summer after my senior year of HS. Started in Anderson and ended up in San Fran about a month later and flew back here. It was probably the most fun trip i've had (not hunting). Like Huntinghagen, I find myself day dreaming about it daily it seems. I'm ready to get out west again myself.

[BigBrother]

Love it.

[Gut_Pile]

Very cool

[JABIII]

Good for you. A lot of people talk, but few follow through. Look forward to the pics...

[Mars Bluff]

I was talking to someone about this thread the other day. Wondered if you jumped off & did it. Awesome stuff. I'm living vicariously through you so keep us posted!

[Glenn]

My big adventure trip was spent in the Navy.

To say I am jealous is an understatement. Thank yourself for doing this.