Thoughts on travel, both this year and more long-term

[wispfox]

In the long-term parts, I'm kinda sorta looking for suggestions/thoughts/etc, as those thoughts are very unformed and hazy at the moment. Also, I have no experience with what I'm thinking about doing.


Immediate planning includes a desire to go with ladytabitha to somewhere in California. Sacremento, I think. She suggested it, since I've never been to California. Yay, traveling!

Also, I want to go to Atlanta, GA, to visit with shadesong at some point in the near future (read sometime later than the next few months), since the first meeting was so brief.


In the more long-term (probably at least 3 years out, and still very vague), I've been thinking about what I would really like to do, once my school loans are paid off (my car loan will be paid off before then, since it's smaller and it's term was very short).

My hazy and mostly unstated until about now goal has been, after paying off loans, to save up enough (not sure how much that translates to) to be able to survive not having a job while I travel aruond the USA, for probably a year or two. The time isn't really certain yet, as my main goal is to wander around the USA at a fairly leasurely pace, via car, getting a sense of the various places I travel to without any real rush. The
lack of a rush is especially important, since I don't really *like* driving for long periods of time (translated as much more than 1.5 hours at a stretch).

I don't really have any particular idea of where I want to go during my travels, so suggestions would be appreciated. My only real thoughts here are that I want to see the Grand Canyon. And the immense trees on the west coast. And visit people.

I have not done anything like this before, so my ideas may not be feasible. Thus, the information request (including websites, communities, whatever).

My thoughts have included:

-attempting to stay in more southern locations in the wintertime, and more northern ones in the summer, hopefully keeping to reasonably moderate temps for most of the time.

-I would like to avoid paying for hotels, so would need information on the existance of hostels, or whatever equivalent actually exists in the US. Possibly also visiting people I know online, but I don't want to be counting on that. I'm hoping to avoid sleeping in my car, as I suspect the whole not having a consistent bed to sleep in will cause enough problems without trying to sleep in a car. But, part of the reason for staying with relatively moderate climates is to make that possible/sane if necessary.

-I'd love to find people to share the drive with me, but I'm thinking a year or more probably negates the possibility of that.

-Suggestions on ways to be able to make some money while traveling might be interesting, even though I plan to save up quite a bit beforehand. Having money available at the end of the trip is kinda important, as I'll likely not be able to find a place to stay and job as soon as I finish. I also probably will still not have a clue what I want to *do* with myself. Although hopefully the wandering will help with that. However, I don't know that I *have* useful non-long-term job skills.

Um. I think I had more things, but sitting down to type them has made them run away again. Ah, well.

It'd be *really* interesting only owning whatever fits into my car, I must say. I could (and may) try storing some stuff with my parents, but their storage space acts a lot like a black hole in many ways. Much time before I have to think on any of this in ernest. And I have no idea what I'll do with my cat, but suspect he'd not be happy traveling with me. Another thing to worry about later...

Comments

[aussie-nyc.livejournal.com]

kizlj and I took a road trip where we saw 11 southern states in 16 days. If we had had 6 months, we still would have had so much to do in the south. The best part of that trip, and how it's helped us plan for others, is how much we found in small, unheard of towns on the way. And how meeting locals and hanging out lends a major sense of perspective for us NYC dwellers.

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Ooooh. I think I may have to pick your brain a lot when it comes closer to the time for me to be doing this. Because I don't really have a good sense of *anything*, as far as length of time for things, or cost, or such...

[aussie-nyc.livejournal.com]

Here to help!

(you are on a comment-reply binge, aren't you?)

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Yes! I am! I got tired of having piles and piles of comments to reply to. :)

[rednikki.livejournal.com]

Honestly, to get cheap/free places to stay, you could probably post that you needed them in your LJ, and have your friends post it in theirs. I'm sure that I could get you places to stay in at least 5 or 6 cities.

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Point! It's something I'd sorta kinda thought about in terms of people on *my* friends list, but hadn't so much thought about friends of friends. Friends of friends (as well as people on my friends list) would probably depend on how well I know the friend in question.

[lissamc.livejournal.com]

(Wandering through your journal by hopping friends' pages.)

If you are the sort that can deal with camping, you might want to throw a tent and sleeping bag in the car. There are plenty of places out west here (in AZ at least) that are state land, where you can pitch a tent for free. Or can you get your hands on an inexpensive smallish motor home? Camp grounds (or way stations or, heck, parking lots for that matter) are much much cheaper than hotels, and you would have the advantage of having your own bed and space. And the cat could travel comfortably.

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Very much thinking about the idea of a small motor home (is that the same as an RV?); any thoughts on where one would find such a thing?

Also, hi!

[lissamc.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of my grandparents, and how they used to tour the country. They had one of the beasts that was a pick up truck cab, with a camper back. A small table, kitchen, and bathroom, and the bed was up a small ladder and situated over the cab. I recall riding up on the bed, looking out the tiny windows at the road up ahead.

I've seen such things used with for sale signs on them in people's driveways now and again. I would try the classifieds, and keep your eyes open. Do you have any camper sales places around you? They might be able to give you some pointers, or have some trade ins.

[hawkegirl.livejournal.com]

There's alot I'd like to say here, but I'll be brief on one point for now (we can talk more in person).

Camping is an option if you're not allergic to it (though it can be spotty unless you feel really rainproof). You also might want to considder a van, truck, or mini-van. If you're really thinking along the terms of a year or two. Haveing a little matress in the back of your van you can always count on is really a huge plus when traveling the country. I know it's silly cliche' to think of the VW vans and hippies traveling with them, but there is a reason why they did so. Not to mention the space to have a variety of clothes. Even if you're aiming for warm, you'd probably want your coat, boots, etc, all that shit takes up space. Again depends on how much you really want to rough it.

I have to ask (being from Sacramento) *why* Sacramento??? (And if you need a place to stay there, I can probably set you up.)

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Yes... thinking more seriously about some sort of an RV or converted vehicle. And camping is, indeed an option.

As for Sacremento, because ladytabitha knows people there, who are also people I want to meet. And because I've not been *anywhere* in CA, so why the heck not go there with someone already planning to go? :)

Also - I can ask ladytabitha what she thinks of the idea of not using a hotel. It's possible that a hotel is preferable.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

*bounce* I'd love to see you again!