2013 Trek Around the USA

Tomorrow I begin a new adventure.  It will be my first solo trip since March 2013, and my longest since my 60-day trip in 2011.  The route is another counter-clockwise circle:  heading north to Duluth, then west to Spokane, then south to San Luis Obispo, then further south to Tucson, then east to Pensacola.  The 35-day itinerary is set out under the heading "Trip Plans".

I am going to try to camp about every other night, usually at a state park campground.  A big question mark will be the weather.  The northern part of the trip is already experiencing highs in the 40s and there is some snow in the Rockies.  Other than the temperature falling below freezing at night, the weather shouldn't be a issue until I reach western Montana on October 27th.  At that point, I will have to determine whether I can travel back and forth through the Idaho panhandle based on snowfall.

Mustang is ready to roll
in front of our temporary residence

There is no real theme for this trip, and the stops I am making are eclectic.  I had intended to visit southwest South Dakota and northern Wyoming, but this area has already experienced one heavy snowfall and is about have another one.  In addition, the government shutdown has closed the national parks I had intended to visit.  There will be another time for that.

The trip in 2011 followed my retirement from the law and my hearing officer duties.  This trip follows another significant life event, in that Julie and I sold the big house we had occupied--and where we had raised our children--for 31 years.  Sure I miss it, but its a thing and there will be another thing in time.

The first day journey will take me to Legion State Park just south of Starkville, Mississippi.  It is supposed to rain during the day, but hopefully the storm will have passed by the time to set up my tent.