Trip covering all Lower 48 states - with an Oliver Twist

[SNY SD UP]

What are your thoughts???

This has been on my mind ever since we picked up SNYSDUP, probably should have been thinking of other things, but that is how I am wired (or weird).

I ran across this article from 2015, so some of you may have seen it, and like me thought of it until someone with more common sense, reminds you of reality.  There are a couple of additional articles on this, one even shows interactively how the route was optimized, which is cool.

        How to Really Drive Across the U.S. Hitting Major Landmarks : Discovery News (archive.org)

and 

        Computing the optimal road trip across the U.S. | Dr. Randal S. Olson (randalolson.com)

I personally think this would be cool to attempt, with the "Oliver Twist" being routing by “staying in 1 or more CG's that we are interested in per state, not just driving through the state/area non-stop, this is not a race, we are not in our 20's any more.

The toughest part would to not be stalled/stuck (Donner Pass comes to mind) when winter weather sets in as you travel in some states.  I am thinking it would take about a year to allow for inclement weather, and to stay those locations you have chosen in each state.

Because of the algorithm used to determine routing, you could start in your home state and about 52 weeks later be back home. 

Someone snap be back into reality, and tell me one of you have already done this...  

Bryan, Out

Edited June 16, 2021 by SNY SD UP
forgot something, i never remember everything the first time...

[Landrover]

I always get notifications from the web site Roadtrippers. They have planed trips that expand across the country with stops along the way campgrounds places to visit. I personally have not done this but some of the trip planing looks very interesting. When the wife and I made a cross country trip there was no real planning head west back east down south. Most of the scenic ventures were by word of mouth, by the locals or by people you meet at the campgrounds. What ever way you do it its all good. 

[SeaDawg]

I've seen Dr. Olson's map before, and it's an interesting route. But, I'd want a year, or more, to drive and enjoy camping along the way.

Another idea might be multiple trips,  branching out from the center? 

Sometimes,  we'll drive five or 600 miles in a day, to get to a destination,  then not move for days, or weeks, or, wander slowly for a month after.  

All depends on time and availability.

 

 

 

[Ray and Susan Huff]

Seeing all the lower 48 in one trip would be much like hiking the PCT from Canada to Mexico.  Timing is a big priority.  

I doubt we could do a lower 48 road trip in a year . . . .  we tend to visit a new place and stay longer than planned in order to see as much as possible, since we might not make it back that way again . . . . . .Maybe an exploratory trip first, then another to return to discovered places you didn't see the first go-round.

I'm sure there are members here who have some experience with coast to coast treks.  Anxious to hear reports.

[BackofBeyond]

An interesting concept for sure and timing is key. Somehow hit the hot climates when not while also missing the snow in the 4 season regions.

I would have to think about it some as there are places where I don't want to go back. Once was enough. 

R