Izaak Memorial Westward Ho Summer Adventure 2007 - wrap up

All in all it was a very enjoyable and satisfying trip. We had been worried that we would want to come home before we had planned to do so, but that never happened. When the time came to head for home we weren't ready; we wanted to stay even longer and go to even more places.

The best part of the trip, besides the obvious thing of seeing so many interesting places and things, is that we did it at our own pace. Except for the bookends, the Katy Trail bike trip and Bob Marshall backpack, we had no set schedule and could stay as long as we wanted at any particular place. Consequently, on several occasions we stayed a week or more in one place. We stayed 11 days in Glacier National Park alone. RETIREMENT IS GOOD! The worst parts of the trip were the record-breaking heat and the summer crowds in the national parks. Normally we wouldn't have planned such a trip for the middle of the summer, but with the bike trip in late May and the backpack in August, it made sense.

Trip Statistics:

• Duration: 86 days or a little more than 12 weeks.
• Distance: 6512 miles (not counting miles driven in the Honda, which would probably add another ~1200 miles.
• States Visited: TN, AL, MS, AR, TX, NM, AZ, UT, ID, MT, SD, WY, IA, MO, IL, and KY. Additionally we came within a few miles of, but did not enter, CO, NE, OK and Canada.
• Diesel Fuel Consumed: 786 gallon gallons ($2191) includes fuel for generator and hot water.
• Camping Costs: $461 Average cost = $5.42/night.

Future Major Trips:

• Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness - Aug 24-Sep 9 (without the motorcoach)
• Adirondacks and New England - Sep 11 - ~Oct 15
• NC Outer Banks ~one week sometime in Nov
• Florida - ~Dec 15 - ~Feb 15