Route shaping up

I know this is not a great photo, as I am still trying to cipher this camera, but the general idea should be clear. My friend Mike Moore and I (Mike served as navigator on countless boat trips we took on the Pittsburgh rivers over the years, so he has "some" credibility) sat at his coffee table and laid out my tentative route. I had so much good input/suggestions from friends about where to visit that it was a good challenge to see what I could fit in.

Here is what it looks like as of today 10/9/08

• Pittsburgh
• Chicago, IL
• Minneapolis, MN
• Duluth, MN
• Bismarck, ND
• Mobridge, SD -- this is where my mother was born. I am going to try to find traces of family
• Badlands National Park, SD
• Rapid City, SD
• Crow Indian Reservation, MT
• Billings, MT
• Bozeman, MT
• Mammoth Hot Springs, WY
• Grand Tetons, WY
• Jerry Johnson Hot Springs, ID -- friend Chris Gfroerer tells me to not miss this, and to take a long soak in the springs -- will do
• Redwood National Forest, CA -- hoping son Robert will join me here for a leg of the trip
• San Francisco, CA -- going to see the house where I was born, and I am going to knock on the door and see my bedroom -- actually, it is across the bay in Oakland. Yes, I swam that shark filled bay!!
• Yosemite, CA -- going to try to find the campground where my family camped when I was a wee lad
• Death Valley, CA
• Grand Canyon, AZ
• Painted Desert, AZ
• Lake Powell, UT
• Arches, UT
• Vail, CO

Then, if I have any gas money, or any money at all, or any energy, or any anything, I'll figure out the rest of the route.

---scm