Well, Google tells me that this is in fact my blog, so I’m forsaking bessammarek.blogspot.com, but I’ll hold on to it for the few random posts that are already there.

Two travel guides came in the other day- Jerry McClanahan’s “EZ66 Guide for Travelers” and the “Here it is! Route 66 Map Series” maps. As glad as I am to have them, I’m realizing that there’s going to have to be some more selectivity than I had hoped for when we travel the Mother Road. It’s a little bit intimidating.

On that note, I’m blogging instead of packing for the next ten weeks… I’m off to Toronto and Montréal for the rest of June, then to Jonquière for July, and of course, California in August.

Catchy song of the day: “Dance Tonight” by Sir Paul McCartney: “You can do anything you want to do!”

I think we’re getting pretty close to finalizing the general itinerary. That means we know which cities we plan to sleep in each night, but we don’t know specific routes and stops on the way. It’s not a bad thing, really- the whole point of the Route 66 leg is to adventure spontaneously anyways.

Aug 6th: Leave Toronto, arrive Chicago
Aug 7th: Chicago – St. Louis
Aug 8th: St. Louis – Oklahoma City
Aug 9th: Oklahoma City – Amarillo / Palo Duro Canyon
Aug 10th: Amarillo – Albuquerque
Aug 11th: Albuquerque – Flagstaff
Aug 12th: Flagstaff – Grand Canyon (North Rim)
Aug 13th: Grand Canyon – Las Vegas
Aug 14th: Las Vegas – Los Angeles
Aug 16th: Los Angeles – Big Sur
Aug 17th: Big Sur – San Francisco
Aug 21st: San Francisco – Sacramento – Reno
Aug 22nd: Reno – Salt Lake City
Aug 23rd: Salt Lake City – Denver
Aug 24th: Denver – Omaha
Aug 25th: Omaha – Chicago
Aug 26th: Chicago – Toronto
Aug 27th:

*phew*

Stephen (Co-Pilot) and I are spending Sunday barbecuing and pouring over maps and guides and such, so come Tuesday we should be pretty well set. If not, then we’ll just wing it, since he’s going to South America and I’ll be in Québec from June 27th – Aug 3rd.

I’m mildly concerned about the distances we’re going to have to cover on the way back, but there’s not much of a way to stretch it out unless we leave California early, which I don’t want to do. I’m also curious to know if any of this is legitimate at all, as the planning for the Route 66 leg was done with mileages taken from Google (ie using the Interstate). Oh well, it’ll only add to the excitement when we have to sleep in a desert someplace with the rattlesnakes (right?)

Sweet- the first set of reservations have been made!

August 9th: Palo Duro Canyon, Texas
August 12th: Grand Canyon (North Rim), Arizona
August 16th: Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, California

Next steps: Get to Montréal, and find some couches for the road!

“There was only one road back to L.A. – U.S. Interstate 15. Just a flat-out high speed burn through Baker and Barstow and Berdoo. Then onto the Hollywood Freeway, and straight on into frantic oblivion. Safety. Obscurity. Just another freak, in the freak kingdom.”

Raoul Duke // Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

We’re booked at the Imperial Palace. Yea!

Some time ago when I was in my adolescence, I felt the wind blow my thoughts to the Pacific. I got an all-too-brief taste last summer when I reached the west coast of México, and soon enough, I’ll leave for that end of the earth again. My departure for Los Angeles is close enough for me to taste; the wind blows a little stronger each day, and at this time in two weeks, I’ll be somewhere in Chicago. I’m supposed to be working, but instead I’m emailing Couchsurfers. I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep again until I feel that Pacific breeze on a Californian boardwalk. Soon enough, Bess, soon enough!