It rained last night. Actually, it poured. Or at least it did where we are currently holed up for a few days. Today the weather is cold, wet, and overcast, with the temperature dropping more as the day progresses. That's a bit of a change from the last week where we were breaking temperature records with highs in the mid 20s Celsius.
My husband and I have been flipping through our road atlas these past few days, planning routes. We have been scanning States, discussing roads we have already been on, and trips taken. My husband has been to every State west of Chicago, and a few more to the east. I have been to most of the western States except California and Oregon, and a few eastern States as well. Neither of us like to travel the same routes over and over. We like to discover new roads. And we prefer to travel the red highways, staying off the interstates as much as possible.
So, we have been checking the maps, trying to determine where to go. I keep saying that it really depends on the weather on the day we leave. If it is cold here when we leave, we will blast down through the first few States, until warmer weather is found. But if the weather is nice, we may go west before going south. We never set a route in stone, and we are always open for changes along the way. Our philosophy when we travel is that it is not the destination as much as it is the journey that matters.
We picked up a great atlas a few years back. It's a Rand McNally that we got from Walmart. The atlas shows every Walmart across Canada and USA, listed by State (and Province). This comes in handy when looking for our favorite campgrounds, the Walmart parking lots. We prefer the super centers that are found in the USA because they are open 24 hours and have a great grocery section with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as prepared foods and bakery items.
The atlas also has "red ribbon" routes showing recommended scenic roads as well as other scenic routes through each of the States. My eyes keep wandering over all the scenic highways and by-ways. I would love to plan our routes based solely on scenic routes.
Anxious, anxious, anxious.
Anxious to get on our way.
Where did you get your road atlas? I’ve never held one in my entire life. I know there are copies of it online, and I do get to see some when I surf. You and your husband have probably gone through many roads in your lifetime. It’s unusual to read of such a hobby… It’s quite amazing!
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