Preview for the Rest of the Year and 2010

Since I haven't had a chance to update this for a couple weeks, I thought I'd take this opportunity to preview my next three road trips.

Road Trip #1 - This trip has been overdue for sometime now. Originating out of L.A., we'll head southbound (since we've been going north all this time) and end up at the California-Mexico border (a location which will be crossed once my brand spanking new passport is in hand). In between, I will hike Torrey Pines, eat at Board & Brew in Del Mar and attempt to surf along the California-Mexico border. That last ambition may not work out too well.

Road Trip #2 - This trip will go due east, along Highway 10 into Arizona before dipping south along Highway 17 and 19 and terminating in the border town of Nogales, Arizona-Mexico. What's in Nogales? Well aside from the Tumacacori National Monument and a bunch of ghost towns, I don't really know. Hence the whole point of the road trip. Who knows, maybe I'll end up in Deming, New Mexico trekking through City of Rocks State Park.... Hmmmm...

Road Trip #3 - Among the most ambitious, I'm saving this one for the tail end of the year, possibly into next year. The goal - drive the entire length of Highway 5, from just north of Tijuana, Mexico and ending in Blaine, Washington (and if I make good time, possibly hop over to Vancouver for a day). It's a total distance of 1,382 miles - one way. Mind you there are plenty of logistics to work out along this journey, most notably the decision of whether to drive that same distance back home or to fly back. Either way, I'm totally pysched about this one, not only for the scenery and the journey, but also because it will provide the perfect barometer for a much longer trip in 2010.

Which brings me to my 2010 destinations. Since I mentioned the much longer trip above, lets start with that one.

The goal will be to head eastward this time traveling the entire 2,460 miles of Highway 10, starting in Santa Monica, CA and ending in Jacksonville, Florida. No doubt that at the conclusion of this one I will be flying back.

These National Parks are also on the list for 2010: Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, Yellowstone in Wyoming, Mesa Verde in Colorado, Grand Canyon in Arizona, Lassen National Park in California, Badlands National Park in South Dakota and Crater Lake in Oregon. If I can squeeze it in, perhaps Mount Rushmore, Yosemite and Arches in Utah.

Internationally speaking, if I have any money left after all this running around, destinations will include Japan and Canada. But I doubt I'll even make it to those places and those are the only two places jumping to mind at this moment.

So there you have it. A complete preview for the rest of this year's travels and the goals for 2010. As always, safe travels and when in doubt, take the road less traveled.