[BillS]

I'll be leaving this Saturday!!!! I have all of my hotel reservations made and I'm very excited.

Im a T8 level paraplegic and I'll be traveling alone. I'm doing this to celebrate turning 50 this year. It's something I've been wanting to do since I was a kid and I figured turning 50 was a good excuse to travel.

If you have any suggestions about things to do in these cities or on the roads between them please let me know. I'm hoping to find some great wheelchair accessible things to do. Quirky and cool is a definate plus.

If you're interested in keeping track of my travels I'll be updating my LiveJournal every day. So just check out http://billsears.livejournal.com/ and you can see how it's going.

Day 1(Saturday, March 28) - Baltimore MD to Knoxville TN, 516 miles

Day 2(Sunday, March 29) - Knoxville TN to Nashville TN, 179 miles.

Day 3(Monday, March 30) - Nashville TN to New Orleans LA, 532 miles.

Day 4(Tuesday, March 31) - New Orleans LA - sightseeing.

Day 5(Wednesday, April 1) - New Orleans LA to Houston TX to Austin TX 505 miles.

Day 6(Thursday, April 2) - Austin TX – sightseeing.

Day 7(Friday, April 3) - . Austin TX to San Antonio TX, 79 miles.

Day 8(Saturday-April 4) - San Antonio TX, to Carlsbad NM, 450 miles.

Day 9(Sunday-April 5) – Carlsbad NM to Flagstaff AZ via Roswell & Albuquerque, 598 miles.

Day 10(Monday-April 6) - Flagstaff AZ to Grand Canyon AZ, 79 or 150 miles, stop at Wupatki/Sunset Crater.

Day 11(Tuesday-April 7) - Grand Canyon AZ to Hoover Dam, 243 miles. Hoover Dam to Las Vegas NV, 33 miles.

Day 12, 13(Wednesday, Thursday-April8&9) – Las Vegas NV – sightseeing.

Day 14(Friday-April 10) – Las Vegas NV to Los Angeles CA, 271 miles.

Day 15, 16, 17, 18(Saturday, Sunday(EASTER), Monday, Tuesday- April 11, 12,13,14) – Los Angeles CA – sightseeing.

Day 19(Wednesday-April 15) – Los Angeles CA to Fresno CA via San Luis Obispo, 341 miles.

Day 20(Thursday-April 16) – Fresno CA to Yosemite Falls CA, 92 miles.

Day 21(Friday-April 17) – Yosemite Falls CA to San Francisco CA 190 miles.

Day 22, 23(Saturday, Sunday- April 18&19) – San Francisco CA – sightseeing.

Day 24(Monday - April 20) – San Francisco CA to Lindy’s(Pioneer CA) 144 miles. Lindy’s to Lake Tahoe(Incline Village) NV 101 miles.

Day 25(Tuesday – April 21) – Lake Tahoe NV to Salt Lake City UT, 552 miles.

Day 26(Wednesday – April 22) – Salt Lake City UT to Manitou Springs CO, 606 miles.

Day 27(Thursday – April 23) – Manitou Springs CO – sightseeing.

Day 28(Friday –April 24) – Manitou Springs CO to Topeka KS, 531 miles.

Day 29(Saturday-April 25) – Topeka KS to St Louis MO, 311 miles.

Day 30(Sunday-April 26) – St Louis MO to Chicago IL, 297 miles.

Day 31, 32(Monday, Tuesday – April 27&28) - Chicago IL – sightseeing.

Day 33(Wednesday April 29) – Chicago IL to Niagara Falls Canada, 526 miles

Day 34(Thursday April 30) – Sightseeing Niagara Falls.

Day 35(Friday May1) - Niagara Falls Canada to Ottawa Canada 359 miles.

Day 36(Saturday May 2) – Ottawa Canada to Montreal Canada, 121 miles.

Day 37(Sunday - May 3) – Montreal Canada sightseeing.

Day 38(Monday - May 4) – Montreal Canada to Bar Harbor ME, 359 miles.

Day 39(Tuesday – May 5) – Bar Harbor/Acadia Park sightseeing.

Day 40(Wednesday – May 6) – Bar Harbor ME to Boston MA, 286 miles.

Day 41(Thursday – May 7) – Boston MA – sightseeing.

Day 42(Friday – May 8) – Boston MA to Home, 417 miles.

[fatdave]

BillS, on Mar 24 2009, 09:04 AM, said:

I'll be leaving this Saturday!!!! I have all of my hotel reservations made and I'm very excited.

Im a T8 level paraplegic and I'll be traveling alone. I'm doing this to celebrate turning 50 this year. It's something I've been wanting to do since I was a kid and I figured turning 50 was a good excuse to travel.

If you have any suggestions about things to do in these cities or on the roads between them please let me know. I'm hoping to find some great wheelchair accessible things to do. Quirky and cool is a definate plus.

If you're interested in keeping track of my travels I'll be updating my LiveJournal every day. So just check out http://billsears.livejournal.com/ and you can see how it's going.

Day 1(Saturday, March 28) - Baltimore MD to Knoxville TN, 516 miles

Day 2(Sunday, March 29) - Knoxville TN to Nashville TN, 179 miles.

Day 3(Monday, March 30) - Nashville TN to New Orleans LA, 532 miles.

Day 4(Tuesday, March 31) - New Orleans LA - sightseeing.

Day 5(Wednesday, April 1) - New Orleans LA to Houston TX to Austin TX 505 miles.

Day 6(Thursday, April 2) - Austin TX – sightseeing.

Day 7(Friday, April 3) - . Austin TX to San Antonio TX, 79 miles.

Day 8(Saturday-April 4) - San Antonio TX, to Carlsbad NM, 450 miles.

Day 9(Sunday-April 5) – Carlsbad NM to Flagstaff AZ via Roswell & Albuquerque, 598 miles.

Day 10(Monday-April 6) - Flagstaff AZ to Grand Canyon AZ, 79 or 150 miles, stop at Wupatki/Sunset Crater.

Day 11(Tuesday-April 7) - Grand Canyon AZ to Hoover Dam, 243 miles. Hoover Dam to Las Vegas NV, 33 miles.

Day 12, 13(Wednesday, Thursday-April8&9) – Las Vegas NV – sightseeing.

Day 14(Friday-April 10) – Las Vegas NV to Los Angeles CA, 271 miles.

Day 15, 16, 17, 18(Saturday, Sunday(EASTER), Monday, Tuesday- April 11, 12,13,14) – Los Angeles CA – sightseeing.

Day 19(Wednesday-April 15) – Los Angeles CA to Fresno CA via San Luis Obispo, 341 miles.

Day 20(Thursday-April 16) – Fresno CA to Yosemite Falls CA, 92 miles.

Day 21(Friday-April 17) – Yosemite Falls CA to San Francisco CA 190 miles.

Day 22, 23(Saturday, Sunday- April 18&19) – San Francisco CA – sightseeing.

Day 24(Monday - April 20) – San Francisco CA to Lindy’s(Pioneer CA) 144 miles. Lindy’s to Lake Tahoe(Incline Village) NV 101 miles.

Day 25(Tuesday – April 21) – Lake Tahoe NV to Salt Lake City UT, 552 miles.

Day 26(Wednesday – April 22) – Salt Lake City UT to Manitou Springs CO, 606 miles.

Day 27(Thursday – April 23) – Manitou Springs CO – sightseeing.

Day 28(Friday –April 24) – Manitou Springs CO to Topeka KS, 531 miles.

Day 29(Saturday-April 25) – Topeka KS to St Louis MO, 311 miles.

Day 30(Sunday-April 26) – St Louis MO to Chicago IL, 297 miles.

Day 31, 32(Monday, Tuesday – April 27&28) - Chicago IL – sightseeing.

Day 33(Wednesday April 29) – Chicago IL to Niagara Falls Canada, 526 miles

Day 34(Thursday April 30) – Sightseeing Niagara Falls.

Day 35(Friday May1) - Niagara Falls Canada to Ottawa Canada 359 miles.

Day 36(Saturday May 2) – Ottawa Canada to Montreal Canada, 121 miles.

Day 37(Sunday - May 3) – Montreal Canada sightseeing.

Day 38(Monday - May 4) – Montreal Canada to Bar Harbor ME, 359 miles.

Day 39(Tuesday – May 5) – Bar Harbor/Acadia Park sightseeing.

Day 40(Wednesday – May 6) – Bar Harbor ME to Boston MA, 286 miles.

Day 41(Thursday – May 7) – Boston MA – sightseeing.

Day 42(Friday – May 8) – Boston MA to Home, 417 miles.

I've always wanted to do that! and try not to get abducted by aliens in Roswell!

[dancin' johnny]

Enjoy your trip Bills and keep us posted here too if you get the chance.

I'm wishing you 42 days of fun.

[StellaLAtella]

WHAT??? No stop in Atlanta? Bill.....next time, okay?
Have fun!

~Stella

[Ches]

No Dallas either.. hmm


Hey from Austin to San Antonio..off Interstate 35,, exit 175.. there's a cavern and wildlife park about 5 miles off the highway.. It has a drive thru zoo. I was just there maybe 3 weeks ago. It was pretty fun.. just watch out for the zebras and ostrich they arent afraid to TAKE YOUR FOOD!

I highly recommend the experience though. And the place is accessible if you decide to exit the car!

Sounds like a blast, best of luck to ya!

Also.. I spent a little time in Nashville last summer, I was bummed when I got to Graceland. 30 bucks to go through a house and the other attractions werent accessible

I also went to the Peabody Hotel, cause thats what you are supposed to do in Nashville, it wasnt too bad. I got to see the ducks, but there were some shops that were off limits due to 5 or 6 stairs here and there, with no way around!

[longhaul]

When in S F try to do an evening bay cruise, seeing the city from the water at night is awesome. That's a load of driving how to you do pressure relief? Keep the shiny side up............................

[BillS]

Thanks guys! Ches and Longhaul I may have to try those.

For pressure relief I plan on using a spare gel insert I have from a Jay Active cushion and to take a stop every couple of hours to get out of the car and stretch a bit. Hopefully I won't have any major problems but I will be on the look out for them.

[kdenon01]

That sounds awesome! OMG I wish I could goooo. lol

Good luck with everything!

[Hapahowlee]

Fantastic!! Have a blast

You'll be stopping in my old area St. Louis. Do you have any idea where you are staying? Looks as if you'll just miss where I live now, which is just about 30+ miles southeast of Phoenix. The Grand Canyon will still be chilly so dress warm.

Have a safe trip.

[DaveP]

I did a trip like that, and along a lot of the same routes. But in reverse. I drove from San Francisco to New Orleans, but left out LA and went to mainly little towns, and did a couple of days in Vegas, Grand Canyon via Flagstaff and then thru Texas to spend New Year in little Sliddel (swamp land!) and then music in New Orleans. Took us a month and it was great but I needed a holiday to recover after!

Lots of good memories though...

Enjoy!

[allis53ca]

you'll love manitou, but it deserves more than 48 hours ...i lived there 17 years ago...i went there on business in 92, went home quit my job, packed my shit and moved there..wish i'd never left..it hasn't changed..its very quirky, but but really unique...go to cave of the winds and go up the cog railway...check out the arcade and make time to browse the different shops along manitou ave. and colo. blvd. in old colo. city..and drive up pike's peak, its an incredible view....colorado springs is right there, but just a regular average city with nothing really too see or do that makes it "visitable"

[HiltonP]

Bill . . . My concern for you would be that of the 42 days you only have 11 allocated to sight-seeing. You obviously know your own physical and mental limitations, but please make sure you give yourself enough time to lay back and chill. If there's one thing I've learned in 28 years of wheelchair travel it is "pace yourself". You've got a great trip lined up there, it would be a shame to exhaust your energy half way through.

[roo]

hi bill
nice1 mate ,good luck in yer travels its also 1 of my dreams to do this so do keep us up dated have fun matey
roo

[Jax]

I live in Austin, so here's an Austin suggestion. If you like music, you should really check out Pete's Dueling Piano Bar. The musicians are great, and they take requests for all kinds of stuff. (They play quite a mix, and it's a different mix every time.) I love going there.

San Antonio-The Riverwalk. The parking can be crap sometimes, but if you are staying in a hotel, most near the riverwalk (and some not so near) have buses that will get you pretty close to the riverwalk.

Nashville- I went there a few years ago, and I have to say that the Opryland Hotel is one of the coolest hotels I've ever seen. Here's a link to the photo gallery on their site. Sorry, just couldn't describe it clearly, so I thought the pictures might be more helpful to show you what I mean.

San Francisco-There's a really great place to eat on the wharf called the Fisherman's Grotto if you like seafood.

[longhaul]

BillS, on Mar 25 2009, 11:17 AM, said:

Thanks guys! Ches and Longhaul I may have to try those.

For pressure relief I plan on using a spare gel insert I have from a Jay Active cushion and to take a stop every couple of hours to get out of the car and stretch a bit. Hopefully I won't have any major problems but I will be on the look out for them.

I use a ROHO when driving and have had excellent results. I went to Portland OR. from Redding CA to see my grandson off to Afghanistan we spent the night and drove home the next afternoon that's around 800 miles and I can sure feel it today.

[araitn]

Bill.... you'll be within 25 minutes of my house on your first day. When you hit the intersection of I-81 and I-26 give me a wave. If it wasn't for family visiting I would try to meet you for lunch.

Ches.... Graceland and Peabody are in Memphis, not Nashville. We don't want Bill riding around Nashville looking for Elvis at Graceland, although in Nashville he might find a few people that look like Elvis. Not being a smartass, just trying to be helpful.

Have a good trip Bill!

[Ches]

HAHAHAH Good call.. I knew Nashville didn't sound right.

[Texaswheelz]

I'm with Ches here, WTF no Dallas? I hope you have a blast, I have always wanted to take about 3 to 4 months and drive the old Route 66 across country, I had it all planned out back in college, sleeping in the back of my Bronco every night but still have not had the time or money to do it.

Two summers before I was injured I went on a 5 week vacation with the family across Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming. We slept in the tent every night but one and that was because there was a buffalo laying against the side of it that night. Was by far the best time I've ever had even though i was stuck in a tent with my older sister every night.

[KarenFerguson]

On day 19 you should totally stay awhile in San Luis Obispo - my neck of the woods!! And then maybe head over or Morro Bay. Paso Robles also has some great wineries. Just a thought.

I hope you enjoy the trip(s), sounds like a blast. The hubby & I just got back from LA (Santa Monica & seeing the Ghetty) - I highly recommend seeing the Ghetty Museum (not the Villa in Malibu) while you're in LA. Man I'm all jealous of all these travels!!

[BillS]

I'm in New Orleans today and having a blast.

Mini trip reports are at:

http://billsears.livejournal.com/

[Ches]

BillS.. Hahah I love the avatar with minnie mouse! Hey, have you heard of Braums? They arent too common, in fact Ive only seen them in Tx and Ok.. Its an OLD ice cream shop that also serves 'fast food'. Anyways if you haven't heard or ever been I SERIOUSLY recommend adding them to your list of places to eat.. Their crinkle fries and chocolate ice cream are the best!


Hahahahh "The GPS kept telling me to turn off cliffs so I could get to the road below."

The Parthenon visit gave me another thought;.. Are you interested in going to Fredericksburg, Tx at all? There's so much history there. Its about an hour outside San Antonio.. Maybe 2? Its a nice drive through the Texas hills. Outside Fredericksburg there is a town called Kerrville. Kerrville has a stone henge replica..nothing spectacular, no visitors center.. but its so gorgeous. Enchanted Rock is out there too..another neat one.

And one more thing, please tell me you noticed the old houses in the swamps off the interstate just north of New Orleans. Did you come in 59 or 55? I have only been the 55 route. I'm guessing you're taking 10 out, keep an eye open once you leave the city and start crossing the water. It just blows my mind that people live in those old creepy houses, with nothing but a tiny boat and alligators all around. Probably the same people casting all those voo doo spells! Speaking of, don't forget to visit the voo doo shops too, take a break from the strip club and go about four blocks down, there is a Reverend Zombie's and/or Marie something-or-another right in the French Quarter.

Oh I found an address; Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo
714 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA 70116
504-581-3751

OMG ONE MORE THING. I cant believe I didn't think of this sooner. Straight down any intersecting street, at the waters edge there is a fantastic place to eat, its a pastry shop. All white and green from what I remember.

Ah ok, found a link http://www.cafedumonde.com/main.html I swear you will not regret going there just for the beignets alone. If you were coming to Dallas I'd make you bring me one! Ok I think thats all I've got for New Orleans..unless you're a gambling man then Harrah's isn't bad!

This post has been edited by Ches: 31 March 2009 - 07:22 AM

[BillS]

Thanks Ches! Cafe duMonde was already on my list of things to do today. I'm on my way out the door for some beignets.

[Alextv]

wow, what an amazing trip. I wish I can have one like that one of these days...

[BillS]

I know this is an old thread but I wanted to let you guys know I'm still on my trip!!! It's been 5 weeks and I have 8 more days to go.

Right now I'm in Niagara Falls packing up to head to Ottawa.

[DaveP]

BillS, on May 1 2009, 02:35 PM, said:

I know this is an old thread but I wanted to let you guys know I'm still on my trip!!! It's been 5 weeks and I have 8 more days to go.

Right now I'm in Niagara Falls packing up to head to Ottawa.

It's great getting to see so many places and get some serious miles covered, but don't you find it tiring? After my 4 week treck across the USA, I needed a holiday afterwards! lol

[BillS]

Yep, I'm getting tired. But whenever I get tired and think I just want to take a day off or to skip something I want to see I just tell myself I didn't drive 9,000 miles to sit inside a hotel room.

I get tired but there will be time to rest AFTER the vacation is over.

[Izziwhizzi]

Sounds like a fab trip Bill - glad you are enjoying it.

When you get home to rest you can tell us about some of the stuff you saw and did.

Take care,

I xx

[BillS]

If you want to check it out I've been keeping up a daily journal. Each day when I get back to my hotel I post the highlights of the day. There's not much accessibility type of things in there but you can see what a 50 year old out of shape T8 complete paraplegic can do while traveling solo.

Here's the link to the journal:
http://billsears.livejournal.com/

[HiltonP]

HiltonP, on Mar 26 2009, 10:05 AM, said:

Bill . . . My concern for you would be that of the 42 days you only have 11 allocated to sight-seeing. You obviously know your own physical and mental limitations, but please make sure you give yourself enough time to lay back and chill. If there's one thing I've learned in 28 years of wheelchair travel it is "pace yourself". You've got a great trip lined up there, it would be a shame to exhaust your energy half way through.

BillS, on May 3 2009, 02:38 PM, said:

Yep, I'm getting tired. But whenever I get tired and think I just want to take a day off or to skip something I want to see I just tell myself I didn't drive 9,000 miles to sit inside a hotel room. I get tired but there will be time to rest AFTER the vacation is over.

A shame.

[BillS]

HiltonP, on May 4 2009, 05:03 AM, said:

HiltonP, on Mar 26 2009, 10:05 AM, said:

Bill . . . My concern for you would be that of the 42 days you only have 11 allocated to sight-seeing. You obviously know your own physical and mental limitations, but please make sure you give yourself enough time to lay back and chill. If there's one thing I've learned in 28 years of wheelchair travel it is "pace yourself". You've got a great trip lined up there, it would be a shame to exhaust your energy half way through.

BillS, on May 3 2009, 02:38 PM, said:

Yep, I'm getting tired. But whenever I get tired and think I just want to take a day off or to skip something I want to see I just tell myself I didn't drive 9,000 miles to sit inside a hotel room. I get tired but there will be time to rest AFTER the vacation is over.

A shame.

To each their own. I'd rather be tired and do the things I want to do then miss out on them and regret it latter. I can get over being tired but I can't go back in time and do something I regret not doing.