Sat in Suzanne's house reflecting on my BigTrip Part 2
I used 554.451 gallons of Gas
Drove a total of 13,163 miles
Giving 23.7 MPG
Given that a U.S. gallon is 4 fifths that if a UK gallon
Gives 29.67 MIles per UK gallon
I also travelled a further 5,000 miles to Hawaii and back
And another 2,000 miles on the cruise ship from Vancouver to Whittier Alaska.
Then 500 miles on the Alaskan Railway
And a further 2,500 miles flying back to Vancouver via Seattle
So including the 4,000 mile flight from the UK
By the time I return I will have travelled a grand total of
31,163 miles
Some highlights of my trip:-
A second visit to Bourbon street in New Orleans
Visiting Houston space centre and seeing the Iss control room and the new control room for the Orion programme.
A walk across the border to Laredo Mexico to find a geocache. Got muggled by the house owner but sweet talked my way out.
Visited the Alamo and met up with Mark Noblitt a design manager from the San Antonio office.
Attended the Texas Challenge geobash.
Saw the aliens in Roswell then Billy the Kids info in Lincoln town New Mexico.
Met up with Michelle Voytko in Denver
Crossed the Rocky Mountains at over 2 miles high!
Nearly got stuck in the desert when my road turned into a dirt track with no chance to turn round.
Laid on the floor with each arms and legs in different states at the four corners memorial.
Fired a 50 cal sniper rifle.
Drove over the Hoover Dam
Attended a beer festival in aid of help for heroes in Boulder City.
Gambled in Vegas and went to a show with topless ladies.
Went to a gun show
Visited a ghost town at Calico
Took a train to Grand Canyon and got robbed by bandits.
Saw the space shuttle Endeavour in LA
Picked Anna up at LAX and stayed at some lovely places on West coast.
Rode the trams and drove over/ sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz.
Sampled wine in Napa valley including Mario Andrettis and Scorsesee's vinyards.
Flew to Hawaii and saw Perl Harbour and the Polynesian Culture Centre.
Museum of flight and a ride in a biplane and visited Boeing in Seattle. Also went up the space needle.
Drove into British Columbia Canada and stayed with Graeme Watt and watched a rugby game and attended the annual awards night.
Took cruise up to Alaska and travelled by train to Anchorage, Talkeetna and Fairbanks. Flew around amount McKinley and landed on the Ruth Glacier.
Panned for gold a number of times
Visited the Alaskan Brewing co in Juno
97 degrees F in Leavenworth
Collected Suzanne and kids in Helena and visited Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, wind caves, deadwood, badlands.
Visited air museum in Ellsworth Air Base and visited a Minuteman II nuclear missile training Silo.
Stopped at Wall Drug the biggest drugstore in the world.
Drank beer in a veterans club in Valentine
Visited Mark McDowell in Chicago and went to a beer and reggae music festival
Stayed with Cathy and Jim in Erie
Surprised Beth and Mike in the Alegheny Forrest on my birthday 4th July.
Met up with Dennis in New Castle to give him his beer
Stayed with Aimee and Brian in Oshkosh and went to EAA Air show. Got Bob Hoover and Jimmy Doolittle to sign Bobs autobiography. Met Dawn and Scott (Iron Maiden) went extreme caching in Manitowoc.
Attended Mid West Geo Bash with Beth and Mike and Dennis.
Drove through the night back to Charlotte where I'm trying to sell the RV before I return home