The Great North American Trek

In about the middle of 2006, I came up with an idea that will be quite expensive and difficult to implement, but well worth it in the end. Basically, the idea is for me to get reacquainted with my homeland, the United States as well as Canada, when I return from my travels abroad. The idea is not fully developed just yet, because America, unlike Europe, does not have the easy rail access everywhere the way I'd like. All the same, I am hoping to get reacquainted with this lovely continent I now live in somehow. The idea started out as me buying a car and just driving the interstate system and up into Canada. This trip would cover around 20,000 miles (perhaps many more), and in theory touch nearly every American state, and Canadian province (and territory). Buying a car seemed a tad expensive so I figured I'd rent cars and switch them out every so often.

While renting cars would be a better idea, because not only are you not putting milage on your own car, but you can switch the car which may help on maintance. Even though I may still employ this method for traversing these great countries, there are a few things which make it seem less easy than I'd like. For one thing, I don't know how hard it is to rent a car in one spot and drop it off in another, or at least for cheap, although I'll be definitely looking into this in the next few years. The other thing is, the expense for doing that may be a little too immense for me. with gas and insurance and all. I do think, it would be a very liberating way to explore the country, but there is one final problem I do have with this method, and that is taking the interstate system, as efficient as it may be. I believe that to really get a feel for the country, it would be most beneficial to use older smaller highways and really explore the country that way.

One final idea I have to accomplish this task is to take the railways even though they are less efficient than I'd like. I know that though they don't run as well as they should, it might be a very great and beautiful way to see everything. Amtrak does run through 47 states, and it would be my intention to rent a car in many of the cities (as well as use subways) to get around once at every destination. The only real problem I have with this is how it does not really get into the countryside as much as I'd like. I still think it would be an excellent notion to do this, and its not like we wouldn't see the countryside, indeed that's what the trains are all about. Outside of the continental 47 states we would visit by Amtrak, I would love to then use the Trans-Canadian Railway to explore the southern provinces of Canada, from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Victoria, British Columbia. Of course, I wouldn't just explore that part, but also I'd hopefully see the Yukon territory and up to and through Alaska (via the Alaska Railroad).

I would love to get to know my neighbors in the Great White North more, as I've only ever been to British Columbia before. I would also love to see Labrador and Newfoundland. It would be unlikely that we would see Nunavut or the Northwest Territories. We shall have to see which method I use to explore this place, doubtless it will be a combination of all of these. I am not including Central America in this trek, as I feel it is large enough right now anyway. Also, I am hoping to do this all at once, and to pick people up and leave them as I go, but it may not work that way. I don't really even have an estimate for the cost yet, but I would place it around $10,000- $15,000. Finally, I must add that I intend to stay in hostels along the way, as always, as well as camp out, I feel that this would serve as a delight for anyone involved. I'll add more later to this, as I figure certain things out, including the time that I'd actually like to get started and how long it will take to do. It could be years away, but always something to shoot for as well as take months to do, perhaps up to six, or as few as two or three.