A Summer Excursion

This summer, I plan on doing a lot of traveling. Instead of wandering around Europe, like some people do, I'm going to wander these great United States. I have a lot of friends and family around that I haven't seen in a while, so it might be good to stop around as many places as possible. Also, there are certain parts of the country I haven't seen yet, such as New England. I hope to take this trip starting in July and a little into August, before moving to whatever grad school I will attend. In order to be uber-cheap, I hope to use Amtrak's month-long ultimate pass to its fullest. Here is a map of some proposed destinations:



The numbers correspond to these locations:

1. Detroit Lakes, MN. This will be my start and end location, as it is the closest train station to home.

2. Fargo, ND. It is possible that the Microsoft Dynamics people will move in as early as August, so they may be around for the end of the trip.

3. Seattle, WA. Lots of my friends graduate to a cushy Microsoft job, including Travis Spomer, Matt Johnson and Steven, and Lincoln DeMaris. It would also be nice to see Brian Holley, even though I haven't heard from him since he left Kauffman. This might be a double stop if Katie gets her Microsoft internship.

4. San Francisco, CA. My aunt lives in South San Francisco with her husband and son. It would be nice to stop by, if not only for a real meal and a shower.

5. Phoenix, AZ. Most of the people who I used to talk to, but have since disappeared went to Phoenix. I'm talking to you, TRACY and TOM.

6. Dallas, TX. I can't remember if Travis is moving to Dallas or Boston.

7. Pensacola, FL. Andrew is moving to Eglin AFB soon, and should be there a while. I'll actually get to visit him this time, as opposed to the last two places he's been.

8. Boston, MA. Patrick is moving to Boston. Maybe Travis, too.

9. Portland, ME. I've never been to New England, so I might as well go as far as possible and take in the sights, briefly, and then turn around.

10. St. Louis, MO. Bob and Mandy will be there. Bob speaks of renting bikes and going for a ride.

11. Kansas City, MO/KS. Beermann, Dee, Nila and Nate, and all you Cerner kids get to hang out with me! I'm sure you're excited. Also, Katie has an offer at Garmin, so it's the other option for double-stops.

12. Lincoln, NE. All you lincolnites better miss me, and I'll stop by to see you. Maybe Jordan can take me home to meet his parents and get those pancakes he promised me.

13. St. Paul, MN. I don't know if Joe will be in Perham over the summer, or working in St. Paul, but I know Paul will still be there.

14. Duluth, MN. A few friends up here, Gus for sure. What is Jake doing for the summer?

These are in no particular order, and minimizing travel time will be key. I hope to bring two carry-on bags: one for a few sets of clothing, and another for a camera and computer. This will require me to spend no more than 2 consecutive days on a train between stops so I can shower and wash clothing occasionally.

If you think you should be on this list, or should be removed, let me know. I hope to find more about how the train schedules work and plan a route that maximizes my visits and mooching.