I'm Finally Taking a Real Vacation!

"Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast" (danimalk)
08/20/2020 at 11:05 • Filed to: None

I am taking 2 weeks off of work! It will be my first meaningful time off since the beginning of the year and my longest continuous vacation in 3+ years. I am going to be driving mostly across the country from Chicagoland to Boulder area in Colorado to visit some friends, but that’s basically as far as I’ve gotten so far. I am going to be disconnecting from work, which I have pretty much never done before.

I had a pretty intense last 12 months, physically and emotionally. Work has been nuts for all kinds of different reasons. My long time relationship status changed unexpectedly/heartbeakingly. I bought a new car. And this will be a vacation to try and reset on everything, and do some hashtag soul searching for my future.

This is where all of you come in! Rough plan right now is to rent a nicer car and drive there with another friend of mine. We want to enjoy the journey. We want to see some CO sights. We want some time to lay low. Of course some car stuff would be fun too. I’ll be out there early October.

So, whaddaya got? What should we go see? What should we go do? Open to ideas between IL and CO as well. How can I document the trip? What’s the best way to do soul-searching? What even is soul-searching? Any Oppos in between want to meet up for a drink or lunch? Any cool car stuff along the way I’m not aware of?

Some desk toys for your time!

...and THANKS!! (this is kind of a big deal for me)

DISCUSSION (23)

Grindintosecond > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/20/2020 at 11:16

If you are in the Boulder area, there is the Shelby museum, and the Clive Cussler museum (if you like the old cars in his novels, they are all there!) And there is the HQ of Celestial Seasonings. (The pepeprmint room will clear your sinuses like no other.) Also, if you like seriously OLD cars, then there is the Dougherty Museum south of Longmont. Open on Fridays or something? Check the web. It has steam tractors too. Might be your speed or not.

Also, get up to Brainerd Lake. Hike some there. It’s gorgeous. It’s fantastic. It’s a true getaway right up near the tree-line. And a fantastic drive to get there. And $10 to get in I think? Was last time I went. But check park websites if you want to get into big parks. RMNP has a time sign-up/pay ahead thing now so theres at least some form of crowd control in the parks during all this.

Besides craft beer stuff all over the place (60% of all brewerys in the USA are in Colorado) I can’t think of much else beyond, just getting otuside and relaxing. Drink water!! And last thing to add.....have some sort of layered clothing. It might be 95 on the ground here, but in the mountains its 65, less? Depending on how high your going. Bring a windbreaker really. And the Mountain weather changes quickly. I remember a trip to the top of RMNP where it is 12k feet, it was 93 at home, and 45 up top there with a quick storm and sleet. It is variable when you get up there.

Ready for an adventure! > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/20/2020 at 11:24

I can recommend the North Platte, Nebraska stop at the Golden Spike Tower. The world’s largest railroad yard. Don’t scoff, it is a lot of cool engineering to see. The SAC Air museum in South East Omaha was interesting as well as having one of the SR-71's left in the world. Pike’s Peak is not far from Denver, to the south. Oppo Hill right there. Those are a few of what we saw on our way to rent a Jeep at Moab and trail around there.

Deal Killer - Powered by Focus > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/20/2020 at 11:25

The only thing I can recommend is to stay o ff the interstates as much as possible. You can see much more of the US when you travel state routes and go through the small towns of America. Better food too, if you plan ahead.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/20/2020 at 11:26

Fantastic... glad you’re getting to do this.

The Shelby Museum is in Boulder:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dclange/albums/72157627240173026

If you can rent a vehicle capable, maybe do Old Fall River Road?

https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/old_fall_river_road.htm

Vail is a cool place to visit for a day trip - you can ride the gondola to the top in the summer.

Utah parks are awesome, Yellowstone’s awesome, South Dakota’s awesome, northern New Mexico’s awesome, Glacier’s awesome... So many great things to see in and around Colorado.

https://roadtrippers.com/ + Google Maps are great for route planning.

PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120 > Grindintosecond
08/20/2020 at 11:32

Good suggestions!

PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120 > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/20/2020 at 11:35

I’m not sure if they’ll be open but the Wings Over The Rockies air/space museum is good. The Forney Museum of Transportation was good too.

I could go on and on about what outdoorsy stuff to do also , if that’s your jam.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Deal Killer - Powered by Focus
08/20/2020 at 11:37

This!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/20/2020 at 11:41

Go this way on your way out or back - see the sights in southwest SD and Devil’s Tower (and maybe keep going to Yellowstone).

Kinja'd!!!

CobraJoe > Ready for an adventure!
08/20/2020 at 12:21

I was just going to suggest the SAC museum if the route was going through Omaha. If you have any interest in planes, it is definitely worth it. (Check out the goblin!)

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/20/2020 at 12:46

The direct route is so ridiculously boring that I’d detour around it. At least visit Devil’s Tower and go through SD instead of NE.

If you are up for a really circuitous and scenic route, follow Lake Michigan north to the top of the UP through Green Bay, then go west through Duluth and through the northern part of Minnesota (which is lovely; visit Lake Itasca ), then you have North or South Dakota to go west, then hit Devil’s Tower, then at least drive through the Black Hills (even if you don’t stop anywhere) before continuing on to Boulder.

Just Jeepin' > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/20/2020 at 12:50

As I’ve learned from #OppoHunt, pick a map from this page and go wild.

https://www.roadsideamerica.com/location/

dumpsterfire! > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/20/2020 at 13:17

Late Sept/early Oct is my favorite time out here. Weather is usually amazing, but watch out for an occasional blizzard.

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/20/2020 at 13:48

Swing up to Minneapolis and I’ll buy you a beer.

jeepoftheseus > CobraJoe
08/20/2020 at 14:17

That’s an awesome museum. When I went years ago I pretty much had it to myself. Got to nerd out with one of the curators. It was great.

Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast > Deal Killer - Powered by Focus
08/20/2020 at 21:22

Thanks! this is a great point. I’ll have to look into some more interesting routes!

Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast > Grindintosecond
08/20/2020 at 21:22

Oh man, this is all great info, thanks!

Researching these now!

Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast > Ready for an adventure!
08/20/2020 at 21:25

Interesting, That SR-71 is tempting. Pike’s Peak is definitely on the list. I was there as a kid when half was still dirt road.

I’ll have to look into the train yard! Thanks!

Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
08/20/2020 at 21:28

woah, not sure how I haven’ t head of roadtrippers before, but that site is awesome! Great ideas, thanks!

I’ll keep you guys posted with what we plan

Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
08/20/2020 at 21:30

This... is tempting. Adds some time, we’ll need to overnight somewhere up there, but Devil’s Tower would be cool. I was there as a kid long, long ago

Thanks again!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/20/2020 at 21:33

Sure thing! I used it when planning our 2 week, 5000+ mile road trip a couple years ago. =)

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/20/2020 at 21:34

I don’t think you’ll regret taking the long way home (or there).

Grindintosecond > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/20/2020 at 23:33

Check local recent reviews on the parks. They're very popular now as everyone's trying to get outside by themselves. I'd avoid weekend park visits so far.

Bylan - Hoarder of LS400's > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
08/21/2020 at 10:57

If you’re going through Iowa, don’t speed. Those fuckers have nothing to do other than patrol the highway

Hone stly just avoid Iowa and go up through Minnesota, much better sights