Poor Me

Thom's company has been sold and he's going to be out of a job. We've been planning for this since the first round of layoffs in 2001 - so financially we're fine.

We think (we find out today) that he will be getting a pretty decent severance package plus some bonus money to stay through the transistion period. We're going to blow that on travel. We figure we're unlikely to ever get an extended period of time like this again before retirement.

The problem is - there are so many cool places to go! We've already decided we're doing a bike tour of Sao Miguel - the largest island in the Azores. We have my 20th reunion to go to in Maine.

But what to do with the rest of the time?

Mountain Bike Alaska
Road Trip Pacific Northwest - with the bikes of course
Bop around in Europe for a couple of weeks
Prince Edward Island
Nova Scotia

These are all things we've tossed back and forth. Unfortunately there's not enough time to do them all. :)

So what would you do?

V

PS I reserve the right to NOT take your advice. :p

Mtn. Bike Alaska! That sounds great! I have been to Europe and it is beautiful. I have never been to Alaska and want to go, so now you can go first and let me know how it is!! ;) All of them sound great though, I am sure you will have a blast on any of them. Let us know!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Veronica

So what would you do?

---

We keep talking about taking a biking trip to Europe, but we've decided that since my dog doesn't board well nor even take any separation well, we'll hold off on that trip and stick to domestic road trips. :)

We did a great Northwest road trip when we were first dating, Portland down 101 through Northern California and visited Lassen National Park, we went through Nevada and Utah (played in Moab) and returned through Idaho...it was a blast! Back then our road trips were all about him taking a long ride every morning and me following a few hours later as his SAG support. Now that I ride we still do that, but we find a destination we can stay at for a few days, so we can do joint rides too! We're going to Vermont this month and probably Colorado in August (though the idea of traveling from bike race to bike race for a couple of weeks has cropped up!)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Veronica

Mountain Bike Alaska
Road Trip Pacific Northwest - with the bikes of course
Bop around in Europe for a couple of weeks
Prince Edward Island
Nova Scotia

---

Alaska sure sounds cool.

PNW is extremely nice too (although rainy at times)

Europe: beautiful but outrageously expensive, the Euro has dwarfed both of our sad dollars here (your American $, my Canadian loonie) and the cost of living is going up too

PEI and NS: why not consider Newfoundland instead? Or, if you're looking for some challenge, biking in Gaspesia or Charlevoix (Quebec)? Let me know if you come around.

What about Argentina? Ok if you're going in our Summer it's their Winter, maybe not the best time to travel (although it depends on the place you're going).

Oh! Enjoy it. I'm glad you can take this time (and money!!) together...

where's the biggest bang for your buck? The Canadian dollar is still 65¢ to $1 US. Awesome road and mountain biking too.

And contrary to popular beleif, the PNW is not "rainy". The coastal PNW is, as are the Cascades at time, but the PNW is more than a strip of rainforest going up the coast.

I'd vote for a USA/PNW road trip. Road bike, mountain bike, see the national parks, go camping....(St Helens, N Cascades, Rainier, Glacier, Yellowstone...)

Irulan

Tour BC and enjoy the diverse mountain biking up here!! Our spare room will be ready pretty soon - the mtn biking in williams lake is flowing and fast and treed and FUN - well worth a stop for a day or two...! And we're getting our rain right now...after this the weather should be mostly hot and dry. :) There's great riding all over the interior of BC! And, yes, with our canadian dollar, it's almost budget travel!

Whatever you decide, I'm still a bit envious! Time and money available at the same time!?! You must have done some very wonderful things to have such good karma! (and good planning, too)

Namaste,
~T~

What do you find the most fun or relaxing? I personally like road trips. Bubba and I get the most quality time together when we don't have to deal with someone else's schedule or public transit like airports and buses. We're the most relaxed when we wake up in the morning and turn to each other and say "what do you want to do know?" I also like going places where I can find a meadow stream and shut out the world (some of my best naps are beside a stream :rolleyes: ).

All of your choices call to me except where airlines and buses are involved. Heck, I go to Florida for Xmas and come back cranky because of the airlines and everyone talking on cell phones at mega-decibels. Nothing to do with Florida, I just hate being herded like cattle.

You've got a couple of trips with long flights, maybe a car trip would be a nice juxtaposition.

Of course, you know how much I love the PNW and Alaska (good streams for naps). Been wanting to do BC but need the time to drive a loop through the US PNW states and BC. Maybe go to one of the women's mtbike camps.

S.

PS - And, I won't be hurt if you DON'T take my advice. :D

Go follow the Tour de France... do the whole thing. Cycle some of the course, get photos of the whole experience.

That's what I'd do...

spazz

I'm with you Spazz...

Hubby and I have been wanting to do that for years. With oldest baby going to college next year it ain't looking like we'll get there anytime soon. :(

karen

ohh ohhh I wanna go to Alaska. My second choice is Tuscany.

I'd be totally envious if you go to Europe. Two weeks seems short, "one lifetime is not enough for Rome".

Canada would be next choice.

PNW is close to you, you could be in Oregon within a day, save that for later.

Offered time off and the money to do it I'd head to Europe

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by spazzdog

Go follow the Tour de France... do the whole thing. Cycle some of the course, get photos of the whole experience.

That's what I'd do...

spazz

---

I'm with Spazzdog on this one. I'd stay on in Paris for a week after aswell. :D

potential road trip itinerary for the PNW

Bend, Oregon.
Mt St. Helen, Ape Canyon. Geology and singletrack.
eastern wa, hook up with Irulan and maybe dirt girl if she's willing
secret trails in the Idaho Panhandle
then over to McCall and then Sun Valley for more epic single track. Hit the hot springs on the way.
Up to Glacier for views,Whitefish for trails, then up to Fernie for more single track.
then back over to Nelson for hot springs and singletrack, Rossland for more single track.
Hit the Okanogan valley for wine tasting and singletrack.
LBTC is quite a bit N of there, how far?
Over to Vancouver, lots of singletrack there but you dont' hear about it as much as the NS stunt trails...

then home.

wow, sounds good to me. Plus the Canandians really know how to have a good time.

Irulan

And another vote for a Tour de France trip! That would be my dream vacation -- following the tour, pre-riding some stages, eating, drinking, seeing Lance race it for the last time.

V, if I quit my job will you use Irulan's itinerary and I'll come along as chief cook and bottle washer? :cool:

Come to Europe Veronica - it's great!

OK so the Euro's stronger than the dollar but you can get in 6,7,8,9.... totally different countries all very,very close together. You could do a grand European tour.

Come in July for the TdF - it's a great experience, stick around for the Tour of Germany in August, catch the Vuelta in Spain in early September then back home via England catching the Tour of Britain on the way out.

Let us know what you decide. Ben and I will probably be catching the TdF at some point so let me know and we could even meet up!!

Liz
...For all you European travel info needs.. :p

I was fortunate last year to cycle 6 days in Ireland, the Connemara Region... I did a "self guided" tour for 6 days... it was AWESOME! Self guided means they meet you the first day, give you the maps, and say "see ya in 6 days!"... every morning you leave your luggage at the front door of the B&B (which they set up for you) and they pick it upand transfer it to the next B&B... so all you do is jump on the bike and ride! Shortest route was 35 miles, longest was 55... so you just go at your own pace, or slower than normal cause there's so much to see... I carried a backpack with my sneakers... then when I got to something I wanted to tour I took off the road shoes, and could walk comfortably!

After that I went to France and saw the last day of the Tour too... did 4 countries in 3 weeks and it was absolutely wonderful! Expensive, but wonderful!

I vote for Alaska, too. To avoid that cattle in the slaughterhouse feeling that airlines specialize in, you could take a ferry up the Inland Passage (is that what it's called?) and ride back as far south as you want to, then ferry back home.

You're in California, right? That should be do-able.

And I won't be hurt if you don't follow my advise. Why should you be any different?

With Spazz on this - Europe may be outrageously expensive but, what a trip! Beautiful and the food!!!!!!

Well, I'm REALLY excited. Thom's last day of work is June 30! We had been told that it might have been as late as July 30. That gives us enough time to do an Alaskan Mountain Bike Tour, wander around Europe for a couple of weeks, go to Maine and do the Azores bike tour. Severance pay is a really nice thing. :D Now we have to figure out the budget. :rolleyes:

I really like the dichotomy of starting the summer with a camping mountain bike trip in Alaska and ending it with a fancy hotel road bike trip in the Azores. It's too bad that Azores starts with an A. Otherwise I'd have the whole A to Z thing going too.

Of course we may change our minds yet again. It's been fun to read what everyone would like to do.

V.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Irulan

Hit the Okanogan valley for wine tasting and singletrack.
LBTC is quite a bit N of there, how far?

---

If you make it to the Okanagan valley, then you're about 5 hours from me....
stop in Kamloops or Merritt (fantastic riding!!) on the way and you can have nice 2 1/2 hour or so trips...
Make your stop in Williams Lake on a Wednesday night, and you'll be treated to the legendary Wednesday night ride! Lots of riders, usually about 3 hours of riding, ends up at the pub for appies and lots of nice, dark beer!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Irulan

Plus the Canandians really know how to have a good time.

---

As a matter of fact, we do!
Our wednesday ride has hosted guest riders from all over BC, from Europe, Tahoe, California, and other parts of Canada, I think there was a guy from New Zealand or Australia.
Without a doubt, they tell us it's the most fun, great challenge, fantastic trails, super friendly people, and, for a mountain bike group, such a big ride!!
You'll love it!

okay, but I won't be insulted if you don't take my advice, either!

Namaste,
~T~

funnest