(6) Behind the scenes preparation for 'Operation Discover America 2009' has began...

Hey folks! Long time no blog! Life is lulling a bit now that I am back at my Indiana home in the midst of bitter winter weather. Starting to get back into my normal groove as I prepare for my return to work. I'd like to take this opportunity today, as I sit very relaxed on the sectional with wireless keyboard on the lap, to discuss one component of my to-do plans of 2009.

As some of you may already know, I've done plenty of traveling in my life. I've been to about 13 countries now, about a dozen states in the US, and to all corners of Indiana. However, very few of these excursions have been for recreation. As I get older, I increasingly feel the urge to navigate the US on my own accord. Not to mention, I've now got a blog to keep interesting!

So, I have devised a plan to get out and discover some interesting, and perhaps quirky, locales stretched across our great nation. Now, I realize there will be a few prerequisites involved to making this dream a reality.

1) Research locations, build itineraries, coordinate dates that compliment seasonal events for each location, calculate travel and lodging costs, etc...

I have made a few recent trips to bookstores, the public library, and the information superhighway for ideas on great weekend escapes, potential 4-day weekend adventures, as well as scenic motorcycle-friendly trips. I have ordered and received a handful of official state travel guides from states such as Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa, and Texas. For those of you who were unaware, you can request these brochures free of charge from every state. Some are even available in digital format for immediate download!

Click here for a comprehensive listing of state travel guide links!

2) Reliable transportation will be necessary as to not get stranded in Anywhere, USA. I just recently purchased a 2009 Subaru Forester (2009 Motor Trend SUV of the Year), which boasts outstanding reliability, utility, and 25+ MPG to boot! Suppose I had better work up an introductory blog for you guys to meet the new Subie! I am also checking into motorcycle trailers to haul the my Buell Firebolt along for some trips.

3) Funding will be an intricate component as well. With a house, 3 cars, 2 motorcycles, and a hell of a lot of hobbies, I will have to enforce a strict financial diet for sure. Things seem to be falling in line to support my plans, as I just recently received a fairly substantial raise.

I am quite excited to bring this news to you all, as I will be looking forward to sharing my discoveries and experiences with you though the blogs. Perhaps you will find something that you'd like to see yourself, or would like to make some suggestions!

I'd also like to take this opportunity to share with you a handy book that I discovered, and nearly bought, at Barnes & Noble. It is called 'My Indiana, 101 places to see'. It is written by Earl L. Conn, who used to have a column in the Anderson newspaper about traveling Indiana. He finally squeezed several of his favorite Indiana hotspots into book form, and got it published by the Indiana Historical Society Press. Now I almost bought this book, but decided to check the library first, and again to my luck it was there waiting for me. I brought it home and read through it in one evening. You can see a photo of the books cover to the right.

Well folks, I think I've about run the batteries dead in this wireless keyboard, so I'll call this session to a close. Plenty of exciting suspense from this one I hope! If not, you can expect to see some coverage of a Valentine's day train ride from Connorsville to Laurel next weekend, followed by my first SCCA Autocross race of the season on Feb 22nd.

Until next time...