The route we have laid out is Portland to Portland. Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine (until planning for this trip began I'd only known of the Oregon one. Who'd have thought things would turn out so interesting!)
We won't actually begin in Portland, OR but rather a much smaller town-Tillamook-about 2 or three days walking distance from Portland. We will physically touch the Pacific Ocean before we set out.
-Starting on the coast of Oregon in early May (the actual start date has yet to be set, but within the first week is what we're aiming for,) we make our way into Tillamook. Taking state highway 6 for two to three days until we reach the first big city that will most likely be what we tell most our starting city is/was, Portland.
-Heading North out of Portland we make our way into Washington and the city of Vancouver.
-Then it's East. We then meet a highway that will soon become a dear friend or hated foe, the 14 out of Vancouver. We stay on this friend-or-foe road for multiple weeks.
-The 14 will take us right along the Columbia River which separates well over two thirds of Washington and Oregon. There is also a set of train tracks that run along the Northern side of the river and if we feel like it just might walk along those for a spell.
-Out of Vancouver on the 14 we go through many smaller towns such as: Washougal, Stevenson, Bingen, Maryhill, Paterson, and Plymouth (not the same as the famous Pilgrim landing town.)
-Near Plymouth we say goodbye to the 14 and we meet a Federal Highway that we will soon get to know very well over the course of the following months. The 12 is a stretch of road that we'll get on in Washington and it will take us through Idaho, Montana, North and South Dakota. It will take us into Minnesota where we lose it for a time but may actually end up seeing again in New York!
-The 12 will become somewhat of a mentor to us, taking us places we've never been and showing us things we've never seen. It'll introduce us to people we'll never forget and possibly show us things we'll want to never remember (I hope that happens very little or I shall become very upset with the 12.)
-Starting on the 12 in Washington near Plymouth we continue our trek East, nearing Idaho we'll go through many more small towns with a few larger ones tossed into to keep things interesting. Walla Walla is one of the first, named for... I have no clue what and you can bet I'll be asking someone why on Earth their town has such a silly name.
-Out of Walla Walla we head North a bit to Dayton, not Ohio but Washington. Then onto the Washington - Idaho border we go. The first notable town in Idaho we enter is Lewiston and onto Kooskia.
-Once we leave Kooskia (still on the 12) we begin what could very well be the most dangerous part of our trip. Up until this point we'll have had some form of civilization no more than a day apart from the last. But leaving Kooskia and heading towards Montana we may very well be looking at multiple days where we see no 7-11's, Shopping malls, Wal-Marts or anything or maybe even anyone else. On top of that we'll be heading right into and over the Rocky Mountains. Hopefully we'll be able to get through those with no more than a light breeze to consider 'bad' weather. Given the location and time of year (most likely early to middle of April) we will likely see rain and if we've really done something to make nature mad at us she just might see tossing a lovely blizzard our way in our cards. A blizzard could turn what should be a 3-4 day trip (through the mountains) into a multiple week, life threatening, nightmare, I pray to something greater than I that does not happen.
-Nature permitting, we will get through Idaho and cross into Montana. First big city we hit is Missoula.
-Continuing on our friend, the 12, we leave Missoula and begin what I fear to be the most dull part of our trip and what my brother is eagerly awaiting, the trek across the entire state of Montana. I anticipate seeing many awesome landmarks and meeting people no less interesting than in the heart of a million person city. But where my brother and I differ largely is on what we consider 'home.' I'm at home in the likes of Seattle, San Francisco and any other city of that scale. Dean, my brother, is more at home in nature, on a farm and around things not made by man.
-We'll go through the state Capital, Helena, Townsend and White Sulphur Springs. We'll hit the middle of the state somewhere near Harltown and Ryegate hopefully sometime near the end of May after my younger (and only) sisters birthday on the 19th. (I wonder where we'll be and if we'll be able to wish her a happy one.)
-Passing through Roundup, yes still on the 12, we head ever East to Sumatra, Vananda, and say "see you soon" to the 12 in Forsyth.
-In Forsyth, Montana we lose the 12 and for about 20 miles walk along I-94. Near Miles City we meet up with the 12 again and head for Baker, the last larger scale city we'll pass through in the great state of Montana.
-"Hello Dakota's!" We'll be able to say sometime in June or early July. That's when we enter North Dakota and continue a Southern bend that started near the end of the Montana.
-Rhame, Bowman, and Hettinger are some of the very few cities we'll see in North Dakota. After we leave Hettinger it's into South Dakota.
-As surprising as some may find it we will not be heading to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. 'What, you're going to South Dakota and not going to see Mount Rushmore?!' I expect to hear that at least a few times and that's right, we won't be that far South to see it. Our aim happens to be towns many people, including me until recently, have never heard of. Towns like Mobridge, Aberdeen, Groten, Webster, Waubay, Ortley, and Milbank.
-We see Big Stone City last in South Dakota and cross into Minnesota.
-From the looks of this map I'm holding and the picture on front of a waterfall I'm expecting Minnesota to be nothing less of breathtaking.
-Roughly a third of the way up North from the Iowa - Minnesota border is where we enter, a city by the name of Ortonville is our first stop.
-At this part of our trip things become a little muddled. It is my completely un-fact based idea that the Eastern side of the country, being populated for much longer than the larger Western states may have the feeling of one enormous city. I've never been to any state past New Mexico going east (save for a 2 week stint in New York, New York.) So this may very well be a load of bull. But from looking at maps and doing all the research I have there seems to be much less vast open space on the East, and that makes this brother very happy.
-Still on the 12 at Ortonville we either stay on that or get on the 7. Either way we make our way into Minneapolis.
-After Minneapolis we begin a much less route driven course. No longer do we strictly stick to certain roads, highways and such but rather we take on a new mentality. One of 'we're at point A and want to get to point B, go.' The first of these 'point A to point B's' is Minneapolis to Milwaukee Wisconsin.
-After that it's onto Chicago then up to Detroit.
-We'll head for Toronto Canada and then back down to Niagara Falls and into New York we'll head for Albany and head North to Vermont and then New Hampshire.
-The final leg will be entering Maine and then to Portland. Once we reach Portland Maine our trip will not truly be complete until we physically touch the Atlantic.
And that is the very rough outline for Delio and Dean Pera's trek, on foot, across the United States (with a little stop in Canada.)
We won't actually begin in Portland, OR but rather a much smaller town-Tillamook-about 2 or three days walking distance from Portland. We will physically touch the Pacific Ocean before we set out.
-Starting on the coast of Oregon in early May (the actual start date has yet to be set, but within the first week is what we're aiming for,) we make our way into Tillamook. Taking state highway 6 for two to three days until we reach the first big city that will most likely be what we tell most our starting city is/was, Portland.
-Heading North out of Portland we make our way into Washington and the city of Vancouver.
-Then it's East. We then meet a highway that will soon become a dear friend or hated foe, the 14 out of Vancouver. We stay on this friend-or-foe road for multiple weeks.
-The 14 will take us right along the Columbia River which separates well over two thirds of Washington and Oregon. There is also a set of train tracks that run along the Northern side of the river and if we feel like it just might walk along those for a spell.
-Out of Vancouver on the 14 we go through many smaller towns such as: Washougal, Stevenson, Bingen, Maryhill, Paterson, and Plymouth (not the same as the famous Pilgrim landing town.)
-Near Plymouth we say goodbye to the 14 and we meet a Federal Highway that we will soon get to know very well over the course of the following months. The 12 is a stretch of road that we'll get on in Washington and it will take us through Idaho, Montana, North and South Dakota. It will take us into Minnesota where we lose it for a time but may actually end up seeing again in New York!
-The 12 will become somewhat of a mentor to us, taking us places we've never been and showing us things we've never seen. It'll introduce us to people we'll never forget and possibly show us things we'll want to never remember (I hope that happens very little or I shall become very upset with the 12.)
-Starting on the 12 in Washington near Plymouth we continue our trek East, nearing Idaho we'll go through many more small towns with a few larger ones tossed into to keep things interesting. Walla Walla is one of the first, named for... I have no clue what and you can bet I'll be asking someone why on Earth their town has such a silly name.
-Out of Walla Walla we head North a bit to Dayton, not Ohio but Washington. Then onto the Washington - Idaho border we go. The first notable town in Idaho we enter is Lewiston and onto Kooskia.
-Once we leave Kooskia (still on the 12) we begin what could very well be the most dangerous part of our trip. Up until this point we'll have had some form of civilization no more than a day apart from the last. But leaving Kooskia and heading towards Montana we may very well be looking at multiple days where we see no 7-11's, Shopping malls, Wal-Marts or anything or maybe even anyone else. On top of that we'll be heading right into and over the Rocky Mountains. Hopefully we'll be able to get through those with no more than a light breeze to consider 'bad' weather. Given the location and time of year (most likely early to middle of April) we will likely see rain and if we've really done something to make nature mad at us she just might see tossing a lovely blizzard our way in our cards. A blizzard could turn what should be a 3-4 day trip (through the mountains) into a multiple week, life threatening, nightmare, I pray to something greater than I that does not happen.
-Nature permitting, we will get through Idaho and cross into Montana. First big city we hit is Missoula.
-Continuing on our friend, the 12, we leave Missoula and begin what I fear to be the most dull part of our trip and what my brother is eagerly awaiting, the trek across the entire state of Montana. I anticipate seeing many awesome landmarks and meeting people no less interesting than in the heart of a million person city. But where my brother and I differ largely is on what we consider 'home.' I'm at home in the likes of Seattle, San Francisco and any other city of that scale. Dean, my brother, is more at home in nature, on a farm and around things not made by man.
-We'll go through the state Capital, Helena, Townsend and White Sulphur Springs. We'll hit the middle of the state somewhere near Harltown and Ryegate hopefully sometime near the end of May after my younger (and only) sisters birthday on the 19th. (I wonder where we'll be and if we'll be able to wish her a happy one.)
-Passing through Roundup, yes still on the 12, we head ever East to Sumatra, Vananda, and say "see you soon" to the 12 in Forsyth.
-In Forsyth, Montana we lose the 12 and for about 20 miles walk along I-94. Near Miles City we meet up with the 12 again and head for Baker, the last larger scale city we'll pass through in the great state of Montana.
-"Hello Dakota's!" We'll be able to say sometime in June or early July. That's when we enter North Dakota and continue a Southern bend that started near the end of the Montana.
-Rhame, Bowman, and Hettinger are some of the very few cities we'll see in North Dakota. After we leave Hettinger it's into South Dakota.
-As surprising as some may find it we will not be heading to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. 'What, you're going to South Dakota and not going to see Mount Rushmore?!' I expect to hear that at least a few times and that's right, we won't be that far South to see it. Our aim happens to be towns many people, including me until recently, have never heard of. Towns like Mobridge, Aberdeen, Groten, Webster, Waubay, Ortley, and Milbank.
-We see Big Stone City last in South Dakota and cross into Minnesota.
-From the looks of this map I'm holding and the picture on front of a waterfall I'm expecting Minnesota to be nothing less of breathtaking.
-Roughly a third of the way up North from the Iowa - Minnesota border is where we enter, a city by the name of Ortonville is our first stop.
-At this part of our trip things become a little muddled. It is my completely un-fact based idea that the Eastern side of the country, being populated for much longer than the larger Western states may have the feeling of one enormous city. I've never been to any state past New Mexico going east (save for a 2 week stint in New York, New York.) So this may very well be a load of bull. But from looking at maps and doing all the research I have there seems to be much less vast open space on the East, and that makes this brother very happy.
-Still on the 12 at Ortonville we either stay on that or get on the 7. Either way we make our way into Minneapolis.
-After Minneapolis we begin a much less route driven course. No longer do we strictly stick to certain roads, highways and such but rather we take on a new mentality. One of 'we're at point A and want to get to point B, go.' The first of these 'point A to point B's' is Minneapolis to Milwaukee Wisconsin.
-After that it's onto Chicago then up to Detroit.
-We'll head for Toronto Canada and then back down to Niagara Falls and into New York we'll head for Albany and head North to Vermont and then New Hampshire.
-The final leg will be entering Maine and then to Portland. Once we reach Portland Maine our trip will not truly be complete until we physically touch the Atlantic.
And that is the very rough outline for Delio and Dean Pera's trek, on foot, across the United States (with a little stop in Canada.)
VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
The only, possibly, negative thing I have to say is just the reminder to do your research and take Mother Nature very seriously. She can be a total bitch if your not prepared, and sometimes even if you are, and is not something to scoff at.
Other than that, though, I more than envy you a little bit. I love traveling, but have never taken to the country on foot. Stop at roadside diners, by the way, some of the best times I've ever had traveling have been when I stop at those to eat and can just sit and watch the people. Its a lot of fun.