Posted on 08/13/2025 6:43:06 PM PDT by eastforker
I suppose I could contemplate swimming across the Ohio river, and back, but my fellow Hoosiers would ask,
“Why would you want to do that?”
>Because life was meant to be lived?
Sure thing Forrest. Then you can run across America and back.
One of my fondest hopes but nnot to be. I can’t give up the farm and the wife would not go. No telling how many times I have looked for boats and plotted the trip.
My work took me over most of the world but this trip eludes me.
Some people are doers and some are on-lookers and there is nothing wrong with that. I guess.
Like Forrest Gump.
You remind me of a man.
(Not Forrest)
All this talk about traveling has reawakened my wanderlust or Gypsy Fever. I have not given in to the fever in a long time. It’s been decided. I will be getting this book I never heard of till now. Thanks for the tip.
Don’t wanna play? I thought you were a doer. Oh well.
A great resource for prospective loopers is the America’s Great Loop Cruisers Association. Most loopers join the organization during the planning period and while doing the trip.
Another great resource is the stop by stop YouTube videos of the two loops of Sam and Rev of “What Yacht to do”.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59EdlxrEx-ymEDqSO8I94Q
We’re not really into boating (except kayaks) so the Gret Loop isn’t my thing. But we’ve definitely got the wanderlust.
Last year we rigged a truck as an overlanding rig, roof top tent, off road tires etc. (I told my daughter that we don’t have an emergency kit onboard because the entire vehicles is a rolling emergency kit.)
We recently took off on a two-week coddiwomple. (Old english term for a journey with a known destination but no real plan on hos to reach it)
5500 miles through 19 states. (I checked off state Number 48 on the trip)
While driving through Nebraska we were discussing how the truck had b=never been in North Dakota, the only missed state in the northern US. Heck, it was only nine hours out of our way so we took a left turn and headed north.
We all do it in our own way.
That's two things. LOL!
The old gentleman I bought my C-Dory from, did the loop on it, solo.
We talked at length about his trip, and he said his biggest regret was doing it too quickly (6 months).
He wished he would have spent a year, or even two.
I realize Youens was out to set a record, and that jon-boat wouldn’t have been ideal accomodations for a lengthy trip.
The 22 foot C-Dory was about the lower limit for a comfortable trip.
Thank you Capt. Tom!
That's awesome. My wife and I do the same thing on a motorcycle. Our goal is to hit all 48 on the bike. We're more than halfway there.
My next long trip will be to travel Route 66 from Chicago to the West coast in my Stingray.
A long, probably partially boring drive, but I’ve wanted to do it since I was a kid.
Don’t know about this, but one of my dad’s friends did a loop around the Royal Gorge bridge in an F-86.
That sounds like a fantastic Road Trip. Face to face with nature. Done with adequate preparation. Done with someone you like spending time with.
You sound already road tested and experienced.
I will certainly be checking out those YouTube sources.
This is good. I was ready for a new, non political topic to explore and/ or contemplate.
You’re right about that. I’m on a road a lot for work. This was just a little longer. We’ve done a few coddiwomple type treks and they are far more fun than a highly planned trip. Even on some work trips I don’t plan where I’m staying until I get there.
This one was supposed to include more camping but my wife is still having some after effects from surgery so we did hotels most nights.
We had some fun on this one. I discovered the engine was missing about 100 miles in. Turned out to just be a bad spark plug, easily fixed at the auto parts store. Because lots of our trips are back country, we have a decent amount of self-recovery gear, most of which I hpe we’ll never use.
Yeah, about 3 feet. Check the cannals, especially the one through Chicago. I remember that was close to three feet.
I never had the boat and time to do it. I didn’t even learn about the Loop until I was on contract at the Corps of Engineers and saw a map of it. Years ago.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.