An Academic Trip.

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Okay, check it out: After i get back from India, Esteban invited me to go to Canada to "look at glaciers." Apparently he convinced Lowell that a visit to the Canadian Rockies would be sufficiently geologic to warrant time off of his thesis work to see. It helps also that Esteban has friends in Edmonton. So i thought, great! I like Canada. It would also help thoroughly expunge the travel bug from my system before i hunker down for the last year of my MS.

Then he mentioned that a certain somebody would be in Santa Barbara over the summer. I thought, hey. Jen will be in Santa Monica for her family's annual trip to Yosemite around that time. I thought, hey! I could go on that trip on the last leg of the other trip, and make it one huge and epic mega road trip to cap off my summer of freedom!

Hence the plan:

July 27 : Arrive in Dayton from Delhi, via Frankfurt and Washington-Dulles. That evening visit the Benchmark to shop for crampons and an ice axe.
July 28 : Leave Cincinnati for Winnipeg, via I74, I65, I90, I94, US 29, and PTH 75. Rendezvous with Esteban in Indianapolis, who is coming from field work with Justin in Quebec. Passing Chicago, Minneapolis, Fargo. Entering Canada at Pembina border crossing. ~20 hours, plus customs.
July 29 : Leave Winnipeg for Edmonton, via the TCH Yellowhead route. Passing Saskatoon and not much else. ~18 hours.
July 30-August 2 : Edmonton and Jasper NP. Meet with Esteban's friends, maybe a birthday party. Activities not determined. Maybe the Columbia Icefield? ~4 hours to Jasper, from Edmonton.
August 3 : I would like to go to my favorite place in the world, Yoho NP, to hike, look at more glaciers, and maybe even visit the Burgess Shale. ~3 hours.

August 4 : Yoho NP to Seattle, WA, via the TCH. Passing Kamloops. Entering United States at Huntingdon border crossing. ~10 hours, plus customs.
August 5 : Tool around Seattle or continue south to somewhere in Northern California via the 5. Target is Redding or thereabouts. ~10 hours.
August 6 : Continue from Northern Cal to Santa Barbara for Esteban's romantic rendezvous, via the 5, 680, and the 101. ~8 hours.

August 7 : Head to Santa Monica via the PCH. "Up to 2 hours 30 mins in traffic."
August 8-13 : June Lake, Yosemite vicinity with Jen's crazy family. Activities include swimming, hiking, eating, regaining weight, and being lazy. ~5 days.
August 14 : June lake to Zion National Park! via 395, CA 168/NV 266, US 95, and I15. ~9 hours.
August 15 : Zion NP to Kearney, Nebraska (the edge of nowhere) via I15, I70, and I80. ~14 hours.
August 16 : The edge of nowhere to Kalamazoo, via I80 and I94. ~11 hours.