Synaptic Snaps, Crackles & Pops

What to do? What to do?

September 22 Prompt: Do you have a 'Bucket List'? If so, what's on it? If not, tell us what you would add to it when you start one.


As a matter of fact, I do have such a list -

THE LIST (Not necessarily in order of precedence, items in bold have been done)

1. The CO Western Loop (Plus) -

Aurora - Grand Junction - Cortez [side-trip to Four Corners & back] - Walsenburg - Aurora

Aurora - Grand Junction: 259 mi., 4hr 11min
Grand Junction - Cortez (via San Juan Skyway): 196 mi., 4hr 2min
Cortez - Four Corners (& back - Via Trail of the Ancients): 79 mi., 1hr 26min
Cortez - Walsenburg: 266 mi., 5hr
Walsenburg - Aurora: 159 mi., 2hr 23min
Total Mileage / Travel time: 959 mi., 16hr 59min [per mapquest.com]
Fuel cost for Acura MDX approx. $207.82 (53.3 gal (@ 18 MPG) * $3.899/gal.)

2. Visit geographic center of the 48 contiguous states: approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Lebanon, Kansas DONE!

3. Visit ROUTE 66 MID-POINT CAFE in Adrian, TX DONE!

4. Visit Mt. Rushmore, SD

5. Visit geographic center of the 50 states: approximately 20 miles (32 km) north of Belle Fourche, South Dakota - approx. 450 mi., 7hr
[Maybe go fm US Geo. Ctr to Alzada, MT, just another 30-something miles, and hit Devil's Tower on the way back] DONE!

6. Visit geographic center of North America: 270 Highway 2 SW, Rugby, North Dakota 58368 - approx. 834 mi., 12hr 59 min

7. Visit West Quoddy Head, ME [easternmost point on the U.S. mainland]

8. Visit MLB Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY

9. Visit NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, OH

10. Visit Capulin Volcano National Monument (about 25 miles southeast of Raton - take US 87 / 64 SE from Raton)

11. Visit remaining unvisited States (AK, CT, ID, ND, OR, RI, VT, WA) [completing 17a-17d will take care of all but AK & OR]

12. Visit remaining Great Lakes (Superior & Huron)

13. Visit Alma [At an elevation of approximately 10,578 feet (3,224 m), it is the highest incorporated municipality in the United States with permanent residents.] - 95.3 mi., 1hr 54min (one-way) DONE!

14. Visit Leadville [Situated at an elevation of 10,152 feet (3,094 m), Leadville is the highest incorporated city in the United States.] - 115 mi., 1hr 15 min (one-way) DONE!

15. Visit Freedom Rock in Greenfield, IA (sits about 1/2 to 1 mile south of I-80 at mile marker 86, painted annually, honors veterans)

16. Visit Pt. Barrow, AK [northernmost point in all U.S. territory]

17. Visit remaining unvisited Canadian Provinces (AB, BC, MB, NB, NL, NS, NT, NU, PEI, QC, SK, YT) [East to West, not necessarily in order of precedence]
a. Bangor, ME - Fredericton, NB - Amherst, NS - Charlottetown, PEI - Amherst, NS - Sydney, NS - Channel-Port aux Basques, NL - Sydney, NS - Amherst, NS - Fredericton, NB - Bangor, ME = 1,613 mi. [yields NB, NS, PEI & NL [and ME]]
b. Syracuse, NY - Montreal, QC - Columbia, NH [via VT Rte 114] - Providence, RI - New London, CT - Scranton, PA - Syracuse, NY = 1,050 mi. [yields QC [and VT, RI & CT]]
c. Bismarck, ND - Regina, SK - Winnipeg, MB - Fargo, ND - Bismarck, ND = 1,130 mi. [yields SK & MB [and ND]]
d. Seattle, WA [SEA-TAC] - Bellingham - Kamloops, BC - Calgary, AB - Fort MacLeaod, AB - Coeur d'Alene, ID - Spokane [I-90] - Seattle = 1,429 mi. [yields BC & AB [and WA & ID]]

18. TBD