Reddit mentions: The best maps

First I would recommend getting this map. It's laminated and not too large, but on the back it actually lists every single street which makes it absolutely impossible to get lost. Rome is extremely walkable - can I ask what area you are staying in? The metro is convenient for getting to some areas and same with the buses, especially after a long day of walking, but I'd recommend getting to an area and then traveling by foot all day.

So I am sure you know the usual. The Vatican museum is extremely large and you could spend all day in there if you wanted to, but since you are not a huge museum person you can skip it or do it in one day with St. Peter's. St. Peter's Basilica - definitely spend some time wandering around here as well. It's intimidating in size yet has a cozy feeling to it. Down the street is Castel Sant'Angelo which is where the Popes would go if the Vatican was threatened. Up top are some great views of St. Peter's and of all of Rome - look for the wall connecting to the Vatican, that is where the hallway is that still connects the two.

Piazza Navona should be seen during the day, but I also recommend coming early morning so you can own the square. If you like wine, there's a restaurant near by, Cul De Sac, that had the most options in Rome last time I was there. Across the street is Campo de Fiori which is a flower/fruit market/tourist trap that is fun to wander around irregardless. You can get to the Jewish Ghetto easily from here, but I'll bump back to that later. The Pantheon is an incredibly easy walk from Piazza Navona and two of my favorite churches are right here. The first is Santa Maria Sopra Minerva which is behind the Pantheon to the left (there's a statue of Jesus by Michelangelo by the front alter) and Gesu which is out on the main street. While you are there, go scope out Torre Argentina which are ruins below street level - it is believed that this is where Caesar was killed. In the Jewish Ghetto I recommend starting at the Portico of Octavia - there are ruins here but also some harsh history of what happened to the Roman Jews during WWII. Do you like desert? There's is a bakery nearby that has no name that makes pizza ebraica (Jewish pizza) that is so delicious. It's cash only and is the corner door where via del portico d'ottavia and piazza costaguti intersect.

Do the Trevi Fountain in the morning to get to actually see it but head back at night to watch the bustle around it - don't accept anyone's offer to take your picture for you, but have fun watching other tourists get scammed. Climb the Spanish Steps but head left at the top for a nice walk with a view out over the city - you can head down into Piazza del Popolo and walk down Via del Corso which is one of the main streets in the city with a ton of shopping on it. You can rent bikes at Borghese park (to your back before you take the steps down into Popolo) and ride around - the lake is small but beautiful and there are some fun things to discover. I know you do not like museums, but consider the Borghese Gallery. It requires a reservation and is very small, but contains two statues by Bernini that will amaze you that someone can do that with marble.

The ticket for the Colosseum is a group one that also includes the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill (which are connected but each have their own entrance). I recommend starting at Circo Massimo for a view of the Palatine Hill, buying the ticket at the Palatine Hill entrance (weave up to your left) and exploring that before heading down into the Roman Forum (plus you will get some great views up top of both the Roman Forum and Colosseum). Head to the left to pass the line at the Colosseum entrance. The Altar of the Fatherland (giant white obnoxious thing with the winged chariots up top) offers another great view and has the tomb of the unknown soldier housed there. Capitoline Hill has a great museum and stairs designed by Michelangelo (who knew he was a stair designer as well?) - the museum has views of the Roman Forum that are great.

Otherwise, there are four Papal Basilicas (three others than St. Peter's) if you are interested. My favorite restaurant is off of the Piramide metro stop and is just a three minute walk down the street to La Valle del Sacco (I lived near here though, so I am biased). Check out the Protestant Cemetery by the pyramid (by the way, there's a decent sized pyramid here) to see Keats grave, if you are interested (very melodramatic after a rain). The Trajan Forum is a fun ruin location that is not crowded with tourists and has some great history. You can see the Baths of Carcalla (near the Colosseum), San Pietro in Vincoli (church that has the chains that held St. Peter and contains parts of an unfinished tomb by Michelangelo).

You can take a day trip by bus to Tivoli to see Villa d'Este with a gorgeous house and gardens and a crap ton of fountains - the town itself is also fun to wander around. I know you have Orvieto on there as a place you are spending the night, but you could also easily do it as a day trip from Rome - it's an hour by train and something like just 14 euros round trip. It's a very small town. Gorgeous, but extremely small. You could spend a full day there if you meander slowly and stop for a nice long dinner. The sunset is spectacular there though because it turns the stone into an almost clay red. I'd recommend staying in Siena for the day trips you mentioned - it's a bigger city and has more to do and just do a day trip from Rome to Orvieto.

I've never rented an RV, mainly because of the cost. It seems to be more expensive than staying in hotels. The rental RVs you see most often are from Cruise America.

For Zion, there's 2 must see hikes. The first is Angel's landing. It's a relatively short hike (~5 miles) that will take 3-4 hours. The views are great, but the most impressive part is the trail, which is a true masterpiece in trail cutting. The second is the Narrows. The Narrows is often cited as the best hike in America, which I can not argue with. The Narrows is a thin canyon that is as wide as the river which you can hike ~16 miles up. You can do it as an in and out from the bottom or a through hike from the top. If you do it from the top you will need to get a shuttle and it takes ALL day. Ive done it both ways and from the top is the best way to go if you have the time and stamina. Ive rented equipment (which you will want the special shoes either way) and got a shuttle from Zion Outfitters. If you decide to do the through hike from the top you will need a backcountry permit. Try to reserve it ahead of time, but I did the last minute drawing without a problem. The East Rim and West Rim trails provide more typical hiking. I have not done the West Rim and it needs an overnight. The East Rim trail was great. We hitchhiked from the visitors center to the trail head without any problem (people are friendly in NPs) and then took a shuttle back to our car. National Geographic makes a great trail map if you want to see all the trails. In terms of lodging, there's two campgrounds in the park, lots of hotels in the town of Springdale right outside the park, a lodge in the middle of the park which always seems to be booked, and some BLM land a little to the south.

After Zion, Id go to Bryce Canyon for the morning (early) and do the Fairyland loop (~9 miles, mostly flatish) and check out some of the trails near sunset point. There's a shuttle so you don't need to hike back to your vehicle if you don't want. After a nice morning in Bryce, you'll want to drive east along route 12 (not how google takes you) towards Moab. Route 12 is straight out of a road runner cartoon. Along the way there's 3 places worth stopping that Ive found in order of awesomeness: Goblin Valley, Calf Creek Canyon, and Capital Reef. YOu may want to do the drive from Zion to Moab in 2 days depending on your schedule.

Once in Moab your choices for hiking are endless. Moab has lots of hotels, arches and canyonlands have campgrounds, and there's some awesome BLM sites along the Colorado river along route 128 just north of town. The 2 must hikes are Devil's garden loop in Arches and The Needles in Canyonlands. At some point you need to catch the view from Dead Horse Point or Island in the Sky but there's not much hiking there. If you have the time and resources, Id suggest doing some of the "adventure" activities from the outfitters in Moab. There's white water rafting, fan boat rides, canyoneering, and many other options. Ive always wanted to rent a 4 wheel drive high clearance vehicle and tour the Grand Staircase Escalante (which is being turned over to oil companies thanks to our dear leader).

In terms of timing, it seems like May 15th is a critical date. That is when the north rim of the grand canyon reopens after the winter. How does that line up with your schedule?

After you're done with Moab, you're about equidistant from Las Vegas, Denver, Albuquerque and Salt Lake City airports. If you're heading back to Vegas, Id go through Page AZ and hit The Wave (you need a permit) and north rim of the Grand Canyon. If you're heading to Albuquerque, Id spend a night at the Orvis Hot Springs and do a little hike in Ouray CO before heading to Chaco Culture. If you're heading to Denver, there's a million options along highway 70. If you're heading to SLC, it's mostly salt flats and indian reservations until you get close to Provo but there's lots to do near the metropolitian areas.

Hope that helps, let me know if you have any questions or want more details and please let me know how the trip goes!

I think you're over thinking it. What works for me is to have a plan going in, but if you see something cool, stop and see it while you're there. In other words, have a plan, but you don't have to stick to it.

You got a lot of good places listed. I'd add Hayden Valley to it. You'll most likely drive through it heading to different locations anyway. Just be aware that it's a parking lot in the evening. Very slow moving to get anywhere do to all the cars and buffalo on the road.

You're camera should be great. You're not going to get a good shot of a wolf or coyote unless you have a major telephoto lens. You could get lucky and see a bear close to the road...

Some hikes I'd recommend are: My Washburn (take the Dunraven pass trail, not the North trail). Avalanche Peak, Mystic Falls, and Fairy Falls are some good ones.

If you're going to do some backpacking get a topo map. I'd 2nd Heart Lake. They have an online reservation system that you could try and use. Or if you're flexible, you could just go into one of the backcountry offices (there are many) and ask the ranger whats available and what they would recommend. Most are very helpful.

As for your pass being good for 7 days, this is true. I don't think I would worry about buying another as the only time they check it is when you enter the park. There is a combo pass that will get you into YNP and GTNP, but in your case it will probably be better to buy them separate as your pass will be expired if/when you go to GTNP. It'll cost you a little more than buying the combo. Actually, if you go to GTNP from the north (which will be the best way), I don't think there's a entrance station so you could get away with not buying one, but if you go past any entrance gates you'll have to buy one to get back in (if you pass is expired). Keep in mind that the hwy through GTNP is outside of the permit area.

FYI - make sure you pack bear spray anytime your on a trail and have it ready (not in your pack). You'll want sunscreen and a hat (you burn easier at high altitudes, the avg. elevation is 8,000'). Bring bug spray. There will be bugs, but they don't get really bad until around the 3rd week of July. Always pack your rain jacket on any hike longer than a mile. I thin fleece is a good idea too. It can rain/hail/snow anytime of the year. Drink lots of water, it will help with the altitude adjustment.

There's a good swimming hole near Mammoth. It's very popular though and can get quite busy in the evenings. Head north out of Mammoth on the road to Gardiner MT. A mile or two out of town you'll come to a pullout right before a river crossing. Park here. There's an outhouse you can change in, but you'll probably have a line so it's best to have your swimsuit on already. Take the river trail back to the south following the river for less than a mile. You can't miss it.

There's another swimming hole along the firehole river drive (one way road). It's much cooler/almost cold though.

The Pharaoh Lake Wilderness has two great mountains to climb- Pharaoh Mountain and Treadway Mountain. Both have great views- the views from Pharaoh are a little bit better, but it also attracts a lot more hikers, so the summit can get a little crowded if you're up there on the weekend and it's a nice day.

I'd also recommend checking out the Lake George Wild Forest- some great peaks there with awesome views. The Tongue Mountain Range on the west side of Lake George, and Black Mountain, Sleeping Beauty, and Buck Mountain on the east side especially are all worthwhile hiking destinations. There is also some really pretty small ponds and lakes to explore in the vicinity of Black Mountain and Sleeping Beauty- Lapland Pond, Millman Pond, Fishbrook Pond, and Bumps Pond are all worthwhile destinations. In fact, the network of trails on the east side of Lake George is quite extensive, and it would take probably a solid week to explore all that the area has to offer.

There are also some easier hikes in the High Peaks. Cascade and Porter are 4,000 footers, but they can easily be done in a day by anyone who is in reasonable shape. Some shorter mountains in the High Peaks, but still with spectacular views, include Noonmark, Round, Baxter, and Roostercomb.

What I would do is invest in a couple of hiking maps, and maybe some guidebooks. National Geographic makes a map set that covers the entire park in 5 different maps- one of the five covers the Lake George region, while another covers the High Peaks region. The Adirondack Mountain Club also publishes some great guidebooks- there's one for the Eastern region (including Lake George and Pharaoh Lake), and one for the High Peaks.

Hope that helps!

I am also a not particularly threatening young woman who's done a fair amount of cross-country and weekend trips solo.

First- stay aware of your surroundings, and try to hide expensive stuff either in the trunk or under not-exciting looking things. I keep a lot of my stuff in opaque rubbermaid-esque tubs. (This also helps for organization). I travel with a cooler and prefer to make my own meals- so long as you don't mind picking up ice every once in a while, you can make some pretty robust sandwiches and have good snacks, etc. on the way.

I recommend that you keep a few things with you (some especailly if you're going through the desert)

1. Oil, coolant, etc. This depends on your car- I drive a subaru outback that burns through oil annoyingly quick, and have had to top off low oil numerous times on the road. I keep a funnel and 5 quarts in my care usually. I've never needed coolant, but I've also not done the route you're taking during the summer.
   
   
2. Water jug: (e.g. something like this. Fill it up at rest stops, campsites, etc. Came in handy driving through the desert in Nevada last summer.
   
   
3. Power pack & jumper cables, I have [this one] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N3142JE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). Charges via usb so you can make sure its powered up while you're actually driving, or at hotels/motels, etc. This thing has already more than paid for itself in times I've had to jump a vehicle (myslef and others).
   
   
4. Tire repair kit (slime with compressor, for instance), and some basic tools, duct tape etc. I personally am not particularly competent in basic auto repair, but, there are some things that someone else might be able to help you with if they have even the most rudimentary of tools.
   
   
5. Atlas. Most of the trip sounds like it'll be pretty straight forward, but a large chunk of the country also as pretty terrible service. [this one] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0792289897/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1) also has some national park maps and locations of free campgrounds marked.
   
   I've never had any issues travelling solo, stopping at rest stops, truck stops, etc. That said, I recommend avoiding rest stops at night and instead going to well-lit gas stations (Pilot, Flying J's, Love's, other travel Plazas) if you can.
   
   I've also never had issues travelling to weird road side attractions, touristy things, or hiking trails by myself, and would recommend stopping at as many of these things as you can. Travelling solo is awesome because you get to stop exactly where you want for as long as you want to. If you see some random attraction that you want to see on the side of the road, go check it out.
   
   Regarding the move-- depends on how much you're attached to any of your things. When I moved to Houston for an internship, I bought a queen size frame and matress online (13" box spring/memory foam that compacts into a small box for free shipping with prime), and brought only what I could fit in my outback. I took a uhaul back to TN afterwards. Travelling cross-country is way less stressful when you're not worried about people stealing things, so if you can- I'd recommend starting fresh with what you can. Just keep in mind that that can end up being pretty pricy.
   
   Didn't intend for that to be a huge word wall. Hopefully something in that is helpful!

If you're going to go east, which I cannot recommend highly enough, you will need a copy of the Benchmark Oregon Road & Recreation Atlas, which shows the back roads and campgrounds. Do not neglect this. Take Hwy 31 to Paisley, which was once a two-fisted cowboy town complete with its own whorehouse. From Paisley, use your atlas to find the gravel roads through the ZX Ranch, at 1 million acres the largest in the United States. You want to end up at U.S. 395 at Abert Rim. Hang a right and drive past Abert Lake to the town of Lakeview. At the intersection of 395 and Oregon Hwy. 140, in a red brick building that's easy to miss, you will find the Snack Shack, which serves a hamburger as good as any you will eat anywhere in the whole country.

You will now be in the Great Basin, a vast and impossibly romantic steppe (high altitude desert) that comprises most of Nevada and parts of Oregon, California, Utah, and Idaho. All rain and snow that falls there stays there, i.e. does not reach any ocean by way of tribuaries and rivers. It is probably the most remote area in the country outside of Alaska; for example, the visitor's HQ at the Hart Mtn Nat'l Antelope Refuge is farther away from an Interstate than any other spot in the Lower 48. This cattle and cowboy country; Harney County, east of Lakeview, is the ninth largest county in the U.S., and the 8th largest cattle county.

From Lakeview, there are some choices to make. The shortest route would be by way of Plush, a wide spot in the road with a cafe, through the Hart Mtn refuge. Go up to Steens Mtn., which at 9,200 feet is the tallest summit that you can drive to in Oregon and I think the entire Pacific NW. There's a loop road, and some camp grounds. It'll be on your atlas. Take it. Wind your way back to Burns and U.S. 395, then drive north. If you do that, you'll miss a lot but you will have gotten the essential landscapes. You also will have gone through the Malheur Nat'l Wildlife refuge, famous for the variety of birds. It was the first wildlife refuge in the U.S., set aside a little more than 100 years ago by Teddy Roosevelt.

The longer route would be to take Oregon 140 into Nevada (another spectacular drive) all the way to U.S. 95. Hang a left, and drive north. Look for Whitehorse Ranch Rd. and hang a left. Well-maintained gravel road that ends at Oregon Hwy. 205. You can stay on that all the way to Frenchglen, or to that Steen's Loop Road that I mentioned. Find your way to Oregon Hwy. 78 and rejoin U.S. 95. Look for Leslie Gulch Rd., which takes you through spectacular landscapes to the Owyhee reservoir. RV sites. Go back out and drive to Ontario (a true dump of a town) and find U.S. 20.

Take U.S. 20 through more spectacular landscapes to Burns. Hang a right on U.S. 395 and find the town of Seneca. Take Forest Service Rd. 16 to Hwy. 62 and back to Prairie City. Hang a right on U.S. 26, making sure to stop at the top of the hill for a killer view of the Strawberry Mountains that you drove around on 16 and 62. Hang a left at Oregon Hwy. 7 and drive to Baker City, arguably the nicest little town in Eastern Oregon, and with some surprisingly good food.

At Baker City, get on I-84 toward Portland. But do not pass up the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center about 5 miles out. It's definitely worth the two hours. Tells the whole story of the largest mass migration in modern North American history.

You can do the short way in a few days, and the long way in about a week or so. I cannot recommend the long way highly enough, but if the high desert ain't your cup of tea then do the shorter way and take 395 all the way to Pendleton and I-84. Either way, you'll have driven through a region chock full of Western history, which I can talk about if you want. You'll be way out there in the Great Nowhere, but not beyond help if you need it. If you're carrying a cellphone, Verizon's the carrier to have out there. By far the best coverage. But do NOT rely on it and Google maps and/or your vehicle's nav system to the exclusion of that atlas I recommended.

The roads I've mentioned are very good, but don't be foolishly unprepared. Make sure to have good tires and to know how to change one. Carry more water than you think you will need, and keep an eye on the gas gauge because the stations are few and far between. And this is not sandals and shorts country. There are plenty of rattlesnakes out there, so a pair of suede cowboy boots and long pants are essentials. And have a hat and sunglasses and sun screen. Watch where you walk, especially at the Owyhee reservoir.

I haven't listed all the places, but I've hit the highlights. It's a truly spectacular region of America, not well traveled because it's so far away. That's actually the saving grace. There are places out there that, except for the roads, are otherwise unchanged in >100 years. And you'll have a lot of it mostly to yourselves, with the exception of a pickup truck every now and again.

State Park bookings are probably all gone in that time frame, or you'll end up in an awkward spot. Fear not, more car camping in cool spots to be had. First, get a good map - I recommend the Benchmark Atlas.

To make a nice loop trip, I'd head down from the border on I-5 until you reach route 20. Head east. Most of the sites leading up to Diablo Lake have some degree of first-come-first-served car camping, and there are a smattering of forest roads that have some established car camping. If you are feeling adventurous, take the Cascade River road out of Marblemount - a long one-way road into the true heart of the N Cascade wilderness with tons of 'established' car camping along the river valley. The entire drive along 20 is amazing, you crane your neck up at every turn trying to take it all in - truly beautiful drive.

Once you get to the Methow valley, maybe rent a cabin/house for a couple days before heading south (finding a place that will only do one night will be hard here). I don't know the area around there to speak to the car camping opportunities. It likely will be very hot.

If you continue south, there is some good first-come-first-served car camping in the Yakima river canyon just south of Ellensburg that offers quite a beautiful change from the greengreengreen of the west side of the cascades. Camp and hike at Umtanum Creek Recreation Area. Also, couple vineyards in the area, and probably a brewery or two in either Ellensburg or Yakima.

If you drive south from there, you can hook up with SR 410 and head west towards Rainier. There is first-come-first-served car stuff along the way, and also some forest service roads where you can find some good spots. Good views and good hiking.

Drive around Rainier and then choose - down to the Columbia by St Helens or Adams? Around the Olympic Peninsula, taking the Port Angeles/Whidbey ferry home? A night or two in Seattle?

I did the Camino from St. John Pied de Port (France) to Santiago de Compostella once about 7 years ago and then a year or 2 after I tried it again but only got to do about 200 or so km's (did the first 100 or so then hurt my knee, took a couple of days off and then took a train to the end and did the last 100 km's).

Other peoples input on the money is right, 10,000 would be way too much for the trail. I wouldnt take that much with you on the hike (it could get stolen, it happens but I never really heard of it on my hikes). I had about 1,000 euros at one point and one of the women running a hostel told me it wasnt a good idea to have that much on me.

If you start in St. John they will give you 2 maps, one for the first day through the Pyernnes and one that covers the rest of the hike with elevations and distances.

This is the map book I took, I thought it was great. Its small and it had almost all the info I needed and was extremely helpful.

http://www.amazon.ca/Camino-Santiago-Map-Ben-Cole/dp/0973169850/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=0KQPCC6CXRAQTG1QVDJA

I did the extension to Finisterre and I would highly recommend it if you have the time. It takes about 2 or so extra days and it was great. Not nearly as many people do it and ends right at the ocean.

Some days you will likely end up sleeping on the floor (if hostels are all full). I would recommend bringing some sort of sleeping pad in addition to your sleeping bag so you are more comfortable. I didnt have a sleeping pad and sure wish I had brought one at some points!

Read up on how to treat a blister - you poke a hole in it using a needle and then working from one side towards the hole you squeeze out the blister. You dont just peel off the skin.

Bring some portable hand sanatizer to treat blisters/cuts and for general hygeine.

Let's get the first thing straight: there was no assault, and from your description, he was drunk, she was drunk, he made moves on her, she shot him down, and he stopped. That is not sexual assault. Classifying it as such is a way you can justify your negative feelings towards this guy, but you are doing things a disservice by approaching the issue as such.

Next, I can tell you, as a bi man in an open marriage with a bi woman, poly, open arrangements, and other alternatives to monogamy don't work unless both parties are on board. If that is the case, both need to be educated and dedicated: educated on alternatives to monogamy and how to best institute them in the relationship, and dedicated to open communication, honoring the primary partnership, and respecting their partner/s.

In my past experience, it's very difficult to go from mono to poly or open arrangements. There's usually too much past stuff to get through that ends up projected onto the new relationship, and often times, one partner wants it more than the other. For me personally, as someone wo is not poly but is also nonmonogamous, the best relationships I have had have been when the relationship began as an open arrangement.

If you want to begin looking at poly/open/w/e options start reading and researching. Get a couples counselor. Learn how to communicate in new ways. BUT, I have to say, the way that this has been broached in your life is not the best way to get there. Tell her if she is seriously wanting to be poly, you require these things. After a month of research and meeting with a couples counselor, reconvene on the issue. If it's something you both want, then move forward. If not, time to move on.

Required reading:
http://www.amazon.com/Opening-Up-Creating-Sustaining-Relationships/dp/157344295X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310242671&sr=8-1
A great book to get started with, and refer back to.


http://www.amazon.com/Redefining-Our-Relationships-Guidelines-Responsible/dp/1587900157/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310242969&sr=8-1
Great little book.


http://www.amazon.com/Pagan-Polyamory-Becoming-Tribe-Hearts/dp/0738707627/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1310242671&sr=8-5
This book is heavy on the woo woo, new age shit, but these people have a lot of good info, if you can separate it from the enya bullshit.

http://www.amazon.com/Ethical-Slut-Practical-Relationships-Adventures/dp/1587613379/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1310242671&sr=8-8
Basically, the bible of open relationships for newbs.

http://www.amazon.com/Polyamory-Roadmaps-Clueless-Anthony-Ravenscroft/dp/1890109533/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1310242671&sr=8-16
Decent

do not use wal mart parking lots. They have 24hr security an the security will kick you out. Source: big road tripper. I use hospitals when I have to. I try my best though to enjoy my drives over making them into some marathon dash. Ill drive back roads and camp off back country roads dirt where no one goes ever. Also in my past I would recommend getting an "adventure atlas" even if it is just this one: http://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Road-Atlas-Adventure/dp/0792289897 It will have information on camp grounds and specific details on outdoor recreation. This is incredibly valuable. I use maps from http://www.benchmarkmaps.com/ they provide detailed information and can give you a heads up to things you never knew existed. Also use this website before hand: https://roadtrippers.com/welcome?mode=explore

It sounds like your flying into Denver that kinda sucks because after transportation costs and lodging you will spend the most on food. if you drive yourself you can start stockpiling food for the trip now while you still have an income.

Also, in my experience, dont get too carried away in the over all "mission". If you don't make it to SD who cares. Do what you want when you want and be as free as you can. If you stay shackled to some schedule your going to have a bad time. You will be like "but I got to leave my lake camp site so I can drive to my next destination" if you like where you are stay until you are ready to leave. You are at your destination already: freedom from your everyday life. You will enjoy the trip more. Trust me. Try to find places that cater to multiple activities. You actually dont have to drive very far to get to hiking, fishing,and backpacking. you can literally do all of that in the same place generally. Keep that in mind and try to minimize how often you move location.

Im on a massive road trip now, been out 5 weeks. Im in CO and I havent drove more than 75 miles in the past 2 weeks. I have only spent one night in a hotel and ahve done: rock climbing, white water, desert hiking, backpacking, mountaineering and off road jeeping.

Do not fall into the thoughts that you have to move. you dont. everything you want to do can be found easily in the same place out there.

Never been, always wanted too. I seen this map at REI but didn't look inside, but I'm sure it has trails on it. I have their Desolation Wilderness map and its amazing. Waterproof and tearproof, easy to read and just great topo. I'm sure the Mono Lakes one would be the same. Even if there isn't much trails, you can find your way around easy! Good luck! http://www.amazon.com/Mono-Lake-Lee-Tom-Harrison/dp/1877689785

Monadnock isn't in the White Mountains (it's about 2 hours to the south) but it's definitely a great hike. It's not really a place for an overnight though.

A nice place in the White Mountains for a first overnight is Hermit Lake Shelters. It is in Tuckerman Ravine which is a gorgeous spot. You could hike in on day one, drop your stuff at the shelter and do a quick out and back into the base of the ravine if you feel up for it. Then day two you could hike up to Lion's Head before coming back down, grabbing your stuff and heading back to the car in Pinkham Notch.

Or you could stay at Nauman tentsite next to Mizpah Hut (one of the $100 a night huts in the Whites, but the tentsite is only $8 I believe). Day one go up to Nauman from the Highland Center, maybe including an out and back up Pierce once you drop your stuff at Nauman depending on how you're feeling/time. Day two head south to Jackson and then down to your car from there.

If you are just doing a day hike, Jackson/Webster or Jackson/Pierce make good loops. Or if you want something smaller, you could do Welch/Dickey, Willard or Crawford.

Definitely pick up a trail map of the White Mountains, especially if you are going to be doing more hiking there in the future. The Appalachian Mountain Club makes great ones, like this one.

Some good suggestions so far.

I've actually taught with both the [Slocum et al.] (http://www.amazon.com/Thematic-Cartography-Geographic-Visualization-Information/dp/0130351237) and [Tyner] (http://www.amazon.com/Principles-Map-Design-Judith-Tyner/dp/1606235443/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367588286&sr=1-1-fkmr1&keywords=tyner+principles+of+math+design) books. I would say the Slocum book is both dryer and more in depth while Tyner is easier to read, but that comes with it being a bit more cursory.

Honestly, it depends on where you are and what you want to get out of it. With a strong enough GIS background and some core principles already understood (generalization, for example), you might only need something like [Designing Better Maps] (http://www.amazon.com/Designing-Better-Maps-Guide-Users/dp/1589480899/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367588425&sr=1-1&keywords=designing+better+maps). If you truly want to understand things like how color works, why and when to choose various projections, etc., you probably want the Slocum text.

For what it's worth, much of Cindy Brewer's course material from her Intro Cartography class can be found online [here] (http://www.personal.psu.edu/cab38/GEOG321/321_syllabus.html). It's worth a look.

You use one of these (download the TIFF file) and a compass. There are better ones out there (this is a really good one of the same location), but the USGS map does the job just fine. See the Wikipedia page on topo maps. It allows you to determine location (by finding the direction of multiple known locations, like radio antennas, buildings, or mountains, and tracing them back to their intersection) and terrain (how steep inclines are, water, elevation, the easiest routes, etc), in addition to the usual roads, buildings, etc.

Topo maps are a ton of fun to use, especially if you have to figure out exactly where you are (perhaps this could be implemented in a game by only displaying the correct quadrangle (or an equivalent) and it requires you to figure it out for yourself. I really want to play an ES game with a mod that does this now, I might have to start learning how to do it (and figuring out how to make the required maps).

The 3D map (I haven't seen it in use) sounds like it's just a more user-friendly (though less directly informative) way of doing the same thing as a topo map. Topo maps are fun, and not too difficult to learn, but few people know how to read them, and fewer know how to use them properly; to be fair, it's no longer a required skill given the pervasiveness of GPS and turn-by-turn directions (which I have no problem using), but it's invaluable if you ever need it, and helpful even when you don't.

Last summer I drove around every state west of the plains. Camping spots are so easy to find that the only spots I had to pay for were at Mt Rainier and the Grand Canyon. Finding free camping is very easy, especially if you have the right map. What makes life easier is a good atlas. While an atlas may seem a bit much for some people, it shows every road/trail in all BLM and forest service land. it makes it very easy to find a spot.

I would use Freecampsites and campscout as good tools to find free or cheap spots. when I got to a small town I would go park in front of their library and use the wifi to go on these sites as well as check the weather.

Some of the best sites I have stayed at were free or around $5. The only time I would recommend reserving a spot is in National Parks or popular ones when it is the weekend.

Do not stay in RV parks. I cannot speak for the eastern half of the country, but in the west you can find a good spot without having to stay at a noisy RV park. RV parks will also charge you a premium even if you are not using power hookups.

Here are some of my favorite spots that I found that were not only free, but had no one around. they range from the back country of the grand canyon to an outdoor shooting range next to a cornfield in Iowa

I recommend you start by reading everything at www.morethantwo.org

Then maybe read this http://www.amazon.com/Polyamory-Roadmaps-Clueless-Anthony-Ravenscroft/dp/1890109533/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382175373&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=polyamory+a+guide+book+for+the+clueless+and+hopeful

Then find a local poly group in your area, keep in mind a lot of the poly groups are not mixers or cruising sites they are places for people to talk and learn about the community.

Join Ok Cupid. Make a profile. Answer the poly friendly questions in an honest manner. (you may find that you're more or less poly prone than you think.)

Get this plugin It will show you how people answered their poly friendly questions at a glance. (sadly only on chrome browser) https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/okcupid-for-non-mainstrea/cgdblghohnaeeejaoincmbcdkdnodkei?hl=en

From there its up to you and your ability to make a connection with some one. Good luck!

We have a wildflower guide and a copy hiking books (that I don't find that useful), but I ABSOLUTELY recommend getting the Trails Illustrated maps for the area:

https://smile.amazon.com/Brasstown-Chattooga-Chattahoochee-Geographic-Illustrated/dp/1566954673/ref=pd_sim_14_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1566954673&pd_rd_r=1NG4PG5T88JR4D8D4ZNY&pd_rd_w=4WY37&pd_rd_wg=AUcqB&psc=1&refRID=1NG4PG5T88JR4D8D4ZNY&dpID=51MopJ4-QUL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=detail

I have 2 for north GA (the one I linked for for the eastern half of north GA), one for western NC, another for the Smokies, and also one for the Mount Mitchell area.

Other than good maps, I find "thru-hiking guides (AWOL AT; Bartram; Benton MacKayte; etc) to be the best collection of useful hiker info, elevation profiles, and information that is relevant for hikers.

FWIW, I have a collection of some past trips (in GA and NC) with pics, etc:
https://rmignatius.wordpress.com/adventures/

It's an amazing park. You'll have a great time, weather permitting. But warning -- it was a pretty late year in terms of snow, and you should be keeping a very careful eye on how much snow is on the ground. Local ranger stations are your friend. They do pick up their phone -- look up the phone number on the Forest Service website.

A first tip: Buy the Tom Harrison map. By far the best topo map of the area on the market. https://www.amazon.com/Desolation-Wilderness-Trail-Map-Waterproof/dp/1877689610

In terms of routes:
I assume the Echo Lake ferry isn't going to be running yet. But I'd still consider starting at Echo Lake trailhead, then hiking around the lake towards Lake Aloha, along the Pacific Crest Trail. From there, you can cross-country (legally) towards Lake of the Woods, or work your way further towards Susie Lake. Past Susie Lake, it depends on the snow conditions and your energy levels.

I've done a few trips from that side, they've all been great. Aloha Lake is magical.

You can also start at the north side of the park, but I don't know those routes as well in terms of what'll be great early-season. I've always wanted to start at Fallen Leaf Lake, but haven't yet.

The High Peaks are spread over a fairly broad area. Trails are usually marked, but I'd say going up without a map and a compass (and the knowledge of how to use them) is asking for trouble in a pretty serious way.
If you don't want to spring for a proper trail map, you maybe can make do with the resources on Alltrails.com, though I'm not a user myself and can't vouch personally. I'll link the one I use in the High Peaks.
https://www.amazon.com/Lake-Placid-High-Peaks-Illustrated/dp/156695357X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495934139&sr=8-1&keywords=high+peaks+map

Stay safe, have fun, good luck!

Bear can is a food container. REI rents them cheap, they're about $60 to buy (ymmv). A small container is fine for up to 5-6 days solo trekking, depending on what you bring for food.

Apparently you can get your Desolation permits online? Another Redditor had a link.I typically hit the Ranger station on I-50 near Pollack Pines. Do be sure to get a permit. You'll dodge a fine if you're caught by a ranger, and even if you don't get caught you're helping to fund the colossal amount of work required to keep wilderness spaces like this wild.

Your route looks great! 25 miles is a good distance for 3-day solo. Once you get over by Lake Aloha, it's very exposed, and it's easy to explore off-trail all over the place. Make sure to get a map -- Tom Harrison has a great map of the area. Armed with a good map, you can explore to your heart's content. I like to hit camp early, set up shop, and then go for 2-4 mile wanders up to whatever tall thing is nearby. With your route, you could make Aloha (or around it) the first night, leave your pack and tent there and day hike your second day, and then pack up and out day 3. I've never had anyone mess with my stuff backpacking, even leaving things for multiple days in medium-traffic areas (day hikers are another story).

Since it's your first trip out, let me point out some essentials -- things I didn't know when I started in the Sierra.

• You need sunscreen. And a hat. There are very few trees in some areas, and that sun doesn't fuck around at 8,000'. Skin cancer sucks. Add chapstick to that list, something with sun protection.
  
  
• You should probably not drink the water in the Desolation Wilderness. There is high enough traffic that the chance of contamination is moderate, and giardia is shittier than you can imagine. Aquamira water treatment is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to go. Amazon has it for like $12. It doesn't leave a flavor in your water, unlike Iodine and many other tablets and treatments. My wife and I use a ceramic filter, which gets any gunk out of the water too, but that's not really an issue in Desolation. There's a fuckload of lakes. It's really pretty.
  
  
• On that note, you won't need to carry more than 2 liters of water at any time. There's lots of places to refill.
  
  
• Your first aid kit needs bandaids, triple antibiotic ointment, Ibuprofin, athletic tape, a small roll of duct tape, gauze, and ACE bandage wrap. This is by no means a complete list -- we bring substantially more on longer trips. I'd call this a minimum. I never have any luck with Moleskin for blisters, but I've found athletic tape often does a good job for me.
  
  
• You probably won't need bugspray this time of year, except by Lake of the Woods (which is why I don't camp there). If I turn out to be wrong, I'm sorry :P. Poison oak also doesn't grow above 5,000ft, so no worries there.
  
  
• I know it's gross, but get yourself a little trowel, TP, and hand sani. Bury human waste 100' from water or trails, at least 6" down. PLEASE pack your TP out in a ziplock. Pro tip -- a pinch of baking soda in your shitty TP bag will do wonders to eliminate the smell. Toilet paper takes decades to decompose when buried in the Sierra, since there's so little rainfall. Animals dig it up, and it ends up all over the trail. When I hike, I don't want my sunset views ruined when I accidentally sit in turd-covered paper. In return, I hike my paper out too. Please help Desolation stay desolate. You get to keep the moral high ground when you stumble across someone else's poo-sheets!
  
  Have fun and be safe! There's a decent chance you'll have cell reception some of the time, so you'll be fine even if something dumb happens. If you have questions, I spend too much time on Reddit. Cheers!

Just finished taking a cartography course actually and our book was "Thematic Cartography and Geographic Visualization". It's pretty good, just dry. This is the 2nd edition and it's very cheap on Amazon, though there is a 3rd addition as well.

Another extremely useful book all about GIS, geodatabases, etc. is "Modeling Our World: The ESRI Guide to Geodatabase Concepts". This was the textbook for another GIS course I just completed. It's fantastically easy to read and has tons of visuals in it. It's way more interesting/dynamic than traditional textbooks.

Here's the trail: https://www.trailsoffroad.com/trails/351-kingston-peak. Trails Offroad is an awesome resource. I also picked up a copy of this earlier this summer which has been super helpful picking out trails as well: https://www.amazon.com/Colorado-Trails-Front-Range-Region/dp/1930193505/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=colorado+trails&qid=1570566916&sr=8-6

My favorite State maps are by Benchmark. They make really nice large format road atlases that have a fantastic level of detail in terms of features and tiny local roads (even logging roads where I am in PNW). They are easily findable on Amazon.

https://www.benchmarkmaps.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Benchmark-Road-Recreation-Atlas/dp/0929591607/

I just moved here, and

this book

has been a tremendous help. It seems like a good resource for solo trips and outlines everything in amazing detail from road markers, to difficulty scales to trail history. I highly recommend it.

Two strong recommendations:

Use hikingupward.com to select a hike. You can sort hikes by a bunch of different factors like length, solitude, views, etc.

I highly recommend this National Geographic trail map. It is made of a tough materials and my experience has shown it to be accurate over the course of 20 - 30 hikes in SNP.

Enjoy your time there! Let me know if you have any more questions.

Best Option

Second Best Option

I used the second one for a long time. I've gone through probably 5-6 of those. Picked up the first one a few years ago and I like it much better.

They're also wireless and don't need batteries.

TrailsIllustrated maps are copyrighted and I hope folks respect that by not posting copies here. In my opinion they're well worth the price.

AllTrails.com offers a subscription service where you can view these maps online, print portions at home, etc. I've never used it so I can't vouch for it other than to say it's there.

Amazon also has low-res previews of the map here that may or may not be helpful.

yeah with a little bit of curiosity (and many repeated visits) you learn some spots to get alternate views and/or a bit of privacy.

as for maps, i don't think nynj trail conference has done anything for the adirondacks. for the high peaks area the two main maps i know of are the nat geo and the one put out by ADK.

personally, i find the nat geo map a little easier to read. i prefer the older version of the adk map to the current, though the new one is made of a better material. the ADK map has a few things the nat geo one doesn't, namely some of the bigger herd paths and camping/lean-to sites.

I think I will end up doing something similar. I am looking at getting the National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps for the regions I like to backpack in. They are waterproof and tear resistant and supposedly have great detail. Do you have any experience with them?

Any outdoor recreation shops will have all the maps you need: REI, Diamond Brand, Frugal Backpacker, a lot of the bike stores, etc. This is the best map you can get for finding trails, planning routes, etc. Although it's not the most detailed map as far as Topography goes, find one of the more specific USFS maps for this.

http://smile.amazon.com/Pisgah-District-National-Geographic-Illustrated/dp/1566953324/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457370678&sr=8-1&keywords=natgeo+pisgah+map

I think the National Geographic trail maps are far better. They're also made out of a tougher material that seems like it would be water-resistant.

A gazatteer is very useful:

https://www.amazon.com/Colorado-Benchmark-Road-Recreation-Atlas/dp/0929591127/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527736942&sr=8-1&keywords=colorado+gazetteer

Otherwise I check out areas that look interesting on google maps, see where the roads go, look for trails or trailheads marked. Switch to aerial view and see if there are trails, etc. It not super easy but with some determination it's not hard by any means.

I would highly suggest getting a map so you can see if there are trails there or not instead of just hoping. It's hard to give advice when you're not even sure what you're trying to plan.

The National Geographic maps are the standard for the area. #746 Saranac/Paul Smiths covers the area between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake. You can see on the map there is 1 trail that covers part of the distance between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake, the Jackrabbit Ski Trail. However, since it is a ski trail, I can't vouch for it's hikability (maybe someone else here can). There would also still be road walking/running you would have to do between the two towns.

The town of Lake Placid and south of there, including the High Peaks Region is covered in map #742 Lake Placid/High Peaks

I will say there are plenty of options for other trails if you were to do more of a "basecamp" thing, especially if you're not planning to actually camp but would prefer to stay at a hotel or something in town. You could just stay town, drive to a trailhead in the morning, do your hike, and then drive back to your lodging place in town. I have done this type of trip numerous times and always enjoy it

I believe in being helpful first and critical second. So first some resources on poly since that seems to be the direction you want to explore. You're going to want to read these in particular the parts about open honest communication, taking a good long hard look at your feelings and analyzing them, and enthusiastic consent.

https://www.morethantwo.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Polyamory-Roadmaps-Clueless-Anthony-Ravenscroft/dp/1890109533

Second you might not be poly. A therapist might be a good start for you and your partner to work through and figure out why you are doing what you are doing.

Now critisism.

You might be poly. But that will never be an excuse for your cheating or your lying. I've never known poly to cure people of their dishonesty or low character. Something to keep in mind about poly communities the grape vine tends to talk a lot more due to the whole open honest communication thing. That usually means that when some one is caught lying and sneaking around it isn't just one or two people that find out, you can find your self on the outs with most of your community in a matter of minutes ruining the trust and friendship of a lot of people. Cheating can happen in poly just as in mono relationships. The fallout tends to be much worse due to the number of people involved. So while you try to figure out if you are poly also sort out your character as well.

I suggest http://www.amazon.com/Polyamory-Roadmaps-Clueless-Anthony-Ravenscroft/dp/1890109533 .

It's a lot better humored and less prescriptive than the other classic books on the subject.

If you live in the west, there is a lot of public lands. Forest Service, BLM etc.

If you aren't very experienced camping and would like to camp, but also be near a bathroom in the morning, find an established campground, then look on a map like a Benchmark Map or a gazetteer or even google earth for dispersed camping near a campground.


It's usually a rare occurrence that I haven't been able to find out of the way dispersed camping near established campgrounds.

https://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Road-Atlas-Adventure/dp/0792289897

This is my favorite, nation wide and lists an order of magnitude more camp sites than a McNally RV Atlas.

If you don't have one of these I highly recommend it.

Also If you don't have much luck here, ask around in the LBS's and touring companies in Moab.

National Geographic has an illustrated map that you could cut out.

$6 on Amazon. Lake Placid, High Peaks: Adirondack Park (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map) https://www.amazon.com/dp/156695357X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_9UYqDb133XPDA

You may want two copies as some of them are on the backside.you might even need a second map.

This map links up with a guide for the high peaks by the Adirondak Mountain Club(?) or something like that.

There's also other maps by the AMC(?) but they are likely more technical.

Edit: it's the ADK not AMC.

This is from national geographic trail map http://www.amazon.com/Pisgah-District-National-Geographic-Illustrated/dp/1566953324

I buy the National Geographic maps. I carry that, and an atlas whenever I go out. I don't have a GPS yet, and even if I did, I still would have these.

Pick up the AMC's white mountain national forest map. Lots of options within 2-3hours.

http://www.amazon.com/White-Mountain-National-Forest-Guide/dp/1934028487/ref=pd_sim_b_3

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0792289897/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1