Trip Planning To Metropolis

Above, at the Auto Club. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Although the trip won't be for almost another month and a half from now, I figured that perhaps I should start planning it.

This will be pretty much a cross-country trip from Los Angeles to Metropolis, Illinois for Noel Neill's celebration of life. Metropolis is the home of the Super Museum, where Jim Hambrick has a big collection of all things Superman. I've always wanted to go there, so now's my chance!

There is a giant statue of Superman and a statue of Noel Neill, as Lois Lane, in town.

Above, planning the route at the Auto Club. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since we've been given plenty of notice of the celebration, I thought that this would be a good opportunity to jump into The Beast for a big road-trip. I was going to take a trip to Memphis next spring, but since I will be only three hours away from Memphis in Metropolis, I may as well go there now.

The states that I would be going through include Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and then Illinois. The pace of the drive (around 1,900 miles) will be determined by my daily progress and, of course, the weather as the memorial celebration will be held November 5.

The way back will be more leisurely and I will take a more northern route through Tennessee, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah and Arizona.

I expect that all this will take about two weeks to complete.

En route to Metropolis, I plan to stop at some attractions, most notably Meteor Crater in Arizona and the library, museum, home and tomb of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois.

Above, with the TripTik in the foreground, I also picked
 up maps and tour books today. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

On the way back to L.A., I will take a detour down to Memphis, Tennessee to visit Graceland and other attractions there. Then, I will head up to St. Louis, Missouri and then head west from there. Stops will include Kansas City (I will try to pay a visit to State Sen. Greg Smith in Overland Park, Kansas, if schedules permit), the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum, Silverton and Durango, Colorado (maybe ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad train), Mesa Verde National Park, Monument Valley, Utah (where John Ford and John Wayne filmed all those classic westerns) and the Grand Canyon National Park. Then home from there.

I am beginning to get excited over this trip. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate.

At this time, it is just going to be Sierra and I, but I will see if I can arrange for another traveling companion. But I don't mind solo trips as I've done them before.