Making the Plan
I knew I wanted to travel and try out a few different cities and potentially move even before the pandemic hit. This journey has been rolling around in my brain for over three years. When my company restructured to shift talent into new growth areas, I had the option to interview and potentially take something internal or take a very generous severance package.
I knew this was a unique chance and a gift to take some time I would likely never have in my life again until I was retired. As a perennial planner, risk averse, and analytical person, I had to map out how much time I would be comfortable taking, where I’d want to go, how long it would take to do the trip at the high and low ends, and most importantly the cost (along with logistics on where my two pups would be during this journey).
I mapped out everywhere I wanted to go, researched costs of AirBnBs and hotels, and the potential range of costs in each place I wanted to go. The housing range leveled out from $6,500 on the low-end (shorter trip and lowest cost accommodations) to $20,200 on the high end (longer trip and higher cost accommodations).
I ended up on the mid-high end at $14,800, using some available credit card points to help cover the cost in some of the more expensive stays (2 nights in Telluride). I also already had an Epic ski pass I had purchased back in the spring, knowing it would have covered 2+ ski trips before deciding to take this trip.
I built my own budget spreadsheet starting from an existing Microsoft template available here and including the high/low ranges. I was able to justify this to myself based on savings I had as well as the severance package I would receive. I also had to keep my own mantra at the forefront of my mind: this is an investment in myself and my own growth while I’m in shape and an incredible opportunity I can’t pass up.
With my week or so of research on AirBnBs, hotels, and availability at different locations, I started with the places that would be most expensive/challenging to book (mainly Breckenridge, Park City, Yosemite for my trip) and worked out from there on my schedule. I made sure to have places with a washer/dryer about every 7-10 days to be able to minimize packing and do laundry along the way and from there, had my budget set! It’s starting to get real!
The final route and list of stops:
Topeka, KS
Denver, CO
Breckenridge, CO
Grand Junction, CO
Park City, UT
Boise, ID
Portland, OR
Klamath Falls, OR
Bay Area, CA
Lake Tahoe, CA
Yosemite Valley, CA
Sequoia and Kings Canyon, CA
Death Valley, CA
Joshua Tree, CA
South Rim Grand Canyon, AZ
Durango, CO
Telluride, CO
Crested Butte, CO
Colorado Springs, CO
Denver, CO
Kansas City, KS
Back home - Louisville, KY!
