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When I pinned a 2017 calendar on the wall today, the fifth day of the year jumped right off the page. If my birth certificate is accurate, I’ll turn 55 that day. I know what you’re thinking – 55 is just a number and age is simply a state of mind — but no, this palindromic gem is much more than that.
55 means I can move into one of those senior retirement communities. I won’t, but I could, and that’s nice to know.
‘55 was the only year the Brooklyn Dodgers won the World Series. They’re not my team, but I was born in Brooklyn, and that’s good enough reason to hold a cold pint and salute Dem Bums.
’55 was the year Gates and Jobs were born . . . and it would be a lot harder to write this story if I didn’t have a Mac or a PC. I’ll cheers them, too!
55 was the National Speed Limit the day I got my drivers license. I’ll have to “be that guy” for at least a mile and go 55 in the fast line. Okay, a half-mile.
I probably should stop jibber-jabbering about 55 nonsense and get on with writing this travel blog . . . but I’m kind of obsessed with it all. So how about I tell you my 55 travel goals for 2017?
Here goes:
I’m going to find 11 truly unique alternatives to hotels: a tree house, a riverboat, a teepee, a lighthouse, a caboose . . . As I think about it, the research itself will be a lot of fun.
I’m going to find 11 new ways to get from A to B. Definitely some new Amtrak routes, maybe a Greyhound trip, a flight with a bush pilot, a ride with dog-sled team . . . this will be a challenge — a head-scratching but mouth-watering challenge with true rewards.
I’m going to visit 11 new event centers: ballparks, concert halls, theatres. There’s nothing better than enjoying live sports and arts while on the road. My head is spinning with possibilities right now: The 2017 World Baseball Classic, Santa Fe Outdoor Opera, Burning Man, Bonnaroo . . . no shortage of possibilities here.
Naturally, finding never-been-to places has to be part of this. I’m going to commit to 20 of them! At least one will be a new country to satisfy a personal quest made 20 years ago of “two feet in at least one new nation every year.” Visiting a new National Park is a must (Isle Royale NP in Lake Superior has been calling for years). The U.S. has 55 states and territories . . . I’ve only been to 53. Hello, American Samoa!
What’s that, 53? Okay, for the last two, I will find two couples, or two families, who would like to go somewhere, anywhere, but just can’t afford to go. I will give them the gift of travel: gas, food, lodging and a bunch of adventure coupons. Maybe I meet them serendipitously, maybe I hear about them on the road somewhere. Eyes open, ears open, and I’m open for suggestions.
Alright, I’m done . . . thanks for indulging me. Fire away with the old man jokes.
John manages our Northeast/Mid-Atlantic 10-person Brand USA sales team and helps U.S. destinations promote their experiences to international travelers. He is the youngest person to have visited all 3,086 U.S. counties. John spent five years on the Board of the U.S. Travel Association, and has published more than 700 travel articles.