My #greatamericanwest adventure ( #GAWA ) commences... #Itinerary of my 25-day solo adventure out West - I'm doing it mostly Amtrak (after this morning's flight to Chicago to officially begin my trek) I want to see the country by train... #Chicago to #DodgeCity #Kansas (16 hr ride on the #SouthwesternChief), staying in #Dodge two nights, then train to #Raton #NewMexico to get a connecting bus to #Denver for one night, then train (#CaliforniaZephyr) through the #RockyMountains and #ContinentalDivide to #Reno/#LakeTahoe for 3 nights (24 hr train ride to Reno) - the Zephyr between Chicago and San Francisco considered one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world... then fly to #Boise #Idaho, stay Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch in #Stanley Idaho for five days, followed by six days river-rafting on the #MiddleFork of the #SalmonRiver, (named #RiverOfNoReturn by #LewisAndClark sleeping under the stars as we traverse the #FrankChurchWilderness by river raft, the most isolated and undeveloped, virgin wilderness in the lower 48 states, ending trip in #Salmon Idaho (I learned that this #rivertrip considered 2nd best River Rafting journey after the 7 day #GrandCanyon trip, which I did 4 years ago, and hope to do again by #dorey (an exquisite, 5 person boat featured in the book #TheEmeraldMile), then an overnite horse pack trip (my first) in the Sawtooth mountains, then a few days going to hot springs, hiking, and mountain biking in three different AirBnBs (one is a Gypsy Wagon!) between Salmon and Boise Idaho, as I make my way back to Boise for 2 nights in a hotel (only other hotels during trip are in Denver and Reno), finally flying home from Boise on July 30...I'll be staying a few days before the Idaho portion in each port of call, renting cars at each location... I'm very interested in history of West, and the Dust Bowl days of mid-1930s ( https://youtu.be/1OdDieuD1OA ) that's why the stop in Kansas - plus to go to Dorothy Gale house of course 🏡🤠💖🌈. Abientot. #ProfTimRN (at Newark International Airport Terminal C- United Airlines) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ8gocUJPgFQN17rErE99Cfn5CYYkCiEDL0WbA0/?utm_medium=tumblr