Alright...Pacific N.W. and North Midwesterners

[Dirt Digger2]

Alright I know theres a few of you out there....

My buddy and I are flying into Sea-Tac on May 18th, renting a car and driving back to PA for one last trip before the real world hits us...

The plan is to leave the airport and drive to the Pacific and see the sun set then head back east on Rt. 2

we want to hit the Cat and Deere plants in Illinois, but everything else is fair game...we don't really have any particular route planned, with the exception we want to try and see either Yellowstone or Glacier National

anyone have any good places that we should stop and see?

[J. Peterson Grading]

If you are on I80 heading to the cat plant you will drive through IC IA. stop and say hello.

J.

[DeereMan85]

I'd swing down through Yellowstone, over to the Black Hills and Badlands in SD, up to ND (Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Bobcat plant in Fargo - if it's open to the public with recent flooding in the area). From there, swing up to Lake of the Woods, then over to Lake Superior and head south along the North Shore. From there, follow the Great River Road south out of Minneapolis. Stop at the Deere plant in Dubuque, then continue south to the Deere plant in Davenport. Further east, I'll leave to the others.

[Tigerotor77W]

Just to let you know... the sun doesn't come out consistently until mid-June or July or so. You may have a shot at catching it, but it's pretty iffy.

My choice would be to stop through Mt. Rainier National Park, but I'm extremely biased on that account.

[Junior M]

dont know if your going through this part of Wisconsin, or if your even into this kinda stuff, but the Harley Museum is pretty bad ass...

[all ferris]

Don't forget the Komatsu plant too. It's pretty close to the CAT plant in Peoria. I've lived in Illinois 33 years and have never been to any of the plants.

[bobcat_ron]

Stop in at Illinois Ida's and she'll show you a show involving a donkey and ping pong balls that will knock your socks off.

Bring eye protection too.

[ksss]

Alright I know theres a few of you out there....

My buddy and I are flying into Sea-Tac on May 18th, renting a car and driving back to PA for one last trip before the real world hits us...

The plan is to leave the airport and drive to the Pacific and see the sun set then head back east on Rt. 2

we want to hit the Cat and Deere plants in Illinois, but everything else is fair game...we don't really have any particular route planned, with the exception we want to try and see either Yellowstone or Glacier National

anyone have any good places that we should stop and see?


Actually you could hit Glacier and Yellowstone very easily. Go across from Seattle hit Glacier, come down the Interstate and hit Bozeman and head to West Yellowstone (I like that area the best). Come to Jackson Hole, Wy and I will met you there. A couple cool places to go if you like killer micro beer. I would second TR's park in North Dakota, Medora is pretty cool. You then could hit Deadwood and the Black Hills. The BC plant is actually in Gwinner, not far from the SD border. I would not leave out a trip to the CASE backhoe plant in Burlington or the skid steer plant in Witchita. CASE also has the wheel loader plant and the plant where they make the Steiger tractors in Fargo (nearly same location). There is a lot to see out this way.

[Dirt Digger2]

awesome...thanks guys, my buddy has a friend that graduated last year and is living in one of the Dakotas, so we will be spending a night with him for a free meal and room

its going to be a faster then wanted pace as we are only renting the car for 8 days...$1600 for 2 under 25 drivers...pretty ridiculous, but appreciate the suggestions, even though we might not have to time to hit them all...I would like to see the Case/Steiger plant though

KSSS Jackson Hole is on the list of places to check out, how far are you from there?

[ksss]

awesome...thanks guys, my buddy has a friend that graduated last year and is living in one of the Dakotas, so we will be spending a night with him for a free meal and room

its going to be a faster then wanted pace as we are only renting the car for 8 days...$1600 for 2 under 25 drivers...pretty ridiculous, but appreciate the suggestions, even though we might not have to time to hit them all...I would like to see the Case/Steiger plant though

KSSS Jackson Hole is on the list of places to check out, how far are you from there?


I am about 90 miles from Jackson Hole. Pretty cool old west type town, with a splash of $25 million Summer homes. Another place to check out is Cody, Wyoming its just outside the Park on the south gate. They have a killer Cowboy museum. Google it. It takes two days to see it all. Amazing.

[Scag48]

Depending on where I'm at, I'll buy you a beer when you hit the Left Coast. Thinking I might be back in the area full time this week or next. A couple ideas for here in WA.

Mt. Rainier National Park is pretty sweet, although they are not completely up and running this time of year there are 2 visitor centers currently opening. The Longmire Museum is pretty cool and the Henry Jackson visitor center I have not witnessed so I'm not sure what that's all about.

If you plan on heading out to the peninsula, you may check out the Olympic National park instead. A popular route to get there involves taking a bridge that is currently closed for 6 weeks, but there are other routes as outlined in this link.

http://www.nobridgenoproblem.com/maps.html

If you do the loop, not sure what your time constraints are, but out and around would be the most scenic. I've always liked La Push and Neah Bay, both are along the way if you loop the route.

[minimax]

I would hit the Boeing plant and take a drive from portland on I-84 and then go up though pullman,WA and then take I-90 east.

minimax

[Digdeep]

Deception Pass out on Whidbey Island is pretty cool too (that current really scoots). So is Leavenworth and Stevens Pass.