
The Grand Tour, 2.0 - Thevet
http://aeon.co/magazine/culture/is-todays-travel-better-than-the-grand-tour/
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startupfounder
"A traveller usually understands that itineraries are pretty useless, admits
ignorance, and is open to whatever the road may bring."

In 2007 I rode a motorcycle from Maine to the Panama Canal. I was seeking the
authentic, the back roads, the people and experiences between the destinations
on my map or entries into the guidebook. It was not only about being open to
the unplanned moments, but putting myself into uncomfortable situations where
the spark of spontaneity could ignite a human connection.

I always find coming home a bit eye opening, I continue to look for and seek
authentic moments in my "everyday" life, getting away from the screens and
technology that disconnect me with the people right in front of me.

I think this is the job of great technology, enabling and at the same time not
getting in the way of the authentic life moments.

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mikestew
_" A traveller usually understands that itineraries are pretty useless, admits
ignorance, and is open to whatever the road may bring."_

That pretty much sums up most of the travel my wife and I do on motorcycles
(sometimes to her chagrin). In a week or two we'll travel up to Canada for a
week. Where in Canada? Umm, British Columbia, maybe over to Alberta. What do
we plan to see? I have no idea. Lots of provincial parks, I imagine. I have a
very loose route planned, which we'll probably abandon by Day 2, and that's
about it. Getting late in the year, might hit snow in higher areas, in which
case we'll turn back. We have to be home the following Monday. That's our
itinerary.

Semi-randomly wandering around isn't for everyone. Despite the loose plan,
there's still planning to be done, either at the supper table in the evening
or a map and breakfast in the morning. If you don't like to think during your
traveling, it's definitely not for you what with ad hoc planning and a dozen
off-the-cuff decisions throughout the day.

But you know what? One will often see and experience things because they're
worth seeing or experiencing, not because you're _told_ to go see them. I'm as
much about the random roadhouse diner with an owner who can tell you the
history of the area going back the four generations his family has lived there
as I am about seeing the Grand Canyon (which is a bit overrated, IMO).

One of these days maybe we'll do a cruise where every minute is planned. But
not for a while, if ever.

~~~
dang
If you make it to Alberta, I highly recommend that you ride through
Kananaskis.

For best results, take Highway 40 south, then have dinner at the Longview
Steak House. You'd never guess, but it is one of the best restaurants in
Alberta.

Make sure there isn't snow before you ride through the mountains, though...
and have really warm gloves.

~~~
mikestew
Thanks for the tip, I'll make a note of it if we get that far east. IIRC, some
in the online motorcycle community have pointed out the Kananaskis area as
well. Steak house: noted. As a vegetarian, I might miss out on the
restaurant's most notable feature, but my wife still enjoys a good steak from
time to time, and I can appreciate a restaurant for what it is rather than
whether they have my food of choice.

Snow might be an issue, but warmth won't. Electrically heated jacket liners
and heated handlebar grips can go a long way toward keeping warm in low temps.
:-) (Though I just looked, yeah, going across Banff to get there could be a
problem in October. Part of the adventure is seeing how the weather holds and
adjust accordingly.)

~~~
dang
It's not actually a steak house. It's not a house, either, though it used to
be one. Have a good trip!

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MereInterest
Rats. From the title, I had been hoping that it was referring to the Planetary
Grand Tour.
([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_Grand_Tour](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_Grand_Tour)
), the configuration for which will not occur again until about 2150. I had
hoped that this article meant that there was an alternate, though perhaps
slightly less fuel efficient, route.

