Project Girl Dives in to Plan Trip West!

For me there's nothing like a meaty new project.  I go absolutely crazy when I dream up a great idea for a project and have the time to plan it out.  I relish the process of putting it together and have a few hours to sit in my office and sketch it out.  Ask my family.  What is my favorite pastime?  Internet research!  Unanswered questions burn at me.  I must know why the tragic celebrity lost her life, who sang the song we just heard, what was in that martini we had in Mexico, where did I stash all my running medals when we moved?  I can't help myself.  Once a project is assigned (by my dark side in the middle of the night) all my energies are focused on it.  I especially love to plan a trip.  I'm currently about halfway through my planning.

Project Central

RBK would enjoy having me tone it down on the trip planning.  However, he knows I'm completely unable to do that.  He listens patiently to the latest parade of time lines, hotel choices and passionate pleas for non-refundable reservations.  The next day I ask him about it and he can't recall the conversation.  That's how often I "keep him updated" on the progress of the trip.  No one else could listen "attentively" for that long.  Honestly, I don't care, because this is just a game we play.  I have to let off some steam while I'm working that hard on my project.

Here is today's version of the itinerary.  Subject to change.  (By now this is a given, since I'll find some additional documentation that proves we need to change our route at several points along the way.)  Factor in RBK's polar-opposite notion that we might consider an unplanned rest day somewhere along the California coast.

Mar 20 - 21 Chicago, museums and the Apple Store
Mar 22 - 23 Kansas City, my sister, Meaouw and charming, renaissance-man husband, Eric
Mar 24 OKC to visit old friends and reminisce living there in 1997-98
Mar 25-26 Santa Fe
Mar 27-28 Sedona, hiking and meditation (me)
Mar 29 Tucson to celebrate Snooze's birthday
Mar 30 - Apr 10 Tucson catch up with RBK's dad and his wife, Char. Hike with Snooze.
Apr 10-11 Fountain Hills, AZ to hang with KB & Dale and see their gorgeous new condo
Apr 12 Travel Day
Apr 13 Santa Barbara
Apr 14 Channel Islands - Hiking
Apr 15 Cambria (starting up the coast on Hwy 1)
Apr 16 Hearst Castle
Apr 17-19 Big Sur, Carmel, Monterey, Pebble Beach (try to keep jaw from hitting pavement)
Apr 20-21 Yosemite!!!!  Ahwahnee!!!!  Hiking Half Dome part of the way, maybe....
Apr 22-23 Lake Tahoe hiking
Apr 24 Salt Lake City (I guess we're going to look at the Temple; not sure)
Apr 25 Dinosaur-ville or something like that.  This is an RBK choice I don't know anything about.
Apr 26 Denver to visit Kathleen and Bob. Haven't seen them in 5 years.  Can't wait!!
Apr 27-28 Back to Kansas City to celebrate Laura's HS graduation a little early
Apr 29 Indy? I'm not sure why we're stopping here but it's a fun place and we have good memories
Apr 30 Home to begin getting ready for our first full summer on the lake

I did find my running medals but I still don't know how to make the martini because the answer's not on the internet.