Travel Goal Getter Travel Blog

member spotlight - Richard Pazara

2/7/2018

Calling Richard Pazara a Travel Goal Getter, is a tremendous understatement. He is a Travel Goal Getter on steroids! Richard shared that, "Travel has been my main hobby since I retired in 1994. Having both the time and interest, wandering around to both famous and not-so-famous places has been my major endeavor. New places to visit almost always take president over return visits. The serendipitous moments I've enjoyed in unlikely places is something I will always treasure........One of the best rewards of self-planned travel."

Richard has achieved the Travel Goal Getter Troika by qualifying for the All Fifty Club, Traveler's Country Club, and Continent Club. Beyond that it is hard to know where to begin with his many travel accomplishments.

ALL FIFTY CLUB

Not only has Richard visited every state but he has visited every COUNTY in the USA. 3,144 counties! Some memorable moments were "driving through the national grasslands of Western Nebraska that at sunset in the wind looked like the ocean." and watching "the multiple fireworks ashore on July 4 as the grain freighter I was on was anchored in Lake Huron." This final state was Hawaii in September 1982.

Country club - platinum level - 144 countries visited

Richard has visited 144 countries all over the world. In nearby Mexico he has been to all 32 states and nearby Canada he has visited all 10 provinces. He remembers "the little Indonesian man who struggled for several minutes to practice his English as we rode on a local bus in Surabaya so he could welcome me to his country." And the help and concern of the French skiers and mountain guides as we were trapped at the top of a wilderness mountain due to a un-predicted storm and tram failure" . His favorite country in the world to visit is Greece.

ISLAND HOPPING

Now going beyond countries, he is counting the number of islands he has been to. According to Richard, island-hopping has a name - "nesomania". Whatever it is called he has it! So counting islands, true islands that can only be reached by sea or air, he has been to 631. Some sources say there is over 180,000 island in the world so this will keep him traveling if needs a reason!

CONTINENT CLUB - all 7 continents

AIR TRAVEL
His air travel started in December 1968. He has flown 4,959,433 actual miles on 7194 flight segments on 924 different airlines to 1,682 different airport landing locations. Eight round-the-world trips contributed to these high numbers. It is remarkable that he has been able to keep track of all these numbers!

SEA TRAVEL
Richard started traveling by sea beginning in August 1980. It includes 83 voyages with 239,663 nautical miles sailed over 872 nights with 582 port visits. This resulted in visiting all seven continents, 208 Trans-Atlantic crossings, 86 Equator crossings and 70 International Date line crossings.

skiing

Enjoying the slopes has also been a big part of his travels. He has skiied at 1,241 different ski areas in 31 different countries. I haven't asked Richard yet if he brings all his winter gear with him while he travels! (update: he does) That is a travel accomplishment in itself.

Though Richard says travel is his hobby, it seems like a full-time job to me!

We wish Richard more safe and happy travels. Thanks for being a travel inspiration!

Note: Richard doesn't stop so his numbers above may not reflect his most recent travels.

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Mighty maine

2/3/2018

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By: Alicia

West Quoddy Head Light House, Sail Rock and Lubec, ME

On my 50 state journey I visited Kittery, Maine located right across the border from New Hampshire. I put my foot on the ground, breathed the fresh Maine air, and saw a lighthouse. Surely I ate lobster in Maine, but I can’t remember. This is enough of a reason for me to go back to Maine! Our members have shared many, many reasons to see more of what Maine has to offer.

Before we get to the reasons, let’s clear up a couple things first. Many think Maine is the most northern and the most eastern states in the United States, besides Alaska. That is the way it looks on most maps. Believe it or not Maine is not the most northern at all, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota all extend farther north. Flat maps vs. true longitudes and latitudes. Maine is, however, the most eastern state. A plaque designates this at West Quoddy Head Lighthouse, pictured above, while overlooking Sail Rock the most easternmost point.

Doesn’t the idea of driving up the coast of Maine on U.S. Route 1 sound great? It truly is as it has sandy beaches and picturesque boating towns but it isn’t like driving Highway 1 in California on which you are driving right up along the coast. Maine is full of tidal inlets making its coastline actually larger than California. Member Jeff Short described it as “meandering up and down the various peninsulas and finding one beautiful seascape after another and wonderful small towns." And “This trip is one to be done at a slow pace and with a willingness to just explore.”

There are many towns to stop at along the way. Two favorites are:

Bangor
All 50 stater, Thomas Beecken, visited Maine and stayed at the “haunted” Lucerne Inn and also happened to see Stephen King outside his home pictured above. A private tour company offers tours around town about Stephen King as many of his stories take place in Maine based on actual places.

Kennebunkport
President George H. W. Bush's summer home has given this Maine City some name recognition.The White Barn receives excellent member reviews for upscale lodging and dining.

Acadia National Park

One of the main sights to see in Maine is, of course, Acadia National Park. NPS calls it the “crown jewel of the Atlantic Coast”. Picture yourself sitting in the pre-dawn light with a flannel blanket wrapped around you as you are one of the first to see the sunrise in the U.S.A. on Cadillac Mountain. If you like dramatic scenery you might find yourself wanting to spend more time at Acadia.

Lobster

You gotsa have some lobsta! Lobster roll, lobster hoagie sandwich, lobster dinner.
Lobster shacks are ready to serve you some of the state specialty! To learn more about the lobster industry take a Lobster Boat tour. This has been a hit with families.

Other Maine Favorites
Climbing the stairs at Portland Head Lighthouse, crossing the US/Canadian border into Roosevelt Campobello International Park, attending a Marine Science program on Appledore Island, climbing the highest mountain in Maine - Mount Katahdin, canoeing on Moosehead Lake, going to the beach in Yorkville. kayaking, canoeing, camping,
whale watching, fly fishing, so many great travel memories.

As you plan a trip to the Northeast consider the potential sights and experiences that are farther north than stepping your foot across the border.

Stephen King house picture via Creative Commons Ron Cogswell
Quoddy Lighthouse picture via Creative Commons Ron Cogswell
Acadia National park picture via Creative Commons David Brons
Maine lobster dinner via Creative Commons Renne Johnson
U.S.National Grid Map

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member spotlight - Richard Pazara

ALL FIFTY CLUB

Country club - platinum level - 144 countries visited

CONTINENT CLUB - all 7 continents

skiing

Mighty maine

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