And so the word gets out... (preview - Jackson Hole)

As I start to talk more about the trip...the shear size, magnitude and volume of this adventure have me freaked out a little bit.

Here is why...

Every person that reads about this trip or hears about it from me has an additional idea.

Which is great...

But,

it is overwhelming.

Overwhelming but awesome. A friend of mine suggested that I go to Alta in Salt Lake City instead of Park City. Great advice, because Alta is a skiing only mountain. Didn't know that. Another example came from my father this morning. He has a friend in Dallas who has season tickets for the Mavericks. I will definitely be working that connection.

New idea for tonight. I am going to start profiling a few of the places I plan on visiting. Two reasons for doing this. One, it will show readers where I plan to go. Two, (hopefully) this will show sponsors that I have an ability to promote their place or product.

Day # 24 - Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (Jackson, WY)
Estimated mileage to this point: 6850 miles Number of oil changes on the X5 so far: 2
Funds left: Hmm, getting low. Overall health: Decent

http://www.jacksonhole.com/

Jackson Hole is right at the base of Yellowstone National Park. It is actually a busier summertime destination, but the skiing is truly unbeatable. Resort owners John and Karen Kemmerer are actually Baltusrol Golf Club members. This connection makes Jackson Hole one of my favorite destinations already. With some familiar faces in Jackson, my stay is sure to be enjoyable.

Above is a picture of me from February 2009 at the top of Rendezvous Mountain in Jackson Hole. Jackson's most famous trail is Corbet's Couloir. Written words can not explain this trail and do it justice. Click on the link below for a look at Corbet's Couloir.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MFFYYp_zAU&feature=related


After a day of skiing, 9:00am to 4:00pm, I will ski right over to the Mangy Moose Pub. Located right at the bottom of the mountain, I will be able relive all my falls in the comfort of a nice warm pub.

http://www.mangymoose.net/

An ice cold local beer and a plate of their nachos will make your sore legs seem much better. The super nice, super cute waitresses aren't bad either.

One other thing to mention about Jackson Hole. The resort has it's own Air Force...

A group of renegade skiers, who were in search of deep powder outside the conventional boundaries of the resort used to hide and run from ski patrolmen. These skiers formed a group called the Jackson Hole Air Force, an exclusive club reserved for the craziest, most insane, skilled skiers that the mountain had to offer. You don't join, you're invited.

Check out this video from a film company called Teton Gravity Research (TGR). It gives you an idea of what Jackson is like.

http://www.tetongravity.com/videos/The-Big-One-Trailer-608706.htm

Next (planned) stop: Vail, Colorado.



The college football season starts Saturday. Thank god. So excited. (I know that is nothing trip related, but it seemed like something I just had to throw out there.)

Spot the damn ball!

Later,

Reed

Exploring the idea of sponsorships...

So I spent almost 3 hours yesterday planning the day to day itinerary of the trip. The actual routes and stops are subject to change. I may not know where I am going until I get there! However, I am going to try to stick to a predetermined route.

So quickly and roughly, my plan starts on Jan 13th and takes me to Richmond, then Columbia, Clemson, Tallahassee, Panama City, Mobile, New Orleans, Austin, Dallas, Norman, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, Sedona, Phoenix, Palm Springs, Los Angelos, San Jose, Lake Tahoe (Squaw Valley, Heavenly), Salt Lake City (Snowbird, Park City), Jackson Hole, Vail, Breckenridge, Denver, Lincoln (NE), Chicago, South Bend, Columbus, Pittsburgh and HOME. It includes the following college basketball games: South Carolina/Florida on 1/14, Clemson/Duke on 1/15, Texas/Kansas on 1/21, Oklahoma/Baylor on 1/24, and UCLA/Colorado on 1/28. Not all the schedules are out yet, so I plan on growing this list. I plan on playing the following golf courses...Walker Course at Clemson, the Vaquero Club, Dallas Athletic, Colonial, Desert Mountain, Club at Morningside in Palm Springs, Los Angelos Country Club, Bel Air Country Club, and Riviera. I also want to go to a Lakers game, a Dallas Stars game, and a Colorado Avalanche game. I already mentioned the skiing resorts. I plan on getting in at least 8 days of skiing.

So I said before that this trip is probably going to be a month long (30 ish days?) but after mapping out a rough route, I am thinking it will take more like 35 days. My first draft has me returning to Philadelphia on 1/14. That's 31 days if I stick to the schedule.

OK...I have to switch gears.

One of the things that I have seriously considered for this trip is the need to incorporate some company sponsorships. This trip takes money and resources and equipment. I can certainly reach into my savings and come up with these things. However, I want to look into some mutually beneficial corporate sponsorships that will help me get across the country and back.

The first and probably most important need for this trip is a car. I just so happen to have a friend, a PGA Tour player that has a super sweet deal with BMW. He has an X5 that just sits in his garage. I have been offered the use of this car. Hopefully, his wife is serious about that. If not, I am hoping that my friend can contact his contact at BMW and we can come up with some sort of arrangement. I am not asking for a free car, simply the use of a car for 1 month. It's a true win-win in my mind. BMW gives me an X5 and I give it the ultimate test drive, then report back to them, give them promotion along the way. Hell, it would make a great commercial. I can see it now...

PGA Professional Reed Lansinger in his brand new 2012 BMW X5 sport utility vehicle... traveled 10,000 miles in 31 days through places like (and show pictures or footage of me) in New Orleans, Dallas, Phoenix, LA, Lake Tahoe, Jackson Hole and Chicago. Pictures of me in the car driving through wind, rain, snow, sun, cities, near beaches, next to mountains, through the plains. BMW...THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE!!!!.

A true home run for BMW..all it would cost them is the use of a car for a month.

So now on to a few other sponsorship ideas...

- Taylor Made (I am already sponsored by them) Provide me with golf balls for the trip.

- Adidas (I am already sponsored by them too) Provide me with golf shoes for the trip.

- Peter Millar - some clothes for the trip. They also kind of sponsor me. I also know all the top execs at the company, so this could actually work.

- A ski company or Ski Shop such as Buckman's. I will need skiing equipment for the trip and a rack for the car.

- A hotel chain. I am going to be overnight in more than 20 different towns. There is opportunity there for some hotel chain to help me out. Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn, Hilton, whatever!!!

- There could also be association with a magazine like Golf Digest. Say I contact an editor at the magazine and tell them about this trip. Write an article or two for them, tell them about the places I am going. If nothing else, it's a cool story for Golf Digest and for me, maybe a little publicity. Maybe even Sports Illustrated would be interested. Golf, skiing, college basketball games, a few professional sports games, cross a few things off my sports bucket list, sounds like a great back page article to me.

- There is even a possibility to do something with a credit card company. VISA...its everywhere you want to be! Come on, this trip is perfect for that slogan.

- I need more sponsor ideas...let me know if you have any ideas. Or any contacts to make any of these a reality.

I can throw all the company logos on the blog. Any reader on here will see exactly who is helping me with the trip even without reading a word.

It's tough not to get too excited about this trip. I have so much planning and work to do though, so it seems like a dream right now. Wish me luck!

The Trip of a Lifetime

So I have this idea...

The purpose of this blog will be two fold. First, it allows me to organize my thoughts on this trip. And second, once the trip begins, I hope to use the blog to keep you up to date on my progress and share with everyone where I go, what I do and who I see.

The idea comes from the road trips I have done each of the last few winters. When it gets colds up north, I get a few months of from work. Being a PGA Professional has its perks. Two months off in the winter is especially nice. With that time, I usually drive to South Carolina, Georgia and Florida and make the rounds visiting as many friends and family as I can.

Last year, I did a 15 day, 3000 plus mile road trip. It was my most ambitious trip ever but it also turned out to be my best trip ever. I went all the way to Miami and came back. Stopping in Richmond, Clemson, Orlando, Miami and Charleston.

So as this summer winds down and football season is now only a week away, I get to thinking about my winter. What can I do this winter with my time off?

Hence, an idea.

I want to put together an even more ambitious trip than last year. I want to go all the way to the left coast and back. Take a southern route out and a northern route home. Play golf, watch college basketball and visit PGA Tour stops all the way out, ski all the way back. The timing of the trip is yet to be determined but my guess is mid January to mid February. I have no doubt that this trip will take over a month to do, cost as much as $10,000 and be one of the toughest driving challenges I have undertaken.

Right now, all I have is the idea. As I start to plan, I can think of so many possibilities. I am also open to any other ideas. Feel free to share.

The two biggest things on my mind right now....

1. Can I get someone to go with me?

2. I need a car to do this trip. (I have one but don't feel like putting 7,000 miles on it one month. Plus my car is not good in the snow.)

I guess that is it for now. As I said before, please feel free to contact me with ideas. Where should I go? What should I do? When? Thanks ahead of time.

Reed