Plotting a Path to Peoria

Q Do you have any suggestions for books or other sources to help my wife and me plan a two- to three-month driving trip around the United States?

John Funkhouser

Burke

A Load up the Family Truckster and look out, Clark Griswold: You're in for a long, entertaining, enlightening, gas-guzzling adventure.

"The great thing about road trip travel is that you get to do what you want," says Jamie Jensen, author of "Road Trip USA: Cross-Country Adventures on America's Two-Lane Highways" (Avalon Travel Publishing, $29.95). "After all, retirement is all about doing what you want to do for a change, isn't it?"

Jensen once spent three straight years hitchhiking his way across the United States, picking up odd jobs like painting Boston houses and harvesting hay in Kansas. He advises that you determine your goals, pick out your must-see spots and chart a route. Do you intend to see the country's most famous sites, such as Mount Rushmore and the Grand Canyon? Do you want to focus on small towns? Are you into kitschy Americana?

Budget and logistics play a huge role, too. Are you renting a car or taking your own? Are you going to stick to an exact route or wing it? What will you pack, and where will you stay?

To help you answer these questions, consult Jensen's book and a few others. For suggested routes, pick up "Roadtripping USA: The Complete Coast-to-Coast Guide to America" by the staff of Let's Go Travel Guides (St. Martin's Press, $24.99). Another source of information is "Rough Guide to the USA" by Samantha Cook, Greg Ward and Tim Perry (Rough Guides, $26.99); at 1,400 pages, it couldn't be more comprehensive.

For picturesque drives, check out the "National Geographic Guide to Scenic Highways and Byways" (National Geographic Society, $25). Additional online sources include Jensen's Web site ( http://www.roadtripusa.com), RoadTrip America ( http://www.roadtripamerica.com) and the site of mapmaker Rand McNally ( http://www.randmcnally.com).

Are there any land-based tours to the Galapa- gos that don't involve staying on a ship?