How fast does Fall travel?

[WaltandLynne]

Okay, so this is a weird question.

Walt and I just got back from a gorgeous week up in northern Michigan (lower pennisula). The colors were so intense and varied and mind-blowing. We were traveling along and ooohing and ahhhing and came up with a fun idea.

How fast would you have to travel to follow the peak of Fall colors as they progress from northern Michigan to the Gulf Coast?

We both love Fall and thought that that might be a fun thing to do in a few years ... Follow Fall Trip. So, would we be talking a week or two or a month or more? We do understand that not all areas have the glorious display that we have this far north, but it would be worth a try.

Thanks for your input.

Lynne and Walt

[DQDick]

It does vary year to year. This being a drought year the midwest had many trees turn and loose their leaves already and others that aren't going to be very colorful at all. That being said, we head west in the winter and the fall tree viewing in Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Phoenix isn't scheduled until Thanksgiving weekend. So you don't have to move real fast.

[bncinwv]

It may be a hard time-frame to pinpoint. Using our home state of West Virginia as an example, the time difference in peak colors from northern West Virginia to southern West Virginia approaches a month during some years. The higher elevations up north (Tucker, Randolph, Pocahontas county areas) have already reached peak color, while the southern counties are getting there but have not arrived yet. The news was telling us two weeks ago that the north was peaking, and where we live (Kanawha, Putnam county areas), the trees had just started to turn. We do not expect peak for another week or two. Elevation difference is also a big factor due to the temperature variance as well. It does sound like a good idea though. I know our state DNR has a tracking page on a web-site that shows percentage of peak colors by area for the state. Perhaps other states do the same, and colorful trips could be coordinated using these web resources if they are available for other states.
Bingo

[WeBeFulltime]

We were in UP Michigan the last week of September and colors were beautiful.

Arrived back in Chattanooga 4th of October and not so much.

Right now in Chattanooga it's just as beautiful as it was in UP!

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

General rule, to be broken by Momma Nature, 1week = 100 miles north or south, works in spring or fall.

General rule, that is the disclaimer.

[Parts Ed]

Sounds like a good excuse for someone to host a "Follow Fall" RV trip. You could have one go from coast to coast or from North to South on either end of the country.

[WaltandLynne]

I happened to come across interesting information on the Internet today.

http://autos.aol.com/gallery/best-fa...cid=webmail12#

It discusses five beautiful fall foliage trips to take - scenic and varied. You need to click through alternating car ads to see what five trips were chosen.

Ahhhh ... the wanderlust is taking over my soul!

Lynne

[patbarton]

I got stuck in a leaf-peeping traffic jam in New Hampshire a few years ago. Never thought I'd ever see that!