Adventure/Triathlon travel suggestions

I’m not sure how adventurous I will get, but I thought that subject would draw more people. So I’m planning two trips within the next 10 months or so and would love to hear any suggestions, and i’d like to do both of these trips as inexpensively as possible as i will be starting school again in june '05.
the first trip will be in late december, probably from dec. 26 to jan. 3rd. i’m thinking about a road trip from TX to california, with stops along the way for camping, biking, hiking, etc. any places i should stop? anything going on at that time of the year that i should stop for?
the second trip will be in may, and i can be more flexible and spend more time traveling, but i’d like to find a half ironman somewhere fun, either here in the states or abroad and make a trip out of the race. any race suggestions during that time???

any input would be great…

Here you go for may. http://www.stcroixtriathlon.com/intro.html