Protecting our RV’s electrical system wasn’t something I thought much about when we first started traveling. Like many RV owners, I simply plugged into the campground pedestal, turned on the power, and assumed everything was fine. Fortunately, we never had a problem. Over the years, though, I began hearing more stories about damaged air conditioners,…
Our 3 A.M. Freeze Scare at Spruces Campground The question came up for us at 3:00 a.m. We had driven through temperatures in the low 50s earlier that afternoon, but as we climbed Big Cottonwood Canyon toward Spruces Campground, the outside temperature began to fall quickly. By the time we reached the campground entrance, the…
Typically, when we travel, our plans are loose. We know the big destination, but the route and itinerary evolve as we go. We gather information on the road and make decisions based on what we see and hear. This Idaho trip was different. I spent hours planning the route. I researched hikes, historical sites, and…
While shopping for camp cooking gear at Walmart, I noticed something interesting. Propane camp stoves, and fuel took up far more shelf space than butane products. That observation sent me down a rabbit hole comparing the two fuel types. That’s how my butane vs propane camp stoves comparison began. To be honest, butane camp stoves…
During our Wyoming travels, we spent a few nights at the Sinks Canyon National Forest Campground just outside of Lander. The campground sits along the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River in a beautiful canyon surrounded by towering rock walls and forested slopes. The campground itself was quiet, shaded, and well-spaced. We could hear…
Yesterday we ran into a problem that can make any van traveler sweat — literally. We were parked in our 2015 Winnebago ERA, relaxing in Alice, when we turned on the rooftop air conditioner to cool things down. The unit had worked fine earlier, but this time… nothing happened. No fan.No compressor.Not even a hum….
Two People. One Small Space. When Gail and I first started traveling in a van, we didn’t talk about how it might affect our marriage. We talked about hikes and all the places we still wanted to go.About sunsets on quiet beaches and waterfalls tucked into mountain canyons.We discussed where to park for the night…
Thinking about trying van life for the first time can feel equal parts exciting and intimidating. That’s normal. Most people don’t jump into van life fully committed. They start with a short trip to see how it feels. If you’re curious but unsure, the smartest approach is to treat your first experience as a trial,…
Lower Calf Creek Falls is one of those rare desert hikes that delivers from start to finish. A flowing creek, towering canyon walls, and a dramatic 126-foot waterfall are tucked deep inside Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument. The 6-mile round-trip hike is mostly flat and approachable, though the wide-open canyon and limited shade make it best…
When we rolled into Escalante on our fall road trip, we were looking for a campground that was central to all the hikes and scenic backroads we planned to explore. Escalante Petrified Forest State Park turned out to be the perfect choice — quiet, beautiful, and close to everything on our list. Because we visited…
Caprock Canyon State Park is one of Texas’s most rugged and underrated outdoor destinations; a place where red rock walls glow in the sun, bison roam freely across the prairie, and deep canyons carve through the landscape like something straight out of the American Southwest. When Gail and I visited, we expected a quiet state…
Planning a road trip is one of our favorite parts of traveling. There’s the excitement of the unknown, the joy of building a new adventure, and the satisfaction of pulling out of the driveway knowing Alice is stocked, prepared, and ready for whatever the road brings. After more than a decade of exploring in our…
Sometimes our best hiking recommendations come from local residents. In fact, that was exactly the case with our Colorado National Monument Loop Trail adventure. Wedding Canyon Trail to Monument Canyon Trail We hadn’t planned to stay in Grand Junction at all. But when a rock cracked our windshield on I-70, we found ourselves unexpectedly grounded…
