After spending the morning at Carlsbad Caverns, we decided to hike the Slaughter Canyon Cave trail in the afternoon. The trailhead is about 18-miles south of the caverns but still inside the boundaries of the national park. Interestingly, we learned about this hike from a total stranger who we met at the Carlsbad Cavern National […]
The art of Boondocking off the grid is popular by many van and recreational vehicle (RV) owners. Simply put, the people who boondock are choosing to camp without electricity, water or sewer hookups. Although this method of RV camping has it’s challenges, it has many advantages too. One of the biggest advantages to boondocking is […]
Our van Alice is nimble on pavement, but she can get bogged down quickly in less-than-ideal conditions. Before visiting the area, I wouldn’t have even considered driving her through sand for a South Padre beach camp out. After spending three days on the island and assessing the risks of getting stuck, we decided to go […]
The fun thing about being on the road is stumbling onto the unexpected. These moments can be highlights of any road trip. The impromptu wedding in the Flint Hills of Kansas was one of those times for us. While traveling west on I-70 we decided to stop at an overlook and watch the sunset. There […]
On a morning that Gail had a two hour conference call, I had some time to kill. Instinctively, I grabbed my camera and went for a walk. A half block later, I found the Pelicans of Padre Island and all the entertainment I needed for a while. Walking along a pier on the bay side […]
Goblin Valley State Park in Utah is an area covered with soft sandstone “goblins” and numerous other interesting formations. Truly a surreal place to visit, the odd natural shapes are a result of years of erosion. Walking amongst the goblin formations, we instantly felt like we were in a family friendly playground of sorts. It […]
Our favorite hike at Canyonlands National Park is called the Peekaboo Trail. The trail is a lesser traveled 10-mile out and back path and one we highly recommend. The landscape is stunning and was beyond fun for us. If you like hikes that offer the feeling of freedom, inspiration and exploration, this is the one […]
In late May of 2021, we spent five days in Page, Arizona. We really liked the town. It felt welcoming and was a community with amenities we needed. Additionally, there were many natural venues we wanted to visit nearby. Number one on our list of “must-do” attractions was Antelope Canyon. As far as slot canyons […]
We feel lucky to have hiked Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park and the Beehive at Acadia National Park in the same year! I personally don’t know anyone who can make that claim because they are on opposite sides of the United States. That said, I’m sure there are others who have also achieved this […]
In November, southern Missouri experienced unseasonably warm temperatures for a 5-day period. The weather pattern was the excuse we needed to escape to the rustic backwoods in our home state. We decided to point our van Alice towards a tiny mountain town called Eminence. As we pulled away from our house to drive south, we […]
When in the planning stages of an upstate New York visit, our friends encouraged us to include the Finger Lake area in our travel plans. This was good advise. Of all the places to visit and discover in the area, the Buttermilk Falls State Park Gorge was one of our favorite destinations. Buttermilk Falls State […]
Being in nature puts me in the best frame of mind and hiking is my favorite activity. I love the challenge, the physical pain and the vistas that hiking provides. The best treks for me have a reward at end like a waterfall or a lake. However, standing on a mountain ridge or peak is […]
Some of our favorite stories while traveling in our van occur as unplanned happenstance. The beach we found in upstate New York is one of those stories. For us, this private beach was the perfect place to discover sea glass. It was also a quiet and beautiful place to watch the sun go down over […]