After six months of sheltering in place, we had no idea what to expect back on the road as RVers. We used to be a well-oiled machine after more than six years full-time on the road, but COVID-19 upended so much of what we once considered normal. Visiting national parks and other National Park Service (NPS) units was always a priority for us, but closures and new procedures left us with uncertainty. Should we wait to visit national parks? Would campgrounds have more openings than they used to? Could we find junior ranger booklets and passport stamps?
[Read more…]2019 in Review: Stats and Camping Costs
On February 21, 2019, we celebrated five years of full-time travel and started our sixth year embracing the nomadic lifestyle.
We lost our minds a bit, while simultaneously finding ourselves. We sold our 40-foot RV and found out its contents fit into a 5×8 U-Haul trailer. We moved into our Jeep Wrangler, crossed the southern border, and spent the next two months driving 2,000 miles through the interior of Mexico.
Though we threw around the idea of living out of our Jeep all year, we ended up buying a 2016 Winnebago View 24J. It was the exact model we had been eyeing, with tons of solar, and we knew it had been cared for by our friends at Famagogo.
And so began the most insane year of continental U.S. travel we’ve ever put ourselves through: a complete loop of the country through 32 states and Canada, with some unplanned detours along the way.
[Read more…]19 Favorite Moments of 2019, Our Sixth Year as Full-time RVers
It’s been an incredible year-our sixth as full-time RVers. We’ve traveled so quickly that between work and family commitments, microblogging on Instagram has been most manageable! I’m excited to finally share these experiences with you here.
This is the companion piece to “2019 in Review: Stats and Camping Costs.” Make sure you read that article for a big picture view of our year.
And now, you’re in for a treat! We’re counting down from #19 to #1, with #1 being our top highlight of 2019. How many of these places have you visited?
[Read more…]3 Unforgettable 2-Mile Hikes in Yosemite
We recently spent a week wild camping a few miles outside the border of Yosemite National Park in California. We spent one full Sunday in the park, then visited two other times for more hiking.
Within five days, toddler Caspian hiked six miles unaided. Each of these three two-mile hikes were memorable, with varying scenery and levels of difficulty.
I love the two-mile chunk, when it comes to hiking. Yes, it’s something Caspian can manage on his own now. But it’s also a distance we can usually fit in after work, or during a packed Saturday of sight-seeing.
If two miles sounds good to you, too, then read on. Here’s are the three unforgettable two-mile hikes we did at Yosemite National Park.
[Read more…]2018 in Review: Stats, Photos, Adventures
I’m a wee late publishing this one, but the turn of the year was so crazy and the future so uncertain. All our thoughts were consumed by selling Meriwether, moving into our Jeep Wrangler, and overlanding through the interior of Mexico for 2-3 months.
But we bought another RV home sooner than expected and are now straddling the RV and overland lifestyles. And since 2018 was such an epic year (our favorite year of travel yet), it seems a shame to drop the ball on the annual review…even if it is a few months late.
So here goes. In February 2019, we marked five years of full-time travel. The year 2018 started and ended at our home base of Austin. After speaking at RV Entrepreneur Summit, we embarked on our Western Mountain Loop Trip. It was an unbelievable journey through Arizona, all five national parks in Utah, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Glacier, the Dakotas, and more.
In the process, we drastically changed as travelers. We broke out of our comfort zone by dry camping for extended periods of time, driving our RV to a few crazy camping spots, and breaking our travel rhythm a number of times.
[Read more…]Go South From the Beaten Path to Bisbee, Arizona
It’s been years since we first heard of Bisbee from our friends and previous full-time RVers at Tales From the Mutiny. But you don’t drive past Bisbee, Arizona. You’ve got to drive to it…a destination on the way to nowhere else.
As we were making our way west once again, this time along the far southern edge of the country from Big Bend National Park, we finally charted our route to Bisbee.
We spent three nights in town and could’ve stayed longer. While the small town’s quirky, substance-altered vibe may not make everyone want to stay forever, there’s definitely something charming about it all.
[Read more…]Off-road Adventures Through Big Bend National Park
Even though Texas is our home base, we didn’t visit Big Bend National Park (one of only two national parks in the giant state of Texas) until this year.
Our reason was straight-forward: we need Internet to work; we work full-time; there isn’t Internet at Big Bend; we can’t go.
But times change. While we still need Internet to work, we aren’t currently sticking to our old travel rhythm. Many of our community members will remember our rhythm from before: drive no more than 250 miles and stay for two weeks.
When we were staying everywhere for two weeks, of course we couldn’t stay somewhere with no Internet. But now that we’re breaking our own rules, we can pop in somewhere for a weekend and get out before the work week starts.
That’s exactly what we did in order to visit Big Bend National Park. We just couldn’t put off a visit any longer!
[Read more…]Celebrating National Park Week With Map View of Our Favorite NPS Units
National Park Week is about to begin! The dates this year are April 20-28, 2019, with special programs and events scheduled across the nation.
The big highlight is Saturday, April 20, when admission fees are waived at all 419 National Park Service units! That’s right: you get in free at any national park, monument, battlefield, seashore, or other site managed by the U.S. National Park Service.
Of the 61 national parks, I’ve been to 27 so far-and it’ll be 28 tomorrow when we arrive at Big Bend National Park! Caspian has been to 34 total units in his two years of life. 💕 What about you?
[Read more…]We Finally Made It to Nebraska With a Stay in Scottsbluff
As we drove into Scottsbluff, Nebaska, we weren’t sure how long we wanted to stay. We considered spending a night or two, so we could add the state to our map, then head into Colorado to get a head start on our adventures there.
But when I checked my Chimani national park app, I learned there are three National Park Service sites in the immediate area. That changed the game, causing us to settle in for a week-long stay. After our whirlwind month in the Rapid City area, it was good to slow down and regroup.
[Read more…]Buried in South Dakota’s Black Hills for Weeks
South Dakota’s Black Hills have magic in them. This wonderland of nature is at once mysterious and easy to access. The old, towering trees will give you strength. The wildlife will charm you.
Quite unlike our norm of arriving in a new place and parking there for two weeks, we bounced around the Rapid City area for nearly a month, camping at a total of five spots.
If I were to structure this travel log like I normally do-campground, activities, food-then I might as well publish it as a book. This time, I’m going to try a shorter form that traces our movements in each area. If you have a question about a specific place, don’t hesitate to leave a comment and I can elaborate for you.
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