Badlands National Park: A Western Wonderland

Before reaching Badlands National Park, I had doubts as to whether it would be worth the time and effort to stop there. We had already seen and done so much on this trip, much of it in the same region as Badlands NP, including Theodore Roosevelt National Park with its Badlands and petrified forest, the … Continue reading Badlands National Park: A Western Wonderland

Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Devil’s Tower, and the Black Hills

A unique feature of Theodore Roosevelt National Park is that it is comprised of two separate units that are 70 miles apart, posing challenges to a visitor. We first spent a day in the less-visited North Unit where we took a ranger hike that focused on the geology and wildlife in the area, followed by … Continue reading Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Devil’s Tower, and the Black Hills

Jumping Buffalo, Prairie Dogs, and Montana Mermaids

On this trip, John and I have had a wonderful opportunity of broadening our knowledge of the culture and history of the state of Montana by spending three nights in Helena and another three nights in Great Falls. I wish we could say that we did our research and decided that these two cities were … Continue reading Jumping Buffalo, Prairie Dogs, and Montana Mermaids

An Accidental Reunion in Glacier National Park

I spent a summer during college working at the Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park. At the time, I had barely travelled outside of the Southeast and I was awestruck by the park. It was simply the most beautiful place I’d ever seen. Fast forward to now, many years later, and after visiting nearly … Continue reading An Accidental Reunion in Glacier National Park

Grand Teton and Yellowstone mid-pandemic

Two of the most beautiful and iconic national parks in the U.S. are next door neighbors to each other: Grand Teton and Yellowstone. We booked early – and got lucky – and were able to line up in-the-park lodging for both. In Grand Teton, we stayed in a charming, historic cabin in the Colter Bay … Continue reading Grand Teton and Yellowstone mid-pandemic

Leaving Taos and fun with family and friends

After a short, but fun, visit to Taos, we headed toward Colorado to see an old friend in Boulder, new friends in Longmont, and a cousin in Saratoga, Wyoming. Getting out of Taos, however, had its challenges. On the day we left, we arose at around 6:00 and John went to find coffee. Not only … Continue reading Leaving Taos and fun with family and friends

Out of the Grits Belt and into New Mexico, Land of Enchantment

John often remarks that one of the downsides of living in the deep South is that one can drive for an entire day in any direction and still find grits on the menu. Arriving in Santa Fe, just over 1,000 miles from home, everything immediately feels exotic. The glorious desert-loving flowers, Pueblo adobe buildings everywhere … Continue reading Out of the Grits Belt and into New Mexico, Land of Enchantment

Tiny house living in Floyd, Virginia

We arrived at our tiny house lodging in Floyd, Virginia on a Friday afternoon in early June. After weeks on the road, often in cramped hotel rooms, I was not sure that the tiny house was the best idea, but it was available and fell within our budget, so there we were. We took a … Continue reading Tiny house living in Floyd, Virginia

A Room With A View in Shenandoah National Park

We checked in to the Skyland Resort at Shenandoah National Park and headed down the hill to our assigned lodge. A room in the resort lodge was a splurge, as compared to the comparably appointed cabins, and we selected the lodge over the cabins for the balcony with its sweeping view of the valley below. … Continue reading A Room With A View in Shenandoah National Park

Travelling the Blue Ridge Parkway: Waterfalls and Mount Pisgah

We broke our pandemic travel fast by embarking upon a journey to travel the entire Blue Ridge Parkway and Virginia Skyline Drive in just over three weeks. The Blue Ridge Parkway, of course, is a scenic highway, built in the 1930s, that stretches from Cherokee, North Carolina (milepost 469.1) to Rockfish Gap, VA (milepost 0), … Continue reading Travelling the Blue Ridge Parkway: Waterfalls and Mount Pisgah