Padre Island National Seashore

70 miles of beach. 380 bird species (45 percent of all species in North America). Prime nesting area for endangered … Continue reading Padre Island National Seashore

A Modern Destination: Magnolia Silos

Any reality TV home and food fan knows about Fixer Upper and the Magnolia TV franchise. Joanne and Chip Gaines, … Continue reading A Modern Destination: Magnolia Silos

Beeville, Texas

A template for many on-the-road small cities and towns in Texas and Oklahoma is a courthouse and town square, a largely-vacant downtown that provides a look-back to more prosperous times, and a smattering of franchise convenience stores and fast food on its outskirts. Often, these cities and towns were settled along major rivers in the area, or later along railroad lines.

Vanlife and Literature?

One of the guilty pleasures of taking extended roadtrips in the van is the opportunity to listen to music, read … Continue reading Vanlife and Literature?

What Happened to Local Food?

Our post-pandemic travel through small towns reveals a trend that has been widely-noted but perhaps not fully appreciated: many towns now do not have any local independent restaurants or cafes in their downtowns.

Our Family of Vans — for now

Our Outside Van Sprinter has given us seven years of great adventures. The van has traveled to 47 states and 6 Canadian Provinces. It has been our home in all seasons and over some very difficult terrain.

The Athens of the Midwest

What was the largest city in Illinois in the 1830s? (Hint: it was not Chicago) What was the site of … Continue reading The Athens of the Midwest

Only in America…

Metropolis, Illinois promotes its identity and tourism as the home of superman and wonderwoman. A giant statue of Superman stands … Continue reading Only in America…

Doolittle Station

The best finds on a roadtrip are the “Charles Kuralt” reveals on back roads – whimsical, creative, and well off … Continue reading Doolittle Station

Yay VanWorx

Anyone who travels in a van knows that eventually you are dependent on the generosity and good will of strangers … Continue reading Yay VanWorx

Northeast Vantrip Photo Wrapup

Our summer loop took us to New England for a family reunion, visits with friends, and exploring the Maine Coast, … Continue reading Northeast Vantrip Photo Wrapup

Politics Politics Everywhere

Campers now bring flags, signs, and glitz to adorn their campsites, sometimes displaying information like their alma mater or home … Continue reading Politics Politics Everywhere

On the Road: In Search of Coffee

Coffee is much needed fuel as we start our days on the road, a ritual of sorts. But it also … Continue reading On the Road: In Search of Coffee

(Almost) Random Economic Observations from the Road

Roadtrips that stay off of the interstate highways provide a window into the current and past state of the economy … Continue reading (Almost) Random Economic Observations from the Road

Americana

Ah…. Fourth of July in New England. On the surface it is a throwback in time: simple, nostalgic, romantic, and … Continue reading Americana

My Pro Football Ghost

A simple van stop in a lakeside park in Cazenovia, New York, led me down a rabbit hole of investigation, … Continue reading My Pro Football Ghost

The Land of “No”

Striking on this van trip out east has been the proliferation of signs for motorists, pedestrians, shoppers, swimmers, fishermen, campers, … Continue reading The Land of “No”

Travels with Nicky

An early inspiration for our van travels was Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley. We were fortunate to adopt Nicky who turned … Continue reading Travels with Nicky

Heat, Smoke, and COVID in a Van

Our west coast loop was detoured by the need to navigate through heat, summer fires, and avoiding COVID risks. We … Continue reading Heat, Smoke, and COVID in a Van

Best of Newfoundland

8300 miles from St. Louis to Maine to Nova Scotia to Newfoundland and back again. If you have experienced Maine … Continue reading Best of Newfoundland

A Dog’s (Nicky’s) Life in Newfoundland

We adopted our Malamute/Husky Nicky from a shelter in Illinois, shortly before we headed out for a trip to Newfoundland … Continue reading A Dog’s (Nicky’s) Life in Newfoundland

Rockorama

Newfoundland has been called the “Patagonia of geology.”

The geologic history is enormously complex, but to understand some of it, nothing substitutes for visually observing the rock, plant, and animal history on display in Canada’s national parks. Continue reading “Rockorama”

Whaleorama

Whales and wildlife are everywhere in Newfoundland. Betsy and I have experience observing whales from Antarctica to … Continue reading Whaleorama

Morning Van Playlist (A little retro)

Hitting the road in the morning requires some amount of revving up, especially if we are in the rain, haven’t … Continue reading Morning Van Playlist (A little retro)

Puffinorama

Without fanfare, Newfoundland exhibits stunning wildlife, physical geology, and flora day-to-day. We have encountered very few Americans in Newfoundland, yet … Continue reading Puffinorama