Yellowstone Lives Up to the Hype

Now, where did we leave off? I knew it had been a while since my last blog post, but didn’t realize it’s been four months already [edit: make that five since I started this draft a few weeks ago]. Not to give too much away in advance since I’m trying to finish this travel narrative,…

History and Wide Open Spaces in Montana

Sheridan was our second stop in Wyoming, after Sundance and Devils Tower National Monument.  Peter D’s RV park, just outside of town, had a big fenced-in dog park and even bigger open field where we could let the dogs off leash. Wyoming had fulfilled our expectations so far with its wide open spaces. While Chris got some work…

State Capitols, Devils Towers, and Drive-thru Bars

Back in May, on our gradual journey East, we drove through Western Nebraska on our way between Colorado and South Dakota. Our expectations weren’t very high, but the sliver of Nebraska we got to see was full of rich history and surprisingly dramatic landscapes. When we were making our way back West we had the option…

From the White House to Walmart

The DC area was our last stop on the East Coast after Philadelphia before making a beeline back West. We wanted to have some time to explore Wyoming and Montana before the winter weather set in (Spoiler from a few weeks later in Nevada: we made it, but just barely ahead of the snow.) We…

Philadelphia Freedom and Cheesesteaks

Thanks to listening to my Dad’s Elton John’s Greatest Hits II album when I was a kid, the song “Philadelphia Freedom” is embedded in the grooves of my memory, and starts playing whenever I read or hear the city name. (I’m not apologizing for any earworms, it’s a great song.) In fact, it’s playing in my…

Hometown Visit: Family, Friends, Lobster, and Clams on Eastern Long Island

As we gradually made our way toward the East Coast we kept our itinerary loose, with one date in mind: July 28 for Lobsterfest in my hometown of Southold on Long Island, NY.  Since Rita’s first bite of lobster at age 6, she declared that it was her favorite food. The name alone for this…

East Coast History, Humidity, Family, and a Flat Tire

Taking the dogs out for a walk our first morning in Massachusetts, I was struck by the fragrance and peaceful beauty of the towering pine trees surrounding us at our new campground. I also had a renewed appreciation for the escort and assistance backing into our narrow campsite after arriving in the dark the night…

The Great Lakes, The Fonz, More Bald Eagles, and New Friends

I was really looking forward to spending some time near the Great Lakes. Even though we told Rita and Charlie that these lakes are so big they look like seas, they still couldn’t believe it when they laid eyes on Lake Michigan. Our first visit to Bradford Beach in Milwaukee was ideal: the sun shining,…

The Mighty Mississippi, Bald Eagles, and The Mall of America

Our first stop after crossing into Minnesota from South Dakota was Pipestone National Monument, one of the most unique Monuments we’ve visited. “Pipestone” refers to a red stone that is considered sacred by some Native American tribes and been quarried for centuries to make ceremonial pipes. Pipestone, or a similar type of stone, can be…

South Dakota Dreaming

Compared to Nebraska, I felt more familiar with what we expected to see in South Dakota: the Black Hills, Badlands National Park, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, and the tourist attraction landmark of Wall Drug. Our expectations were exceeded: the beauty of the Black Hills, small towns with rich history, so much more to see…