After two weeks touring the Great Lakes and the Great North Woods, Kim and I drove south to Shipshewana, Indiana to visit Amish country. Before we looked around, however, we took a couple of days to decompress. As I’ve mentioned before, there are three types of days on this trip: travel days, touring days, and… Continue reading
Post Category → Trip Reports
Making Our Way Around Lake Michigan
After a week on the shores of Lake Superior, Kim and I made our way to another great lake, Lake Michigan. There, over the course of a couple of weeks, we made our way almost completely around this vast body of water. We started our tour of Lake Michigan in the small town of Oostburg,… Continue reading
On the Shores of Lake Superior
After nine days of unplanned rest in Plankinton, South Dakota, Kim and I resumed our year-long RV trip around the United States. We drove slowly at first, unwilling to put too much stress on the motorhome’s new engine. With each passing hour, however, our confidence grew. By the end of the day, Bigfoot was humming… Continue reading
Little Motorhome on the Prairie: How We Got Stuck in South Dakota
Last Wednesday, we woke early. We’d stayed up late (for us) laughing with Kim’s high school friends, and now faced a long day of travel. We said our good-byes, then left northwest Nebraska for the three hour drive back to Buffalo Gap National Grassland, where we’d left the RV parked alone on the edge of… Continue reading
One Night in Nebraska
One of the best parts of this year-long road trip is reconnecting with friends we haven’t seen for years. Or decades. Kim, for instance, has been looking forward to reuniting with her friend Shelley. Shelley and Kim met during junior high. During high school, Shelley and her family were like a second home to Kim…. Continue reading
The Black Hills and the Badlands
Who knew? South Dakota is filled with things to do. Kim and I have been surprised by how much fun we’ve had in the southwest corner of this state. Everyone knows about Mount Rushmore, of course. And sure, the mountain monument is impressive: Mount Rushmore would have been neater at the start of our trip…. Continue reading
Into the Great Wide Open
After a week in Montana’s Flathead Valley, we’ve moved on. For the first three months of this trip, we’ve stuck mainly to places we know: West Coast mountains and forests. We love this region, but now it’s time to explore the unfamiliar. That means crossing the Rocky Mountains and entering the vast Great Plains of… Continue reading
If It’s Summer, This Must Be Montana
On Monday, after a week in and round Ketchum, Idaho, Kim and I packed up and headed north. We enjoyed our time in Ketchum (and nearby Sun Valley): Kim relaxed one day at a spa, we sampled local beer at a brewfest, we biked the extensive network of multi-use paths, we visited with Kim’s father… Continue reading
Going to Sun Valley — the LONG Way
Most travel days are routine. By now, we know what to expect, and the expected usually happens. Plus, we can cope with minor misadventures. Some days, however – well, some days bring big surprises. After a week soaking in the splendid scenery of northwest Wyoming, we were ready to move on to Idaho. I rose… Continue reading
Moose and Squirrel
I was deep asleep last night when Kim jostled me from my dreams. I opened my eyes to find her standing at the foot of the bed, shaking my feet. “J.D.,” she whispered. “Do you hear that?” “Is it a bear?” I asked. I don’t like bears. They scare me. “No,” she said. “Listen. Something… Continue reading