After my winding drive through San Juan National Forest, I arrived in Durango. My goals for the day were to catch up on some minor projects that I had pushed to the back burner and to get a handle on … Read More
After my nighttime trek through the dunes, I awoke just as the sun was illuminating the plains below me. Having climbed several thousand feet on a windy, well maintained gravel road, I now slept in the shadow of the Sangre … Read More
My uncharacteristic late-night exodus from New Mexico had landed me in Alamosa, the gateway to Great Sands National Park. My first day there, however, was frought with icy precipitation and high-speed winds. Not wanting to explore the dunes in freezing … Read More
Despite the fact that Carlsbad Caverns is technically in New Mexico, I really only felt like I had left Texas as the Guadalupe Mountains faded away in my rear view mirror. Texas had truly surprised me. I’ll admit that eastern … Read More
After leaving the southern bend of the Rio Grande, I jumped north towards Guadalupe Mountains National Park. In this park, a fossilized reef system has transformed over time into a stunning range of limestone peaks that run from New Mexico … Read More
Despite my best intentions, my 6:00 AM alarm was completely unrealistic. I turned it off and curled back up. The conditions were absolutely perfect for sleeping in. A few hours later, I finally stirred and headed towards Chisos Basin. My … Read More
Appearances may be deceiving. Late last night, I pulled into a decrepit and poorly reviewed Walmart in Fort Stockton, TX, about 100 miles north of Big Bend National Park. While I normally shoot for Walmarts with good reviews (rating over … Read More
After leaving Mammoth, I had a few disparate destinations lined up for the next couple of days. Realizing that my friend in Mississippi was out on an oilrig and unavailable for the next two weeks, I headed south just the … Read More
Departing the Blue Ridge Parkway was somewhat bittersweet and for more than one reason. For starters, it meant moving on from one of the most beautiful sections of my trip thus far. I intend to figure out what exactly about … Read More