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

Even though I had tasted some of the Blue Ridge Parkway before, I couldn’t help but be excited by the prospect of dedicating a few days to winding along its lofty route. Dotted with countless overlooks and at least a … Read More

Frost struck this morning! Temperatures dipped below freezing, encrusting Sam’s windshield with icy condensation. For the first time, my first order of business was a quick defrosting. Although I know this weather won’t last as I leave the high country … Read More

Even though I had been to Great Smoky Mountains National Park on numerous occasions, I couldn’t wait to see the park with fresh eyes. As I read about the many offerings, I realized that I had not done many of … Read More

In our post-Congaree sogginess, Cami and I booked it back to New Bern dreaming of a dinner of wholesome vegetables to put an end to our Sweet Theory-induced carb craze. After some sumptuous shopping in Wilmington, we had spaghetti squash, … Read More

With our National Park business concluded in southern Florida (at least for the time being), we started driving north along the incredibly flat and open roads towards Lake Okeechobee, the life-preserving reservoir of the Everglades (and southern Florida). We could … Read More