So teach us to number our days so that we can present to Thee a heart of wisdom. Psalms 90:12
Petrified Forest National Park lies north and south of Interstate 40 between Flagstaff, Arizona and Gallup, New Mexico. Even during the time of Covid in 2020, the Painted Desert Visitor Center was sort of open— and not open. They were limiting visitors into the center, the theater was closed, but shopping was available. I did … Continue reading Magic Color Revealed
Whether you are new to an area or a native, an experienced or novice hiker, one of the best ways to get to know people and your surroundings is to hike. You may never put on hiking boots, but people like to walk, even if it is around their neighborhood. There are so many trails, … Continue reading Goal: 500 Miles in 5 Months
Stagecoach State Park is located in the Yampa Valley about 15 miles from Steamboat Springs, Colorado. It has a large reservoir – over 800 acres for water sports with hiking trails around the perimeter of the lake. The buildings were all closed due to the Covid pandemic. Little did we know, there was history here … Continue reading Pandemic Disappointment – Again
Pearl Lake State Park is the destination for a beautiful fall hike in northern Colorado – gorgeous lake and reflections of fall all around us. It is very close to Steamboat Lake and can be hiked and visited the same day. A smaller body of water but enough if you have a kayak or canoe … Continue reading Pearl Perfection
Steamboat Lake State Park is about one and half hours north of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. It is a sizable lake and there were a few people boating, kayaking, and one lady napping on her paddleboard. The summer cabins were closed, a skeleton crew were at the visitors centers, and Covid had limited the people to the … Continue reading Survival of Beauty
I always heard about “Beautiful Door County” in upper Wisconsin when I lived in Chicago in the late 2000s. I never made it there until the Covid summer of 2020. We drove through the rural country through Wisconsin from northern Bayfield to Green Bay, WI and back up the “thumb” of Door County. How do … Continue reading Wisconsin Fish Boil
How well do you read maps? Do you know how to navigate without any GPS, Satellite or Internet service? This skill of map reading and navigation was vital in upper Wisconsin. I had forgotten the big atlas and had only a small map of the individual 50 states. The WiFi or Internet service was spotty, our … Continue reading Fear of Maps
Upper Minnesota wilderness gave us the opportunity to kayak and canoe in the Boundary Waters near Canada. Hiking trails were not as easily available as the water – so we switched to upper body exercise for two days. The temperature was in the 80s – perfect for watersports. Another Midwest Hiker Blogger had mentioned the … Continue reading WARNING to WARNING
The Presidential election of 2020 is over. Hopefully. We will survive with battered bruises as a country. The division between rural and urban will be seen in the voting statistics for sure. When we traveled this summer, we stayed in rural areas throughout the states we visited. There was a definite bias in political signs … Continue reading Look for Green
What lessons have I learned from three weeks on American roads? Do not be afraid. We are adaptable to disruption in our lives. We are informed. We traveled over 5000 miles, visited all but one of the Great Lakes, drove through 17 states in 21 days (6 days in New York with family). Hiked in … Continue reading Road Trip Revelations