Why Settle For Lemonade?

The Twisted Road Home

December 8th-10th, 2015 – Flooding, landslides, multiple road closures including I-5, ten hour plus traffic jams, a natural gas leak, a couple of police shootings, topped off with a tornado, I’m telling you it was a twisted road home up the west coast.  This is a long story, and probably not all that interesting reading. ……


Arcata

December 6th and 7th – Arcata California – Visiting my other sister in Arcata, some wild weather at the jetty, a better home……


Golden Gate

December 5, 2015 – Golden Gate Bridge, California – I give up on the skid plate, and later get boxed in by buses at the Golden Gate.


Big Sur

December 4, 2015 – Big Sur Area, California – Rugged rocky coast south of Monterey.  After a morning of being right……


Monterey Monarchs

December 4, 2015 – Pacific Grove California – Butterflies, lots of them, Monarch Grove Sanctuary.   The Monarchs fill the skies, cluster on evergreen branches and feast on milkweed flower In a small bit of forest in the midst of a quiet residential area, with the ocean about a third of a mile away on……


Monterey Shore

December 4, 2015 – Monterey California – Wonderful late morning sun put the color in everything.  Seals on the beach, surging water and crashing waves, groups of Pelicans and Cormorants, soaring Vultures, whirling and darting Gulls, and some inquisitive little Goldfinches.


Southern California

December 1st, 2015 – Redlands California – A quick visit with my sister in Redlands, and off I went towards the coast, and north.  I’ve been up and down the west coast a lot, and I’m getting anxious to settle down with a solid internet connection back home.


Death Valley

November 29th-December 1st 2015 – Death Valley, California – “Flooding in the Desert!”  Death Valley was inundated by a 1000 year flooding event just five weeks prior to my visit.  One of the visitor’s centers, and many miles of road were closed due to the damage.


Monument Valley

November 28, 2015 – Southern Utah – Continuing my loop around Utah, Mexican Hat, Monument Valley, Glenn Canyon Dam and back to Bauer’s for some more snow.   This post is about the last leg of that Utah loop along the south and back to my starting point.


Arches National Park

November 27, 2015 – Arches National Park, Utah – Red rock wonderland. ……


Colorado National Monument

November 26th, 2015 – Fruita Colorado – Thanksgiving day, one of the oddest chapters of the trip.  Spectacular views, and……


Utah Highway 12

Late November 2015 – Utah – I set up a base camp between Zion and Bryce, and when I had……


Bryce Canyon

November 24th, 2015 – Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah – Erosion gone wild.  The columns are at once regular and chaotic.  …


Zion National Park

November 23rd, 2015 – Zion National Park, Utah – Deep canyons cut smoothly into colorful rock, Zion National Park is……


Grand Canyon

November 22nd, 2015 – Grand Canyon Arizona – Sweeping views along the South Rim trail and the bus along the Hermit’s Rest road.  Its November so the days are warm but not hot, and the nights cool if not cold.  There was a quick storm that rolled through and dropped some snow, remnants can be……


Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monuments

November 21st 2015 – North of Flagstaff AZ – On the road from Flagstaff……


Saguaro National Park

November 20, 2015 – Near Tucson AZ – The saguaro is that large iconic……


Arizona

November 19th – 22nd – Arizona – Lots of little adventures in Arizona aside from the headline shows.  An RV Park with its own observatory, a great mechanic, and a piece of historic Route 66 are among the highlights.  Other Arizona posts (some coming soon) include Chiricahua National Monument, Saguaro National Park, …


Chiricahua

November 19th, 2015 – Chiricahua National Monument, AZHoodoos (eroded stone columns) and Balancing rocks……


White Sands


New Mexico

November 17th, 2015 – New Mexico – Continuing along Interstate 10 through Texas I made a detour to visit White Sands National Monument, then continued west across the wide flat plains for some amazing sunsets.


Texas Inland

November 16th, 2015 – Texas – Westward through Texas I chose a few back roads rather than doing it all on the Interstate.  Some highlights included: Hurricane lanes, flood gauges, an engaging information display at a rest area and Bar-B-Q at Rudy’s in Del Rio.


Texas Coast

November 14th-15th – Gulf Coast of Texas – Off the interstate just short of Houston along……


Florida to Texas

November 13th, 2016 – Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas – Pushing west, sights set on canyons, arches and other rocky landmarks.  Nights at truck stops and rest areas.  A little detour through a town where my family lived before I was born, a short stop at Stennis Space Center, over the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge……


Stennis Space Center

November 13th, 2015 – Stennis Space Center, Mississippi -Pushing across the gulf coast I mostly drove……


Florida Food Stories

November 2015 – Florida –  This post is mostly stories that revolve around food in Florida.  From Macaroni and Cheese Pizza, to BBQ, to Cuban Pizza and well done Italian.  Top it off with a couple of deserts, one mundane the other not.  I’ve mostly held back on food related posts, but these fell together……


Homosassa Springs

November 12th, 2015 – Homosassa Florida – After canoeing with the Manatees I……


Crystal River Canoe Paddle

November 10th, 2015 – Florida – The Gulf Coast of Florida is also often called the “Nature Coast” and the Crystal River……


Big Cypress National Preserve

November 9th, 2015 – Southern Florida – Adjacent to the Everglades is the Big Cypress National Preserve. ……


Everglades (3 of 3) – Shark Valley Area

November 8th, 2015 – Everglades……


Everglades (2 of 3) – Everglades City Area

November 8th, 2015 – Everglades National Park – This is Everglades post number two, day two out of Everglades City.  I took two tours out of the Gulf Coast Visitor’s Center at the west side of the park.  One trip was up the Turner River and then up a creek under the canopy of……


Everglades (1 of 3) – Flamingo Area

November 7th, 2015 – Everglades National Park, FL – This is Everglades post number one, day one in the park in the south.  I took two boat tours out of the Flamingo Visitor’s center located near the south tip of the park.  Highlights included American Crocodiles, watching an Osprey catch a fish, dolphins swimming under……


Florida Keys

November 5th-7th, 2015 – Florida Keys – Having driven above the Arctic Circle out onto the North Slope Tundra,……


Orlando

October 27th-November 4th – Orlando Florida –  For me the Orlando Theme Parks aren’t about pictures, but rather about absorbing an experience.  So this post will be mostly stories and fewer photos.  I spent several days at Disney and one day at Universal’s two parks.  It certainly got me some much needed exercise.  I have……


Kitty Hawk

October 25th, 2015 – Kitty Hawk, NC – After the mountains I felt it was time to see a little coast again.  This time Kitty Hawk North Carolina for the Wright Brother’s monument, then down the outer banks.


Shenandoah National Park

October 23rd, 2015 – Shenandoah National Park, VA –  From Washington DC I headed into the mountains. Fall color finally caught up with me here,……


Mount Vernon

October 21st, 2015 – Mount Vernon, VA – Another side trip while in Washington DC area was to George Washington’s Mount Vernon.  I toured the main house, took in the gardens, and the “National Treasure” tour.


Gettysburg

October 20th, 2015 – Gettysburg PA – From my trailer parked in……


Washington DC

October 17th-23rd – College Park MD –  From Philadelphia, I took a short drive over to an RV park in Maryland. I used this as……


Philadelphia

October 16th, 2015 – Philadelphia, PA –  After leaving New London and a stop at the Statue of……