Shiprock—Tsé Bitʼaʼí, "rock with wings" or "winged rock" to the Navajo people—rises a dramatic 1,583 feet above the desert floor of North-Western New Mexico. These eroded remains of an ancient volcano are sacred the the Navajo who live in the area. While access to the peak itself is forbidden, the dramatic views of Shiprock make it worth a visit.
Any owner of a vintage camper likely knows the feeling: you have a beautiful, clean piece of automotive history that looks dirty and drab because of some chipped and sun-faded decals. Most manufacturers decorated their camper exteriors with brightly colored metal emblems featuring brand names and model types. The problem is, bright colors such as red are the first to fade. And, after a half century in the sun, it is time to repaint the decals.
The cabover windows have been a source of much angst among the Roam Lab crew. It’s one of the most visible windows. It also leaks. While we are reticent to change the exterior appearance of the camper, this is our most notable deviation. We first looked for two small windows to match the original set. But eventually decided to update the look with one, long futuristic window.
Like most classic campers, our Avion truck camper came with many stickers to mark its identity and affiliation. One of the classic stickers is for the Avion Travelcade Club. While the club is long gone, the sticker is a piece of history - faded, peeling history. So, we decide it is time to replace the old sticker with a new, vinyl reproduction.
Upgrading our overland rig with "do it yourself" installation of Bushwacker Fender Flares on a 2015 Ram 3500.
Just off Interstate 80, along the border of Michigan, in the town of Elkhart, Indiana is the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum. While, as the name suggests, this expansive, two story building features both Recreational Vehicles and Manufactured Homes, we came for the RVs. And, honestly that's all you need with such an extensive collection of unique campers, from grand progenitors of vehicular camping to custom rigs constructed for movie stars.
It's fall and, for us that means one thing: campfire cooking. The air is getting crisper and it is the perfect time to gather around a campfire and enjoy the evening. My campfire cooking toolkit is quite extensive, but it just got a valuable addition with a gift from Adjust-A-Grill. This simple design of a steak driven into the ground and grill that can be attached at different heights along the stake allows me to take my hamburgers and steaks out of the frying pan to be cooked over the fire.
It's hard to miss the Archway Monument in Kearney, Nebraska. The archway spans over 300-feet, covering I-80 in the heart of Nebraska. It's perfect for that spur-of-the-moment decision that defines a road trip.
I don't need to tell you this, but I will. Because, years of exceptional schooling and life experience is not a panacea against occasional brain farts. So, when we arrive in Rocky Mountains National Park and encounter a very welcome discount for low octane fuel, we give it a try. The mistake is not immediately apparent. Our truck drives well for the next day. It isn't until we turn off the highway onto a forest road while searching for the night's camping site that we know something was wrong. The engine turns off mid turn. Fortunately, we are at the side of the road...this time.
Andrews Glacier Trail is a 9.3-mile in-out hike in the Bear Lake Area of Rocky Mountain National Park. It is one of a series of iconic hikes sprouting from the core Glacier Gorge loop. The hike itself is considered so minor among the group that, in a list of 17 Bear Lake Corridor Trails, it isn't even listed. But, that's part of the reason we chose the trail. Because when everything is as awe inspiring as Rocky Mountain National Park, the popular trails are clogged with traffic and the lesser trails—only lesser in the most relative of senses—are practically empty.