Category United States of America

Sunrise Hiking

A sunrise hike of Bryce Canyon National Park from Sunrise Point to Sunset Point along the Queens Garden and Navajo Loop trails.

It's 5am and I lie in bed contemplating sleep. It would be so nice, but it seems to be avoiding me. To my right, Chris stirs.⁠ "Can't sleep?"⁠ Part of it is the sleeping. ⁠Part of it is the opportunity.⁠ We are parked right outside of Bryce National Park. The sun will be coming up in an hour or so. We have time to get there to see the sunrise. But it means facing the below freezing temperatures outside of our cozy bed. Even so, this very well may be a once in a lifetime opportunity.⁠ We are both tired, but even Chris doesn't grumble as we layer on ski pants, heavy coats, and dash for the truck cab. ⁠

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Lone Rock Campground

Beach camping along Lake Powel for off-road vehicles at Lone Rock Campground in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area just north of Page, Arizona.

Lone rock campground on Lake Powell is listed as a primitive campground. But primitive campgrounds don’t have running water in my book. Lone Rock does. Granted, even primitive campgrounds tend to have fire rings and solid, if unpaved, roads. Lone Rock does not. That is because Lone Rock is a beach campground and anyone that wants a scenic, lakeside site has to contend with loose sand.

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Horseshoe Bend

Sitting on the edge of Horseshoe Bend

You have seen Horseshoe Bend before. Whether it was some friend's vacations pictures, a slick travel influencer on Instagram, or a poster, the 1,000-foot sheer sandstone walls and symmetrically looping river of Horseshoe Bend is immediately recognizable. It's also conveniently accessible.

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Shiprock

The Navajo people of Shiprock, New Mexico do not permit general access to this iconic site so we take a respectful shot from the highway.

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.

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RV Hall of Fame And Museum

RV/MH Hall of Fame And Museum, Elkhart, Indiana

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.

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Regarding Low Octane Fuel

1970 Avion C11 Truck Camper driving among the glaciers on Old Fall River Road in Rocky Mountains National Park

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.

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