Table of contents for Thirty-Four: December 2022/January 2023 in ROVA

Chris Peace and freedom are incomparable nowadays. The best thing about living on the road is the community. Going on this lonely journey, you don't expect to run into like-minded people. Whenever I do, I cherish the moment. It's not every day you run into someone who gets it. If it wasn't for the people that I've met, I would have hung up this lifestyle after a year. Due to having a sense of community, I can keep doing this life ‘til the wheels fall off. Instagram: @musclesonthemove Allie I've been living full-time in my RV since July 2020.I sold my California home in 2018, and two years later I hit the road. I mostly camp for free on public lands. I love the outdoors, hiking and mountain biking. After…

As long as humans have been mobile, we've looked for ways to make travel more pleasant. Litters (wheelless vehicles carried by porters, also known as palanquins or sedan chairs), used in ancient times, were often outfitted with cushions, a chair or couch, or even an enclosed cabin, allowing passengers to travel in comfort. It wasn't very comfortable for the litter-bearers, but that wasn't the point. The first suspension systems for wheeled vehicles were iron chains or leather straps attached to the frame of a cart or carriage. These braces allowed the platform to stay separated from the frame, eliminating the worst of the bumping and rocking. Leaf springs—arc-shaped lengths of steel centered on the vehicle axle—began appearing on carriages in mid 17th-century France. And don't forget the wheels themselves! Early…

From pumpkin spice to baseball, and beach parties to snow days, every season has some magic. Across the country, even in places you wouldn't always assume, state parks have some of the most stunning scenery that you can find anywhere, year-round. Here are some great state parks to check out during your travels. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, Minnesota One of the most stunning drives in the Midwest is the Northshore Scenic Drive, running from Duluth along Lake Superior to the Canadian border. While there's no shortage of great stopping points, the iconic lighthouse on the cliffs above the lake offers arguably the best view in Minnesota. From the base of the lighthouse, you can gaze out over the shore and the brilliant landscapes beyond. Catch it on a clear…

Before the lighthouse at Pigeon Point, and before the goats and their Anatolian shepherds at Harley Farm, or the artichokes or the immigrants, or migrant farm workers of Pescadero, there were the Ramaytush Ohlone “people of the west.” They burnt grass, and they grew fruit and nuts and caught fish. And before the Ramaytush Ohlone were the fish—after which the town was named Pescadero by Spanish-speaking settlers. The marsh around the town was a nesting place for waterfowl. It was home to steelhead trout and coho salmon, and so many amphibians and reptiles. Today, on one of the hottest days of the year, Pigeon Point Lighthouse in Pescadero is my destination. A heat dome covers California, but coast-side, the breeze from the Pacific keeps the temperature hovering around 60. I'll…

The first paranormal site I ever visited was in Alpine. New Jersey. It was an eight-story gothic clocktower built from gray rocks that seemed to glimmer. Devils Tower, a landmark that's surrounded by manicured grass and oceanic waters bluer than the summertime sky, held an air of intrigue and, of course, ghostliness. On the evening I arrived, rolling up in my friend's bombed-out car, it was a little past sundown, and the New Jersey air was cold enough to make your bones ache. We took a tour of the site, and although we didn't see anything unusual, the wind picked up and started to whip through the empty windows of the tower. Sounds rose from the structure—howling, and something flapping and bumping around. I felt a cold, spooky presence, and…

O ne of the best pieces of advice I ever received was: the faster you accept that you're not always going to feel 100 percent ready to do something, the faster you'll get around to actually doing it. My friend was two glasses of wine in as she told me this, and I was slumped cross-legged on a couch petting our house cat, explaining a deeprooted yearning that was at a boiling point: to quit my part-time, “just a paycheck” desk job, buy a box truck or retro trailer, and start selling vintage clothing in a more adventurous, all-consuming way—one that aligned with my passion for travel. I'm pretty sure my friend rolled her eyes. This wasn't the first time she was hearing this ramble, and she seemed somewhat annoyed…

For most, the goal of a camping trip is to find peace, solitude, and beauty—a change from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. A trip into nature can relax the mind and body, and even sometimes provide spiritual experiences. However, us RVers and van-lifers often find ourselves in campgrounds and RV parks due to the convenience and amenities that they provide—the most important of which is electricity. Unfortunately, these crowded campgrounds can bring along the same noise and crowded vibe that most travelers are looking to escape. Finding off-grid camping spots can mitigate these issues and allow for deeper immersion into nature. Solar power has come a long way in the outdoor space, and provides a way for road-trippers to explore and stay in remote locations while still enjoying…

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Alaska If you love a historic district, you'll love this national historical park in Skagway, Alaska. More than 20 buildings in the downtown region have been preserved or restored from the gold-rush days of the late 1800s, including a saloon, a variety of stores, a train depot and a variety of other fascinating structures. Outside of the incredible history, you'll also find great hikes, including the Chilkoot Trail, where hikers will see hundreds of gold-rush artifacts. Skagway is also located in the Tongass National Park, where the Denver Glacier Trail takes adventurers through beautiful stands of trees that are part of the Old Growth Forest Network. nps.gov/klgo/index.htm Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona You'll know of the Grand Canyon National Park because of the huge,…

On the night of September 12th, 1952, seven residents of the small, central West Virginia town of Flatwoods were stunned as they witnessed a pulsing red light coming from a local farm. Searching the area by flashlight, they came face-to-face with an eerie, 10-foot-tall, green creature with a red face in the shape of the ace of spades. In the 70 years since this terrifying incident, the legend of this strange being, which came to be known as the Flatwoods Monster, has continued to grow (despite the encounter being debunked by modern investigators), and has catapulted this quiet Appalachian hamlet into a tourist haven for intrepid travelers hoping to catch sight of the legendary creature. On a recent road trip, I dragged my own family off the beaten path to…

My initial plan for this story was to put together an article of the grandest, most impressive RVs out there, but then I realized… the dream RV isn't the most expensive or the best-appointed; it's the one that fits your dreams. RVing is not a one-size-fits-all undertaking. You can equate it to home ownership: some folks prefer a mansion with a helipad and a jacuzzi (um, okay), while others seek out a few acres of wilderness and an offgrid cabin (now that's more like it!). And then there's everything in between. So, I've looked into dream RVs for all kinds of nomadic lifestyles. This is by no means a comprehensive overview of every adventuremobile out there—think of it as a kick-starter for your own dream-making research. Little Living: For the…

Filter Coffee We drove 300 miles and bought a campervan on sight for a few thousand dollars: a 1986 GMC Vandura with a fiberglass top and a true ‘80s interior—linoleum floor, plaid upholstery, cloth ceiling—every possible shade of brown. The glue on the roof had given up and the ceiling sagged in places. Mold had found a home in every pocket; it all had to go. We worked on our laptops in the early morning and spent the red days of summer building the van anew. In the shade of ponderosas, I listened to baseball over the radio and cut shapes out of plywood. My girlfriend (the architect) drew plans, solved problems, and built everything out in its new place. My mother brought us water and told us the van…

The Michigan Dogrnan: As the name suggests, this dog-man hybrid is a fearsome seven-foot-tall canine-like animal with the torso of a man and a terrifying howl that sounds like a human scream. Idaho's Sharlie: America's version of the Loch Ness Monster, Sharlie is a 35-foot-long beast with a dinosaur-type head, humps like a camel, and a shell-like complexion, which reportedly dwells in Big Payette Lake. The Specter Moose of Maine: This glowing, cloud-colored moose stands 10-15 feet tall. This spook has the ability to appear and disappear at will, so you'll need a keen eye to spot it; it's said to show up when bad things are about to happen. The Thunderbird: Legends of the Thunderbird date back to Native Americans, who spoke of a massive red and yellow bird…

If you've seen Wayne's World, you'll know what I mean when I say that Delaware is typically seen as a little… uneventful. While we laughed at the “Hi, I'm in Delaware” skit from the classic ‘90s film, there's no denying that Wayne and Garth's inability to say something (let alone anything) about Delaware isn't entirely uncommon. Picture this: you're on an east coast road trip. You're weaving through the Appalachians, cruising through the Carolinas, spotting ‘gators or sunbathing on a Florida beach, and admiring the views atop a granite outcrop on a hike in Maine. Anywhere in your east coast daydream, are you picturing Delaware? No? Thought not. For most of us, Delaware doesn't usually make the cut when planning our nomadic adventures—yet this small but mighty state certainly packs…