Table of contents for Thirty-Six: April/May 2023 in ROVA

Becky and Andrew We’re part-time van-lifers with full-time jobs to support our constant traveling. We’re always looking for the next slice of sweet solitude. That can mean driving 16 hours in one day and sleeping in a parking lot! We’ve driven our Volkswagen camper 60,000 miles through 44 states and five Canadian provinces. We post our travels on social media to inspire others to get out of their comfort zone. Instagram: @binkadventure Toya (not pictured), Leah, Julie, and Maya I want to show my daughters what freedom is so that they forever have a baseline of what freedom is not. We’ve been traveling fulltime for one year now. They’ve been life schooling and experiential learning their whole lives, so they’ve never been to traditional “school.” This type of learning can’t…

Discovering the best-kept culinary secrets of the open road is one of the greatest joys of car travel, particularly when your discoveries lean toward the unexpected. The following are 10 pit stops in California that have sustained me; pleasantly and wildly surprised me; and become not just steps in the journey, but also destinations all their own. One thing that my 2010 Hyundai Elantra knows about me better than any living soul is that I’ve never been great at staying put. While it’s no secret that I love a road trip, my Hyundai, “Bernadette,” has witnessed what some might call a compulsive need to keep moving. She’s seen me from Los Angeles to Sacramento through the night on a because-I-can whim, and she’s probably lost count of how many times…

I ’m a runaway girlfriend. I broke up with three different boyfriends while I was out on shortterm adventures. In my experience, travel results in change. The first runaway breakup happened when I was 23. I’d been dating The Computer Geek for over a year. He made me laugh. He played a game of hiding my pillow for me to find when I got home, and he always came up with something brilliant—like putting it out on the eave or tacking it to the ceiling. At the party of one of his friends, we met a guy who told us about seasonal work, and The Computer Geek told me I should check it out. In February, I applied to a summer gig that was 2,500 miles west, in Idaho. My…

It’s easy to get caught up in the pull of somewhere new. There’s a high in arriving at a place you’ve never been to before. There’s satisfaction in knocking out national parks, filling in a state map, or checking off bucketlist items. We pledge allegiance to the pursuit of happiness in the form of four wheels and an open road. And while we love to proclaim that the journey is half the fun, the destination is always a thrilling reward. I mean, that’s why many of us—the weekend warriors, fulltime RVers, and #vanlifers—got into this lifestyle, right? We intentionally chose a mobile life in direct rebellion against the idea of “settling down” and “staying put.” New destinations are our passion, exploration is our purpose. There are so many places to…

For the last few years, instead of exchanging gifts, my parents, grown siblings, and their partners have decided to travel to a new city. This year we chose Savannah, Georgia. Rather than paying for expensive airline tickets and only having a few days of vacation, my girlfriend Jenn and I made the decision to take our converted Ram ProMaster 2500 and do an extended road trip from Colorado to see some more of the region. We hoped to escape the snow and cold for a while and experience what the south had to offer. We were excited; this would be the first time in the area for both of us. Jenn is a planner and a foodie. She researched restaurants and made reservations for several places she wanted to try…

”You must be so excited to relax in a comfortable bed, take a hot shower, and cook a nice meal when you get home,” one of my clients said to me as we finished up a seven-day backpacking trip in California’s Sierra Nevada. “Yeah, I guess you could say that,” I replied. It wasn’t too much of a stretch… if a comfortable bed meant a mattress in the back of my Honda CR-V and a hot shower meant shelling out five dollars for a shower stall at the local RV park. I would pick up groceries at the nearest bargain supermarket, and drive an unmaintained road in the high desert to pick a spot to sleep for the night. But my client was right about one thing: I was excited.…

A mountain bike is the ultimate freedom machine—at least in my opinion. My bike lets me use my own power to get places I could never otherwise reach, and in many ways, the freedom of riding on a trail is the same as the freedom of traveling on the open road. I’ve ridden some incredible trails across North America, from the red-rock deserts of southern Utah, to the deep forests of British Columbia. I’ve fallen in love with the experience of exploring new places on my bike, and I’m always searching for new places to ride. Traveling with a Mountain Bike Road-tripping with a mountain bike comes with its own set of challenges. The first thing to figure out is how you’ll carry your bike on or in your vehicle.…

Some people seem to be infected with nostalgia and think the “good old days” are gone forever, but I think ramblers like us have never had it so good. RVing and van life have never been more feasible for people of all abilities, and that’s especially true for boondockers. Those of us who would rather avoid the crowded campgrounds can thank technology (in part) for helping us get out there, where we love to be. With a reliable rig and a relatively basic kit, you can set yourself up for real, low-cost—and free!— boondocking on public lands. I’ll get into the components of the kit later, but let’s start with boondocking. Many of you know all about it, but for those who aren’t as down with the lingo, what is…

Highway 17 seems like an unusually dull drive for Colorado, with nothing but flat plains on either side and a few blinkand-you’ll-miss-them towns. That is, until you notice the signs along the road, their colorful hand-drawn aliens beckoning you further along. Welcome to the “Cosmic Highway,” a supposed hot spot of extraterrestrial activity just outside the miniscule town of Hooper, Colorado. This area is said to have more UFO sightings than anywhere else in the country (who keeps track of these statistics, I don’t know). Although I’ve never seen anything unusual in the sky, I’ve found a variety of attractions in this quirky corner of Colorado that make it worth adding to your next road trip. UFO Watchtower This small, saucer-shaped building would be easy to miss without the alien…

South Dakota has long been an underappreciated state, but it’s slowly getting the respect and admiration from outdoor travelers it has always deserved. Yes, travelers have flocked to Mount Rushmore since they chiseled the presidents into the rock. But there’s so much more to see. When to Go For most travelers, late summer is the ideal time to be in South Dakota. Peak summer throughout the state gets pretty warm, with Badlands National Park having an average daily high of 87 degrees in July. By the end of August, though, highs are around 80, and lows sit at a comfortable 60 degrees. South Dakota tourism is very much seasonal, so amenities and places to stay will be limited for the off season. Fall in South Dakota is beautiful, though campers…

Ohiopyle State Park is not a hidden gem. It’s only about a half-hour away from the two million people inhabiting the greater Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area. At any given time, there will be at least a handful of Yinzers—locals—who have escaped the confines of their glass-and-concrete citadels and found themselves inside the park grounds at the river’s edge. That shouldn’t scare anyone away, though. First, Pittsburghers are known for being friendly (if blunt), and most are more than willing to take your picture as you pose beneath Cucumber Falls. Second, there are some darn good reasons that the locals congregate at the river’s edge. And no, it’s not just to grab ice cream at Falls Market. Although that is a good idea. No, the locals love it because this humble state…

Here Comes the Sun Protection Haven’t you heard? Sun safety is cool now (goodbye, terrible tans!). Plus, sunburn sucks. Protect your neck and don one of Outdoor Research’s Sun Runner Caps. It’s a two-in-one training cap that lets you enjoy the warmer weather with the added peace of mind of protecting your skin. The Sun Runner Cap’s wide brim absorbs sweat while you run, hike, and explore the great outdoors, while the UPF 50+ neck cape protects your nape from the sun’s harsh UV rays. $38, outdoorresearch.com Feel the Love Sitting side-by-side with your nearest and dearest by a campfire is one of life’s many pleasures. Whether you’re roasting marshmallows or simply hanging out and enjoying a few drinks, OmniCore Designs’ MoonPhase LoveSeat folding double camp chair is a perfect…

In my 20s, a sleeping bag laid atop a Mylar emergency blanket, haphazardly spread across whatever relatively flat patch of land I could find, provided sufficient comfort for a good night’s rest. By my 30s, I’d graduated to thin sleeping pads and a small tent. Then came a Toyota Tacoma with a shell over the bed—a plywood platform with two (TWO!) eggcrate pads forming a rather luxurious mattress. Deep, restorative sleep almost never eluded me. Now that I’m in my 50s, if our truck camper isn’t parked on almost perfectly level ground, I’ll wake up sore after a fitful night of sleep in a climate-controlled, weatherproof truck camper with a rather cushy threeinch mattress. To paraphrase Toby Keith, I ain’t as hard-core as I once was. We’re lucky, these days.…

I’ve recently turned 40 years old, and it’s become a running joke among friends of the same age that now, instead of being interested in nightclubs and fashion and Instagram, we’re developing an enthusiasm for flowers, bed linen, and something that has surprised a lot of us: birds. It might be because of the lockdowns, when we were encouraged to explore our own backyards a little more. I’m not sure about where you’re from, but in New York City, the bird population seemed to increase— turns out this was because the reduced traffic (both foot and vehicular) allowed birds to venture to places that they wouldn’t otherwise. So, I was seeing birds that weren’t familiar to me, which piqued my curiosity. Soon, I could identify a number of species that…

If, like me, you’re a cold-weather person (the kind of person who will say to anyone who’ll listen, “You can always add extra layers, but you can’t take layers off!”), summer can be a challenge— particularly on the road, where there are few places to hide from infernal heat. There are, however, plenty of ways to keep your cool while traveling, from upgrading your air-conditioning unit or refrigerator, to embracing innovative, natural ways of reducing the temperature. Blast It If you have an old RV, chances are that it either doesn’t have air conditioning, or the system is outdated or broken. Similarly, some newer models have substandard AC fitted that might need to be upgraded for ultimate cooling. Happily, these days there are oodles of streamlined, super-efficient AC systems that…

For years, the idea of a road trip in pursuit of autumn’s colors had been ingrained in my mind. The seed was planted by a photographer—a wanderer like myself—who told me of a journey that began in the Rockies and wound its way south, through Montana’s Glacier National Park, to Utah—a path he dubbed the “Highway of Gold.” This trip was a pilgrimage for me—a chance to immerse myself in the majesty of fall’s tapestry and to document the beauty that enveloped me every step of the way. This photo essay is a testament to the raw, untamed splendor of the American West, a celebration of the colors that danced in the wind and the memories that will stay with me forever. My trusty companion for this pilgrimage was none…

At some point during the persistently cold and windy spring, I’m struck with cabin fever—like many travelers are—and I restlessly begin researching summer destinations. I can’t wait to be on a road trip, windows down, driving open highways through picturesque towns while snacking on fresh local fruit. Perhaps it is this summer nostalgia that continues to draw me back to Cloudcroft, a small town tucked into the Sacramento Mountains of southern New Mexico. A 40-minute drive from White Sands National Park, it’s the perfect addition to a New Mexico itinerary. Cloudcroft’s distinct character and appeal across the seasons have made it a year-round destination. Come spring, Cloudcroft closes up its outdoor ice-skating rink, shakes off its ski-town persona, and prepares to welcome summer visitors—from day-trippers to seasonal residents escaping summer’s…

Notable Nature For a thrilling outdoor adventure, pack your courage and head to the Charles City Whitewater Park, Iowa’s first Whitewater attraction. Grab your kayak, SUP or favorite Whitewater craft, then test your skills on the course’s three features playable at many water levels. Connect with nature in Jackson County, which is home to two state parks, both with camping available. Maquoketa Caves State Park contains a variety of caves to explore alongside a vast trail system, limestone formations and scenic overlooks. Bellevue State Park features archaeological, historical and natural beauty with its overlooks, nature center and butterfly sanctuary. Dive into the history and wildlife behind the majestic Mississippi at the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium. This Dubuque staple features a wide variety of interactive exhibits and reimaginations of…