Table of contents for Forty: December 2023/January 2024 in ROVA

All around the United States, there are state parks with national park–quality views, but without the crowds. As national parks gain more and more popularity, it's time to venture out to other preserved lands and see what else nature has to offer. So, get ready to wait less and adventure more, and add these 10 state parks to your must-visit list. Ecola State Park, near Seaside, Oregon What to do: Hike the eight-mile stretch of the Oregon Coast Trail inside of the park, where you'll traverse the classic Pacific Northwest bluffs and get sweeping Pacific Ocean views. Where to stay: While there is no camping or overnight parking inside the park, you can stay at nearby Cannon Beach RV Resort, located 10 minutes away and boasting full hook-up sites, a…

Traveling by camper van or RV in winter doesn't have to be all about “chasing 70” (degrees, that is). You can enjoy crisp winter weather and all the skiing and snowboarding your heart desires from the comfort of your rolling home. Utah is a great place to do a little camper-based skiing if you know where to go. Skip the most famous resorts in the Cottonwood Canyons, and head north of Salt Lake City to the much less crowded ski areas in Ogden and Logan. There, you'll find friendly little ski resorts (they all allow snowboarding, as well) and campgrounds that are open year-round. Two of the resorts allow roadtrippers to stay overnight in the parking lot with prior permission. In some ways, this is like staying overnight at a…

People visit Kentucky for all kinds of reasons— namely: horse racing, bourbon, fried chicken and bluegrass. Less prominent on most lists of Kentucky's attributes, however, is the rich natural beauty with which the state is endowed. Taking a nature tour of Kentucky doesn't mean that you have to miss out on its other charms. I propose that you grab some fried chicken, cue up a bluegrass playlist, and hit the road on this route of lakes, forests, caves and canyons. Beginning at Land Between the Lakes in the west and traveling all the way to the eastern border at Breaks Interstate Park, our journey covers a total of 500 miles dotted with countless natural attractions. You'll probably want to take a few overnight breaks along the way, so if you're…

Heavenly Sent If you haven't heard the song “Boy's a Liar,” then you've probably been living under a rock (which is honestly a plausible excuse for us nomads). But in the case that you've been online, then you no doubt know the song by heart (whether by choice or against your own will). British singer and producer PinkPantheress is behind the smash hit, and her debut album, Heaven Knows, is out now. After first gaining popularity for her short-but-sweet drum and bass tunes on TikTok in 2021, Heaven Knows sees the 22-year-old moving away from her usual formula and embracing a more polished indie sound. “Capable of Love”—complete with church-like harmonies in the background during the chorus—is best listened to when you reach a summit and look out onto the…

N o matter where you live in the US, you're a road trip away from a magical experience with a giant troll. Yep, you read that correctly: a giant troll. Created by artist Thomas Dambo, these incredible troll sculptures are tucked into the forest, hiding in public parks, and lurking in urban neighborhoods from Maine to Washington to Miami. They're awesomely impressive and a little bit scary, and they are certain to surprise and delight those who are lucky enough to find them. Consider Benny the Beard Fisher, who lounges along the Manistique River in rural Germfask, Michigan. At about 15 feet tall and 35 feet long, Benny uses his long beard, which spills over the riverbank, to commune with fish and learn the mystery of the water. He is,…

While a heater for your RV or van may sound lavish, it is necessary for cooler temperatures in the brutal winter months. Without one, you risk being miserable and sacrificing your sleep quality. You also risk waking up to frozen pipes. It is crucial to have a plan before the weather turns chilly. When considering heater options, remember that there is no such thing as the “best” heater out there. There is only the best heater for you and your rig in regard to cost, efficiency, performance at elevation, and ease of installation. To control condensation, ensure that your heater vents outside and produces dry heat versus wet heat. Here are five types of heaters to keep you warm in the coolest climates. 1. Electric Heaters These heaters are uncommon…

On a Saturday in August, I set out to meet my friend Pat for our semiannual motorcycle weekend. We agreed to meet in New Hope, Pennsylvania—a town equidistant from his home of New York City and mine of Philadelphia. That morning, I packed a small backpack with water, stuffed my saddle bags with towels and a bathing suit, and hopped on my bike: a 1996 purple Triumph Adventurer. Pat and I planned to ride north along the Delaware River, a scenic stretch that lies in Northeast Pennsylvania, and borders up against the parts of New York State and New Jersey that are forgotten between shore towns and Manhattan. The Appalachian Mountains in this area are nowhere near as striking as the ranges up north in Vermont and New Hampshire, but…

Just like their customers, RV manufacturers are always going further. They use newer or better materials to build their vehicles; incorporate new technologies for safety, improved performance, comfort, and entertainment; and offer more floor-plan and amenity options. You could also make the argument that the RV industry is one of the fastest when it comes to responding to customer demands. Sure, it may take a year or three for them to work out the logistics or put in the infrastructure, but when more and more people want something, the manufacturers roll it out as fast as possible. Who was the first person to ask for solar panels on their rig? No idea, but it quickly caught on, and now they're commonplace. And when you purchase a new motor home, your…

In 2022, my wife, Whitney, and I were some of the lucky ones. We downsized our stuff, shoved the rest of it into storage, bought a van, and hit the road. The goal was to explore the United States for six months. What came of the trip was a sixmonth exploration of some of the United States’ best rock-climbing destinations. Our Trusty Steed: Sage Our vehicle of choice was a green 1998 Ford E150 Club Wagon. With over 200,000 miles under her belt, she was old; but boy, did she do the job and then some. I mention Sage because, as you might expect, she wasn't aptly built for rowdy, off-road adventures. Nonetheless, we still spent plenty of time on back roads, exploring the harder-to-reach crags and cliffs that our…

“I'm trying to have reasonable expectations for today, but I really want a condor for Christmas,” I said with a smile. The jolly Pinnacles National Park shuttle bus driver grinned back at me with a twinkle in his eye, “Well, sweetie, you've come to the right place.” At 30 years old, I was celebrating Christmas alone for the first time in my life. Rather than staying in Los Angeles and enjoying my city's festivities, I packed up my car and drove five hours north to Pinnacles National Park for a solo holiday adventure. For the two days before Christmas, I'd enjoyed getting into the holiday spirit in the park—I'd decorated the inside of my tent with twinkle lights and a disco ball ornament, fed my campfire with what I proclaimed…

Towering rock formations rise out of the prairie. If you look closely, you'll see that they are studded with shells—the remains of ancient life from the Cretaceous period when Kansas was covered by an ocean: the Western Interior Seaway. Now, look up and you'll see that these “chalk pyramids,” as they are known locally, are home to cliff swallows who build their nests high up on the formations. As I did this last summer, all I could think to myself was, “This is Kansas?!” In 2020, my husband and I found ourselves accidentally homeschooling our three boys. Unexpectedly, our family thrived, and we decided to take this opportunity to show our kids as much of this beautiful country as we could. And that's how we found ourselves hauling our 29-foot…