Table of contents for Forty-Eight: April/May 2025 in ROVA

New Jersey is a bird-watching gem of a state. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Topographically, New Jersey has it all—salt marshes and freshwater wetlands, coastal dunes, dense woods and open grasslands—and, critically, prime position on the Atlantic Flyway. Imagine a north–south superhighway for birds, with stopover locales where avian travelers can find food and safe places to rest. That’s the Atlantic Flyway, along which thousands of neotropical migrating birds travel through New Jersey in both fall and spring. The flyway brings plenty of common and beautiful species to the Garden State, from shorebirds to raptors, warblers and waterfowl. Experienced (or lucky) twitchers with patience and a keen eye also have a good chance of spotting a rare or unusual bird, like the sandhill crane or even a red-flanked bluetail, which was…

In late summer a couple of years ago, I was picking up my van in Boston from a friend who’d borrowed it to take his family for a month on the road. It had been great timing because I was back home in Boston for my mom’s 70th birthday, and I was ready to take a little break from my tiny shack on wheels, so I stayed with family while my pal had an adventure. At the end of the month, I had arranged to pick up the van on a Friday, and another friend, Jim, and I were going to drive from Boston to San Diego over the course of the next few months. Jim, however, was flying in from Florida, and wouldn’t arrive until Monday night. So, faced…

Okay Music choke enough, the debut album from French singer, producer, and DJ Oklou (pronounced “okay lou”), is a glittery, ambient, sonic journey that will leave you feeling nostalgic, Zen, and wanting more. Oklou’s minimal approach to club music sees traditional bass drops and heavy kicks pushed to the side, and instead embraces gentle piano, dreamy vocals, and subtle drop-ins. Her intricate production navigates the tension between extremes, seamlessly merging ’90s electronic music with the trendy hyperpop bandwagon of the 21st century. Listen to “endless” when driving along windy roads, “take me by the hand” when watching water ripples glisten in the sunshine, and “obvious” when meandering through a lush forest. oklou.com Juice Up Without the Hassle Running low on battery? No worries—the slim, MagSafe-compatible Juicebox 5,000-mAh portable charger has…

For the past 18 months, we’ve been living an extraordinary story that blends family, adventure, and a deep love for nature. Full-time RV life is a learning adventure— sometimes pristine, often messy, and always unpredictable. Our 40-foot fifth wheel has been christened with countless layers of mud, sand, and sticky toddler handprints, each a testament to our unfiltered exploration. With my husband, Logan, at the helm and our two toddlers, Theodore and Emerson, in tow, we’ve transformed road travel into an art form. Some days, our RV looks like a hurricane hit a toy store. Other days, it’s a perfectly organized mobile base camp for adventure. Sand finds its way into every crevice, mud decorates our shoes, and spontaneous learning moments erupt between giggles and occasional meltdowns. This isn’t just…

Oftentimes we travel with monuments, events, and attractions in mind, perhaps forgetting to give proper regard to the original inhabitants of our great country. From north to south and east to west, the United States houses an incredible array of creatures—from feathered flyers to majestic mammals and remarkable reptiles. These amazing animals will make your next road trip a memory to treasure; just don’t get bit! Bald is Beautiful Let’s start with the very symbol of America. We’ve all seen the bald eagle on quarters and seals, but to see one in person is something different altogether. With a wingspan of over seven feet, razor-sharp talons, and its trademark snow-white head, there is no mistaking the majesty of an eagle in flight. Our trip begins just outside of Darlington, Maryland,…

The peaks of the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest guide you north out of California like beacons along the I-5 corridor, starting with Mount Shasta and going all the way to Mount Hood, Rainier, Baker, and beyond. For the last few weeks, I had been camped on the Trinity River near Weaverville, California, waiting for some paychecks to hit my account back in Colorado. But I had messed up big time. My camp had been so remote that I didn’t know my invoices hadn’t deployed. I was nearly out of money, and I had stayed put for the last few weeks hoping to get paid. Wanderlust is a very real thing when you live on the road. For me, in Weaverville, it became a physical pain I could no longer…

Trailers have come a long way from the pop-up Coleman campers of the 1990s (although those vintage rigs are still very cool). They’ve become lighter and easier to tow, and there are even some out there that come with full living quarters, kitchens, and bathrooms. For many reasons, they can be pretty hard to say no to! Why Choose a Trailer? You should choose a trailer because it’s less annoying to back a trailer than a motor home, and it’s cheaper than a hotel. Okay, but actually, trailers offer a lot of versatility that motorized RVs don’t, all while carrying more gear than your 4Runner. Fuel Economy Trailers lower your fuel economy, but they don’t hemorrhage fuel like motor homes do. Some of these towable RVs get your economy down…

I have always been an avid reader. As a shy, socially awkward (read: most likely undiagnosed autistic) child, I spent a lot of time by myself. Books were my respite. They (literally) spelled out social cues that were foreign to me. They helped me understand that the things I was going through were actually not that unique, and they gave me comfort in knowing I was not alone. As a teenager, I devoured book series in lieu of having a social life. Some of my favorites were classics like The Baby-Sitters Club, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and, as I got older, Gossip Girl. These books helped me learn how to be vulnerable with friends and cultivate close relationships. They also provided solace when I felt sad or lonely,…

It was late summer, and smoke from the recent fires lingered in the air as we followed the Blackfoot River east along Highway 200 from Missoula. To my surprise, this stretch of river was empty. On any day of the week from spring through fall it was typical to see at least one raft, its occupants fly-line casting in elegant, iconic arcs, hoping to attract a Western trout. The river and highway soon split, leaving us—my partner, Jerud, and I—to continue through the mountain valley, exiting as quickly as we had entered the small unincorporated communities of Potomac and Greenough. Cattle grazed in the open fields across from Potomac Bar—the local hangout joint, gas station, and restaurant. The place is hopping on Wednesdays when local musicians gather for an evening…

Route 66 is the epitome of vintage Americana—of the good old days and taking the long way home. Connecting metropolitan centers with quirky roadside attractions, the legendary “Mother Road” is an undisputed royal of US road trips. Combine those iconic 2,400 miles of Route 66 with the winding majesty of the Great River Road and its 3,000 miles, and it’s hard to find a more compelling call to hit the road. A National Scenic Byway and All-American Road, the GRR flows from the densely wooded beauty of northern Minnesota (oh hey, Paul Bunyan) to the showstopping Big Easy, traversing ten states. These two storied motorways converge in St. Louis, a far too often overlooked city in the Show Me state of Missouri. Read on for ROVA’s take on the Gateway…