Table of contents for Forty-Four: August/September 2024 in ROVA

After my husband retired, we left for a five-month sojourn across America and into Canada. Our home on wheels was a 22-foot Pleasure-Way campervan. Although small, the van had everything we needed: a comfortable bed, a bath with a shower, a kitchen with a stove, a microwave, a fridge, and lots of storage. We carried two e-bikes on the back of the van, along with a storage box. As we traveled, the incredible beauty of the United States never ceased to amaze us. Joshua Tree, Yosemite, the Grand Tetons, Arches, Yellowstone, and Grand Staircase-Escalante—our country is home to so many awe-inspiring places. How privileged we felt to be able to hike along the Rio Grande at Big Bend; to drive the winding Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier; to walk to the…

Busy work schedules and hectic social calendars left me and my partner feeling burnt out; the ritualistic simplicity of life on the road helped restore our balance. Like many adventures, ours started from the notion of needing to escape from the stresses of everyday life and find a moment of quiet. The American wilderness seemed the perfect place to lose ourselves. We are both naturally drawn to wilderness— vast, empty landscapes that leave you feeling small in a cathartic and restorative kind of way. For this reason, we picked six national parks in Colorado and Utah that we had never visited, plotted a vague loop between them, and booked flights to Denver. We visited the Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Canyonlands, Arches and the Rocky…

In the heart of Appalachia and located in Southern West Virginia, Fayetteville is home to some of the most breathtaking and unique nature experiences that can be found on the East Coast. There's something for everyone, from the annual Bridge Day Festival, which features BASE jumping off of the 876-foot New River Gorge Bridge (fittingly located in New River Gorge National Park), to whitewater rafting and horseback riding through the hills; incredible hikes with breathtaking views; or simply winding down in the area at a good local restaurant or a tranquil campsite. Taking place on the third Saturday in October each year, the Bridge Day Festival is perhaps one of the most exhilarating events in Fayetteville, whether you're watching or jumping. The day begins bright and early with the Bridge…

Time Travel to the '80s If you've ever felt like living out your own Miami Vice or Baywatch fantasy, we've got the perfect soundtrack for you. Aussie pop princess Holiday Sidewinder's newest offering, The Last Resort, is a beachy, sexy, '80s blend that will have you grooving in the driver's seat. For a sultry sunset drive, listen to “Hot Minute,” while “Ripe” is the perfect accompaniment to those sunny days by the water. The best part of Holiday Sidewinder's new album? “Cliffhanger” is not only catchy as hell, but it also features '80s icon Kim Wilde. bio.site/holidaysidewinder Wishing We Were There Calling all podcast listeners! Across the pond, British travel journalist Simon Calder and former BBC producer Mick Webb's podcast You Should Have Been There is an underrated indie gem.…

Some of us make the deliberate decision to leave running water and flush toilets behind because modern life is just a little too comfortable, and being outdoors is always a good time. Maybe that's not your reason, because you're more well-adjusted, but it's always been mine. Rigs for Your Off-Grid Camping You don't need an EarthRoamer to have a good boondocking trip. Unless you can afford an EarthRoamer, in which case, have at it. For most of us mere mortals, any sort of high-clearance SUV or truck is plenty. Four-wheel drive is optional—and you really don't need it as often as Instagram makes you think. As long as you've got more than seven inches of ground clearance and some solid tires, you're pretty much set. That said, if you want…

Yes, the title of this article is a little extreme. To be clear, I do not mean don't buy any RV. Buy an RV—just don't purchase the particular RV that you are about to. But let's back this rig up a second. Many people think they should get an RV, ditch their regular lives, and go live the dream; however, some of these folks probably should not. If you have visions of rolling into Yosemite National Park in midsummer, captain of your own self-contained ship, and cheerfully hailing the park ranger with “Good day to you, Sir. We would like a peaceful campsite with a view of the falls,” you are almost certainly going to be humbled by the reality of ludicrously expensive gas stops, campgrounds that book out a…

There's magic to be found in Southern California—as well as some of the best tacos in the country. There's nothing quite like the liberating feeling of hitting the open road, especially when you're behind the wheel of your trusty RV, van, or whatever road-trip machine you call home. Southern California offers a paradise for those of us bitten by the travel bug, and there's no better way to experience its charms than by starting in the vibrant city of San Diego and cruising up the coast. San Diego: The Perfect Kickoff San Diego, a city that's more than just surfboards and sandy beaches, sets the perfect tone for a road trip. Imagine parking your van alongside Ocean Beach, feeling the cool breeze, and watching the sun dip below the horizon…

During the Late Cretaceous period, between 90 and 65 million years ago, North Dakota was mostly submerged under a vast inland sea known as the Western Interior Seaway. This seaway split the continent into two landmasses. At its most expansive, it covered an area roughly 3,000 miles long, from the North Slope of Alaska down to Mexico, and 1,000 miles wide, from central Utah to Minnesota. The lush, subtropical shores of North Dakota were an ideal habitat for a diverse group of dinosaurs. Among the notable residents was Tyrannosaurus rex. Fossils of the gigantic apex predator have been uncovered all over the state. Other discoveries include triceratops, the bus-sized herbivore, and ankylosaurus, a dinosaur clad in near-bulletproof armour, equipped with a bony club on its tail for defence. Palaeontologists continue…

While we acknowledge that all travelers are different—each chasing an experience that is as unique to them as the rig they call home—there does seem to be a general consensus among road-trippers that a brewery is always a good addition to an itinerary. Even non-drinkers are embracing brewery visits, because the breweries of today are, perhaps paradoxically, not all about beer—there are beautiful views, knowledgeable locals, and plenty of non-boozy beverages to be found at breweries around the country. Over the years, we've shared with our readers countless places to stop and grab a cold one, from breweries crafting beers that suit the adventurous traveler, to those with spectacular natural settings, and some that concoct their beers with interesting local ingredients. This year, we're shining a light on the new…

America is the birthplace of mountain biking, and is home to 42 of the world's 53 “epic” rides, as judged by the International Mountain Biking Association. Here is a selection of the best trails in the country. Bentonville, Arkansas Bentonville calls itself “the mountain biking capital of the world.” Expenditure-wise, that's probably right on the money. Over the last 15 years, federal grants and the Walton Family Foundation (the nonprofit led by the heirs to the Walmart universe) have poured many millions of dollars into bike trails throughout broader Northwest Arkansas, now home to a network of roughly 400 miles of shared-use and mountain biking trails. There are beginner and intermediate trails right in the middle of Bentonville. The system is cleverly designed, becoming more rugged and difficult as you…

The drive up to the mountaintop yurt is a bumpy one. I rattle back and forth in the 4×4, the dusk breeze soft on the ascent. I'm in Utah's Wasatch Range, on the western edge of the Rockies. Wasatch is a Ute word for “low place in high mountains,” but there's nothing low about the 5,925-foot altitude. Wildflowers are blooming, silvery lupine the showstopper of the bunch. I'm here, at the Lodge at Blue Sky, to watch the Perseids meteor shower with astronaut Terry Virts. The former commander of the International Space Station holds the record for most astrophotographs taken on a single space mission, with more than 319,000 images. (He's written multiple books about his adventures, including A View from Above for National Geographic.) I hear Virts talk about…

mi eXPLORe MINNeSOTASM In the Land of 10,000 Lakes, the North Shore hugs the biggest: Lake Superior. Wide open beaches, dense forests, waterfalls, and picturesque lighthouses are what you can expect on one of the finest road trips this great state has to offer. CANAL PARK'S LAKEWALK Kick off your trip with a walk through Duluth's famed Canal Park, a central hub of urban life in the city. Situated between the city's vibrant downtown and serene waterfront, the expansive park features more than four miles of walking paths and access to Park Point, which comprises an impressive four-mile stretch of the world's largest freshwater sandbar. If you're lucky, you'll catch sight of a 1,000-foot freighter passing under the iconic Aerial Lift Bridge. GOOSEBERRY FALLS STATE PARK Just 40 miles up…