I can’t believe it’s been five years already since we packed up our house in Tennessee, loaded up our dogs, and embarked on an epic one-year RV trip.
And, as epic trips do, this one changed our lives and proved to be a great teacher.
Continue reading “Life on the Road: A Year of Unforgettable Cross-Country Adventures—Five Year Anniversary”
Known as The Switzerland of America, Ouray is nestled in the San Juan Mountains, perched at 7,792 ft. It has been crowned the “Outdoor Recreational Capitol of Colorado,” and for a small town (with about a thousand permanent residents), Ouray has plenty of activities to offer to the hundreds of thousands of yearly visitors. It’s is a great base for day trips; while in town, hike up to Cascade Falls, or through Box Cañon. After a vigorous trek, relax in Ouray’s hot springs. If you’re up for a thrill, drive the Million Dollar Highway, connecting Ouray to Silverton, famous for its dangerous twists and turns, but also for spectacular vistas (one of the most scenic drives in the US).
Continue reading “Ouray and Box Cañon, Colorado”
Santa Barbara gets an average of 18 inches of rain per year, and we felt like most of it fell during the one week we visited in March of 2020. Soaked by rain and stuck in LA’s rush hour traffic, our 5 hour drive from Bonita to Cachuma Lake took more than 8 hours. We managed to roll into the peaceful state park in the dark and tried not to make too much noise setting up. All that aside, the fresh spring air was a nice welcome, and we couldn’t wait to explore the beautiful coastal area nearby.
Continue reading “Santa Barbara, California”
We left the desert and headed west, then south to the Pacific coast to sunny San Diego, California. We heard so many things about the city, a coveted weather Paradise. We were ready for a lush green respite and the beach!
Continue reading “San Diego, California: A Lush Place by the Ocean”
Evidence of the Sinagua people (from Spanish “sin agua,” meaning “without water”) in the Sedona area dates as far back as 600 A.D. The tribes were involved in agriculture and developed trade routes which lead them to interact with the Hohokam people, who were skilled in irrigation systems. The Sinagua are believed to be related to the Aztec and/or Maya people and were experts in cotton weaving, red clay pottery, and jewelry. They kept dogs and parrots as pets, and wild turkeys as a food source. Throughout the centuries, their dwellings evolved from teepees to intricate adobe structures—some with up to thirty-five rooms, housing hundreds of people—a sign of change from a nomadic lifestyle to a more static one.
Today, there are several Sinaguan sites in the Sedona area: Honanki in the western canyons, Tuzigoot just outside Cottonwood, and Montezuma Castle and Well, located off I-17 in Rimrock and Camp Verde.
Continue reading “Beyond Sedona: Montezuma Castle, Tuzigoot, and Jerome, Arizona”
