Tacoma Towing Mini Trip ’24 – Kenosha

2024 November Towing Adventure - Starting in the snow

Starting off a short trip spanning my Thanksgiving break to haul some things down to my mother in Mississippi, visit family, and then explore new states on the way back. As is very common with any furniture or residence moves for my mom, the weather chooses to make things a bit interesting. Exhibit A: a … Read more

2024 October Trip – Return Home

2024 October Trip – End of trip and return home to Kenosha

End of trip, total distance 5,183 miles across 13 states in 23 days. A quick car wash and full tank of gas and it’s back to normal life and dreaming up the next expedition. Nothing too exciting in this post – I’m mainly creating it to drop a pin on my geomap. Click the link … Read more

Ozark National Scenic Riverway – Big Spring Campground

Ozark National Scenic Riverway – Big Spring Campground

Tonight’s campground was a happy accident – I didn’t intend to end up here, I was just driving north towards home and this was the best stopping point I could find. Truth be told I knew nothing about the site; it was a road sign that led me here as the daylight was fading. That … Read more

George Washington Carver National Monument

George Washington Carver National Monument – Entrance Sign

Final full day of adventure and starting to make my way north towards home. I have crossed over from Arkansas to Oklahoma and now into Missouri, and the next stop at George Washington Carver National Monument has been on my list for quite some time as I find his life and accomplishments both impressive and … Read more

Natural Falls State Park – Dripping Springs Waterfall

Natural Falls State Park - Waterfall view from boardwalk

Cooler temperatures this morning allowed for near perfect conditions to hike to the waterfall on the Dripping Springs Trail. If you are a camper, access is a very short walk just from the campground; day visitors also have easy access just left of the main entrance at the parking lot. The start of the trail … Read more

Natural Falls State Park – Camping

Natural Falls State Park - Entrance sign

The heat today was a problem; not only that, a few of the other spots I checked out had dried-up streams meaning no waterfalls meaning nothing to share. Fall colors are fading. And I was running out of time quickly so I couldn’t reasonably stay down south to explore the Ozarks further on this trip. … Read more

The Big Texan Steak Ranch

The Big Texan Steak Ranch - Entrance

Back in Amarillo and the temperatures are climbing well into the 80’s today. Adrift without a good direction for my afternoon, I resolved to experience a bit of true Route 66 debauchery at The Big Texan Steak Ranch. I followed the signs and a 20-foot tall cowboy encouraging bad decisions into the parking lot of … Read more

Driving from ABQ to Amarillo Is Not Exciting

Sunset in my rear view driving on I-40E from ABQ to Amarillo

Reached the point in my trip where it’s time to start heading east to begin the return home. I wanted to visit the last site at Petroglyph National Monument but didn’t realize it had a curfew before I arrived so it wasn’t meant to be this time. Traffic in ABQ was making me cranky and … Read more

Petroglyph National Monument – Boca Negra Canyon

Petroglyph National Monument - Boca Negra Canyon - Mesa Point Trail

Boca Negra Canyon is another site within Petroglyph National Monument and is easy to find just a few minutes drive north from the visitor center along Unser Blvd. The location is more developed as compared to Rinconada Canyon with a small restroom and some picnic sites. On a weekday early afternoon there is enough parking … Read more

Italian Sub at Dion’s Pizza ABQ

Dion's Pizza in Albuquerque, New Mexico - Italian Sub

Shout out to my dad who introduced me to the Italian sub at local restaurant chain Dion’s Pizza. This sandwich is addictive, so much so that I had to get one more at the Albuquerque location before I left New Mexico. This isn’t a food blog but I don’t care. I’m not being paid to … Read more