Day 98: A Plunge into Wildness

by Rob on July 29, 2011

in Hiking, National Parks, North Cascades

Do we have enough energy to climb through that snow, over that pass, and down the other side?

Or should we turn back now, and call it quits while we can still think straight?

We’re in what turns out to be about the middle of our first – and only – hike in North Cascades National Park. It’s a tough one, really tough, even though we are thinking we’ve hiked ourselves into pretty good shape. We’re coming in from the west side though Okanogan National Forest, hoping to gain views into North Cascades.

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Day 93: On the Beach in Olympic National Park

by Rob on July 24, 2011

in Mount Rainier, National Parks

KOA has some great campgrounds scattered across the U.S. In fact, the first RV camp we stayed in on the Tour was at a KOA, just outside of Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Kind of rustic, but then it was in the middle of nowhere. Honest. Unless you knew it was there, it was easy to miss. Run by a great guy with a family of five kids, home-schooled no less. He sent us to Zapata Falls for our ice climbing adventure.

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Day 89: Campfires in Mount Rainier

by Rob July 20, 2011

The fire must have been started before 7 am. Walking towards the hot showers building in the small and down-home RV park  takes us past the campfire outside of a family-sized cabin. The gang, from 90 year old grandmas to kids about to turn teenagers, is gathered around, sipping steaming coffee and watching the fire. We [...]

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Day 83: We’ve Got the Blues, Baby – the Brilliant, Bombastic Blues

by Rob July 14, 2011

So we meet this kid at the RV camp in Redwood National Park. Ask him how his summer is going. Is he enjoying the trip his family is on? “Yup.” What’s your favorite place so far? “Crater Lake.”

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Day 79: Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda

by Rob July 10, 2011

Not that we did not have a blast in Redwood National Park. We did. The hike to Trillium Falls was a treat, moving quietly among ancient redwoods, only passing three or four others on the entire 2.5 mile route. So was watching the Roosevelt elk feast on prairie grass. The scenic drives were magnificent.

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Day 76: The Dawn Comes in Lassen Volcanic National Park

by Rob July 7, 2011

It’s been a late spring and an even later summer all along the Tour route. So why should we be surprised that they just opened the road across Lassen Volcanic Park? There is still a crisp coolness in the air, despite the sunshine. And when we settle into the woodsy RV park, we find the [...]

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