Month: December 2018
Our 2018 Year In Review

Our 2018 Year In Review

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Hey Guys! Happy New Year’s Eve!!

I thought we’d end the year with a quick post to share some of our favorite memories from this year.

Our year started off…well…not the best. We spent last New Year’s Eve driving through an ice storm to get back to Missouri so Jerl could have eye surgery and our home-on-wheels could get a new engine. It was a stressful start to the year, but it got loads better!

We made it to twenty-one different National Park Units this year! Twenty-one! Two of those were revisits, but nineteen were new for us…so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that seven of our top ten memories for this year are about National Parks.

Let’s start with our honorable mention…Sparky’s Burgers in Hatch, New Mexico just missed our top ten, but we all like it so much we decided it really should at least get an honorable mention! We’d been eyeing Sparky’s for a couple of years now. We found out about it in 2015 while we were in Alamogordo, but didn’t want to drive that far in the time we had in the area. This year, however, we made it! And Guys…it’s so good! We got there right as they were opening and it’s a good thing because when we left, the line was already starting to curve around the block. Alex had to try one of Sparky’s famous green chili shakes. He chose chocolate and raved about it the whole time. I think next time I may have to get one too!

Our number ten spot isn’t a foodie or city or state…it’s not a National or State Park…it’s a view. The Columbia River Gorge from the Portland Women’s Form State Scenic Viewpoint in Corbett, OR was spectacular even though the smoke from some nearby fires was wafting through. We had this entire viewing area to ourselves…well…there was one other person there and he was busy having a conversation with himself…so…yeah. But, that view!

Sequoia Park Zoo comes next. We found this little zoo in Eureka, CA and made time to visit right at the end of a day of exploration. We got there just in time for the red panda feeding and zoo talk. We’ve been to some of the top rated zoos in the country and this little zoo is one of our favorites. Happy animals, clean and big exhibits…what more does a zoo need? What it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in heart.

One of the things we love is a good view and what better place to get a view than atop one of Colorado’s tallest mountains. Pikes Peak is the most expensive mountain we’ve explored…but Guys…that view. When we were there, the summit was torn up for construction of the new Summit House. It’ll be fantastic when it’s done! We just might have to go back and see it completed!

One of the states that Jerl has been looking forward to the most is Colorado. The mountains have called his name for many years so it shouldn’t be a surprise that Rocky Mountain National Park is on our top ten list. We were only able to spend one day exploring this giant park and hope to go back one day to see more of it.

Yosemite National Park is in the number six spot on our top ten list for 2018! We were there right before the busy season, but there were still so many people. The few days we ventured into Yosemite Valley the crowds were insane! It wasn’t our thing…all of the crowds. But, when we drove Glacier Road and Tioga Road…the crowds weren’t nearly as bad and the views were ah-mazing!

One of the places I’d been looking forward to visiting is Redwood National and State Park! These two parks work together to preserve one of the largest tracks of old growth coastal redwoods left in the US. And! There’s Fern Canyon! This canyon has fifty feet walls covered in several types of ferns. It was so fun to wade down the small creek! If traveling isn’t your thing…you can take a look at Fern Canyon without leaving your home…it was used to film parts of Jurassic Park II.

We made it to Oregon right as the burn season was revving up. We could see the smoke from one of the fires at the park we were staying in. We were worried we wouldn’t make it up to Crater Lake National Park due to the fires. I’m so glad we did! Crater Lake is gorgeous! The blue of that water!! There’s a bit of lore that says the blue bird used to be black before it dipped into the waters of Crater Lake.

Olympic National Park rests in the number three spot on our top ten list for this year! This place…Guys, I could totally spend a season or two in this area of Washington. There is so much to love about Olympic National Park! You get beaches, mountain vistas, and forests of moss covered trees to hike through!

This next park is not only in our number two spot, but was the biggest surprise for us. We weren’t entirely sure of what to expect from Kings Canyon National Park, but we loved it! You get the gorgeous tall trees and you get to explore a huge canyon! We somehow ended up taking an old forest service road to get into the park and in doing so drove right through one of the largest groves of redwood old growth left. We had it to ourselves and it was fantastic! The canyon was a total surprise. There are views for days, hikes and waterfalls to explore!

Our number one memory of 2018 is Sequoia National Park! We heart tall trees in a serious way. We can’t get enough of them. We stayed in the Sequoia National Park area for two weeks and we spent every spare minute we could up the mountain, in the park walking amongst the tall trees. I’m already trying to plan our next trip to Sequoia.

We’ve wrapped up our State Tour. Y’all haven’t seen the last few posts about those explorations yet, but they’re coming! We hope that each of you have a wonderful New Year’s Day and a blessed 2019! Thank you for being a part of our crazy nomad journey!

See y’all down the road!
Colorado Springs Take Two

Colorado Springs Take Two

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  Hey Guys! We spent two very full weeks in Colorado Springs. We jammed so much into two weeks I’m breaking our Colorado Springs explorations into two posts. This is part two. If you missed the first part you can find it here.

Caught up?! Awesome! Here we go with part two!

The road up to Pikes Peak is only nineteen miles, but it can take you a whole day to get to the top. There are several pull-offs and hikes on the way up.

It was early fall and the aspens were just starting to change colors. We caught our first sight of some golden aspens on the way up. It was at one of the first pull-offs and while everyone else was ogling the view…I was a bit obsessed with the trees. Y’all know I love the pretties…

We stopped for a picnic lunch at one of the parks. Well, we tried to. We were getting set up and some hornets decided we were super interesting. So, we loaded up and moved to a different section and they found us again! We ended up eating in the car.

At each stop along the road the views got more and more breathtaking. There was construction at the top so we had to park at mile sixteen and take a tram to the top. The trip was both terrifying in it’s speed/closeness to the edge of the road and awesome for the views.

They had most of the top torn up. There will be a brand new summit house sometime in 2019. We’ve been in and out of mountains over the last three years of our nomad life, but this was the first time we had been at or over 14,000 feet. We definitely noticed the thinner air. And the view. The view was pretty spectacular!

The Manitou Cliff Dwellings were originally built by the Anasazi over 700 years ago. Today, you can walk through the rooms and learn more about how the Ancestral Puebloans once lived. I honestly don’t know if these particular cliff dwellings are authentic. We’ve heard they aren’t. But it was still neat to walk through them. At the Manitou Cliff Dwellings you can walk through the rooms, climb up the ladders…you really get to explore.

The first time we went to the Garden of the Gods it was on a weekend and it was so crowded we ended up driving on through and checking out the little museum at the visitor center. The boys enjoyed perusing through the nature center that showcases all of the animals that can be found in the Colorado Springs area.

We had way more fun than we probably should have with the What’s That Scat exhibit. You look at a pile of fake scat and try to guess what animal it’s from then push the button to light up the picture of the animal.

The red rock formations of Garden of the Gods were created millions of years ago due to geological upheaval on one of the natural fault lines that run through the area.

There are quite a few different hiking trails in and around the gardens. Some are paved but several are more rustic. We ended up going back one morning during the week and managed to avoid most of the crowds. We were finishing our hike when the crowds started pouring in.

One of the best things about the Colorado Springs area was meeting up with an old friend and her family! **waves at the Lowe family** The first time we met up was at this great Mexican restaurant. The food was great and the company was excellent! One of our absolute favorite things about this crazy nomad life of ours is the chance to see our friends who live all over the country.

We had two very, very full weeks in Colorado Springs and loved it! We loved it so much we’re trying to rearrange our plans for next year so we can spend some more time in the area!

See y’all down the road!

#westernloop2018
Forts, Fossils, and Rock Formations

Forts, Fossils, and Rock Formations

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We made it to Colorado!

Guys! Colorado is state number forty-nine for us!!

We spent two weeks in the Colorado Springs area and tried to squish as much as we could in.

Y’all know forts are kind of our jam…so it won’t be a surprise when I tell you that one of our first stops in Colorado was Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site. Fur trader brothers Charles and William Bent along with their partner Ceran St. Vrain established a place for trading opportunities.

Bent’s Old Fort opened in 1833 and was one of the main centers of fur trade along the Santa Fe Trail. The fort prospered for 16 years until the region’s beavers and buffalo herds started to disappear. Bent’s Old Fort was the only place between Missouri and Santa Fe for travelers to replenish their supplies and make repairs. It was a safe haven for travelers making the long trip.

Some seasons, the population of the fort could swell upward of 200 people. Most of the rooms at the fort were used for necessary crafts like blacksmiths, carpenters, doctors, warehouses, and kitchens. The few rooms dedicated to living quarters were available to company employees and sometimes important guests.

Around 1846 the fort was no longer used just for trading. Because the Bents were known peacemakers with the region’s tribes, Bent’s Old Fort turned into the headquarters for the Upper Platte and Upper Arkansas Indian Agency.

 At Bent’s Old Fort, we learned several things. One of the coolest things we learned is that they used scraps of fur to line the windows to help weather proof. In hind-sight, this is a ridiculously obvious and simple solution, but one I hadn’t thought of. We also learned that forts employed cats. It makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? Forts are full of supplies like food and furs that need to be protected from not only raiders and thieves but also from mice. When they were excavating the original Bent’s Old Fort they found graves for the working cats. We’ve been to…well…quite a few forts and at every single fort we learn something new. Some new small detail about life during that time period.

In the middle of a prairie, not far from Colorado Springs you’ll find Paint Mines Interpretive Park. It’s only about half an hour from Colorado Springs, but it feels like you’re on a completely different planet! Native Americans have used the colorful clay in this area for their pots for over 4,000 years. The kaleidoscope of colors is due to the different amounts of iron oxide in the clay. We found colors ranging from bright yellows and oranges to pinks and purples to a whole range of grays. There were a few different hiking trails to get to the paint pots. We parked at the closest one and only hiked about half a mile to get to the park. It was a fun way to spend a couple of hours!

We love visiting National Park Units. Love it! So when we found Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument we added it to our list of must-sees while we were in the Colorado Springs area. The boys earned another Junior Ranger badge while we were there. The Rangers got a kick out of seeing all of the badges. It’s fun to watch the Rangers with the boys. The boys still don’t really get it…the attention. They love the learning and exploring that comes with each badge and each park. They’re not collecting the badges for attention.

The thousands of detailed fossils that have been found at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument tell the story of a prehistoric Colorado. This area used to be under a large shallow lake millions of years ago. There was also a very active volcano about fifteen miles away. The combination of all of these elements made the perfect area for making fossils.

We spent weeks exploring the giant sequoias and redwoods along the Northern California coast. We saw them in the form of pine cones and saplings all the way to huge 3000 year old trees. At Florissant Fossil Beds NM we saw huge sequoia petrified stumps. The largest stump is forty-one feet in circumference. It was really something seeing these magnificent trees from the beginning of their lives to end.

Lets talk foodies! Colorado Springs isn’t lacking in foodie spots. Check out this burger! And Guys…Jamaican food… So…good! We actually have plans to go back to the Colorado Springs area next year and this Jamaican place will definitely be a place we will revisit!

There weren’t very many pretties around the Colorado Springs area while we were there. It was late summer/early fall when we were there so the flowers were mainly gone, but I did find these purple pretties!

Stay tuned for the rest of our Colorado Springs adventures!

See y’all down the road!

#westernloop2018
Pizza Roundup Grandpa’s Downtown Pizza

Pizza Roundup Grandpa’s Downtown Pizza

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To my fellow pizza lovers! I bring to you a post from Cheyenne, WY.

Grandpa’s Downtown Pizza is a really good pizza place. The inside is not very large. Their menu is also nice and simple. Some salads, some subs, then pizzas and calzones.

One of the cool things about this pizza place is that they give a free slice of pizza to the homeless when they come in!

Their garlic knots are really good, the only thing missing is a whole lot of butter!

They don’t skimp on the toppings either.

I think this place gets 5-stars from me!

See y’all next time on…

Pizza Street!!

Written by Nicholas