Featured

RV Tips and Tricks: Our Favorite Campsite Dinners

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In preparing for camping trips – most of ours are weekend or long weekend trips – we try to prepare as much food at home as we can before we leave. Who wants to spend all weekend cooking when there’s hiking, and photography, and sights to see? In our experience, convenience foods are the way to go, especially if prep time is limited. The following recipes utilize as many convenience foods as possible and can be pre-prepped at home to save a lot of time at the campsite. Each recipe serves four but can be easily adapted for more hungry mouths, or minimized for less servings. Our trick is to go ahead and cook the extra to enjoy as leftovers later. Bon appetit!

Main Dishes:

Lemon Basil Garlic Grilled Chicken

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  • 1/2 c lemon juice, fresh or concentrate
  • 3 T olive oil
  • 2 T minced garlic – use more or less as desired. (We use the kind in a jar.)
  • 2 T chopped basil, or more if desired
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts without rib meat

Place the first four ingredients in a zip lock bag. Seal bag, squeezing out air, and gently knead/shake to mix ingredients well. Add chicken breasts, reseal, and knead/shake to coat chicken. Place the sealed bag into another zip lock bag to ensure against leaks during transport to the campsite. Marinate in refrigerator or cooler until ready to grill (at least two hours) or up to 24 hours if kept properly chilled.

Dispose of marinade, and grill chicken over medium heat 5-7 minutes per side until done.

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Serve with grilled corn on the cob and tossed green salad.

Variation: Cut grilled corn kernels off of the cob and add to salad along with the sliced or diced grilled chicken.

Tips:

  • Make two batches of the marinade. Use one to marinate the chicken breasts and the other for salad dressing, adding a dash of salt and pepper or other preferred seasonings to the dressing batch – sometimes we add a teaspoon or two of sugar or sugar substitute. Do not reuse the marinade that contained the raw chicken.
  • Chicken may also be baked in the oven (350 for 30 minutes) or sauteed in a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until done.
  • Leftover cooked chicken breasts may be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Pork Tenderloin Two Ways for Two Meals

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  • 3 Hormel Lemon Garlic or Peppercorn Pork Tenderloins
  • Two bottles of Heinz Texas Style Bold & Spicy BBQ Sauce (or any favorite BBQ sauce)
  • Hamburger Buns
  • Hamburger Dill Pickle Slices
  • Sliced or chopped onion

Place the tenderloins in a (lined for easy clean up) crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours or prepare according to label directions. When done and cool enough to handle, tightly wrap one and a half of the tenderloins in foil, then place in a gallon size zip lock bag in the refrigerator.

Meal one:

At the campsite, heat the foil wrapped tenderloin in the oven, over a campfire, or on the grill at medium-high heat for 30-45 minutes, until heated through. Slice into medallions and serve.

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Serve with canned ranch style beans and potato salad or coleslaw. Try the Fresh Express Coleslaw Kit or make your own with the leftover cabbage and carrots used in the soup below. And, if you want to get really fancy, serve medallions on top of mashed potatoes. (We like the Simply Potatoes brand that can be heated in the microwave.) Spoon jarred Heinz Pork Gravy with a splash of red wine added while heating or Heinz Homestyle Mushroom Gravy – with a few fresh or canned mushrooms and a splash of white wine added while heating – over the top of the meat.

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Meal Two:

Take the other one and a half tenderloins and shred the meat. We cut them into chunks and put them in a food processor or beat with a hand mixer to shred. The meat can also be shredded with bear claws or forks. When the meat is coarsely shredded, place in a lidded Tupperware type bowl and add the barbecue sauce to taste, mixing well. Refrigerate until ready to use. Heat in a pan on the stove top, grill top, or in the microwave and serve on buns with hamburger dill pickle slices and onions. Take along the remaining BBQ Sauce to serve with the sandwiches.

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Serve with chips and fruit for an easy dinner or lunch.

Tips:

  • The shredded barbecue mixture freezes well. Thaw in refrigerator or cooler then reheat. This (or sloppy joes) is our go-to meal for the first night at camp, especially if we’re arriving late in the day, and it’s perfect for when the weather isn’t conducive to outside cooking.
  • If using jarred gravy, doctor it up with extra pepper, garlic or onion powder, fresh or dried herbs, or sprinkle in a few sliced green onions, including the tops. Add small amounts at a time and taste as you go.

Foil Packets

  • 2 packages of Hillshire Farms 14 oz Polska Kielbasa or other smoked sausage of your choice sliced into 1/2″ thick coins and divided into 4 portions.
  • 1/2 head green cabbage sliced into thick chunks and divided into 4 portions
  • 8-12 small red potatoes halved, divided into 4 portions
  • Onion sliced into 4 – 1/4″ inch thick – slices
  • Butter or margarine
  • Salt and pepper or Season All
  • Pam or other non-stick cooking spray
  • 4 – large (at least 12″ x 12″) squares heavy duty aluminum foil
Hillshire Farm® Polska Kielbasa Smoked Sausage Rope, 14 oz.
Spray foil squares with Pam. Then layer, starting from the bottom, 1/4 of the red potatoes, onion slice, 1-2 tablespoons of butter, 1/4 of the sausage coins, and top with cabbage. Season to taste. Fold the foil over the sides, then fold down the top, creasing to make a slightly loose packet, but don’t smother the food. The packet needs a little space inside to allow the food to steam. Place the packets on the grill over medium heat. Cook for 30-45 minutes or until everything is heated through and potatoes are fork tender.
Several sections of lemon. Macro

Variations: Layer 1/4″ thick potato slices, uncooked hamburger patty, sliced onion, sliced celery and sliced carrots. Add butter, season to taste, and cook 45 minutes to one hour. Try salmon, lemons, and asparagus, or shrimp, lemons, and broccoli. Or go vegan and use only fresh veggies. The sky’s the limit with these little gems, so try your own variations. Cooking times may need to be adjusted.

Tips:

  • Look for Hillshire Farms Sausage on sale at Walmart, then stock up. It is also fantastic for breakfast!
  • Foil packets are super versatile, and we love the “fix it and forget it” way of cooking. All ingredients can be cut up at home and placed into zip lock bags for transport to the campsite, however, we do not recommend slicing potatoes until they are ready to be cooked as they can turn an unappetizing gray color. The packets can also be cooked in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes, or until done.

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Wondering what to do with the leftover cabbage? Make this:

Hearty Vegetable Soup

  • 2 – 32 oz boxes of beef broth (use only 1 box if choosing to use V-8 juice for additional liquid)
  • 2 – 4 cups original V-8 juice or other V-8 variety of choice, optional for additional liquid
  • 1/2 head of cabbage chopped into chunks
  • 3/4 c shredded carrots
  • Large onion chopped
  • 3-4 stalks of celery sliced
  • 1/2 of 1 small package fresh green beans cut into 1″ pieces – use the other half as a side dish later
  • 2-3 medium zucchini cut into bite size chunks
  • 2 T Better Than Bullion beef base, optional, but recommended for slightly thicker, beefier stock
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 2 t minced garlic (we use the kind in a jar)
  • 1/2 t garlic powder (or to taste)
  • 1/2 t onion powder (or to taste)
  • Salt and pepper to taste. Note: if using Better Than Bullion, taste soup before adding salt,

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, saute the onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil over med-high heat until just tender – about 5 minutes. Add beef broth and other ingredients and simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender but not mushy. This soup keeps well in the refrigerator for several days.

Serve with: sandwiches or warm buttered bread for a light and easy dinner.

Variation: Add cooked pasta, cooked stew meat, or cooked meatballs for an even heartier soup.

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Side Dishes:

 Grilled Corn on the Cob

  • 4 ears of corn, husks and silks removed
  • 4+ T butter or margarine, divided into 4 portions
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle each ear with salt and pepper, then place 1 T (or more if desired) butter or margarine on each. Wrap individually in foil and place in a gallon size zip lock bag. Store in refrigerator or cooler. When ready to cook, place on grill over medium/high heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the kernels are tender. Remember to turn them occasionally so they don’t burn. If charred corn is preferred, unwrap during the last 10 minutes of cooking time and place ears directly on grill, continuing to turn occasionally.

Grilled corn cobs on wood background. Free Photo

Serve with: additional butter and/or garlic herb seasoning, or garlic and/or onion powder, smoked paprika, or other seasoning of choice.

Tips:

  • Corn may be cooked in boiling water on a stove top until done. Cooked ears will keep well in a refrigerator or cooler for a day or two and can be wrapped in foil and reheated in the oven or on the grill. If reheating in a microwave, wrap in a damp paper towel and place on a microwave safe plate.

Grilled Veggies or Fruits

Fresh halved ripe tomato viewed close up at an oblique angle to show the juicy texture of the pulp
  • Halved (longways) zucchini or yellow squash or both – grill cut side down
  • Onion, thickly sliced
  • Cabbage, thickly sliced – think of them as cabbage “steaks”
  • Bell pepper
  • Beefsteak or Heirloom tomato halves – grill cut side down
  • Portobello Mushrooms
  • Pineapple rings
  • Peach halves – grill cut side down
  • Pear halves – grill cut side down
  • Apple halves – grill cut side down
  • Grapefruit halves – grill cut side down
  • Any other fruits or vegetables of choice

Brush will olive oil and grill over low-medium heat until cooked/heated through, then season as desired.

Variations: cook any of the above in a foil packet, turning occasionally, until done. We like to add butter and a dash of Worcestershire sauce to our onion packets. The grilled fruits are wonderful with a little butter and brown sugar for an easy side or dessert.

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Super Simple Salads

Prepare these easy salads at your campsite:

  • Bagged salad from the supermarket. Add any variety of vegetables, cheeses, and fruits of choice, or eat it as is. Red or green grapes, strawberries, and mandarin oranges are great on green salads.
  • Sliced avocado and halved grape tomatoes with coarsely ground salt and lime juice.
  • Cut a head of iceberg lettuce into four wedges. Top each wedge with creamy dressing of choice, such as ranch, blue cheese, green goddess, thousand island, etc. and sprinkle with bacon bits and shredded cheese.
  • Jarred marinated artichoke hearts mixed with any combination of halved grape tomatoes, black and/or green olives, pickle slices, baby corn, and cut up pickled okra or other pickled vegetables such as beets, asparagus, carrots, and green beans.
  • Halved grape or cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, onion, and basil, mixed with store bought balsamic glaze and a little olive oil. Best if prepared 24 hours before serving so the flavors can blend.

That’s going to do it for this post, y’all. Come back soon for more RV tips and tricks, campsite recipes, road trip ideas, and awesome destinations. If you’re not a follower, become one so you never miss a post. In the meantime, happy eating!

Travel safe, travel smart, and we will see you down the road – or at a campground! 

Mike and Kellye

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⇒Tossed Salad Photo Credit: Jill Wellington

⇒Grilled Corn Photo Credit: “https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background photo created by jcomp – http://www.freepik.com

⇒Halved Tomato and Sliced Lemons Photo Credit: freefoodphotos.com

⇒Bell Pepper Photo Credit: Photo on <a href=”https://visualhunt.com/re6/1d21115b”>Visualhunt</a&gt;

Photo by Malte Luk from Pexels

As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true products, vendors, and venues. Our suggestions are for places or products that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited or used personally, and our opinions are our own.

©2022

Featured

Assateague Island National Seashore

Assateague Island is a place that we have wanted to visit for years. Once we heard about the wild horses that make the island their home, we were raring to go. And, yes, it lives up to the hype! The National Park Service has done an excellent job with maintaining the roads, facilities, and beaches.

Our first stop was the visitor center where we got some information about the island, bought our requisite Christmas ornament, and picked up the park brochure. Then we drove over the Verrazano Bridge to get to the island.

For information about the national seashore, click here: https://www.nps.gov/asis/index.htm

Not long after we drove in to the park, there was a pony jam which was very similar to the bison jams we have encountered in other national parks. Everyone wants to stop and take pictures, and if the horses are in the road, well, you just have to wait because this is their turf!

Some believe the wild horses that live on Assateague Island, which lies in Maryland and Virginia, and its neighbor, Chincoteague Island in Virginia, are the descendants of horses that came from a Spanish galleon ship that sank offshore. Others believe that farmers who lived nearby turned their stock out to graze on the islands to avoid paying heavy taxes on them. Whether these theories are true or not, it is known that the horses have been on the islands for about 300 years. In Maryland, the horses are owned and managed by the National Park Service. The horses in Virginia are owned and managed by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department.

No, we weren’t as close as it looks. We obeyed the rules, kept our 40 foot distance, and used the zoom.
Parking lot picnic!

Approximately 80-100 horses live on the Maryland side of Assateague Island, and they are considered wildlife. There is no veterinary or human intervention toward their care, except for birth control. Their short legs and stocky bodies have evolved to enable them to easily navigate the sand dunes and walk through the marshes on the island. They appear to be bloated due to the fact that they drink twice the amount of water as domesticated horses because of their salty diet.

For a super interesting short film about the Assateague horses, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44KhYh3LVLU

Absolutely beautiful!

The beaches at Assateague Island are beautiful, too. There were no crowds on the day we went, and everything was clean including the beaches, the changing facilities, and showers. We were impressed.

View of the dunes from the boardwalk leading to the beach
We encountered several people who were surf fishing. We never have surf fished (probably because we live about 500 miles from the nearest surf) but they looked like they were having a great time. Crabbing is also allowed at this park. Other things to do here are hiking, biking, and camping.
Not a scrap of trash to be seen! We don’t know if this is one of them, but we encountered several “No Trash” parks on this trip. In those parks you pack out all of your own trash, and there are no trash cans. What a great idea! Someone should have thought of it sooner.
Check out all the passengers on this horseshoe crab
Did you know that horseshoe crabs have been around longer than dinosaurs? It has been estimated that horseshoe crabs have been on earth for 450 million years. That means they survived the ice ages! Their bright blue blood is vital to the medical industry as it is used to test vaccines for contamination. Who knew?

Assateague Island National Seashore abuts Assateague State Park in Maryland. The horses also have free reign in this park, and the facilities and beaches are great here too.

Assateague State Park beach
Beach grass at Assateague State Park. The grass controls erosion. Without it, the dunes would blow away.

This ends our visit to Assateague Island. We hope you enjoyed your visit and will come back again soon for another fun destination, quick stop, or travel tip. We will leave you with one more shot of the horses, this time standing in a marshy area. Doesn’t the one in the middle have spectacular coloring?

Until next time…

Travel safe, travel smart, and we will see you down the road!

Mike and Kellye

As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.

©2022

Featured

Wish We Were There Wednesday: Wildlife

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Arizona chickens. They were at a national monument. Doesn’t that make them more special than just plain ol’ regular chickens? Yeah, we thought so, too.

As we’ve said before, part of the reason we love to travel is to see wildlife. Now we don’t see wildlife on every hike or even every trip, but we’re always on the lookout. Don’t tell the highway patrol, but we’ve even been known to back up on a highway to see something unusual. Some of the pictures we’re sharing today have been posted before and a some have not. We hope you enjoy our menagerie.

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Sup, gurl?

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We try to shoot (with our cameras) cardinals every time we see one. Not sure what was so interesting about that wall, though.

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Confession: we didn’t see this fox on a trip, we saw him in a cemetery in our own city. Looked like he was thinking about having lunch at the Dairy Queen across the street.

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We wanted to take this adorable baby longhorn home with us, but our neighborhood doesn’t allow us to have cattle in our yard. 🙁

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Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in Texas. They’re the state bird of Oklahoma. Guess this one heard the flies are bigger in Texas.

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Guadalupe Mountains mule deer on a mission. Pretty sure we heard her humming that song “I’m Bringin’ Home a Baby Bumblebee”.

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We shot another cardinal. This time in Abilene State Park, Texas. He was trying to pick up a girl cardinal in the next tree over.

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Aoudad herd, Davis Mountains, Texas. Not kidding: stood right next to the road to take a picture of the mountains and never saw them until another car pulled up and somebody jumped out with a camera. Never did get a picture of the mountains either.

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Dude, she’s just not that into you. All 10’s for the performance, though – just too bad you couldn’t stick the landing.

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One of many bull elk we saw at Rocky Mountain National Park. We were there during rutting season and could hear them bugling all over the place. Not sure if they were asking for a fight or yelling at their wives and kids.

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Colorado hummingbird. One of our luckiest shots ever, ’cause these little guys are fast!

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Yellowstone bison. There was not another bison in sight, so we think maybe he had been shunned by the herd. They do that, you know, shun older males that can’t seem to get a mate. Bison are so rude.

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Pouting wet cat in Texas. He/she wouldn’t even look at us when we asked it to say cheese. Like it’s our fault it rained…

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Rattler! Got in trouble with a park ranger for stopping in the road to take this picture. Sometimes you just have to do whatever you have to do to get the shot, even if that means disregarding authority. We’re sorry…not really…well, kind of.

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Backed up on the highway to get a look at these wild burros near Terlingua, Texas. Yep, we wanted to take a couple of these home with us, too, but the neighborhood…you know… And they were being escorted by a horse!

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Again, we backed up on the road to capture this New Mexico yak. Such a weird thing to see when you’re used to seeing plain old beef cattle all the time. We did not want to take this home with us, though he did have some really nice horns. Why do we have these, anyway? Do people eat them? Use them for their fur? (“Nice sweater.” “Oh, thanks, it’s genuine yak.”) We need answers, people!

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This coyote in Yellowstone was eating something really gross for breakfast when we stopped to take his picture, along with about 25 other people who were calling it a wolf. Anyway, we’re glad we didn’t get the gross breakfast in the shot.

Disclaimer: the shot of the sleeping animal (could be a hyena or it could be some African wild dog-thing, we can’t remember) at the top of the page was taken by us on a trip. A trip to the Fort Worth Zoo, that is! Our definition of wildlife: any animal that runs/flies/slithers/swims away when it sees you, wants to bite you ’til you die, can rip your face off and/or chew off any limb, or will drag you off to share as a meal with the rest of the pack. So, zoo animals are still considered wildlife, right?

That does it for today. Thanks so much for joining us on our walk on the wild side. We hope you will return to our site again for more sights, scenery, trips, tricks, and tips. Be sure to sign up to be an e-mail follower so you never miss a post, and follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Tell your friends! We want to be friends with them, too.

Happy hump day, everybody!

Badwater Basin

As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.

©2022

Featured

Wish We Were There Wednesday: Pretty Pictures

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Agave blooms

We don’t pretend to be professional photographers, however we do love to aim and shoot. No fancy filters or special effects for us, but sometimes we get a lucky shot. You will see what we see through our lenses or on our cell phone screens! We decided to show you some of our favorite pretty pictures from our travels, most of which we have never posted before. Enjoy.

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Paintbrush

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Morning

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Bloom

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Serenity

Study in Pink

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Texas

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Next to grandma’s porch, perhaps

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Where the desert meets the sky – White Sands National Park

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National Grassland, South Dakota

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Waterfall

Dahlia

Thank you for visiting our site. We hope you enjoyed the pictures as much as we enjoyed sharing them with you. Please visit us again for new road trips, exciting cities, and more pretty pictures. Become a follower so you never miss a post, and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. We love having you along for the ride.

Happy hump day, everybody!

Mike and Kellye

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As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.

©2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Featured

Wish We Were There Wednesday: State Park Redux

Today we’re revisiting some of the amazing state parks that we covered over the last few years. Won’t you join us for a road trip down memory lane on this “Wish We Were There Wednesday”?

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Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas

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Slide Rock State Park, Arizona

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Cathedral Rock, Red Rock State Park, Arizona

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Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah

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Custer State Park, Black Hills, South Dakota

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Needles. Another shot from Custer State Park because we loved it so much!

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Caprock Canyons State Park, Texas

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1934 Pool Pavilion, Abilene State Park, Texas

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The Water Tower. Originally built by the CCC then rebuilt after a fire. Abilene State Park, Texas

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Kodachrome Basin State Park, Utah

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Rio Grande Gorge State Park, New Mexico

The Lighthouse, Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas

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Living Desert State Park, New Mexico

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Missouri Headwaters State Park, Montana

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Roughlock Falls, Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota

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Ruins. Fort Griffin State Historic Site, Texas

Thank you for joining us on our recap of some of our most interesting and beautiful state parks. Come back again as we visit more state and national parks, see the sights in the country’s most picturesque cities, and relax with the beauty we find as we road trip across the USA. Become a follower and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest so you never miss a post. Until the next trip…

Travel safe, travel smart, and we will see you down the road (or at a state park!) 

Mike and Kellye

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As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.

©2022

Featured

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

The C & O Canal runs for 184.5 miles from Washington, DC to Cumberland, MD

The first idea for a canal was introduced as a bill submitted in 1774 to the Virginia governing body of the time by George Washington. His plan was to use the Potomac River as a means to move cargo, however, there were parts of the river that would be too dangerous for boats. He proposed to build a canal system that would enable navigation around those treacherous areas. After the Revolutionary War, his plans were set in motion and the Potowmack Canal Company was established with Washington at its helm. The canal was completed in 1802, three years after Washington’s death. It operated until 1828 when the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company took over Potowmack Canal Company and devised a plan to build a better canal system which would connect the Ohio River to the Chesapeake Bay. Under the new C & O plan, the canal would run next to the Potomac, but boats would not have to navigate the river. The construction period ran from 1828 to 1850, but the canal never made it to the Ohio River, mainly because the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad got there first. Moving cargo via the railroad was faster and more efficient. The canal was utilized from 1831 to 1924, and in its last years was used primarily for moving coal from the Allegheny Mountains to Washington, DC.

In 1938, the government purchased the canal with plans to turn it into a recreational area. President Eisenhower declared a portion of the canal a national monument in 1961. Ten years later, President Nixon signed a bill into law creating the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park.

Cushwa’s historic warehouse in Williamsport, MD, one of the three current visitor centers for the park

We chose to visit the Williamsport, MD portion of the park because it was the closest to our next destination. Our initial plans did not include this stop, but we are so glad we were able make the last minute change. Williamsport is the future home of the park’s headquarters. The National Park Service is currently refurbishing the site of a former lumber company that sits across the street from Cushwa’s.

 

This portion of the park sits at the confluence of the Potomac River (background) and Conococheague Creek (foreground). What a serene and beautiful place we found this to be on a lazy September morning. By the way, those trees on in the background are in West Virginia. Here the Potomac forms the border between West Virginia and Maryland.
The canal as it flows over the recently restored (in 2019) Conococheague Aqueduct
The 1879 Bollman bridge over the canal is one of the oldest standing iron railroad bridges in the US. Here you can see the towpath where mules would walk as they towed boats up and down the canal. Now, the towpath is used for a walking and biking trail. Trivia: the C & O Canal towpath at Harper’s Ferry, WV is part of the Appalachian Trail.

Wendell Bollman, a self-taught engineer who began his career at the age of 15, designed a specific type of truss, now called the Bollman Truss, that was used for many bridges built by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B & O) including the one shown above. Trivia: the B & O Railroad is the same one that sits between Illinois and Atlantic Avenues as depicted on the classic Monopoly game board.

Built in 1923, this strange-looking contraption is the only one of it’s kind on the C & O Canal. It is a railroad lift bridge that operated like an elevator to lower the tracks enabling trains loaded with coal to cross the canal. It is now a pedestrian bridge.
A view of the railroad lift bridge from underneath
A different view of the Bollman bridge with railroad tracks on the ground next to the canal. These tracks (along with the railroad lift bridge seen in the previous photos) would have been for the trains delivering coal to the power plant, part of which can be seen in the top right-hand corner of the picture.

For more information about this historic park, click here: https://www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm

We are going to end our trip to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park here, but we will leave you with one more look at the canal and towpath. Imagine warm sunshine, no breeze, the smells of the earth, and complete solitude with nothing to disturb you except the summery drone of an occasional cicada. This is that place.

Thank you so much for stopping by our blog! Please come back soon for another road trip, quick stop, or travel tip. We love hearing from our readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and be sure to “like” us, too. Become a follower so you never miss one of our posts. We will not share or sell your information

Until next time…

Travel safe, travel smart, and we will see you down the road!

Mike and Kellye

As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.

©2021

 

 

Featured

Quick Stops: fast, fascinating, fun, funky!

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Peek a boo, I see you

If you follow our posts, you’re already familiar with Quick Stops. Quick Stops are designed to give a nod to locations to which we can’t devote an entire post. The destinations are completely random and totally fun.

Just get in the car and we will be on our way!

First stop: Old Brazos River Bridge

Where in the world is it?

The Brazos River Bridge is located on the old Highway 380 near Newcastle, Young County, in North Central Texas. The five section truss bridge was closed when the new Highway 380 bridge was built over the Brazos River in 1988. In 2018, the old bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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Above is a view of the old bridge from the new bridge with the muddy Brazos River flowing underneath.

Second stop: Anson, Texas

Where in the world is it?

Anson is located approximately 25 miles northwest of Abilene in Jones County.

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Above is the Jones County Courthouse, the centerpiece of downtown Anson. The statue underneath the flags is of Anson Jones, the last President of the Republic of Texas. The town and the county are named in his honor.

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The Palace Theater sign in downtown Anson. Like much of downtown Anson, the theater is long defunct, but the sign remains. The town boasts an Opera House that was built in 1907, though, it is now in disrepair and no longer used. Anson’s Opera House was once the largest between Fort Worth and El Paso.

It’s a fact, Jack!

There ain’t no dancin’ allowed in Anson! In 1933, all dancing was outlawed in Anson, except during the annual Cowboys’ Christmas Ball which has been being held the weekend before Christmas since 1885 and is still held today. After bickering between citizens for and citizens (mainly church leaders) against made national headlines in 1987, dancing was once again allowed in Anson – with restrictions. Some believe that the film “Footloose” was based on Anson’s refusal to allow dancing in the town. Trivia: Jeannie C. Riley, who sang the 1968 country hit, “Harper Valley PTA” is from Anson. And now you know…

That’s all for this post. Thank you for joining us on our latest quick stops. We invite you to return to our site again for another great adventure on the road. Until the next trip…

Travel safe, travel smart, and we will see you down the road!

Mike and Kellye

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As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.

©2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

Featured

Woodstock, Vermont and Billings Farm & Museum

 

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Serene setting in the Green Mountains near Woodstock. Everywhere we went in Vermont was just this pretty.

Although, Woodstock, Vermont is a popular tourist destination, it is repeatedly called one of the most beautiful towns in the US, and we agree. It is one of the prettiest towns we have visited. We think it is the quintessential New England town.

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Street view of downtown Woodstock

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Visitors should take some time to stroll around downtown. There are great shops selling all kinds of interesting things. We loved F. H. Gillingham & Sons General Store. We are also giving a big shout out to Mon Vert Cafe. They had good service and good sandwiches. The chicken salad was delicious. Give them a try if you’re in Woodstock, and be sure to get a brownie!

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Another street view

Woodstock was first settled in 1768. It soon grew into a thriving community, which took advantage of the Ottauquechee River to power its mills. Other businesses sprang up to sustain the growing town’s economy. At last count, the population of Woodstock was somewhere around 3,000. Many of the residential properties are second homes to people who live in larger cities, such as Boston, which is just a couple of hours away. Did you know that there is a ski area in Woodstock, too? It’s called Suicide Six, and it is touted as one of the best smaller ski areas in Vermont.

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Private residence – white paint with black shutters, so typical of Vermont

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If you have been following our New England posts, you know how we love the pretty  churches, and this one didn’t disappoint.

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Another private residence. Federal-style architecture is very popular in New England homes.

Across the road from the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park in Woodstock lies the Billings Farm & Museum. Once owned by the Frederick H. Billings family, the site is now owned and operated by the Woodstock Foundation, Inc., which was established by Laurance and Mary Rockefeller before they donated their home to the National Park Service.

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Barns and Silos

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Happy Heifers

Billings Farm is a full dairy operation. There is an agriculture museum and gift shop inside the visitor center. The old 1890 farm house and creamery has been restored to its original state and can be toured along with the home’s heirloom garden and apple orchard. In addition to the cows, many other animals call this farm home. Below are pictures of some of the cutest residents.

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Hello, cutie!

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Good afternoon, ladies.

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It’s milking time, girls.

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Having a little snack.

A combination ticket will gain admittance to the Billings Farm & Museum and the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park for two days. Here’s a website link for additional information: Billings Farm & Museum.

About three miles east of downtown Woodstock is the Taftsville Historic District, a 19th century industrial village that grew up around a metal tool factory established in 1793. Today, the Taftsville Country Store, built in 1840, is a popular tourist stop, as is the Taftsville Bridge, built in 1836.

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That is all for this post. We hope you have enjoyed our highlights of Woodstock, Vermont. Be sure to check out our post on the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park, too. Come back to our site often for more great destinations, road trips, Quick Stops, and some great places to camp. We absolutely love having you along for the ride!

We are going to close with a picture of the Vermont State House in Montpelier, the smallest capital city in the US.

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This State House was first occupied in 1859, after the previous building was lost in a fire. The copper and wood dome wasn’t gilded until the early 20th century. The statue atop the dome is called “Agriculture”, and is based on the Roman goddess of agriculture, Ceres.

Until the next trip…

Travel safe, travel smart, and we will see you down the road. 

Mike and Kellye

IMG_0254

As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.

©2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Featured

Woodstock, Vermont and Billings Farm & Museum

 

IMG_8027
Serene setting in the Green Mountains near Woodstock. Everywhere we went in Vermont was just this pretty.

Although, Woodstock, Vermont is a popular tourist destination, it is repeatedly called one of the most beautiful towns in the US, and we agree. It is one of the prettiest towns we have visited. We think it is the quintessential New England town.

IMG_8029
Street view of downtown Woodstock

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Visitors should take some time to stroll around downtown. There are great shops selling all kinds of interesting things. We loved F. H. Gillingham & Sons General Store. We are also giving a big shout out to Mon Vert Cafe. They had good service and good sandwiches. The chicken salad was delicious. Give them a try if you’re in Woodstock, and be sure to get a brownie!

IMG_8121
Another street view

Woodstock was first settled in 1768. It soon grew into a thriving community, which took advantage of the Ottauquechee River to power its mills. Other businesses sprang up to sustain the growing town’s economy. At last count, the population of Woodstock was somewhere around 3,000. Many of the residential properties are second homes to people who live in larger cities, such as Boston, which is just a couple of hours away. Did you know that there is a ski area in Woodstock, too? It’s called Suicide Six, and it is touted as one of the best smaller ski areas in Vermont.

IMG_8123
Private residence – white paint with black shutters, so typical of Vermont

IMG_8118
If you have been following our New England posts, you know how we love the pretty  churches, and this one didn’t disappoint.

IMG_8122
Another private residence. Federal-style architecture is very popular in New England homes.

Across the road from the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park in Woodstock lies the Billings Farm & Museum. Once owned by the Frederick H. Billings family, the site is now owned and operated by the Woodstock Foundation, Inc., which was established by Laurance and Mary Rockefeller before they donated their home to the National Park Service.

IMG_8114
Barns and Silos

IMG_8042
Happy Heifers

Billings Farm is a full dairy operation. There is an agriculture museum and gift shop inside the visitor center. The old 1890 farm house and creamery has been restored to its original state and can be toured along with the home’s heirloom garden and apple orchard. In addition to the cows, many other animals call this farm home. Below are pictures of some of the cutest residents.

IMG_8109
Hello, cutie!

IMG_8107
Good afternoon, ladies.

IMG_8085
It’s milking time, girls.

IMG_8101
Having a little snack.

A combination ticket will gain admittance to the Billings Farm & Museum and the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park for two days. Here’s a website link for additional information: Billings Farm & Museum.

About three miles east of downtown Woodstock is the Taftsville Historic District, a 19th century industrial village that grew up around a metal tool factory established in 1793. Today, the Taftsville Country Store, built in 1840, is a popular tourist stop, as is the Taftsville Bridge, built in 1836.

IMG_8126

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That is all for this post. We hope you have enjoyed our highlights of Woodstock, Vermont. Be sure to check out our post on the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park, too. Come back to our site often for more great destinations, road trips, Quick Stops, and some great places to camp. We absolutely love having you along for the ride!

We are going to close with a picture of the Vermont State House in Montpelier, the smallest capital city in the US.

IMG_7953
This State House was first occupied in 1859, after the previous building was lost in a fire. The copper and wood dome wasn’t gilded until the early 20th century. The statue atop the dome is called “Agriculture”, and is based on the Roman goddess of agriculture, Ceres.

Until the next trip…

Travel safe, travel smart, and we will see you down the road. 

Mike and Kellye

IMG_0254

As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.

©2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Featured

Beautiful Plants and Flowers of New England

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Bee on garlic chive flowers

As we traveled through Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, we found beautiful plants and flowers at every turn. Most of the flora we encountered was trees, which are sparse in our part of West Texas, so we were enchanted by the sheer numbers of them. What was interesting to us was not only the countless trees, but the variety of trees we saw everywhere we went. Oh, and the flowers were spectacular! Now, because of so much “pretty”, we have created a post showcasing another part of the beauty of New England to share with you. We hope you enjoy…

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Water lilies on a pond at Acadia

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Beach roses

Some of the plants that we’re showcasing were growing wild and some were in gardens. We have been able to identify a lot of them, but some of them remain nameless. If any of you can tell us what the UFO’s (Unidentified Flowering Objects) are, please leave the answer in the comments section below.

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Can anyone identify this gorgeous plant?

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We found ferns everywhere we looked

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Mountain Ash. The clusters of lipstick red berries made them hard to miss.

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Does anyone know what this pink plant is called?

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This majestic tree is on the grounds of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park, near the visitor center.

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Sunflower in a garden in New Hampshire

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Viburnum

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Pink Viburnum

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Velvety mosses carpet the forest floor

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We had to include this hot pink zinnia that we found growing near the Vermont State House

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Staghorn Sumac

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We aren’t sure what kind of tree this is (birch, maybe?), but we thought it was interesting.

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Asters

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We are tempted to call these sedum, but we’re not sure. Can someone confirm?

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Stunning dahlias found in a garden in Bar Harbor

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More dahlias. Breathtaking!

Okay, one more dahlia, and then we’re going to call this post finished. (It’s so beautiful we couldn’t leave it out!)

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Thank you for letting us share the beauty of New England’s plants and flowers with you. We hope you enjoyed this excursion through the flora! Please come back to our site often for more pretty pictures, exciting road trip destinations, and lots of other great stuff. We really appreciate your “likes” and comments. If you are not a follower, become one so you never miss a post.

We are going to close this post with hydrangeas. We saw them everywhere we went, and they were exquisite. See for yourself…

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We got caught by the homeowner when we were taking this photo, but his hydrangeas were way too pretty to pass up. When we told him what we were doing, he just smiled and waved. We have a feeling that we probably weren’t the first people to stop by this house for a picture.

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These hydrangeas were in front of the New Hampshire State House.

Until the next trip…

Travel safe, travel smart, and we will see you down the road!

Mike and Kellye

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As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.

©2020