The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore has been on my radar for a while after seeing gorgeous photos of the sandstone cliffs, tunnels and caves in amazing blue water. Unfortunately for me, it was far too windy over pretty much the entirety of my time on the UP to explore by water on a boat tour …
Tag Archives: hiking
Michigan: the western Upper Peninsula
Having started out my day with some pretty spectacular roadside attractions leaving Wisconsin, Michigan was not about to be outdone and provided a few roght off the bat. First up: the world’s largest corkscrew! It’s part of a sign for a liquor store/gas station situation, and had it been open I would have bought some …
Minnesota: Boundary Waters and the Superior coastline
The drizzly, windy weather followed me east into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, but after a grey and stormy evening the morning turned blue and mild. After a hunt for a place to rent a canoe and explore (I mean, it’s in the name) I was sadly unsuccessful- all the local places I could …
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Minnesota: the Paul Bunyan trail to Voyageurs National Park
North of the twin cities quickly turns into the land of Paul Bunyan and his woodland entourage. Outside Brainerd I spotted Paul’s giant footprints in the scenic Kohl’s parking lot (my sandals for scale), Babe the blue ox in Elvis style, a corn cob man named Colonel Cobber (story here), a giant statue of Paul’s …
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South Dakota: the Black Hills
My first day crossing from the Black Hills of Wyoming into those of South Dakota was jam packed with sights. After finding my intended route blocked off for a parade (don’t worry, we’ll get back to this), I took a longer and less scenic route to Mount Rushmore via highway rather than byway, but also …
Montana: Glacier
I was super excited to go back to Glacier National Park, despite the fact that the famed Going to the Sun Road was only open for 15 miles and there was only one entrance on the west side of the park open because the eastern entrances, which all lie on reservation land and the tribe …
Wyoming: Yellowstone
I left the Tetons reluctantly, heading north through the National Forest in hopes of stumbling upon a campsite in the stretch between Grand Teton and Yellowstone parks. I was unsuccessful, but stubborn (perhaps persistent is a nicer word, but perhaps less accurate) and thus continued on the rutted, dirt and gravel forest service roads across …
Wyoming: Grand Teton National Park
From Idaho I crossed the border into Wyoming, rolling into Jackson midday where I got the best pizza lunch special deal thanks to a rec from a friend, and wandered through the town square for about 5 minutes before deciding there were too many dumb non-social distancing, non-mask wearing crazies and hopping back in the …
Colorado: Around Golden
Weird bundling of three bundles of time in Golden, because why not. I first arrived in late March to impose myself on my friend outside Denver until the Covid-lockdown-crazies calmed down and I could figure out where in the area would be a viable option to head next without restrictions and overwhelming closures. Little did …
Colorado: Glenwood Springs to Estes Park
The next stop on our little Colorado tour was kind of a roadside attraction stop to fill some time on our way towards Rocky Mountain Park- a few hours in a funny little amusement park in Glenwood Springs. We really went so we could ride the scenic gondola up to the top of the hills, …
The Van is Go 