New Mexico is known as the Land of Enchantment. Until this trip, I had never visited. When I left Durango, after a couple nights in a Marriott, I wanted to get back to camping and since Taos was on my list, that's where I headed. I didn't know much about it other than it's a small artistic community and a place where all kinds of spirituality and practice is embraced. I arrived too late to scout out a campsite so I checked into the small and inexpensive Kachina Lodge in h

As I was walking back to my campsite at the KOA in Albuquerque, I noticed a car with a Virginia license plate. Having lived there for part of my life, I stopped to ask the young woman who owned it what part of Virginia she was from. “Richmond”, she said. We exchanged some small talk during which I learned that she worked for “a company called REI” and that she was on a cross-country solo camping trip, just like me! Her name is Abby and she's 25. She came to my campsite and w

I'm in Durango, Colorado's Marriott Residence Inn, landing here after a 3 day off grid adventure in several of Utah's otherworldly National State Parks. I'm staying in Durango an extra night to downsize, consolidate, discard, and get that much closer to being dialed-in to system that will provide efficiency and ease. One week into this adventure these truths are evident: 1) Hotels and/or hospitable friends scattered about the country (and their bathrooms with running wat

Meet Marlo. She's my new Prius, my ride, my wheels. I may refer to her in posts and it seemed important to introduce you. Why Marlo? I bought her at Walnut Creek Toyota from a charming salesman named Danny Thomas. Nuff said.

After spending the night at the Circle D Motel in Escalante on June 9th, I drove to Boulder (Utah) to meet my off-grid guide at Burr Trail Outpost. I am an adventurer, but I know my limitations. I wanted to camp far away from anyone and everything but didn't feel ready to do so on my own. I found a guide who is well versed on dispersed camping. I describe him as my "courage potentiator". He took me to Pleasant Creek Campground in Fishlake National Forest the first night