This morning, after fueling our bodies with breakfast at Silver Nugget, we head for the four-wheel drive trails to Engineer Pass. With many of them still closed due to snow damage, choices are limited. So, we pick an old standby, Mineral Pass Trail. This road is always bumpy with boulders and today is no exception. In addition avalanche debris litters the area. But, soon, the view changes from devastation to mountain meadows carpeted in yellow blooms. Summer has come earlier to this side of the San Juan’s. After a muddy, rocky climb, we pass snowmelt trickling through alpine tundra. In a [View Full Entry]

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Today’s adventure includes exploring the trails in Yankee Boy Basin and Imogene Pass, high above Ouray, Colorado. Our 4-wheel drive friends, Dave and Cindy, plus their daughter Makenna, have joined us in Ouray for two days of driving the old mining trails that meander through the San Juan Mountains. On the Yankee Boy Basin trail, the jeeps lurch over rocky ground, slowing down to inch along a narrow ledge that hugs the mountain on one side, with a steep drop-off on the other. Far below, old shacks sit beside piles of tailings from a defunct mine. Even though it’s late in [View Full Entry]

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Colorful flowers blaze in a bright morning sun while hummingbirds flit around the deck as we enjoy a breakfast of Southwestern eggs benedict at Leroux Creek Inn. It’s hard to tear away from the beautiful scene to start the drive to Ouray, Colorado and the next part of our adventure. Since we have all day to make the short drive, Alan and I explore the portion of West Elk Loop that travels from Somerset to Crested Butte before rejoining the highway that continues through Gunnison, Montrose and eventually Ouray. First, the journey takes us beside the organic farms in Hotchkiss and [View Full Entry]

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What is it about an off-the-beaten-path location that is so appealing? Alan and I treasure the lack of crowds and the chance to discover something that not too many people know about. The north rim of The Black Canyon of the Gunnison fits all of those parameters. Since I’m not the camping type, we choose Leroux Creek Inn & Vineyards in Hotchkiss, Colorado, for our headquarters. Our room in the southwestern style adobe bed and breakfast has views of the vineyard and the West Elk Mountains. Flowers are everywhere including hanging baskets of cascading blooms swinging in the summer breeze. Our [View Full Entry]

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Alan and I believe in slow travel, which means staying off the Interstate whenever possible. It also means taking our time reaching a destination. After leaving Greer, Hotchkiss, Colorado is the next major stop for us, farther than we want to drive in one day. So, that’s how we find ourselves sleeping in a schoolhouse in Dolores Colorado. Actually, Alan discovered Lebanon Schoolhouse Bed and Breakfast on the internet. The historic building nestles in Colorado farmland a few miles north of Cortez, Colorado. The sight of rolling green hills is a relief after a day’s drive through the stark desert of [View Full Entry]

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With Sonoran Desert temperatures reaching triple digits, Alan and I agree that it’s time for a road trip. The first stop on our “cooling off” journey is Greer, Arizona. Located in the White Mountains, the tiny village offers quiet seclusion combined with plenty of nature. It’s our kind of place. At The Amberian Peaks Lodge, our home for two nights, we can view the entire valley from the multi-level deck. We’ve found our spot for morning coffee or sipping a glass of wine in the late afternoon sun. And, at an elevation of over 8,000 ft., we quickly revive from Tucson’s [View Full Entry]

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After checking out of our Kiawah Island condo, Alan and I spend an afternoon touring Charleston, SC before driving to Atlanta. With only a few hours to spare, it’s hard to choose between museums, home tours and carriage rides through the historic district. We need help. Alan eases the rental car into the only short-term parking space at the Visitor’s Center. He waits while I run inside to pick up brochures and advice. The place is packed with out-of-town visitors lining up to make reservations for area attractions. I return to the car with maps and a battle plan. After driving [View Full Entry]

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Where do weary travelers go for rest and relaxation? Kiawah Island, South Carolina. For a few days in May, Alan and I are resting our itchy travel feet - no excursions, museums, cultural events or ports in exotic locations - just time on an island with a wide, sandy beach that’s perfect for taking long walks. This is Alan’s first time at an East Coast beach. Although he misses the lively wave action of the Pacific coast, he’s loving long walks on the hard-packed sand. I’m happy that Kiawah is still the understated, quiet retreat filled with nature that I remember. [View Full Entry]

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This morning, Alan and I wake up to the smells of egg casserole combined with fresh coffee. After listening to Doug Cousineau’s stories about his 1870-era home, we expected to see Leona Baer’s ghost floating around our room last night in Baer House Inn Bed and Breakfast. Thankfully, our sleep was a peaceful one. With only one day to explore Vicksburg, we have lots of history to cram into the day. Since yesterday was spent sitting in a car, Alan and I opt for exercise and a tour of Vicksburg on foot. It means we won’t have an opportunity to visit [View Full Entry]

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After a few days visiting family in Atlanta, Georgia, Alan and I head to Memphis, Tennessee, by way of Vicksburg, Mississippi. No, it is not on the way. But, the chance to see something new while driving on country back roads is an irresistible lure, especially to Alan. So, we make our way across Georgia and Alabama mostly on secondary roads. After crossing into Mississippi, the real adventure begins when we pick up the Natchez Trace at Mathison, Mississippi. The Trace is a combination road and national park. The long, green corridor winds through Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi following a route [View Full Entry]

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