Tagged “USA”
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Vacation 1998 - 10 Days in a Honda Civic
USA
Coming soon!READ MORE
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Alaskan Cruise - 2007
USA
Alaska
Coming soon!READ MORE
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Hitting Pause on Travel
USA
Texas
When we last spoke with Glenn and Bryn... OK, as much as I would love to write this in the third person, I probably shouldn't. But yes, it's been awhile. However, things have been pretty busy behind the scenes and in real life. In our last update we mentioned that Glenn was going...READ MORE
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An update
USA
Texas
Getting Ready
This will be brief, but I feel like I have to post something due to the long delay between articles. First, our apologies for not having more to say. To be honest, last year we shifted from active traveling to more of an expat lifestyle. Still, there were plenty of past travel...READ MORE
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The Vagabondians Have Landed
USA
Texas
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/garden-view.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy"...READ MORE
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Dear Apple: Goodbye!
USA
Texas
Misc
Our first major technology shift was from Microsoft to Apple. We, like almost everyone else in the world, used computers mostly at work, and they were all Windows. Eventually Bryn got a Dell laptop, and years later I got a nice Windows Mobile cell phone from work. We were firmly...READ MORE
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A Taste of Texas old style
USA
Texas
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/DFW.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy" srcset="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto,w_320/Vagabondians/DFW.jpg 320w,...READ MORE
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Back in Texas for a Bit
USA
Texas
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/back-in-texas.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy"...READ MORE
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A Year In Mexico
USA
Texas
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/La-Pochota.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy"...READ MORE
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You Crazy or Sumpin???
USA
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<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/crazylady.jpeg" alt="" loading="lazy"...READ MORE
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Viva Mexico!
USA
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Texas
It has been a wonderful few months with family and friends, but we are about to move on to Phase 2. That's the part where we leave the United States! It took a lot of research and discussion but we finally got it all set. We are going to start in Mexico! There are a couple of...READ MORE
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The International Crane Foundation -- Baraboo, Wisconsin
USA
Wisconsin
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Of all the things that Aldo Leopold wrote about, I was most interested in his observations about birds. He is possibly most well-known for the things he wrote about Cranes. In my previous article on our visit to the Aldo Leopold Center I quoted Leopold's famous Marshland Elegy...READ MORE
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Glenn 2.0 -- 2011 in Review
USA
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Texas
Early in 2010 I looked ahead to my 50th birthday and tried to come up with something appropriate for the end of my first half-century of life. That's a pretty big milestone, and I wanted to celebrate in a big way. At one point I wanted to go to a big music festival somewhere in...READ MORE
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Musings On Being Homeless after 7 Months
USA
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Texas
Homelessness on purpose is a pretty freaky feeling. We, like you, have always had a lot of stuff. We had a small house that eventually seemed a bit cramped. We moved closer to our good jobs and bought our dream home with the vow never to move again. We bought the house we...READ MORE
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Happy New Year! Time's A'wastin'!
USA
Texas
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Tales-From-the-Tiki-Bar
I read this from a Facebook friend: My wish for everyone in 2012 - <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/../img/fireworks.jpeg" alt="" loading="lazy"...READ MORE
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The Leopold Center -- Baraboo, Wisconsin
USA
Wisconsin
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Bryn has always loved nature and wildlife. As a child, she thought nothing of picking up a skunk by the tail and bringing it home for a pet. (Strangely enough, her mother let her keep it!) In high school and college she developed an interest in herpetology and had quite a...READ MORE
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Anywhere in Texas, RFD
USA
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Texas
Sorry, I just really, REALLY love that old Louis Prima song. And yes, we're back in Texas! I sometimes forget that not everyone is following along via Facebook and Twitter. But you really should! That is where you get the latest updates, the minutiae. Obviously I have not been...READ MORE
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Wisconsin and the Dells
USA
Wisconsin
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Wisconsin had some very interesting things to see, like highway signs, and upside-down buildings... WisconsinREAD MORE
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Minnesota -- It's Flat!
USA
Minnesota
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North Dakota
We first met our wine-making friends Del and Kat Erickson in 2007 when Kat and her daughter Jessica came to Texas for Winestock. Since we were fairly nearby we veered a bit north and dropped in for a visit. We got to see their house, her husband Del's farm, daughter Jessica's...READ MORE
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Almost Canada -- Wyoming to Minnesota
USA
Wyoming
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North Dakota
Minnesota
On September 2, we finally left Wyoming and headed for northern Minnesota. The first night we made it as far as eastern Montana. On the way, we passed what is possibly the funniest high school mascot we've ever seen! But then, if your town is named Belfry, what else are you...READ MORE
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Wyoming
USA
Wyoming
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On the last day of August we packed up, cranked down the camper, hitched 'er up and took off for our final trip through Yellowstone. Our route took us almost directly through the middle of the park and out the east gate. We proceeded east all the way to Cody, Wyoming, about 130...READ MORE
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Yellowstone
USA
Wyoming
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We Arrive We drove in to the Yellowstone area from the NorthWest. It was pretty easy to find our destination, the Wagon Wheel RV park. Ken not only checked us in but pulled out a map and gave us a thorough overview of the park and the town. He drew lines and circled and annotated...READ MORE
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Under the Big Sky
USA
Montana
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<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/montana.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy" srcset="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto,w_320/Vagabondians/montana.jpg...READ MORE
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Washington to Montana
USA
Washington
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Idaho
Montana
We finally bid farewell to Rand and Angie and packed up for our departure from Seattle. Before we actually hit the road, we borrowed some caulk from the garage and recaulked the main seam down the middle of the roof. It had developed a small hole and water tended to puddle right...READ MORE
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Financial Update
USA
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Unlike some bloggers, we don't normally share a lot of details about our financial situation. Most who do are usually testing out various money-making schemes and then providing the details to their readers. And most of their readers are there in the first place because they want...READ MORE
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Seattle
USA
Washington
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On August 10th we departed from the Mt. St. Helens area and drove north to Seattle. It was our first time here, and our first time to see our old friends Angie and Rand in their home. We backed in to their driveway and set up the trailer which fit perfectly behind their gate....READ MORE
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Mt. St. Helens
USA
Washington
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mount-st-helens
Mount St. Helens was not on my original list of things to do or see in Washington. But as things turned out, it was a good stopping point on the way to Seattle. So hey, why not, right? I mean, it's a huge frickin' volcano! So we parked for a couple of nights at the Silver Cove RV...READ MORE
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Oregon Coast
USA
Oregon
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On August 5th we left the California Redwoods behind and drove up the Oregon Coast. There were no national parks or big tourist draws, just nice scenery and lots of ocean views. We drove through Gold Beach and Port Orford. At Coos Bay we stayed one night at the Mill Casino RV...READ MORE
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Exploring Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
USA
California
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After our own big 'day of discovery' with the Grove of Titans, the next day we moved on to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, home of some of the tallest Coast Redwoods. My hopes were not very high as the location of this grove is even more secret than the Grove of Titans. In...READ MORE
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Grove of Titans
USA
California
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coastal-redwoods
grove-of-titans
jedediah-smith-redwoods-state-park
Two of our favorite authors are Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. You may have seen the movie 'The Relic' which was based on some of their books. Douglas Preston has also written several non-fiction books which we love. Back in May of 2007 I stumbled across a book written by...READ MORE
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A Special Whale
USA
California
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On August the 2nd, after bidding a fond farewell to the Ancient Redwoods RV Park, we headed north along the coast to our next destination. We had reservations at the Golden Bear RV Park near Klamath, California. We were also hoping to see a whale which had been hanging out in the...READ MORE
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The Lost Coast
USA
California
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On August the first we took a recommended road to see some scenery. A fellow Escapee recommended it to us. It follows the same road that one takes to get to the Tall and Giant trees in the park, then continues on out to the coast. We already knew that the section through the park...READ MORE
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Humboldt Redwoods
USA
California
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humboldt-redwoods-state-park
On July 29th we left Napa Valley and drove up to the redwoods of Humboldt County. Once you get near Humboldt Redwoods State Park you can take the scenic route dubbed Avenue of the Giants. It is a two-lane road which winds through the edge of the forest, dodging giant redwoods...READ MORE
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Napa Valley
USA
California
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napa-valley
Our trip to Napa Valley didn't start as we had planned. After leaving the wonderful Escapee's SKP Park Sierra north of Fresno we made the long haul drive out of the San Joaquin valley and then north on I-5. We made the usual pit stops for gas and snacks and bathroom visits, and...READ MORE
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Tales from the Tiki Bar: Napa Valley, baby!
USA
California
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napa-valley
Highway 29 from Napa to Calistoga will take you through a river of wine. If each winery is a boulder, it's a rapid run of gargantuan proportions. The term "highway" is kind of a misnomer too. It's a two-lane road winding through gorgeous wineries at about 35 mph....READ MORE
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Tales from the Tiki Bar: Awesome People
USA
California
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We've had an interesting couple of days with our rig. I say rig. It's a rig to us. But I digress. Already. Anyway, we discovered a leak under the kitchen sink. Not a big one, but big enough to do damage if we didn't get it fixed right away. We were getting ready to pack up...READ MORE
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Bryce Canyon
USA
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Utah
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/BryceCanyon.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy"...READ MORE
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Tales from the Tiki Bar: The Universe Speaks!
USA
California
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We should have listened! We should have accepted the help offered after we had asked for help! Duh! It was an awesome adventure that we missed out on, and it led to a low-level disaster. There's an important lesson in serendipity here: Don't swim against the tide -- just go...READ MORE
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Hoodoo You Think You Are?
USA
Utah
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Pictures of Bryce Canyon evoke wonder, but taking in the view from Inspiration Point for the first time in person takes your breath away. An open-mouthed "Whohhhhhhhhhh" is about all I could muster from my overwhelmed senses. The heady aroma of warm Ponderosa pine in...READ MORE
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Grand Canyon -- North Rim
USA
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Arizona
A few days ago Bryn and I got all packed up and headed north. After leaving Flagstaff we crossed a barren stretch of land. Most of the Native American reservations appear this way. The one good thing about rez land out here is that at least there is an ancient connection between...READ MORE
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Williams, Arizona
USA
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Arizona
What? You've never heard of the famous Williams, Arizona? Yeah, me neither. But, that is where we ended up for almost a week. This time it wasn't due to system issues with the trailer, more like system issues with Glenn. Some sort of head cold: congestion, sore throat, coughing....READ MORE
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Now We're Cooking With Gas
USA
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Arizona
Just thought I would give an update on our gas situation. In one of my previous posts, you may remember our problems with the gas system working and not working and back and forth. The night we pulled back in to the RV park right next to Camping World in Albuquerque I was able to...READ MORE
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Grand Canyon -- Introduction
USA
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Arizona
After leaving Winslow we drove through Flagstaff and on to Williams, Arizona. About nine miles north of I-40 is an interesting little place near Red Lake which is a combination gas station/convenience store/hostel/RV park. The RV spots are out back and are very basic, just water...READ MORE
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Winslow, Arizona -- June 8
USA
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Arizona
Woke up in Holbrook and packed up and folded down. We're getting pretty good at this! It takes us 15-30 minutes to pack up clothes and misc. items and transfer them to the Montero, then a good 30 minutes to zip, fold, flip, slide, disconnect, stow and crank down the top on the...READ MORE
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Wallow Fire -- Eastern Arizona
USA
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Arizona
On May 29 an unattended campfire started what has now become the 3rd or 2nd largest fire in Arizona history at over 300,000 acres. [UPDATE: the fire topped out over 500,000 acres, the largest in state history] On June 2, the day the winds first whipped this fire into a massive...READ MORE
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Amarillo -- May 1 and 2
USA
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Texas
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/Guppy.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy" srcset="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto,w_320/Vagabondians/Guppy.jpg...READ MORE
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Albuquerque, New Mexico -- May 3-8
USA
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New Mexico
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/RoxiNewMexico.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy"...READ MORE
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Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge 4/27-4/29
USA
Oklahoma
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In my previous post I mentioned catching up -- well here goes! We actually arrived at the WMNWR near Lawton, OK on April 27 and stayed for three nights. This is when we were still in our tent. No, not the folding tent on wheels, the actual 10×13 WalMart tent that goes on the...READ MORE
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Tales from the Tiki Bar, Tinkertown
USA
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New Mexico
Wow. If you come to Albuquerque, one thing not to be missed is Ross and Carla Ward's Tinkertown Museum. Fabulous collection of the whimsical and historical along with Ross' skillfully and lovingly carved Old West figures in their tiny town dioramas. My favorite part was the...READ MORE
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Tales from Vagabondia, the Ancient Way
USA
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New Mexico
Greetings from the middle of nowhere. For real. The nearest ATM is an almost 20-mile round trip. Nearest Walmart is in Grants, NM, 40 miles one way. Here is a mix of unique people dealing with life together in a secluded, beautiful place. Life and living can be harsh in this...READ MORE
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Learning to Chill
USA
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New Mexico
I normally think of myself as a fairly laid back person, moreso than most. And yet even I have my moments where I get frustrated. It isn't pretty. Today was one of those days. There were a lot of factors, but the one issue that was at the root of it was our propane gas in the...READ MORE
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Tails from the Tiki Bar
USA
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New Mexico
[written 5/25/2011] Yes, tails -- great, furry, wagging, flagging tails! We visited the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary today (Wednesday) after a long, leisurely hike at El Morro, the historic inscription rock with signatures and sentiments of travelers to this only sure watering...READ MORE
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Vive les Français!
USA
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New Mexico
Saturday evening (May 14) we returned to camp at the Bernalillo, NM KOA to discover a van full of French youth at the spot next to ours. (L-R -- John, Salome, Julien, Regis) We introduced ourselves and had a nice long chat, exchanging information and tips. They have been in...READ MORE
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The Tiki BaRV -- a Reality!
USA
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New Mexico
The Tiki BarV is open! Roxi is an excellent little proprietress serving up her special concoctions and showing off Speedy the snake to unsuspecting patrons. She loves the traveling life and adventure. Come see us if we come near your neck of the woods! Tent-sweet-tent lost its...READ MORE
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A Bigger Tent -- on Wheels
USA
New Mexico
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<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/Trailer.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy" srcset="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto,w_320/Vagabondians/Trailer.jpg...READ MORE
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Tales From the Tiki Bar - 2
USA
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New Mexico
This one’s for the girls. Get your umbrella drink and come on over here; it’s kinda personal. No matter who you are there comes a time when ya just reeeeeally gotta pee. Here at this nice KOA campground one nice thing is their beautiful super-clean potties. The downside? They...READ MORE
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Welcome to New Mexico (again)
USA
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New Mexico
As we planned our trip out and selected places to stop and visit, New Mexico received several pins on the map. Most were in the southern or western parts of the state, but I think both of us regarded New Mexico as the true start of our trip, new territory to be explored. And...READ MORE
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Communications on the Road: Update
USA
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New Mexico
Since my last post on communicating on the road, we have had a major change in plans. Yeah, stop me if you've heard this one before. LOL A car (or now, our SUV) won't carry a satellite dish very well (especially since it will be packed to the roof with camping gear) so we are...READ MORE
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Us vs. Mother Nature
USA
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Texas
But Mousie, thou art no thy lane, In proving foresight may be vain: The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men Gang aft agley, An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain, For promis'd joy! "To a Mouse" -- Robert Burns -- 1785 Our first 'detour' was not due to construction but...READ MORE
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Tales from the Tiki Bar - 1
USA
Oklahoma
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Cheers, friends! Everyone got your umbrella drink? Excellent! After a few wild days of storm chasing, here we are near Lawton, OK, outside Cache at the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge enjoying the beauty and peace and quiet. No, wait....the banshee call of the kid...READ MORE
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Still Homeless, But Living in an SUV
USA
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Texas
Recently we wrote about escaping the system and some of the difficulties we've faced. One obstacle that we faced was simply time itself. Late last year we began fine-tuning our strategy and a target time-frame for quitting our jobs. Eventually we settled on late March. We...READ MORE
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Hitting the Road
USA
Texas
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While Bryn traveled to Oklahoma City today for a funeral Glenn had time to finally edit some video. This is something he shot when we left our apartments back on March 31. The video was all done in one shot. Music courtesy of Boston. [include 'more than a feeling' youtube...READ MORE
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Why We Did It
USA
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Texas
Lately our attention has been focused on the final stages of transition. Moving sales, Craigslist, eBay, vehicle titles, Goodwill, item delivery, meeting friends, leaving — it's been a whirlwind, and it was much more mentally taxing than we had anticipated. It was also a bit...READ MORE
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Exit, Stage Right!
USA
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Texas
When we first started telling people about our plans and handing out our 'business' cards I was expecting some negative reactions. I fully anticipated that some would question our sanity, or at least our judgment. I expected twenty questions, or a bit of an interrogation. And...READ MORE
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We Are Homeless and Living in our Car
USA
Texas
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It's official, we are homeless, and living in our car! We've been anticipating posting this for weeks now. Unfortunately, we didn't exactly make it down to just one car yet. The Kia didn't sell the first time we put it on eBay. As it turns out, this saved us a trip and a...READ MORE
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Escaping the System
USA
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Texas
A timely topic as today is our last day at our jobs. The system I am referring to includes employment, home ownership and debt. All are part of this crazy template we call 'normal.' And if you ever decide you want to become abnormal, the system is designed to discourage you....READ MORE
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The Adventure Takes Shape
USA
Texas
Getting Ready
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/Road-Trip-2011-Part-1-Google-Maps.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy"...READ MORE
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Digital Farmers
USA
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Up until fairly recently (historically speaking) most of mankind was a scattered bunch of clans and tribes, roaming about hunting and gathering. After the advent of organized agriculture (around 10,000 years ago or so) a shift began to occur. As food began to be preserved for...READ MORE
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Another day, another bed
USA
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<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/P1070850.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy"...READ MORE
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Our Bed Finds a Good Home
USA
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<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/oldbed.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy" srcset="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto,w_320/Vagabondians/oldbed.jpg...READ MORE
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Compromise, or My Love/Hate Relationship With WalMart
USA
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Up until a few years ago my opinion of WalMart probably aligned with the majority here in the United States. Sam Walton had built a better mousetrap, and the prices were good so why should anyone complain? They provide good benefits for entry-level people and buy things from...READ MORE
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A Major Change in Plans
USA
Texas
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"Nothing endures but change" -- Heraclitus (535-475 BC) A long time ago we got our first urge to think outside the box regarding citizenship. Were we not all citizens of the world? Alas, governments do not think this way. But that didn't stop us from dreaming of...READ MORE
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Communications On The Road
USA
Texas
Big Bend
One thing that I have spent a LOT of time on is research for how to stay connected while traveling. The connection between us and the internet is key, and not fully resolved. Lately I've been leaning toward using a satellite dish on a tripod since we are planning on doing a lot...READ MORE
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Debt Reduction
USA
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Many people seem to go their whole lives without once thinking about actually getting out of debt. But even if you do want to, it can be difficult. For most, the problem seems so insurmountable that they never try. And yet many have done so, and most use a simple technique...READ MORE
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What is a Vagabondian?
USA
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Texas
I think that is a fair question. To be honest, just saying it out loud — "What is a Vagabondian?" makes me laugh. It is a silly word, is it not? But do we even know what a Vagabond is? To some it is a poor tramp, a hobo. To others it is someone who wanders and...READ MORE
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The Journey of a Thousand Li Commenced With a Single Step
USA
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Texas
[The title of this post is the correct quote from Lao-Tse's "Tao te Ching" -- and in case you are wondering, a 'li' is a unit of Chinese measurement that is roughly equivalent to 1/3 of a mile.] This site is still 'under wraps' -- look for content to begin appearing on...READ MORE
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Stuff
USA
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Texas
When Bryn and I got married (almost 20 years ago!) we lived where almost all newlyweds live -- an apartment! It was a really nice area near the D/FW airport. Lots of trees, a park, a swimming pool. We walked and rode our bikes a lot. We shared the facilities with a lot of...READ MORE
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Notes From the Fringe
USA
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Texas
Conversations with others remind us just how far out ideas of financial independence can seem to many. Most are content with the typical structure, where the ability to pay for food and shelter is closely tied to the most recent paycheck. Conversations like this happen...READ MORE
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Big Bend National Park -- 1991
USA
Texas
Big Bend
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/bigbend.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy" srcset="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto,w_320/Vagabondians/bigbend.jpg...READ MORE
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