Tagged “Popup”

1. You Crazy or Sumpin??? 28 Jan 2012 USA Popup

   <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/crazylady.jpeg" alt="" loading="lazy"...READ MORE

   
   
2. Viva Mexico! 26 Jan 2012 USA Popup 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

   
   
3. The International Crane Foundation -- Baraboo, Wisconsin 11 Jan 2012 USA Wisconsin Popup

   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

   
   
4. Glenn 2.0 -- 2011 in Review 09 Jan 2012 USA Popup 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

   
   
5. Musings On Being Homeless after 7 Months 04 Jan 2012 USA Popup 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

   
   
6. Happy New Year! Time's A'wastin'! 31 Dec 2011 USA Texas Popup 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

   
   
7. The Leopold Center -- Baraboo, Wisconsin 06 Dec 2011 USA Wisconsin Popup

   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

   
   
8. Anywhere in Texas, RFD 08 Nov 2011 USA Popup 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

   
   
9. Wisconsin and the Dells 07 Nov 2011 USA Wisconsin Popup

   Wisconsin had some very interesting things to see, like highway signs, and upside-down buildings... WisconsinREAD MORE

   
   
10. Minnesota -- It's Flat! 17 Oct 2011 USA Minnesota Popup 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

    
    
11. Almost Canada -- Wyoming to Minnesota 13 Oct 2011 USA Wyoming Popup 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

    
    
12. Wyoming 09 Oct 2011 USA Wyoming Popup

    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

    
    
13. Yellowstone 29 Sep 2011 USA Wyoming Popup

    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

    
    
14. Under the Big Sky 20 Sep 2011 USA Montana Popup

    <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

    
    
15. Washington to Montana 13 Sep 2011 USA Washington Popup 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

    
    
16. Financial Update 10 Sep 2011 USA Popup

    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

    
    
17. Seattle 05 Sep 2011 USA Washington Popup

    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

    
    
18. Mt. St. Helens 26 Aug 2011 USA Washington Popup 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

    
    
19. Oregon Coast 25 Aug 2011 USA Oregon Popup

    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

    
    
20. Exploring Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park 23 Aug 2011 USA California Popup

    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

    
    
21. Grove of Titans 22 Aug 2011 USA California Popup 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

    
    
22. A Special Whale 19 Aug 2011 USA California Popup

    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

    
    
23. The Lost Coast 13 Aug 2011 USA California Popup

    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

    
    
24. Humboldt Redwoods 08 Aug 2011 USA California Popup 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

    
    
25. Napa Valley 01 Aug 2011 USA California Popup 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

    
    
26. Tales from the Tiki Bar: Napa Valley, baby! 29 Jul 2011 USA California Popup 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

    
    
27. Tales from the Tiki Bar: Awesome People 10 Jul 2011 USA California Popup

    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

    
    
28. Bryce Canyon 10 Jul 2011 USA Popup Utah

    <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/BryceCanyon.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy"...READ MORE

    
    
29. Tales from the Tiki Bar: The Universe Speaks! 03 Jul 2011 USA California Popup

    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

    
    
30. Hoodoo You Think You Are? 30 Jun 2011 USA Utah Popup

    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

    
    
31. Grand Canyon -- North Rim 27 Jun 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
32. Williams, Arizona 17 Jun 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
33. Now We're Cooking With Gas 13 Jun 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
34. Grand Canyon -- Introduction 12 Jun 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
35. Winslow, Arizona -- June 8 11 Jun 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
36. Wallow Fire -- Eastern Arizona 10 Jun 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
37. Amarillo -- May 1 and 2 10 Jun 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
38. Albuquerque, New Mexico -- May 3-8 10 Jun 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
39. Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge 4/27-4/29 08 Jun 2011 USA Oklahoma Popup

    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

    
    
40. Tales from the Tiki Bar, Tinkertown 05 Jun 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
41. Tales from Vagabondia, the Ancient Way 01 Jun 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
42. Learning to Chill 01 Jun 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
43. Tails from the Tiki Bar 31 May 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
44. Vive les Français! 24 May 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
45. The Tiki BaRV -- a Reality! 22 May 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
46. A Bigger Tent -- on Wheels 22 May 2011 USA New Mexico Popup

    <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

    
    
47. Tales From the Tiki Bar - 2 08 May 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
48. Welcome to New Mexico (again) 08 May 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
49. Communications on the Road: Update 08 May 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
50. Us vs. Mother Nature 02 May 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
51. Tales from the Tiki Bar - 1 29 Apr 2011 USA Oklahoma Popup

    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

    
    
52. Still Homeless, But Living in an SUV 21 Apr 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
53. Hitting the Road 17 Apr 2011 USA Texas Popup

    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

    
    
54. Why We Did It 16 Apr 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
55. Exit, Stage Right! 04 Apr 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
56. We Are Homeless and Living in our Car 01 Apr 2011 USA Texas Popup

    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

    
    
57. Escaping the System 25 Mar 2011 USA Popup 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

    
    
58. Digital Farmers 08 Feb 2011 USA Popup

    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

    
    
59. Another day, another bed 31 Jan 2011 USA Popup

    <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/donblanco/image/upload/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto/Vagabondians/P1070850.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy"...READ MORE

    
    
60. Our Bed Finds a Good Home 24 Jan 2011 USA Popup

    <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

    
    
61. Compromise, or My Love/Hate Relationship With WalMart 21 Jan 2011 USA Popup

    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

    
    
62. A Major Change in Plans 14 Jan 2011 USA Texas Popup

    "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

    
    
63. Debt Reduction 13 Nov 2010 USA Popup

    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

    
    
64. What is a Vagabondian? 13 Jul 2010 USA Popup 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

    
    
65. The Journey of a Thousand Li Commenced With a Single Step 11 Jul 2010 USA Popup 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

    
    
66. Stuff 03 Jul 2010 USA Popup 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

    
    
67. Notes From the Fringe 23 Jun 2010 USA Popup 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

    
    

See all tags.

← Home