Our Snail Tracks

Craters of the Moon

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Our Snail Tracks

Just 15,000 years ago, huge volumes of lava welled up from fissures in the ground known as the Great Rift. This area is part of the ancestral land of the Shoshonean, or Newenee, Native American tribe. These lava fields were designated a National Monument and Preserve in 1924. It is…
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Oregon Trail Left its Mark

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More than 300,000 settlers followed the Oregon Trail to the west in the mid-1800s. The thousands of wagon wheels and hooves left their mark. A few ruts can still be seen, including an area in southeast Idaho. Gorgeous Sheep Rock near Soda Springs, Idaho, hugs the Bear River. This area…
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Sparkling Waters in Southeast Idaho

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We loved a fun stop for a picnic and some sparkling water straight from the ground in Soda Springs, Idaho. The city is named for the hundreds of natural springs of carbonated water around the area. The area became a landmark along the Oregon Trail. The lovely Hooper Springs park…
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Yellowstone in a day

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One day is just a drop in the bucket for the time needed to properly explore Yellowstone National Park. But we still wanted to catch a glimpse of some favorite areas while we were in Wyoming. You can drive to Yellowstone pretty quickly from Grand Tetons National Park. It wouldn’t…
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Grand Teton National Park

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September, 2026 – The magnificent mountains of the Grand Tetons tower over the Jackson Hole valley in striking form. We loved soaking in the beauty of this area. We camped at Gros Ventre Campground, located on the southeast side of the national park. We were sternly warned about bear activity…
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Road trip: first stop Custer State Park

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September, 2026 – We started another epic road trip this fall. Our first stop–beautiful Custer State Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota. We entered the park by driving the famous Needles Highway, a gorgeous 14-mile drive through the granite mountains. As you drive along you see breathtaking “needle-like”…
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Georgia on Our Mind

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April, 2026 – We fell in love with Savannah and its cobblestone streets. Our first day we enjoyed Oliver Bentley’s Historic Dog walking tour, a 90 minute dog-friendly hike around the historic district. The tour was led by Eric, the owner of Oliver Bentley’s pet store. Eric really knows his…
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Congaree National Park – A Cathedral of Towering Trees

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April, 2026 – Walking beneath the canopy of trees at Congaree National Park feels magical. The park was designated a National Park in 2003 to preserve the last and largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest in the country. At one time, these trees covered 30 million acres in…
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South Carolina’s Roots Run Deep

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April, 2026 – We camped right on the shore of Lake Marion in Santee State Park, Santee, South Carolina. The park is absolutely beautiful, and very quiet. Most of our surrounding neighbors were drawn to the lake for its great fishing. We chose the spot because of its proximity to…
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Coastal Beauty in the Carolinas

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April, 2026 – We found sun, sand, rest and relaxation at our next stop, Carolina Beach State Park. Our camper was tucked in a peaceful forest. This park is one of our favorite state parks–it is close to everything in the town of Carolina Beach, yet remains a hidden and…
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Country road….take us home

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April, 2026 – On our quest to camp in all 50 states, we began our spring trek in “almost heaven” West Virginia (Thank you John Denver!) What a perfect way to kick off our journey to the Carolinas and Georgia. We had a special passenger in the back seat who…
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Library Love

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When I walk into any library, it feels like I have just taken a deep breath. There is something magical about a place full of books. Weary travelers like us found refuge in libraries throughout our New England journey. “I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of…
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Ohio’s Underground Railroad

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November 2, 2024 – The John Rankin House sits on a prominent hill overlooking the town of Ripley and the Ohio River. It was built in 1828 by abolitionist John Rankin for his wife and eventual 13 children. The home became one of the first stops for fugitive slaves who…
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Cardboard Boats?

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November 1, 2024 – Last stop before home: to visit our great cousins in Ohio and sleep in a real bed. They always spoil us with fun and great food. Our first stop was at the quirky “World’s Only Cardboard Racing Museum” in Ripley. This unique museum is filled with…
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Shenandoah National Park

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October 31, 2024 – Heading west towards home, we stayed a few days at beautiful Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. We camped at Big Meadows campground, which is in the middle of the vast 200,000 acre park. The park circles the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. We missed the peak…
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