Birthday Girl
Monday was Kelly’s birthday and the gift she most wanted is to be carefree and happy.
Tonight she is off to a good start and I could not be happier for her.
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Full-timing since April 2015 … Dave, Kelly, and our dog living and traveling full-time in our Airstream trailer.
My Instagram Photos
. In a move that can only be described as being highly uncharacteristic, last week Kelly and I made a snap decision to leave the soothing vast emptiness of Death Valley National Park and visit its evil twin - Las Vegas - for a few days. . We made the decision knowing that during the stay I would have a chance to meet-up with former colleagues attending a conference, while also making time to visit family. Coupled with a few other to-do’s while in the area, these “up-sides” became justifications Kel and I anchored to as we ventured into the city known for showcasing much of the urban trappings we otherwise loath. . And yes ... we did spend an evening on the strip dining and walking - not gambling - through casinos. . So it was no surprise that on Sunday morning, following four nights at the largest commercial RV park I’ve ever seen, it was nice pulling out from under the shadows of a casino and commence settling back into our usual lane. . Valley of Fire State Park is located about an hour from the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas strip, but scenically the park may as well sit atop another planet. This being our second visit to VOF we know what to expect. The park is not particiually large and ambitious hikers can easily traverse most of the trails in two or three days. . As an escape from Vegas this place is just about perfect ... even more so if you camp in the (cheaper) non-hook-up sites. . . . #valleyoffire #valleyoffirestatepark #nevadastateparks #escapevegas #rvlife #roadlife. I’ve never been the off-roadding truck/Jeep type. Rather, I’ve always viewed my truck strictly as a ultitlity - something that carries me and my belongings safely from somewhere to somewhere else. Definately not a vehicle for pleasure. . This view of mine changed somewhat the other day when @gm3sf decided to take @absolute_airstream_26u, Kelly, and me out to explore Death Valley’s Titus Canyon. And, it turns out, driving the trail was was pretty fun. I can see how people get hooked driving and exploring deep into a canyon. . The canyon is absolutely stunning and my stock truck did just fine on the trails. . That said, if I’m honest, I would have much rather experienced the canyon from my mountain bike - doing so would have really been fun. And, while the photos Gus took are great, they could have been sic. 🚵🏼♂️ . . . #deathvalley #tituscanyon #trailrookie. Anything goes in Vegas ... including setting up shop for a few hours in the #BassProShop parking lot (next to a casino obviously) to regroup while Kelly visits a nearby Aveda salon and @gm3sf awaits his better half flying into town. . Joining in on the schenananngans, @absolute_airstream_26u completes our silver trio. . Our stay in Sin City will be brief; tonight we sleep in Death Valley NP. . . . #roadlife #rvlife #homeiswhereyouparkit #airstreamtrio #airstreamlife. I really need to be more consistent in reading the trail descriptions before pointing my bike towards the mountains on trails I’ve never ridden. . The final “big” climb I loaded onto my Garmin was essentially unridable, resulting in a miserable two mile hike-a-bike slog 1,300ft to the summit pass. . Fortunately, the back side of the mountain rewarded me with an ear-to-ear grin-inducing 1,700ft descent back to camp. . . . #mcdowellregionalpark #mcdowellmountains #ridemtb #pivotcycles #desertfoothillsmountainbikeassociationToday I kickoff my Arizona winter riding season under blue skies and perfect temperatures. 👌 . . . #mcdowellmountainregionalpark #ridemtb #pivotcycles. On the heels of a nearly six-month hiatus from boon-docking (our preferred style of free camping), late today we arrived to a great spot on public land just in time to catch our first Arizona sunset of the winter season. . Despite our summer and fall travels spent mostly in paid and crowded campgrounds, we quickly slid into the set-up routine without missing a beat ... I even remembered to orient the rooftop solar panels to tilt facing south. . All is good again. . . . #homeiswhereyouparkit #rvlife #lascienegasnationalconservationarea #airstreamlife. Kelly and I visited the Oklahoma City bombing memorial today which honors the 168 killed in America’s deadliest domestic-based terror attack. . The experience was highly emotional and incredibly educational. It serves as a reminder that political hatred needlessly cuts across all races, genders, and ages ... ultimately most harming the innocent, who in the end have more commonality than not. . The entire venue is exceptionally well curated and if you ever have the opportunity to visit, you should do so.. A few years ago I saw an indie film highlighting the MTB scene in Bentonville. At the time, I had no idea this area had such a great trail network. . This place is bonkers; the variety of riding is awesome - loads of trails immediately accessed from the campground. . I recently learned that - led by two Walton grandchildren in conjunction with the Walton Foundation - the county has invested $73MM into all sorts of trails, features, and signage. . A recent economic impact study confirmed that visitors like me bring in $143MM annually. Expect to see cars from all over at trailheads. . I’ve been on the bike every day this week; my personal favorite being the #theback40 ... one of multiple 20+ mile XC loops. . . . #oztrailsnwa #theback40 #ridemtb #pivotbikes #pivotswitchbladeNo one is going to claim the soon to be demolished Nashville fairgrounds is a beautiful place. . But if your plan - like ours did - includes conveniently wandering this very cool city while eating your way through numerous hotspots, these dumpy racetrack sites overlooking turn-four do not disappoint.Increasingly, I’m convinced I would be well served owning a proper gravel bike to better explore and venture deeper into forest roads ... not for me, for science.Playing in the forest over at #firemountaintrailsystem. . . . #cherokeenorthcarolina #mtblife #pivotcycles #pivotswitchblade. Usually when out hiking, Kelly and I simply eat bars, gels, and sometimes fruit or trail mix. . However, in a change of routine, today I decided to pack a backcountry stove and #mountainhouse meal. Not sure why, but for some reason I thought a hot lunch might be a welcome treat - which it was. . A few hours into the hike, we enjoyed a warm lunch and hot tea in the shadow of a backcountry church (denominationn unknown). . Here in western North Carolina fall colors are in full swing, daytime temperatures are lovely, and the hiking has been wonderful during our first visit to Smokey Mountain National Park. . . . #smokeymountainnationalpark #gohike #rvlife #northcarolina. The elevation here in south-central Kentucky is just over 1,300ft. While this altitude is nothing to outright dismiss, it is hardly on par with abundance of 5,000+ heights common to the western portions of the US I am more accustomed to. . In the absence of elevation to ascend, a lot of hiking seems to instead descend into valleys and gorges. And so, we venture into the belly of the beast. . . . #bigsouthfork #kentucky #rvlife #lifeontheroad #homeiswhereyouparkit #optoutside. The thick, lush tree canopy high above ensures the area is wet, green, and beautiful. The air is cool, but not cold. Countless varieties of wild mushrooms grow uninhibited. There is a surreal, almost magical feeling out here. . The trails are slick and technical; the descents sketchy. . Damn, it is good to be out of the city and in the woods rolling on two wheels. . . . #bigsouthfork #mtbiking #pivotcycles #rvlife. People often assume Kelly and I must find it lonely living on the road, but the reality is that we regularly socialize with a diverse group of people. . The past six weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind. We re-entered the States in Montana over Labor Day weekend and now sit in south-central Kentucky. . During this stretch Kelly and I visited with 74 people, four dogs, and two puppies (yes, we made a list and counted). . It was great connecting with family and friends, all of whom graciously found time in their busy schedules for us - many on multiple occasions. . Of course my favorite visits were with my immediate family ... the rag-tag group pictured above. By not living in Minneapolis, Kelly and I are the ones keeping this group two down more often than not, but it was nice to have the band back together for a few weeks. . With the whirlwind tour completed, Kelly and I are now decompressing deep in the woods of southern Kentucky and eastern Tennessee before resurfacing three weeks from now in Asheville for more socializing. . . . Photo credit @lauracarrollphotoArchives
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What a great way to spend a birthday! Happy Birthday, Kelly!
Looks like a corporate executive——RETIRED! Enjoy “boomer”.