Blog

Ten reasons why travel is an investment

I was quite young when my folks got divorced, therefore family vacations were pretty much non-existent.  The highlight childhood vacation for me was the cliché trip to Disneyland, but other than that I don’t recall any others—except perhaps the occasional road trip to a relatives home.  My father was not...

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East entrance to the Grand Canyon

I have been to the Grand Canyon many times, but until today, I had no idea there was a third entrance. Nearly 90% of all the visitors to the Grand Canyon enter from the South Rim.  The North Rim, my personal favorite, is only open a few months out of...

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Trifecta of near mishaps

I woke to a beautiful pre-dawn morning and watched the sun rise above the canyon before me, just outside of Canyonlands National Park in the Moab, Utah. Just inside the park entrance is a 4-wheel drive road called, “Shafer Trail.” I wanted to take this road to the canyon floor...

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Cumbres/Toltec: Ridin’ the rails through the scenic San Juan’s

I have a good friend who is an avid train enthusiast…when he learned of my plans to visit Pagosa Springs, he highly recommend that I stop in Chama, New Mexico beforehand to take a ride on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. I decided to make plans to spend a...

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Cano’s Castle in Antonito, Colorado is a roadside attraction worth a gander

I've seen a lot of strange structures along the road during my travels, but "Cano's Castle" just might take the prize for the most whimsical. While visiting Antonito, Colorado after taking a ride aboard the Cumbras/Toltec Scenic Railway, I discovered Cano's Castle, one of the oddest structures I think I've...

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Rollin’ through Rockford

When I first entered the city limits of Rockford, IL, I have to be honest…I was not terribly excited. My first impressions were that of a generic retail big box community in the western shadows of Chicago. I had come to the area for a travel conference and was seriously...

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Galena, Illinois: Its past is our pleasure

Downtown Galena IL by MikesRoadTrip

Galena, Illinois is probably well-known to history buffs and those within a couple hundred-mile radius—but to someone from the southwest like myself, Galena was just another undiscovered small town in the vastness that makes up America. Galena epitomizes what I look for from a road trip—a place off the beaten...

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A reunion in Peoria

My main motivation for coming to Illinois was for the Travel Media Showcase conference in Rockford, IL.  I arrived in the state several days prior to the start of the show, so I reached out to some family members in Peoria, IL that I've not seen in more than a...

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Chicago, Chicago…that toddlin’ town…

Chicago, Chicago...that toddlin' town that I could not turn round... I typically try and bypass the big cities, but I'm in the area for a travel conference to be held in Rockford, Illinois. I have friends who live in the area and so it was the perfect opportunity to gather...

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The Trumbull House…A New England hide-a-way

One of the fascinating features about staying at a B&B is that there is always a story…whether that of the structure, or, of the innkeeper(s).  I recently discovered the oldest bed and breakfast in Hanover, New Hampshire, which is home to the Ivy League’s Dartmouth College.  Just a few miles...

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Road Trippin’ through PA

I haven't been able to update my "road diary" in a while as I've been road trippin' and camping in some remote parts of northern Pennsylvania (limited wi-fi/cell coverage). I've had a fantastic time exploring a number of the state parks along highway 6, which is quite a scenic route....

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10 sensational shots…that I never got!

A dedicated photographer always has their camera at the ready. While I almost always have one on me, the scene/shot often passes before I can take the photo. Sometimes, it's too difficult to be inconspicuous and/or not appropriate to take a pictures. Therefore, I have been keeping track of some...

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Fort Niagara: Past the ‘Falls,’ back in time

Niagara Falls is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, receiving some eight million visitors per year.  There is a good reason so many people visit Niagara Falls year-after-year…the sight is simply awe-inspiring.  Just beyond the Falls however, is a historic site that is equally as impressive—just...

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