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The first half of 2025 has been another wonderful adventure.
Celebrated the New Year in the desert at the Midland LTVA in California with my buddy Greg. I think we made it to about 8pm before turning in for the night. I’m very lucky and grateful to call Greg a friend!
This was the 3rd winter season boondocking in the deserts of Arizona and California and each year the weather has been very different. The first year was the most pleasant, weather wise. Last year there was a lot of rain and this year there was absolutely no rain but high winds most of the stay. It’s still a great place to spend the winter for very little money.
I got to hang out with some great friends and met a bunch of new friends.
Watched the Super Bowl on the big screen while hanging out with the Your Jesus Journey crew. Really didn’t watch much of the game, we were eating a lot and fellowshipping most of the time, what a great group of wonderful people!
Left the desert in mid-February for a week, the winds and sand were starting to make me nuts. Drove over to Tucson for a few days and stayed at a campground so I could do some deep cleaning and de-sanding! The sand gets into everything, even closed storage compartments.
Stayed a couple of nights at my favorite Harvest Host location, Little Anthony’s Diner in Tucson. The food and staff are amazing and they love RVers. I took a drive up Mt Lemmon and drove and hiked in Saguaro National Park.
After a nice break from the desert I went back to meet up with my crew in Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. We hung out for a few days before we said our goodbyes and all ventured out in different directions. What a great bunch of wonderful friends. I went down to Yuma AZ and stayed in a hotel for a few nights before making my way back to the east coast.
I visited my favorite place, White Sands National Park and spent several hours on the dunes meditating and enjoying the quietness and beauty, if you have a chance you need to visit this amazing place!
Visited Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico which is another amazing place, went to the UFO Museum in Roswell NM, being that close I had to see what it was all about. Very interesting place.
Made my way through Texas and up into Oklahoma. Stopped in Oklahoma City to visit the Alfred P Murrah Federal Building that was bombed in 1995. Very nice memorial and a quiet place to reflect on this horrible event. The National Park Service has done a very good job with this memorial, glad I stopped. After leaving OKC I was heading south to my Harvest Host location when the winds kicked up and started blowing 70mph+, it was the scariest drive yet since setting out on this journey. The owner of the HH location said it was the worst winds he’s seen in his 67 years living there. Glad a made it out in one piece!
Made it back to the east coast and visited with my brother in Calabash NC and my other brother and his family in Midlothian VA. So glad to have them in back in my life.
Got back to my old stomping grounds in Northern VA at the end of March and spent a month visiting with friends, getting a checkup/physical with my doctor, saw a bunch of friends at Cornerstone Chapel and prepared for Loop #5.
After a month in Virginia I left to head to Maine. I didn’t take the direct route from VA to ME. My travels took me through West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, NY and then finally to Maine!
I visited Hocking Hills State Park which was wonderful, then up to Columbus to meet up with my old college friend, Tom Welch, we had a good visit and nice lunch and then it was back on the road. Meandered around Ohio for a few days before meeting up with my dear friends, the Burke Family in NE Ohio and had a good time catching up. Quick stop in Akron to visit with my friend Gaylen before heading into NW Pennsylvania and then up to New York.
Stayed a couple of days near Niagara Falls, took the tour and the Maid of the Mist boat ride, very touristy but well worth the money and time. Made it to the Finger Lakes Region of NY where I got to spend some time with my college friends, Jeanette and Bob and Lisa Dreste. Another fun visit with all of them. This is becoming an annual thing!
Through Vermont and New Hampshire, which are absolutely beautiful, and to my favorite campground in the country, Oceanfront Camping at Reach Knolls. Lori and Paul are amazing hosts and Lori’s mom Carol is awesome as well. I feel like I am part of their family now. They are the friendliest people and so accommodating. This campground is the best! I can’t say enough about it!
After a bit of a hiking break, I dusted off my hiking shoes and tied them back on and have done some amazing hikes in the area! The trails and the views are stunning!
I am spending 2 months at the campground before venturing out to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland for 6 weeks!
What a great first half of the year. I continue to be grateful for all the adventures, awesome friends, and our beautiful country!
To be continued….
