Destination Unknown

After spending most of the summer on the East Coast, I began my yearly trek west for the winter. October brought me to the Midwest and my elusive 48th state. I finally ticked Indiana off the list. I’m not sure how I missed Indiana for so long—I’ve driven across the country seven times and somehow managed to go around it every time. One of the more unique places I visited in October was Casey, Illinois, home of the World’s Largest Everything. I originally saw on Google that they had the world’s largest golf tee, so I decided to check it out. When I arrived in town, I noticed a directional sign pointing to all the other “World’s Largest” attractions. I really enjoyed my time walking around town and talking with the locals. It’s a pretty quirky little place. I spent a few days with friends at a nomad gathering called Nomad Nexus at the fairgrounds in Oakwood, Illinois. It was a weeklong event, but I stayed for just a couple of nights and had a great time ...

I f not, you should, it’s a magical place. The people, the views, the history, the access to free camping, everything. I visited ‘The Rock’ this past summer and I will be heading back in 2026. There’s so much to do and to see that it’s nearly impossible to see and do everything in one visit. My only mistake on my first visit was going a little late in the summer. I spent the month of August exploring the island, which is a bit too late to see the whales, icebergs, and some other things Newfoundland is famous for. I’ll be remedying that on my next visit in 2026 by arriving in early June. I am no expert on Newfoundland or travel, but I want to share some of my experiences, traveling planning methods and route planning. I hope you find these at least a little bit helpful when you begin your plans to travel to Newfoundland. -        When to visit.  June-August are best for whale watching, icebergs, and pleasant weather. September-early October is best for ...

I’ve stayed at over 175 Harvest Host locations around the US and Canada and have had so many great experiences: the hosts, the locations, the hospitality/generosity. It’s been wonderful being part of the HH program. That said, one of my favorite stays and adventure was at  Parachute Montreal South Shore. Harvest Host Parachute Montreal I was up in northern Maine and thought Parachute Montreal would be a neat place to stay and watch the skydivers. I had no intention of partaking in the skydiving as I am a bit afraid of heights. But as is typical for me, plans change. About a week before my planned arrival at Parachute Montreal, I changed my mind and booked a jump time. No backing out now. I arrived at Parachute Montreal earlier than expected, maybe nerves, maybe wanting to get it over, maybe to give me time to think this whole thing over again. Well, the time to check-in arrived and I walked into the lobby to register and prepare for this adventure. Surprisingly I wasn’t nervous at ...