Are you retired?
No, I’m not! I am on sabbatical. My father passed away, and I had been taking care of him for six or seven years. My three sons are grown and live elsewhere, so once my dad was gone, I had no reason to stay in Montgomery, Alabama. I quit my job, sold his house and everything in it, bought a Subaru and a rooftop tent, and hit the road!
Where do you sleep?
Most of the time I sleep in my rooftop tent, which means I find a campground that will accept cars at the campsite. Ella prefers to sleep in her spot inside the car rather than come up to the tent with me. She has a fan if it’s hot and a heated blanket if it’s too cold. In the most primitive campgrounds, I pitch a ground tent and Ella sleeps with me. Sometimes I stay with friends or family, at Airbnbs, or even in hotels.
Do you feel safe or get scared?
I have never felt scared or unsafe while camping. The wonderful thing about the camping community and campgrounds in general is the people. Most leave their gear out without any fear of it being stolen. Statistically there are far fewer bad guys in campgrounds than there are in cities and towns. Wildlife? Most are not aggressive, just curious. I’m not worried about snakes or gators because I can be cautious enough to avoid those, but bears may be a different story. Again, statistically I am less likely to be attacked by wildlife in all its forms than I am by bad guys in an urban setting.
What is your plan to visit the parks?
Yes! I plan to start on the east coast of Florida, go down to the Everglades and back up the west coast of Florida, then start a southern route going West to TX, NM, and AZ through the winter. In Spring I’ll head up the CA coast to the Pacific Northwest. Early summer will be the northern national parks and dropping down to the Rockies. Then over to the Upper Peninsula of MI and headed East to Maine during the Fall. I’ll conclude down the East Coast during the Fall foliage. Basically, it’s the South in the winter and the North in the summer. That’s my tentative plan – always subject to revision if I change my mind or run out of money!
How do you get your mail?
I have a mail service called iPostal1 in Montgomery, AL. It serves as my physical address, and as my mailing address. It’s great. You can have your mail forwarded to a post office near you on your trip, or you can direct the service to open your mail and scan copies to you. They will keep your mail and packages in storage until you pick them up or tell them what to do with it.
What did you do with all your stuff?
The majority of everything that I own I sold in an estate sale or gave away. I sold all my tech items because I figured I would want to buy new technology in a few years anyway. I held onto useful things that don’t get obsolete, such as kitchen items, linens, and winter coats. No furniture, no beds, and very few knick-knacks. Of course, I kept some keepsakes from my parents, and I did save my tennis racquet. I put these things in storage.
What equipment do you have with you?
I have cooking equipment: a one-burner butane stove, a small propane Jetboil for boiling water, very small pots and a frying pan, utensils for cooking and eating, and flexible cutting boards for makeshift counter space, a pour-over coffee filter and pot, and a big ol’ coffee mug. I have a box full of dry and canned foods like oatmeal, rice, bread, jerky, and canned beans, and I keep a basket of tangerines, apples, bananas, oranges, nuts, crackers, and raisins on the front seat with me. I also have a refrigerator behind the passenger seat where I keep milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, carrots, and hummus, among other fruits and vegetables; this means I also have a solar-powered lithium battery to keep the refrigerator running and to charge my electronics. I have clothing enough for the whole year, so shorts and T shirts, pants and long sleeves, long johns and rain pants. I have several different styles of coats: hoodie, raincoat, puffy vest, puffy winter coat, as well as hats, ear warmers, gloves, neck gaiters, etc. I have hiking boots, rain boots, hiking shoes, camp shoes, and a pair of flip flops. I have a hefty first aid and medicine kit and a makeshift office with my computer, office supplies, and mailing supplies. I also have camping gear: ground tent, canopy, folding chairs and tables, and my sleeping bag with extra blankets. Last but not least, Ella’s gear: doggie tent, tennis balls, dog food and meds, leashes, poopy bags, and other sundries.
What happens if you break down?
I have roadside assistance with USAA, and they are fantastic. I learned, however, on my practice trip that I need to be prepared for flat tires and getting stuck in mud, snow, ice, etc., when I am out of cell service. I have a full-sized spare tire on a swing-out tire carrier mounted on the back of my car, so I don’t have to ride on my donut tire. I have a full toolbox with jack, jack stands, an air compressor, tow strap, snatch straps, tool kit, wrenches, jumper cables, complete with knee pads and coveralls, and Maxtrax, which are cleated tracks you put under your tires for traction if you’re stuck in the sand or mud, or you can use them to dig the mud out from around your tires.
What do you do for Internet?
I have unlimited data with Verizon, and I have a MiFi mobile hot spot for my computer and other devices. I have a We-Boost cell signal booster for my car and a Garmin satellite device for emergency contact in case I’m out of cell service.
Do you cook?
I do sometimes, but the effort to cook outside for one person is way more than brings me pleasure. Mostly I survive on fruit, cheese and crackers, veggies and hummus, cereal, yogurt, and the like. I make sure I have a really good diet full of nutrition, fiber, calcium, and protein. I don’t eat out often, and I drink very little grown-up libations.
How do you wash your clothes?
All of my clothes are easily washable in a sink or in my portable basin. I can wash my clothes very easily in the campsite as long as I have enough water. Most are dry-fit type of materials, so I can hang them, and it doesn’t take very long to dry. I try to stop at a hotel or Airbnb once a week or so to get a hot shower and do laundry. 😊
What about bathrooms?
Most campsites have some sort of bathroom, whether it’s a latrine or porta potty, or a full-on bath house with hot showers. But not all of them. Even those that have latrines sometimes I prefer not to use. I have a shovel, toilet paper, and wet wipes for those times. The important thing is to pack out trash, including disposable wipes. Bury your pee and poo, including toilet paper. DO NOT just leave toilet paper on the ground. People do this. So disgusting.
How long have you had Ella?
One year. Ella is a 7-year-old Boxer mix I got from the pound, and she’s such a good traveling companion! We are still getting to know each other, but she’s definitely my best buddy!
How do you decide where to go?
I read lots of blogs about what other people have done and what other people recommend. I then make lists of things that I want to do, and I research them. Some things I can’t do with a dog. Using Google maps, I then map out a loose agenda of things that pique my interest. I try not to plan too much because I want to remain open to things that capture my attention. I’ve learned that if I plan too rigidly, I may end up doing something I don’t want to do and miss something I do want to do!
How did you decide to take this trip?
After my father passed away, I knew I didn’t want to say in his house. It’s too big and way more than I need. I thought I would move to an apartment, which meant I couldn’t keep Ella. After thinking about how sad it was to get rid of my dog of about six months, I looked for somewhere I could go with her. I had no family in Alabama anymore, so I really could go anywhere. In fact, I could go everywhere! So that was my plan, to travel with her and go everywhere. I’ve always wanted to visit our National Parks, and I enjoy solo camping, so the whole plan sort of came together.
Do you like traveling alone?
I love traveling alone! I can go where I want, when I want, enjoy what is meaningful to me, and keep it super simple. The first time I traveled solo (to Nova Scotia in 2017), I thought I would really miss having someone to share the experience with. I found out I prefer experiencing things my way without having to take anyone else’s opinion into account. It’s very freeing!
Have you always been an outdoors person?
No, I haven’t. As a matter of fact, I’ve only been camping a handful of times in my life, and never more than a couple of nights at a time. I was NOT brought up hunting or fishing or with a love for the outdoors. I have limited knowledge of camping other than Girl Scouts 45 years ago and the few limited experiences I’ve had. I do love adventures, trying new things, and being independent, so this lifestyle is perfect (for now).
Do you wish you had an RV?
Not really. Usually, I am extremely content with my Subaru and RTT. I love sleeping in the tent and feeling the outdoors. I love hearing the crickets, frogs, katydids, and owls, and I love feeling the cool, fresh air and the temperature changes from warm to cool as the morning approaches. I love listening to the dewfall from the trees in the morning. RVs are big and bulky, and you have to park in an RV space to hookup to electrical and water. If you don’t use those things, then you need to bring along a battery and some extra water with you, which I already do in my car! RVs are very expensive to buy, to insure, and to maintain, not to mention the gas mileage. They are harder to maneuver and can’t go on a lot of types of terrain, and they take a lot of effort to setup each time you park. My Subie is economical, maneuverable, and I can be flexible in almost any situation. I can park wherever I want and easily drive around in small towns and on all types of terrain. It’s only inconvenient when I can’t find a place to camp. Sleeping in the car sucks.
What do you do when the weather is bad?
My tent and my car are both great in the wind and the rain. No leaks at all and very stable. The downside is setting up or breaking camp in the bad weather. Fortunately, I have the benefit of watching the forecast and directing my travels around storms and extreme weather. Also, I have an app called Drive Weather that let’s you determine your route and timing based on weather conditions. Super convenient. So far, weather has not been a challenge.
Do you have goals for this trip?
Yes! I have three goals:
Practically, I want to experience the natural beauty of all our National Parks in the continental US. I want to immerse myself in them, enjoy them, and encourage others to enjoy them.
Relationally, I want to see my people, especially my children, but also my siblings, cousins, friends, and acquaintances I don’t normally have the opportunity to see – in their own environments, up close and personal, lol.
Philosophically, I want to learn to live in the here and now, without planning, without deadlines, to become comfortable with mindfulness. Planning, deadlines, and making lists are intrinsic to my nature. I’m great at enjoying the moment when it’s in my schedule and I can cross it off my list when I am done. I want it to be the other way around. I want to spend my time in the moment, being mindful, understanding where I am and what I’m doing, experiencing my surroundings, experiencing the emotions, and when I actually do have something to do, that’s a moment I have to plan for.
Do you plan to finish your PhD?
I do. On this trip, I hope to gain an understanding of how diversity, equity, and inclusion are manifested in our National Parks. I want to learn more about the diversity statistics for both those who work in the park systems and those who visit the parks, as well as why they are so skewed to the majority. Then I want to contribute to policymaking efforts to make the parks more inclusive. Those are all things I plan to research for my PhD.