We planned to boondock on our new batteries, but we didn’t plan to spend our boondocking time without a generator. After moving from our camping spot at the North Fork Campground, we moved to our new boondocking spot. Our generator quit working on the first day; we didn’t have it to recharge our new batteries […]
Boondocking with our new batteries after our generator died. Read More »
Our boondocking adventure in the Sawtooth Mountains started with a short stay at the North Fork Campground, a Forest Service Campground, a few miles north of Ketchum. What I didn’t know about staying at the North Fork Campground was that winter would start at the end of June. The photo at the top is after
Awesome Boondocking Adventure in the Sawtooths Read More »
Summer starts on June 21; a week after that, our second winter started for us on June 26. We had a cold trip this spring, but as soon as we got to Boise, it got hot. We had one week with temperatures in the high nineties. I was looking forward to leaving. The day we
Winter started at the end of June. Read More »
We don’t really look forward to crossing eastern Oregon, and this year was no exception. It is, however, better than crossing eastern Washington. Both eastern Oregon and eastern Washington have the same problem. It is very dry, all caused by the rain shadow effect of the Cascade Mountains. Most of Nevada has the same problem
Crossing eastern Oregon in 2026 before the summer heat. Read More »
We typically go north every spring as geese do, and head south for the winter. Our 2026 spring trip was great and sometimes very interesting. Sometimes we have uneventful trips. Sometimes, like this spring trip, we have eventful trips. On the whole, we hope our adventures are interesting but not all that exciting. Some things
Our spectacular 2026 spring trip. Read More »
We carry these air pumps in our RV to keep all our toys (including our RV) running correctly at the correct air pressures. Right now we are camping at a remote location in Idaho. We can’t run down to the local mechanic or call someone to help us because, for example, we have low air
Our air pumps are the right tools for the job. Read More »
We had an RV tire failure while crossing West Texas. This was a near miss. It wasn’t road damage, and we didn’t have a blowout. We dodged the bullet and came up smelling like roses. The only thing we lost was some time, and not much time. UPDATE: October 27, 2024. Finally, in June 2024,
RV Tire Failure Driving Across West Texas (updated with the rest of the story) Read More »
My RV has horrible plumbing, and I bet yours does too. I spent most of the last five days repairing a plumbing leak; it took more than 40 hours of work, and at the very end, I still had to call an RV technician because he had a slightly smaller tool that could make the
My RV has horrible plumbing; the repair was a nightmare. Read More »
Oregon State Parks Special Access Pass is available to any disabled veteran — from any state. Update: May 26, 2026, I am sorry to report this is no longer true. The Oregon State Parks Special Access Pass is only for Veterans from Oregon and a few veterans from other states who were already issued the
Oregon State Parks Special Access Pass for Disabled Veterans Read More »
For the last two weeks, we stayed at some wonderful campgrounds that had crappy 30-amp power. Last week, the 30-amp power was so crappy that I didn’t plug in to the pedestal. We have a large RV and prefer 50-amp power at a campground. But my RV is better prepared to operate on limited 30-amp
Crappy 30-amp power Read More »
California Central Coast. Incredible sights above all have to be the Hearst Castle and Morro Bay they were very beautiful.
The Hearst Castle a perfect Mediterranean Villa in California Read More »
We like cruising, but that is not the reason we chose to spend 43 days on the Queen Anne crossing the Pacific Ocean. Our motivation was to get to California without flying. Instead of flying, our home for the last six weeks has been on a luxury cruise ship. Poor baby, he gets tired when
Queen Anne, our luxury home at sea Read More »
The first step in our 2026 journey was to fly from Los Angeles to Singapore. Singapore wasn’t on my destination list, mostly because I had been there (even though Tami had not been anywhere in Asia) and because you can’t get to Singapore in our RV. Singapore is a tiny island, and our RV is
Our crazy Singapore journey Read More »
In the spring edition of Escapees Magazine (March-April 2026), Escapees Magazine published the article about our surge protector. We gave Escapees Magazine permission to reprint parts of our surge protector article. This isn’t the first time an RV magazine has published some of our articles. It has happened several times in the last eight years;
Escapees Magazine published the article about our surge protector. Read More »
I didn’t have a heart attack. I can’t believe how often I have to tell my medical team that I didn’t have a heart attack. You also wouldn’t know that I didn’t have a heart attack based on the overwhelming number of visits I have made to the hospital during the last month. While the
I didn’t have a heart attack. Read More »
This is a comprehensive look at how to choose the best electric bicycle. It is your FREE e-bike e-book buying guide, including everything you need to know about e-bikes. Getting an electric bike is a big deal, and you don’t want to make a mistake. This article was updated in January 2026 and originally published
E-bikes 2026: How to choose the best electric bicycle: Free e-bike e-book Read More »
We have always had a surge protector on our RV. In November, our surge protector died while protecting our RV. After going to San Diego, we went back to the desert for some relaxing time. We had cut short our intended route across the Southwestern States because we needed to get back to San Diego
Our surge protector died while protecting our RV Read More »
Our 2025 adventure took us halfway around the world. Well, not quite halfway around the globe, but we went farther in one year than we ever have before. Overall, our 2025 adventure was at least 19,000 miles and may have been more than 20,000 miles. At the end of 2024, I predicted we would put
Our 2025 adventure took us halfway around the world. Read More »
Mid-winter is the best time to start planning your Alaska RV trip. We are beginning to outline our next summer RV adventure, even though it is the first week of December, the year prior. Every year at about this time, I start getting questions about our Alaska RV trip and how to plan it. Making
Plan your 2026 epic Alaska RV trip now. Read More »
Our Hughes Watchdog Power Center provides our RV with complete protection against electrical issues. We now have the latest updated Watchdog Power Center installed inside our RV. Unlike the above photo, where it is sitting next to the power pedestal, I have installed it inside our RV so that whenever we are using external power,
Our new Watchdog Power Center offers complete protection Read More »
The Very Large Array is a collection of 27 radio telescopes in Socorro, New Mexico. Even though it isn’t a typical tourist attraction, we visited it last month on our way home from the Grand Canyon and the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque. We frequently visit places that aren’t typical tourist spots. The Very Large Array
The Very Large Array is a very, very big telescope. Read More »
A Genturi is a plastic extension to your generator exhaust pipe. Your Genturi might be a cheap copy, and it might melt. Be careful with your Genturi; yours might not be as good as my old one. A quick search of generator exhaust on Amazon turned up multiple items that looked like mine at about
Genturi update and warning Read More »
The quest on our fall trip was to camp at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is the largest balloon gathering in the world. It is also the most photographed annual event in the world. The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is an annual nine-day balloon gathering during the first full week of October. More
Camping under the balloons at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Read More »
We are RVing to the Grand Canyon. Or at least two weeks ago, we were RVing to the Grand Canyon by crossing the Mojave Desert in September. It was very hot. Our goal was to visit the Grand Canyon in September, after the summer heat had passed and the temperatures had cooled. Other than crossing
RVing to the Grand Canyon Read More »
Thus is the life of a superhero. I was fighting evil, as I always do, and had just rescued a baby from certain death (not true, but everyone loves babies, and a mere mention makes the story better). It was too dark to see into the shadows, and evil was around every corner (not true,
My Crash landing in London Read More »
Small solar panels are rated at less than 100 watts of power. In this article, I will explore their usefulness. You may think they are the lowest-cost solar panels available, but they are actually the most costly solar panels in terms of price versus performance. Some small solar panels are novelties. Originally published on May
Are small solar panels useful? Read More »
Musei di Strada Nuova translates to English as the Strada Nuova Museum in Genoa. The Strada Nuova is a collection of three museums in adjoining buildings. They are the largest museum group in the city of Genoa, housing a collection of ancient art. Palazzo Bianco (The White Palace), Palazzo Doria, and Palazzo Rosso, which were
The beautiful Musei di Strada Nuova in Genoa Read More »
Genoa’s Medieval Churches are filled with beautiful Renaissance Art. You don’t have to visit a museum to see great art in Genoa; it’s often available in the city’s medieval churches for free (or sometimes for a small fee). Most of the art in Medieval Churches is frescoes, which are painted directly on the walls, making them
Genoas Medieval Churches are filled with Renaissance Art Read More »
The Doge Palace was the home of the “supreme” leader in Genoa. Doge roughly translates to the word “Lord” in the city-state construction of the medieval period in northern Italy. The Doge was the central authority figure. Both the city states of Venice and Genoa used the term. Initially, a Doge was “elected” by the
The Doge Palace and Chapel of the Doge in Genoa Read More »
The Cinque Terre National Park is about five villages, listed from north to south, as follows: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. Of course, there are more than just these villages, including the beautiful shoreline on the Mediterranean Sea. Photoblog, Cinque Terre, Italy, April 19, 2025 What are we doing in Europe? Here
The five villages that make the Cinque Terre National Park Read More »
La Spezia was our destination, but not so we could see the castle. In fact, until our arrival, we didn’t know the Castle of San Giorgio dominated the hilltop over the city. Since this was our first actual castle on our European trip, we had to see it. Photoblog, La Spezia, Italy, April 18, 2025
Beautiful views of La Spezia from the Castle of San Giorgio Read More »
Donatello, Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, and Nigetti combined their mastery to create the Basilica of San Lorenzo, the Medici Chapels, and the Chapel of the Princes in Florence. This list reads like a who’s who of Renaissance artists. Photoblog, Florence, Italy, April 12-16, 2025 What are we doing in Europe? Here is the story. Touring Europe might be
Basilica of San Lorenzo, the Medici Chapels and the Chapel of the Princes Read More »
Like the paintings at the Uffizi Gallery, the Roman Sculptures at the Uffizi Gallery are Masterpieces. Unlike the paintings, the sculptures are almost all Roman and not Renaissance. At the top is a Renaissance Sculpture, but the rest of these are Roman Sculptures. Photoblog, Florence, Italy, April 12, 2025 What are we doing in Europe?
Secrets about the Roman Sculptures at the Uffizi Gallery Read More »
The paintings at the Uffizi Gallery are Renaissance Masterpieces. Like the world-renowned Louver in Paris, the Uffizi Gallery is the number one Italian Renaissance art collection. As you will see from the photos, all the prominent Renaissance artists are represented in the gallery. The only one I seem to have missed is Donatello. Photoblog, Florence,
Uffizi Gallery Renaissance Masterpiece paintings Read More »
Visiting Florence is an art lesson on the streets. You can’t go to Florence without seeing art. It is everywhere: in the buildings, on the walls, standing in the squares, and even drawn on the streets. When you are visiting Florence, you are surrounded by art. Photoblog, Florence, Italy, April 12-16, 2025 What are we
Visiting Florence is an art lesson on the streets Read More »
Michelangelo’s Masterpiece, the Renaissance sculpture of David, and several other Michelangelo statues are at the Gallery of the Academy of Florence. The centerpiece is Michelangelo’s David, but there are also finished and unfinished statues by Michelangelo and several other impressive statues. Most of them are Renaissance Sculptures, even up to the 1800s. Photoblog, Florence, Italy, April
Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy Read More »
Paintings at the Gallery of the Academy in Florence have three styles: Statues, Pre-Renaissance, and Renaissance. To me, the difference in the paintings is that Renaissance Paintings exhibit far more depth, perhaps even movement in the paintings. Pre-Renaissance is also divided into two groups, sometimes called Early Renaissance and the earlier works described as Gothic.
Pre-Renaissance paintings at the Gallery of the Academy Read More »
Renaissance Paintings at the Gallery of the Academy look much like photographs and exhibit far more depth, background, and even movement. They are more lifelike than any art preceding them except for statues. I think realism comes from the advanced techniques used during the Renaissance. The Renaissance artists created depth, including methods for seeing the
Renaissance paintings at the Gallery of the Academy Read More »
Everyone knows that Mount Vesuvius’s eruption destroyed Pompeii in 79 A.D. I didn’t know that Pompeii was at least 800 years old and had a fascinating history that pre-dated the Roman Period by hundreds of years. Photoblog, Naples, Italy, April 10, 2025 What are we doing in Europe? Here is the story. Touring Europe might be
Pompeii completely destroyed in one day! Read More »
The Cathedral of Saint Andrew the Apostle is in the small town of Amalfi, the city for which the Amalfi Coast is named. According to Greek mythology, the Greek god Hercules loved a nymph named Amalfi, who died. Hercules chose the present-day Amalfi as the most beautiful spot and named the place after her. Photoblog,
The Beautiful Cathedral of Saint Andrew at Amalfi Read More »
If you love beautiful views and quaint, picturesque towns, go to the Amalfi Coast, but don’t drive there for one huge reason: parking anywhere on the Amalfi Coast is nearly impossible. Parking is especially impossible in the most picturesque towns. Photoblog, Naples, Italy, Europe. April 9, 2025 What are we doing in Europe? Here is
Don’t drive the Amalfi Coast! Read More »
Paestum is an ancient Greek city in southern Italy. It is renowned for its remarkably well-preserved Greek Temples. In Paestum, we found Greek Temples in Italy. Paestum predates the Roman Empire by several hundred years. Because of locations like Paestum, the Romans were infatuated with Greek culture and mythology. Greek culture was well established when
We found Amazing Greek Temples in Italy! Read More »
The Trevi Fountain should be on every visitor’s list of must-see attractions in Rome. The fountain is one of the earliest water sources for ancient Rome. The ornate fountain was built to celebrate the finishing of a major aqueduct that brought much-needed water to the city. Photoblog, Rome, Italy, Europe. April 7, 2025 What are
The Beautiful Trevi Fountain Read More »
The Pantheon, built on the site of an earlier temple, was dedicated to “all the gods” in the second century. In the 7th century, it was converted into a church. It is one of the best-preserved structures in ancient Rome, mainly because it has been continuously used throughout its history. Photoblog, Rome, Italy, Europe. April
The Pantheon is amazing Read More »
Before Rome was founded, the Roman Forum was a swampy area between Palatine Hill and Capitoline Hill. Over the next four hundred years, the swamp was filled in, drained, and converted into The Roman Forum, complete with a palazzo. Most cities in Italy and Spain have the same palazzo in the center of the town.
Colosseum comes from the Latin word for really big (colossal). In this case, the huge item is the Roman Colosseum. This structure is massive, but the name Colosseum is not associated with the size of the amphitheater; instead, the Colosseum was named after the enormous bronze statue of Emperor Nero. Photoblog, Rome, Italy, Europe. April
The Roman Colosseum Read More »
Monument of Victor Emmanuel II di Savoia: The first king of united Italy was Victor Emmanuel II di Savoia. Before unifying Italy as its first king, he was the King of Sardinia. Sardinia is an island between Italy and Spain in the Mediterranean Sea. Victor Emmanuel assumed the title of King of Italy in 1861, Photoblog,
Monument of Victor Emmanuel II di Savoia in Rome Read More »
The frescos in the Borghese Gallery have the wow factor. I think the most impressive paintings in the Borghese are the frescoes. Frescos are painted while the plaster on the walls and ceilings is drying. If the painting is not completed rapidly, the artist must remove the plaster and start over. Photoblog, Rome, Italy, Europe.
Masterpiece frescos in the Borghese Gallery Read More »
The Borghese Gallery is all about the best fine art. In many cases, especially when considering Masterpiece paintings in the Borghese Gallery, these are the original paintings by the original artists. Photoblog, Rome, Italy, Europe. April 4, 2025 What are we doing in Europe? Here is the story. Touring Europe might be a crazy idea. You
Masterpiece Paintings in the Borghese Gallery Read More »
Statues in the Borghese Gallery The Borghese Gallery may have more masterpieces than any other building worldwide. I have included some mosaics at the end of the post we found in the Borghese Gallery. Starting with Roman statues and including masterpieces of both paintings, the Gallery is famous for Renaissance art. More than 300 years ago,
Masterpiece Statues in the Borghese Gallery (and mosaics) Read More »
