Category Archives: United States

MatD’s Ultimate Utah Bucket List

Utah Rocks!  That phrase seems to be everywhere nowadays.  I would call Utah the state of rocks.  Its most prominent features are all rocks.  Visitors come from around the world to see Utah’s rocks.  I have been obsessed with this state since long before I before I started my 59 national park quest.  I have wanted to visit Utah (aka Angel’s Landing in Zion) since I was in high school.  I have visited this state several times since I started college.  I took an internship that didn’t really interest me for the solo reason as it got my close to Utah.  I then took the long way home from Colorado to Florida with a trip to Utah on the way.  There are plenty of things to do in Utah.  Here is my MatD’s Ultimate Utah Bucket List Continue Reading . . .

United States 59 National Park Quest #42 – Crater Lake National Park

The sun had long since set by the time I got to Crater Lake National Park. I had made the long drive from Davis, CA to Crater Lake National Park after work to spend the weekend in Oregon’s only national park. I couldn’t wait to check out Crater Lake as it would be my 42nd national park and the last of the Cascade mountain national parks. As with most of my trips, I read up on the post of fun activities to do while camping on campingfunzone.com and headed out with the hope of this trip being better than my last one. Not to mention, this was a last minute decision to spend the weekend in Crater Lake. Continue Reading . . .

Seven Spectacular Reasons to Visit Alaska in September

Alaska is a bucket list vacation destination. A typical visitor is coming to visit the amazing scenery, do some fishing/hunting after having read about popular fishing spots from a buying guide, or view some epic wildlife. This is the state to do all of these plus so much more.  Visitors typically come in June, July, and August with a very much needed boondocking guide with them. These are the short summer season in Alaska.  Alaska is BUSY during those months.  Avoid the popular months and check out an Alaskan September. Continue Reading . . .

Spotlight Thursday – Hanging out at Hanging Lake, Colorado

Every Thursday, I will be posting a photo from my travels and a spotlight on the location. Today’s Spotlight Thursday is from my time living in Fort Collins, Colorado.  One week I had some free time so I decided to drive down and hike the Hanging Lake Trail.  Hanging Lake trail is hidden above the Colorado River in Glenwood Canyon.  Glenwood Canyon is a unique canyon.  It is one of my favorite canyon drives in the United States.  Interstate 70 which runs thru the canyon was specifically designed to preserve the natural beauty of the canyon. Continue Reading . . .

59 National Park Quest #40 – The National Park of American Samoa

I stepped off the plane and on to a South Pacific Island.  Yet, I haven’t even left the United States.  I am still ‘technically” in the United States.  I had landed at the Pago Pago International Airport on the island of Tutuila in American Samoa.  American Samoa is an unincorporated unorganized territory of the United States.  Basically, the islands are owned by the US but operate under local rule and customs.  The U.S. Federal Government has limited involvement in American Samoa politics and American Samoans are U.S. Nationals but not citizens. I have traveled to this far flung island chain south of the equator and halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii to spend four days exploring the National Park of American Samoa. Continue Reading . . .