This train lover had never heard of the Los Angeles Union Station Train Festival 2023 until it popped up on my Facebook feed one day, so, of course, I had to check it out. Getting There Rather than drive the 218 km / 136 miles from my house to Union Station, I opted to take the train instead for a couple of reasons. First, it’s … Continue reading Los Angeles Trainfest
At Thanksgiving in November, I learned that Xanterra was having a “Thankful at Thanksgiving” sale for its properties, and Zion Lodge was on the list. I figured that I would already be in the neighborhood—sort of—and was able to tack on two nights at Zion Lodge after my time in Death Valley. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve visited Zion (4 or 5), … Continue reading Zion National Park 2023
I’m a pretty frugal guy, and when I come across a deal, I’ll give it careful consideration. Sometimes, I’ll even act upon it. And act, I did. Back in July, Xanterra, the concessionaire that runs lodging in a handful of national parks, was having its “Christmas in July” sale with up to 30% off the cost of lodging. I booked a room at The Ranch … Continue reading Death Valley 2023
In my last post, I talked about a last-minute decision to leave Kings Canyon National Park and head to the Eastern Sierra to see what remained of the autumn colors. Even though though it was 42 miles / 68 km as the crow flies between my the Cedar Grove Lodge in Kings Canyon and my hotel in Bishop, California, the shortest route available to me … Continue reading Tioga Pass to Eastern Sierra
We often remember our first experiences with fondness, and such was the case after my first visit to Kings Canyon National Park in May 2021. It was so peaceful and relaxing that I knew that I had to return one day in hopes of repeating the experience. Delaware North, the concessionaire that runs the lodging in the park, made that easier when they offered discounted … Continue reading Kings Canyon and Cedar Grove Lodge
ln some ways, this part of my recent epic cross-country trip was a trip down Memory Lane—or at least an attempt to jog my memory. Memory Lane In August 1966*, our family took a vacation from Chicago to Colorado and, on this trip, I wanted to revisit a few places. After all, I was only eight years old, and it would be nice to bring … Continue reading Durango and the San Juan Mountains
I’m from the Chicago area, and between the pandemic and the hassle of traveling at the holidays (when I would normally return), it’s been over four years since I last spent time with my family. I was overdue for a visit. My sister and her family, along with some longtime friends, have been spending their Memorial Day weekend at a resort on a man-made lake … Continue reading Back to My Midwest Roots: San Diego to Illinois
One of the cool things about being retired is having the ability to just get up and go. On Monday morning, I decided that I was going to head over to Saguaro National Park near Tucson, Arizona, so I packed a bag, booked a hotel room for two nights using points, threw my camera in my car and drove six hours to Tucson. I left … Continue reading Saguaro National Park and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
My first trip to Yosemite National Park was, like so many of my trips, a spontaneous one, and it had the potential to not turn out well at all. But it didn’t. I was in the Navy and had shipped my relatively new Nissan 200SX from Honolulu to Oakland, California in as part of my latest transfer to a new command. My plan was to … Continue reading Yosemite National Park
Prologue On one of my many cross-country trips in the early 1980s, I took a considerable detour off of Interstate 80 and spent a few hours touring around Grand Teton National Park, just south of Yellowstone National Park. I knew that I didn’t have time to do Yellowstone justice, so I skipped it and vowed I would return at some point in the future. Now, … Continue reading Yellowstone National Park
Travelin' Dan 