Trip reports, national park guides, and van life stories from the open road.
37 posts
by sprintermom|Oct 19, 2025|Trip Reports
Earlier this year, our wayfinding carried us through the desert heart of northern Arizona — from the wind-carved mesas of Pipe Spring to the volcanic ridges near Sunset Crater, winding our way toward ...
by sprintermom|Aug 31, 2025|Trip Reports
The Black Hills of South Dakota (Pahá Sápa in Lakota) are a landscape shaped by wind, time, and story. From the winding passageways of Jewel Cave, to the towering granite monuments of Crazy Horse and ...
by sprintermom|May 31, 2025|Trip Reports
Lavender Springtime Blossoms Springtime is always one of the most magical seasons in the National Parks. Blossoms start to open, wildlife is active, and every Junior Ranger badge feels like an adventu...
by sprintermom|Dec 31, 2024|Van Life
And a Happy Christmas to All! Each year, we trade our modern world for a stroll back in time, to The Great Dickens Christmas Fair. After loading the van with Victorian wear, we hop in and head to the ...
by sprintermom|Aug 31, 2024|Trip Reports
Onward bound on our Great Lakes adventure! From Ontario to the heart of the Midwest and into the East, our journey wove together lakeshores, battlefields, historic homes, and memorials — each offering...
by sprintermom|Jul 31, 2024|Trip Reports
Spring is a season of awakening in the Great Lakes region. Rivers thaw, forests glow with new green, and the air is alive with birdsong. On this adventure, we traced history, culture, and wilderness a...
by sprintermom|Jun 30, 2024|Trip Reports
Every adventure tells a story, and this one felt like crossing eras of the Earth itself, deep into the Cascade Range. This is where ancient forces shaped the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, from t...
by sprintermom|Jul 14, 2023|Van Life
Owning a van is undoubtedly a labor of love, it is a continuous cycle of van repairs and maintenance that is best done DIY. While vans symbolize adventure, freedom, and limitless possibilities, the re...
by sprintermom|Mar 12, 2023|Trip Reports
If you love stunning, towering monumental rock features, then both Zion and Yosemite National Parks are two of your must-see National Parks. Located in Utah and California, both National Park are fill...
by sprintermom|Oct 23, 2022|Trip Reports
Vast forests, stunning waterfalls, alpine temple mountains; the enchanted forests of Northern California invoke a state of wonder. I've talked in previous posts about living off-grid on Mount Shasta a...
by sprintermom|Oct 18, 2022|Van Life
After years of experience, we are happy to share with you our new and improved website on mastering van life with kids and pets. I'm not one to boast, but I feel we can now unquestionably say we are a...
by sprintermom|Oct 1, 2022|National Parks & Places
The missions and forts of the Oregon Trail preserve the memory of the regions' settlement, which are now National Park Service sites. Much of the Oregon Trail is now located in the Pacific Northwest r...
by sprintermom|Sep 1, 2022|National Parks & Places
We are van lifers, so freedom is our forte. I'd like to muse how we will all define our life and freedom in the time of the Great Reset. What we will tell our descendants someday. We have the freedom ...
by sprintermom|Jun 24, 2022|Trip Reports
I split our journey to the southwest into two categories: historic ruins and the extravagant red rock natural wonders. It's true, the National Parks of the Great American Southwest are bursting with h...
by sprintermom|May 24, 2022|Trip Reports
The National Parks of the Great American Southwest are bursting with \"the people of long ago\" historic ruins. Called \"the people of long ago\" by First Nation People, and also termed the Fremont Cultur...
by sprintermom|Apr 24, 2022|Van Life
It's evident that the macrobiotic diet has carried with us in Van Life, called Great Life Diet, it is meant to be. Because van life is a great life. The Great Life Diet: How to Eat Super Healthy on Ro...
by sprintermom|Mar 31, 2022|Trip Reports
We love our National Parks so much we fused our two favorite things into works of art: education and adventure. Our National Park Junior Ranger Adventure NFTs bring the best of both. Collect the Educa...
by sprintermom|Feb 26, 2022|Van Life
It's freedom at our off-grid property on the edge of a National Forest. It isn't always easy thriving off-grid, but at least we have the off-grid van. Until our van broke down. It was hard to explain ...
by sprintermom|Dec 1, 2021|Trip Reports
After visiting 10 National Parks in 2019 and collecting Junior Ranger badges at each one, we have set some future real adventure goals. As there are hundreds of Junior Ranger programs in the National ...
by sprintermom|Aug 30, 2021|Van Life
We have mastered great off-grid set ups for life on the edge of a national forest, and it's freedom. Here are the essentials that we can't do without. Through the van window The backstory is we have s...
by sprintermom|Jul 26, 2021|Van Life
Whether we are exploring National Parks on a long van trip, or thriving off-grid near the National Forest these are the top 3 items for freedom life in a van. Our Top 3 Items for Great Sleep and Clima...
by sprintermom|Mar 29, 2021|Trip Reports
Bend, Oregon is great, be a tourist here. This post is all about how we lived the locals' life for a ski season, and our takeaways. Completely piggybacking the popular bumper sticker Bend Sucks, Don't...
by sprintermom|Dec 27, 2020|Van Life
The van is truly freedom in any season, when winter comes we put away the summer camp gear and transform the van to our ski lodge on wheels. It's Freedom in Any Season: The Van is the Best Summer Camp...
by sprintermom|Aug 24, 2020|Trip Reports
The prolific Pacific Northwest is home to the largest temperate rainforest on planet earth. It's pretty magical. Not to mention the spectacular contrasting ecosystems, just take Olympic National Park....
by sprintermom|Aug 17, 2020|National Parks & Places
Nothing says a great road trip like the ultimate van rescue operation. A great road trip is all about the unexpected adventures and memorable experiences encountered on the way. Thanks to the heroic e...
by sprinterdad|Mar 15, 2020|Van Life
Our new front double bunk system is the superior van sleeping system for big kids. It was a labor of love but well worth the effort. Van Life: Our New Front Double Bunk System How We Did It We're stok...
by sprintermom|Jan 18, 2020|National Parks & Places
It feels like forever since I last posted. I wanted to throw out it out there, Van Life is the best life. We have had quite a ride these past few months. But the best ride is always in the van. Van tr...
by sprintermom|Oct 20, 2019|National Parks & Places
This summer we didn't wander far, instead we discovered all the local magic in the National Parks of serene Southern Oregon. Wizard Island at Crater Lake on a clear skies day in Southern Oregon It's t...
by sprintermom|Aug 29, 2019|National Parks & Places
Anyone who has visited knows Monterey Bay is pretty special, where sparkling tides meet rocky shorelines rich with colorful sea glass. Where abundant aquatic life plays in the sun. On this recent trip...
by sprintermom|Aug 24, 2019|Trip Reports
The National Parks of the charming Upper Midwest region are where you'll find living legends, sacred rocks, and mysterious caves. On our family adventure to catch some magic in the National Parks we a...
by sprintermom|Jul 14, 2019|Trip Reports
It was a complete accident that we ended up traveling Beartooth Pass out of Yellowstone's Northeast into Red Lodge, Montana. Montana's Highest Highway: All Hail to Beartooth Pass We wanted to find a q...
by sprintermom|Jun 7, 2019|Trip Reports
If every corner of the world is creating their own dream, then the dream of Ashland nestled in the Rogue Valley, is a pretty lovely one. Ashland is a peaceful town filled with nourishing food and gath...
by sprintermom|Apr 24, 2019|Trip Reports
In November 2017 we rented an RV from Cruise America, and it was this experience that culminated into Van Life and beyond. Magic land at Emigrant Lake How the Van Life Adventure Began At the time, we ...
by sprinterdad|Apr 22, 2019|Van Life
Whether Van Life, Tiny Home life, or RV life, anyone can tell you, what makes or breaks the tiny living experience is the parking. Tiny Living: What Makes or Breaks It is the Parking All the Rave Abou...
by sprintermom|Apr 8, 2019|Van Life
The Container Store has the most versatile organization magic invented whether you are in a van home, or any kind of tiny home. Van Life: Organize with The Container Store Organize with Plastic Basket...
by sprintermom|Apr 8, 2019|National Parks & Places
It's true, Santa Cruz isn't sunny all the time, but is a great place to find sandy beaches, magical redwoods, easy food, and good kid fun. Van Life in the Sunny Santa Cruz Region Santa Cruz Has Any Ki...
by sprintermom|Apr 8, 2019|National Parks & Places
Our rustic van conversion by Pata Vans was the best way to start the Van Life adventure, simple, natural, and feels like home. Finding the Right Van Conversion It can only be a stroke of luck that hap...
