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Summer 2024 Roadtrip-Honeymoon
  • Erica Cromwell
  • David Conklin
  • Erica Cromwell
  • David Conklin

Summer 2024 Roadtrip-Honeymoon

10,000+ miles, 2 adults, 300 lbs of dog. What could go wrong?? Let the adventure begin! Read more
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  • Summer 2024 Roadtrip-Honeymoon

    Canyonlands NP day 1

    September 6, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    after the late night we knew we wanted a little later start to our third day in Moab. So we slept in a bit and grabbed some donuts from Doughbird in downtown and headed to Canyonlands national park (our 24th US National park together). We drove to several viewpoints and hiked the short distance to Mesa Arch. Mesa is most popular for photographers at sunrise, but we just weren’t up for that after so many long days, early mornings, and the previous nights stargazing. We still enjoyed the views of the Island in the Sky area of the park, including great views of the Shafer trail. Once just one cow wide and used to transport herds up and down the canyon walls, it was widened into a dirt rustic road during the uranium boom. It drops 1500 ft in the first few miles and featured hairpin turns on rough terrain. We weren’t sure if we were up for that quite yet so we just enjoyed the views from the top. Canyonlands has 3 main areas that are hours of driving apart due to the steep and rugged terrain. We will have to check out the Needles and Maze sections next time.

    Upon getting back to Moab we checked out their food truck park and grabbed some groceries at a local co-op. Of course grocery day can only be improved by combining it with laundry day! Afterwards we rewarded ourselves with peanut butter milkshakes from the food truck park and had a nice night under the stars with our propane fire pit.    Read more

  • Summer 2024 Roadtrip-Honeymoon

    Dead Horse Point SP & Shafer Road

    September 7, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    We woke up early to watch sunrise over Dead Horse Point state park, just outside of Canyonlands national park. It was beautiful to see the canyon walls light up and we chatted with a nice photographer from Texas. We could see the Shafer trail from the overlook (the road mentioned yesterday) and the photographer said he drove it the prior day and it was doable in a truck. He did give us the suggestion on just going out to a point and back since the entire length is 45 miles from Canyonlands to Moab. We took his advice and headed that way, finding a point on the map that said “Thelma and Louise point.” Even though in the movie the women supposedly drive off the cliff into the Grand Canyon, it was actually filmed in Canyonlands off this road.

    We made our way to the steep, narrow switchbacks on this bumpy dirt road. The views were incredible and Dave and I love feeling immersed in a place rather than looking down on it. The photographer had warned us that the switchbacks were in good condition but the road worsened significantly once down along the river. He wasn’t kidding. They were fairly rough along the switchbacks but once at the bottom, the trail went in and out of dry stream beds with boulders and technical drops. Thank goodness for Dave’s driving skills. We enjoyed the Thelma and Louise spot and another where the river did a U-turn similar to horseshoe point in Arizona. The 16 mile round trip took us over an hour and a half with the road conditions but was well worth it. The rest of the day was spent relaxing with the pups and enjoying the sites of Moab.    Read more

  • Summer 2024 Roadtrip-Honeymoon

    Double Arch,Mexican Hat,Gooseneck SP

    September 8, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    We made it to 100 days on the road without any big hiccups, still loving the time together with each other and the pups. We weren’t worried about it but it’s still nice to realize how much close quartered together time we can spend without getting on each others nerves. For our 100th day I woke up in the middle of the night realizing we didn’t go to one of the main arches we wanted to, Double Arch. I popped online and found what must have been a recent cancellation to enter the park at 8am and snagged it. Poor Dave woke to what was supposed to be a relaxing morning of grabbing breakfast and easing into the drive but instead was a scramble to get things ready and head into Arches national park one last time this trip. Luckily we had time to see the amazing arch (one of our favorites) and still get breakfast to go. And in a funny coincidence we arrived at the arch just before our campground neighbors! Made for an easy exchange of photos and quick chat before we had to head out. Thankfully our campground let us check out after the normal time, and we only needed 15 minutes of extra wiggle room after all.

    We then drove 126 miles to Mexican Hat, Utah, a thriving metropolis of 26 in the middle of the desert. We knew heading into it that our “campground” was basically a parking lot with hookups, but at least the owner was super nice and welcoming in her unique way. Once set up and getting the dogs settled in, we headed to Gooseneck state park. This small park has an overlook of the San Juan River below as it snakes back and forth in tight turns. It flows 6 miles this way while only advancing 1.5 miles west. It was neat to see but just a quick stop.    Read more

  • Summer 2024 Roadtrip-Honeymoon

    Valley of the Gods

    September 8, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F

    We drove from Gooseneck State Park to Valley of the Gods to see as much as we could before the sun sat. It was beautiful, and is known as a miniature Monument Valley. The structures are mostly aptly named, with our favorite being Lady in a Bathtub. These massive stone formations rise almost immediately out of the red dirt below and make you feel so small. It was a really nice end to the night.Read more

  • Summer 2024 Roadtrip-Honeymoon

    Four Corners monument and Cortez

    September 10, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    We enjoyed a breakfast of omelettes smothered in green hatch chile homemade by the chef, who was also the owner of the campground we were at, and the server (with a population of 26, I guess most people have to wear several hats). One of the neat things about the cafe was a hummingbird feeder just outside our window where at least 4 birds were enjoying some nectar. Neither of us expected hummingbirds to be in the desert. The food was delicious and after a leisurely breakdown of camp we headed north to Cortez, Colorado, 122 miles away. The Four Corners monument was only slightly out of our way so we decided to stop at this spot. In one spot the corners of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah come together. What I didn’t expect was to have to pay to get in, oops. At least it goes to the native Americans who maintain the land and buildings that provide souvenirs and vault toilets. From there we continued on into town and checked into our quiet campground. We enjoyed a simple meal at a local brewery while listening to a talented group of 3 guitarists followed by one of the most beautiful sunsets we’ve seen.Read more

  • Summer 2024 Roadtrip-Honeymoon

    Mesa Verde National Park

    September 11, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    our reason for coming to Cortez was to explore Mesa Verde national park (#25 for us together on our USNP list). After a brilliant sunrise we headed into the park, best known for its cliff dwelling structures that the native Americans in the area built 700-1200 years ago. The three main ones to see have overlooks to see these dwellings along with others from afar, but you need a reservation for a ranger led hike to actually get close to them. Overall there are 600 dwellings within the park, which was very surprising to us. We tried like hades to get a permit to Square Tower House but the reservations were gone the second it opened for the day we were there. Luckily our second choice was available and we snagged our permits to explore Balcony House. We were extra lucky to get the first tour of the day (when you have the most peace and quiet in the structures) and extremely lucky to have one of two Indigenous Ranger interns. The fairly new program (this is its third summer) employs local indigenous people as interns to help lead conservation efforts and provide input on practices moving forward along with contributing historical information which previously was ignored or considered mythological. The ranger interns combine park interpretation, public speaking, and their cultural upbringing which made for a truly special tour.
    We learned about the history of the indigenous people who initially settled on the top of the Mesa and stayed there for approximately 700 years until a “mega drought” forced them to the seep springs that naturally formed in the cliffs below. The families that built these dwellings still continued their way of life including forming dance floors and kivas for ceremonies. We really enjoyed the tour including the ladders the park has placed to climb to the dwellings and the tunnel you had to crawl through to exit (there’s a picture of Thomas, our guide, holding a blue frame at the beginning of our tour to show the size of the tunnel).

    The rest of our day was spent exploring short trails to overlooks of various structures and viewpoints then relaxing with the dogs. We had dinner at a lovely farm to table restaurant in Cortez then sat by our propane fire and took in the mountain views around us.    Read more

  • Summer 2024 Roadtrip-Honeymoon

    Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP

    September 12, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌬 66 °F

    we made the short drive from Cortez to Montrose, Colorado in 157 miles. After setting up the camper at the cute campground we headed to Black Canyon of the Gunnison national park (#26 of our US national parks). There are several activities in this park that we wouldn’t have time for, such as kayaking the river and hiking down into the canyon. But we were there to see the multiple overlooks at different parts along the south rim and learn about the area. This steep canyon got its name from the shadow filled walls due to how narrow the canyon is. Some parts of the canyon only get 33 minutes of sunlight a day and at its narrowest is 40 ft at the river and 1100 ft at the rim. Compared to the Grand Canyon which averages 10 miles from rim to rim, it’s a drastic difference. You can also drive the east portal road down to the Gunnison River, a steep but paved road with several sharp switchbacks. Although at times the drop was 16% it felt much easier than several of the rough roads we traversed the last few weeks. Although we truly appreciated the dramatic geology of the park, we did not feel we needed more than a few hours to get what we wanted out of it. The rest of the day was spent with the pups relaxing at the camper.Read more

  • Summer 2024 Roadtrip-Honeymoon

    Morrison, CO and Garden of the Gods

    September 13, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F

    We headed out of Montrose and drove 259 miles to a friends house in Morrison, Colorado outside of Denver. The weekend was spent exploring their amazing home, land, letting the dogs run around their fenced in 2 acres (the boys gave us heart attacks jumping off 4-5 ft ledges), meeting their new puppy Nora, delicious food and drinks, and best of all the biggest belly laughs with the best people. We spent one late morning we drove down to the Garden of the Gods, a small but beautiful park that is free to the public. Between the heat and the thick crowds, we did not spend as much time here as we originally thought, but appreciated the sharp and tall rocks rocketing up out of the green brush and trees. Surrounded by flat plains, it was really interesting to see this condensed amount of unique formations. Truly a beautiful place with beautiful souls.Read more

  • Summer 2024 Roadtrip-Honeymoon

    Driving Colorado to Townsend, TN

    September 16, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    After a relaxing morning with friends we had to hit the road. We made it 471 miles the first afternoon and had an unfortunate surprise when one of our main camper windows had somehow come off along the way. Thankfully Dave is extremely handy and made a makeshift cover but still wasn’t what we wanted to deal with. Hopefully that’s the last of our camper breakdown surprises this trip. After addressing the window we relaxed with the pups and slept at a rest area in Kansas. Another long day driving 770 miles from Solomon, KS to Lancaster, TN. Driving through Nashville brought up interesting feelings as we were just a week into this trip when we stopped here for a few days. Definitely starting to feel how this trip is winding down and it’s bittersweet.

    We spent 2 nights in Townsend, TN just outside of Cades Cove. Which unfortunately put us there on a Wednesday when it’s closed to car traffic and I forgot to bring our bikes. We enjoyed a short hike to John Oliver Place, a cabin built in 1820 and wonderfully preserved. We found a great local hangout and enjoyed a quiet night at the campground which has a creek running through the back of it. Very peaceful.    Read more

  • Summer 2024 Roadtrip-Honeymoon

    Lake Norman SP and Greenville, SC

    September 19, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    We headed to Lake Norman state park just north of Charlotte, North Carolina to spend the night and see great friends that feel like family. The sunset over the lake was gorgeous and we enjoyed great conversation back at the camper as well. Another great campground that we’d love to return to.

    From there we headed to Greenville, South Carolina for what was supposed to be a lovely 10 day stay. That was a little rocky with a microburst popping up on Tuesday and Helene hitting Thursday night. So very thankful for time with some of our favorites, a beautiful and peaceful hike, and a safe place to land to weather the storm and resulting destruction. Still cannot believe the amount of damage but the good shines through with how the community came together to help each other.    Read more

  • Summer 2024 Roadtrip-Honeymoon

    SeaWorld Orlando

    September 29, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    Once it was safe to do so we headed to Orlando, FL to spend a few days relaxing before “starting work.” We loved how empty the parks were and the staff said it was consistent for this time of year instead of from the storms. We will definitely remember that for future visits. We enjoyed time at SeaWorld, Animal Kingdom, and Busch Gardens Tampa. Plenty of time hanging with the pups and at the campground getting ready for our winter gig.Read more

  • Summer 2024 Roadtrip-Honeymoon

    University of Tampa ring ceremony

    October 5, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F

    Dave headed from there to Port Charlotte while I stopped in Tampa for the night to attend the University of Tampa men’s swim team ring ceremony for winning the national championships in March. Several great friends from our time on the team attended including my roommate and best friend who was up for a spur of the moment flight down from NY. So grateful for friends that just immediately make you feel like you’re home. The ring ceremony was so well done and catching up with old friends just felt perfect.

    After a quick 16 hours in Port Charlotte it was quickly evident we shouldn’t be there for Milton. We headed to St Augustine to ride out the storm with our camper and pups. Of course then the storm shifted and we needed to get further north so we luckily found a spot at a Savannah, Georgia campground. The staff were so kind and everything was perfect after a stressful few weeks. We loved Savannah and plan to return for hopefully a more relaxing stay. Our Punta Gorda campground neighbors were driving south from NY at the same time and stopped in Savannah as well so it was great to spend some time with them exploring.    Read more

  • Summer 2024 Roadtrip-Honeymoon

    Grandma Shirley’s 90th Birthday

    October 11, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    With a lot of uncertainty we had to switch my flight to Illinois from punta gorda to Savannah. Since we didn’t have news of the status of our Port Charlotte campground and my work office Dave headed back to Greenville, SC to wait everything out. We’re so lucky to have friends that welcomed him and the dogs back with open arms and he was able to catch up a bit more with family as well. Greenville will always be home for us and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My time in Illinois flew by with family time and a great party to celebrate my Grandma’s amazing life so far. Unfortunately she wasn’t feeling well but overall I think she enjoyed seeing everyone. The trip came to an abrupt close with landing in Savannah after 7pm, arriving in Ocala to a last seeing motel booking at midnight, up at 3:30am to get to work by 7am to start my winter contract. A wild ride the entire summer and millions of amazing memories made. It still feels surreal and almost like a dream. Thankful for a partner that loves the wild rides, pivoting, and making sacrifices throughout the year to make our dreams come true on our roadtrip summers.Read more

  • Summer 2024 Roadtrip-Honeymoon

    End of an Epic Roadtrip

    October 15, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 88 °F

    If you’ve made it this far on our journey, thank you for tagging along!

    Some fun stats:
    Drove 19,200 miles with a lot of that being Dave towing the camper. What a champ.
    335 miles hiked
    18 US states visited or driven through
    9 US national parks explored
    2 Canadian provinces visited
    7 Canadian national parks explored
    Trailer issues: furnace broke, window fell out, bathroom fan motor blew out, main battery started to die, and slide mechanism started to fail.
    Thousands of photos and videos taken. Millions of memories made. Zero regrets.

    Can’t wait for next summer’s adventures!    Read more

    Trip end
    October 15, 2024
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