Kenai Peninsula
We are back in Anchorage again doing our usual chores. This time I’m writing from our favorite coffee shop, Black Cup, where we came our first day in Anchorage. I am sitting a couple tables over from where we sat our first time here and I can so clearly remember that visit. Then I was…
Visitors, More Berries, Backpacking
We are back in Anchorage and at the library, in the middle of our loop of usual Anchorage stops (Chevron for water fill/dump, Fred Meyers for groceries, rec center for a workout and shower, Cabela’s to sleep, WooHoo! for ice cream, airport to watch planes). Since my last post we’ve primarily been busy with guests,…
A Visit to Valdez
I’m back at our usual table in the library, and have even adopted a usual side I sit on now. It is interesting to have so much redundancy to our travels in Alaska, compared to the 15 months we spent traveling in 2019/2020 where we rarely even spent two nights in the same place. Now…
First Visitor, First Berries, and other Firsts
We are back in Anchorage and at our usual spot, the library. We now even have a usual table we sit at in the library. It is comforting to have bits of routine when traveling to balance out all the uncertainties. Last night we went back to watch the airplanes again, and on the way…
Playing the Weather Game
I’ve been doing a lot of weather searches on my phone recently, so now the majority of my Google News Feed is dominated by articles about the unpredictable weather in Alaska and need to be flexible when visiting. The nice thing about having three months in Alaska is the ability to make last minute changes…
Anchorage Accounting
We are planning to leave Anchorage tomorrow and start heading north towards Denali, with lots of stops along the way. An accounting of what we have done here: 1 museum visited. The Anchorage Museum was very impressive and I especially appreciated the exhibit on Extra Tough Women of the North and large bubble makers.4 grocery…
Summer in Alaska
After a long hiatus, David and I are back in the Gnar Wagon with the plan to spend the next three months in Alaska. The major to-dos to prepare for the trip are done: the house is cleaned and packed up, the renters are moved in, Scout is vacationing with a friend, Periwinkle (my car)…
It’s Been Awhile – Continued
It has again been awhile. I’ve been hesitant to write as I continue to feel uncertain about our travels and plans given all that is going on with Coronavirus. My feelings are mixed as we try to decide the right thing to do, whether it is okay to continue to travel and whether we are…
It’s Been Awhile
It is hard to believe it has been almost three months since I last visited this site or wrote a post. It is like calling an old friend or cleaning out your closet. The longer you put it off, the higher the activation energy required. I decided to at least write a short post, although…
A Quick Update
I’ve been intending to write an update for a few weeks now, but I’ve kept putting it off. I thought I’d write a long post full of my thoughts and reflections on the Corona virus and what it has meant for us. I don’t think I’ve really processed everything that is happening, and am choosing…
Revisiting Nature
The last week we’ve largely spent revisiting a lot of our favorite summer spots to see them in the winter. I’ve loved the quiet nature time, but it also makes me long for summer and the first couple months of our trip. I miss the long hikes, being totally alone in the mountains, and feeling…
Colorado Time
We are currently in Jackson, Wyoming after spending the last couple weeks in Colorado (spoiler alert: we didn’t actually go to Taos as I indicated we would in my most recent post). Themes from our time in Colorado include: Changing Plans We were prepared to leave Salt Lake City to head to Taos, allured by…
Mostly Skiing
We are still in the Salt Lake City area and are starting to feel like locals. We have a gym spot, a few usual parking spots, a grocery store, and a few other van friends. We’ve visited every ski resort on our Ikon pass at least twice. This past weekend we enjoyed the luxuries of…
The Start of Winter
We are in full winter mode and I have been pleasantly surprised that we have stayed relatively warm and clean. Winter has provided its share of challenges, but it’s also brought a slower pace with less driving and more evenings spent in the van. I haven’t managed to curb my maximizer personality on this trip…
The Holidays and More
The main way I realize how quickly time is going in the van is to look at our blog and think, wow, is that really the last time I updated? I thought I made a post last week! We are a month away from being halfway through our trip and we are both in serious…
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Humans of Gnar Wagon 