Exploring the Pacific Northwest with ROAMERICA
Oregon and the Pacific Northwest has been on our “must-see” list for a long time, so when our friends moved to Portland, it seemed like we finally had a perfect excuse to make the trip! When Bryce and Paul announced that they had purchased a campervan on the West Coast, we got serious with our planning and started brainstorming ideas about how to make a
An Unforgettable Trip Up Mount Hood’s Hogsback Route
Just a short drive outside of Portland, Oregon, is the state’s highest peak. Mount Hood is 11,239' and it’s the perfect destination for your next weekend adventure. Mount Hood is one of the most climbed glaciated peaks in the world; it’s estimated that between 10,000 and 20,000 people attempt to reach its summit per year. The most popular way up the mountain is via the Hogsback Route on
I’ve Lived with Lyme for Decades, and This is What it is Like
My childhood was seemingly defined by periods of wellness and illness. After having bouts of sickness in my early years, I was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at 10 years old. Years of medications and treatments followed, all with little success or improvement. Periods of illness that left me bedridden were followed by days of freedom as I pursued high school sports and other outdoor
Weekend Van-tics with the Roving Dears
Oregon sounds a lot like 'are-u-goin'?
And man, do we recommend you go explore this gorgeous state. It's Friday! We, the Roving Dears, whipped out the Oregon atlas — while scarfing burgers — and decided to head south to the sand dunes. Over 40 miles of seashore and dunes reaching 500 feet above sea level, this is the largest stretch of coastal dunes in North America. Plus, we'd never been!
Stormy Weather in the Olympic Peninsula
We woke up early Saturday morning, excited and ready to hit the road for the Olympic Peninsula. We had our ROAMERICA campervan packed the night before, carefully making sure all was accounted for and carefully together. We had tons of food, games, cards, music and of course a little whiskey for those cold coastal nights. Our destination was La Push beach in Forks, WA, and although
Mountain Biking Hood River, Oregon
This time of year getting outside in the Pacific Northwest has its advantages. Cooler temperatures make being active more enjoyable as well as thinning out the crowds of your favorite trails. Recently photographers Alec Carrier and Mike Branscum headed out to enjoy mountain biking Hood River, Oregon with some buddies to capture exactly what this shoulder season psyche can look like.
Exploring Glacier National Park in Winter
There's nothing better than waking up in a tent in Glacier National Park in winter, covered in morning dew, smelling like campfire from the night before. Mornings like these remind me of when I was a child, and when my grand parents used to take my little brother and I camping when we would visit for the summer.
Sunset at Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park
After 11.5 hours of driving in our ROAMERICA campervan, we pulled into a gas station on the west side of Glacier National Park. It had been a while since we stopped so we were both eager to get out of the car. We pulled into a gas station to refuel the car and ourselves in preparation for the drive to our campground. We got gas, some souvenir patches and continued driving on our route into the park.
The Blue Water of Banff National Park
Up until now, I had only visited Canada one other time. It was last year, around this same time, when I had made an extended trip to the east coast to visit a bunch of friends. During one of the weekends I was there, we made a trip to Toronto. As wonderful as that adventure was, this is not the time for that story. This is a story about one of the most beautiful national parks I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting; Canada’s first national park, Banff National Park.
Sunrise at Rowena Crest Viewpoint
Waking up for sunrise has always been one my favorite things to do. Today was no different. We had an almost 700-mile drive ahead of us and it was 4 AM. Coffee was brewing, our car was packed to the brim. Our plan was to stop at Maryhill Stonehenge and Rowena Crest Viewpoint for sunrise on the way out of Portland with our ROAMERICA campervan, for our long journey to Glacier National Park. With coffee mugs in hand, we got out of the door around 4:30 AM. 