Jenny's Travel Blog:

Based on a recommendation from family, Jenny Rule travels to Shenandoah National Park and climbs up Old Rag Mountain: a sojourn with overlooks, rock scrambles and sweeping vistas.

When people learn that I've been visiting national parks, they often ask, "Do you have a favorite?" Yes. Yes I do. My favorite is Arches National Park in Utah. Of course there's a longer answer to that question. One that includes a conversation about moods and timing and weather and companionship and beauty and the many other elements that make up an outdoor leisure experience. Humans are capricious creatures who caper to conclusions about affection for a place based on the

superbloom  A superbloom is a rare desert botanical phenomenon in California and Arizona in which an unusually high proportion of wildflowers whose seeds have lain dormant in desert soil germinate and blossom at roughly the same time. The phenomenon is associated with an unusually wet rainy season. While traveling in California in April of 2023, I heard about the superbloom from my California friends. Evidently the rainy season had brought massive amounts of precipitation, wh

It's partly about the open road. It's partly about seeking healing in nature. It's partly about getting out of the home environment; stepping away from constant reminders like his recliner, his toothbrush, his half of the closet. It's partly about "Go outside and start walking." It's partly about escaping from cold Wisconsin winters. It's partly about going places you know he wanted to go. It's partly about finding your smile. It's partly about fishing still waters. It's part

The Sojos = random awards given by Jenny Rule about her adult gap year.

I've stayed in my fair share Cracker Barrel and Love's Truck Stop parking lots, but with research and help from apps like iOverlander, I've found a few top notch places. Here are my top ten favorite dispersed camping spots from my trips across the U.S. in 2023, along with a short story of each location, from west to east.

Meet Top Car Model Lakester von Subaru! In an industry where newer models typically grab headlines, veteran Lakester von Subaru - a 2016 model - is taking the U.S. car modeling world by storm.

Here are a few stories from life on the road, to illustrate just how un-glamorous car camping life can be. If they are a little too revealing about my character, so be it.

After visiting Acadia National Park at the end of August 2023, I was feeling aimless - but in a good way. I had 3 other major car camping swings under my belt, so I had experience with aimlessness. And exhilaration. And loneliness. And adventure. And the rhythm that can develop when you are out there on the road bouncing between your own extremes and emotions.

The first part of the hike was an old access road. Signage was good, and I followed it to a riverside trail that gained steady elevation. Except for a couple of narrow creek crossings, it didn't require hiking in the water. My neoprene socks worked well, and kept my feet warm between crossings. It was blazing hot with little tree cover. The colors all around me were vibrant - green trees, red sandstone, blue sky and white clouds - truly a beautiful tableau.

I started my Acadia adventure by driving up Cadillac Summit Road on Mount Desert Island. I secured my reservation on Recreation.gov for $6 and headed there for my 10:00 a.m. entry time.

For my fifth major car camping adventure of my adult gap year I went to the great northwest. Due to jury duty, I had to stay in Wisconsin until mid-October, but then I headed west. Here's a map and overview of the major stops on my sojourn. (I'll go back and tell more detailed stories down the line.)

In 1960, John Steinbeck set out on a road trip across the country. He drove a truck with a camper-shell and brought along his wife's dog. His goal was to rediscover America. The resulting travelogue became the book Travels with Charley: In search of America. Steinbeck and Charley started their journey in Maine. He wrote "I wanted to go to the rooftree of Maine to start my trip before turning west. It seemed to give the journey design, and everything in the world must have des

Gina (Chapman) Foucault and Jenny (Brightbill) Rule met at Badger Girls State (BGS) - a week-long camp for young women between their junior and senior years in high school. Here is the official description of Badger Girls State: "It is a government and leadership conference where the entire delegation will become a fifty-first state and will function according to the laws of the State of Wisconsin. Each day will focus on the various aspects of state government, God & Country

Campers - I'm going to tell you exactly where to go, what to see, and what to eat when you visit Lake Superior. Usually I just tell you where I've been. I guess I'm feeling bossy today. First, make sure it's hot and steamy weather outside - late June or July, perhaps. Pack light, but be sure to bring a fan (unless you enjoy roasting while you sleep). Second, bring bug spray, citronella candles, bug wands, or any other methods of fighting off mosquitoes. You'll need them. Thir

My son Josh transferred to Montclair State University in New Jersey for his sophomore year of college, so we left our home in Wisconsin on August 21, 2023 to drive him to school. My original plans for a late summer sojourn to Montana were placed on the back-burner. Already in the northeast? Let's explore the northeast! The next 27 days took me through New Jersey, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Canada and Michigan - mostly car camping in the back of my Subaru Outback

I visited Joshua Tree National Park for three days in late March 2023. I had been in Phoenix visiting with family, and it took me about 5 1/2 hours traveling west on Highway 10 to reach the park. I arrived just before sunset and drove into the park by the south entrance, pausing to snap a picture of Lakester. I drove into the park to get the lay of the land. Cottonwood Visitor Center and Cottonwood campground are only 7 miles from Highway 10. I didn't have a camping reservat

After celebrating my son Luke's graduation the weekend of May 5-7, I returned home to Whitewater and began packing for my EAST COAST SWING! SECOND CAR CAMPING TRIP - May 9 - 26, 2023 May 9: Packed up, gassed up, got an oil change, then hit the road. Kept feeling like I forgot something. I DID! My dressy clothes for Grace's graduation! (Not on my usual camping checklists.) I was only 15 minutes out of town. Drove back, threw the fancy clothes in the rooftop car carrier, hugg

FIRST CAR CAMPING SWING - March 15 - May 1, 2023: The overview of who I saw, what I did, where I went after packing my Packer blanket and heading out! (Click on hyperlinks for detailed blogs about each location.) March 15: Drove from Whitewater, WI to St. Louis, MO to see Gateway Arch NP, campground at Sam A. Baker SP near Patterson, MO March 16: Drove to Fontainebleau SP near New Orleans, LA - electric campsite March 17: Visited New Orleans, LA - if I visit again it will

Some of my stops are planned, and some are happy accidents. Saguaro National Park in Arizona was a happy accident. I was on my way to Phoenix (for a planned stop to see family) and I was ahead of schedule as I left west Texas. I conducted a little research, mostly using Google Maps and the National Park System map that came with my National Parks Passport booklet. Yes, I stop at national park visitor centers and get stamps in my Passport booklet....like a BOSS! At the beginni