Jenny's Travel Blog:

Jenny Rule sitting down to write, with all the distractions of home and puppy and mind and body, is a terrifying thing.

There is one more story about my time at Lamoine State Park that I'd like to share. My first morning at Lamoine, I carried my coffee and my journal and a small book of poetry down to the rocky Maine shoreline at sunrise. There was a dense fog but the air was warm. Everything was still, except a few large splashes far off across the bay, likely from a harbor seal or porpoise. I couldn't see the anchored sailboats that I knew were only a few hundred yards away. No one else was

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

I'd left home March 15th and it was now April 2nd. I was car camping my way across America, seeing national and state parks and visiting friends and family along the way. Things were mostly going as planned - but then again, when it came to my time in California, I hadn't planned too much. I had ideas of things I wanted to do, places and people that I wanted to see, but I was intentionally not following a strict itinerary. My sister Susan lived in California for 20 years, and

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

Alternative title: I have not been paid to endorse any of this equipment - I just like it. The most important piece of equipment on my car camping sojourn was my 2016 Subaru Outback, nicknamed Lakester. Lakester is my best friend and travel companion and was the most photographed thing in all photo albums from my adult gap year - humans, objects, scenery included. My late husband Mike found this beautiful vehicle at a used car dealership in Madison, WI back in 2018 after ex

After I left Austin, I headed toward Phoenix to meet up with family. I had three days to get there. The highway speed limit in Texas is 80 mph, but Texas is also the 2nd largest state, so it was going to take a couple days to get across. Mostly I needed to figure out where I was going to find a safe sleep. I felt great driving. Thanks to great Austin radio stations, I had built up my road trip playlist on Spotify and was bopping along pretty well. I drove through Texas wine c

I wake up later than usual. I avoid getting out of my warm sleeping bag. Today is my writing day.

Early risers made coffee; late talkers folded blankets and put the kitchen to rights. Folks went off in search of flow in sport or nature; returning to put their wet socks by the fire and add a piece or two to the puzzle.

I have decided to take a full year off from my current life. I have quit my job and I will be paying myself to travel and write. My plan is to go on an extended road trip across America, visiting state and national parks, camping, hiking, and visiting friends and family wherever I go.