Jenny's Travel Blog:

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.

In retrospect, I truly can't believe how well it all went. There was not one incident of car sickness; no motel messes, no restlessness that couldn't be cured by a quick pit stop by the side of the road. Buttercup is a perfectly chill road warrior princess, and I can't wait to travel with her again!

We set a date for a video chat, so she could show me the puppies without me having to drive 2.5 hours to Viroqua on icy roads. She also sent me the name of their vet, and a reference from someone who had purchased a puppy from them previously. Everything was looking good, but it was definitely the video chat that made me realize just how "meant to be" this was.

Thanks for coming along on this week-long journey with PB& J. What a life-altering, heart-expanding turn of events for this solo traveler!

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.)

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

A while back I put out my list of essential car camping equipment . This post included all my big ticket items, including my car, air mattress, portable power pack, travel fridge, camp stove, 5 Gallon water jug, portable car battery jump starter, rooftop cargo carrier, personal locator beacon, and homemade window coverings. Since writing that post, I've been on two more long car camping swings: Lake Superior and New England/Northeast . I've learned more about myself: what I

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