Jenny's Travel Blog:

I have been car camping across America since March 2023, and for this blog post I'll be featuring seven free apps that have served me well in my travels. (No paid endorsements - I'm just sharing what has worked for me.) The quick list: Google Maps, Life 360, iOverlander, NPS (National Park Service), Seek, Merlin, and Compass.

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

One of the reasons I wanted to take a year off was so I could be front and center for family celebrations - especially the graduations of the next generation of Brightbill/Rules. As I planned my summer, these dates became central pillars to work around: May 6, 2023 - My son Luke earned his bachelor's degree from University of Wisconsin-Stout May 12, 2023 - My niece Grace earned her master's degree from Duke University June 11, 2023 - My niece Charlotte earned her bachelor's d

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

My last day working was March 1st and I started traveling March 2nd. I was blogging about my travels in the first couple of weeks, but by the end of March I was no longer consistently posting stories. I figured out pretty quickly that blogging and website management were taking too much time away from my travel fun. I had this once-in-a-lifetime chance to travel, and I was spending too much time on my computer instead of out on the trail. I apologize to readers who wanted to

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

W, March 15 - Whitewater, WI to St. Louis, MO ( Gateway Arch National Park ) to Sam A. Baker State Park, Patterson, MO Th, March 16 - Sam A. Baker State Park to Fontainebleau State Park, Mandeville, LA Fri, March 17 - Fontainebleau SP to Lake Pontchartrain Causeway to New Orleans, LA; from New Orleans, LA to Sam Houston Jones State Park in Lake Charles, LA Sa, March 18 - Sam Houston Jones SP to Studio apartment in Hyde Park neighborhood in Austin, TX (visit with niece Maddie)

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.