Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

Category: Friends (page 3 of 5)

Ten Days at a Pebble Beach in Baja – Friends, Wildlife, Hikes, and Views

Our arrival in Baja California, Mexico, was delayed by six weeks, because we decided to work for a month in the Phoenix area (Arizona, USA) after spending more money than anticipated on the cross-country drive from east to west. We also had a few important phone calls requiring unwavering internet and we needed an extra two weeks to prep our camper for the trip.

The majestic Sea of Cortez

Soon after crossing the border in mid-January, we decided Mark should fly back to Massachusetts for a family matter. To accommodate that impromptu trip, we “rushed” south on the peninsula and prepared for his imminent return. Maya and I stayed at a campground in Loreto (Rivera Del Mar) during his ten-day absence.

(As always, hover over or click on the photos to read their captions.)

After all those arrangements and adjustements, you can imagine that we were more than ready and excited to take “a break from life” and start our Baja adventures. On February 1st, we filled our truck camper, T&T, with drinking water, propane, and food, emptied our sewage tanks at the campground, and headed south for a beach vacation along the Sea of Cortez. We spent one night at Juncalito Beach to get a decent start the next morning. The road to our destination in the Agua Verde area would be slow, treacherous, and mind blowing; a perfect introduction to Baja’s roughness and beauty.

As expected, the single-track dirt road contained sharp turns, potholes, small rocks, and gravel. Some parts were steep and nerves of steel were required. Mark did a great job bringing us down to the coastline, where the track turned into the usual Baja secondary road: washboard, sand, and gravel. The cloudy, drizzly weather was unusual.

Continue reading

Snowy Encounter in Mystic, SD – An Artist’s Sanctuary in the Black Hills

When Mark and I met Jon and Gail on a remote, gorgeous beach in Baja California, Mexico, this past spring, we hit it off immediately. Jon Crane is a renowned, accomplished, and outstanding painter and his lovely wife, Gail, had just published her book Mystic Travelers around the same time I released Plunge. The four of us had a lot to share – stories, food, drinks, and art.

The couple spends half a year on the Baja peninsula in their truck camper and the other six months in the Black Hills of South Dakota, where they built an incredible home based on Jon’s vision and skills. Ever since I read about their place in Mystic and saw a photo of their unique house in Gail’s book, I’ve wanted to visit. So, when we found ourselves in the Badlands, two hours east of the Black Hills, we got in touch with our friends. Would they still be home mid-October or had they already left for Baja?

We were in luck. Jon and Gail were still around for a couple of weeks and more than happy to see and host us. But there was one problem… They live in the middle of nowhere, deep into the black hills, and the first snowfall of the season had arrived when it rained in our neck of the woods. No worries. We’d amuse ourselves for a couple more days and assumed the snow would be melted when we ventured into the hills.

We stopped in Rapid City to do some shopping and say hi to a bunch of presidents.

(As always, hover over or click on images in galleries to read the captions.)

Then, we left civilization and were greeted by this. Yikes.

Mark and I are warm-blooded humans. We don’t do well in cold weather and we certainly didn’t plan on seeing any of that white stuff when driving across the country, except, maybe, if and when crossing the mountain passes in Colorado!

The road condition deteriorated the further we drove.

Continue reading

How to Visit Chicago for Free (in a Small Camper) – Skylines & Social Times

After New York’s natural beauty, more wonder – of a very different kind – befell me when Mark, Maya, and I approached the skyline of Chicago, Illinois. Yes, I had set foot upon its grounds twice before. Once on a wintry layover from Belgium, never venturing further than a hotel room after missing my connecting flight, and once a couple of years ago, when we swung by our friends Keith and Kavita’s home on the outskirts of the city. But I had never witnessed its majestic architectural beauty, strolled its waterfront, or parked in its quirky neighborhoods.

Chicago skyline

When our long-anticipated departure from Newburyport, Massachusetts, approached, Mark and I had to pick a route, or, at the very least, a first destination. We prefer a northern track across the United States for its scenic appeal, but we hate cold weather. Everything was dependent on when exactly we could start our journey. Luckily, that happened in mid-September and not October like last year, when a southern approach was required. So, we stated, “As long as the weather holds, we will stick to a northern course.” As I write this, we still haven’t made any southward progress! Soon…

Our goal was Chicago, a city I had heard a lot of positives about but never visited, and a place where three sets of friends would be located at the end of September… Our trio stayed in the city for four nights and had a jolly good time, without spending a dime!* ????

(Click on the photos or hover over them to read the captions in galleries.)

Six tips for a free “long weekend” in Chi Town:

1. Stick to outdoor sights and activities

We easily filled a few days by checking out Lake Michigan – with a long waterfront bike/walking trail – and several areas in downtown. The first day, we walked all the way from Lincoln Park to Navy Pier and returned via skyscraper heaven.

Continue reading

Three-week Visit to Belgium – Vacation or Not?

What is considered a vacation? Getting on a plane? Traveling to a tropical destination? Crossing the border? Visiting friends and family? Taking a road trip to the other side of the country? Staying at a hotel?

I have done all these things and I can guarantee that none of them resulted in a vacation. Mark and I have been together since December of 2004; that’s almost seventeen years. Even though we have lived a life less ordinary, in many different countries, the two of us have NEVER been on a typical vacation together (or apart) since we met. I know this is hard to believe and/or grasp by people who don’t know us well…

My plane from Boston to Reykjavik

The closest we have come to anything like a medley of peace, exploration, and relaxation without worries is a three-day city trip to Budapest in 2017 and two months of “living off the grid” in Baja last winter (this one still involved work, book promo, and the necessary stress that we seem to incur).

Based on all that, I have decided that the best way for me to describe “a vacation” is when I am able to leave my computer behind. Yep, that’s right. Not take my computer on a trip. How is that possible? I have a monthly editing job, receive occasional translation assignments, need to promote Plunge, write blogs on my laptop, save photos in folders on my computer, and have my important information (including passwords which I could never remember) stored on its hard drive. I actually considered this drastic act for my recent three-week visit to Belgium. (I really craved a vacation.) And … decided against it. That’s just too long without my most important electronic buddy.

(As always, hover over or click on the photos to read the captions.)

Continue reading

How Are Mark, Maya, and I (Really) Doing? – Update from the Heart

Enough talk about publishing and promoting Plunge and spending too much money every month… What has been going on with us, in our private lives, the last few months?

Well, I haven’t really touched on how we arrived in Massachusetts, except for the road trip, and our feelings and activities since then. If you are a blog reader only interested in our alternative lifestyle and adventures, this is a good post to skip, as it is more geared towards updating our friends and family members – like in the old days on our sailboat Irie. ????

(As always, hover over the photos or click on them to read the captions.)

Before we cleaned and sold Zesty and hopped in our crappy rental car, we managed to meet up quickly with artist Jon and author Gail, whom we met in Baja California, Mexico. In Yuma, Arizona, they introduced us to hospitable friends of theirs and we had a lovely evening together.

Another highlight was to finally be reunited with sailing circumnavigators and good friends made in the South Pacific: Lisa Dorenfest and her Captain, Fabio. This picnic get-together happened in a park in Tucson, Arizona. For anyone following Lisa’s wonderful blog, One Ocean At A Time (which contains her inviting writing and incredible photos), the couple is doing well, despite the crazy heat, taking a break from their boat to replenish the cruising kitty.

Then, we cleaned and prepped Zesty, sold our van, and jumped in our crappy rental car. Busy times! We saw some cute creatures one night of “stealth camping” in Tucson as well.

Continue reading

Encounters of the Human Kind – Making Friends in Baja

Something magical happens once nomads venture across the border of the United States. It occurred to us in the past and then again, recently. As van dwellers and RVers for years in the US, we rarely connected with fellow travelers. Campers generally stay to themselves – especially during the pandemic – in familiar areas: RV parks and official campgrounds, which we don’t frequent, or out in the boonies, which we enjoy. Conversations are short and shallow. All this seems to change once we leave the country and are confronted with like-minded, universal travelers.

Bumping into friends – unexpectedly – at our Loreto campground

Kathi and Mary from Missouri, USA

It started with the Facebook group Talk Baja, where Kathi replied to one of my posts and we discovered that we both had entered Mexico on the same day, at the same border crossing. We even thought we’d seen each other’s vans along the eastern highway, Mex 5. Eventually, we shared a campground in San Ignacio and later in Mulegé.

The campground in San Ignacio, where we first met Kathi and Mary

Our acquaintance led to a few (masked) chats, the women buying and reading my travel memoir Plunge, and remaining in touch. They even invited us for a visit to their home in Missouri, which we considered on our journey back to the US East Coast. Due to our schedules, however, we never managed to spend quality time together. Yet.

(As always, hover over or click on the photos in the galleries to read their captions.)

You can find Kathi’s Facebook page here and Mary’s here.

Ivan from Spain

One of our first evenings on a (rocky) beach in Baja, Mark, Maya, and I sat in our chairs enjoying the view, when a man purposefully walked towards us, masked. He appeared to be the only other camper at Papa Fernandez and had braved a mile of sinking-in-the-pebbles effort to reach us. We chatted, became friends, and met up several times afterwards, expectedly and unexpectedly. Ivan introduced other seasoned travelers to us in Mulegé, some of whom we ran into again later.

Continue reading

Writing Update April 2021 – Baja Bounty

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For April, the question is: “Are you a risk-taker when writing? Do you try something radically different in style/POV/etc. or add controversial topics to your work?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are PK Hrezo, Pat Garcia, SE White, Lisa Buie Collard, and Diane Burton! Click on their names to see what they are up to this month..

My answer to the question – Do I take risks when writing?

People who have followed this blog for a while know that I am not averse to risk taking. Although I call my swift decisions, adventurous lifestyle, and “going with the flow” attitude “calculated risks.” ???? You only live once, so you better do the things you’re passionate about, and enjoy your precious time on earth. That sometimes involves expanding horizons, nudging comfort levels, taking risks.

I don’t feel like I’m taking big risks with my writing as it reflects my personality and doesn’t push my personal boundaries. That being said, I am aware that my travel memoir Plunge is different and a tad controversial. For starters, the story is set in the present tense, taking the reader along for the ride – physically and emotionally. I don’t cover things up, have no taboos, and touch on the good as well as the bad and the ugly when it comes to my alternative lifestyle and 24/7 relationship with my husband. This makes some readers uncomfortable; they are not used to “brutal honesty” and don’t care for an exposed soul (another aspect that makes my memoir unique).

Based on that – and the fact that this approach led to a one-star review and some criticism – I guess I am a bit of a risk-taker in my writing, too!

Sunrise at the beach

My book news

Mark, Maya, and I spent February and March enjoying our lives in Baja California, Mexico. This was a reward for all the hard work finishing and publishing Plunge last year. I knew that once we arrived on the peninsula, internet would be sparse and unreliable and that my time would be better spent charging my batteries (other than usual work commitments). Therefore, I laid a lot of groundwork spreading the word about my book before we crossed the southern border of the US.

Relaxing and reading

Continue reading

Baja Bound (Part Two) – Beach Time!

I’m running a little behind with my Baja blogs. Sorry! Blame my lack of internet. Or, just blame me. I haven’t felt like sitting behind my computer lately, or scanning thousands of new photos. I’ll get there. When time and WiFi availability allow. Soon. ????

Who wants to sit inside, behind a computer, when this view can be had while relaxing outside?

(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read the captions. My images are heavily resized for easier downloading and uploading; I apologize for their inferior quality.)

From West to East

The Baja California peninsula is relatively narrow, so it doesn’t take long to get from one side to the other. Mex 1 is the main “highway” in this part of Mexico. It predominantly runs along the coasts with a few zigzags back and forth. After our stop in Guerrero Negro, where I left off in a previous post, Zesty transported us through the narrow middle, past desolate landscapes, cacti, dry terrain, barren hills, and small settlements.

We decided to stop in the oasis of San Ignacio, a lush and tropical reprieve from the desert that is Baja California. The town is exceptionally clean and well taken care of. Highlights are the town square and the mission, Misión San Ignacio Kadakaamán, which was founded by the Jesuit missionary Juan Bautista de Luyando in 1728.

Continue reading

Fun in Southeastern Arizona & California

People who have been following my blog the last six months (and longer) know that I have been extremely busy with a personal project that finally came to fruition the end of November. This doesn’t mean the work is finished, as December and January still had me glued to the computer to promote my travel memoir, Plunge. The question is: did we have any fun throughout the focus and dedication towards my book?

(As always, hover over photos or click on them to read captions. My photos are heavily resized, so I can easily upload them and so this page loads with weaker internet connections.)

I have offered glimpses of that in previous posts, expense reports, and writing updates, but I have left a lot out as well. It is my intention to fill in the gaps today. Since my memory is nothing to boast about, I will let the photos do most of the talking. ???? My last sightseeing update documented how we arrived in Arizona, the end of November. You can read about that here.

On the drive to Tucson from Wilcox Lagoons, we briefly stopped in Benson to meet a fellow Westy owner.

Mark and I met up with two befriended couples and fellow overlanding nomads, Duwan and Greg (and their van Ballena Blanca) of Make Like An Ape Man and Ellen and Scott (with their tiny Scamper) of Ellen Jacobson Author, for Thanksgiving, my 45th birthday, and my book launch. I wrote a post about that milestone event here and Duwan did a better job with that here. For the next few weeks, we would see our friends on and off.

Continue reading

“Plunge” in the Ironwood Forest – My Book & I Featured on Make Like An Ape Man

My good friend Duwan, a fellow nomad, adventurer, vanlifer, ex-sailor, and frugal spender, wrote a touching and compelling post about me and my travel memoir, Plunge, on her informative and entertaining blog Make Like An Ape Man. I have linked to her posts before, as we’ve been on a similar path and traveled together in the past, but this story of hers had me truly amazed.

Her prose is humbling and flattering and provides a different, more personal side to anything else being published about me (except for my memoir itself :-)). Plus, it has some funny photos! Check it out here. You won’t regret it!

Saguaro cactus in the Ironwood Forest National Monument

November 25 – December 1, 2020.

Towards the end of November three couples and the lovely canine, Maya, converged in Tucson. All ex sailors (except for Maya). All now wandering around on the hard. We had met one of the couples, Scamper Squad, years and years ago after reading their blog and discovering they were working on their boat in the same marina as us in Indiantown, Florida. We were introduced to the other couple, Mark and Liesbet, through their blog after my friend from Scamper Squad suggested that I check it out. Like us, they had sailed, had house sat, and were traveling the country in a van. We eventually met them in person in Arizona a couple of years ago. Now the three wandering couples were in the same place at the same time, and we had big plans.

Gilded Flicker in the Ironwood Forest

We all left Tucson for the Ironwood Forest National Monument – about 25 miles out of the city – and set up camp. Thanksgiving was coming up, and even though it isn’t a holiday Greg and I normally celebrate, we thought it’d be fun to share some good food with our friends. After all, this would be the first Thanksgiving that Liesbet, who is Belgium born, would celebrate as an American citizen. But even better than that, two days later Liesbet would celebrate her 45th birthday and the publication of a project five years in the making, a memoir of her traveling and sailing life during her 30s.

Our camp in the Ironwood Forest National Monument

When Greg and I first set sail a few people told me we should write a book. I thought, OK, but we really hadn’t done anything yet. Any wannabe adventurer can buy a boat and think that they are going to be sailors – lots do. And then after we got on the water there seemed to be so many people doing it. And there were already so many people who’d already written books. I wasn’t sure what I could add to the canon of nautical memoirs.

And at first, I wondered this about Liesbet’s book too. But Liesbet has had a much more interesting traveling life than we have. Since falling in love with travel in her teens, she has hitchhiked in Europe, backpacked in Asia, traveled North America in a truck camper, and sailed through the Caribbean and the South Pacific. She has only lived a few years of her adult life in a traditional dwelling, has traveled in six out of the seven continents (planning to tick that last one, Antarctica, off her list in the coming years), and has visited over 60 countries.

Continue reading here.

Older posts Newer posts

© 2026 Roaming About

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑