Where Is Kyle Now?

Delmarva

Posted on Nov 14, 2010 in Airstream, Places, Stories | 1 comment

Next golf stop on the Eastern Seaboard: the states of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. Officially, I had been to these states before, but it was just traveling through on the interstates. This was a chance to knock three states off my golf list.

Down East in Maine

Posted on Nov 5, 2010 in Airstream, National Parks, Places | 1 comment

After 61 days, 24 campgrounds, 10 provinces, four Walmart parking lots, and one brief scolding at the U.S. border, I made it back to the United States by way of the great state of Maine. With no plan whatsoever, I ended up spending the night at a grocery store parking lot in Machias, where the overnight low dipped down to 28° (uh, that would be Fahrenheit). After thawing myself out in the morning, I made my way to the scenic town of Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Imagine a small college town, on the water, and next to a national park. Throw in some friendly people, an airport offering...

Brogue with Peanut Butter

Posted on Nov 4, 2010 in Airstream, National Parks, Places, Stories | 0 comments

I’ll admit it. Until recently, I only had a vague junior high recollection of Newfoundland, and I couldn’t even really pronounce it correctly. For the record, the locals place an emphasis on the “new” and “land” parts of the name, and pronounce “found” like “fun”. But more on that later! I wanted to spend a few weeks in Newfoundland, but the weather and marine gods wouldn’t have it. The main ferry from Cape Breton Island to Port aux Basques broke down, so I spent about a week hanging out in Baddeck, Nova Scotia. Once ferry...

Tha Gaol Agam Ort, Alba Nuadh!

Posted on Oct 10, 2010 in Airstream, Campgrounds, Featured, Places | 7 comments

The second province on my tour of the Canadian Maritimes is Nova Scotia. As much as I loved Prince Edward Island, I think Nova Scotia is my new favorite. Technically a peninsula, mainland Nova Scotia is nearly surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. As such, everything seems to revolve around the sea. (Hence, all the photos of boats!) While PEI was incredibly rural, Nova Scotia has many more urban areas, particularly Halifax. I was pleasantly surprised by this capital city. The geographical location alone makes it noteworthy. Add the historical culture, the friendly people, and the vibrant...

Prince Edward Island, “The Gentle Island”

Posted on Sep 28, 2010 in Airstream, National Parks, Places | 2 comments

Raise your hand if you remembered–or even knew–Prince Edward Island is an actual province of Canada. Is your hand raised? Mine isn’t either. Prince Edward Island, or PEI, is about the land size of Delaware with no more than 150,000 full-time residents (tourists don’t count). And almost one-third of the people live in the capital of Charlottetown or the town of Summerside. The result: a pastoral landscape with a relaxed way of life that is hard to beat! Since it is an island surrounded by salt water, much of the economy revolves around seafood: mostly lobster, mussels,...

Je me souviens

Posted on Sep 19, 2010 in Airstream, Campgrounds, Featured, Places | 5 comments

Not only is French an official language of Canada, it is the only official language in the province of Québec. As such, French is extremely prevalent in Ottawa (Canada’s capital city), Montréal, and Québec City; three of my favorite cities in all of Canada. The many dialects of Canadian French are different from traditional Metropolitan French in France, but it all sounds the same to me! With my rediscovery of the French language, I understand much of the written word, but it is next to impossible for me to speak it or understand the spoken dialogue. No matter, for the...

Bigger IS Better, Eh!

Posted on Aug 29, 2010 in Airstream, Campgrounds, Featured, National Parks | 8 comments

OK, so I know what I said about Yosemite, and I know what I said about Yellowstone, and I know what I said about Glacier. Forget it all! None of them can really compare to the unparalleled size and beauty of the Canadian Rockies, specifically Banff National Park and Jasper National Park. I spent most of my time in the towns of Banff and Lake Louise. Banff is a trendy town about an hour west of Calgary, Alberta. Why is it called Banff? It comes from Banffshire, Scotland, the birthplace of one of the major financiers of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Lake Louise (named after the daughter of...

How To Live Full-Time in an Airstream

Posted on Aug 22, 2010 in Airstream, Featured | 13 comments

I often get asked for tips and tricks to live full-time in an Airstream–and still live a half-way normal life. Now that it has been well over two and a half years, I guess it is time I write about everything that helps me live that half-way normal life on the road. Who knows? Maybe you will learn something! Even you full-time RVers. Before I begin, try to imagine my living space. The official length of the Airstream is 23-feet, but this includes the 3-foot hitch outside (“marketing math” I guess). At a width of 8-feet, this means the total area inside is 160 square feet. To...

Six-Zero-One Charlie Foxtrot

Posted on Jul 31, 2010 in Airstream, Places | 1 comment

I finally got a chance to try out that new pilot’s license at a hidden gem of an airport just outside Chicago. The locals call it Cushing Field; I call it heaven. It doesn’t have a control tower. It doesn’t have jets waiting in line. It isn’t surrounded by congested airspace. It doesn’t even have pavement. It is just a grass airstrip out in the country with genuine pilots hanging out there each and every day. I loved it! In fact, I loved it so much, I parked right next to the runway, plugged in to the flight school electricity, and stayed a couple weeks. In...

Wild Wild West

Posted on Jun 13, 2010 in Airstream, National Parks, Places | 2 comments

I grew up in Montana, but spent the latter half of my life in the Chicago area. Apparently I had forgotten the vast rawness of the western part of the US. Seriously, other than the highway itself, it felt like man had never stepped foot into many of the scenic byways of Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and the Dakotas. As I drove through the eastern side of Yellowstone in Wyoming, the steam from geysers melted the snow-covered timbers burned from a previous wildfire, boulders tumbled down the sheer granite cliffs, bison and elk grazed steps away. I spent several nights on public land,...