We again find ourselves camped along the shores of California’s Salton Sea. There is something about this place that draws us here.
I am not sure if it is the stark harsh environment, the incredible amount of diverse bird life or its unique history with Southern California, it is not like any other place we know.
As we sip a vintage red while watching another unbelievable sunset over the Laguna mountains we reflect on the charmed life we have been living.
In this country we can decide on a whim to travel anywhere we want without regard to what is happening in the rest of the world.
Traveling around the globe for many years has clarified our view of America’s place on this earth. Our perspective tends to be a little different than others, we learned a long time ago we have it pretty darn good in America.
During our younger years we were lucky enough to work in Alaska during the summer months and travel internationally during the winter months.
This seasonal lifestyle enabled us to work hard for 6 months and then be free as a bird for the next 6 months.
Fortunately this lifestyle is not for everyone and we were lucky to find many undiscovered places that are now considered to be on the gringo tourist trail.
Today international tourism has become big business and sometimes threatens to influence and overwhelm foreign cultures and delicate ecosystems worldwide, even in this country.
Though we are not in our 20’s anymore, travel continues to challenge and inspire us but times are changing and so must we.
For the last 5 years we have had a blast driving and hiking across thousands of miles of America and Canada, enjoying the beautiful topography, geography and meeting its demography in our little motorhome.
It continues to be a fabulous adventure.
At home in Alaska we are lucky to live in the middle of millions of square miles of wilderness. Living remotely has its advantages and disadvantages.
We cherish Alaska’s wide open spaces and lack of congestion but when we travel south to the lower 48 in the fall we must re-join society. This transition can be hard for us, and sometimes is overwhelming.
Since starting this blog we usually have spent the coldest months of winter in the deserts of the southwest.
Recently we have noticed that some of our favorite desert haunts have become congested and it has become much harder to find solitude.
This seems to be happening at many sites that are near or adjacent to major highways with easy access.
As more boomers like us retire and hit the road in RV’s, free camping locations are becoming packed. Due to the cost of living some folks are financially forced to live in their RV’s full-time while working just outside of city centers.
Add in the weekend warriors that migrate out of cities on Friday nights and crowding can become a real problem.
Many dispersed and boon docking camping areas are now over populated and overused with each passing year.
Places 5 years ago that had a hand full of campers are sometimes filled with all types and styles of RV’s. Crushed vegetation, garbage and human waste is becoming a problem at many sites.
I will be the first to admit as a travel blogger I have been part of the reason for this increased interest in dispersed or free camping.
Bloggers like me have been expounding about the joys of boon docking and the grand times we have had while traveling through spectacular landscapes.
What started out as a way to keep our families updated about our whereabouts has turned into a travelogue inspiring others to experience what we had found.
We are not anti-social, we love experiencing undiscovered nature with friends and firmly believe everyone should have the same opportunity. But as humanity spreads we have come to the conclusion that it is time for us to move farther afield.
We asked ourselves should we stop traveling altogether? (not a chance) or do we change our methods of travel. Eventually we came to the conclusion that if we want to continue to enjoy this lifestyle we must adapt and change.
We will need to find a better way to get to that remote campsite, that ridge overlooking a distant valley, the crossing of that creek, so that we will be able to travel farther afield.
This will mean leaving the traditional routes behind and following that narrow gravel road that leads into the unknown. We having been longing for more adventure and new discovery for several years now.
This change will require a different type of vehicle that is capable of transporting and supporting the four of us to more rugged and remote locations for longer periods.
New destinations will be in the Southwest US, Mexico and possibly the Southern Hemisphere.
It may also mean a different type of blog, one with less routing and location details yet with more inspirational visual content.
We have been considering this change for quite some time now and we are actively working on a plan of action that will enable us to find those out of the way places.
It may be awhile before it all comes together but in the the long run this change will enable us to continue the adventures that we so love.
If we are lucky maybe this could go on forever… or at least until it stops being fun.
Stay tuned for further developments.
Enjoy our latest video ” This Could Go On Forever”. Crank up the HiFi and watch it in HD!
Next stop Alaska, keep you posted.
gone with the dogs 
Safe travels back to Alaska! We will be heading back this July for 3 weeks (after spending 3 weeks last summer in Alaska). I have been enjoying reading your blog and agree with you wholeheartedly that as much as we like to show the places we find, they are becoming to easily accessible for the masses. We are generally national park tent campers and have found even “remote” parks in the western part of the lower 48 are extremely crowded with people who have no respect for the land, animals, environment, etc.
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Glad your following the big dogs, we just arrived home, Canada was still a bit wintery and In Denali we had 30″ of snow still left in our yard.
It seems that visiting National Parks is best done off season and unfortunately staying away from the most visited parks is required if one wants some solitude. We really do not visit National Parks much anymore, and have moved onto lesser known state parks and BLM lands. Enjoy your return to Alaska in July!
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Sweet video. Miss you all very much.
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As a kid, I used to swim in the Salton Sea. I never knew there was obsidian there.
The whole Imperial and Coachella Valleys used to be an ancient lake. One can still see the water line and find fossils on the hills to the west. As well, along the ancient beaches there are potter shards and evidence of ancient peoples’ camps.
It will be interesting to see what your next rig will be. A Baja bug maybe? A Thing? Vicki and I are thinking of selling the VW camper van and getting a 4×4 medium length Sprinter chassis type home.
We will be in Denali a lot this summer and certainly hope to see you both. We are building a shop on our cabin property in the Village.
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Very cool about your youth at the sea, I bet it was a great place to be back then. Great idea about the 4×4 sprinter can’t say enough good about that vehicle, check out Sportsmobile in Fresno for conversions, they do some fine work. A shop is always good thing to have, hope to see you this summer
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Although not a “biological process”. owning a rig and your preferred method of travel is boondocking, metamorphosis comes to mind literally…not toward a desired form of travel…but in the way you think…outside the box. We were pretty aggressive in our latest trip to Alabama Hills…actually had to back out and find solid sand to keep from burying the tires, but it made us realize their is change in the wind. To what length in the overall scheme of things..????. We will continue to share ideas with you. But finding solitude is a rarity now, unless you have the means to truly venture out. Great pics and video once again. Will miss not seeing you all on your way north.
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Thanks for the kind words…Everything evolves with time and age and we being part of the human experience must also. We are looking forward to future adventures with you guys when we can explore new horizons together.
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Look forward to spending some quality time with you two this summer. BTW I’ll help drive your new Earth Roamer up when you decide to pull the trigger 🤪. Enjoyed the video – brings back fond memories from our trip last year. Safe travels – see you soon!
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Thanks you guys, we are also looking forward to summer and seeing your new abode. Earth Roamers are typically built on Ford Chassis so that would be a drawback 🙂 enjoy spring and see you soon!
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I just discovered you guys’ blog when researching the Salton Sea. Yes, you are doing exactly what I dream of doing, as well. Can you do a blog post explaining your choices in RV and how you are able to be off the grid so easily? In light of your comments here, it sounds like you are considering a new camper/off-road vehicle. I am curious as to your process of locating and equipping such a vehicle. I will admit it scares me a bit to be untethered to the world, but you give me hope. Awesome pics, BTW, one photographer to another. I especially love the Burma tower shot and the tree on the dry sea bed.
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Thanks for the nice words Scott, yes we are considering a higher clearance 4×4 type vehicle but currently just doing research and ecvaluation right now, we will keep you posted. Occasionally leaving the world behind is good for the soul and the mind.
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Looking forward to seeing you soon and hearing more about future travel plans. Safe travels on your way north!
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Thanks Kris see you soon!
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Very well said. We know too well that the well cherished travel guides and literature have changed the world we used to know and travel to . But so has the introduction of video, DVDs and the internet. You are certainly demonstrating social responsibility but you are only a small part of the ever changing travelers landscape . I’m looking forward to seeing you this summer and have some more conversations!
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Thanks Sonja, yes the world of travel is certainly changeing and we must move forward in a way that doesn’t ruin it for future generations, a big challenge for sure. We are also looking forward to seeing you guys this summer.
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Boy, can I relate to every point in this post. Al and I were just talking about how RV travel is much more difficult now than it was five years ago. I cringe with the content of some of the younger You Tubers encouraging full-time RVing and eagerly sharing all the remote boondocking locations 🤨 I know, I too with my blog, contribute in a small way to the problem. So, I shouldn’t point fingers. Good luck in finding a new path that works for you!
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Thanks Ingrid, being a former Park Service employee I worry about how overcrowding in our national parks could be handled. Outside the parks dispersed camping areas could be closed due to overuse, we Americans are loving our wild spaces to death, It could be a huge challenge to find ways to travel in the future where the landscape aren’t permanently altered. With that said in our future travels we must continue to enjoy and protect the resources wherever we may go, these are the good old days 🙂
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Beautiful video and photos—and a thought provoking post. We know that in writing about our travels and sharing information, we’re also helping to encourage others to take to the road. It’s definitely getting more crowded “out there,” but so far, it hasn’t really affected our adventures (except for places like Zion and Arches, which have become ridiculous). I’m interested in seeing how your travels evolve.
Love the first photo of you two in Burma. And great photos of the Salton Sea—we’ve only been once, and the bugs were horrific. That’s a good way to keep people away. 🙂
Safe travels back to Alaska. That’s a trip that’s still on our list.
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Thanks for nice words Laurel, overcrowding in the west will become an even bigger issue in the near future. Acting responsibly and setting a good example always goes a long way and something the next generation must vigorously practice. Keep us posted about your Alaska plans, email us if you questions.
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Love following your adventures through you blog. The photography is breathtaking. See you soon!
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Thanks Kristi, we appreciate your kind words, the big dogs can’t wait to roll in all the snow you guys have up there…see you soon!
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