Author - The Vagabond

Mexican Hat, Utah: Where Desert Beauty Meets Navajo Tradition If you’ve ever driven along U.S. Highway 163 through southeastern Utah, chances are you’ve seen it—a curious rock formation perched like a sombrero on a narrow pedestal, defying gravity and time. This is Mexican Hat, the...

🗿 Grace in Granite: Visiting the Dignity of Earth and Sky in Chamberlain Driving through South Dakota, the landscape shifts from rolling plains to river-carved bluffs, and just when you think you’ve seen it all, you round a bend near Chamberlain—and there she stands. The Dignity of Earth...

🏜️ Bison, Bluffs, and Belly Laughs: Saydie and I Take on the Badlands Our Great Southwest Adventure took a wild turn when Saydie and I rolled into South Dakota’s Badlands—land of jagged peaks, fossil beds, and the kind of wind that makes your hair look like you lost a fight with a...

Campfires and Cosmic Vibes: Camping at KOA Near Devils Tower There’s something surreal about waking up in the shadow of a geologic wonder that looks like it was dropped onto Earth by aliens—or at least borrowed from a sci-fi film set. That’s exactly what it felt like camping at the KOA...

🏕️ From Shoulders to Sidekicks: Returning to Mt. Rushmore with Saydie This summer, Saydie and I packed up the car, loaded our gear, and hit the road for an extended camping adventure—just the two of us, chasing sunsets and s’mores across the Midwest. After winding through forests, lakes...

Bryce Canyon National Park: A Symphony of Stone and Sky Nestled in southern Utah, Bryce Canyon National Park is a place where nature’s artistry takes center stage. Known for its surreal landscape of crimson spires, towering hoodoos, and sweeping amphitheaters, Bryce Canyon is not a canyon...

Zion National Park: Where Time, Stone, and Spirit Converge Nestled in the southwest corner of Utah, Zion National Park is a sanctuary of towering sandstone cliffs, emerald pools, and narrow slot canyons that seem to whisper stories of ancient worlds. Known for its dramatic landscapes and...

Grand Canyon vs. Bryce Canyon: Two Icons, Two Stories Written in Stone Few landscapes anywhere on Earth stop you in your tracks like Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona and Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. Both are etched into the high country of the Colorado Plateau, both glow with...

Ranch Fires, Firing Rounds, and Festive Feels: New Year’s Eve in Charlotte, Texas If you’re looking for a way to ring in the New Year that includes wide-open skies, good friends, strong drinks, and just enough gunpowder to keep things interesting—look no further than Charlotte, Texas...