Category Archives: Travel

Wander Wisely: Travel Hacks for Today’s Changing Globe

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Travel Wisely

I thought maybe a quick trip back to the roots of this blog might be in order. Arounddustyroads.com  started as a travel blog to share tales of my adventures. Since retiring I haven’t been able to take many trips (none) but I still keep up with things going on in the world. It seems my mantra, “Travel is an adventure”, is more true than ever.  But fear not, I have a few tips to help enjoy the hustle and bustle. 

 

Its a National Treasure- Mount Rushmore

In the evolving rhythm of global travel—where spontaneity often meets uncertainty—being savvy with your suitcase can make the difference between a stressful sprint and a breezy glide through adventure. Whether you’re hopping borders or taking the scenic route close to home, these creative travel hacks are your passport to peace of mind.

 

🧳 1. Pack Like a Poet, Not a Puzzle Solver

Roll, don’t fold—it saves space and wrinkles. Think in categories: “sleep,” “sightseeing,” “dining,” etc., and use packing cubes to divide them like chapters in your trip’s story.

cotopaxi cubos del dia packing cubes set of 3

packing cubes organize your suitcase

Quick Trick:

Toss dryer sheets into your luggage for a fresh scent that lingers longer than your jet lag.

📶 2. Go Digital, Travel Light

Boarding passes, hotel reservations, and itinerary docs—save them offline in a travel folder on your phone. Bonus tip: screenshot everything. Wi-Fi can be a fickle friend

Travel App Love:

Try an app like TripIt or Wanderlog to organize your plans effortlessly

💧 3. BYOB—Bring Your Own Bottle

Hydration without hesitation. Invest in a collapsible water bottle that fits neatly in your bag and avoids overpriced airport drinks. Many airports now offer refill stations

ONTA Collapsible Water Bottle- BPA Free Silicone Foldable Water Bottle for Travel,Silicone Portable Leak-Proof Travel Water Bottle 20oz, blue

🕶️ 4. Dress for Security Success

Slip-on shoes, no belts, and layers that come off easily make TSA checks smoother than a silk scarf in a breeze. Empty your pockets into a zipped pouch before getting to the scanner.

🎒 5. Personal Item = Secret Weapon

Choose a sturdy tote or backpack with smart compartments. This is your command center: snacks, chargers, hand sanitizer, an extra mask, lip balm, and something cozy like a scarf or pashmina that doubles as a blanket.

😴 6. Travel Zen: The Calm Kit

Airports buzz. Flights hum. Your mind doesn’t have to. A small pouch with noise-canceling earbuds, lavender wipes, a sleep mask, and your favorite playlist or audiobook can transform your travel time into a moment of stillness.

Whether you’re returning to the skies or navigating new roads, travel today calls for flexibility, creativity, and a dash of serenity. With these hacks, you can turn any trip into a graceful experience—even when the journey takes unexpected turns.

Off Roading out west

 

I’ve been blocked!

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Blocked Again

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I’ve been blogging for years and never had so much trouble with my site. I logged in to post an update and  found I was blocked from any new posts- AGAIN! This seems to be happening a lot and its very annoying.  This time it was a “Fatal error” with my SEO account. All of those things are supposed to update automatically but apparently the hosting platform is still mixing up the old  aroundustyroads.com with the new, active one of arounddustyroads.com. Anyway it took a couple of days/tries but it seems to be working now. Fingers crossed. 

 

Flickr

I have a Flickr account and for a long time it was linked to this blog in the side bar. Lately it doesn’t seem to be updating so that’s another thing I will need to work on. I haven’t worried too much about it because I haven’t added too many new photos to my flickr account but the recent photo contest got me busy uploading some of my pics since that gives me online storage. So if anyone is interested here’s the link to my flickr photostream

Here are a couple of examples of what you’ll find there

Yogi Bear

Bear Up a tree

Wyoming Black Bear 2017- photo credit Deb Neumann

Yes, I know this bear doesn’t look black – more of a cinnamon brown and he didn’t look very big.  He could have been a big ole Teddy bear sitting in some kind of bush, you could hardly call it a tree, right by the road and everyone was pulling over to get a look. He paid no attention to any of us gawkers. There must have been some berries or something in those leaves because he was really busy licking them up. 

Bull Elk

A pair of Bull elk

Bull Elk Wyoming 2017- Photo credit Deb Neumann

The same trip I got to see a huge herd of elk migrating to the elk reserve near Jackson Hole. These two handsome guys were just standing there seemingly surveying all of their domain. The herd wasn’t far away and that consisted of the cows and calves and a few younger bulls. . 

Elk Migration

Elk herd Wyoming 2017- Photo credit Deb Neumann

 

 

 

 

Natural Wonders of the USA part 13

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Natural Wonders Part 13

Wow We are headed into the home stretch on the Natural Wonder’s list! We’re at #45!  Only 5 more to go! As the saying goes, so much to see, so little time. We left off at Wisconsin and the Cave of Mounds. Which state is next and what’s the wonder?

#45 – Maryland – Muddy Creek Falls

It’s not as impressive as some of the other falls on the Natural Wonders list at only 53 feet but Maryland’s wonder is Muddy Creek Falls. You’ll find it in Swallow Falls State Park.  I think  what may be the most impressive thing about this pretty little falls is the surrounding tree growth. The Hemlock trees around the falls are as much as 300 years old. I’ve visited Maryland but not this Wonder.

 

Muddy Creek Falls | The Muddy Creek Falls in Swallow Falls S… | Flickr

Photo credit- Flickr

 

#46  Missouri – Cuivre River

Cuivre River State Park | Missouri State Parks

Photo from internet

Looking for the Ozarks in northern Missouri? Cuivre River State Park is one of the state’s largest and most rugged parks!

Cuivre River State Park lends a wilder, Ozarkian flavor to the otherwise predominately agricultural landscape of northern Missouri. Although not far from St. Louis, the park is a nature lover’s paradise. It is an outdoor delight to stroll through the park in the spring when flowering dogwood is in bloom or in the fall when the trees are ablaze with autumn colors. (I stole this description from the Cuivre State park  web page. Since I haven’t been there myself I couldn’t think of any better way to describe it to you.)

 

#47 – Indiana – Indiana Dunes State Park

Now this gets my attention. I missed out on Great Sand Dunes in Colorado so maybe I can see some sand dunes if I get to Indiana. There are 3 miles of dunes along Michigan Lake in Indiana Dunes State Park. And 2000 acres waiting to be explored. Large sand dunes, located beyond the entire shoreline, have taken thousands of years to form, and tower nearly 200 feet above Lake Michigan. FYI, the State Park and the National Park are not the same thing. 

File:Indiana Dunes.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Photo Credit- Wikimedia Commons

Next time In our Natural Wonders series

We’ll wrap up. We still have Texas and California and unless I have counted wrong I’m missing one more state. I’ll need to review the list. Did I miss a state or just lose count? What do you think will be the Natural Wonders for Texas and California?

Natural Wonders of the USA Part 11

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More Natural Wonders of the USA

The list goes on for US Natural Wonders  but we are making progress. We left off with New York, My Home State at number 38. So back to the list to see what’s next

#39 Louisiana – Atchafalaya River Basin

I’ve been to Louisiana so I’ve checked that state off my list however I did not go to the Atchafalaya River. I spent my limited time in New Orleans and the Mississippi River. We planned a trip to the bayou but the remnants of a hurricane blew through and the excursion was canceled.  May have to consider a return visit. 

Bayou Bridge , City Park, New Orleans Photo Credit Deb Neumann

The Atchafalaya is located near Simmesport, La  and runs for 140 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. There are nearly 1 million acres making this swamp larger than the Florida Everglades.  The Atchafalaya is home to the largest nesting concentration of bald eagles in the south central US. Other animals that make their home here are black bear, fox, muskrat, beaver, otter and racoon. Of course there are alligators. IN fact there are around 65 species of reptiles and 250 species of birds. Sounds fun. 

File:Atch Egrets-2-LL.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Photo credit- Wikimedia Commons

# 40 Alabama –  Cheaha State Park

Still on my list to visit is Alabama so maybe I will be able to visit Cheaha State Park. It’s near Talladega National Forest. Cheaha State Park in Clay and Cleburne, Alabama is a 2,799-acre site named after the Cheaha Mountain, which is the highest point in the state. This park is only 30 minutes away from several historic downtowns (Oxford, Heflin, Anniston, Talladega, Lineville, Munford, and Ashland)

Cheaha State Park, AL | faungg's photos | Flickr

Photo Credit- Faungg’s photos / flickr

The park recommends traveling on the Talladega Scenic Drive (Alabama Highway 281) which is well maintained, wide, and easily driven by large recreational vehicles. AL Hwy 49 is also a great route and it connects with AL Hwy 281. 

#41 South Carolina – Congaree National Park

Another State/ wonder to add to my bucket list. Congaree National Park is one of the most intriguing spots in South Carolina because of its colossal ancient hardwood forest. There’s an abundance of wildlife to view. You’ll have a chance to see all sorts of birds and deer, raccoons, and if you are lucky, even bobcats. The waters are inhabited by alligators, amphibians, snakes and fish. The Congaree National Park features 15,000 acres of wilderness for camping, canoeing and kayaking to name only a few adventures.

 

Congaree National Park — Poop In The Woods

Unidentified internet photo

Only 9 more states to go. Have we hit your home state yet?

Natural Wonders of the USA part 9

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More Natural Wonders

Whew! You don’t realize how long a list of 50 places is until you start discussing each one! So far we’ve covered 31 Natural Wonders in 31 states. Those have been amazing. I can’t believe how many I didn’t know about. So lets get back to the list and see what’s still out there. 19 states left. Have we covered your state yet? 

32. Oklahoma- Turner Falls

I haven’t made it to Oklahoma in my travels yet.  I admit that I am afraid I’ll bust out on song when that trip comes- 

OOOOk-lahoma, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain,
And the wavin’ wheat can sure smell sweet, When the wind comes right behind the rain.
The wonder for Oklahoma is Turner Falls, It’s the tallest waterfall in the state at 77 feet and there are 2 pools where you can swim. Accommodations in the area include camping, RV camping or you can rent a cabin!

Photo credit- Internet

33. Oregon- Crater Lake

I haven’t made it to Oregon yet either. I will admit that Crater Lake fascinates me but the wonder I have always want to photograph is not the lake, but Multnomah Falls. Multnomah Falls is in the Columbia River Gorge and is 620 ft!. My understanding is that it is visible from the road so easy to see. In addition to the falls the Columbia River gorge is an awesome place to see wild bald eagles as they migrate through every year. 

Oregon’s tallest waterfall, Multnomah Falls, cascades down sheer cliffs, through bright green plants, passing under a footbridge ending in a dark blue pool.

Photo credit- Internet

Crater Lake is more challenging if you chose to hike to it.  It’s beautiful with many Native American Legends attached to it. Some even say Bigfoot lives near it. Crater Lake is in the caldera of a collapsed volcano. The lake is known for its deep blue color and clarity. The lake is massive with a surface area of 20.6 square miles and 2,148 feet deep.  You can view the lake by car by driving the 33 mile Rim Drive that circles the lake. 

Photo credit- Internet

34. Kentucky- Mammoth Cave

Here we go with another cave. I’ve already shared my feelings about exploring caves but I have to mention that having survived Wind Cave in South Dakota I’d probably explore Mammoth Cave too. The thing about Mammoth Cave is that it’s the longest cave system in the known world featuring 400 miles of passageways. I wouldn’t want to get lost in there! The national park service provides tours of the cave that range from one hour in length to six hours.

Photo credit- internet

That’s all for today

These are amazing places and I can’t wait to go  but I hope I get to some more that I’ve already visited. I like to compare notes! I’ll be back with more next time.