Let’s Talk Coffee- Our Favorite Coffee While Traveling Across the Country

May 29, 2018June 5, 2018

Let’s Talk Coffee- Our Favorite Coffee While Traveling Across the Country

We have been drinking Rose Rock Coffee since before we started traveling in April and we are fans! They offer some really unique things that we look for in a coffee company whether we are on the road or back in Oklahoma:

Rose Rock is Local

One of our favorite aspects about Rose Rock is that their beans are roasted in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. We have had a cup of Rose Rock in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and California and the summer hasn’t really started yet. We enjoy drinking Oklahoma coffee in these beautiful places because we aren’t supporting a multi-billion-dollar corporation in Seattle, we are supporting a small-business in a town that we called home for nearly a decade.

Their roasting location is 2199 W Choctaw Street, Tahlequah, OK 74464, across from the City of Tahlequah Golf Course.

Rose Rock Sells Coffee Online

While this is not a ground-breaking offering for most folks reading this in major cities, in rural Oklahoma, finding a business that will sell you a product online, in-store, and ship it to you is hard to find. We love that we can be on the rim of the Grand Canyon or on the beach in San Diego and order our coffee from anywhere. It is delivered quickly and is always well-packaged and in good shape when it arrives.

To check out their product offerings, cruise over to Rose Rock Coffee and place an order. Our personal favorites are the Scissortail and Chocolate Gravy roasts. Plus, their vintage campfire mug is perfect and travels in our bus everywhere we go.

Rose Rock Coffee is High-Quality

We are not coffee snobs by any stretch, but we can spot a bad cup of coffee a mile away. Rose Rock uses top-notch beans and the difference is clear right away. As soon as we start grinding and pouring the first cup with the sun peaking over the mountains, we can feel, smell, and taste the difference and we think you will too.

Rose Rock Coffee is Affordable

As frugal travelers, we simply cannot afford to travel to the places that we do and still buy $5 cups of coffee. You can buy a whole bag of Rose Rock for that much! It really is a great deal on great coffee.

We really do love working with Rose Rock and we enjoy getting to try new roasts and reporting back to you what we liked and what didn’t work as well for our tastes. Be on the lookout for tasting notes from us in the very near future.

To check out what Rose Rock is up to, head over to their website at Rose Rock Coffee or follow them on Instagram and Facebook. If you have a cup of Rose Rock and like what you taste, take a picture of your cup and tag #okiecoffee.

It should be noted that we have a working relationship with the coffee roaster that we are promoting, but we would never push a product that we don’t use and enjoy every day.

May 27, 2018

Top Free Camping in Arizona

We had a ball in Arizona! From backpacking in the Grand Canyon for 5 days to volunteering at a massively cool event (Overland Expo), to mountain biking amongst the ponderosa pines in Flagstaff, we had a blast. Flagstaff was one of the first towns in the West that we have visited that we both agreed could be a future “home base” for our adventures. The abundance of free camping is one of the reasons that we felt so comfortable with the area. Below are our picks for top camping spots in Arizona:

Grand Canyon Forest Service Rd. 328

Tusayan, AZ

GPS: 35.98789, -112.12556

Don’t pay for camping in the National Park! This Forest Service road is just before the South entrance of Grand Canyon National Park and is an easy drive back into the woods. There are hundreds of spots on many different roads and plenty of firewood if the burn ban ever lets up.

With this much free camping available this close to the National Park there are bound to be some rude people that don’t appreciate free spots, but the farther back you go, the less you see them. We had two quiet nights here in late-April.

This camp site was a perfect staging site for our weeklong backpacking trip into the canyon. The National Park is only about 5-minutes away and the road in and out is extremely easy to drive.

Coconino Forest Service- Shultz Pass Rd. 553

Flagstaff, AZ

GPS: 35.355505, -111.589746

Visit the little-known National Monuments North of Flagstaff, AZ and enjoy free camping ACROSS THE STREET! We parked here and road out bikes to the Sunset Crater National Monument and it made for a good day. The park is super interesting and there are a ton of pullouts for all sizes of rigs and even tents.

Flagstaff is a dark sky city and the stars were amazing looking out toward the San Francisco Peaks. We really enjoyed the privacy and seclusion of this site compared to some others in Flag.

Coconino Forest Service Rd. 535

Flagstaff, AZ

GPS: 35.045561, -111.754196

Looking for an escape from Flagstaff on your way to Sedona? This is the perfect stop for you. There are hundreds of spots along this forest service road that seems to go back forever. We camped at the top of the second hill and were very happy with our experience.

There were traces of elk all through our camp and a short hike up revealed a great view of the valley below leading to Sedona. Rigs of all sizes can find a spot here. The farther you drive away from the road, the better the spots get. Be sure and park at least 500 yards from the small pond near the road, this is a forestry pond for the elk population restoration efforts. They will ask you to move.

Walnut Canyon BLM

Flagstaff, AZ

GPS: 35.175436, -111.488306

If you are visiting the Walnut Canyon National Monument or are just getting into town on I-40 from the East, this is a good stop to prepare for a good time in Flagstaff. These spots are nothing special and most are just off of the dirt road, so during the day dust and noise can get a little rowdy. At night it was quiet and we slept well despite our proximity to the Interstate.

We saw several coyotes and birds and stayed here two nights. We would definitely stay here again.

Coconino Forest Service A-1 Mountain Rd.

Flagstaff, AZ

GPS: 35.201236, -111.738389

This road was packed with people camping during the week in May 2018. We simply kept driving until we found a spot. We had great views of the San Francisco Peaks and amazing stars at night. It was very quiet at night and the only complaint we had was some broken glass, which unfortunately is common on Forest Service roads.

There are spots for rigs of all sizes and the road was in decent enough shape, with some wash board. We would definitely stay here again.

Coconino Forest Service- Snowbowl Road

Flagstaff, AZ

GPS: 35.292032, -111.677885

This is a rough road that is quite a distance from town. We are travelling in a 24-foot 2WD school bus and it took us roughly 45 minutes to make it from downtown Flagstaff to our campsite and we didn’t even drive to the deepest campsites. If you need to escape town for a bit, this site is perfect. It is near the ski area and the site was quiet and flat.

It seems that the 4WD roads go around the mountain in all directions as well as some very good mountain biking like Moto Trail and Shultz Creek Loop.

Welch Forest Service Road

Ash Fork, AZ

GPS: 35.217747, -112.377663

This campsite can be as adventurous as you are. There are a lot of spots for big rigs right off of the Interstate and you can explore deeper into the woods for a smaller, more private spot. Keep in mind that the southbound boundary that seems to connect on Google Maps, ends in a dead end and doesn’t connect to the Interstate. You want to exit the same place that you enter.

The road noise was minimal and there are plenty of level sites. Sheep are open-range farmed in this area, so be on the lookout for 1000 sheep that seem to go where they want.

Regardless of where you want to be in Arizona, our travels should give you a decent starting point for your adventures in Flagstaff and beyond. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to subscribe to our e-mail list on the right sidebar of this page; we don’t spam you, we just let you know when an article has published or when we have information we think you might want. As always, follow us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube Channel…You’re the best!

May 16, 2018May 16, 2018

Top 5 Things to See and Do in Southern Utah

Utah is beautiful, mystifying, and captivating. These are our top-5 stops in Southern Utah. These might not be the most popular, but they are unique, creative, and rewarding experiences for the traveler that is looking to beat the crowds and still see amazing things.

Explore the Irish Slot Canyons

Utah is synonymous with canyoneering. Spend some time exploring the labyrinth of slot canyons along the highway near Hanksville, UT( Mile Marker 80.5 ish). You will be rewarded with amazing views, challenging climbs, and amazing solitude.

Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument- Escalante, UT

Backpack in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument

Explorers that venture down Hole-in-the-Rock Road near Escalante, UT will be rewarded with nearly endless trails and awesome scenery. The overnighter that we chose followed Harris Wash to the Escalante River and back. We had the trail mostly to ourselves and got to hike in some of the most remote and scenic areas of the Monument.

Continue reading “Top 5 Things to See and Do in Southern Utah”

May 10, 2018

Every Once and a While, Do the Touristy Stuff!

Rachael and I are not very touristy people. We like to camp in the National Forest with few neighbors and even fewer utilities; this article is being written in a National Forest coincidently enough. We bike or drive into the National Parks before day-break so we can skip the crowds and still see the cool stuff. Although we are devoting almost all of our time to traveling the country and seeing a lot of attractions, I still wouldn’t classify us as “touristy”.

A week or so ago, we were backpacking in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument and the hundreds of water crossings did a number on Rachael’s feet. She has blisters and bruising from her water shoes and we have Grand Canyon backpacking permits in a few weeks, so that meant we were taking it easy in Bryce Canyon (not an easy task for either of us).

Backpacking in Grand Staircase Escalante

With all of that being said, we did something very touristy in Bryce Canyon National Park, we took a bus-tour! And it paid off big-time!

We showed up in the park mid-morning on a weekday and signed up for the Rainbow Point Bus Tour. The tour is ran by the National Park Service and is completely FREE. They have numerous pick-ups at the area hotels and at Ruby’s Inn. The tour is 3-ish hours long and is the best thing that we did while in the Bryce Canyon area, see below for the worst thing we did in Bryce.

The worst thing that we did in Bryce was buying groceries at Ruby’s Inn. This tourist-trap gas station, mediocre restaurant and understocked grocery store are the reason that people visit the national park, then travel on to another area. My father has worked in retail my entire life and he has raised me to appreciate a good grocery store. This was not it. Expect to pay astronomical prices for the simplest of groceries…$1.50 for a (1) apple, $4.99 for an 8-slice pack of bologna, $9.00 for a (1) can of Coleman propane, insanity. We got the bare minimum that could get us by and got out! Stock up before you go to Bryce and don’t continue to make these people rich.

Back to the tour, more importantly the tour guide. April, with Canyon Fever Guides, provided us with one of the best tourist experiences that either of us have ever had. She was born nearby and has lived in the Bryce area for 35 years. All of that experience and family knowledge is passed on to you when you take her tour.

The tour winds through the various stopping points along the dead-end road that meanders through the park, with April giving excellent descriptions of the topography, the flora and fauna, and the rich history of the area surrounding the park. She even threw in some corny “dad” jokes throughout that Rachael really enjoyed. Once the tour was over, we couldn’t believe that it was FREE and available for anyone to sign up for. We highly encourage that you check out her guide service for your time in Bryce or at the very least, sign up for the Rainbow Point bus tour and ask for April!

We learned an important lesson through this tour and that is to not be a travel snob. When you live in your vehicle and you see beautiful things every day, it is easy to get caught up in judging the people that are simply trying to enjoy their 2-week vacation. As my wife likes to remind me, “at least they are outside”. There is truth to that, everyone deserves to enjoy the outdoors, regardless of how they choose to enjoy it. Bus tours are touristy but sometimes theres a reason that everyone is taking them.

Below are the contact details for April and Canyon Fever Guides. We hope you enjoy your time with her as much as we did!

Facebook

Website

Phone: (435) 531-9039

May 8, 2018

FREE Camping in Southern Utah

Southern Utah Free Camping

Mexican Hat BLM
GPS: 37.172547, -109.847076

If you are leaving Moab, UT and looking for something fun and interesting to see in Southeast Utah, check out Mexican Hat, UT. Mexican Hat is named as such for the rock formation that hangs over the San Juan River near the Arizona border. The campsites are spread out, level, and right on the river! We camped here while we explored the Mexican Hat formation and nearby Monument Valley area.

Make sure that you fill up fuel and water on your way South and enjoy the peace, quiet, and epic stars that this site offers. There are a bunch of places to pull off and park near the rock formation but follow the road off the highway and stay left. Wind around the formation and park in one of the spots down by the river.

Leprechaun Canyon BLM
GPS: 38.017952, -110.536982

Utah is known for a few things; arches, Mormonism, and slot canyons. If you made it through Utah far enough to consider this campsite, you have encountered the first two in abundance. Slot canyons are often tricky to find and even more tricky to get all to yourself. However, there are some hidden gems that most tourists don’t know about and this campsite is one of them. There are a couple of parking spots in the parking lot up the road and two or three spots near this canyon at mile marker 28.1.

This campsite is nothing the shake a stick at and is very close to the road. However, the real beauty of this spot is the proximity to the Irish Canyons; a series of slot canyons right off of the road. We stayed here overnight after checking out the Ghost Marina of Hyte and spent all day exploring the canyons nearby. Big rigs will have a hard time with this spot and to access the 2-3 spots that are farther off the road you should have a 4×4 and traction devices.

Burr Trail Road GSENM
37.848739, -111.370629

This is more of a gravel parking lot than a campsite, but it gives a good starting point for exploring Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument and the town of Boulder, UT. Make sure to stop in the http://burrtrailoutpost.com and get a cup of coffee and a gluten-free sandwich before hitting the trail. The proprietor was very knowledgeable of the area and offers great advice on local trails and points of interest.

Casto Canyon BLM
37.784196, -112.331790

This road and subsequent pull-outs are located a few miles down the road from Bryce Canyon and have many of the same geological features that makes Bryce famous. Some spots are better than others, but the nearby Casto Canyon and Red Canyon Mountain Bike trails make this spot a solid starting point for an adventure in Bryce country.

There are vault toilets along the road at different campsites and there are spots for larger rigs along the road. Be wary of the higher elevation; in mid-April we pulled in with 65° temps and woke up the next morning with snow and temps in the 20’s. This is very common for the high desert, so be prepared with plenty of fuel, water, and food.

Bryce Canyon FS
37.665426, -112.182836

Just before you get to the welcome sign for Bryce Canyon National Park, turn right onto Forest Service Road 090 and enjoy the hundreds of campsites and pull-outs along the road. Free camping this close to a National Park where camping can cost $50+ is a lifesaver.

There was plenty of downed wood and the spot that we stayed in was very secluded and quiet. There were spots for rigs of all sizes, just make sure that your fire is put out and that you don’t mutilate the live trees that are everywhere.

LaVerkin BLM
37.170866, -113.249931

When you think about public land camping in the desert, this is what you picture. Beautiful views, clean campsites, and tons of mountain biking nearby. This was one of our favorite campsites in Utah and for good reason. The JEM mountain bike trail wraps its way around the butte and river below to form a network of trails for running or riding.

Cell service was excellent here as well. We stayed here while getting errands run in Hurricane and visiting nearby Zion National Park. If we make our way back to the Hurricane area again, we will definitely stay here. If you stay here, be sure to check out the Virgin River overlook and rim trail. It is worth the effort to get to it.

If you use any of these free campsites on public land, pick up after yourself. Please follow Leave No Trace guidelines and leave the land better than you found it. If you liked our content and want to see more of our travel and full-time bus living, check out our Facebook and Instagram pages and subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

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May 4, 2018

Our bus broke…Maintenance Monday Repair YouTube Video

We only made it a couple of states from home when we ran into a problem. The drawers that I built for the garage area are fine, but the sliders that I used are not quite strong enough for all of our gear. In this episode, we pull over in the National Forest near Durango, CO and fix our first maintenance problem in the bus.

We are going to document our travels and adventures with you through a new series on our YouTube channel. In addition to showing you our fun adventures, we are going to use the Maintenance Monday segment to show you what actual work needs to be done to the bus on a regular basis.

If you like our content and want to be updated when we post to YouTube, please SUBSCRIBE!

Month: May 2018