The Books Are Done—It’s Time to Hit the Road

Over a year ago, my life changed. My retirement plans changed, too, and for a while I was stuck in a place I wasn’t sure I was going to get through. I was on the verge of turning 60. Retirement was just around the corner, and here I was with no real plan.

I grieved. I wasn’t a very good ex-girlfriend. And for a while, I really didn’t know what came next.

But something changed.

I started taking one step at a time. One day at a time. And before I knew it, I had created my Beyond Survival™ series. Creating Beyond Survival gave me the time to really look at where I was, where I had been, and where I wanted to go next. I put my travel plans on hold while I created a lasting system that worked for me—one that would help me continue growing and becoming a better version of myself.

It wasn’t an easy process.

I cried a lot. I pushed through a lot of questions. Eventually, I became strong enough to forgive myself for mistakes I had made in the past.We all make choices, and sometimes those choices are giving us something while other times they are taking something away from us. At this point in my life, I think I have finally figured out how to balance some of that.

And now?

I’m ready for some new challenges.

It’s Time to Find Out What’s Out There

I’m ready to find those unique places that not everybody knows about and bring them right here to Roadside Gossip.

I’ve already shared some of my travels here, including my fall visit to Dow Gardens in Midland, Michigan, and now I’m ready to start exploring again. I want to share my love of photography and nature. I’m ready to find amazing trails, waterfalls, caves, scenic drives, historic places and those weird little roadside discoveries you stumble across when you get off the beaten path.

Most of all, I want to sit in the silence of nature and really listen to where it leads me.

I know there are incredible places out there waiting for me to find them. I’m hoping I can lose myself in their beauty for a while and capture them with my camera the way I see and feel them. There are so many choices that I wasn’t even sure where to start my travel bucket list.

Then I remembered something.

I have index cards.

My Famous Index Cards Have a New Job

Of course I do. 😂

For years, I’ve been writing down places that catch my attention. I have index cards organized by state with places I want to visit someday. Some of the cards are still completely blank. Others apparently need their own filing cabinet.

Arkansas, I’m looking at you.

My Arkansas card already has places like Blue Spring Heritage Center, Lake Catherine State Park, Mount Nebo State Park, Petit Jean State Park and Devil’s Den State Park.

Indiana has Brown County State Park and Turkey Run State Park.

Iowa has Maquoketa Caves State Park.

New York has Watkins Glen State Park.

And Oregon? Oregon might require an entire road trip of its own. Crater Lake National Park, Silver Falls State Park, Oregon Caves National Monument and the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway are just a few of the places waiting on that card.

Looking at my list, apparently I have a thing for waterfalls, caves, trails and beautiful places.

I can live with that.

But I Want the Places Nobody Tells You About

The famous destinations are wonderful, but those aren’t the only places I’m looking for. I want the hidden waterfall you found by accident. The little hiking trail that doesn’t have a parking lot full of cars. The strange roadside attraction that made you pull over just because you had to see what it was. The tiny town with an incredible story. The forgotten historic site. The scenic backroad that turned out to be better than the destination.

I want the places that make you wonder, “How did I not know this was here?”

Those are the places I want to find.

Help Me Fill My Bucket List

So now I’m asking all of you for help filling those empty index cards.

What’s the best-kept secret you’ve discovered while traveling?Tell me where it is, what state it’s in and the best time of year to visit. It doesn’t have to be famous. Actually, I’d rather it wasn’t. Maybe your suggestion will end up on one of my index cards. And maybe one day you’ll open Roadside Gossip and discover that Buck and I actually went there.

For a long time, I thought retirement was supposed to come with some kind of master plan. I’m beginning to think mine might look a little different.

And if Buck is going to be riding shotgun on some of these adventures, apparently he needs to pack too. I’ve already started figuring out what my four-legged traveling partner needs for the road in Dog Road Trip Essentials: Buck Needs Luggage Too.

Maybe it’s Buck riding beside me, a camera within reach, plenty of coffee, blue skies ahead and a stack of index cards telling me which road to take next.

The books are done.

It’s time to hit the road. 🚗🐕☕📸