Well, I’ve been home from the great Newfoundland adventure for a few months now, and I’m still planning to document the journey. My laptop died on the trip which halted my ability to update, and after spending the summer in Chautauqua, NY, I have really only had a couple of days off. Life is a bit crazy, but it’s all good.
I’ve been thinking a lot about my beloved camper – Louise is the reason I’ve been able to visit so many National Parks in the US and Canada over the past 10 years! She continues to be the best investment I’ve ever made – the benefits she’s given to my physical and mental health are truly magnificent!
When I first stood on the shores of Lake Louise and Moraine Lake in Banff National Park in 2010, I knew I’d be back to visit. The colors of those glacier lakes is like nothing else I’ve seen in the natural world. The first trip, I stayed at a hotel in town, but I vowed to return and camp, hopefully in my very own teardrop camper. I’ve since returned there five or six times, three of which were with Louise, named of course after the magical water in Alberta.
In mid-2014 I started what would be the most challenging job of my lifetime. It was incredibly stressful and as the days and weeks passed, I knew I needed something big to keep me sane. I’d dreamed of a teardrop camper for a long time, and so on a whim 10 years ago, I sent a deposit to the incomparable TC Teardrops, and ordered a custom-made camper. She has been the very best thing I’ve ever owned!
In the past 10 years, Louise and I have been so many incredible places. We’ve been to the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons and Glacier National Parks three times each. Plus visits to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Gateway Arch, Mammoth Cave, Great Smokey Mountains National Park, Shenandoah, Acadia, New River Gorge, and all five of the Utah National Parks.
And that’s just the US National Parks!
I’ve been to the Canadian Rockies three times…. including Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Waterton Lake and Kootenay National Parks in Alberta/British Columbia. I’ve visited Park d’Oka in Quebec. Prince Edward Island, Bay of Fundy, Cape Breton Highlands, Gros Morne and Terra Nova in Newfoundland. Louise has been my absolute most faithful companion on every single adventure! We’ve traveled to over 40 states and nine Canadian Provinces. And stopped at quite a few breweries along the way.
Last year, I designed a logo for her and created some patches. Every friend and family member who has gone camping with me received their very own Louise patch. It’s been a really fun thing to share with others who love Louise like I do.
I should have kept a log of all of the nights spent and adventures taken over the past decade. Truly, there are too many to list.
I am so fortunate to have such an incredible two-wheeled best friend! You are welcome to call me crazy, but I get emotional thinking about how great Louise has made my life – how she is the reason I’ve gotten to see the very best of America and Canada! Our National Parks are the best thing we have, and taking care of them is crucial to the health of our country. (Speaking of our National Parks – lets take care of them. Are you registered to vote? Early voting here at home in NC starts soon!)
Happy Birthday, Louise! You are amazing.
Teardrops & Ales 