Ad-van-tures — The Vanimals

Day 4- Lake Superior Bike Tour: Silver Bay to Grand Marais

Our bike route on Day 4 of our Lake Superior Circle Tour took us from Silver Bay to just north of Grand Marais, MN. Cycling the North Shore is one of the best bike routes, taking you along the rocky shores of the worlds largest freshwater lake. While biking north on Highway 61 and the Gitchi Gami State Trail, you’ll pass Palisade Head, Tettegouche State Park, Cross River Falls, Temperance River State Park, the Kadunce River, and the deep boreal forests of Minnesota. Plus a weird mini golf-goat combo place.

Bike Touring, Free Camping, Lake Superior, Minnesota, Roadside Attractions, State Parks, TravelKaylee ThornleyApril 5, 2020Abandoned Places, Aero Tech Designs, Art, Beaches, Beer, Bike Clothing, Bike Routes, Bike Safety, Bike Touring, Biking, Biltong, Bridges, Camp Food, Camping Gear, Coffee, Cooking, Cycling Gear, Flat Tires, Food, Forest Service Land, Free Camping, Frugal Travel, Geology, Gitchi-Gami State Trail, Great Lakes, Highway 61, Kalahari Biltong, Lake Superior, Lake Superior Ale Trail, Lake Superior Circle Tour, Minnesota, National Forests, North Shore, North Star Bicycle Route, Outdoor Tech, Panniers, Pebble Beaches, Photography, Public Land, Rain, Rain Gear, Roadside Attractions, Silver Bay, Stashers, State Parks, Stealth Camping, Tents, Trails, Travel, Waterfalls, Palisade Head, Tettegouche State Park, Cross River Falls, Temperance River, Hidden Falls, Tofte, Lutsen, Grand Marais, Kadunce River, Superior National Forest, Flute Reed River, High-Visibility GearComment

Day 3- Lake Superior Bike Tour: Duluth to Silver Bay

In many ways, Minnesota’s North Shore is a destination for recreational and hard core cyclists alike. Read more about our Lake Superior Bike Tour route from Duluth to Silver Bay on Highway 61 and the Gitchi-Gami State Trail, including fun stops like Two Harbors, Silver Creek Cliff Tunnel, Gooseberry Falls, Black Beach, and more.

Bike Touring, Cities, Free Camping, Lake Superior, Minnesota, Roadside Attractions, State Parks, TravelKaylee ThornleyMarch 22, 2020Aero Tech Designs, Beaches, Beaver Bay, Beer, Bike Clothing, Bike Routes, Bike Safety, Bike Shops, Bike Touring, Biking, Black Beach Park, Bridges, Brighton Beach, Camping Gear, Cities, Coffee, Couch Surfing, Cycling Gear, Duluth, Dynamo Hub, Free Camping, Frugal Travel, Geology, Gitchi-Gami State Trail, Gooseberry Falls, Great Lakes, Highway 61, History, Lake Superior, Lake Superior Ale Trail, Lake Superior Circle Tour, Lakewalk, Lighthouses, Minnesota, North Shore, North Star Bicycle Route, Outdoor Tech, Pebble Beaches, Public Land, Rain, Roadside Attractions, Silver Bay, Silver Creek Cliff Tunnel, Split Rock Lighthouse, State Parks, Stealth Camping, Taconite, Tents, Trails, Travel, Travel Apps, Tunnels, Two Harbors, Warmshowers, WaterfallsComment

Day 2- Lake Superior Bike Tour: Brule River to Duluth

Here’s our bike route from Brule River to Duluth on the Lake Superior Circle Tour, including navigating Superior, Wisconsin on bike and crossing the bridge into Duluth, Minnesota as a cyclist. We felt accomplished on Day 2 of our Lake Superior bike tour, entering a new state and checking off a few of the breweries on the Lake Superior Ale Trail. And we built a new dynamo bike wheel! Plus read about our first ever Warmshowers stay…

Day 1- Lake Superior Bike Tour: Ashland to Brule River

Day 1 of our Lake Superior Bike Tour took us from Ashland, Wisconsin to the banks of the Brule River. We battled deer flies and heat as we cycled across the Bayfield Peninsula. We swam at Corny Beach, painted in Port Wing, and drank ice cold water from free-flowing artesian wells. Read all the details about our Chequamegon Bay bike route right here.

How We Shower While Living in a Van

One of the questions that are we most frequently asked is how we shower while living in our camper van. Here’s how we clean up when we don’t have access to showers, and how we find free or low cost showers while living and traveling full time in our camper van conversion.

The Gunnison Route: Hiking into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Most people who visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park stay above the canyon walls, but for the intrepid and hiker, hiking into the inner canyon is a wonderful and intimate way to experience the canyon. We opted to take the short but very steep Gunnison Route down to the Gunnison River. Here’s our guide to hiking into the Black Canyon.

Our Favorite Places in North Carolina

North Carolina is a state of great contrasts. In the west, there are smoky blue mountains and twisting mountain roads. In the central part of the state, you’ll find financial centers and the “Research Triangle.” Along the coast, are white sandy beaches and colorful condos on stilts. There’s a lot to be discovered in this diverse state. Ian and I spent a couple of weeks traveling through North Carolina in February. Here are our favorite spots!

Cities, Free Camping, National Parks, North Carolina, Roadside Attractions, State Parks, Travel, VanlifeKaylee ThornleyJune 14, 2019Appalachian Mountains, Art, Art Loeb Trail, Asheville, Backpacking, Beaches, Beer, Biking, Black Balsam Knob, Blue Ridge Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Chainsaw Art, Charlotte, Cheap Eats, Cities, Durham, Ferries, Food, Forest Service Land, Free Camping, Frugal Travel, Haw River, High Point, Metalmorphosis, Mountains, Museums, National Forests, North Carolina, Ocean, Ocracoke Ferry, Ocracoke Island, Ocracoke Lighthouse, Outer Banks, Pigsah National Forest, Public Land, Raleigh, Road Trip, Roadside Attractions, Running, Shining Rock Wilderness, Wilson, Shipwrecks, State Parks, Summit, Tennent Mountain, Trail Running, Trails, Travel, Travel Planning, Urban Parks, Vanlife, Vollis Simpson, Whirligigs, William B. Umstead State Park, Winter Travel, World's Largest Chest of Drawers, Mallard Creek GreenwayComment

The Outer Banks of North Carolina in a Camper Van in Winter: A Case of Bad Timing

The Outer Banks are one of the biggest travel destinations in North Carolina. White sandy beaches stretch into the distance. Colorful houses stand on skinny legs ready for flooding. And blissful buttery seafood abounds. That said, there are some places that are just not conducive to traveling in a camper van. The Outer Banks in winter just might be one of those places.

A Day of Free Art in Raleigh, North Carolina

When most people think of places known for art, they probably do not think of Raleigh, North Carolina. We were really surprised when on a cloudy day in February, we were able to spend a day totally immersed in art in Raleigh. The best part about it was that all of the art was free to visit.

Spending a Day in Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park is an enormous desert wilderness. Here’s our guide to Canyonlands’ Island in the Sky District if you only have one day to spend in the park. Start your day with sunrise at Mesa Arch, look out over some amazing vistas, and explore a few short hiking trails…