Reader Questions Answered: Favorite Places

Another great reader question: 

When you and your husband were trucking, were there any towns that struck you as especially pretty and scenic?

I know you didn't have time to sightsee, but were there any places that stood out to you?

There were actually quite a few places that I was blown away by across the United States. Although my husband and I were not doing traditional tourist activities during the two years we spent delivering goods in a big rig, we did get to see little slices of life from all around the country which was really cool.

There are many locations around the country that impressed and inspired me. These are the top locales I would love to go back to and explore further.

Western Montana

From the western state border to around the Missoula area, Montana is pretty the area where my husband and I were most captivated by its natural beauty. Gentle mountains covered in the tallest of pine trees and dotted with lakes and rivers like crystalline gems in a crown. Whether it's the mild, verdant summers or the snow blanketed winters, big sky country holds a special allure year round. As much as I'm a beach fanatic, the mountains also hold a special place in my heart. We would probably move there if we could, although the snowy winters would take some getting used to.

I at least hope to vacation in Montana someday and would especially love to visit Glacier National Park.

Moab Utah and Arches National Park

Utah is a gorgeous state, from the mountains to the desert, and we always enjoyed what we saw there. One of the most unique natural wonders we drove right past was the beautiful stone monoliths of Arches National Park.

I would really love to hike the area and admire all the cool sites. The nearby town of Moab also looked like an amazing place to visit. It's a small city with a unique heartbeat; it has a quaint, small town vibe with lots of locally owned shops and restaurants but also has a lot of entertainment to offer, from bike tours to river rafting. I really hope I make it back here one day.

New Berlin, New York

A tiny town in the middle of nowhere is certainly not on most tourist lists of destinations, but I feel my soul calling me back to the connection I made to this place. It was amazing to see how the rural upstate New York countryside differed from the bustling big city life of NYC just an hour or two away.

Something about this little village struck me as fascinating. From the wide open farmlands to the rambling Victorian homes to the little businesses dotting the main drag, it seemed both idyllic and mysterious. I probably took more pictures of this town than any other. Everywhere I looked something intrigued me. I would love to go back there and stay in a little inn or bed and breakfast, just spending some time exploring and hearing the local lore, perhaps solving a mystery or meeting a ghost or two.

I would also like to note a few locations that while I don't necessarily feel the need to return to had some really neat manmade landmarks.

The tiny junction town of Parachute, Colorado had probably the coolest solar energy setup I've ever seen. How adorable are these sunflower solar panels?

Across the street they also had an awesome teepee shaped gift shop featuring handcrafted Native American Jewelry.

Officially the coldest place I've ever visited with temps of -22°F and windchill of -40°, is Steele, North Dakota. Despite being deathly cold, I was able to see the beauty of the place, and man do they really have a love for birds.

The dapper subject of this photo is "The World's Largest Sandhill Crane, erected in 1999 to promote bird conservation, and of course, generate tourism for an otherwise small town. The iron sculpture was created by James Miller and stands 40 ft tall and weighs 4.5 tons."

This was actually across the street from a tiny truck stop we stayed at and those are my footprints in the snow. I actually trekked right past Mr. Crane to find this adorable little birdhouse geocache.

Geocaching is one of my most favorite travel pastimes; you use your phone's GPS to locate fun little treasure boxes or "geocaches" that other people have hidden. It's like a worldwide treasure hunt; I highly recommend anyone with even the tiniest spirit of adventure give it a try. It's free to get started playing at www.geocaching.com

Also just down the interstate from Mr. Crane we saw this amazing art piece. It really puts "bird's eye view" into a whole new perspective, doesn't it?"

I hope you've enjoyed a few of my travel photos back from the "on the road" days. What are the most favorite trips you've taken and the most interesting sights you've seen. Where would you most like to visit next?

Do you have any questions you'd like me to answer? Please leave them in the comments below!