Escapees January-February 2023

The Narrows, surrounded by walls a thousand feet tall, run through a gorge, the narrowest in the park. It’s not your average, everyday hike, either, it’s a hike in the river. You’ll need closed-toe shoes to walk over the slippery river rocks and a walking stick to help you balance and move forward with that oh-so-typical RVer curiosity about what’s around the next bend. Hiking the Narrows can be a quick walk (wade, actually) or a 16-mile wilderness trip. Most people, however, enjoy a shorter, less than 10-mile day hike from the Temple of Sinawava, taking in the majestic beauty and wilderness vibe. Little But Lots of Payo ff s While a grand adventure is an undertaking, big and bold, you can be captivated by daily life. By the nature of our lifestyles, we’re frequently in new places. This is a perfect situation for enjoying life’s little pleasures. Make it a point to try local cuisine in a restaurant, a cooking class or the farmers market. If you are in a cosmopolitan city, try a different ethnic food, something you’ve always been curious about. Pick up a local newspaper and explore the cultural offerings. Look for art festivals, outdoor movies, performing arts and museums. Engage in a walking or driving tour of local architecture, on your own or guided. Stroll gardens and parks, looking for speci fi c fl ora or fountains. Seek out places that have been featured in your favorite books, movies or podcasts. Adventurous Souls Perhaps the late Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mary Oliver said it best, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” I hope it’s to live out loud, dream big and experience all the adventure you can fi t into your days and nights. After all, big things await. EVANNE SCHMARDER #65409 is sure she got the wanderlust bug from her grandpar ents. In 2000, she and her husband, Ray, set o ff on their own adventure in search of a sunny place to settle down. Eighteen plus years later, they’re still roaming the country, sharing interesting destinations and cooking up delicious RV kitchen recipes in their

Route 66 webpage to learn more about this piece of Americana and to plan your route. https://www.nps.gov/subjects/travel route66/index.htm Explore the Great Lakes When we fi rst set eyes on Lake Superior, it looked like an ocean we’d not seen before: vast, blue and constantly in motion. From busy beaches to quiet lakeside rocks, this, the largest of the Great Lakes (and one of the largest lakes in the world), is a show-stopper. But, Lake Superior is not the only spar kling gem of the Great Lakes. They consist of a string of fi ve interconnected freshwater lakes, each astonishing in its own right. It’s easiest to remember all fi ve by the acronym HOMES: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. They touch the borders of Canada, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, and the region sports no fewer than seven national parks, lakeshore parks, monuments and memorials. One could easily spend an entire summer/fall season exploring the dunes, forests, rock forma tions, islands, lighthouses and more.

“ Perhaps the late Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mary Oliver said it best,

‘ ‘Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?’ ”

Hike Zion National Park’s Virgin River Narrows

Utah’s Zion National Park is nothing if not awe-inspiring. The natural beauty and dark skies will astound you. At Zion you can mountain bike, go birding, take a scenic drive, and even gape at the crystal clear Milky Way in the night sky. But for an only-here-ex perience, hiking along the Virgin River Narrows is a must-do big adventure.

popular RV TV series, RVCookingShow.com.

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ESCAPEES Magazine January/February 2023