Christmas always brings its own rhythm — a little excitement, a little chaos, and a whole lot of family. This year was no different. In fact, Christmas Day looked a bit like a two-person version of Santa’s delivery route. We were out the door early, making our first stops with the kids and grandkids. Between the wrapping paper flying, the sugar-fueled energy, and the noise level that could rival a marching band, it felt like Christmas in all the best ways.

Once we wrapped things up there, we continued on to visit Mrs. Weeble’s mother and the rest of her family. By the time we finished all the rounds, I’m pretty sure we had just as many stops checked off as Santa himself — though he probably moves a little faster than we do.

When the day finally wound down and the house settled into that quiet after the holiday rush, the lights seemed to glow a little softer.

Continue reading “Christmas Around the Campfire: A Holiday Visit & Tradition”

As Christmas draws near, I find myself getting nostalgic—and that always gets me thinking. Now, trust me, when I start thinking, it can be a scary thing. But this time, my thoughts drifted back to something simple: the RV I owned in 1997. It was an old 1987 Coachmen Leprechaun, and at the time it felt like the gateway to a whole new kind of freedom.

Long before that, though, the spark for RVing came from my very first camping trip with my children. I was a single father, and I wanted to create some memories with them—real camping memories. My daughter, Jessica, was about eleven, and my son, Jeffrey, was around eight. So I decided to take them to Big Meadows Campground in Shenandoah National Park.

Continue reading “From Leaky Tent to Leprechaun RV: A Shenandoah Memory”

I can’t tell you how interesting I’ve found this trip planning to be. I’ve planned plenty of adventures in the past, but they always had a fixed end date. This time, the road ahead has no deadline, and that’s both liberating and a little unnerving. So yes, I figured I’d let my wandering mind stretch its legs early in this post. Now, where did we leave off last time? We were in Minneapolis after enjoying a game at Target Field. The next big question, of course, is where we head next. I initially considered driving north to see the headwaters of the Mississippi River.
Continue reading “Rolling West: Minneapolis to Mitchell, South Dakota”

As we roll into Thanksgiving, Mrs. Weeble and I want to send a heartfelt thank you to every one of you who’ve joined us on this winding road of adventures.

Whether you’ve been with us from the first campfire post or just recently pulled your chair up to the fire, we’re grateful you’re part of this journey. In addition, your steady encouragement keeps our little corner of the web warm and welcoming.

Your comments, your curiosity, and your support keep this campsite glowing. Because of you, the stories feel richer and the miles feel lighter.

It means more than you know. However, it also reminds us how fortunate we are to share these experiences with people who enjoy the open road as much as we do.

This season has shown us that community matters. Also, every time you read, like, or share a post, you help keep Captain Weeble’s Travels rolling toward the next adventure.

From quiet forest campsites to noisy ballparks, each stop feels more special because you’re right here with us.

For that, we are truly thankful.

Continue reading “Happy Thanksgiving Everyone”

Target Field Dreams: RV Parking, Toad Talk, and Baseball Plans

As you read in my last blog, Mrs. Weeble and I are planning to stop in Minneapolis to watch the Twins play a baseball game and see Target Field. I’ve been looking at how we’d park the RV—because you just can’t park a 24-foot rig just anywhere. I’ve mentioned before that I’d like to tow a small vehicle, a “toad,” and this stop is another reminder why. It would’ve helped when Bill and I were in Shenandoah National Park on our 50-year reunion tour. A 30-foot RV doesn’t fit too well at the trailheads. That was one of the big reasons for downsizing to a Sprinter-van-type RV with a diesel motor. The idea is to keep things flexible enough for both highways and hiking trails. The problem I keep circling back to is towing a toad all the way to Alaska and back home—thousands of miles of rough, beautiful road. That’s a lot of wear and tear on both the RV and the toad. Continue reading “Target Field Dreams: RV Parking, Toad Talk, and Baseball Plans”

I’ve been thinking a little more about the stretch from Whitefish Point to the Badlands. As I mentioned last week, I was a bit concerned about pushing the Weeble RV Traveling Rules on this leg of the journey. But the more I look at it, the more I’m inclined to bend them—just a little.

The distance from Whitefish Point to Minneapolis is about 690 miles, which raises the question: where are we going to spend our nights along the way?

I’d really like to stay away from the big-name campgrounds—KOA and the like. They’re fine, but I’ve found that national parks, state parks, and local county or city campgrounds are not only friendlier but often easier on the wallet.

Sure, there are plenty of spots that allow overnight stays—Walmarts, Cracker Barrels, even a few Cabela’s parking lots. But one of the unwritten Weeble Rules is:

“Whenever possible, never set up camp in the dark.”

Continue reading “Back on the Map Again (Part 2): From Whitefish Point to the Badlands”

Back to the Map Again: Decisions, Decisions on the Road to the Badlands

By Captain Weeble

I’m sitting here with Mrs. Weeble watching Game 6 of the World Series. She’s watching the game; I’m pretending to — but truthfully, my mind keeps wandering north… to Alaska.

As of tonight, I’ve got the first 45 days of our trip roughed out. There’s a spreadsheet full of stops, rest days, and mileages that only a true map nerd could love. While Mrs. Weeble was tracking the score, I was tracking the miles.

The next leg starts at Whitefish Point in northern Michigan. And when I say northern, I mean the next stop north is the Arctic Circle — or at least that’s what it feels like. You can’t get farther north unless you bring a boat. So from there, I’m looking west.

If I stick with the official Weeble Travel Rules, the next few stops are mostly state parks scattered across Michigan and Minnesota. The only national park along that route is Voyageurs National Park. When I asked ChatGPT to fill in this leg, I gave it carte blanche — which might’ve been a mistake. It promptly suggested Voyageurs, so I checked it out.
Continue reading “Back to the Map Again”

The other night, I was kicked back in my easy chair with a map sprawled across my lap, pretending to know what I was doing. Mrs. Weeble had the World Series on TV, and I was “multitasking” — keeping one eye on the game and the other on Alaska.

She looked over and asked, “What are you doing now?”

“Planning the RV trip to Alaska,” I said proudly, like a man unveiling a great expedition.

She rolled her eyes. “You do realize that trip isn’t happening for several years, right?”

“Of course,” I said. “That’s why I’m planning it now. A trip this epic doesn’t just happen — it has to be engineered, scheduled, and possibly blessed by the travel gods.”

Then I asked, “So where would you like to go?”

Without hesitation, she said, “Niagara Falls.”
Continue reading “Back to Planning (Again): Mapping Our Epic Alaska RV Trip”

I’m going to pivot a bit from last week’s blog, where I was mapping out my dream trip to Alaska, and start thinking about what type of RV I’d actually like to buy. I know it might seem a little confusing to switch gears this fast, but that’s just how my ADHD brain works — the road winds where it wants to go.

Why a Diesel Motorhome Makes Sense

First off, I want a diesel motor. I’ve owned a Volkswagen TDI for the last seven or eight years, and I love that car. Whether I’m cruising at 55 or pushing 85 mph, it still gives me about 40 mpg on the highway. I’ve become a bit of a diesel fanboy, I’ll admit.

Now, I know I won’t be flying down the interstate at 85 mph in any motorhome — that’s not the point. But diesel engines deliver great mileage, torque, and longevity, which means more range and fewer fuel stops.

Keeping It Manageable in Size

I want it under 28 feet. That’s mostly so Mrs. Weeble might feel comfortable driving it — if I can ever talk her into it. Driving something longer than a car can feel intimidating at first, and if she never wants to drive it, that’s okay too.
Continue reading “Thinking About What Type of RV I Want”

Ever since I got back from my last camping trip, my mind’s been wandering north — way north. I’ve been thinking about Alaska. Not just getting there, but driving there from Baltimore… and then, of course, driving all the way back.

That’s roughly 8,000 miles of open road, gas receipts, and snacks of questionable nutritional value.

Now, I used to be an over-the-road truck driver, so long-distance driving doesn’t scare me one bit. But Mrs. Weeble? She’s a “go slow, stop and shop” kind of traveler. If there’s a gift shop, a farmer’s market, or a rack of postcards, we’re stopping. And probably buying something we’ll have to make room for later.

Before any of that happens, though, I’ll have to get Mrs. Weeble fully on board with the idea — and that may take some careful persuasion, a few strategically timed compliments, and possibly the promise of unlimited souvenir stops.

I’ll be honest — this trip won’t be happening anytime soon. It’s several years down the road, but something this epic takes serious planning. You don’t just wake up one morning and say, “Let’s drive to Alaska.” (Well, you could — but you’d probably forget your coffee mug, your camera, and half your socks.)

So, to keep things from turning into a cross-country endurance run, I came up with a few Weeble Travel Rules — my own, thank you very much:

• No more than 6.5 hours of driving per day. I’m not hauling freight anymore.
• If the drive tops 400 miles, we take a rest day. Humans (and RVs) need recovery time.
• If it’s interesting, we stay longer. After all, the whole point is to enjoy the journey.

I didn’t get these from any particular blogger — they just make sense after years behind the wheel. But I did get one great idea from a favorite YouTube channel, Van Trekking Lifestyle. They were planning a trip out west and used ChatGPT to help map their route. I thought, “Well, if it can help them find great stops and scenic detours, maybe it can help us too.”

So yes, maybe I’m putting the cart ahead of the camper — dreaming about routes and stops before I even own the RV. But that’s part of the fun. The dreaming and the planning are half the adventure.

And I’ll plead guilty — I don’t mind stopping and shopping either. I just have to remember that I’ll be living in an RV… which means if I buy something new, something else might have to go. Space is limited — and I’m pretty sure Mrs. Weeble’s shoe collection already called dibs on the storage bays.

To be continued…