Author Archives: Karen

Our trip is coming to an end, and our journey back to Wisconsin gave us the harsh message that winter is on its way. We left sunny Las Vegas on a comfortably warm morning, driving through Utah and ending in … Continue reading →

After enjoying Halloween and a show with my friend Sallie in Salt Lake City, Ken made a last-minute decision to fly to Los Angeles to visit his friend David. That left me with a car and a drive across Nevada. Before you think I did … Continue reading →

No, this has nothing to do with pie or creme brulee or anything tasty like that. Little signs dotting Utah’s national parks sported the phrase, “Don’t bust the crust.” The crust they are referring to is this: What looks to … Continue reading →

We were addicts, determined to win. Three days in a row we got up early to try our luck. It was a game of chance, watching the bingo numbers tumble inside their cage. Yet money was not the prize. Instead, … Continue reading →

Finally, I got to visit the Grand Canyon, just the second most visited park in the National Park system! We worked through the busy crowds on the shuttle buses and trails, always enjoying the breathtaking scenery. Every turn made me … Continue reading →

Sedona. Many thoughts pop into my head upon hearing that name…..pricey, new age-y, pretty. A tourist town like this would not usually be on our travel itinerary. Yet October 11, 2012 was no usual date: it happened to be our … Continue reading →

We are CouchSurfing pros, having been members since 2007. What we had never done was join a CouchCrash. Albuquerque hosted their first ever on the same weekend as the Balloon Fiesta. It was time for our first crash. A CouchCrash … Continue reading →

A weekend in Colorado Springs. I’ve never thought much of the city and was frankly a bit spooked by the large military presence and the largest Christian right-wing group, Focus on the Family, having its own ZIP code there. Colorado … Continue reading →

Once upon a time, a Couchsurfer named Rahim stayed at our house in Milwaukee. We kept in touch with him as we toured Asia and even met his sister in Malaysia. Now, we finally have the chance to see him again, … Continue reading →

The first major stop on our trip was in Rocky Mountain National Park. We arrived at a very popular time, the elk rutting season, when males bugle to attract the females. The elks tend to bunch up in the open … Continue reading →