Tamela Rich's Blog, page 7

7 Tips for Eating Healthy Meals on Vacation

I recently hosted an “Ask Me Anything” tele-seminar about planning a road trip. One of the most-requested topics was eating healthy meals on the road.

Eating in restaurants, amusement parks, and on-the-go from gas stations can easily derail healthy eating habits. The good news is that you have more choices now than ever before—and the mobile web will help you find them.

#1. Shop at farmers markets and grocery stores
Farmers market in Kirkwood, MO

Restaurants and drive-throughs aren’t the only option while on a vacation. Takeout from a local farmers market  gives you the ultimate flexibility on what to eat.

Many farmers markets offer prepared foods too…regional dishes you won’t find at home.

Use your smart phone to find your nearest farmers market or even a farm stand on the farm property, and get step-by-step directions to plan your visit using Google Maps.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Directories is a fine place to start. It’s just as easy to do a simple web search using the terms “farmers market” and the state or city.

Don’t forget the grocery store! You’ll be delighted to see what’s offered, from soup and salad bars to heartier fare like roasted chicken.

At the grocery, everyone in your family can choose their meal, from sushi to grilled veggie sandwiches.

Bonus: whether your food comes from a farmers market or grocery store, you can select a scenic overview or park to eat your meal in leisure and avoid the barrage of TV screens that distract from meaningful conversation in most restaurants.

Side note: Speaking of apps, I generally prefer single-purpose apps. The more functions developers add the more easily I’m frustrated trying to learn how to use them.

#2. Don’t eat the hotel breakfast just because it’s included in your stay

Ask what’s on the menu before checking in and changing into your pajamas. If healthy fare isn’t on the buffet, make a trip to the grocery store before turning in for the night.

If your hotel offers an exclusive lineup of cereal, pancakes/waffles, muffins and bagels, you’ll be sorry you did the carb load. Get some fresh fruits and veggies and protein to replace or go with that. It doesn’t take a colorectal specialist to predict bloating and constipation if you eat all brown and white foods on the road.

Yes, I did say “colorectal specialist, bloating and constipation” in this blog post! Keeping it real.

#3. Carry snacks and a water bottle

Don’t justify eating poorly because you’re on vacation. Carry your own healthy snacks like nuts, carrots and fresh fruit.

Drink plenty of water from your own water bottle, which can be refilled in your room before leaving in the morning and at drinking fountains throughout the day. If you eat at a restaurant, ask for citrus (lemon, lime, orange) to squeeze into your water bottle and top it off before you leave.

Staying hydrated will stave off headaches and give you a full feeling that prevents “emergency eating.”

You can’t see it well, but I’m wearing my CamelBak at Yellowstone

I travel with a CamelBak, which makes hydration on a trail hike super easy. During the hottest months I’ll fill it mostly with ice and let it melt over the course of a few hours as I sip. That has the benefit of keeping me cool as it melts and the water cool as I’m drinking it.

Side note: if you sip water throughout the hour you won’t guzzle it when you realize you’re thirsty. Sipping makes it easy for your body to assimilate the water but if you guzzle, you’ll be looking for the bathroom in 30 minutes.

Another “keeping it real tip” from yours truly.

#4. Eat in your lodgings at least once a day

Even if you’re not staying in a hotel suite with a kitchen, you can eat a healthy meal in your room with what you buy at a grocery store or farmers market.

If your hotel has a breakfast bar that includes boiled eggs, grab a couple of those for a snack or combine them with an apple for lunch. I’ve done this plenty of times in my travels.

#5. Grill your meal
Nothing could be easier than a grilled romaine salad.

Cooking out at a park can be a fun and healthy option to restaurant meals. You can grill proteins and vegetables (even lettuce! Charred Romaine is yummy) while controlling portion size and leaving out the chemicals in processed foods.

Remember, most restaurant food is processed. They bring it in on trucks from commercial kitchens a few states away.

#6. Ask for veggies

Many restaurant menu items for adults and kids don’t include a side of fresh vegetables or fruits, but these sides are often available. Ask your server for the restaurant’s healthy side options. I’ve found restaurant servers to be gracious and understanding of these requests.

Require your kids to eat their veggies—just like at home! And if that’s all there is to eat in the car, healthy choices just got easier for everyone.

#7. Remind yourself that healthy eating is part of a fun vacation

Meals are great opportunities to connect with your traveling companions and make new acquaintances. Be adventurous and try new local foods with plenty of  vegetable ingredients.

Instead of eating at a restaurant chain, experience local diners and talk to the local patrons and servers about the area that you’re visiting.

Don’t give up on your goal for healthy eating if you fall off the wagon once in a while. The next bite you take is a fresh start.

I promise, it’s easier than you think to stay on a healthy eating plan while on vacation. If I can do it traveling on a motorcycle, you can do it while traveling in a car.

If you have a tip for eating healthy meals on vacation or a question for me, please leave it in the comments below.

The post 7 Tips for Eating Healthy Meals on Vacation appeared first on Tamela Rich.

Ask Me Anything about Solo Travel

March 1 was Plan a Solo Vacation Day. I don’t know who’s in charge of this designation, but it works for me and WBTV’s Kristen Miranda (video interview above and here).

Facing your fears

I’ve traveled across the United States and Canada on my motorcycle—always on my own itinerary, often unaccompanied. I’ve learned a great deal about myself, the natural world, history and cultures along the way.

The most frequent question I’m asked is about traveling alone is, “Aren’t you afraid?” and the honest answer is that a few things have scared me on my travels, but heck, fear is a part of life.

For every fearful moment I’ve had as a solo traveler, I’ve had 50,000 moments of joy. For every person I’ve met who scared me, I’ve met 129,000 people who’ve brightened my day.

The odds are stacked in your favor, friends. Get out there!

You can ask me anything about solo travel in my upcoming teleseminar April 28, 2015. Register here.

Solo travel statistics

The stereotype of a solo traveler is the teen or twenty-something backpacking through Europe or taking a gap year between university and grad school. Most of us missed that window of opportunity.

Backpacker stereotypes aside, AARP sheds some light on solo travel trends in a recent report that showed:

53% of solo travelers are married and 39% are single/divorced
On average, solo travelers have taken four solo trips
81% were extremely satisfied with their solo trips and are likely to take another solo trip in the next 12 months

Get your feet wet as a solo traveler with a road trip

A road trip is the perfect way to experience solo travel. We live in a big, beautiful country with a great deal to explore. Bonus considerations: you already know the language and you don’t have to learn to drive on the “other” side of the road!

If you’re thinking of hitting the open road on a solo excursion, please join me for this free teleseminar, “Ask Me Anything about Planning a Road Trip.” 

The post Ask Me Anything about Solo Travel appeared first on Tamela Rich.

Free Travel Planning Workshops

With cheap gas prices nationwide and domestic travel on the rise, I’m offering three free workshops to help everyone gear up for fun, memorable and affordable summer travel experiences.

Two workshops are at REI’s Northlake Store in Charlotte, North Carolina. I’m offering a free teleseminar too! Details on all three right here.

Vacationing in the Blue Ridge Mountains?

“Plan Your Blue Ridge Parkway Vacation” provides tips on camping and hiking to wildflower viewing, and the history and culture of the region. I’ll help participants develop a personalized itinerary for a long weekend or a full vacation off the Blue Ridge Parkway, “America’s Favorite Drive.”

Register here for this free workshop, which will be held on Saturday, April 25 from 1:30-2:30PM at REI at Northlake Mall, located at 9755 Northlake Centre Parkway.

On that note, to get you started, here’s a Blue Ridge Parkway app for both Android and iOS devices.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Vacationing in the great outdoors?

“How to Plan a Great Outdoor Family Vacation, Including Mobile Apps”  shares tips on how to involve kids in the planning process and how to keep them excited and engaged while enjoying the great outdoors.

I’ll also show mobile apps that will make planning fun. Please bring your electronic devices for this interactive session.

The free workshop will be held on Saturday, May 16 from 1:30-2:30PM, also at REI’s at Northlake store. Registration is required (go here).

Taking a road trip? Ask me anything!

You can attend my FREE teleseminar, “Ask Me Anything About Road Trip Planning” on Tuesday, April 28. I’ll record the sessions for your later use but you must register in advance.

REGISTER HERE and you’ll get an opportunity to submit your questions in advance.  You’ll get the replay link whether you attend in real time or download it later.

Join me!

The post Free Travel Planning Workshops appeared first on Tamela Rich.

Ask Tamela Anything About Planning a Road Trip

Thanks to online resources (including review sites) anyone can decide WHERE to go. But when it comes to a road trip, you’re often in motion for as long or longer than you’re at your key destinations.

That’s where I come in.

In my free online Q&A, session, I will share ideas for how to enjoy your traveling companions in the car along the way and how to travel America’s scenic highways and byways, which is where the best historical sites and roadside kitsch are often to be found.

REGISTER HERE for April 28 “Ask Tamela Anything About Planning a Road Trip” teleseminar 7:30-9:00 p.m. (Eastern).

Can you trust online reviews and tour operators?

PBS News Hour recently reported on the issue of fake online consumer reviews. According to the report, freelancers who’ve never visited destinations that they review often write online reviews for pay.

When considering the precious allocation of time and money toward a vacation, vacationers should be cautious of what they learn online.

And it’s not only fake reviews that you should be wary of. For example, how do you know that you’re not getting travel advice from someone with a vested interest in a particular destination? That’s like getting advice about a new car from a Ford dealer.

Fear not, that’s why I’m here.

I’m completely independent and have no vested interest in any specific destination. My only concern is that travelers have the best vacations possible.

That’s why I’m offering an online “Ask Me Anything” session for anyone interested in how to make the most of a road trip vacation.

REGISTER HERE for April 28 “Ask Tamela Anything About Planning a Road Trip” teleseminar 7:30-9:00 p.m. (Eastern).

How to plan the perfect summer road trip

I began road tripping as many of us did, traveling with my parents to visit extended family. On our biannual road trip from Ohio to California, I became acquainted with a vast territory from the Midwest to the Great Plains, and the iconic landscapes of the Southwest.

Since then, I’ve traveled 49 states and 5 Canadian provinces, mostly solo and mostly on my motorcycle. The U.S. is comprised of 3.8 million square miles, (factoid: Europe is 3.9 million) so while I haven’t been “everywhere” across our vast country, I’ve been in everywhere’s vicinity.

I maintain a philosophy toward travel that helps take the disappointment out of anything you encounter on the road, from a fight in the back seat, to unpleasant weather or “closed-for-repairs” Walley World.

Click here to view the embedded video.

REGISTER HERE for April 28 “Ask Tamela Anything About Planning a Road Trip” teleseminar 7:30-9:00 p.m. (Eastern).

Pleasing everyone in the mini van

Whether traveling alone, with family, or a significant other, during my Q&A, I’ll answer all your questions about how to plan a trip where everyone gets to do some of the things they most enjoy.

For example, few people enjoy traveling the Great Plains. They complain about the endless miles of straight roads, the monotonous fields of grain, and the stinky (and depressing) cattle feed lots. Travelers faced with I-70 through Kansas can’t wait to get through the Sunflower State, so they gut it out for six hours—essentially losing a full day of their lives to boring travel.

But that’s what you get when you stick to the Interstates. I’ll share a better way to travel the “boring” regions.

Get started now—what would you like to do on your next vacation? Comment here on the blog.

“Ask Me Anything” will be recorded and available to registered guests for replay through August.

REGISTER HERE for April 28 “Ask Tamela Anything About Planning a Road Trip” teleseminar 7:30-9:00 p.m. (Eastern).

The post Ask Tamela Anything About Planning a Road Trip appeared first on Tamela Rich.

Monticello and Slavery: Is this Historical Site Family-Friendly?

With spring break and summer vacation season upon us, I always recommend that parents place an historical site in the itinerary. It could be a quick pull-over at the geographical center of the continental United States where you get a quick family photo, or it can be a week in Gettysburg to take a deep dive into Civil War history.

If you plan ahead, you can listen to audio books in the family car on the theme of your vacation. They’re a great way to get the kids excited about what they’re about to experience and they beat the heck out of one more replay of a kid movie soundtrack from an adult perspective! You can borrow audio books from the public library or buy them from Audible.com.

As part of my continued segment on Fox 46’s Good Morning Charlotte, I suggested Monticello (in Charlottesville, Virginia) for spring break.

Why? Because President Thomas Jefferson was interested in every cool thing that interests kids today: paleontology, archeology, plants and animals, weather, secret codes, and ice cream.

Monticello is also where parents and children can learn about, yes, slavery.

Jefferson was at one time the largest slaveholder in Virginia, yet he originally drafted the Declaration of Independence to include these strong statements against slavery. Jefferson’s strongest-worded paragraph was voted down by the Congressional Congress, then replaced by watered down language in the final draft.

Should we be talking to our kids about slavery?
This tree was alive during Jefferson’s lifetime.

What better way to learn about slavery and racism than as a family, where parents can share their values on the matter?

If the thought makes you squeamish, consider our media-drenched culture. Even young children are aware that America’s slave-holding past has cast a long shadow in places like Ferguson, Missouri and in their own hometowns.

Bottom line: If you aren’t talking to your kids about slavery and racism, you can bet someone else is—directly or indirectly.

Monticello is the perfect place to explore the roots of racism

I think there’s no better place to learn about our nation’s history with slavery than at Monticello, home of  the author of the Declaration of Independence and the third president of our country—who is believed to have fathered the children of Sally Hemings, one of his slaves.

Instead of squirming uncomfortably when the subject of slavery comes up, a trip to Monticello offers families a way to discover the subject in age-appropriate ways. The historical site neither sensationalizes nor sugarcoats slavery.

Guided tours, including slave quarters on “Mulberry Row”

These tours are available at Monticello:

Guided Tour of Monticello’s first floor comes with a Day Pass
You need the “Behind the Scenes” pass to see the second floor, the dome and other places in the house. Buy your tickets in advance; it sells out quickly
Guided “Slavery at Monticello” Tours (April-October) comes with a Day Pass
Guided “Gardens and Grounds” Tours (April-October) comes with a Day Pass

Mulberry Row laborers worked as skilled weavers, spinners, blacksmiths, tinsmiths, nail-makers, carpenters, house joiners, gardeners, stablemen, and domestic servants.

To more fully understand Mulberry Row, home to Jefferson’s enslaved workers, here’s an official website.

Jefferson the Renaissance Man

There is a great deal more than slavery to discover at Monticello. After all, Jefferson founded the University of Virginia, negotiated the Louisiana Purchase, established the American decimal currency system, and imported plants and animals from around the then-known world.

He is even considered the Father of American Archaeology because he excavated a Native American burial mound near Monticello.

A widower, Jefferson would outlive five of his six children. Visitors will learn about how the children and grandchildren were raised and educated—Jefferson had high standards and expected everyone to keep the kind of daunting schedule and intellectual pursuits that he did.

Historical sites, including Monticello, “go digital and interactive”

Back when we were kids going to a historical site was downright boring. Docents and re-enactors in period dress showed visitors how to shoe a horse or make a mustard poultice, but there was not much more to captivate a young person’s interest. We toured a museum with artifacts in glass cases with typewritten labels held in place by push pins.

What kid didn’t hate that?

I’ve visited historical sites in 49 states and Monticello is an example of the future. It offers plenty of kid-centric activities and lots of interactive displays.

Entering the main galleries, visitors are greeted by a wall of 21 flat-panel LCD screens, including seven interactive touch screens (pictured below). This gallery houses the “Sea of Liberty,” which is also an impressive website that you can use to take your visit to Monticello back home with you.

Note the word “Touch” in the one to the right. You can see larger versions of all the photos in this post by clicking on them.

Similarly progressive historical are easy to find on the east coast including Mount Vernon and Gettysburg.

If in doubt whether an historical site will hold your kids’ interests, simply go to the search bar of its website and type in “children’s programs” or “kids programs.”
Monticello’s programs for kids

The Griffin Discovery Room is where kids aged 6-12 will happily spend time exploring all things Jefferson:

Writing on a polygraph machine based on the one Jefferson owned


Learning how to weave


Trying on replicas of 18th-century clothes


Touching a mastodon’s jawbone,


Creating secret codes on a wheel cipher based on Jefferson’s design


Touring a replica of a slave cabin from Mulberry Row (pictured center-below)

The activities are self-directed and will also be enjoyed by adults—but restrain yourselves!

Older children will enjoy the room’s computers with programs that enable visitors to design a house with choices of building materials, styles of windows, domes, columns, pediments, balustrades, etc.

Other seasonal activities are available at the Mountain Top Hands-On Activity Center.

Resources for kids

Plan ahead by downloading a free iPad app to engage children, ages 3-7  in the story of America’s Founding Fathers. The app takes young children on a virtual field trip to Monticello.

Sea of Liberty (mentioned above) interactive website allows teachers and students the opportunity to explore and create digital projects with documents, letters, and images related to ideas of liberty, freedom, and self-governance.

Download this guide and see Monticello through the eyes of Jefferson’s granddaughter Cornelia.

The Jefferson Gardens

Monticello was the first weather observation center in America, run by Jefferson himself. He was an obsessive list maker, and weather was one of his obsessions. For nearly 50 years he took daily notes of weather: temperature, rain fall, barometric pressure, wind direction. He developed a network of others who did the same and they compared data.

He was responsible for the first debate on global warming in history, predicting that the climate of Virginia would no longer support the growing of tobacco.

When Matt and I toured Monticello, we met gardening enthusiasts who’d come from around the world to learn more about Jefferson’s horticulture.

Jefferson loved farming and experimented with 330 varieties of more than 70 species of vegetables from around the world. Remember, Jefferson was responsible for the Louisiana Purchase; he instructed Lewis and Clark to send back as many plants and animals as possible so that he could study and catalog them. Many of those plants are still cultivated at Monticello using what we now call “organic” means.

Jefferson documented his successes and failures in his Garden Book, noting, for instance the dates when seeds were planted, when leaves appeared, and when their fruits came “to table.”

Jefferson had left behind his plan for restoring the gardens, and that guide was found in 1938, and the result is on your Monticello tour.

Our visit on a dreary October day didn’t make for the best photos, but that’s okay. I learned a great deal and thought deep thoughts about America and humanity. We have a long way to go, but we’ve also come a long way.

The post Monticello and Slavery: Is this Historical Site Family-Friendly? appeared first on Tamela Rich.

Charlotte to Chattanooga: A Four-Day Itinerary

Fox 46’s “Good Day Charlotte” producer asked me what I’d recommend to someone looking for a quick getaway from the Queen City if they had four days to travel. Easy answer: Chattanooga.

I wrote about my first visit to Chattown last summer and this is a good time up update my report.

Take the scenic route to Chattanooga

Getting to any destination is half the fun. Since it’s over 300 miles to Chattanooga, you’re going to spend one day getting there and another to return, with plenty of time to explore. My intent is to help you enjoy the ride. Here’s my suggested route:

Charlotte to Asheville by whatever route you prefer. From there follow the signs to US-74 West. Stop for a nice meal in Bryson City at the Cork and Bean.

On 74/64 you’ll cruise through the Cherokee National Forest alongside the Ocoee River, site of the canoe slalom venue for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. This is the only instance that a natural river has been used for an Olympic whitewater slalom event.

There are beautiful sweeping turns and some nice switchbacks throughout your route as you descend to Lake Ocoee. Along the way you’ll gain an appreciation for American engineering as you see Tennessee Valley Authority markers for the three dams which, together, generate more than 67,000 kilowatts of electricity for the area.

If you enjoy learning about history, watch for the “little brown signs” that will tell you about the peoples who’ve lived in the region for over 12,000 years, the copper mining industry, and Civil War skirmishes. Stop at the scenic overlooks. Take pictures. Breathe. 

Choose a side adventure or a scenic byway

On the way home I want you to choose a little side road to explore so start scouting them on the way down. Maybe it will be the Ocoee National Forest Scenic Byway, which was once a part of the Old Copper Road, where horse-drawn wagons transported copper ore from Copperhill and Ducktown to Cleveland Ohio.

If you’re interested in touring the Ducktown Basin Museum, make a reservation to tour the grounds as well. According to the official website:

The Ducktown Basin Museum is located on the historic Burra Burra  mine site, which was the headquarters for Tennessee Copper Company and Cities Service mining operations from 1899 through 1975. The site, now owned by the Tennessee Historical Commission, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983. The 16 structures remaining on the site include virtually all of the original mine buildings and outbuildings except for the headframe, which was demolished after the closing of the mine in 1958. The mine office houses the museum’s collection and is the only building permanently open to visitors, but tours of the grounds are available by appointment.

Another thing you can do en route is stop at the Nantahala Outdoor Center for whitewater rafting or a zip line tour.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Two days in Chattanooga

So far I’ve spent six days in River City;  I could spend another six and still not have a full report. As a matter of fact, I love the city so much that I will spend another six days there as soon as I can!

Here’s what to do with two days.

DAY ONE: The Tennessee Aquarium sits on the banks of the Tennessee River. Comprised of two buildings, one for salt water and one for fresh water, you can spend an entire day there. Matt and I did when we visited in 2014. Some days I fantasize about being an otter keeper. The playful otter’s happiness would surely be contagious.

Be sure to take the River Gorge Explorer down the Tennessee. Part of the Aquarium’s offerings, you’ll buy tickets with your package and descend to the dock right outside the Aquarium. Our guide was quite a Renaissance Man; he knew geology, flora, fauna and Civil War history. There was nothing anyone asked that he couldn’t answer. We hung on his every word. The tour includes use of binoculars.

Chattanooga Ducks on the TN River

You can also include tickets to IMAX shows that are curated to support the Aquarium’s ongoing themes.

As an option, consider taking a Chattanooga Ducks tour of the Tennessee, especially if there are children in your party. The tour guides get them singing and even let them pilot the old amphibious landing crafts (pictured right).

DAY TWO is according to your fancy.

If you prefer history, there’s a great deal of it in both Chattanooga and the greater region. The city itself played a pivotal role in the Civil War thanks to Lookout Mountain. The nation’s first and largest military park, the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park is just outside the city and over the state line in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.

Here’s the Tennessee River from Lookout Mountain

Even if you’re not a history buff, you’ll want to take a drive up Lookout Mountain, from which you can see seven states: Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. Be prepared to make a decision about visiting Rock City and Ruby Falls on Lookout Mountain…the marketing for which is ubiquitous. I went to both, but can’t give either a “must-see” rating.

Train lovers will get their fill at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Terminal Train Station Complex built in 1909 and the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.

Lovers of offbeat attractions (that would be me!) will enjoy the International Towing & Recovery Museum and Hall of Fame and the Moon Pie General Store (because Moon Pies are made in Chattanooga). And yes, RC Cola is available there!

The other option is to simply walk or bicycle the riverfront. Chattanooga has a bike share program like ours in Charlotte.

Coolidge Park splash pad

On the “North Shore” Stroll Renaissance Park and enjoy its public art installations. The footpath will lead to Coolidge Park, which boasts a splash pad and carousel with more public art.

From Coolidge cross the Tennessee via the Walnut Street Pedestrian Bridge (longest pedestrian bridge in the world) and enjoy the Hunter Museum of American Art. Strolling back toward the Aquarium, stop for ice cream at The Ice Cream Show and enjoy the public art along the way.

Chattanooga is the perfect city in which to Travel Slow and Connect Deep.

The post Charlotte to Chattanooga: A Four-Day Itinerary appeared first on Tamela Rich.

What’s in Store at Ride to Reboot Retreat for Motorcyclists?

A retreat, not a rally

I worked long and hard with my co-hosts Neale Bayly and Drew Alexander planning Ride to Reboot as a retreat, not a rally. We’ll begin with dinner Friday, June 12 and go our separate ways after breakfast Sunday, June 14. The podcast at the top of this post will tell you more and introduce you to Drew and Neale.

We’ve reserved all twelve rooms at the tranquil Mountain Quest Inn for our retreat.  As of today NINE of those rooms are available.

We’re confident that the intimate setting will provide a unique environment for making meaningful connections. There are no vendors with shiny trinkets, competitions, or large group activities.

It’s just us, our machines, and nature.

Here’s what’s in store for our guests at the retreat

Friday dinner, light snacks and soft drinks are included. Friday night we’ll offer a meet-and-greet and offer a motorcycle-themed movie for those interested. Our guests can also take moonlight strolls, soak in the hot tub, build a bonfire, or enjoy the baby grand piano in the beautiful two-story library.

Saturday we’ll provide breakfast, lunch, dinner and light snacks and soft drinks. Dinner will be a roasted pig and all the fixings around a bonfire. There, we’ll tell stories and solidify relationships.

I bet we can get Neale to tell a couple of his more lively tales. He has many to choose from, including outrunning drug lords, pinning the throttle at over 200 mph, falling in love with raven-haired beauties in South America, and blowing out an engine in the Australian Outback.

Those of you who are regular readers of my blog or podcast listeners know the kind of storytelling to expect from me! We hope you’ll share a story or two of your own: every motorcyclist has them!

Sunday breakfast is provided and I’ll lead a walk at the labyrinth for those interested in a “walking meditation.” If you’ve never walked a labyrinth, I’m pleased to introduce you to its magic.

What’s Included: Friday and Saturday night accommodations are included, plus meals, and access to all the grounds and amenities. The full-supported ride is included, but not required if you prefer your own itinerary. If you want alcoholic drinks, you may run a tab during your visit and settle up at checkout.

The full-supported Saturday ride

Our Saturday ride route will be determined later. We want to know what kinds of bikes and riders are joining us and we want to scope out road conditions before everyone arrives. For example, if they’re laying chip seal on a road we had intended to cover, we’ll likely re-route if there’s a lot of chrome amongst our guests.

I’ve attached a few maps of motorcycle routes at the top of this post that are promoted on the Pocahontas County website…but we’ll devise our own route that will be long on scenic vistas and historic sites. I’ve been studying the history of the region for some while and am eager to share what I’ve learned. We’ll also meet some fifth-generation locals with some history to share.

Along the ride Neale will include some photography tips (for those who want them) at some of the scenic overlooks. He is a world-renowned photo journalist and he can help you manage those manual settings on your camera if you’re interested.

Drew is running operations for the retreat, including the support vehicle. He’s known to always have a can of WD40, roll of duct tape and a fire extinguisher handy! Since he once ran operations for the American Red Cross, I think we’re in good hands.

Folks who want to go their own way for Saturday are welcome to do so. Arrive back at Mountain Quest for dinner and tell us what you discovered.

Customizing your experience

We really want to cater to our guests’ interests, so when you register we’ll be getting in touch to learn more about you (besides ride-to-eat) so we can devise the perfect experience. There will be no more than 20 guests, so unlike a rally, we will be able to make that happen.

Again, as of today we have NINE double-occupancy rooms available. Reserve yours today!

JOIN US!

Single or Double Occupancy?


Double Occupancy Pay in Full $799.00 USDDouble Occupancy Deposit $400.00 USDSingle Occupancy Pay in Full $499.00 USD

Click here to view the embedded video.

 

The post What’s in Store at Ride to Reboot Retreat for Motorcyclists? appeared first on Tamela Rich.

Ride to Reboot Retreat for Motorcyclists in West Virginia

Some of America’s BEST motorcycling roads are in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. That’s why Neale Bayly, Drew Alexander and I chose it for our first Ride to Reboot retreat for motorcyclists.

If you’ve traveled to the Monongahela National Forest you know what I’m talking about. You’re in for a real treat.

A retreat, not a rally

We planned Ride to Reboot as a retreat, not a rally. There are no vendors with shiny trinkets, no competitions, and no  large group activities. It’s just us, our machines, and nature.

We’ll begin with dinner Friday, June 12 and go our separate ways after breakfast Sunday, June 14.

We’ve reserved all twelve rooms at the tranquil Mountain Quest Inn for Ride to Reboot. We’re confident that the intimate setting will provide a unique environment for making meaningful connections. There are no vendors with shiny trinkets, competitions, or large group activities. It’s just us, our machines and nature.

 

Attractions without distractions. One of the things we love about the region we’ve selected  is that there are no cell towers. This means that you can disconnect with the outer world and reconnect with yourself (and traveling partner if you bring one).

Riding in this tranquil part of the world will give you a chance to take time to breathe and reflect with like-minded people who share a common bond in the love of motorcycles.

Riding the roads less traveled

Pocahontas County West Virginia is rich with natural and cultural history and if you choose to go on the fully-supported group ride on Saturday, we’ll show you both. (Of course you’re free to go your own way if you prefer).

The ride throughout the region will be filled with the wonders of nature. In fact, over sixty-percent of the county’s 900 square miles is protected state parks and federal forest land. The county is known as the Birthplace of Rivers, since eight rivers have their headwaters there.

On our Saturday ride, we’ll have lunch at a covered bridge that was built in 1888. Across the street is Sharp County Store, run by a 5th generation descendant of the pioneer who opened the store in 1884.

When Virginia seceded from the Union in 1861 the residents of the western counties decided to stay with the Union and those counties became West Virginia. The state is a study in the Civil War, and we’ll make some brief stops at some of the more historical sites on our Saturday ride.

There’s a great deal to see in the area, should you decide to extend your stay. Among the many attractions:

Restored Train Depots,  Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park,  Civil War Sites,  Pearl S. Buck Birthplace,  Pocahontas County Courthouse,  Pocahontas County Historical Society Museum,  Pocahontas County Opera House.

Additionally, the legendary Greenbrier Resort in White Sulpher Springs is just 45 minutes away on a beautiful mountain byway.

Mountain Quest: natural beauty and tranquility

The family-owned and -operated bed and breakfast inn centers around a quaint 1905 farmhouse. A separate modern wing offers twelve guest rooms with common areas.

12 uniquely decorated rooms with private baths
Gourmet dining (we will eat all meals at Mountain Quest except for Saturday’s lunch at the covered bridge)
Recreation Center (with fireplace, billiards, large screen 3-D TV, arcade games and juke box)
Jacuzzi and sauna
Two-story private library with over 27,000 books and movies is actually part of the library system
Complimentary laundry center

THE FINE PRINT

June 12-14. There are ten total rooms available to our guests. That’s it. Ten.

We’ve made it easy to budget by covering everything but alcohol in your retreat fees:

$799 double occupancy

$499 single occupancy (Note, there are two queen-sized beds in each of the ten rooms, so let me know if you’re willing to share a room)

Saturday’s ride is fully supported with a truck and trailer.

Retreat must be paid in full 5/15 unless otherwise indicated

JOIN US!

Single or Double Occupancy?


Double Occupancy Pay in Full $799.00 USDDouble Occupancy Deposit $400.00 USDSingle Occupancy Pay in Full $499.00 USD

The post Ride to Reboot Retreat for Motorcyclists in West Virginia appeared first on Tamela Rich.

American History comes to Life in a South Dakota Rest Stop

Like too many of us in the pre-Ken Burns era, my high school history experience was more an exercise in rote memorization than a way to understand the human condition (or myself). Thanks to a South Dakota rest stop, American history not only came to life for me, it breathed new purpose into my life.

Here’s the story, PLUS an invitation to give me your ideas for a new “Armchair Travel” program.

Traveling to Mount Rushmore across the Great Plains

After a week on the road during my first cross-country motorcycle trip I picked up some Facebook acquaintances in La Crosse, Wisconsin and we headed to Mount Rushmore. The trip took over two days through Minnesota and eastern South Dakota.

A moment of digression here. I had never met Leigh and Chris in real life before our rendezvous in La Crosse, and I’m grateful that the three of us “took a chance” on each other. We are still friends today. If you’re thinking of traveling solo, social media is an excellent way to check out potential traveling companions.

That said, make sure you have a way to back out if things don’t work for anyone. Grant that there will be no hard feelings if someone wants to go their own way. Come up with a specific agreement on how you’ll settle up on shared expenses. This is a kind of travelers’ prenup.

What I didn’t know about road tripping
Me with “Cornelius” the Mitchell Corn Palace mascot

Although my family took regular cross-country road trips when I was a child, I was clueless about how to do it on a motorcycle. How far I could go in a day? How far would my bike go on a tank of gas?

Then there were the things I didn’t know that I needed to know, like how to keep your bike on the road when riding in the high winds of the Great Plains. Speaking of winds, I didn’t even consider that wind might affect my gas mileage. In many ways I’m proof of the old maxim that God looks out for fools, drunks and children.

Over-planning is one way to stay stuck. Sometimes you just need to hit the road and figure it out. Even when you have a plan, a “little brown sign” that indicates a cultural or recreational site can be a great reason to detour (I always call them “little” signs for some reason, although they come in many sizes).

 

Back to the narrative. I had done absolutely no research for how to break up 278 miles of arrow-straight Interstate from Mitchell, (home of the Corn Palace) to Rapid City (home of Mount Rushmore). While you CAN gut it out for 278 miles of (relative) monotony, I was grateful that the good folks in Chamberlain came through with a rest stop at an interval perfect for a traveler’s bladder 68 miles west of the Corn Palace.

But nothing could have prepared me for the rest stop’s interpretive center for the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery Expedition, which camped in the area in 1804.

If you’re not a road tripper, I should explain that interpretive centers are a hybrid of visitor center and museum. They use hands-on exhibits like you’ll find in children’s museums, and often video, to explain the significance of the place where you’re standing. I often take snapshots of everything so that I don’t have to take notes and can refer back to the snaps when it’s time to write about a place I’ve visited.

Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery Expedition and Me

Until that moment in the middle-of-nowhere South Dakota, it never occurred to me that I was in Lewis and Clark territory. Lewis and Clark were tucked into my fifth-grade memory in a vague way, like a parishioner who knows that the saint her church is named after performed some kind of miracle—long ago in a far-away place.

I was fascinated by what the interpretive center had in store, starting with a 55-foot-long replica of one of the expedition keelboats. Visitors can climb a set of stairs to the boat, which pierces the glass wall, and walk outside to see the magnificent Missouri River from this elevated vantage point.

I did just that.

Staring out across the sloping plain that led to the Missouri, those buffeting winds helped me to connect with the natural world and to the lives of those who came before me. I was in a sort of reverie until I looked downstream where Interstate 90 now crosses the Missouri on a mile-long bridge, which brought me back to the twenty-first century.

Today’s travelers don’t think a thing about crossing the Missouri River—probably because it’s over in about a minute when you’re traveling along at 70 mph. However, 200 years ago the Corps of Discovery looked at that expanse with a different world view. How should they re-allocate their provisions among the boats? What should they repair before crossing? Should they kill and butcher another bison here while they could?

Speaking of food, modern travelers can stop for the same fast food anywhere across America, yet members of the expedition were always eating experimental foods in their changing landscape. Imagine the dilemma of being ravenously hungry and not knowing whether a particular berry was edible or toxic. GMOs may kill you in the long run, but a toxic plant can finish you off in moments.

Then there was the unusual wildlife like the pronghorn antelope, which the expedition mis-identified as goat. Exhibits inside the center include replicas of items the explorers brought on their journey and examples of the animals they encountered. The Expedition’s notations of jackrabbit, antelope, mule deer, black-billed magpie and coyote were the first detailed descriptions ever recorded for science.

Look at the photo to the left—the teepee in the interpretive center. Yep, that’s a bison’s hide, including the tail. My history classes had emphasized that the indigenous people of the Great Plains used every bit of the bison they killed, but that fact didn’t resonate until I saw that tail at the base of the teepee. My mind wandered. How long did it take to tan that hide? How waterproof was it? What kind of wind break did it offer? I found myself daydreaming about life on the Great Plains 300 years ago and wanted to know more.

It occurred to me that while thought I was on a pretty big adventures—setting of on a motorcycle from North Carolina to Oregon—mine was pretty tame compared to explorers who were basically making it up as they went along.  The consequences of their many choices and encounters were much more serious than anything I would face.

And that’s what brings me to the Armchair Travel program.

Want to be part of my Armchair Travel Travel program?

Travel teaches us a lot about ourselves and our world. Since we can’t travel to every place we’d like to visit, I would like to get your thoughts on an Armchair Travel program focused on North America.

The program could be as simple as videos with discussion threads, an online book club or something much more elaborate.

Are you interested? Leave a comment below telling me how to design it for your interests.

Better yet, please answer TWO questions on this survey. My goal is helping people to continually expand their horizons via a special area of my website where we can learn from each other and experts.

As Mark Twain said:

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.

 So how about it? Are you interested? Please tell me what you want.

The post American History comes to Life in a South Dakota Rest Stop appeared first on Tamela Rich.

A Solo Road Trip: 8 ways to Relaunch Your Life

Here I am in 2010 on my first solo road trip, crossing the Mississippi River.

It’s the time of year when many people take stock of their lives, their goals and dreams, and make plans to change. We purchase new gym memberships, vow to be better parents, resolve to do more in our communities, and even make new career plans.

But what if your life could be changed with a road trip—by yourself?  A weekend solo road trip to clear your head will help you tune in to yourself; it could be just as effective as a visit to a spa.

I turned life around with a road trip in 2010, and here’s what I’ve learned: the more time I can carve out for myself—and the more variety I experience compared to everyday life—the better I feel when I get home. Maybe this year you’ll set aside some of your vacation days for some time alone.

Eight ways to re-imagine your life while enjoying history, nature and roadside attractions

1. Go somewhere new. We all have habits, including where we go for recreation and reflection. Going to a new destination sharpens your senses and helps break up mental clutter. A new experience can also be good for your brain, helping it establish new neural pathways. You might even venture out without an ultimate destination in mind.

If you can’t go somewhere new, go to a well-loved destination by a different route. 

This house is indeed made of bottles. You won’t find it alongside an Interstate!

2. Avoid the Interstates. Stoplights force you to really see what’s going on around you, and reflect. And that’s the point!

Traveling the highways and byways will take you through towns, hamlets and farmland. The pace is slower and the views less homogenous than the monotony on the Interstates.

Weather permitting, roll the windows down for the full sensory experience (or learn to ride a motorcycle!). You’ll feel alive and connected with the world and it will help you reconnect with your own life.

3. Talk to strangers. You can learn a great deal about the people and local history of the place you’re visiting if you keep an open mind and practice small talk. Don’t sit by yourself and watch TV when you eat. The bar or counter is the perfect place to talk to other unattached travelers, the locals, and your waitress.

You’ll benefit from the wisdom and perspective you’ll gain from your new-found friends and might even get a tip on where to visit next.

I love eating at farmers markets. Brattleboro’s includes this Thai food truck.

4. Promise not to eat at a chain restaurant. The idea of your solo road trip is to break from old habits, so instead of going through a drive-through or eating at the same chains as usual, opt for independent restaurants and even farmers markets. There, you can look into the eyes of the person who prepared your meal and say “thank you” or ask how the food was prepared.

You’ll eat a healthier diet, too.

5. Put down the phone. The goal is to clear your head, and you can’t do that while talking, texting and updating your social media accounts. Sharing every detail of your trip in real time allows little time for you to engage with real people and no time to reconnect to yourself as you wait for the responses to trickle in and respond in turn.

You can do it.

6. Don’t over-plan. When you break free of the gravity of your everyday life, things will call to you that you hadn’t anticipated. It might be a roadside stand with local produce and handicrafts, a historical site, a festival or the county cemetery.

Listen to your intuition and enjoy the experience!

7. Tell a new story. For the period of your road trip when someone asks “What do you do” don’t reply with your occupation. Instead, tell them about the “real you.” You might say, “Back home I’m run a coffee shop, but on this trip I’m getting in touch with the part of me who wished he’d studied archeology.”

This is a great way to get in touch with your true self.

Shirly learned to ride a motorcycle in her 70’s! Isn’t she radiant?

8. Take inspiration from others. What are your doubts about your new calling? Do you fear that you’re too old? That you don’t have enough money? That others may think you’re crazy?

Find inspiration in someone else who conquered obstacles en route to their dream, including Shirly, who learned to ride a motorcycle in her 70’s and toured Alaska by motorcycle in her 80’s.

Tell me your about your solo road trip

I’d love to hear your before-and-after story of taking a solo road trip.

Where did you go?

What was your biggest takeaway?

Would you do anything differently?