Uphill Zen - The joy of rolling slowly

Discover the magic and mystery

This stunning new book takes you to the Yucatan Peninsula, an exotic and fascinating land.

Explore ancient Mayan cities lost in the jungle
Swim below the stalactites in exquisite cenotes
View a thousand flamboyant flamingos
Experience life in a Maya village
See the inner workings of historic haciendas
Find a tranquil beach to call your own

Hundreds of vivid color photos bring the magic of the Yucatan to life, and adventurous souls will find all the “how to” details you need to make each experience your own.

The Adventurer's Guide to Mexico's Yucatan

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dkeahey

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Rolling slowly and loving it! 😎🚐💚 Exploring the world with my vintage Toyota camper (Zennie).🌎 Author - Adventurer's Guide to Yucatán. 📕

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So this is where I'm hanging out now - Silver City, NM. It's a nice little historic town up in the hills, and the site of my next project. 🏘 ...
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It's been a long time since I've posted, and the world has been changing. 🌎 My Baja trip was cut short due to coronavirus 😷, and I've shelved the Baja book project I was working on. It's just not the right time to write a travel guide! 😕 ...
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So time to pivot to something new and different, and that's what brought me to this charming place! 😎 #movingon #chchchanges
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#newmexico #nm #silvercity

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Could this be just a month ago? 📆😱 Way back then, what I worried about was this activity booth falling into the #sea. The whole world has turned upside down since then. 🌎🔄
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I have mixed feelings about posting pix of the "good old days". I like to keep the wonderful memories alive, and hope that such happy times will return again. 💭😎 On the other hand, this seems so far removed from today's world, it might as well be science fiction! 🚀😜 #lifebeforecorona
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What do you think? Does posting pix from happier times make you feel better or worse? Wherever you are, do what you can to stay healthy! 😊
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#mexico #bajacalifornia #bcs

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Which way? Which way? ➡️⬅️⬆️⬇️🙄
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After reading the news day after day, I eventually decided that as much as I wanted to stay on a Baja beach, I should head back to the states. 😰 Who knows what the next month could bring in either Mexico or the US? So much uncertainty right now - nobody knows what will happen, how many or which lives will be affected. 🙈
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So over the past week I've been doing the long drive back from southern Baja to the border, arriving now in Arizona. Zennie was a trooper through a string of long driving days like I usually try to avoid! 🚐💨🏆 I am safe and sound, and want to say thanks to the folks who contacted me wondering. I appreciate it! 💚
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I'm going to keep posting Baja pix until the planned end of my trip, pretending that the world is normal 🌎👍 and I am still on a beach somewhere. 🌊🌴😎 #virtualvaca
... ... ... Stay safe everybody, and take care of yourselves! 😊
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#mexico #bajacalifornia #bcs

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I sit at my #Baja beach camp reading the news, and there's a sense of unreality. The world is closing down piece by piece with dramatic attempts to halt the deadly #coronavirus spread. One day it's Harvard, then the NBA, then Italy. They declare an emergency in Washington state, New York, the whole US. The US bans travelers from Europe, and Guatemala bans those from the US. My head spins with how fast the situation is changing. ... ... ...
Meanwhile, I sit at my Baja beach camp. Social distancing is easy here - it's practically baked into the sparsely populated landscape. Nobody here seems concerned. That's all in a different world, the world out there. I'm in my little Baja bubble, by a beautiful beach. #alternatereality
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#mexico #bajacalifornia #bcs

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No bad days, right? 😀 ... It's a saying I love, and a sentiment I try to keep. But sometimes, it's hard.
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It wasn't that anything terribly bad happened. I didn't suffer any injury more than a stubbed toe and a stiff shoveling arm. 💪 #Zennie got the shake, rattle & roll treatment, but that's par for the course and she's running fine. 🚐💨 The beach camping was crowded, but I headed up the arroyo, where there was still plenty of space! 👀👍 And who needs to be right on the beach anyway? It's not like I haven't spent weeks doing just that! 😜
... ... ... So there's no real problem, just a bunch of little stress points that add up during the day, leaving a sense of dissatisfaction. 😕 This is when I have to shake myself out of it. "What are you complaining about girl? You're healthy, Zennie's strong, you're doing what you choose to do, and face it - this really isn't a bad #campsite." ⛺️👍
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And that reminds me of another favorite quote - "#Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure." So cheers! 🍺😎 #nobaddays .............
#mexico #bajacalifornia #bcs

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You lookin' at me? 🐴 📸🌟
... ... ... I'm happy to see there are still donkeys on the East Cape Road, because that's one of the things I remember from the first time I drove it. At least something hasn't changed! 🐴👍
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But there are plenty of other changes. I still read people saying something like "You can pull off pretty much anywhere off this road and set up camp." Sadly, that is no longer true. 😰 Now most of the property along the road is fenced in. 🚧 Clumps of luxury homes appear now and then, and there is a plethora of real estate signs.🏡 It's obvious things are a-changing!
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You can still find lovely free beach camping spots ⛺️, usually where there's an arroyo so people haven't built due to flood risk. But before long, my crystal ball 🔮 shows a nice new paved road lined with beautiful homes with million dollar views. 💰🖼👀 ... ... ...
If you want to see this luscious place before it's changed beyond recognition, this is a good time to do it! 🚐💨 #goinggoinggone .............
#mexico #bajacalifornia #bcs

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The East Cape Road starts out looking so easy, doesn't it? 🚐👍
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This long dirt road winds around the eastern tip of the Baja Peninsula. I was expecting #washboard, rough patches, some washed out spots. But let's just say this was more of a #driving adventure than I anticipated! 😱
... ... ... When you've been driving for hours on a bone-jarring #road shaking everything you own to pieces, then you meet somebody going the other way who rolls down his window and says "You're not going through are you? It's bad up there. Water holes as deep as my bumper, and mud. No 4wd? If I was you, I'd turn around." 🥺
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If we weren't so far into this road by then, if I hadn’t already had to dig us out of the sand that day, if we hadn’t passed a dip so sharp we dragged the read end, I might have taken his advice. Instead, #Zennie got to show her stuff! 🚐👍 #zenniethewondertruck
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#mexico #bajacalifornia #bcs

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Time to be moving on. Or not... 🚐💨👍👎❓
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One of the things I love about solo travel is that I can change my mind as many times as I want to! I want to go Here, no I want to go There, no maybe Stay where I am another day, no I definitely want to go Here, but on the other hand There looks awfully nice too... 😜
... ... ... There's nobody else impacted if I change my mind. No need to explain or justify. No need to make a final decision until I reach a fork in the road.🍴I can't do this all the time, because every once in awhile I do have a commitment to keep. 😬 But in general, I don't set #decisions in stone until the last minute. More chances to change my mind again! 😎 #wafflelikeapro
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#mexico #bajacalifornia #bcs

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This was NOT the shot I was trying for! 😜...
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You see, after some previous feedback, I decided I should figure out how to take an occasional picture with me in it! 🙄 So I set up the tripod to do just that, but discovered that a 10-second self timer is not quite long enough for me to run across the rocks and get ready. ⏳ All I got was shots of my butt as I went to sit down, and nobody needs to see that! 🙈😂
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Anyway, when I cropped me out, I found this guy in the picture. 🧔🏻 I have no idea who he is, but he's the new star of my photo! 📸🌟
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Do you have any tips on getting photos of yourself? I could use some help! 😎
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#mexico #bajacalifornia #bcs

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A few Zen blog posts

Free camping in Montrose, Colorado

Montrose may not have the eye-popping scenery of Ouray, but this farming community near the end of the Million Dollar ...
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View while driving the Million Dollar Highway

Zennie vs. The Rockies – Driving the Million Dollar Highway

The Million Dollar Highway is one of the most spectacular drives in the country. It winds through the Colorado Rocky ...
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5-star boondocking site along Colorado's East Fork Road

Five-star boondocking – East Fork Road, Colorado

A lot of free boondocking campsites are great for a night or two, but occasionally you find a prize spot ...
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San Luis Lake free camping has lovely views

Free electricity! Cool campsite near Great Sand Dunes

Who ever heard of a free campground that even provides free electrical hookups? It's a rarity for sure! Now let's ...
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Free camping, giant dunes, and a ghost town too!

For free camping near the Great Sand Dunes, here's one good option. This Colorado boondocking spot along Lake Como Road ...
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Campsite view from Echo Amphitheater campground

Echo Amphitheater campground, New Mexico

If you're looking for a lovely free campground while you're exploring the O'Keeffe country of New Mexico, here's a great ...
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Brazos Overlook, an unofficial campsite

If you're in northern New Mexico, the northern drive across the Carson National Forest on highway 64 is gorgeous!! It's ...
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Finding campsites using a Motor Vehicle Use Map

When I'm looking for a good boondocking campsite, I usually research it beforehand. I have some standard information sources, that ...
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On the Trail of the Hidden Treasure

One of the great pleasures of traveling is meeting cool, interesting people along the way. Sometimes they can give you ...
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View from Taos Junction boondocking campsite

Taos Junction – Free camping near Ojo Caliente, New Mexico

Ojo Caliente is a famous hot springs resort west of Taos, and quite a luxurious place to stay. But if ...
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Eeek! Zennie has a mouse! How do I get rid of it?

It all started the night I was camped at the ghost town cemetery. There were strange noises in the night, ...
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Visiting Chimayo? Santa Cruz Lake Overlook campground

Chimayo is a small town along the High Road between Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico. It's famous for its ...
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