My first iPhone app is available in the iTunes App Store!  A few screen shots of iJoshuaTree:

Check out iJoshuaTree in the app store:

iJoshuaTree

Now all I need to do is 57 more to represent the rest of the National Parks … or 390 more to represent the entire National Park Service system.  Add that to my day job, trying to keep up this blog, have a life, etc.  It ain’t easy being an indie developer.

Check out my other website (currently under-construction, of course!) for more iPhone apps down the road:

www.iGreenEarth.com

Padre Island National Seashore

Padre Island National Seashore has 70 miles of beach available for camping right next to the Gulf so you never have to worry about not being able to find a place to camp.  Just drive your car or RV onto the beach and set up camp at the base of the sand dunes.  If you want to drive the entire 70 miles of beach you’ll need a 4 wheel drive.  But a 2 wheel drive vehicle will get you about 5 miles down the beach leaving plenty of space between you and your nearest neighbors.

Pros

• Camping on the beach right next to the water.
• Sunrise over the Gulf and sunset over the Laguna Madre.
• Fresh fish – cast your net out near the southern barrier of North Beach for an easy net full of a variety of fish.
• Windsurfing on the Laguna Madre.

Cons

• Extreme winds at times – good for wind surfing and keeping the fog away but you’ll have fine powdery sand in your food and belongings.  Bring long sand stakes and a sturdy tent if you plan on tenting.
• Garbage – due to the convergence of currents a lot of garbage washes ashore.  Also be on the lookout for the stinging Portuguese Man o’ War.
• Salt – if you stay for an extended time your vehicle and gear need to be washed regularly to prevent rust.
• The beach is a Texas public highway – watch out for traffic.  On the upside, there is a 5 mile closed beach near the visitor’s center with no traffic except for the occasional ranger on patrol.

Amenities

• Pit toilets at South beach.  Flush toilets and cold showers at visitor’s center.
• Gift and snack shops at visitor’s center.
• Windsurfing and kayak rentals.

Directions

Padre Island National Seashore is about a 20 minute drive from Corpus Christi, Texas.  From Corpus Christi, head east on Highway 358.  After crossing the causeway, Highway 358 changes to Park Road 22.  Follow Park Road 22 until it turns into beach.  Park anywhere on the beach and set up camp.

For more info, visit Padre Island National Seashore.

Grand Canyon National Park

Visit one of the seven wonders of the natural world and camp for free in Kaibab National Forest.  The campgrounds are only about a 10 minute drive to the south rim of the Grand Canyon.  For an easy day hike, walk the Rim Trail and experience the breathtaking inner canyon overlooks along the way.  Free shuttle buses are also available along the Rim Trail.  For a more strenuous day hike, descend down into the canyon on the South Kaibab Trail.  Pack a lunch and eat at Cedar Ridge or hike down further to Skeleton Point for lunch overlooking the Colorado River.

Pros

• Shaded campsites.  A few sites have fire pits.
• The town of Tusayan is nearby for picking up supplies.

Cons

• There are no toilets, showers, or water available at the campgrounds.  Pay showers are available inside the park at Mather campground – $2 for 8 minutes.  Laundry services are also available at Mather campground.

Amenities

• None.  You’ll have to drive to Tusayan or into the park for everything.

Directions

The Kaibab National Forest free campgrounds at the South Rim of  the Grand Canyon are on Highway 180 about 10 minutes south of the park.  There are several turnoffs into the Kaibab Forest along Highway 180 near Tusayan.  There are no designated sites.  Camp anywhere at least a quarter-mile from paved roads and water.  Some sites have fire rings.  You can also camp for free in Kaibab Forest on the North Rim of the canyon for a quieter, less tourist-filled trip to the Grand Canyon.

For more info, visit Grand Canyon National Park and Kaibab National Forest.

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park feels a little bit Dr. Seuss and a little bit Flintstones.  You can check out the Joshua Trees, do some bouldering or rock climbing, walk through a cholla cactus garden, and camp for free just outside the park on BLM land.  Joshua Tree is one of my favorite National Parks – especially delightful to visit in Spring when the desert wildflowers are in bloom.

Pros

• If you like sleeping on a dry lakebed, peeing outside, and watching the sunrise over the desert mountains this is paradise.

Cons

• No bathrooms, showers, or water available at the campgrounds.

Amenities

• None.  The campground north of the park is near the town of Joshua Tree for supplies.  The campground south of the park is near Cottonwood visitor center where flush toilets and water are available.

Directions

There are free campgrounds on BLM land to the north and south of Joshua Tree National Park.  For a map of the free campgrounds click here.

For more info, visit Joshua Tree National Park.

“One's destination is never a place
but rather a new way of looking at things.” - Henry Miller

Four years ago I packed up my car with camping gear and set out on a solo road trip to explore the West for the summer. My “plan” was to place all my possessions in storage in Minnesota, rubber tramp across the National Parks of the West, and figure out what I wanted to do with my life along the way. My “detailed plan” included an unmarked road atlas, a lightly skimmed National Parks of the West book, and not much else.

So I hit the road to see what was out there and find myself. My summer of exploring the National Parks of the West turned into four years of on and off solo travel across 47 states, 27 national parks, and numerous state parks. Being on the road by myself in constant commotion has been one of the highest growth phases in my life. It has been a transformational journey of a lifetime full of extreme highs and extreme lows and brought me to where I am today.

Today I’m in Portland and tomorrow I’ll be Seattle, who knows where I’ll be in a few weeks. My physical location really doesn’t matter. What does matter is that living outside my comfort zone has completely transformed the way I look at life.

There are others out there who have embarked on journeys similar to mine. Traveling down the road to somewhere has even cost a few people their lives, such as Christopher McCandless of Into the Wild fame. After fours years of traveling down the solo road to somewhere I have come to a similar conclusion as McCandless: Happiness is best when shared.

I’m still not sure where I’m going but I need to share the journey. Road Schooled is the start of a new road to somewhere. An experiment in giving back to society by sharing what I learned by dropping out of society.

Peace to Christopher McCandless and all the other dropouts who didn’t live to share what they learned. May all your roads be winding and full of adventure.