Overland and Off-The-Grid

by Jen Pennington
Photos by Robert J. Pennington

When you think of mobile home travel, a really big, gas guzzling RV or motor home comes to mind. The kind that needs a hook-up to a water and power supply and seeks to impose itself on the very environment it’s meant to enjoy. At SEMA 2009 amidst all the hundreds of show cars, while looking for greener vehicles, I stumbled upon a compact, tricked-out towable trailer made for overland travel. The little trailer from Adventure Trailers came complete with tent, rack, cooking oven, mini fridge and a portable rollout solar pad that sits atop the tent structure. Along with other amenities, the solar pad generates enough electricity to power the rotary, variable-speed compressor for the refrigerator and freezer. Continue reading Overland and Off-The-Grid

Civilized travel and the return of the rail

By Jen Pennington
When my colleague Chris Arlen posted his recent article about having to pay for water on a US Airways flight, (see Is US Airways shooting itself in the head?) it made me think about how much I want the rail system in this country to be a real alternative to flying. Continue reading Civilized travel and the return of the rail

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