Maybe it's because it's Monday, but I'm compelled to let you know about some of the more pessimistic travel news around the Web, just so you can get into the summer travel season with all of your ducks in a row.

First, in case you've missed it, the enormous backlog of passport applications at the State Department has caused them to call off the dogs; the new rule requiring passports to return from Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean is… Read More

Good news -- in between all of the other writerly stuff going on, I've been invited to be a panelist at the July 27-29 BlogHer blogging conference in Chicago!

My panel is on the morning of the first day, and it's about "Finding and Following Your Passion" in blogging. The BlogHer organization is very welcoming to all sorts of bloggers (yes, even men) and the conference will have newbies and old hands, techies and non-techies, plus childcare available. … Read More

Never mind that it's now hurricane season; school is out in many places and families are planning trips to the Sunshine State. Since I lived in Gainesville for awhile, I thought I'd weigh in with some current info and useful links. We'll talk about Disney, of course, but there's a lot more to Florida than Mickey.

Give some thought to travel on the "roads not taken" in Florida, where you and the kids can really get a feel for the state's natural wonders and have… Read More

Hi there, patient readers.

Just a note to let you know that I'm finally back from North Carolina -- the Automotive Traveler article I researched/wrote/took photos for is scheduled for the July issue. I also turned in an article today for Texas Highways magazine on the kid-friendly Old Coupland Inn and Dancehall (one of the most original honky-tonks in Texas) and I tried to keep up with blogging duties during my trip as well, given the… Read More

I'm still in North Carolina, researching an article for an upcoming issue of Automotive Traveler (check out Issue Two that just posted!)

My western North Carolina and Blue Ridge Parkway road trip was great, but I never seemed to have Internet access when there was a moment to stop driving and write; you can't blog and drive, obviously. Tomorrow I wrap up research with the big 2007 Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race here at Lowe's Motor Speedway… Read More

Greetings from the Charlotte area in North Carolina, where I'm busily researching a combination NASCAR/travel article. Thanks very much to the Chattanooga is Home blog, which featured my Perceptive Travel Blog post (about Charlotte and the places I'm investigating) in the latest Carnival of Cities.

Tomorrow I'm on the road to drive up part of the Blue Ridge Parkway in western North Carolina, but I wanted to write a quick post about some… Read More