LARPing America
Now: Las Vegas & Jackass Flats
Now: Las Vegas & Jackass Flats

LARPing America

Essays, photographs, and dispatches from a summer spent driving around the United States.

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Day 47 of 63Now: Las Vegas & Jackass FlatsNext: Reno → Ruby Mountains3,550 mi logged

For one summer I'm driving a 1996 F-250 with a pop-up camper on one wide circle around the United States.

Minneapolis east to the Adirondacks, down the seam of the Appalachians, across the South, up into the Rockies, over Utah's high road, past the old nuclear rocket test sites, into the Sierra, and home across the big wide West. County fairs, gas stations, courthouses, casino parking lots, wild ponies.

I'm writing it down as it happens. The essays go out by email.

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Latest essay

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July 16, 2026 · 14 min read

Sleeping Next to a J6’er in the Ozarks

A dispatch from a campground in the Arkansas Ozarks—one neighbor, one night, and his answer to everything. Also, risking death via a nap.

Read it
July 11, 2026

I Was Looking for WiFi. I Found the Town Trump Took Cell Service From Instead.

A dispatch from Sugar Grove, VA. — 610 people and three illegal slot machines.

July 4, 2026

Go Shawty, It’s Your Birthday

Celebrating America’s 250th in the Vermont wilderness, with 17 and 1/2 Kenyans.

RecGrayson Highlands VA20:14
The loop

Currently: Las Vegas & Jackass Flats

Full route & logbook

Day 47 of 63. The loop closes in Minneapolis on August 12 — dates move as reality intervenes.

  • Las Vegas & Jackass FlatsCurrent stop

    Jul 26 – Jul 27

    The National Atomic Testing Museum, one air-conditioned hour on the Strip, and the gate of the old nuclear-rocket test site.

  • The Eastern Sierra

    Jul 27 – Jul 31

    Alabama Hills at golden hour, Whitney Portal, Manzanar, June Lake, Mono Lake at dawn, Bodie.

  • Reno → Ruby Mountains

    Jul 31 – Aug 1

    Airport drop-off, then the long I-80 day east to Lamoille Canyon.

  • Salt Lake City & the Uintas

    Aug 1 – Aug 3

    Resupply, laundry, a truck deep-clean, then rest at 10,000 feet on the Mirror Lake Highway.

  • Grand Teton

    Aug 3 – Aug 5

    Theresa flies in. Jenny Lake at dawn, Mormon Row, camp facing the Grand.

From the camera roll

Photographs

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Dusk at camp
Dusk at campGrayson Highlands, Virginia
Made a friend
Made a friendGrayson Highlands, Virginia
Nap
NapGrayson Highlands, Virginia
The foal
The foalGrayson Highlands, Virginia
A local
A localGrayson Highlands, Virginia
The view from bed
The view from bedGrayson Highlands, Virginia
The rig at five thousand feet
The rig at five thousand feetGrayson Highlands, Virginia
Solar out
Solar outGrayson Highlands, Virginia
Errands
ErrandsBlue Ridge, Virginia
Finale
FinaleVermont
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Recommend one book or one song for the road and tell me why. I read and listen on the miles; the playlist lives here too.

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