Cult of the Cougar
Wild cougars have the widest range
of any mammal in the Americas.
AKA pumas, panthers & mt. lions,
these strong cats roam freely
delighting in the wonders of the world.
Cult of the Cougar is devoted to
this adventurous way of life.
of any mammal in the Americas.
AKA pumas, panthers & mt. lions,
these strong cats roam freely
delighting in the wonders of the world.
Cult of the Cougar is devoted to
this adventurous way of life.
About Us
Rebekah Antrosio and Jessica Christianson are high school friends who recently reacquainted at a schoolmate's wedding. A common love of travel and adventure inspired these ladies to plan a van-dwelling open-ended road trip along the Pan American highway.
Cult of the Cougar
Whatever Way the Wind Blows
Well, it turns out we could complain about camping on the seashore, as the tent filled with sand and the wind gusts blew the rainfly to kingdom come. When the wind wasn't blowing, Padre Island was paradise, but when it was, it was much more akin to the southern opposite of that. A lovely night was spent in Lake Corpus Christi park, which provided a warm, still alternative to the beach. While we were feeling very much kidnapped by Texas, we would like to give many thanks to both Jardi and Nicole for sharing their respective slices of Austin and Houston with us. Que fabuloso. After a second, unsuccessful fix to the van's transmission, we have arrived at the appropriately named "Lost Alaskan RV Resort" in Alpine, Texas. The van is running, but sadly in the hurky-jerky style we have unfortunately come to know. We fully intend to enjoy Big Bend country, perhaps for a long time......
Hotchkiss memories
Pecos river rock, Amistad National Recreation Area
Hotchkiss memories
Pecos river rock, Amistad National Recreation Area
Can't Complain About Waiting Here!
We are camping on the beach at Padre Island National Seashore while we wait on the second attempt at a transmission fix on the van. The camping is primitive and remote, but free and fantastic. The weather is finally cooperating, and although it is windy, the sun is out and temps are in the 60s. Hurrah!
Campsite Paradise
South Beach, Padre Island National Seashore
Rocks in the House
Well, we were hoping to be back in business by now, but it's looking like Monday or Tuesday. While we are disappointed, we are heartily enjoying the Olympics during our forced hotel stay. We love curling!!
Time Out
We are paused for mechanical repairs. Happy Mardi Gras to everyone!
New Orleans
2/10/2010 – 2/13/2010
A taste of Mardi Gras…
Louisiana Visitor’s Center
Riding the St. Charles streetcar
DIVA at Arnaud’s
The Elvi
Bourbon Street
Hermes Float
Jess catching a bear from the Druids
The famous shoe theme of the Muses
Booty!
A taste of Mardi Gras…
Louisiana Visitor’s Center
Riding the St. Charles streetcar
DIVA at Arnaud’s
The Elvi
Bourbon Street
Hermes Float
Jess catching a bear from the Druids
The famous shoe theme of the Muses
Booty!
J.O.B. y'all!
After spending two windy, rainy, frigid days at Gulf State Park in Alabama, we decided to move over to Biloxi to try our hand at lady luck. We are literally living for free (or better!) in the casino parking lots, which is colorful to say the least and warm to say the most. Geaux Saints Geaux!
St. Joseph Peninsula State Park
2/1/2010 – 2/4/2010
After the forest, we headed to the Gulf coast and out onto St. Joseph Peninsula. This narrow spit of land is nearly 30 miles long, the last 7 of which are a protected wilderness preserve. Arriving in a slight drizzle, we chose a site in the second campground, Shady Pines, which was much less crowded and more treed than its sister, Gulf Breezes. After putting up a tarp (a first for us and we didn’t even argue…much), we dug into some wine and cheese. Soon, however the rustling in the bushes became a raccoon trying to jump up on the picnic table to eat our food – while we were sitting there! Many attempts to run him off, including shouting, chasing, throwing pinecones resulted in…nothing. We stayed at the ready, shooing it away, through the rest of our meal and then retreated to the van only to hear the raccoon attempting to open our cooler. Ha ha, the trusty latch on our old steel-belted Coleman is raccoon-proof! Warnings out to those of you with the “pop-up” style lids though, which would clearly be no match for these aggressive campground dwellers.
Campsite #65
Raccoon
Closer!
The next day, the weather turned to sunny but chilly days which we spent exploring the beaches and trails. Beachcombing is terrific on the Gulf side, with lots of excellent finds and the trails are teeming with birdlife including several kinds of woodpeckers. The St. Joseph’s wilderness preserve is truly a respite from the world. However, I was disappointed each morning to hear the campground host busily using a leaf-blower to round up the smattering of pine needles around the sites. It is unfortunate to pay to camp among nature and wake not to the chirping of birds but to the pesky sounds of suburban lazy-man gadgetry. I think a rake and a broom would be quite sufficient and less disturbing to the wildlife and the guests.
Sand dunes and the beach
Gulf of Mexico
Bayside
Wilderness Preserve Trail
Shhhhh!
Anyway, back at the campsite we soaked up some sun and watched the various squirrels and cardinals try to find bits of food off our table. In the evening, we built a fire and cooked a delicious sweet potato, carrot, squash and orange pepper soup on the firepit grill. We had the raccoon visitor again, who this time did make it onto the picnic table since we were sitting near the fire. Arrghh! Jess managed to chase him off, with wild antics, a high-powered light and a fiery stick although he simply ran up a tree at a nearby campsite to wait for us to go to bed. This time we cleared all items, including the cooler, so we wouldn’t have to listen to the night time rustling. What a cheeky little guy!
Despite the small bothers, the setting at St. Joseph’s is really spectacular. The fabulous star-viewing along with the hooting of the owls makes the nights a treat and the daytime hikes along the beach, bay and inner peninsula make the days an adventure to remember. Just remember to put away all your items and watch any food – day or night!
St. Joseph Bay Trail
Gulfside
Beautiful!
After the forest, we headed to the Gulf coast and out onto St. Joseph Peninsula. This narrow spit of land is nearly 30 miles long, the last 7 of which are a protected wilderness preserve. Arriving in a slight drizzle, we chose a site in the second campground, Shady Pines, which was much less crowded and more treed than its sister, Gulf Breezes. After putting up a tarp (a first for us and we didn’t even argue…much), we dug into some wine and cheese. Soon, however the rustling in the bushes became a raccoon trying to jump up on the picnic table to eat our food – while we were sitting there! Many attempts to run him off, including shouting, chasing, throwing pinecones resulted in…nothing. We stayed at the ready, shooing it away, through the rest of our meal and then retreated to the van only to hear the raccoon attempting to open our cooler. Ha ha, the trusty latch on our old steel-belted Coleman is raccoon-proof! Warnings out to those of you with the “pop-up” style lids though, which would clearly be no match for these aggressive campground dwellers.
Campsite #65
Raccoon
Closer!
The next day, the weather turned to sunny but chilly days which we spent exploring the beaches and trails. Beachcombing is terrific on the Gulf side, with lots of excellent finds and the trails are teeming with birdlife including several kinds of woodpeckers. The St. Joseph’s wilderness preserve is truly a respite from the world. However, I was disappointed each morning to hear the campground host busily using a leaf-blower to round up the smattering of pine needles around the sites. It is unfortunate to pay to camp among nature and wake not to the chirping of birds but to the pesky sounds of suburban lazy-man gadgetry. I think a rake and a broom would be quite sufficient and less disturbing to the wildlife and the guests.
Sand dunes and the beach
Gulf of Mexico
Bayside
Wilderness Preserve Trail
Shhhhh!
Anyway, back at the campsite we soaked up some sun and watched the various squirrels and cardinals try to find bits of food off our table. In the evening, we built a fire and cooked a delicious sweet potato, carrot, squash and orange pepper soup on the firepit grill. We had the raccoon visitor again, who this time did make it onto the picnic table since we were sitting near the fire. Arrghh! Jess managed to chase him off, with wild antics, a high-powered light and a fiery stick although he simply ran up a tree at a nearby campsite to wait for us to go to bed. This time we cleared all items, including the cooler, so we wouldn’t have to listen to the night time rustling. What a cheeky little guy!
Despite the small bothers, the setting at St. Joseph’s is really spectacular. The fabulous star-viewing along with the hooting of the owls makes the nights a treat and the daytime hikes along the beach, bay and inner peninsula make the days an adventure to remember. Just remember to put away all your items and watch any food – day or night!
St. Joseph Bay Trail
Gulfside
Beautiful!
Camel Lake – Apalachicola National Forest
1/31/2010 – 2/1/2010
Did you know there are alligators in every freshwater lake in Florida? Except for one of course that humans remove them from in order to teach scuba diving. Sort of a scary concept if you ask me – well, at least I’m not planning on swimming any time soon. That being said, we set up camp in the beautiful Camel Lake area in the northern part of the Apalachicola National Forest. With only 10 campsites, this campground is small although very well-maintained and a steal at only $10 per night. Not more than five minutes after we arrived we were welcomed by a few long-term camper-men. Friendly folk, we shared stories around a lighter-fluid fueled campfire along with a cabbage and potato and hot dog soup. While both did the trick, it illustrated the little differences between men and women campers. Our hosts were also full of gadgets and insisted we borrow a small space heater which quite frankly, was awesome, and made all the difference during the 37 degree night. It was a fun evening of conversation and laughs – much thanks to the hospitality of the Camel Lake “residents.”
Campsite #3
Camel Lake
Guess Who?
Brrrrr!
Did you know there are alligators in every freshwater lake in Florida? Except for one of course that humans remove them from in order to teach scuba diving. Sort of a scary concept if you ask me – well, at least I’m not planning on swimming any time soon. That being said, we set up camp in the beautiful Camel Lake area in the northern part of the Apalachicola National Forest. With only 10 campsites, this campground is small although very well-maintained and a steal at only $10 per night. Not more than five minutes after we arrived we were welcomed by a few long-term camper-men. Friendly folk, we shared stories around a lighter-fluid fueled campfire along with a cabbage and potato and hot dog soup. While both did the trick, it illustrated the little differences between men and women campers. Our hosts were also full of gadgets and insisted we borrow a small space heater which quite frankly, was awesome, and made all the difference during the 37 degree night. It was a fun evening of conversation and laughs – much thanks to the hospitality of the Camel Lake “residents.”
Campsite #3
Camel Lake
Guess Who?
Brrrrr!
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge – Stephen C. Foster State Park
1/29/2010 - 1/31/2010
Home to between 12,000 and 15,000 alligators, the 400,000 plus acres that comprise the Okefenokee Swamp are largely submerged under several inches to several feet of fresh water laden with tannic acid. The dark clear waters of the swamp are dotted with several upland islands and few access points. The Stephen C. Foster (Georgia) State Park provides access to the western side of the swamp and was our point of entry. The campground facilities here are exceptional- wooded and private with heated bathrooms and fantastic showers! However, the recent heavy rains have brought the swamp even closer to the campsites and, ironically, the Suwannee Visitor Center is closed due to flooding!
Suwannee Visitor Center Flooding
Stephen C. Foster State Park Campground
The swamp has a storied past. Fascinating tales of “swampers” who inhabitied this seemingly uninhabitable land – leaving only to trade animal skins for ammunition and coffee- abound. After logging the swamp’s centuries old cypress trees in the early twentieth century, the timber company sold the land to the federal government. After failed attempts to drain the swamp and the thwarting of a proposed canal route connecting the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic, FDR earmarked the swamp for preservation and thus its inclusion in the national wildlife refuge system of today. They hydrology of the swamp is, however, its defining feature. No rivers flow into Okefenokee. Rainfall supplies almost all the water to the system, which is drained by two rivers (the Suwannee to the Gulf and the St. Mary’s to the Atlantic). The most intimate way to tour the swamp is along the extensive network of canoe trails. Boat tours and boardwalk trails are also available. We enjoyed the “Land of the Trembling Earth Trail” which allows a small glimpse into this vast system.
Swamp Cypress
Land of the Trembling Earth Boardwalk Trail
Basking Turtles
Okefenokee Swamp
Home to between 12,000 and 15,000 alligators, the 400,000 plus acres that comprise the Okefenokee Swamp are largely submerged under several inches to several feet of fresh water laden with tannic acid. The dark clear waters of the swamp are dotted with several upland islands and few access points. The Stephen C. Foster (Georgia) State Park provides access to the western side of the swamp and was our point of entry. The campground facilities here are exceptional- wooded and private with heated bathrooms and fantastic showers! However, the recent heavy rains have brought the swamp even closer to the campsites and, ironically, the Suwannee Visitor Center is closed due to flooding!
Suwannee Visitor Center Flooding
Stephen C. Foster State Park Campground
The swamp has a storied past. Fascinating tales of “swampers” who inhabitied this seemingly uninhabitable land – leaving only to trade animal skins for ammunition and coffee- abound. After logging the swamp’s centuries old cypress trees in the early twentieth century, the timber company sold the land to the federal government. After failed attempts to drain the swamp and the thwarting of a proposed canal route connecting the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic, FDR earmarked the swamp for preservation and thus its inclusion in the national wildlife refuge system of today. They hydrology of the swamp is, however, its defining feature. No rivers flow into Okefenokee. Rainfall supplies almost all the water to the system, which is drained by two rivers (the Suwannee to the Gulf and the St. Mary’s to the Atlantic). The most intimate way to tour the swamp is along the extensive network of canoe trails. Boat tours and boardwalk trails are also available. We enjoyed the “Land of the Trembling Earth Trail” which allows a small glimpse into this vast system.
Swamp Cypress
Land of the Trembling Earth Boardwalk Trail
Basking Turtles
Okefenokee Swamp
Crooked River State Park – Cumberland Island National Seashore
1/27/2010 – 1/29/2010
A trip to Cumberland Island National Seashore requires a ferry ride from the quaint town of St. Mary’s, Georgia. Although camping is allowed on the island, the ferry is passenger only, so we decided to camp at the nearby state park instead. We stayed at Crooked River State Park which is a gem in and of itself with several miles of trails, a wooded campground and frontage along the Crooked River. Especially appealing is the bird life and the various observation areas set up in the park for avian viewing.
Campsite #15 at Crooked River State Park
Observation Tower along the Bay Boardwalk Trail
Wild boar
Crooked River at Sunset
We hopped on the 11:45 boat to the seashore for a day trip and had plenty of time to explore the southern end of the island before the 4:45 return journey. There have been various private residences on Cumberland Island, most notably the Dungeness mansion, a former Carnegie home. This particular house and outbuildings are presently in ruins, although there are other well-maintained privately owned homes throughout the island. We took a loop out to the beach, traversed the salt marshes, and walked among the live oaks shading the center strip of the island. This quiet yet wild island is exemplified by the wild horses roaming the trails and beach. Cumberland Island offers a glimpse into the golden days of southern entertaining as well as conservation and private ownership working in concert.
Wild horses on Cumberland Island
Dungeness ruins
Oyster beds in the salt marsh
Seashore
Seashore
Parallel Trail
Cumberland Lady ferry
Lastly, if you want to wet your whistle, there is no finer place than Seagle's Saloon in St. Mary's. Look forward to some hilarious trash talk and sass from the colorful Miss Cindy.
A trip to Cumberland Island National Seashore requires a ferry ride from the quaint town of St. Mary’s, Georgia. Although camping is allowed on the island, the ferry is passenger only, so we decided to camp at the nearby state park instead. We stayed at Crooked River State Park which is a gem in and of itself with several miles of trails, a wooded campground and frontage along the Crooked River. Especially appealing is the bird life and the various observation areas set up in the park for avian viewing.
Campsite #15 at Crooked River State Park
Observation Tower along the Bay Boardwalk Trail
Wild boar
Crooked River at Sunset
We hopped on the 11:45 boat to the seashore for a day trip and had plenty of time to explore the southern end of the island before the 4:45 return journey. There have been various private residences on Cumberland Island, most notably the Dungeness mansion, a former Carnegie home. This particular house and outbuildings are presently in ruins, although there are other well-maintained privately owned homes throughout the island. We took a loop out to the beach, traversed the salt marshes, and walked among the live oaks shading the center strip of the island. This quiet yet wild island is exemplified by the wild horses roaming the trails and beach. Cumberland Island offers a glimpse into the golden days of southern entertaining as well as conservation and private ownership working in concert.
Wild horses on Cumberland Island
Dungeness ruins
Oyster beds in the salt marsh
Seashore
Seashore
Parallel Trail
Cumberland Lady ferry
Lastly, if you want to wet your whistle, there is no finer place than Seagle's Saloon in St. Mary's. Look forward to some hilarious trash talk and sass from the colorful Miss Cindy.