Hi. My name’s Theresa and I’m The Local Tourist. Have we met? Well, then, please allow me to introduce myself. I’ve been thinking lately that it was time. Mainly, because I don’t know if I ever have, and I thought people might wonder just who this “Local Tourist” person was. I figured now’s as good …
An Illinois Road Trip Adventure: Route 66
What it’s like to drive the Illinois stretch of the Mother Road solo, and in one day.
Diary of a Cockeyed Optimist: I’m not fine. But I will be.
I went to the doctor for what I thought would be a routine checkup. Not that I would recognize a routine checkup if I saw one. I hadn’t been to a doctor (except for two emergency room visits, one after being mugged and one after falling off a racing camel. Now that’s a story for …
Diary of a Cockeyed Optimist: I’m not fine. But I will be.Read More
An Illinois Road Trip Adventure
When my alarm dinged at five I’d already been up for an hour and a half. Not by choice. I was anxious and excited. That day I would leave to drive four of Illinois’ scenic byways. During a pandemic. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t even really know how I was going to …
Diary of a Cockeyed Optimist: Why I Got Tested for COVID-19
What it’s like to get tested at a free Illinois COVID-19 Testing Site Since the seriousness of COVID-19 began to hit home mid-March, Mr. TLT and I have been cautious. We’ve limited our outings to grocery shopping, a couple of curbside pickups at Julie Ann’s Frozen Custard, walks on the Prairie Trail and an occasional …
Diary of a Cockeyed Optimist: Why I Got Tested for COVID-19Read More
Two Lane Gems, Vol. 1: Chapter 27 – Romancing the Road Trip
Road trips capture the imagination like no other travel.
Two Lane Gems, Vol. 1: Chapter 27 – Romancing the Road TripRead More
Two Lane Gems, Vol. 1: Chapter 11 – Camping Should be a Pre-Marriage Requirement
Previous: Chapter 10 – Surviving I-40 with Buried Cars, a Blue Hole, and a Big Hunk As we got back on I-40 for the short drive, relatively speaking, to Albuquerque, I thought about everything we’d seen and done since we’d left home only six days ago. When I first had the idea for this trip, …
Two Lane Gems, Vol. 1: Chapter 11 – Camping Should be a Pre-Marriage RequirementRead More
Serializing Two Lane Gems
A message from TLT Founder & Publisher Theresa L. Goodrich: During this trying time, I’m choosing to serialize my Two Lane Gems books on The Local Tourist. Each day I’ll post a chapter so you can read these adventures from the comfort of your home. I’m doing this for a few reasons: one is because …
The Importance of Showing Up
Simply being there is the most important path to success.
Travel Matters
No matter where you go, you can find something unique. Every place is worth visiting, and your visit matters.
Writer’s Route: How to Handle Rejection
The hardest part of writing a book isn’t the actual writing. It’s what comes next.
One Step Back, Five Steps Forward (Or, what happened to Drive By Towns?)
Sometimes you head in one direction without knowing where you’re going, yet you still end up where you need to be.
One Step Back, Five Steps Forward (Or, what happened to Drive By Towns?)Read More