Welcome to TomGoetz.com!


Travelogues from Tom and Jana's journeys throughout the USA and around the world

countries covered map

Countries covered in these journals
 

Tom and Jana began corresponding in 1997 when Jana, who was planning to move to Knoxville, Tennessee, stumbled upon an early version of this website and sent Tom an email. In January 1998, Jana's move was complete, and Tom and Jana met for the first time.

Shortly after we met, we began traveling together, and Tom's website became our website. We got married in May of 2000 and later moved from Knoxville to the much smaller nearby town of Clinton. Today, we are both (mostly) retired, and the travels continue...

This collection of travelogues is meant as a way to share our travels with family and friends and to remind us of our many wonderful journeys, but everyone is welcome to peruse. We hope you enjoy!

Black Hills & Rocky Mountains August 2024
The Black Hills of South Dakota, the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, and the high points of Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota, with a little Wyoming along the way.

Black Hills & Rocky Mountains
August 2024
Maine High Point, June 2024
Conquering peaks in the northeastern United States: 14 days, 10 high points, 2 nights in Philadelphia, a 3-day ascent of Maine's Mount Katahdin, fun with family, and lots of scenic stuff!

Northeast High Points
June 2024
Patagonia, 2024
An epic two-week road trip through the wondrous scenery of Patagonia on two legendary roads – Chile's Carretera Austral and Argentina's Ruta 40 – plus three days in the cosmopolitan city of Santiago.

Patagonia Road Trip
2024
Greenville, SC and Golden Isles, GA 2023
A quick trip to Georgia's Golden Isles of St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island and the mainland port city of Brunswick to end our bicycling year – with two nights in transit to check out Greenville, South Carolina.

Greenville, SC & Golden Isles, GA
November 2023
Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail 2023
An end-of-summer blowout of biking and beer in northeast Ohio! The Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail runs for 90.6 miles from Cleveland south through Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Akron, Massillon, and beyond. We rode the whole thing and saw the sights, while sampling all the local brews we could handle.

Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath
September 2023
Katy Trail, May 2023
A week-long bicycle trip across Missouri on America's longest rail-trail. The Katy Trail follows the path of the former MKT Railroad for 240 miles from Clinton to Machens, passing through small towns, farmland, and forest, with its eastern two-thirds closely following the path of the Missouri River.

Katy Trail, Missouri
May 2023
Nicaragua Winter 2023
The Land of Lakes and Volcanoes: Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua, colonial Granada, cosmopolitan Leon, and the beach town of San Juan del Sur. Plus two transit nights in Liberia, Costa Rica. 4-wheeling, kayaking, ziplining, volcano boarding, and more!

Nicaragua
Winter 2023
Florida and Alabama November 2022
Biking and more on the Floribama Shore: Gulf State Park, Barber Marina, Blackwater Heritage State Trail, Timpoochee Trail and Scenic Hwy 30A, Conservation Park, St. Andrews Park, and the highest point in Florida.

Florida and Alabama
November 2022
Four Corners June 2022
Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona: Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, Phantom Canyon, Royal Gorge, Black Canyon, Million Dollar Highway, Mesa Verde NP, Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, Valley of the Gods, Glen Canyon NRA, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Bryce Canyon NP, Capitol Reef NP, Canyonlands NP, Arches NP, Colorado National Monument, Red Rocks Park, and so much more!

Four Corners
June 2022
Virginia and Maryland April 2022
A week to attend a wedding, with scenic sights to and from, including Luray Caverns, Woodstock Tower, Weverton Cliffs, Fort Washington, the Chesapeake Bay, Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown Battlefield, and Jamestown Island.

Virginia and Maryland
April 2022
Georgia and South Carolina March 2022
Four days of mountain views and waterfalls, this time with our dog Bosco: Bell Mountain, Brasstown Bald, Anna Ruby Falls, Black Rock Mountain SP, Brasstown Falls, Toccoa Falls, Tallulah Gorge SP, Stumphouse Tunnel, Issaqueena Falls, Station Cove Falls, Twin Falls, and Sassafrass Mountain.

Georgia and South Carolina
March 2022
Florida February 2022
A warm winter trip to areas in and around Brooksville, Fort Myers, Palm Beach, Vero Beach, and St. Augustine, riding bikes and visiting family. Rides include the General James A. Fleet State Trail, John Yarbrough Linear Park Trail, Sanibel Island, Jungle Trail Road, Shore Drive Waterfront Park, and the Guana River Wildlife Management Area.

Florida
February 2022
Alabama and Georgia November 2021
A biking, hiking, and sightseeing trip to the Near South for Tom's birthday: DeSoto State Park, Little River Canyon, Chief Ladiga Trail, Talladega Scenic Drive, Cheaha State Park, Chattahoochee Riverwalk Trails, Fall Line Trace Trail, Providence Canyon State Park, and more.

Alabama and Georgia
November 2021
West Virginia September 2021
A long-overdue trip to West Virginia (with bikes): Spruce Knob, Seneca Rocks, Canaan Valley, Maryland High Point, Blackwater Falls SP, Blackwater Canyon Trail, Valley Falls SP, Mon River Rail-Trail System, Coopers Rock, Cheat Lake, Gaudineer Knob, Greenbrier River Trail, Beartown SP, Highland Scenic Hwy, Sandstone Falls, and more.

West Virginia
September 2021
Arizona June 2021
Prescott, including Thumb Butte, Watson, Goldwater, and Lynx Lakes; Jerome; Tuzigoot and Montezuma Castle National Monuments; Tucson, including Saguaro National Park, Mount Lemmon, and the Titan Missile Museum; Chiricahua National Monument; Coronado Trail Scenic Byway; Petrified Forest National Park; and portions of Route 66.

Arizona
June 2021
Big Bend Road Trip March 2021
A two-week road trip to the vast empty desert of West Texas and Southeast New Mexico, with stops in Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park, White Sands National Park, Vicksburg National Military Park, Fort Davis National Historic Site, Lincoln National Forest, and more, plus a hike to the highest point in Louisiana!

Big Bend Road Trip
March 2021
Florida Bicycle Trip January 2021
Multiple bike rides in Florida, including the Gainesville-Hawthorn State Trail; the Withlacoochee State Trail in Inverness; the Legacy, Venetian Waterway, and Island Loop Trails in Venice; the Shark Valley Trail in Everglades National Park, and more, with all the swamps, rivers, beaches, wildlife, and oddities we could muster along the way.

Florida Bicycle Trip
January 2021
C&O Canal Bicycle Trip 2020
A five-day, 185-mile bicycle trip along the Potomac River from Cumberland, MD, to Washington, D.C., on the historic C&O Canal Towpath, staying in a different town along the way each night, with an additional five days for travel and other fun, including a bonus 25-mile bike ride on the GAP Rail-Trail between Deal, PA, and Cumberland, MD.

C&O Canal Bicycle Trip
2020
Wyoming Road Trip 2020
A two-week springtime reprieve from Covid craziness in the wide-open expanses of western Nebraska, western South Dakota, the great state of Wyoming, and more. The highlight of the trip was having every attraction almost to ourselves, including Yellowstone National Park!

Wyoming Road Trip
2020
Alaska 2019
A late summer Alaskan road trip with visits to Talkeetna, Denali National Park, Fairbanks, Valdez, Anchorage, Whittier, Seward and many places in between, plus a bush flight into Wrangell-St. Elias National Park to McCarthy for a glacier hike and a look at the old Kennecott Mines. Alaska was the 50th state for each of us to visit!

Alaska
2019
Guatemala February 2019
Highlights include the Mayan ruins of Copan; the colonial ruins of Antigua; the massive crater lake Atitlan and its surrounding villages of Panajachel, Santa Cruz, San Pedro, San Juan, and San Marcos; market day in Solola; ziplines, birds, and volcanoes (particularly Pacaya)!

Guatemala (plus Copan)
February 2019
Panama 2018
A journey to the crossroads of the world! We visited Panama City, including the Cinta Costera, Casco Viejo, and the Panama Canal; El Valle de Anton; Boquete and the surrounding area, including Volcan, Cerro Punta, and el Ca?on Macho de Monte; and Isla Solarte in the Archipielago de Bocas del Toro in the Caribbean Sea.

Panama
2018
San Diego 2017
A short trip to San Diego for fun with family and friends, celebrating the nuptials of nephew Chris and his bride Kelsey. We fit in some touristy tasks as well, including visits to the USS Midway Museum, the San Diego Zoo, and Coronado Island.

San Diego
2017
New York 2017
A week and a half in the northeastern states of New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the Canadian province of Ontario. Includes visits to New York City, Lake Placid, Thousand Islands, and Niagara Falls.

New York and More
2017
Southern California 2017
Our winter getaway to sunny southern California, from Las Vegas to San Diego to Palm Desert, including visits to Borrego Springs, Salton Sea, and Joshua Tree National Park.

Southern California
2017
Myanmar 2016
Twelve days in the rapidly changing Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Burma), with short stops in Dubai and Bangkok. Highlights include Mandalay, Mingun, Sagaing, Inwa, Pyin Oo Lwin, Gokteik Viaduct, Bagan, Inle Lake, and Yangon.

Myanmar
2016
Oregon and Washington 2015
A short two weeks in the Pacific Northwest, exploring beaches, rivers, gorges, caves, deserts, forests, waterfalls, volcanoes, and glaciers.

Oregon and Washington
2015
Iceland September 2014
A two-week circumnavigation of one of the most photogenic islands on earth.

Iceland
September 2014
Croatia and Slovenia 2013
Two weeks in the former Yugoslavian countries of Croatia and Slovenia, with daytrips into Bosnia i Herzegovina and Montenegro.

Croatia and Slovenia
2013
New England 2012
A wonderful week in the Northeast, including the Cliff Walk at Newport, Rhode Island; Acadia National Park in Maine; the White Mountains of New Hampshire; and historic Boston, Massachusetts.

New England
2012
Yosemite National Park, California 2012
Five days in spectacular Yosemite National Park, a day in Palo Alto with the Neighbors family, and a day at Point Reyes National Seashore.

Yosemite N. P., California
2012
Kruger National Park, South Africa 2011
A two-week trip to South Africa, including eight days in Kruger National Park, and a drive along the Panorama Route, at the Blyde River Canyon.

Kruger N. P. South Africa
2011
San Francisco, March 2010
A week in San Francisco and Big Sur, beginning with a bonus visit to Stanford University to visit a nephew.

San Francisco
March 2010
South Florida, February 2009
A week-long road trip through southern Florida from Clearwater to Key West via Fort Myers, Naples, and the Everglades, and back via Miami and Lake Okeechobee, winding up with a relaxing day at the beach on Sanibel and Captiva Islands.

South Florida
February 2009
Southern Africa, 2007
A self-drive 4x4 safari beginning and ending in Johannesburg, South Africa. The focus of our trip was Botswana, where we visited Moremi Game Reserve in the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park. We capped off our trip with Victoria Falls in Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Southern Africa
2007
Mexico and Mardi Gras, February 2007
A 3,225-mile road trip along the U.S. South Coast to the Rio Grande Valley and into Nuevo Progresso, Mexico. Along the way, we observed the damage from hurricanes Katrina and Rita, took a swamp tour and visited Avery Island, Louisiana, toured Forbidden Gardens in Katy, Texas, and ended the trip with two nights in New Orleans for Mardi Gras!

Mexico and Mardi Gras
February 2007
Oktoberfest 2006
A whirlwind trip to selected sites in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, with bonus small ventures into Italy and Liechtenstein.

Oktoberfest
September 2006
Down Under, February 2006
Six days in the Melbourne, Australia, area, including The Great Ocean Road, Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary, Black Spur Drive, Lake Eildon, Mt. Buller, and Phillip Island. Ten adventure-filled days in New Zealand, including Rotorua (home of Zorb!), Taupo, Wellington, Nelson, Greymouth, Okarito, Arthur's Pass, Wanaka, and Queenstown.

Down Under
February 2006
Grand Canyon Rafting, July 2005
A five-day rafting trip on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, with a few extra days for stops at Zion National Park and Walnut Canyon National Monument.

Grand Canyon Rafting
July 2005
Ecuador and Galapagos Islands, March 2005
A seven-day cruise in the Galapagos Islands (with some fantastic snorkeling) and seven days in the highlands of Ecuador, including the northern Latacunga Loop and a grueling hike at Laguna Volcan Quilotoa, plus a visit to the equator; and two days in Bogota, Colombia.

Ecuador and Galapagos Islands
March 2005
Midwest, 2004
A week in the heartland of America in search of scenic places and man-made oddities. Following the Mississippi River from Illinois to Minnesota, we visited such fine tourist attractions such as Garden of the Gods in Illinois, Spook Cave in Iowa, FAST Corp. in Sparta, Wisconsin, House on the Rock in Spring Green, Wisconsin, the sculpture "Spindle" in Berwyn, Illinois, and Lake Michigan.

Midwest U.S.A.
July 2004
Puerto Rico, 2003
A one-week road trip along the north coast of Puerto Rico and along La Ruta Panorámica through the Cordillera Central, with stops at the Arecibo radio telescope (home of the SETI program), Camuy Caves, Cerro de Punta, El Yunque tropical rain forest, and Old San Juan.

Puerto Rico, U.S.A.
October 2003
Chiapas and Peten, 2003
Two weeks in the southern Mexican states of Chiapas and Tabasco, with a side trip into Guatemala. Highlights were the Mayan ruins of Palenque, Yaxchilán, and Bonampak in Chiapas; the ruins of Tikal in Guatemala; Las Lagunas de Montebello, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, and El Cañon del Sumidero in Chiapas; the Olmec Heads and the Mayan ruin of Comalcalco in Tabasco.

Mexico & Guatemala,
February 2003
Yellowstone, etc. 2003
Eleven days exploring three of the most beautiful National Parks in the United States. The majority of the non-Park attractions were in Idaho, including the Captive Geyser and Monsanto Slag Pour in Soda Springs, Upper and Lower Mesa Falls, and watching BASE jumpers at the Perrine Memorial Bridge over the Snake River Canyon in Twin Falls.

Yellowstone, Tetons & Glacier N. P.,
September 2002
Peru & Bolivia, 2002
Three weeks in the Andes and the altiplano, visiting Arequipa and Puno in Peru, then on to La Paz, Bolivia, and a bike ride down "El Camino de la Muerte" (The Road of Death) from La Cumbre Pass to Coroico in the Andes. Back in Peru, we stayed in Cusco, visiting The Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu a/k/a "The Lost City of the Incas." We finished our trip with a day in Lima.

Peru & Bolivia,
February 2002
Mid-Atlantic, U.S.A., September 2001
A nine-day trip through the Mid-Atlantic states, a region Tom lived in for ten years before moving to Knoxville. Highlights included Seneca Rocks and Spruce Knob in West Virginia; Great Falls in Virginia; Baltimore, Maryland; Washington, D.C.; and the Atlantic coast from Delaware to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Mid-Atlantic, U.S.A.,
September 2001
Japan, March 2001
Nine days in Japan, beginning in Yokohama visiting Tom's old friends Mark and Tracy, who were living there. Mark and Tracy traveled with us for a couple of days to the beautiful, historic city of Kyoto, then Jana and I ventured off on our own to the southern island of Kyushu via shinkansen (bullet train). On Kyushu we stayed in Nagasaki and visited the geothermal area of Unzen and volcano Fugen-dake.

Japan,
March 2001
Tom and Jana in Mexico, 2000
Beginning in San Jose del Cabo, we visited La Paz, took a ferry across the Sea of Cortez, rode the Copper Canyon train to Creel and spent a night in Batopilas. Later stops included Hidalgo de Parral and Durango, plus we took a scenic bus ride along El Espinazo del Diablo. We spent two nights in Mazatlan, then returned to Baja California, where we visited Land's End near Cabo San Lucas.

Our Mexican Honeymoon,
May, 2000