Twelve: April/May 2019

ROVA

The magazine for epic road trips

ROVA2 min read
From The Editor
I’ve been doing random stuff my whole life—a bunch of travel, a variety of jobs, too many ridiculous hairstyles and a whole lot of learning—because things just get a little bit boring when you’re not changing it up. Today, change is on the minds of
ROVA1 min read
“Rova In Your Words”
I was missing the first two issues of ROVA and tracked them down through different sources because I knew this was a magazine I would keep and enjoy for years. I have NEVER saved ANY magazine before. No, not even National Geographic. I’m somewhat of
ROVA3 min read
Rova Recommends
A long songwriting career has seen rock chanteuse Sharon Van Etten in various guises. On her latest offering, Remind Me Tomorrow, synth-pop styling is woven into her rock roots, overlaid with vocals that can’t help but sound devastated, even on pop b
ROVA2 min read
Why The Road?
Our reason for taking this trip is captured right here in this photo. The four of us together, those sweet little faces, the opportunity to slow down for a bit and shed all of the excess. For this, we roam. Instagram: @forthisweroam We hit the roa
ROVA7 min read
You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me
On the surface, rock climbing seems easy to understand. There’s a rock, you climb it. But the deeper you get into the intricacies of the sport, you realize that this is a world unto itself. From the deeply technical aspects to the psychological attac
ROVA5 min read
Inspired By Life On The Road
After graduating from New York University with a degree in art history and painting, what do you do? Well, if you’re Laura Preston, you borrow your boyfriend’s mom’s 34-foot 1986 Airstream Excella and embark on a road trip across the United States. I
ROVA4 min read
Unleashing A Primitive Bond
It is pitch-black outside as I load up the car with the things we will need for the day’s trip. The streetlights in this part of Long Island have yet to be replaced by the newer LED versions, and they burn with the dim incandescence of old-world lant
ROVA6 min read
The Rainbow Road
Let’s get this out of the way early. I’m an art nerd. Well, to be honest, I’m pretty much a general purpose, all-round nerd, but my love of art really adds to the aesthetic of my nerdiness. I’m an artist myself, making abstract works that revolve alm
ROVA4 min readAutomotive
Desert Island Tool Kit
The Toyota Sunrader is a pint-size truck with a four-cylinder engine and a fiberglass shell plopped on back where the pickup bed would have been. At 18 feet, the truck is overloaded, underpowered, and crammed with amenities. There’s a wet bath, fridg
ROVA5 min read
Wwoofing Across The USA
“This is the most relaxing thing I have ever done,” said Sophie as she reclined in the bath next to mine. The warm night air had a slight humidity to it as we lay in the water looking up at the stars. “I can see why they say the hot springs have heal
ROVA7 min read
History The South Cannot Ignore (but Textbooks Do)
When my husband and I took a road trip through the South last July, I expected hot and sticky weather (the mercury hit 111 degrees in Baton Rouge, Los Angeles); weight gain (seven pounds); great music (Beale Street, juke joints and Preservation Jazz
ROVA5 min read
Taking The Leap An Ode To Quitting
There are times in your life where you know that perseverance is key. Climbing to the top of the mountain takes patience and drive, and if you stick with it, you’ll breathe the rarified air and see to the ends of the world. But what if you never want
ROVA4 min read
Go With The Flow
Have you ever heard of a guy named Heraclitus? He was a Greek philosopher from two and a half millennia ago, when wisdom and philosophical thought still constituted feasible job qualifications. One of the things he was most famously credited for is t
ROVA3 min readFashion
Crystallized A Photo Essay
“Silicon and oxygen—that’s what quartz crystals are made of. It’s the same thing that’s in your cell phone, and also where Silicon Valley gets its name.” This long-haired hippie dude had just blown my mind. It was a weird coincidence that I had run i
ROVA6 min read
At Home In Wild Alaska
I’ve been curious about campervans ever since a couch surfer asked to park one in our driveway for a night. We sat on our porch with him and talked for hours, sharing beers and trading road-trip stories. He left us packages of instant noodles and a b
ROVA4 min read
Toquima Cave Colorful Images Of The Past
Nestled into a wooded hillside near the geographic center of Nevada lies an archeological site as unique and diverse as the state of Nevada itself. If you happen to find yourself in the nearby town of Austin, consider making a trek south into the hig
ROVA5 min read
Oklahoma Royale
Recently, I drove to my parents’ place in Texas. When I visit, I usually pack several crochet needles, a bathing suit, and running shoes. I know that this vacation will go one of two ways: I’ll either watch a whole hell of a lot of Investigation Disc
ROVA7 min read
The Trilogy Tour
I was 15 when I went to my first concert at the Xcel Energy Center in Minneapolis. Every aspect of the show mesmerized me, and from that day on I fantasized about living on the road, traveling in huge tour buses, and bringing the energy of live music
ROVA6 min read
Escape To Charleston
The “Holy City” never held any religious significance for me. My introduction to Charleston, South Carolina, was kicking back a couple of shots of Grand Marnier at a dingy upstairs bar on King Street on a sweltering August afternoon. The humidity was
ROVA5 min read
Somewhere I’ve Never Been
Give me a map, the internet and a strong cup of coffee, and I can spend hours planning future vacations. I’ll stroll along streets on Google Street View, read other travelers’ blogs and articles about tiny townships, and search images on Flickr until
ROVA3 min read
Embracing Pura Vida A Week Of Overlanding In Costa Rica
Thick air enters the front window, so heavy with salt and sun and humid earth that, instead of passing through the cabin of our Land Rover, it sits like a third passenger in our rig. We turn up the music. Palm tree groves obscure our view of the whit
ROVA2 min read
Tips To Make Your Costa Rican Adventure Safe And Fun
First things first: you don’t need a special driver’s license. If you have a current driver’s license, you can drive in Costa Rica. And while signs are written in Spanish, the shape, size, and structure of signs and lights are very similar to the US,

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