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Frenchy's Open Road, Grafton, ND (2026)

09/12/2026

The Power of a Simple Smile

It goes without saying that a smile can brighten someone’s day.

After spending a considerable amount of time traveling this country, I’ve discovered that a smile can do something else pretty powerful…it can help set the tone for your own day.

I notice myself smiling a lot while traversing America…perhaps it’s because I’m driving an unfamiliar road and suddenly realize, “I get to see something new today.”

That thought alone elevates my curiosity.

The smile becomes a physical acknowledgment of something I’ve come to value deeply…the possibility of discovering something I’ve never seen, experienced, or understood before…and that simple smile seems to open a door.

It raises my energy level. It makes me more approachable. It invites others to engage.
Perhaps most importantly, it reminds me to participate in the day rather than simply pass through it.

Things that might once have seemed mundane or uninteresting can look completely different when viewed through a different emotional lens. One that sees possibility instead of dread.

One that asks, “I wonder what’s around the next bend?” rather than “I wonder what could go wrong?” That little shift has become powerful for me.

Where I once saw challenges, I’m learning to see opportunities. Where I might have once anticipated inconvenience, I now find myself anticipating discovery…and with America as my backyard, there’s certainly no shortage of opportunities to practice.

There’s another benefit I’ve discovered, too.

A smile seems to help me settle into the freedom I’ve chosen. Living untethered from many of the routines, expectations, and social norms that once defined my days has given me more room to simply be present.

To notice. To wonder. To engage. To live the moment instead of constantly planning the next one.

My reminder to self today is pretty simple:

Make the most of the smile. Smile at the stranger. Smile at the unexpected. Smile when the road takes you somewhere you didn’t plan to go.

And maybe, just maybe, smile at yourself when life doesn’t unfold exactly as expected. You might be surprised how much that little physical act can influence what happens next.

Set the tone. Look for opportunity instead of fear or dread. Stay curious. Stay engaged.

And keep moving toward whatever is waiting over the next horizon.

After all…

You never know what you might discover when you’re smiling your way down the road.

Frenchy

09/11/2026

Five days visiting my daughter in Millington, Tennessee was both awesome…and a little concerning.

Two days after I arrived, she came down with a pretty nasty virus. The kind that doesn’t politely knock on the door…it just barges in, takes over the house and puts you flat on your back for several days.

She was bedridden for much of my visit, and while I certainly hated seeing her sick, I was grateful I was there to help her navigate through it.

Of course, the entire time I’m thinking…

“Please don’t share this particular gift with Dad.”

Apparently, she believed in sharing. 😂

I arrived at my friend Mike’s home in Magnolia, Texas on Tuesday feeling pretty darn good. Two days passed and I thought maybe I had dodged the bullet.

Nope.

The virus apparently traveled to Texas with me and simply needed a couple days to unpack.

Body aches, respiratory congestion and lungs that are reminding me they would prefer I slow things down for a while.

So…the road will have to wait.

And that’s okay.

One thing traveling has taught me is that plans are simply ideas waiting for life to make adjustments.

Illness sucks. There’s no romanticizing that part of it. But sometimes you simply have to listen to your body, give it what it needs and allow time to do its work.

I’m incredibly thankful to my friend Mike for opening his home to me for the next couple weeks. If I have to be sidelined for a bit, spending that time visiting with a good friend isn’t a bad place to land. Hoping he won’t contract the virus!

My plans for this weekend are officially on hold. I’ll see what the next couple days bring before deciding when this wandering soul gets back into the rhythm of the road.

Eventually I’ll continue west toward the Fort Worth area, where another old classmate and friend awaits.

And farther down the road…the Arizona desert is calling.

The plan is still to arrive in “The Q” sometime around mid-to-late October.

But between here and there?

Who knows.

That’s part of the beauty of this life I’ve chosen.

For now…rest, recover, enjoy the company of a friend and let tomorrow arrive when it gets here.

The road isn’t going anywhere.

Till then….

Frenchy

09/05/2026

Sometimes…The Smallest Things Tell the Biggest Stories

The Tennessee heat continues to hover somewhere between “damn, it’s hot” and “why did I leave the air conditioning?” 😂

Upper 90s will do that to a guy.

But I’m here spending time with my daughter…and some things are worth sweating for. ❤️

Besides, being back on the road has reminded me of something I had forgotten during those months of being stationary…

Curiosity doesn’t require a destination.

Sometimes it’s found ten feet from where you’re sitting.

Give me my camera and something crawling across a leaf, hanging from a branch, feeding on a flower or simply minding its own tiny business…and suddenly I’m off exploring again.

I love macro photography for that reason.

It exposes an entire world happening right beneath our noses.

Tiny creatures living complicated little lives.

Textures invisible from a distance.

Colors we never notice.

Details we routinely walk past because we’re too busy looking toward wherever we think we need to be next.

Funny thing about slowing down…

The smaller I look, the bigger the world becomes.

Tuesday morning, though, it’ll be time to turn the key and put some miles beneath me again.

Texas is calling.

About a ten-hour drive according to Google…which apparently still hasn’t figured out how I travel. 😂

Ten hours assumes I don’t see an interesting backroad.

An old building.

A roadside stand.

A strange sign.

A beautiful landscape.

Or someone sitting somewhere who looks like they might have a story worth hearing.

So…ten hours could mean twelve.

Maybe thirteen.

Who knows?

I’m not lost. I’m exploring. There’s a difference. 😂

That’s why I prefer the backroads.

Interstates are designed to get you somewhere.

Backroads allow you to experience getting there.

And these days…I’m much more interested in the experience.

Beyond Texas, my thoughts are already wandering farther west.

Quartzsite.

My new tent has officially been ordered for another winter in the Arizona desert.

This one will be bigger, stronger and considerably more comfortable than last season’s setup. Enough room for living, cooking, storage…and hopefully enough space that I don’t have to perform yoga every time I put my pants on. 😂

I learned a lot last winter.

About desert living.

About simplicity.

About myself.

But perhaps the greatest thing that came from those months in Quartzsite wasn’t something I planned at all.

It was something that happened around a fire.

🔥 Frenchy’s Fireside Chats.

A few chairs became a few people.

A few people became conversations.

Conversations became friendships.

And eventually, strangers started showing up simply because they had heard there was a fire somewhere in the desert where people gathered…and everyone was welcome.

No agenda.

No politics.

No expectations.

Just people sharing space, stories, laughter, food and a little piece of themselves.

Intentional connection.

This winter…I want to build upon that.

The sound system is coming along.

So is the projector.

Maybe we’ll have a movie night beneath a million desert stars.

Maybe a musician wandering through Quartzsite will grab a guitar and give us an unexpected concert.

Maybe someone will sit beside the fire and tell a story they’ve never told before.

And maybe two complete strangers will leave that evening as friends.

That’s the part I can’t manufacture.

And honestly…I wouldn’t want to.

Because the best moments of this journey have rarely been planned.

They simply happened because I was present enough to notice them.

Kind of like those tiny creatures I photograph.

Kind of like the backroads I choose.

Kind of like the people who unexpectedly wander into my life.

There’s a lesson somewhere in all of that.

Perhaps life isn’t always asking us to look farther ahead.

Sometimes…

it’s simply asking us to look a little closer.

Tuesday…the wheels turn again.

Texas next.

Quartzsite eventually.

And somewhere between here and there…I’m certain there are people I haven’t met, roads I haven’t traveled, photographs I haven’t taken and stories I haven’t heard.

Sounds like adventure to me.

🔥 Frenchy

09/03/2026

WHEN LIFE TURNS UP THE HEAT…CHANGE THE ROAD

What does this wanderer do when Missouri decides 103 degrees sounds like a perfectly reasonable temperature?

Apparently…he packs up and leaves. 😂

Yesterday morning I woke up drenched—a fan blowing hot directly on me. That was a good indication Mother Nature was trying to tell me something.

And she wasn’t whispering.

With temperatures expected to climb past 100°, I looked around camp and decided there was absolutely no medal waiting for me if I stayed and tried to prove how tough I was.

Sometimes adapting isn’t surrendering to the circumstances…it’s simply recognizing a better opportunity when one presents itself.

So, Tennessee it was!

Of course, saying “I think I’ll pack up and leave” sounds much easier than actually packing up an entire camp.

Three and a half hours later…with numerous breaks to hydrate…the gear was rearranged, roof storage reimagined. Things moved from here to there…and then back over here because apparently they didn’t belong there in the first place. 😂

My neighbors from the Pacific Northwest stepped in to help me get an adapted storage frame onto the roof. They were feeling the Missouri heat themselves and had also decided to move along a couple days early.

Funny how strangers become neighbors…and neighbors become part of your story.

We exchanged conversation, laughter and they gifted me some wonderful aromatics, in return, I handed them a signed copy of my book…Refined Over Miles.

A pretty good trade between nomadic travelers.

That final hour of breaking camp was brutal. I’m fairly certain I left several pounds of myself somewhere in the Missouri humidity.

But by 2:30…I was eastbound.

Destination: my daughter’s place in Tennessee. 😁

And suddenly the heat that chased me out of Missouri had given me something much more valuable…

Two additional days with my daughter.

Now THAT is a dividend worth collecting!

The drive itself reminded me why I love traveling roads I haven’t navigated before. Crossing the Mississippi on a span new to me, I found myself thinking about bridges again.

There’s something romantic about them.

Two pieces of land separated by water…and somebody decides they should be connected.

Almost like a handshake between states.

A quiet welcome saying…

Come on over. There’s something waiting for you on this side.

And there was.

My daughter’s place is mostly rural, with a pond near the backyard and plenty of tiny creatures waiting for my macro lens to discover them.

I’ll be exploring…carefully.

Because while curiosity may be one of my greatest attributes…walking through tall grass where snakes are certain to be hiding is apparently where my curiosity draws the line. 😂

For now, I’m comfortably indoors, enjoying time with my daughter and learning some new techniques for the copper jewelry I’ve been experimenting with.

Lots to learn.

Lots to see.

Lots to appreciate.

Yesterday Missouri felt a little like living inside an oven. Today I’m cool, comfortable and spending gifted extra time with someone I love.

Another reminder from the road…

Plans are useful.

But sometimes the greatest rewards arrive when we’re willing to change them.

Adaptability continues to pay some pretty wonderful dividends.

Frenchy

09/01/2026

The Richest Investment I've Ever Made…

There came a point where I stopped measuring wealth by the dollars in my account and begin measuring it by the moments that fill my soul.

Somewhere along this journey of mine, I discovered that the life I had been searching for wasn't found in a destination...it was found in a way of living.

Every mile traveled has become a deposit. Every stranger willing to share a story has paid unexpected dividends. Every quiet sunrise, winding backroad, hidden trail, and heartfelt conversation has added interest to an account no bank could ever hold.

I've learned that my curiosity is the greatest investment I've made. The more curious I become, the richer life becomes.

Living untethered to one place continues to be both liberating and deeply fulfilling. Freedom has a way of slowing life down just enough to notice what so many of us unknowingly rush past. Peace. Contentment. Wonder. Learning. They're no longer occasional visitors...they've become trusted companions.

Each new campground becomes my backyard. Each town becomes a classroom.
Each person becomes a chapter waiting to be read.

Here at Big Spring Campground near Van Buren, Missouri, the afternoon temperatures are pushing 98 degrees, the bugs occasionally remind me this is their home first, and yet...I couldn't be happier.

This morning a butterfly paused long enough for a drink. An inchworm rappelled from above in search of its next leafy meal. A tiny green insect quietly wandered into camp as if stopping by to introduce itself.

Simple moments. Extraordinary reminders.

Curiosity has also opened another unexpected door.

Copper…

What once carried water and wiring through an old 1977 Dodge Sportsman is slowly finding new life in my hands. Yesterday I finished my very first copper bracelet. Nothing elaborate...just a simple piece. But there was something incredibly satisfying about taking discarded material and patiently transforming it into something that can be worn and appreciated.

Perhaps that's what this journey has been doing to me all along.

Transforming something ordinary into something with a story.

So yes...I'm back.

My nomadic legs are growing stronger with each passing day, my curiosity is once again leading the way, and I have a feeling the best chapters are still waiting somewhere down the road.

Until next time...

Frenchy

08/31/2026

The Road Never Really Left Me

There are moments in life when you realize you've changed.

Not because someone tells you...but because your heart keeps pulling you in a direction you can no longer ignore.

The past five months have been exactly that for me.

Returning home to Grafton was important. I was able to get my Medicare in place, complete my medical appointments and procedures, spend precious time with my mom at the nursing home, and reconnect with family and friends I hadn't seen in far too long.

For all of that...I am deeply grateful.

But while my body was home...

My heart was somewhere else.

It was on a quiet back road.

It was beside a campfire with people I'd never met before.

It was watching another sunrise from a place I'd never been.

It was listening to the sounds of nature instead of the sounds of routine.

Those five months taught me something I hadn't fully understood until now.

I've become a traveler.

Not because I dislike having a home...but because I've discovered that my greatest sense of peace isn't found within four walls. It's found in movement. In curiosity. In uncertainty. In trusting that wherever I end up, there will be something beautiful waiting for me...a landscape to admire, a story to hear, or a stranger who may soon become a friend.

My friend AK generously gave me a place to stay while I was home, and I couldn't have asked for a better landing spot. Yet each passing week reminded me that the life I've grown to love simply doesn't fit inside one location anymore.

So Saturday morning, I listened.

I pointed my vehicle south and left Grafton behind.

After spending the night in Omaha, I continued on to Big Spring Campground near Van Buren, Missouri. Nearly 1,000 miles and about 15 hours of driving later, I pitched my tent, pulled up a chair, took a deep breath...
..and smiled.

It felt like I had finally exhaled.

Over the next few days, I'll explore the trails, enjoy the quiet, and simply be present before continuing on to Tennessee to spend Labor Day weekend with my daughter.

I'm also beginning another adventure along the way.

I've started teaching myself the art of making copper jewelry. There's something fitting about taking a simple piece of copper and, through patience and persistence, turning it into something meaningful. In many ways, it reminds me of this journey itself. We all begin as rough material. Life shapes us...the difficult moments strengthen us...and if we're willing to keep learning, we become something we never imagined possible.

So yes...

Frenchy is back on the road.

Back collecting moments instead of things.

Back seeking intentional connections instead of hurried conversations.

Back living one sunrise, one campground, one handshake, and one story at a time.

Thank you to everyone who continues to follow this journey. Whether we've met around a campfire, shared a conversation over coffee, or simply connected through these posts...know that you've become part of the story.

And I have a feeling...

The best chapters are still waiting to be written.

Frenchy

08/13/2026

Sometimes the Road Changes…So You Change With It

Adapting to ever-changing circumstances can be frustrating…especially when we become attached to a plan and how we believe that plan is supposed to unfold.

One of the greatest lessons from my 471 days traveling across America was learning that circumstances will change,…not if…but when…and perhaps the real lesson isn’t found in what changed…it’s found in how we choose to respond when it does.

Today, I find myself facing another one of those moments

My body is telling me that the next chapter needs to include ample time for recovery…a slower pace…and a much more intentional approach to physical activity. That created a bit of a dilemma.

I recently purchased my old Dodge camper with every intention of rebuilding it into my next home on wheels. I could see it finished in my mind. I could see the adventures. I could see Frenchy’s Fireside Chats traveling right along with it.

But getting from what it is today…to what I envisioned…requires a tremendous amount of physical work. Right now, that simply doesn’t fit with what my body needs from me. So rather than seeing that as a roadblock…I decided to see it as an opportunity to adapt.

Today, I listed the camper or potential food truck for sale on Marketplace.

There’s certainly some disappointment in that decision…but there’s also excitement in knowing someone else may see what I saw in that old Dodge and turn it into their dream.

As for me? I’m looking downstream. Instead of spending the coming months building something from the ground up, I’ll eventually look for something a little more turnkey.

Turn the key. Hit the road. Find a place to camp! That realization opened another door…I’ve decided to begin my trek south again in early September.

My trustworthy Dodge Journey will once again become my travel companion and little home on wheels. I’ll slow the pace, listen to my body, visit friends and communities along the way…and eventually make my way back toward the Arizona desert for winter.

After all…”Frenchy’s Fireside Chats” still need a fire.

Maybe that’s what adapting really looks like.
Not abandoning the destination simply because the route changed. Not measuring ourselves by the plans that didn’t happen…but by our willingness to keep moving when life presents us with another way forward.

The camper was my plan. The mission was always the personal connections. That mission hasn’t changed one bit.

The road ahead simply looks a little different than I thought it would. And if my travels have taught me anything…

Sometimes the unexpected road turns out to be exactly the one we needed to take.

See you down the road…

Frenchy

08/09/2026

SOMETIMES THE ROAD AHEAD REQUIRES A DETOUR…

Tomorrow, August 10th, I’m scheduled for a cardiac angiogram in Fargo. There’s a fairly high likelihood that a stent will be placed during the procedure.

This won’t be completely unfamiliar territory for me. I had a stent placed in my LAD artery back in 2012, so I have a pretty good idea of what the weeks and months ahead may require from me physically.

And with that reality comes a decision…

The 1977 Dodge Sportsman project is going on hold…

As much as I’ve enjoyed tearing into that old camper and imagining what it could become, rebuilding it is physical work. Right now, becoming a healthier version of myself needs to take priority over rebuilding a 49-year-old Dodge.

So, the Sportsman will spend the winter parked safely at my cousin Loren’s farm. Come late spring, I’ll take another look at it.

But putting one adventure on hold doesn’t mean putting life on hold. Quite the opposite.

I’m shifting gears.

My new priority is preparing for another adventure…one that combines the peace and freedom I’ve discovered on the road with something that has become increasingly important to me…Intentional connection.

Many of you watched Frenchy’s Fireside Chats grow organically in the Arizona desert last winter. People pulled up chairs around a fire as strangers…and always left knowing a little more about one another.

No politics to argue. No social status to prove. No agenda.

Just people sharing space, stories, laughter, food and sometimes parts of themselves they hadn’t shared in a very long time.

Now I want to see what happens when I take that idea beyond Quartzsite.

As I travel south, I’ll be reaching out to friends and connections I’ve made during my travels to help organize and host Fireside Chats in communities along the way. Nebraska, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas are currently on my radar.

Then I’ll continue west toward Arizona and, if everything falls into place, spend another winter season in Quartzsite.

Think of it as taking Frenchy’s Fireside Chats on the road. One community. One campfire. One conversation at a time.

I’m looking at departing sometime in late August or early September, depending upon my recovery and what my doctors tell me.

This winter I also plan to become much more active with Instagram and YouTube. More videos. More interviews with people I meet. More DIY and life-on-the-road content. More stories. More lessons learned from traveling…and probably a few mistakes along the way.

I’ve learned something during these past couple of years…the road doesn’t always take us where we originally planned to go.
Sometimes the detour becomes the journey we needed.

For now, tomorrow is about my heart. Then I’ll see where the road takes it.

I hope you’ll continue riding along with me, sharing the journey, commenting, encouraging and helping me spread this idea that I’ve come to believe in so strongly.

Our country needs more places where people simply feel comfortable sitting down together.

I’m really looking forward to what comes next…

Frenchy

07/30/2026

Surprises keep coming...

On an almost daily basis, you'll find me inside the old Dodge Sportsman...covered in dust, pulling things apart, and imagining what this 49-year-old rig can become. Today was no exception.

Around 10:00 this morning, my friend AK pulled up and handed me a restoration manual for Dodge vans...including my exact year. Curious, I asked where he found it.

His reply caught me off guard.

"It was delivered to Grafton Floral...addressed to M.A. French."

Someone who has been following my journey recognized a need I didn't even know had already been met. They quietly chose to help move this project forward.

To whoever sent it...thank you!

You may never know how valuable that manual will be as I rewire, rebuild, repurpose, and transform this old Sportsman into a dependable home on wheels. Your kindness reminded me that this dream isn't mine alone anymore. There are people quietly standing beside me...and that means more than I can put into words.

So...how's the project coming?

Glad you asked.

Nearly all of the original floor has now been removed down to the bare metal. The walls and ceiling have been stripped. The old water tank, water heater, shower pan, appliances, and much of the unnecessary weight are gone.

Tomorrow I should finish removing the remaining flooring and carpet (front area).

Then comes one of the most important stages...cleaning every inch of exposed metal with a wire wheel to uncover and clean all rust and repairs that need attention before rebuilding begins.

I'll also be creating an access panel above the fuel tank so the sending unit can be serviced without dropping the tank down the road. Little improvements like that may never be noticed...until they're needed.

Then comes the fun part.

Designing a space that isn't just functional...but reflects how I choose to live, travel, and connect with people across this country.

Many have asked what keeps me working through the heat, humidity, and long days.

The answer isn't the camper.

It isn't the miles I'll travel.

It isn't even seeing another beautiful sunset.

It's the conversations that haven't happened yet.

It's the strangers who become friends around a campfire.

It's the stories waiting to be shared.

It's continuing to build Frenchy's Fireside Chats...one town, one campground, one community at a time. Creating spaces where people feel comfortable enough to put their phones down, pull up a chair, and simply connect.

That's the dream.

Getting this Sportsman safely back on the road is what makes that dream possible.

Several people have asked how they can help. Some have offered parts, others mechanical expertise, tools, supplies, or financial support. Every contribution…large or small…moves this project one step closer to becoming reality. If this mission of bringing people together resonates with you and you'd like to be part of transforming it, I'd be honored to have you along for the ride.

I hope to share a video series of the restoration starting this weekend. You’ll see exactly where things stand, what still needs attention, and where this old Dodge is headed.

Thank you again to the person who anonymously sent the restoration manual.

You didn't just send a book…

You reminded me that good people still believe in helping someone chase a dream.

Frenchy

Frenchy's Open Road

09/12/2026

09/11/2026

09/05/2026

09/03/2026

09/01/2026

08/31/2026

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07/30/2026

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