We Found a Beach on the Colorado River | Season 3 Begins

Season 3 starts the way Kerouacs Cruising always does best — with a day off, a beach they almost didn't find, and an honest conversation about why they went quiet for a while.

After months of work-from-the-road life in Bullhead City and Parker, Arizona, Cara and James finally take a day off. They explore Parker Dam, stumble onto a sandy cove on the Colorado River, walk the Bill Williams Wildlife Refuge, see bighorn sheep on a cliff, and get visited by wild donkeys on the way out. It's a good day. A really good day.

But tucked inside the adventure is the conversation that makes this a Kerouacs Cruising episode: why they went quiet, why creating from a place of fear never works, and what it means to begin something new with honesty instead of a highlight reel. This is Season 3 — and it starts exactly where they are.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

• The beach they almost missed — a sandy cove on the Colorado River near Parker Dam, found by keeping their eyes open after the original spot turned out to be federal property
• Parker Dam explained — what it creates, what it costs the ecosystem, and the fish species going extinct because of it
• Arizona State Trust Land camping — $20 for the year, 14 consecutive day limit
• The Bill Williams Wildlife Refuge — wildflowers in bloom, labeled plant trails, fishing docks, and the walk they wish they'd had more time for
• Wild donkeys and six bighorn sheep on the side of a cliff — just a normal Tuesday in the Arizona desert
• Why they stopped creating content for a few weeks — and why creating from fear or obligation would have been worse than silence
• Where their heads are as Season 3 begins — the hopes, the honest uncertainty, and what they're building toward
• Norman and Bella updates — the ongoing socialization journey, leash training, and life with two free-range dogs learning to navigate crowds

Resources & Mentions:

• Parker Dam — Colorado River, between Parker and Lake Havasu City, Arizona
• Arizona State Trust Land permit — $20/year, available at Arizona State Land Department website
• Bill Williams Wildlife Refuge — day use, dogs must be leashed near water, interpretive trail signage
• Lake Havasu City — London Bridge, boardwalk, boat and jet ski rentals
• DoorDash — mentioned as their primary work-from-the-road income during this stretch
• Colorado River fishing — largemouth bass, striped bass up to 30 lbs, catch and report species program
• Lake Pend Oreille, northern Idaho — referenced for comparison on cold water swimming

Note for Clarity: This episode was recorded in late February 2026 — the final stretch in Parker before life took a turn neither of them expected. Jewels passed away in September 2025 — Cara's reference to managing the dogs being easier now with just Norman and Bella is an honest acknowledgment of that loss. Norman and Bella are their current traveling companions.

If this conversation resonated with you, you're always welcome at our campfire.

For reflections, and the companion blog, head to KerouacsCruising.com/blog.

To follow along in real time, find us on social @KerouacsCruising.

To support the journey, visit Ko-fi.com/KerouacsCruising.

And if something here made you think, feel, or see your life a little differently, we'd love to hear from you in the comments or at Join@KerouacsCruising.com.

However you choose to be here — thank you for being part of this. 💚🩷