Getting Ready For My First Bikepacking Trip

I’d spent a bunch of time during the winter months learning about bikepacking. With my first trip planned and fast approaching it was time to get everything together. I had not been doing as much bicycling as I have in the past so I needed to get my body ready for the trip (and not …

Olympic National Park – Ruby Beach, Crescent Lake, Marymere Falls, and Hurricane Ridge

Throwback 2017! This trip included the moment where I decided I was going to figure out how to travel more. We spent a few days in different areas of Olympic National Park. The reason I needed to figure out my travel situation was that I left feeling like a few days didn’t do this park …

Pendaries Village – Rocieda, NM

Pop’s has taken us to his family home in Pendaries Village (near Rocida, NM) many, many times over the years. The boys have played lots of golf here. I learned how bad I am at golf here (and subsequently stopped playing forever). I spent some time with them while they played today, however. There was …

Astoria, Oregon – Family Vacation 2017

Throwback 2017! On our family vacation around the upper northwest US we started off in Astoria, Oregon. We hiked up to the 125 foot tall Astoria Column for awesome panoramic views. We walked on the Astoria Riverwalk to the Goonies House. We searched out great bowls of chowder before visiting the Columbia River Maritime Museum. …

Carson National Forest (New Mexico)

The Carson National Forest covers 1.5 million acres in northern New Mexico. Part of it is near the family cabin that we visit often. We’ve visited the area many times over the years. On this day we had a picnic (at Flechado Canyon) and then hiked about 4 miles up the Indian Lake Trail No. …

Bell Smith Springs – Shawnee National Forest (Ozark, Illinois)

Throwback 2017! During Thanksgiving, Hogdaddy took us on a hike around the nearby Bell Smith Springs Recreation Area (a national natural landmark) in the Shawnee National Forest. There were pools, sheer rock walls, some giant boulders, and a natural arch that we explored around. Young Max took control of the camera and shot most of …

Fort Union National Monument (in New Mexico)

While out in New Mexico we were “in the neighborhood” so we drove out into the middle of nowhere to Fort Union National Monument. In the neighborhood in New Mexico means “within a pretty long drive.” Fort Union was a fort along the Santa Fe Trail (near Watrous in Mora County). I couldn’t believe how …

Canoeing (and Kayaking) The Caney Fork River

Throwback 2018 (and 2019)! Our family vacation took us up to Center Hill Lake and then onto the waters below the dam, the Caney Fork River. We went in 2018 and had such a fun day that we did another section of the river in 2019. Both days were very fun days. Both times I …

Petroglyph National Monument and Pecos National Historical Park

We were headed to Albuquerque to drop Molly and Olivia off at the airport [sad face emoji]. The charge for their taxi service? I made them stop at Petroglyph National Monument (in Albuquerque, New Mexico) for a quick hike. We saw hundreds of petroglyphs carved into the stone. After a successful dropoff, Emily and I …

Universal and Disney World (7 Parks In 7 Days / Spring Break 2018)

Throwback 2018! We’d been to Disney World several times. This was our first trip to Universal. We went with my sister’s family. We visited both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. We also hit 2 parks in Disney World with them (Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom). After they went home we stayed a few more …