During the month of March I've been participating in a listing exercise called 30 Days of Lists - I've done it twice before and often shared my lists here on the blog. This time around, if you want to learn a little bit more about me through my daily lists, you can check them out on Instagram. In addition to my lists, I've challenged myself to draw 30 maps over the course of the month.
Read MoreBefore moving to Seattle was a glimmer in our eyes, we took a week-long road trip around the Pacific Northwest and did some exploring in Olympic National Park. While there are many spectacular spots to go, for me it was hard to top Hurricane Ridge and the trails that leave from it.
Read MoreWhen I booked this little Princeville condo, found on AirBnb, I wasn't quite sure how well it would work out for us based on its location. About an hour after arriving and a four minute walk down a tree lined path in our backyard, we found ourselves at this view point - overlooking Anini Beach. Aside from staying directly on the coast, it doesn't get much better than this.
Read MoreThe day I originally planned to be hiking along this slightly snowy trail from the Echo Lakes Trailhead was the day I slipped on ice in a parking lot while trying to go buy some earrings. After a couple hours in urgent care and an evening of icing and pain medication - I thought the possibility of attempting this route was lost. The experience taught me never to go shopping instead of hiking.
Read MoreYou've heard me talk about it here several times now - another Tahoe New Years without any significant snow fall. So in addition to hikes - our other alternative activity of choice was to attempt the Rubicon Trail once more. This was our third attempt and with two pickups and a Jeep we made it further than we ever had before.
Read MoreWhen people ask me what's so great about New Zealand and why I'm always singing it's praises, there are three things I tell them about; the wonderfully kind people, the amazing scenery, and the delicious FOOD!
Read Moremore on that later For some reason, Kauai was not at all what I expected nor what I had packed for () - but I absolutely loved it. The fact we visited in the heart of one of the rainiest months of the year couldn't have bothered me in the least. Sure it changed some of our plans, but it was lovely, lush, and warm the entire time.
Read MoreFebruary 2014 has been quite the month - it's included my first trip to the tropics in well over a decade, immediately followed by a short trip to the equally beautiful Washington Coast, and has been filled to the brim with lots of thinking about the future.
Read MoreIf you enjoy eating fresh and local foods, Kauai's North Shore is a dream for eating gluten free and generally allergen friendly. In Hanalei alone, we enjoyed some of the best fresh fish we've ever eaten, tried all sorts of new fruits, and were never stuck without safe eating options.
Read MoreThe day after our sixteen hour drive from Seattle to South Lake Tahoe, we were rather eager to get out and stretch our legs but not eager enough to get up early in the morning. So we did our best to find a short nearby hike which we hoped would be suitable for both our pup and our friend's english bulldog. We settled on a two mile round trip hike to Cascade Falls leading out of the Bayview Campground, directly across the highway from scenic Emerald Bay.
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