We arrived at Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park very early in the morning. We hadn’t slept nearby – after hiking Third Beach the day before, all we wanted to do was find a place for supper and then go…
Imagine a travel book that overviews about 130 off-the-beaten-path destinations in the western US states? A book that gives historical, geological, and zoological information for a wide variety of parks that will pique the interest of almost anyone? That’s what…
Every time we decide to go to Holden Beach, the houses that are available are different. It doesn’t help that we’re usually making our reservations last-minute, often within a week or two of the rental dates. Still, it’s always exciting…
Ok, so maybe you can’t do Ptarmigan Ridge. You’d love to see those views, but you just can’t make such a long hike, especially over permanent snow fields. Well, don’t despair. There are two trails that give you similar (if…
Or, How to Sleep On Top of Your Vehicle for Just Over $100 We used to sleep in a tent. That was when we crossed the country in a big blue station wagon. Not long after getting a full-size van,…
Wow! It’s so hard to believe that it’s been 5 whole years since I started this blog. Yep, I started posting about my crazy adventures hiking the wilderness and not-so-wilderness of the US in March of 2010. Since then, we’ve…
Ever since I saw my first picture of the Deception Pass Bridge in northwestern Washington, I wanted to see it in person. There was something so uniquely interesting about the graceful spans, and knowing some of my group members pretty…
Short trails don’t have to be boring. Nor do you have to forgo the best scenery because you can’t – or don’t want to – hike all day long, miles and miles on end. So I thought I’d put together…
Hidden Lake Lookout! What a trail that promised much and delivered more! The name evokes pictures in my mind of a half-frozen lake, rocky crags still studded with snow, and wildflowers galore along the trail. Its 9.3 mile length also…
The views of Mt. Hood from Lookout Mountain are downright stunning. And I don’t say that lightly…it’s true! So often, it’s difficult to get far enough away from the unique mountains that you can actually enjoy their splendor. But here,…