Annual BFF Trip - Washington State

I recently flew to Seattle to meet my BFF Squad for a long weekend of adventure. Every year, we get together to take an adventure - a camping trip, a full on road trip, or destination adventure - to hang out and catch up. Seattle is one of my favorite places to go, mostly for the area around it, but also now for what the metro area has to offer. We explored, got the views, found the beers, and had a great time. Our Chrysler Pacifica minivan took us from the airport to a Mariners game and then onward to the Olympic Peninsula. Enjoy some photos from our trip. I already can’t wait to get back to my happy place in the northwest. This is my general take on the trip, with my views. My friends may have other opinions, which is okay.

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Day 1: Seattle

• I arrived a night earlier, because the flight was better so I settled in and got the rental minivan

  • Had a total Dad/Minivan vibe and I was okay with it

• Our hotel for Night 1 was the Embassy Suites near T-Mobile Park

  • The hotel was perfectly located for easy food and access to the Mariners game

  • The prices were not bad, but parking is not included (pretty typical, really)

• Tourist sites visited

  • Pike Place Market - the gum wall, various eats and drinks

  • Ghost Alley Espresso is pretty delicious for coffee

  • Discovery Park (lighthouse, beach views, and a view of Rainier)

  • Gas Works Park - very neat art and views of the city

  • Fremont Troll - classic little creeper under an overpass

  • Kerry Park - excellent views of the city and Rainier (cute neighborhood too)

• Breweries Visited

  • Fremont Brewing - easily one of the group favorites for the trip with a wide variety and an amazing patio

  • Optimism Brewing - another instant favorite with a delicious variety and big, open space and the coolest gender neutral bathrooms I’ve ever seen

• Had an excellent dinner at Two Doors Down (scrumptious burgers and great beers/ciders on draft) near the hotel/stadiums

• Attended a Mariners game - was a bit sunny, but lovely

• Ran in to my friend Fredi from Texas who was in town and spent a while catching up - such a nice surprise

• The day was long - lots of driving, walking, drinking local beers, and sunshine so we hit the hay pretty early

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Day 2: Our Venture to the Peninsula

• We decided to find some lighthouses as part of our adventures which included beach visits to the kind of beaches that required sweatshirts (the best kind)

• We hit up a few breweries and cider places as well

  • I shared my favorite cider place Finnriver Cidery & Farm with them and they loved it for the food and drink

  • Port Townsend Brewing for a brief sampler (excellent porter and stout)

  • Propolis Brewing was a different breed of beer and I was here for it - sours, fruity, spruce tips, SO GOOD (easily one of my new must-visists)

  • Discovery Bay Brewing - such a fun patio and tasty beers

• We stayed in Port Angeles at the Olympic Lodge - fun story, Molly and I stayed there in 2009 with our friend Kevin on one of our road trips

• We had dinner at the local pub Joshua’s (again, a revisit for Molly and I and pure nostalgia)

  • Definitely not as I remember it - less daylight next time

• It was another long day of driving, beaches, beers, and sunshine

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Day 3: Olympic Peninsula Exploration

• We started the day with drive through coffee from a coffee hut - so good

  • This is an essential for coffee lovers when in the PNW

  • Iced coffee is better, always, fight me

• Ventured around the peninsula through Forks

• Stopped at the Tree of Life and soaked up the fog on the beach

• Made our way to the Maple Glade Rain Forest to take in the greenery of the Quinault area

• Had lunch at the Pacific Inn Pizza (another revisit after years)

  • I’ve not taken most of my besties here for mediocre food (at best)

• Stopped out at Rialto Beach - nice and cold/windy!

• Came back to town to have a beer at Barhop Brewing

  • Cheesy bread looks GOOD

• Made the decision to go up to Hurricane Ridge

  • the views and sunset were phenomenal

  • Met some fun people who painted rocks and left them in public places

• Dinner at McDonalds because everything was either over an hour wait or closed

  • My only gripe w/ Port Angeles

Stay-At-Home, Week 4 Check-In

I had a huge rant about everything being closed and how shitty it was, but it was deleted. I think we’re all better off for that, so here goes…

Everything is canceled, but life still moves on. March is my busy month, but it seems to have leaked into April this year. At the end of March, I transitioned to a new job and also transitioned to working from home. This was a complete clusterfuck. I’m very lucky, still, to have the ability to work from home and still get paid. So many of my friends are either out there working, getting their salaries slashed, or being laid off. I have to remember to shut the fuck up sometimes and be grateful. So, I’m shutting up about work. This too shall pass.

Texas closed their state parks on April 7, which is kind of a bummer. I had plans to finally go hike at Daingerfield State Park on the 10th, because it’s a holiday at work. Oh well. I vented about my frustrations on Twitter and was reminded they will be there when this over. So true. But, I’m allowed to be sad or pissed and I was/am. Moving right along… This week, I officially canceled the rest of my plans before August. I made some new plans for October, and added a potential thing in November or December. Woop-Woop, we have airline vouchers to use until they actually refund them per federal mandate. (I may take the cash back and cancel everything thing) This too shall pass.

I’m so damn grateful to have memories of places throughout this beautiful country. Never, in my wildest dreams, did I think I’d see the Redwoods or Arches. I had no idea what these places were, besides blips I saw in travel commercials. The internet wasn’t a huge thing until I was in high school and college. I didn’t have high speed internet until college - so reading about these places or enjoying the access we have now was unheard of back then. Once in college, I met people who helped me branch out and explore the idea of road trips. I met people who really hadn’t been anywhere either and thought we should just say “fuck it” and go. While people planned spring breaks to the beaches, we planned drives to places we’ve never seen.

Some of my favorite highlights from National Park Properties (in no particular order)

• Death Valley NP - Dante’s View, Badwater Basin, stumbling upon a desert in bloom, the signs that tell you the elevation (this was also one of my favorite things about driving out west)

• Olympic NP - Hoh Rainforest drive, Hike to Pony Bridge, the Ozette Triangle, Ruby Beach, and just driving through those forests

• Big Bend NP - the road to the Chisos Basin campground, Lost Mine trail, waking up in the Chisos Basin campground, Santa Elena Canyon at sunset, spring flowers

• Pictured Rocks NL - Sable Falls in fall and winter

• Bryce Canyon NP - Hoodoos covered in snow, sunset over the hoodoos, hoodoos in general, Rainbow Point, bristlecone pines

I could go on and on about this. A factor that isn’t mentioned is the people with whom I shared some of these experiences. My other half, best friends, and new friends are all part of why these places were so great. Together we pooled our money and made these adventures happen. Every year, my BFF and I try to go somewhere new together. We went to Utah two years in a row, but we tried new things each time. My other half and I drove to Oregon from Texas, making a pit stop at Arches along the way. Life’s a journey, and all the other cliche messages about loving life. What are some of your favorite places?

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A little Minnesota for this #ForestFriday

I’ve got Minnesota on my brain. I have a lot of things on my brain, but Minnesota is sticking out. I’m returning to the land in the Great North mi- August to go to the cabin off the grid and check out of society for a while. My friend’s cabin is one of my favorite places to be because it makes me slow down and take in every minute of daylight. There’s always some work to do, always a trip to the Boundary Waters, and usually a lot of beer and cards by lantern into the night. Northern Minnesota is truly dark at night, silent in terms of the modern world for the most part, and completely refreshing.

Here are some photos from over the past 15 years of visits to the cabin for your viewing pleasure.

#WayBackWednesday - My Heart Will Go On

I know, I know… What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Pfffft… unless it’s funny. In May of 2013, my dear friend Ashley and I set out to meet in Vegas. I had moved to Texas in 2011, and she was still up in Michigan, so this was a fun way to hang out somewhere new! So, we planned it out - the hotels, the activities, and the adventures. My best bud Kevin was coming as a surprise, and surprising Ashley is nearly impossible. Seriously, this girl can figure anything out! Anyway, Kevin and I boarded our Southwest flights from Dallas Love Field and were headed to Las Vegas. We landed and headed to baggage. Ashley had landed before us and told me to meet her there. I gave it away in a text, but she was surprised nonetheless. Mission accomplished. Story over! JUST KIDDING. Enjoy some photos! These events are not in any order, so don’t try to piece it together. Also, this is probably one of my all-time-favorite trips simply because of how ridiculous things got - with the surprise, the drunken nights by the fountains, and our adventurous hotels. I know Vegas isn’t for everyone, but I sure do enjoy the flashy absurdity every now and then.

We had street beers…

I took the “princess” koozie and we just recently lost it or it melted, not sure. Good stuff.

The spring gardens somewhere, I think the Bellagio?

We did a lot of random shit the first day, which made us “sleepy”

We “fell asleep” instead of going to see Mystere, oops… I think Ashley went and actually fell asleep at the show, but I can’t be 100% sure because I was passed out on the far bed in this photo.

Kevin flew home, after changing his flight to a day later so we could have more day drinks…

Kevin, Ash, and I getting prickly pear margaritas as Kevin delayed his flight another day. Gotta love Southwest for that feature!

Ashley and I drove to the Hoover Dam, then on to the Grand Canyon. NEAT. (may have also stopped at Lake Mead)

We did Vegas things at night…

We watched the Bellagio fountains A LOT… Usually with some alcohol. We sang along, we laughed, we made fun of people, we had so much fun.

We went up in the fake Eiffel Tower and saw the fountains at the Bellagio again.

The best part was how many times we heard “My Heart Will Go On” at the fountains - including when we were up in the fake Eiffel Tower.

We stayed at Circus Circus, after two fabulous nights at Treasure Island. This was Circus Circus pre-renovation, so it was SHITTY.

We stayed at Golden Nugget, also, and went down the water slide in the shark tank! We did the Fremont Street stuff too, and enjoyed more drinks of course.

We had all-you-can-eat-and-drink brunch AND got to-go mimosas for our adventures.

We saw other, prettier things in Vegas, and had drinks.

#MondayMotivation - Going Forward

I’ve been on a quest to improve my overall health.  I’m eating less crap, moving more, and exploring my thoughts more thoroughly.  It’s been a great move, as I am feeling better and more motivated than ever in all aspects of life.  I’m using my newfound motivation to strengthen my financial health now too. I have been terrible about money management and have tried and failed with budgets and living within my means.  I’ve overextended myself and that stresses me out, which leads to overeating and laziness. So, since I’m trying to be more active and trying to be better, I’m going to work on managing my money in better ways.  I’m going to start with a simple budget and move on to more complicated things like actual long-term saving, home ownership, and investing. Financial health will mean I’m going to have to get creative with my travel and really prioritize places and people for the year.

Disclaimer: 1) I prefer car travel any day of the week. Flying can be the worst if you’re not frequent enough to have all the perks, so let me just say that my Outback is my number one. I’m not here to shit on flying, because most of the time it is fine, but… the scenic route and stuff. 2) I love camping more than hotels, but again, when flying to a destination camping is sometimes out of the question with time and planning. 3) I already utilize my Texas State Parks pass monthly, but I want to explore those trails I’ve not hiked and parks that have been on my list for a while. I’m also going to use the hell out of my Annual Pass and visit those NPS sites in Texas this year that I’ve been casually learning about too.

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What are some things you’re changing on the fly this year? What is motivating those changes?