Next Stop Always

South Dakota Is All That And A Bag Of Chips

This will be the last blog post about our US travels for a while as our Italy excursion is next! Until then, we are amped to tell you about what a shock South Dakota was for us. How many people in the US even know Mount Rushmore is in this state? To be honest, before we got there we thought the stone heads would be the highlight. We had Badlands on the agenda as well, but didn’t know what to expect. With a name like Badlands it didn’t sound all that great. However, we ended up doing so many things that were beyond fantastic they made us forget the scorching hot weather.

We stayed in Rapid City, the perfect base for checking out the best of SD from one location.

If we had known there were so many amazing things to do in this state we would have come a lot sooner. It is hard to pick just one as the best thing we did. By the way, when you are RVing full time you have great stops, mediocre stops, and sometimes crappy stops depending on things like weather, things to do that are open, food/groceries in the area, etc. But this was one of those stops where everything just clicked and worked out perfectly…yay us!

Visiting Mount Rushmore National Memorial kicked off our South Dakota adventure. Most people we talked to beforehand told us it was way smaller than they expected. But, we thought it was pretty damn big.

If you think about all of the intricate detail carved into the side of a mountain, it is super impressive. Also, don’t just take a head on look and turn around. The best part is walking along the presidential trail and figuring out that you see something different from each view point. Like in this peek-a-boo shot you only see one president.

Next, we headed to Badlands National Park. We expected a desolate, treacherous, Mars-like landscape. But, actually it is quite beautiful. This view of the yellow mounds stands out as an example there is a colorful side to Badlands. Although looking at it now, with Halloween around the corner, it does look a little like moldy candy corn.

We were itching to do a hike in the park since it had been a while. We chose Notch Trail to really get our blood pumping.

Warning, hiking here in summer you are going to sweat like a pig! We recommend avoiding the hottest part of the day which is basically any time after sunrise.

This trail was a goody, but not nearly as exhilarating as our Angels Landing experience.

It surprised us there are so many animals roaming around South Dakota. hat are they eating? The Badlands goats do look a little bad ass. Must be if they can survive this, they can handle anything.

In Custer State Park we even saw wild burros.

Although, not sure how “wild” they are anymore since they practically stuck their heads into people’s cars for a mid-day snack.

Of course these guys were out in full force. We saw several herds and they didn’t hesitate to cause traffic jams while taking over the road. This one was staring us down making sure we knew we were just visitors in his territory.

The nice thing about this park is that it shows a very different side of South Dakota. Sylvan Lake was a welcome reprieve from bone dry and wind eroded landscape of Badlands.

Although you do have to thread the eye of the needle to get there.

Luckily we didn’t do it with the Airstream or we would probably still be wedged in there.

Best thing we did?

A visit to a wild horse sanctuary was something on Gary’s bucket list. Here we found Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary. It was a bit of a drive from Rapid City (over an hour), but totally worth it to get an up close view of these beautiful horses that they have rescued.

The tour money supports taking care of the horses and those that work with the horses actually give the tours so you can see their connection. You do stay in the vehicle because they are unpredictable, wild horses. However, you can totally see how they interact and look out for each other. Here you see two horses who have bonded and buddied up. Our guide explained how they were brought in together and they continue to be a support system for each other.

Even though we didn’t get out of the vehicle, the horses who were brave enough and have built a relationship over time with our guide would come up to the window for a treat. They could only get treats from the front window from the guide, but this guy plastered against our window didn’t seem to get the memo.

Best thing we ate?

TJ’s vanilla ice cream. This ice cream is based on President Thomas Jefferson’s original recipe. Gary and I have distinct and opposite opinions on ice cream flavors. While Gary loves a good vanilla with a simple peanut butter ribbon or some sliced banana on top, I am a fan of chocolate. The more ooey-gooey and crunchy inclusions the better. However, we both agreed that this vanilla ice cream deserved five stars in flavor. It may have gotten an extra star since it was a hot day and it totally hit the spot, but being able to enjoy it sitting in front of the national memorial is pretty sweet.

What we learned?

Humans need routine. Even nomadic humans need daily rituals. Being able to know you are going to do something every day is comforting. Yes we love exploring and adventure, but in our day to day life we need to do something that gives us a bit of order to avoid chaos.

One of the things we found that works for us is a morning and evening walk. This helps us to bookend our days with a bit of reflection. No matter where we are now, we always try to find a trail or path that allows us to get into a daily groove.

In South Dakota we were lucky enough to be beside a creek with a great walking path. Any sidewalk or dirt path will do, it is just a bonus when we have a babbling brook or stream to walk along.

We now recognize this daily act grounds us and reminds us we on a journey to learn and grow. This journey is a marathon, not a sprint.

Next Stop: Italy

Will Hike for Tea and Biscuits

Oh Canada, we can’t believe you let us crazies in! We expected more scrutiny from you when crossing the border with our whole house in tow, but it was the most low-key border crossing ever.

However, we may have raised an eyebrow or two with our delay in answering where we are from. Given that we are on the road 24/7 in a different location all the time, our fumble was totally legit. We said Irvine, California by the way, since that is what our driver’s licenses claim. The question just took us by surprise as we forgot the pre-border crossing prep to make sure we had our stories straight.

Not only was the border crossing easy peasy, but we got another bonus when we found out that all Canada National Parks are free this year for Canada’s 150th anniversary. As we crossed into the park system we were rewarded with our 2017 free pass. Score!

Upon arrival into Banff National Park, we were fired up to start exploring and see the turquoise and aquamarine glacial waters. Especially the famous Lake Louise. We wanted to see if it really was as breathtaking as it looked in pictures. Gotta tell ya, it surpassed our expectations. These pictures do not do it justice. You just have to visit for yourself!

Apparently everyone else also got the memo on the beauty of Lake Louise. We made sure to get there no later than 9 AM to avoid be shuttled in like cattle, but the hordes of people were still overwhelming. Starting closer 7 AM would have been even better.

Lake Louise wasn’t the only place that awed us. Johnston Canyon was incredible because it kept getting better and better the longer we walked. It has the look of a slot canyon, but it’s a fairly easy hike that leads to two waterfalls. One waterfall is interactive, splashing you in the face as you peep at it through hole in the rock. The other is a bit more dramatic, being that it must be viewed by walking out on a platform that hovers over the water.

Just like Lake Louise though, this hike is full of tourists. It is actually even worse here because everyone is walking practically single file on one trail so you feel even more stifled. It can’t be overstated to go out early in the morning. Some people say the evenings are just as good, but if you know us, staying up late is not our cup of tea, so we can’t vouch for that.

The most spectacular view on this hike was not on the official trail. Hidden down below the trail was a calm and peaceful cave. There were only a few people that found it when we did. So, it was all the more special since it was the one time we felt we had a moment (almost) to ourselves in Banff.

Best thing we did?

Hike to Lake Agnes tea house.

Okay, so maybe the actual hike was a little too brutal to call it the best thing, but making it to the lake and sitting down with our tea and biscuits in front of this view was phenomenal.

This hike starts from Lake Louise. I mentioned to Gary it was a steep climb, but might have left out exactly how steep. About half way in we were huffing and puffing and wondering how many tea and biscuits would it take to forget the burning lungs and calves involved in this 400 meter elevation hike.

Then, these guys passed us.

Apparently there is a horseback riding tour up to the tea house if you are not into torture for tea.

After about an hour at the top recovering with multiple cups of tea, I think Gary found his Zen and forgave me for dragging him on this one.

Best thing we ate?

The afternoon of our arrival we wanted to check out the town of Banff and have a bite to eat. We stopped at Park Distillery and our favorite app was their spin on Caprese. Heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil vinaigrette, rye crumbs and spruce tips. Spruce tips? We have seen spruce tips at farmer’s markets, but never had them in a dish.

The flavor set the tone for being in a Canadian National Park for the week. Simple, natural and a fresh aroma like walking outdoors amongst the trees.

The only downer was that much like Banff National Park, downtown Banff and its restaurants were too crowded. After eating we didn’t want to be there a second longer. We suggest hitting up the town of Canmore instead as it is much less of a mob scene.

What we learned?

Sometimes you need to take the easy way, sometimes the hard way and sometimes you split the difference.

We have found in life there are moments where you need to take the more difficult path to learn and grown, then there are those where you just need to give yourself a break. After our Lake Agnes hike, we allowed ourselves to push the easy button on this hike to Grassi Lakes.

Normally we would have pushed ourselves to take the more difficult route just because we don’t like to pass up a challenge. Our calves were still screaming at us, so we needed to take it easy this time. Either way, the prize at the end was just as sweet.

Plus, taking the easy way up gave us the rest we needed to tackle the more difficult path on the way down. Everyone knows, downhill is always easier!

Next Stop: South Dakota

A No-Go on Going to the Sun in Glacier National Park

We have good news and bad news for you about our time in Glacier National Park. The bad news, we got shut out of a lot of the best things about the park. Which leads to the good news. We must go back!

While the park was beautiful, our timing was not. First, Avalanche Lake trail was closed due to bear activity spurred on by some crazy human activity. Worse, bucket list drive (aka scare the pants off you drive) Going-to-the-Sun Road was not yet open for the season due to snow! Yes, we are STILL behind as this was at the end of June. Keeping up with blog posts when you are having too much fun doing the things you are writing about…the struggle is real.

We gave ourselves a few minutes to cry into our aptly named beer and mourn the loss of what might have been.

Then, like the can do people we are, #TeamTary focused on all the things we could do. Our launching off point was the best campground we have stayed in to date (as well as the most expensive being double what we typically pay).

From there we headed the three miles into the park and straight to Lake McDonald and its multi-hued rocks.

Toes in the crystal clear water required! Here it is ankle deep, but practically invisible.

Everyone said we must make the effort to visit east Glacier. With the Going-to-the-Sun road closure, we decided it was still worth it to make the 2+ hour drive through vast nothingness all the way around the outside of the park. The view of St. Mary Lake convinced us we made the right decision. Although, not so sure we were saying that on the drive back! Usually five hour drive days involve parking the Airstream in an entirely new state!

Best thing we did?

During the day trip going around our elbow to get to the east side of Glacier, we decided to take on a waterfall hike. In order to get the most bang for our buck, we picked St. Mary Lake Trail. A two for one deal.

If you have been keeping up with us on this journey, you know haven’t met a waterfall we didn’t love. Nor one we haven’t take a shameless selfie in front of for that matter. However, St. Mary Falls with its creamy turquoise water has earned a top spot on our hike-worthy waterfall list.

The bonus waterfall in the BOGO deal, Virginia Falls, wasn’t too shabby either.

It was the perfect stop to cool down on the hike.

One perplexing thing for us in Glacier, compared to other national parks, was that we didn’t see many animals. We assumed this is because we couldn’t explore much with the closures. So, when this sweet thing showed up on the trail, we couldn’t help but gawk for a bit. Maybe it was animal sighting withdrawal after being bombarded by bison in Yellowstone and Grand Teton!

Best thing we ate?

A gargantuan huckleberry bear claw with a view.

We love getting great tips on things to do that are a little off the beaten path. We were told about a tranquil lake in Polebridge which is in the northwest corner of Glacier, nearly at the Canadian border.

Our tipster made sure to tell us to stop first at Polebridge Mercantile to pick up a huckleberry bear claw. In Montana, you can get huckleberries in anything. From ice cream to BBQ, no huckleberry is left behind.

An hour and a gravel road later, we made it to The Merc. It is a country style store that is completely off grid with a bakery that runs on solar power. We handed over five bucks for a bear claw as big as our heads and headed off with high hopes in the direction of our destination, Lake Bowman. The sign said six miles.

Well, six miles turned into 20 or 30 minutes of back country dirt road, one lane driving. We were really starting to doubt our crazy tipster half way in, but we figured we were already in deep at this point, so we could suck it up for a few more miles. We were rewarded ten-fold after our arduous journey with this incredible view.

Our breakfast treat tasted 100 times sweeter as we sat in silence and enjoyed the serenity.

What we learned?

We don’t want the exploring to end. The more we see on our journey, the more we realize how much there is to see. In fact, it was at this Glacier visit that we decided we want to expand our forever home research to add international flair. Italy is officially on the list! We will spend three months there this year to scope it out.

We also learned that the best National Parks can’t be done in one visit. They aren’t meant to be. It isn’t just about seeing the sights and checking them off your list, but in order to really explore and immerse yourself, you have to go back again and again. Timing is everything. Going in different times of year will allow exploration of different things.

Glacier, we will be back.

Next Stop: O Canada

Yellowstone: A Trip Through The Wormhole

We were beyond excited to get to Yellowstone, the world’s first national park, after our breathtaking stay just down the road at Grand Teton National Park.

This is the big daddy of national parks. It’s the one on everyone’s bucket list. Being smack in the middle of summer, it sure did feel like a majority of those people decided to check it off this year! Jam packed is an understatement.

If you haven’t been here, what you should know is it primarily a drive and stop park. Meaning you drive to different locations and the attractions are typically just a quick walk from the parking lot. Every fascinating must see stop is in an opposite direction so prepare to spend a lot of time on your tushy.

Your numb behind won’t matter one bit though, because with every stop you make, you will feel like you were transported to another country or another planet all together. Like you went through a wormhole and came out the other side to some new universe.

One moment you may be gazing into pools so blue that you think you are in Greece.

The next you feel like you are on Mars marveling at the steamy, rust colored terrain at Mammoth Hot Springs.

If that isn’t enough, you can find out what it feels like to stand in the middle of a rainbow at Grand Prismatic Spring.

After seeing all of this, we had zero expectations for the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. We have been to the original Grand Canyon. It is pretty grand.

That’s the beauty of going in with no expectations. You are left with the possibility of having your socks knocked off. The picture we took looks like a painting. It has no filter and wasn’t retouched. Imagine the impact it had in person. Or, don’t imagine. Go see for yourself!

Best thing we did?

Upper Geyser Basin boardwalk trail.

Old Faithful tries hard to steal the show. Now, don’t get us wrong. It is spectacular in all of its raging water glory. But, it is also predicable. Anyone will be sure to see it erupt and will have this exact same picture.

While it may be one or two minutes off of the predicted time, much like a corporate meeting, it will definitely be in the ballpark.

The walking trail, just beyond this big guy, is full of funky geysers that go off whenever they damn well please. It also has pools and springs that will make you giggle in their ridiculousness.

For example, you can’t help but think of Van Gogh when you pass the Ear Spring.

What about this psychedelic pool that oddly enough also looks like an ear?

Or this seriously miss-named “Giant” Geyser. Just bubbling up whenever it feels like it, making it nearly impossible to get a proper picture.

Walking on this trail is a bit like walking through the looking glass and is not to be missed.

Best thing we ate?

First, it must be noted–you aren’t going to Yellowstone for the food. That being said, we still must address this section of the post.

While the Old Faithful Lodge might have great food, we didn’t stop there. Where we did go in West Yellowstone was the Slippery Otter (how can you resist that name) for a burger. And yes, it was a bison burger.

What we learned?

Expect the unexpected.

Like snow…in summer. Yes, you can have snow in Yellowstone in summer. Your mom was right. Always bring a jacket.

Also unexpected, bison traffic jams. Actual stop your car, put it in park, sit for a while traffic jams.

In the middle of summer prepare to add an hour or two to your calculated driving time. You just never know when you will stumble upon one of these gangs of giant creatures deciding to migrate across the street. Sometimes, they even go back and forth like they can’t make up their mind. Although, there is a possibility they are just messing with us humans.

They also tend to ignore all street signage. Arrows, shmarrows. They’re rebels like that.

There is no point in being mad at them for making you wait, though. If you are patient, they will give you a show to keep you thoroughly entertained.

Next Stop: Glacier National Park

The Tetons Are Calling and Everyone Needs to Listen

Whoever said that line the mountains are calling must have had the Teton Range in Grand Teton National Park in mind. They are so mesmerizing, it is impossible to stop staring at them in awe. Pictures do not do it justice. They follow your gaze as you drive around the park. It is like one of those pictures with eyes staring at you no matter where you move, but in reverse.

We weren’t prepared for how breathtakingly beautiful this park would be. It was so exciting to be in another national park and also on the verge of traipsing through quite a few of the biggies. But, Teton was our first stop and we fell in love instantly. We spent hours finding different spots to take more pictures of the mountains and the many mirror-like lakes. Not sure what we will do with all of those pictures, but we could not stop!

This is the kind of place that woos you with its serenity and convinces you that should be living there. We wanted to figure out how we could do that! So, we decided to check out the nearest real town Jackson, WY. Umm, way busier than the OC in a two mile radius and probably just as expensive! Fun for a visit, but not for a home for recent SoCal escapees that are still a bit traumatized by the traffic and congestion in the matrix.

Although going through all of these pictures and memories for this post, Gary wondered aloud why aren’t we moving here? Looking at this sunset it is hard to answer that question.

We did stop gawking at the mountains for long enough to go hiking and explore the park looking for animals. Lots of mamas and babies were out and about in all of their cuteness. Cue the oohs and ahhs.

We had plenty of time to get our bison fix too.

Our favorite hike was around a glacial lake, named Phelps Lake. It was crystal clear, but it was as cold as ice, ice baby. Glacial ice, ice baby. Yes, I do realize how bad that was and I am sorry you will have that song in your head all day.

When we pulled into the trailhead parking, we were told by a ranger there was a bear on the right side of the lake. That put the kibosh on us hiking all the way around because bears be scary (more detail in our “what we learned” section below). So, we decided to stay on the trail on the left side of the lake and got lucky enough to see another moose and her baby up close!

Best thing we did?

Canoeing on Jackson Lake. GTNP is all about those mountains, but how you view them makes it even better. In our case we had a spectacular view from the water.

Although, the canoeing itself was a love/hate thing. I loved it, but Gary hated that I didn’t know how to row.

I wanted to power through it, but there is actually some skill involved, so we went in a lot of circles. We would have made some great reality show footage. Maybe individual kayaks next time?

Speaking of it is how you view it, canoeing might have been the best thing we did, but the best way to view the Tetons is at the outdoor bar at Jackson Lodge. Order a margarita and settle in for the evening.

Best thing we ate?

This is the second time morels have been the best thing we ate. But they deserve it! Orsetto Bar and Italian Eatery in downtown Jackson served us the most perfect starter. These morels were cooked in a creamy and savory sauce and tossed with English peas. If us gushing about these mushrooms twice should make it clear. When they are on the menu, you must order them!

What we learned?

Bears be scary!

They look so cute from afar. Just a big brown or black blob (yes since we don’t have a super good zoom lens like the rest of the people in Grand Teton, they look like a bear shaped blob). But, they are the only animal park rangers warn you about where you need to carry a weapon just in case. Bear spray, scary!

Bison, elk…those guys are massive too. But, there is no weaponized spray with their name on it! No, bears own that. Bear spray moved to the top of the shopping list!

We have read that you could wear bells or talk really loud so the bears know you are there and will run away. Really? We aren’t comfortable having faith in our yelling out “hey bear” that it is going to keep a 600 pound animal from attacking us. That being said I don’t know that we believe the bear spray will be effective for us either. We have to be calm enough in the situation to allow a bear to charge us, get 40 feet from us, and then spray. Gary that is all you.

That being said, even the scary bears wouldn’t keep us away. Seeing these mountains must be on your bucket list!

Next Stop: The world’s first national park

Rocky Mountain High with Bighorns and Bullwinkle

A little over a decade ago we called Colorado home for about five minutes. In the dinky town we lived in, Erie, the most exciting thing to happen was Biscuit Day. On this leg of our journey, we were headed north of our former stomping ground to check out Fort Collins. Another city on our potential forever home list to put to the test.

What’s ironic is that we went from a town that looked like you were smack in the middle of Germanland in Disney to one where Disney actually used it as a model for their main street.

When you hang out in downtown Fort Collins it is easy to see why Disney used it as inspiration. It was love at first sight for us.

It had everything on our wish list for our forever home town: outdoors nearby, not many tourists, and a lively vibe.

As we explored the area we began to scratch our heads and wonder why we ever left Colorado. The rugged, natural beauty makes it perfect for lots of outdoor fun.

Oh wait (head smack), WINTER! The last year we lived in Colorado we survived an awful blizzard that shut down Denver International airport for three whole days! But, being here in summer seemed lovely. That is until we hiked Horsetooth Rock Trail mid-morning and realized it gets freaking hot! It is like we were inches away from the sun instead of millions of miles.

We were beginning to see we might have a goldilocks complex about weather. This may be why we ended up back in California where the temperature is (almost) always just right. Is this a red flag that we may have expectation issues for our forever home location?

Best thing we did?

Being a short drive from Rocky Mountain National Park, we were itching to get out there and spot some wild animals. We were on a quest to have major sightings and even researched the best possible locations to spot Bighorn Sheep. We had a checklist of must see animals on our journey and these guys were at the top, unchecked. So, they were our highest priority in the Rocky Mountains.

As we headed up towards Estes Park, at the base of RMNP, bingo! We spotted them right away. They were cliff climbing on the side of the road. One look at these guys and you can easily see how they got their name. How do they even hold those giant noggins up?

Driving into the town of Estes Park, we were concerned that the rest of the day may be a letdown. We had already found the number one item on our wish list, so would everything else be ho-hum? Well, these majestic elk eating their way all over town refused to let that be the case.

We were so close to them from the truck you can even hear them chowing down on their breakfast.

We really did hit the jackpot on animal sightings with this expedition. A few minutes after driving into the national park entrance we saw a moose! We thought we would have to wait until Canada to see a Bullwinkle!

Best thing we ate?

A bakery strikes again in the best thing we ate category. You know we are always looking for a good bakery. Especially in a town we are considering for our forever home. Well, Little Bird Bakeshop is the real deal. Their Ricotta Fennel Muffins were the bomb. A little bit savory and a little bit sweet they are the most amazing breakfast treat. Yeah, it is hard not to rhyme when thinking about these muffins.

When they say from scratch here they really mean it. Not my apple pie from scratch using a store bought crust, but like really from scratch. They even make their own fresh ricotta for these muffins. No shortcuts! These suckers were so good we went back the next day for another. Sadly we learned they have different baked goods every day and no more ricotta fennel muffins. Boohoo!

What we learned?

You know the saying how the more you learn the less you know? This is because now you have a ton more questions about the thing you just learned instead of being blissfully ignorant. That is how we feel about our review of Fort Collins as our forever home. It was another big hump in our evolution to figuring out what we want. Or was it?

We initially thought if the downtown had all of the things we wanted and there was nature around, then it was a slam dunk. This city had a great downtown and lots of nature, but we were missing something. We didn’t get “the feeling.” Maybe we need some hills and coziness in the landscape instead of a flat valley? We are still uncertain. The problem is, we are learning how much we don’t know about what we want. Maybe we are just supposed to pick something that is good enough. Maybe “the feeling” isn’t real?

One thing we do know is when your choice is wide open, not dictated by a job or a significant other, it is almost harder to make a decision. Decisions are way easier to make when there are less options.

Colorado you will always be close to our hearts. Until next time…

Next Stop: Grand Teton National Park

Bavarian Done Disney Style

A place we had never even heard of before our travels, Leavenworth, WA, kept popping up on many must visit lists. National Geographic called it one of the 100 best adventure towns and Country Living hailed it as one of the most charming small towns. We were headed towards Colorado and wanted to go through Walla Walla (wine of course) and Boise to visit a friend. So, we decided we needed a stop in this Bavarian-styled village to see what all the fuss was about.

As we drove in from Seattle, the Cascade Mountain views were forget-to- breath beautiful. As we got closer, around every corner we saw more snow-capped mountains. It was like we were driving into the Alps, not central Washington.

But, pulling in to the Germanesque downtown was more intriguing than awe inspiring.

Not to be outdone by actual Germans, the city of Leavenworth takes their theme seriously. When we pulled into our campground, we were handed a cheat sheet of German words just to be sure we could fit in with the “local” language.

While it was the tiniest bit cheesy, we do have to admit we had fun exploring the town by bike and feeling like we were in a Bavarian village done Disney style.

In Leavenworth you can pig out on everything from schnitzels to cider kraut and wash it all down with a stein in one of the beer gardens. Don’t worry, if you are like us and not the biggest fan of bratwurst, they have plenty of food besides the typical German fare. Rest assured though, you will still get the Bavarian experience. All of the other shops and restaurants toe the themed line, even the local Starbucks.

Best thing we did?

Icicle Gorge Hike.

It had the four elements of what we consider our perfect hiking trail.

1. It all starts with a great name. Icicle Gorge. It sounds like when you take off on this route, you may end up channeling a Viking explorer or getting stabbed by a falling chunk of ice. Either way, the name kicks ass.

2. It was a loop. TeamTary doesn’t like to go backwards. We are always full steam ahead and hiking trails are no different. We want to explore new sights around every corner and loops are the way to go.

3. It had action along the way. From rushing water and waterfall-ettes to rocks and bridges to traverse it kept us guessing with every step.

4. It took no more than two hours to finish. Don’t get us wrong, we can do more and will take on any challenge, but this size makes it comfy enough to get plenty of other stuff done in a day. And really, we don’t know where the time goes now that we have so much less to do. It’s exhausting.

Best thing we ate?

Before heading out full time in the Airstream, we bought a cast iron skillet. I think we thought it was a camping requirement. Maybe idealistic thoughts of grilling out over a wood fire even floated through our heads. Well, the glampers that we are were using the stove and grill all the time. The skillet was buried deep in a nook in the under couch storage until now. A recipe for a cast iron citrus upside down cake pushed us to reach into the crevices of storage to get our skillet and boy were we glad we did.

It baked perfectly in our little oven and thankfully, even though we wanted to, we didn’t eat it all in one sitting. We wrapped up the individual pieces and put them in our freezer (after eating 2 or 4 of course). They are safely tucked away for the days when we don’t feel like doing all this.

What we learned?

It doesn’t matter whether your home is stationary or on wheels. There are still two rules that always apply.

Rule number one: It’s all about location, location, location.

When we arrived at the KOA in Leavenworth, they tried to stick us in a subpar spot. It was up front amidst all the in and out traffic as well as by the bathrooms. You couldn’t get any worse. As we walked out the door, we thought if we didn’t say something we were going to have a miserable few days. So, we marched back to the desk and asked for a more secluded spot and they changed us to this beauty.

Rule number two: Anything that can break will break.

At this stop it was our window blind.

Who knew that little string could easily wear out, break and take out the blind? You can certainly tell who has patience between the two of us, since Gary is the one weaving that string back through.

Next Stop: Fort Collins, Colorado

Fiddleheads and Goose Eggs

While we were super excited to get to Seattle, we had an overnight pit stop to make first at Mount Rainier National Park. As we drove around the park we got caught up in the pristine beauty.

Until we saw this sign. Our amazement turned into intimidation as we were suddenly reminded that Mount Rainier is an active volcano.

It is easy to forget you aren’t just in the mountains, but in volcano territory. Nevertheless we were staying overnight, so we had to change out of our scaredy pants into our big boy and girl pants.

When we got to our campground we were shocked to discover that we were the only ones there for the night. That never happens! At this stage of our journey we are campground people. Neither us nor our rig are truly ready for boondocking just yet (read about our first experience with dry camping here), but we understand the appeal for sure. It isn’t just the free camping on BLM land, but more importantly the luxury of not being crammed in like sardines where you not only hear your neighbors conversations, but you also know exactly what they are eating for dinner by the aromas wafting into your RV from their grill.

So, for a moment we savored our aloneness in the wilderness.

We enjoyed quite time by the creek doing nothing but sipping cocktails and reading with the sound of the babbling brook in our ears instead of our next door neighbor’s music selection.

Little did we know this was the calm before the storm. Seattle rain storms that is. Unfortunately, this was the last time we would be dry for a couple of weeks.

We had some fun weekend jaunts to Seattle in the past, so we were looking forward to this stop. For a moment it seems like the perfect area to live—it’s a foodie mecca while being surrounded by the outdoors in all directions. With the exception of the ever expanding Amazon empire jacking up all of the real estate prices you would think this would be an amazing place to settle down. Uh, no. They call it the Emerald City for a reason. Green, green, green means rain, rain, rain. While our other trips to Seattle have only been for a few days, this time we were here for a couple of weeks. A solid two weeks of rain cemented the thought that no matter how great the food is or that beautiful national parks are just a short drive away, we would never ever chose to live here. Sorry all you Seattleites, we just don’t get it.

As we explored the city we realized after being in quiet areas for so long we didn’t like going back to the hustle bustle and traffic of a big city. So, we found ourselves some nature at Deception Pass State Park. Something as simple as playing with rocks that looked more like works of art than plain stones made us very happy that day.

Oh look, a break in the rain for a few minutes! Notice the ominous grey cloud above just laughing at us.

We also found out that Seattle, even in the city, has some amazing nature trails and parks. We loved trail running at Discovery Park for the view alone.

Now, Seattle might not know how to do weather, but it does farmers’ markets like a boss. From the original, Pike Place Market, to each unique neighborhood version, you can find heirloom produce, game meat, and foraged goodies that would delight even the snobbiest epicure.

While Pike Place is a must visit to explore and taste your way through, it can be touristy, crowded and expensive. We found the neighborhood markets, like Ballard Farmers’ Market, were better for weekly shopping and also grabbing a slice of wood-fired pizza straight from this portable oven!

Best thing we did?

The Color Run Seattle.

The giddy energy of this event is contagious and it was nuts getting blasted with color and jumping through bubbles. But, the reason this event was the best thing we did was because it was more about possibility than rainbows and unicorns. See, running used to be my thing. I would do 5 and 10Ks and Gary would be there to send me off and take pictures. Since Gary had knee issues most of his life, he could never run and there was even a time when he could barely walk around the block without being in extreme pain. However, over the last several years with tons of physical therapy and perseverance he is now comfortably hiking 4-5 miles at a time on this adventure. Still, when I signed up for this race a month beforehand, he shocked me by saying he wanted to run with me. So, we started wogging daily instead of just walking or hiking. By race day he was feeling pretty good and we headed out bright and early for the 8 am run through downtown Seattle.

While it wasn’t easy–maybe breathing in a bucket load of yellow #5 had something to do with it–we pushed to the end. It’s amazing what you can do if you put your mind to it and take the first step. Being out on the road exploring new things everyday has opened our minds even more to the possibilities of what we can do.

Best thing we ate?

On a day trip by ferry to Whidbey Island, we stopped for lunch at The Oystercatcher. Shockingly we didn’t even eat oysters. We could have eaten one of everything on the menu because it all sounded so good, but our favorite dish was simple and fresh. It was a farmer’s cheese dumpling in a broth of pea juice and topped with house-cured prosciutto and pea shoots. Surely we got some nutritional bonus points from slurping the last drops of the phytonutrient rich juice from the bowl.

What we learned?

It’s possible to do the things you love anywhere, if you do the work to seek them out. We found hiking with amazing landscapes and the small town feel of neighborhood farmers’ markets hidden within a metropolis. In order to rise above our negativity about being in a big city with all of the hustle and bustle that entails, we challenged ourselves to find the things that made us happy even in a place that didn’t fit like a glove. When we looked beyond the obvious, we found what we needed.

Having this perspective will serve us well as we continue to travel across the US with our now pre-booked route instead of our former “flying by the seat of our pants” style. In the past, if we had feelings of disappointment in an area where we landed, we would just pick up and move. And sometimes that is okay. But as we start to slow down more and more, we are booking places in advance for a week or even two (gasp!) at a time and it isn’t as easy to leave. Slowing down is a process. Instead of pushing down our feelings and moving on, we are learning how to deal with them and figuring out how to make fizzy lemonade out of just plain old lemons.

Next Stop: Washington’s Bavarian Village

That One Time When We Drove into the Ocean

Heading up towards Washington we felt that we would be terrible road trippers if we left Oregon without a stop on its spectacular coast. Our last opportunity before crossing the border was the port town of Astoria. We found the perfect State Park (Oregon has quite a few great State Parks with RV hookups), Fort Stevens, just across the bridge from Astoria. What made it great you ask? Two things. The first was the feeling of being swaddled in trees in our own little nook in the forest and the second was that we were within throwing distance of the Pacific Ocean.

We soon found out we were a little quick to be giddy about our perfect spot. What we neglected to consider was one simple equation:

(Trees x 10) + humidity = billions of bugs and blood sucking mosquitos

Once we settled in, we realized we couldn’t even sit outside in our chairs without being eaten alive! So, to avoid the turf war with the bug overlords, we spent most of our time exploring Astoria. We found there were plenty of things to do that didn’t require a shower of bug spray or the burning of citronella candles. Like…

Lunch with a view.

Or channeling our inner children and launching balsam wood airplanes off of the tippy top of the Astoria column.

Do keep in mind that if you are not an actual child, you absolutely will need to give yourself 15 minutes or so to recover from dragging your burning legs and scream lungs up the dizzying circular 164 step staircase.

It is quite high and you will likely feel the urge, like Gary did, to grasp the railing while throwing your glider off the edge.

This view of not only Astoria, but also the state of Washington across the longest continuous truss bridge North America, is worth the climb.

We also spent time at the beach. Were we found hundred year old shipwrecks.

And perfect sand dollars.

Wait, you aren’t here for all of that nonsense. No, you are here for the story about the drive into the Pacific Ocean. Okay, you have been patient enough. Read on friends…

Best thing we did?

One of the cool things you can do in Fort Stevens State Park is drive on the beach. I knew the moment we decided to do this I was going to love and hate it, especially with Gary driving.

As we slowly pulled onto the beach and Gary drove down the sand beside the waves it was all very relaxing…the calm before the storm.

The minute we saw a couple of other cars doing donuts on the beach, I knew the storm was brewing and I’d better hold on with everything I had. A few dozen donuts later, Gary thought it would be fun to drive IN the water, albeit the very shallow water. You know, the tiny waves you stick your toes into as it gently rolls towards you.

As we were riding along I was hanging on and praying under my breath, but Gary was driving with a huge smile on his face. I do realize that some of you (mom) are reading this thinking that you would be doing the same praying if I was driving down a regular street with you in the car, but seriously, this was the OCEAN.

There could be a problem when your weather app says you are in the Pacific Ocean and you are in a truck instead of a boat.

You know how when you are walking in the shallow waves and all of the sudden that one wave sneaks up on you? You run backwards with a yelp so the water doesn’t splash up above your ankles. That is exactly what happened, but in our case it was splashing up the tires and onto the doors. I freaked out and yelled at Gary to get out of the water, so he starts to turn out. That’s when–KABLAM!–we hit a giant dip that was hidden under the water and went flying General Lee style. Luckily we were able to get out onto the packed sand quickly and stop to assess things. We were a bit shaken up, but the truck was fine. However, we noticed we only had three bike tires. We realized one flew out of the bed of the truck and into the ocean. Gary quickly ran to grab it and barely got there before it was lost at sea.

This was by far the scariest thing that we have done during this entire trip. Gary probably would have preferred to hike Angel’s Landing with me instead of this. Thank goodness the flying bike tire was worst that happened!

Best thing we ate?

When we arrived in Astoria the first thing we wanted to do was go out for great seafood. When we were Yelping to find something, Bowpicker came up with a million positive reviews, but it just was a fish and chips “boat” stand. We were thinking oysters or mussels not fish and chips. So, we ended up at a nice-ish place on the water that shall remain nameless, but it was just okay. Which left us annoyed that we spent money on it at all. Out of disappointment, we gave up on seafood at this stop.

The next day as we explored the town we saw a massive line formed at Bowpicker. Well, anywhere you go that has a line out the door is a place that should definitely be on the radar. We realized our mistake right away and hopped in that line.

We waited in fear as we read the scare tactic sign posted that claimed they were only open until they sold out. Luckily we made the cut and it is likely the anticipation of waiting in line that made our basket of meaty, battered and fried albacore tuna even tastier. They say they do one thing and do it well and they aren’t lying. So for $11 bucks we shared the best meal we had in Astoria.

What we learned?

There is a certain amount of calculated risk that creates a fun, exciting experience. The key word in that sentence is calculated. When you are using your only vehicle that also tows your house, risk = crazy. So, moving forward we will save risky moves for fun hikes like Angel’s Landing or for lottery tickets.

Next Stop: The Emerald City

Does Size Matter?

One of the interesting things about Oregon is that it has a lot of charming, small-ish towns. Having been jam-packed in SoCal like cattle for so long we were itching to check out towns where there was space to spread out, but also where people were comfortable enough to speak to each other and get to know each other instead of hurrying to get inside their front door for fear of having to say hello. Somewhere we could engage in the community and feel like a part of something…make it a forever home.

We picked out two of these Oregon towns, McMinnville and Silverton, to stop in on our way towards Seattle. McMinnville is home to about 30,000 people, so it isn’t a super small town, but we chose it because it is considered a foodie town and #TeamTary can get on board with that! It is indeed a quaint town with some top notch restaurants, several unique wine AVAs in the region, and the requisite downtown shops. However, it is just big enough and kitschy enough to attract a lot of tourists. Great to visit, but not the place we envision for where we want to grow roots.

Silverton is much smaller, around 9,400 people, but had a slightly dorky charm and the hometown kind of feel that was missing in McMinnville. Silverton is a “little engine that could” kind of town. By looking down the main street you would think it was just like any other small town, but once you dig in, it tugs and tugs at you (I think I can, I think I can) until you believe it is much more than it looks on the surface.

The main thoroughfare downtown, Water Street, runs parallel to a creek (obviously), so there are several restaurants where you can eat on the patio and enjoy the soothing sounds of flowing water while sipping a flight of wine (or two) from Willamette Valley.

As we strolled through downtown, we were surprised we didn’t see a ton of tourists. What we did see were kids and parents lined up 20 deep at the local café for the $1.00 ice cream cone special after school. We watched in shock as they took them to the park next door to enjoy them and actually talk and play with each other.

It isn’t just the downtown that is better than average. Silverton also offers unique things to do instead of the typical touristy activities. One of the things we did was tour the only Frank Lloyd Wright designed house in Oregon, The Gordon House. This house wasn’t even built here, it was taken apart piece by piece and was moved here…uh engine that could! The docent’s fascination with the house came through and made us love the tour. The entire house has a theme based upon the 15 degree tilt of the seat in Mr. Gordon’s truck where he was most comfortable. From couch to countertops, everything aligned with this credo. Even the tourist attractions are overachievers in this town.

Plus, Silverton is just down the road from the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival. There the mischievous, ambitious tulips even strive to make this field more than just your typical soldier rows full of flowers.

Best thing we did?

The Trail of Ten Falls at Silver Falls State Park.

Yes, more waterfall hiking. It is definitely time we called the Guinness World Record people to find out what we need to do to get in there. You are surely wondering why a basic waterfall hike is making our best thing list in a town where we also went to a tulip festival and one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses. Well, hold on, let me explain.

Normally a waterfall hike consists of one, maybe two if you’re lucky, waterfalls. But Silverton, Oregon, the little town that could, had a trail with ten, yes 1-0, waterfalls.

We were still all about the waterfall selfies on this hike, but given there was a waterfall about once every quarter mile the progression of our pictures got selfie silly towards the end.

Apparently I need to teach Gary the difference between a rabbit ears and a peace sign! Oh, and you are welcome for not putting all ten pictures in this post.

Best thing we ate?

While we may not want to move to McMinnville, we do not deny it is home to some great restaurants. Our dinner at Thistle was amazing. It is a small place with locally sourced ingredients (of course, so on trend). Depending on your memory skills it could be a bit of a challenge to order since they don’t have menus, just a chalkboard with their daily offerings. Luckily it is a short list and you can’t go wrong.

The best thing we ate were the Oysters from Netarts Bay, Oregon. One of the things that we really wanted to do was to get out to the coast from this area and harvest oysters, dig clams or rent a boat and go crabbing, but we just couldn’t make it happen. At least we got to have the oysters almost right out of the sea and we can book the trip for finding our own next time.

What we learned?

During this journey we are realizing that what we thought we would want and need was a city in the 50,000 – 80,000 population size. We thought we needed somewhere this big so there would be things happening downtown and enough for us to do to keep us busy. However, we are finding out that we need to go even smaller to get the community feel we want and have a bit of character. It doesn’t need to have a million things to do, but needs to have the things we want to do. Figuring out what those things are is the tricky part, but luckily we still have more journey to keep figuring that out.

Next Stop: Astoria…last call before Washington