Hiking the Illinois River Trail: Briggs Creek Campground to Clear Creek
Trailhead: Briggs Creek Campground (#1162)Out & Back: Illinois River Trail (Southern Oregon)Distance: ~10 miles w/ Shorty Noble Way Trail (#1185) add-on to the riverTime of Year: Early SpringTraffic: LightMaps: We had a trail leader, but this is a great map that depicts our route: Northwest Wildflowers: Map of Illinois River Trail, Oregon (blue line) I…
48 Hours on the Oregon Coast: Florence to Yachats
When’s the perfect time to visit the coast? Anytime! Back in January, we used our three-day weekend to visit a section of the Oregon coast we haven’t been to. Bracing for rain and landslides, we were pleasantly surprised with the perfect sunny temperatures. You may remember my last post about Brookings to Bandon. This time,…
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Spring
It’s the end of the May and some of us are already enjoying 100-degree temperatures next week (shout out to the central valley of California), but for most of us, the snow is still melting and with that, the temperature is still fluctuating. I spent most of my life thinking that we only lived in…
5 Days in Washington: Mt. Rainier, Olympic NP, & Seattle
Washington State has glaciers, volcanoes, islands, whales, and three national parks. No wonder we chose it for our summer vacation! “Arrival” AKA Portland Our trip started in Portland, a little over two hours to Mt. Rainier. We opted for Portland VS Seattle because A was meeting us in Portland after we drove from our house,…
Chasing Waterfalls ~ Rogue Umpqua Scenic Byway
5.3.25 This was a usual Saturday morning for me: wake up too early, brew coffee, and enjoy the view of Roxy Ann Peak through my living room window. Today was no different, except there was a hue of grey across the sky. The sun was hiding but I still had the energy you feel when…
5 Mile Island: Overnight on the Hoh River Trail (Olympic National Park)
NOTE: As of 12/20/24 this area is closed due to road maintenance. Always check current conditions: Current Road Conditions – Olympic National Park (U.S. National Park Service). Trailhead: Hoh River TrailheadOut & Back: Hoh River Trail (Trailhead to 5 Mile Island)Distance: 10 miles RT (36 miles if you extend to the glacier)Time of Year: Summer…
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Winter
How do you feel about winter? Cold days, atmospheric rivers, layers, lack of sunlight? I used to feel a sense that the world was shutting down, I couldn’t do as much, and I hated being cold. Somewhere along the way, my mindset shifted. Sweater weather? Yes. Candles at 5 PM? Yes. Tracking the sunset to…
A Long Weekend in Greater Philadelphia: Bikes, Food & Phoenixville
If the title is any indication, we packed a lot into our long weekend in PA. It was our first time travelling to the east coast together and we were spending time with family, so we had the luxury of having the insider’s scoop. Our trip was 5 full days, but we could definitely condense…
3 Days in Rome: Pasta, Art, & Architecture
Have you ever been to the eternal city? Rome is named the Eternal City due to its long two-thousand-year-old history. Rome is one of the top 20 most visited cities in the world with over 35 million visitors annually. I knew that Rome was a place I had to see, but I didn’t know I…
Florence: A Beautiful Stop in Tuscany
Centrally located in Italy lies the region of Tuscany- rolling hills, architecture, amazing food, and let’s not forget the wine. The capital of this region is Florence, serving as the hot spot and go-to favorite city for many tourists seeking good wine, culture, and a safe European city. With its close proximity to other cities,…
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