NE Trip: Maine Stole My Heart

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Ha--that title alone makes me sound/feel like a 13 year old girl :) And speaking of the past, here's a bit of back story on how Maine so fiercely wound up on my radar: via my first blog I connected with Heather at Townsend House. Over the last 10ish years, we've followed each others endeavors through chickens, gardening, and our attempts at more natural living. I've enjoyed seeing her raise her beautiful babies, and through the last several rougher years, she constantly encouraged me to come out to explore Maine. When this work trip opportunity came up (and I finally realized that instead of visiting cities, I needed time exploring nature), it just seemed to make sense to take some time to finally meet Heather in person and see more of the state of Maine. And I just have to say that I am SO GLAD that I did. Anytime you meet a blogger friend it's a new & fun experience, but I'm not even kidding that within the first three minutes of meeting this great gal in real life, I seriously wished we were neighbors and was so glad that we had taken the time and energy to stay in touch all these years. ********************

So without further ado, here's the Maine part of the trip:

My first stop this day was the small town where Heather lives which was a couple of hours away from North Conway. The drive there was great (although lots of construction on the roads as they get pretty torn up from winter!) and I was surprised by how many amazing lakes I passed on the way. (aka great kayaking territory) I also could tell right away without even being on the Maine coast yet that the state had the feel of a more progressive version of my hometown (on the Oregon coast). This alone made me start to fall in love with it a bit.

I met Heather in the super cute downtown area of her small town. She treated me to a coffee at the local co-op (THANK YOU!!) and then we sat on some benches in a little plaza area to chat about life happenings, Maine, and sociopoliticalecological topics (THANK YOU!!). As we only had a bit of time together, we then did a little walk about of the rest of the downtown area and checked out this area in the waterfront:

So awesome! And so great to see her. Definitely plan on meeting up again :)

Oh one word of note: toll roads in Maine---you absolutely need cash! They don't cost much but I was short on the first toll. I grabbed more cash for the second one and tried to pay up the shortfall but that sweet lil' toll booth lady wouldn't let me settle the difference. Maine! :)

Next I decided to head over to Acadia National Park. I'd already looked up the trail maps online and knew that the hikes weren't intense so I didn't feel like I'd miss too much if I just went for the views and not the mileage.....and man, those views did not fail. SO absolutely beautiful. You could just sit and stare mesmerized for hours.....

From Acadia, I drove down to Deer Isle and the teeny tiny lobster capitol of the US: Stonington. I'd found this cabin option (with kayaking available although it turned out to be too cold for it) on AirBnB. This site would be great for the on-season and I absolutely loved the host here. (Some reviews said he was "rough" but I thought he was great!) Luckily I got there before dark so was able to get my initial bearings and still make it to the one diner in Stonington to grab some food and a local brew. And while I knew it would be this way, Stonington is the type of place that when you walk in the diner, they know you aren't from around there..... Not that my purposely ripped jeans, leopard flats, and aviators gave it away by any means.....ha! :) Super friendly individuals but it's an incredibly small community. The town has one main street with just a few main buildings and that wraps around the small bay/harbor. I love these types of places as they're super off the beaten path however and I'm more of a small town gal to my core. Oh and at the diner, I had lobster mac n cheese!

The view from the diner with lobster boats in the distance.

After dinner, I went back to the site for the night and Bill had set me up in the better cabin option that had a heater--so awesome! After a bit of a cold shower in the bathroom quarters (about a football field's length away....this site wouldn't be for everyone....), I loaded up in layers and headed down to the nearby dock to hang out for a bit before bed, such a beautiful view:

This next morning I rolled out fairly early after exploring the property a bit more. I knew there wouldn't be coffee until I found some back on mainland Maine so I didn't really make many stops along the way. I did stop to snap this picture of the neat bridge that you drive over to get to Deer Isle however :)

And I stopped to snap this gem also because....Maine, it's just so beautiful!

It's the NE: white clapboard buildings everywhere! :)

Back on the mainland, I did finally come across a coffee shop where I stopped to get a cup of java and a pastry before continuing to head on toward Camden (which is a place Heather had suggested). As I arrived in Camden I saw the first thing I was looking for: the state hiking trails :) It was $6 for out of state entrance and the rangers were super friendly. The guy had done some hiking in Oregon so he gave me a suggestion of which trail to do and I set off up the hillside:

This is the overlook of the Atlantic & Camden in the background

Neat trek through the woods: There were options for shorter or longer versions, but I knew I was on limited time here.

Post-hike, I drove through the town which was pretty cute with many historic buildings (but I didn't stop). The gal I was staying with this night via Air BnB had been in touch earlier in the day and seemed a little particular so I felt like I was on more of a time crunch this day. I did manage two more stops however.

1) I stopped in Freeport to go to the flagship LL Bean store. Truthfully, not impressed (and generally I like LL Bean stuff but this day I just felt it was all overpriced and not of interest)....and not impressed with what I saw of the surrounding area of high priced retail stores here either. I literally walked through the store and out, around the block, and then got in my car and drove on.

2) I did happen to look up some running options for Portland, ME on the way and found one that was right next to the Old Port district and along the waterfront. I snagged an easy parking spot and then headed out for some jogging mileage. Lots of other joggers were out and this particular trail connects over to another as well. There also was a kayak group in the bay AND a dog park right on the shore. I (again) felt like I was right at home. (On a side note: this paved trail does take your jog right by the water treatment plant however....)

Post jog--I explored a bit of the Old Port area on foot. Very cute with lots of great restaurants and storefronts....and SUPER packed. This was the off season and I couldn't imagine how busy it would be during high season :) I did snag this fun picture of the lobster boats along one of the arms of the port however!

From here I jogged back to the car and then headed to the house in South Portland for the night. In some regards staying here was a good experience because it reminded me not to be so anal retentive as I continue to age. I think she was just being mindful....but there were instructions for everything and even every single light switch was labeled with a post-it. Luckily she was out for the evening when I arrived, so I took a quick shower, got my things settled in the room, and then walked toward food options. I ended up eating at this bustling BBQ joint where I ordered the big plate and a great local beer. (Are you noticing a theme here? :) I tend to drink lots of coffee and eat a pastry in the morning and then hit one solid meal and a "local" beverage at some point during the day when I'm on road trips.) Since I was flying out the next day, the rest of the night I spent getting my bags re-packed (with some pretty sweaty clothes at this point! :)) and everything in order. 

The next morning I was up early and out. There was a really cute bakery within walking distance of the house so I headed there for a cup of coffee & a scone. I also had a great conversation with the owners who were super friendly and had both been to the west coast Portland. People seemed to love it when they asked me where I was from and I said "the other Portland." One of the reasons I'd opted to stay in South Portland was that it made many of the lighthouses super easily accessible, so from here I drove to do a bit of a lighthouse tour and to find a lobster roll :)

One of the three lighthouses I checked out this day was also an old military location, so it was fun to trek around the surrounding area here. Getting to and finding parking was a bit of a challenge at one of the other light houses, but I eventually figured it out with a bit of help from a local and googlemaps. :) And in my final hours in Maine, I had an infamous lobster roll from The Lobster Shack. 

Before heading to the airport, I drove the rest of the loop around Cape Elizabeth, passing many local farms, and then back up through a different part of the city of Portland. The city itself is small feeling (which I loved) and it really only seemed like the Old Port area had a ton of people :) But truthfully I didn't spend much time overall in Portland. 

Because of the ding in the windshield, I got to the airport early so they could process paperwork on the damage. (Which eventually it was waived, then re-instated, then waived again. So far I've been super incredibly fortunate and haven't had to pay for the chip to the windshield---oof! Out of all the thousands of road trip miles I've put in and back roads I've driven of course the one time I would have a ding would be in a rental car :) and in a spot that I never would fix on my own vehicle! Ha!)

The Portland, ME airport is small. I grabbed another book and enjoyed perusing the gift shop. Look at this awesome gem....just another reason why I love this state:

I spent some time reading part of the book and had some great people watching before getting on board for my flights. From ME I flew to NJ and then on to "my" Portland. The gal I sat next to on the NJ to Portland flight was great to talk to and I had a great conversation with a guy at the airport bar in NJ. Both individuals were from very different perspectives on life and yet we found lots of common ground. These conversations also really sort of restored me in a sense. 

Altogether though this particular trip didn't really re-invigorate me as I'd hoped. Most of the time when I 'get away' I come back feeling refreshed but this wasn't exactly the case with this one. I'm not sure if it was the distraction of the guy I was talking to, the cold I ended up with on the way and the lack of sleep initially, the interesting array of AirBnb stays, and/or the fact that I was still working across the distance by grading and responding to emails. There were lots of beautiful moments, sites, and people interacted with, but I don't know that I truly felt as fully "present" on this trip.

In a sense, waiting a few weeks and then reflecting/writing about the trip has allowed me to really highlight the beauty that I did experience though....and I truly do want to go back sooner rather than later. :) There's just SO much to see and do...and in so many ways Maine (and Vermont) truly felt like a great location to appreciate and explore further. Here's hoping that in the next few years, I'll get the opportunity to head back for a bit more of a "present" time exploring....or.....living....we'll see. :)

NE Trip: Vermont & NH

From Plymouth I drove north past Boston (where I did get in a bit of traffic but luckily not too horrible), through part of New Hampshire, and over into Vermont. I have no idea how I thought that ONE day in Vermont would give me enough time, because it definitely did not. I needed AT LEAST a week and I most definitely will be going back some day. :)

My best intentions had me hitting up 2-3 lower mileage hikes (under 5 miles), stopping at a brewery, checking out some local farms, exploring Burlington, and looping around through rural highway prior to arriving at my lodging that night. Not enough time :) There would have been so many incredible farms to check out, cider & brew options, and so many hiking trails. I also didn't stop at the well-known coffee nor ice cream factories. Must return!

But here is what I did see in 24 hours or less:

From Hwy 89 in NH/VT, I'd cut over to Hwy 4. This Quechee Gorge was located just on the Hwy and it was neat to see something that reminded me so much of home :) Just shows how so much of nature is similar and holds within it incredible patterns. Hwy 4 takes you through the little town of Woodstock, which had a few farms to investigate nearby, loads of trails, and covered bridges. I only had time for a quick hike however so I headed to the town park and walked up Faulkner's Trail to an overlook of the town:

  

From here, I got back in the car and headed for Long Trail Brewery which was just a bit further along Hwy 4 and going in the right direction. After my late lunch, I headed along the rural highway with every intention of checking out a local farm....only to realize that the "open" hours would end before I could get there :) But the sites from the highway with mountains in the background and so many incredible family farms sprawled across the country side sure made my heart happy. I made it to Burlington about 530pm...and I quickly realized that I would probably love it there. 

Lake Champlain from Burlington. Burlington has a population of 42 thousand, it's a college town, it's situated alongside a huge lake with mountains easily accessible, local sustainable farms nearby, and that path in front of that bench is a running/biking trail. The options seem incredible here. I stopped just long enough to check out this park & chat with a local coffee shop owner who made me some great herbal tea for my throat and suggested a top-rated brewery north of where I was staying (didn't make it though....). En route to my evening location, I drove through some of the rest of the town which had a cute plaza area downtown and lovely buildings! (And I'm just going to mention that the ads alone on the coffee shop bathroom bulletin board made me feel at home :))

This night I stayed in an AirBnB on Camel's Hump, which turned out fine but a bit interesting :) I had a rock fly up off the highway and ding the upper left drivers side windshield of the rental. The rest of the drive was pretty uneventful but the house was definitely located in the middle of no where. It also turned out that this guy is in the process of remodeling his home and the only furnished bedroom is his, so he literally rents out his own bed/bathroom. He was super nice (even offered to cook me dinner) and I didn't have any concerns with being there...just sort of a bit more awkward situation than what I'm used to with this sort of travel. We had a great conversation about my hoped for hike the next day and his little guy who lives in San Diego. 

Camel's Hump is one of the higher peaks that has not been developed in the state and thus it has blown up in terms of the amount of hikers (and preservation groups) interested in the area. (It was great getting a local's views on much of this!) I had a great time going up the first two-ish miles on this trail..... 

.....and then I hit the iced over trail that my host had forewarned me about. I've never had to hike with ice attachments to my shoes before (and I don't own them nor did I rent any for this trip) so at this point I turned around. Luckily I already knew this was coming and while he said I could probably navigate carefully on or around it, I didn't feel like it was worth it to get to the top at this time. Which can I just say that this was a huge example of how much I've settled down? Two years ago I would have hauled myself slip sliding across the ice to the top and shook off any bumps/bruises I gained on the way, but these days I'm okay with just taking life for what it is (and making sure to avoid injury). Besides, the trail run down was pretty awesome anyway :)

I actually had lucked out since I'd stayed on the mountain and had the trail to myself most of the way. As I hit the trailhead, three other couples were headed up and I met SIX other cars as I drove away. I agree with my host....it's getting over populated. 

From Camel's Hump, I turned off and drove through Montpelier. Super cute historical town, but I didn't want to pay for parking so I ended up not stopping for breakfast or more coffee here. From here, I'd had plans to stop on the west side of the White Mountains to do some hiking, but I decided to push on toward my night destination to check-in earlier and then explore the eastern side. (Plus since so many trails were iced over I figured it'd be better to get somewhere where I could ask around.) I drove along a variety of highways and I really enjoyed seeing so much of the "countryside" this way. Ironically it's not really the countryside because it's just the norm of the state. I also spent some time thinking about the lack of grocery stores, the true norm of the family farm, and I would absolutely love to explore more how this region functions in terms of food production and year round access. I have my own guesses, but it's definitely something to look into (and look upon as a model, which so many already do :)).

In New Hampshire heading toward the White Mountains. I stopped near here at the White Mountain Coffeeshop & Bookstore (finally...more coffee!!). It had amazing homemade juices, local food, delicious coffee (maple lattes) and I couldn't resist picking up a few books. I ended up with a hiking book for the White Mountains and I'm thoroughly enjoying reading the short stories found within Mountain Voices. 

It didn't take too long to drive through the bit of the White Mountains and arrive in North Conway where I was staying the night. North Conway is known as a hub for outdoor pursuits and I seriously loved the little room I had here in the historic Kearsage Inn. (Also was the best deal of the trip since it was the off season and a week day....and they had the friendliest staff.) In hindsight I wish I would have remembered to hit up the local outdoor store that the Plymouth host had suggested: IME and I also didn't stop at the AMC information spots. Both would be spots to check out next time. 

I did however head out for Diana's Baths and at the advice of a mountain biker I met (while trying to find the actual trailhead), I ended up getting in a great trail run that evening. There are so many various trails from North Conway and the surrounding region, but this particular evening the trail run was perfect:

Diana's Baths

After a shower and soak in the tub, I headed to SeaDog Brewery (which is actually a Maine brewery) in North Conway for fish tacos (yum!) and a blueberry beer (double yum and with blueberries floating in it!). After food, I made it back to the Inn to grade my online courses and then crash for the night.

Next up: Maine! :)

Fall 2015 Hikes & Portland Hiking

One thing I'm pretty serious about trying to maintain is self-care. Last term was much busier and I felt way more stressed adjusting to the new job than I had hoped, but I still tried to get the dogs & I on some sort of a trail at least 2x a month. Some hikes were with others and may or may not have included the dogs. But nothing restores me quite like being deep in the woods, hanging out with God & creation, noticing the changing seasons, recognizing how small I am in regards to the planet, and enjoying the pure happiness that the dogs exude. Almost all of these locations (minus Lewis River) are 1.5 hours or less from my front door.....which might just be yet another advertisement for why Oregon is an incredible place to live (although the secret is out...Oregon no longer is a hidden gem)...

Larch Mountain (14 miler in the Gorge, 7 miles up & reverse, start at Multnomah Falls):

Angel's Rest to Devil's Rest (12 miler in the Gorge):

Eagle Creek to Tunnel Falls (12 miler in the Gorge):

Gayles Creek (Tillmook Forest 6 mile trail run):

Council Crest (4 miles in the city):

Lewis River (14 miler in SW Washington):

Twin Lakes to Frog Lake (8 mile loop near Mt Hood):

White River (3 snowy miles, base of Mt Hood): 

Palmeer Pt/Barlow Road Loop (6 snowy miles near Mt Hood):

I feel incredibly fortunate to live where I do and to have the ability to manipulate my schedule at times to allow for us to get up to a trail head midweek. (Although what I typically don't mention is that I do a lot of prepping & grading on weekends....and that Roxi is a bit of an aggressor sometimes so we prefer weekdays when it's less likely to have lots of extra people/dogs on trail to deal with :))

I get a lot of requests from friends or people new to Portland looking for a decent hike to go on, and truthfully I have several main standbys but I also frequently use a variety of backpacking/trail books and oregonhikers.org to find new options. If you want Gorge specific hikes, look here. If you want Mt. Hood specific hikes, here. I've used the site for five years now and while not all the descriptions are always 100% on point, it's still been an incredible resource. The site used to be more Portland specific, but I've been glad to see it branching out to the entire state of Oregon, as there is SO much more to the state besides just this area. (Can you tell I'm originally from a smaller town in Oregon?!) :)

My standby trails without a doubt are: Gayles Creek & Wilson River Trails in Tillamook Forest, as they're the closest lengthy forest trails to me. Forest Park's trails are technically 10 minutes closer but they're heavily traveled by people these days (although they're great for trail running)....

In the fall I typically hit up Eagle Creek once, also heavily popular (although less so in fall) and a major backpacking trail in summer. Once a summer and at least once a winter, I travel the Twin Lakes loop. At least once a winter I also do White River, but if you go on the weekend it's a challenge to bypass the families that are having a fun time sledding here too. Once a year, I also tend to do one of the Multnomah Falls options. The rest of the time I try to find something new in SW Washington, the Gorge, or near Mt Hood...unless I have the time & money to make a trek over to Central (3-4 hours away) or Southern Oregon (4+ hours) :) Not all trails are always well signed (it's a good idea to have an actual trail map from a store like REI) and I'm not going to lie, even with the trail "skills" and numerous miles on trail that I have I can't count the number of times I've lost the next leg of the trail (downed trees, snowed over, darkness, overgrown trails, etc) and had to contemplate backtracking before being able to navigate my way on. Next major purchase once I have some debts paid off might just be an expensive GPS system to load maps on....

But altogether, always stoked to get us to a trail head and to start venturing onto a trail. Here's hoping we can get weekly or every other week hikes in this term!

The 2015 NW National Park/Canada Roadtrip Recap

So this post is only 4 months overdue?! :) But since the roadtrip sticks out as my most favorite moment from 2015, I figured I should share a bit of it here finally. :)

Stop 1: Olympic National Park x 2 nights

Let me just preface by saying this was not my best planned trip, although that may be one of the reasons I enjoyed it the most. Oh sure I'd looked stuff up, but I still couldn't really formulate a plan and I was so stressed/tired from work that I just decided to roll with it....and I was absolutely incredibly fortunate that fortune smiled upon me so much during this trip.

Case-in-point number #1 was when I was low on gas and the National Park and State Park were both out of campsites....but the friendly ranger let me park in day-use "overflow" for the night. (Or how about the fact that I just happened upon the next to last campsite in two NPs and arrived in Jasper the week after the busiest week of their season? Fortune, so blessed!!)

Day 1 of the trip allowed for a great slow drive up north, a quick meander along some beautiful sunlit trails,

and getting situated at the camp site. Day 2 allowed me to snag a great new campsite actually in ONP and then I changed and nailed out an epic 24 mile day hike that was oh so beautiful and my body felt great!

I got back to the car as night was encroaching, changed clothes, made some food, crawled into my sleeping bag, and passed out. Day 3 I drove from that location up to Hurricane Ridge where I did a few super short excursions from the visitor's center,

grabbed coffee at a great little bistro on the way, took the ferry across to Whidbey Island, drove up the beautiful route to Bellingham where I stopped at a brewery for a burger & beer, and then I watched the most incredible sunset over rural Washington farmland right before I drove across the Canadian border. At the next large town, I grabbed an actual hotel to lounge in the tub (a full hot bath with a bucket full of ice chips to munch on is one of my favorite hotel guilty pleasures) & get a solid night's sleep.

Stop 2: Hotel just across the Canadian border

The next day I grabbed a coffee, extracted Canadian cash from an ATM (so pretty!),

and headed toward Kamloops. I had researched enough to want to make a few stops on the way so I did the quick jaunt at Bridal Veil Falls & the Othello Tunnels.

I grabbed a cheap, legit diner BLT on the way and then I made it to Kamloops. Driving through the passes was a lot of fun also. In Kamloops I snagged a beautiful spot on the tent side of the RV Campsite where I enjoyed the cows and hung out in my hammock until I met up with Amber (Girl with the Red Hair) for a great sunset hike! The views in Kamloops were incredible 

and it was so wonderful to meet Amber in person :) Post-hike I headed toward downtown where I grabbed an amazing meal of mac & cheese and a local beer and then I drove back to the campsite.

Stop 3: RV Campsite in Kamloops

The next morning I headed to an area that Amber had told me about to do some trail running, which really was getting my rear end handed to me :) Kamloops is a hiker/trail runners dream, but those trails are by no means easy!

Truthfully I feel like there are a lot of additional areas that I could have checked out there but I needed to hit the road, so I headed toward the lake region of BC/Alberta. I had wanted to stop at one of the lakes to kayak and possibly camp, but I had pushed on too far and hit the more crowded areas, so I only stopped for lunch and to chat with the visitor's center (which I stopped at the Visitor's Centers in many towns on this trip---great resource!). From there I headed toward a rural campsite, but a wrong turn on the road I was on had me flag down a super friendly industrial worker who advised me not to go to the campsite I was headed toward. He had hunted and camped in that area for 30 years and so he directed me to a different option...cheap, still remote, and beautiful. The campsite was toward the headwaters of the Columbia River, allowed for a few super short hikes, and made for a great place to wash off in the chilly river before crawling in for the night.

Stop 4: Campsite on the upper Columbia River

From here I headed toward Golden, which actually had the most unhelpful Visitor's Center of them all and changed my initial "plan." I instead stopped at the Parks Canada Visitor's Center which turned out to be perfect...and truthfully directed me to a great campsite and one of the best hikes of the trip. The walk-in Tent site was 1/4 to 1/2 mile walk-in, but I only needed to make two trips to get everything situated and my food secured (bears!). From there I still had several hours til sunset, so I hiked the four miles up to the glaciers (AMAZING!)

and then ran the six mile loop back down. There were several incredible waterfalls on this trail and seeing the glaciers was pretty amazing. The only drawback was the immense amount of smoke from the wildfires, but it still was so beautiful and an incredible experience. I was glad to crawl into my tent that night and sleep to the sound of the immense waterfall down river.

Stop 5: Walk-in Tent site in Yoho National Park

I woke up early the next morning (per the advice of many) to make it to the infamous Lake Louise before the biggest wave of tourists. Beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

I wished I could have ventured onto more trails this day (but you have to be in a group of four here due to grizzly habitat...and I didn't have as much time nor energy for lots of hiking this day). From the main lakes in Banff National Park, I drove the Icefield Parkway up into Jasper NP, stopping at several of the waterfalls and sights along the way and thoroughly enjoying the immense beauty that this area provides. Photos could never do it justice truthfully and it's an area where I'd love to return to eventually.

I did manage a sort of off-the-beaten-path hike this day that was pretty nice to do...and then after I got situated at my campsite on the north end of Jasper NP I ventured out for an evening hike. I wasn't sure I had enough time/daylight to do the one I really wanted to do, so I did a different one that I eventually realized I had gone farther than I was supposed to for the day hike and I got a little nervous about being alone in bear country... Post hike, I decided to try out the natural hot springs pools (I'd been hoping to do one of the natural springs rather than the pool type, but it just didn't work out for me to do that extra leg of the journey this trip). The pools were a nice change of pace but definitely not the most relaxing nor solitary. :)

Stop 6: Jasper National Park campsite

The next day I drove out of Jasper and headed toward Edmonton, which was my main destination so I could be there for my high school buddy's wedding. There wasn't much on the road to stop to see but I did finally stop to get some coffee & carbs from Tony Horton's, which is pretty Canadian iconic (think Starbucks mixed with McDonalds).

Once in Edmonton, I got situated in my AirBnb basement room, oriented myself via some maps and park trail guides, and headed out on a running tour of part of the city. Edmonton in the summer reminds me a lot of Portland: river bisecting town, lots of great parks, major quadrants of the city, etc. I probably covered between 7 and 10 miles this day cutting through 2 of the city parks, running through the UofAlberta neighborhood,

and eventually making my way back to the house. After a much needed shower, I headed out to a nearby pub for an organic burger & this delicious rose beer.

Stop 7: 2 nights in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

On day number 2 in Edmonton, I drove to the other side of the river to check out that side of the city on foot. I grabbed coffee at a hip lil place in one of the newer neighborhoods, checked out Canada's version of REI, and then literally walked between 20-30 blocks to check out a farmer's market, the business district, and the main center of the city.

 I'm not gonna lie, by the time I made it back to the car, my feet were not very happy to be in their sandals. After the morning excursion, I bee-lined it back to the house to shower, change, and head to the wedding....and eventually to the reception. It was so great to see this buddy get married, I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with his parents, and it was really nice to have almost a full day to catch up with another couple from high school who were the only other guests from our hometown who had been invited. We had a great time that evening!

The next morning I rolled out early (after realizing that I actually prefer sleeping in the back of my SUV snug as a bug in my sleeping bag & fuzzy blanket rather than staying in a house)....and truthfully as much as I enjoyed Canada, for some reason I was just ready to make it back into the US. Ironically as I eventually crossed the border (with some incredibly strong winds), I also arrived at the same time as a massive thunder storm that was blowing in from the west (which thankfully helped with some of the wildfire issues this summer....). I was able to snag the next to last campsite, I bundled up and hid out in the lodge for a bit eating a tasty burger and drinking some amazing huckleberry beer, and then I headed back for my snug dry SUV where I spent the rest of the pouring afternoon & evening finishing off the book I'd been reading. Truthfully at this point a forced day to relax and hibernate was actually pretty amazing.

Stop 8: Rainy campsite in Glacier National Park

The next day was chilly, overcast, wet, and with winds...and I hadn't packed much cold weather gear, so I knew I needed to scrap my initial plan of long day hikes. I did manage a 2-3 mile cold, windy hike up to a neat view point (42 degrees, 33 mph winds)

and then I drove the Going to the Sun Rd through the park. 

From there I headed over to White Fish where I stopped for lunch and to check out the lake, I did a brief stop to check out Flathead Lake, stopped for an incredible elk burger & huckleberry milkshake along a rural highway in Montana, contemplated stopping at one of the campsites along the rivers, 

but pushed on to arrive in the dark & way late at an (overpriced & noisy) RV Site along I-5 just outside Coeur D'Alene.

Stop 9: RV Campsite outside Coeur D'Alene, ID

The next morning I decided to drive around the lake and I stopped for coffee and a bit of exploring at Harrison, ID. I chatted with the nicest locals and had some incredible bites & coffee brew for breakfast. This would be a great place to come in the off season for kayaking, hiking, & running.

From here I had decided to drive over to check out Mount Rainer National Park. It made for a couple of hours of extra car time, but it was fun to fit in an extra National Park before I made it back home. The two short hikes I did were both foggy & misty, as the rain was still falling from the western storms. From here I was glad to head back home...

Altogether an incredible outing! 2800 miles driven, 4 states & 2 provinces, 6 National Parks, several new towns explored, lots of great people met, countless trails/roads covered, and oh so many incredible memories. I was so grateful for safety & no major issues along the way. The break from work and not being accessible via phone/email to many was a nice change of pace. I seriously enjoyed just camping in the back of my SUV and the simple freedoms that the days presented. Oh and I purchased a National Parks pass too.....and have already made my money back between the US parks I visited and the hiking on federal lands I've already done since then. Altogether just an incredible journey that happened with just the perfect timing!