The last time Bryce did this hike, he was rewarded at the top with no view of Mt. Baker at all. He hiked Park Butte in the North Cascades more than 10 years ago. I've never done this hike. We decided to do this hike "on our way back" from spending the Fourth of July… Continue reading The disappearing mountain
Good morning. Logging in those long run miles. Road trips. Heat waves. Camping. More running. Forgetting sunglasses when I need them. Laughing. Dancing. Time spent with visiting friends. Waiting. Trying to stay hydrated. Watching lots of soccer. Bunnies. Here, there, everywhere. Shooting stars. Or, wait, was that a satellite? Celebrations. Barbecues. No, thanks, I don't… Continue reading Weekends are for summer
"Can you stop?" I annoyingly said, more than asked. What started out as my mom simply asking my brother's girlfriend if she'll be staying in town for Thanksgiving turned into a whole discussion around everyone's Christmas plans. It's mid-July, for goodness sake. As much as I love the holiday season between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day,… Continue reading Summer is not over
Birthdays are kind of weird as an adult. People always ask what I'm going to do for my birthday during the weeks leading up to it. If my birthday is on a weekday, well, surprise, surprise, I'll be working! This year, however, my birthday fell on a Saturday. This meant a birthday race. "You're different,"… Continue reading So, what are you doing for your birthday?
Saying that our New Zealand honeymoon was fantastic is an understatement. We drove around both islands. We met a lot of nice people. We saw a lot of wildlife. We went on some great hikes. We explored varying landscapes. We ate some great food. We did a lot. When we returned home and friends and… Continue reading The two honeymoon mishaps
Ever since it was announced that Tokyo would be the host city of the next summer Olympics, I've been going around telling friends and family that I will be there. Whenever it's come up in conversation -- which happens often when I'm the one starting the conversation -- Bryce and I exclaim in union: Tokyo… Continue reading Looking to Tokyo 2020
I was in Colombia for the first time last Christmas. Bryce and I were visiting his grandma and aunt for the holidays in Calí. Going into the trip, I knew I wouldn't have abundant food options as a vegetarian. After all, at the Colombian restaurant back home in Seattle, my only viable option is to… Continue reading Food in Colombia as a vegetarian: the avocado diet
It was getting dark and we hadn't come across any small towns in quite a while. I was regretting my question earlier that day when we were eating a late lunch at 4 pm: Is this going to be our last meal of the day? Our longest drive of our New Zealand trip would be… Continue reading The longest drive
As we boarded the ferry, I couldn't believe how gigantic it was. We drove our rental car onto the boat and just kept driving, and driving and driving! Up a ramp we went as we followed the cars in front of us. Finally we arrived at a point where a ferry worker was guiding cars… Continue reading The New Zealand ferry experience
It's crazy to think I got along just fine traveling on my own with no smart phone, let alone cell phone, back when I was in college. (This was more than a decade ago, eeek!) I'm so reliant on my phone now. How did I manage back then? I guess a decade ago I was… Continue reading That time I spent less than 24 hours in Rome — on purpose
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