You can find sets of plates, bowls, utensils from many companies. I liked the GSI Cascadian collection (also available in a 4 person set). I finally decided on this set because they were durable, I liked the size, and I loved all of the colors. When it comes to size I was looking for a few [...]
I'm a Yeti fan. I like that it keeps my drinks cold or hot for a very long time. I like that they are durable. I like that they have a variety of sizes and lids to meet my needs. My favorite, a 30oz tumbler, is with me all of the time. It's a great road trip cup. [...]
I love a hammock. Always have. I was an early adopter of the ENO hammock. I've had one for years. I'd hang it on my screened porch, take it to a park, or string it in the backyard. It is my favorite place to take a nap or read a book. So when it came to packing and [...]
When people struggle to wrap their heads around camping for a year, I remind them that I'm camping...not roughing it. The rocking feet to my chair is one example of how enjoyable I've made my adventure. I love my Helinox chair. It's cozy and comfortable for evenings by the campfire or those days I decide to read at [...]
If a mosquito is anywhere in a 100-mile radius, it will find me. And after it feasts, the bite will be joined by a welt. They are painful and really annoying. I have spent most of my life trying bands and oils and sprays and not going outside. Nothing worked. When I was in Bend, OR, after [...]
A lot of lighting options are available for camping, hiking, and other outdoor fun. I'm quite fond of the collapsibility and solar components of the Goal Zero Crush Light Lanterns. They come in white and chroma. The white allows for three levels of brightness. The chroma allows you to cycle through 8 color modes. You can [...]
If you are asking yourself "why does a solo traveler need additional space when they have a 4-man tent?", I did too. After reading reviews most people suggested I invest in the Kingdom Mud Room. Having lived in this space for nearly a year, I get it. The Mud Room is the additional vestibule area off of the [...]
Finding the perfect camp chair is challenging. It requires a lot of sitting and testing. I started out with a more traditional chair, but after a few stops, I realized the seat was too low and it was challenging to get out of the chair. I needed to find a chair that would cradle me when I sat [...]
A camp stove makes mealtime much easier. I went with the Eureka Ignite 2-Burner stove. I like that it's easy to light, very lightweight, and has the 2-burner option. I didn't use both very often, but it was nice to know I could. The camp stove industry seems to change constantly. I highly recommend talking to someone at [...]
Park Stats Park established: October 31, 1941 President in office: Franklin D. Roosevelt Mount Rushmore is a must-see as you drive through South Dakota. The view is really impressive. Turn off I-90 at Rapid City. If you need gas, a place to stay, or some food, this is your best option. Follow signs [...]
I bought an Ice Mule while visiting the REI Flagship store in Seattle. I had purchased several smaller coolers throughout the trip thinking it would be nice to have an easy cooler to have on the front seat for lunch, store drinks for travel days, and store vegetables that didn't need refrigerated but I didn't want them cooking in [...]
Determining food storage was really challenging for me. I watched a million videos. Some people went with coolers, others with plug-in refrigeration coolers. The price tag of the plug-in coolers was too shocking for me. I knew I needed to invest in something that would keep the cooler cold for multiple days. After reading countless reviews and talking to [...]
I started the trip with a classic dome tent. It was only a few weeks before I decided I wanted a tent with more space. Most importantly, one I could stand up in. I opted for REI's Kingdom 4. My thoughts: Size - The footprint has fit into every campsite. The height allows me to stand [...]
I wasn't sure if I could do this trail. I even hiked two shorter trails to warm up...get the nerve...to try Angel's Landing. I've heard so much about it, but it was cold, snow was predicted, and my ego was getting the best of me. After a 2-mile pep-talk I took a left on the trail towards Angel's Landing. [...]
Do you ever have those moments where the world stops and you can just soak in the beauty of the moment? That's what this hike was for me. I didn't do much planning for this trip. I was on my way from Boulder, CO to Billings, MT, and had some time to kill. I'd heard about the [...]
I was told that Vermontasaurus was a "must-see" as I made my way through Vermont. It was a gloomy travel day and this pit-stop was a bright spot. It's a quick stop. We pulled off the road towards the airport. Then just walked around the structures. It's amazing what the artist, Brian Boland, has done. His creativity is inspiring [...]
Finding a campground in this part of the country, in mid-September, that wasn't already winterized (thus had water) was challenging. But thankfully I came across New England Outdoor Center (NEOC). Thankfully the woman who booked my spot warned me that GPS directions wouldn't likely work (though it did on WAZE). You leave Millinocket and head towards Baxter State Park. [...]
I love this trail! You have two parking options - one off of the main road and the other at the marina. The marina option has more spaces. The trail is along a service road. It's wide and has a slight incline, but not at all strenuous. I parked at the Marina and took the trail along [...]
Today the National Parks Service turns 105. Thanks to Woodrow Wilson, on this date in 1916 the Parks were born. When I read that Instagram post I wanted to be a part of the celebration and go enjoy a National Park. I happen to be 45 minutes from Yellowstone, so I hopped in the car and made my way. [...]
Bryce Canyon was one of my first stops. I was headed to the Grand Canyon and decided to make a pit stop for a few hours. It was early spring and snow dusted some of the park. It was beautiful! I drove to the furthest point and spent a few hours visiting the overlooks. It wasn't very [...]
Lava Lake was my second solo winter hike. I'd never been on the trail before and spent a lot of time preparing for this trip. I wanted to know exactly where to park, where backup parking would be, where the bathroom was located, what the trail was like. I was happy to have been so informed. It eased [...]
When I was in college I had a dream to take a year and travel the United States. Friends were contemplating exchange programs in Europe. I wanted to see America. At the time I dismissed the idea in exchange for getting a job. I started my career with gusto, quickly adopting workaholic ways. When I would approach burnout, the [...]
Devils Tower National Monument was one of the first stops of my trip. On a cold winter day, during Covid, I pulled into the nearly empty parking lot. The Visitor Center was closed, but they left the stamp out for my National Park Passport. The trail is a walking path around the Tower. It takes you around the [...]
Devils Tower was one of the first stops on my trip. I took the detour off of I-90 with my fingers crossed that it was even open. I lucked out. Right off of the parking lot is a visitors center and toilets. While the visitors center was closed, they still had a stand for stamping your National Parks Passport. [...]
