Chelsea's Birthday Flight

I knew that we would probably be on our way through Canada on Chelsea's actual birthday, and the agenda for the day would likely include a significant amount of driving.  With that knowledge, I decided we should celebrate early and so something special in Alaska.  We've been dreaming of going to Alaska for years, so it felt right to celebrate Chelsea's birthday here.  I was somehow able to pull off a surprise (I am the WORST at keeping secrets) and take Chelsea for a flightseeing tour over the Cook Inlet, Mt. Redoubt, and some other incredible scenery!  Here are some pictures from the trip.

The Best of 2015 (so far)

Whenever we talk to people about our travels, their top questions always include, "what is your favorite place that you've visited?" or "what has your favorite part been?"  Those are two very, very difficult questions to answer.  We do so many activities in so many different places and they all have so much value to us, it really is impossible to choose a favorite.  However, I have attempted to create a short list of a handful of experiences that have really stood out to me this year.  I tried to make this list a top 10, but that wasn't working out super well.  I've lumped a few things together that happened in the same time frame or region to try to keep it shorter, but brevity isn't really a strong suit of my writing anyway!  Here are some of my (Laura's) top moments of 2015 (so far, up until the end of August) in no particular order.  (Side note: I just went through to grab pictures for all these and came up with like 20 million other favorite moments.  I don't know why I even bothered trying.  But still, here are some of my favorites.  Really everything we've done has been FABULOUS and one of our favorite parts of road tripping is seeing all our friends and family along the way.  I love you all!)

1. Snowshoeing to the Bradley Hut in Lake Tahoe, CA

This was special because it was within the first few days of hitting the road and happened completely by chance

2. Eating cookies from Laggan's Bakery and hiking the Bow River Loop trail in Lake Louise, AB, Canada

This is a gorgeous trail (not actually the one pictured, but similar) along the river.  The chocolate chip cookies were some of the best I've had anywhere.  And I eat a lot of cookies.

3. Skateskiing in Teton Canyon and skiing Mary's Nipple on the Idaho side of the Tetons with Kaybe.

Our first long and pretty successful skate.  Kaybe gave us a ton of pointers and Titan kept up the whole way.

This was the closest thing we got to a powder day all season.  The pow was probably a week old but it was still SO GOOD compared to everything else we skied this winter.

4. Flyfishing and climbing in Gallatin Canyon, MT

We both ALMOST caught a fish.  Just the act of casting and hanging out on the river was awesome.

We got to do a bunch of fun climbing, including Spare Rib, a route I would highly recommend.

5. Sleeping in the Flagg Point Fire Lookout near Mt. Hood, OR

A really unique and fun experience.

6. Hiking the Beckler Peak Trail near Steven's Pass in WA with Kristen and Connor

This day was downright magical.  I don't know if I've ever been in a better mood after a hike.

7. Backpacking the 170 mile Tahoe Rim Trail in CA and NV

Two weeks of hiking every day.  Gorgeous views and an overall rewarding experience.

8. Eating nachos and climbing in Gold Bar with Aaron and with Bela

Aaron cooked us up the biggest platter of nachos that has probably ever existed.  The next day we climbed some really stellar lines and had the weather cooperate perfectly for us.

We got really lucky by meeting Bela.  He showed us around all over Gold Bar, Skykomish and Leavenworth.  We kept bumping into him and having awesome days climbing together.

9. Night canoeing shenanigans and phosphorescence viewing with Clancy and Hans

This picture is from day time and a kayak, but the nighttime canoeing was a bit rowdy to bring cameras along.  Phosphorescence is one of the coolest natural phenomenons I've ever seen.

10. Stand up paddleboarding on the White River with Brian and Sean

First time SUPing on a river and first ever SUP for the dogs.  They did great and once again proved they are the best dogs ever.  The river was a gorgeous color and the day was perfect.

11. Touching our first glacier, the Coleman Glacier

Glaciers are SO COOL.  This was the first one we got to see up close and the first one we got to touch.  A crazy mist blew in after awhile and just blanketed the whole glacier so you couldn't even see it anymore.

12. Meeting the love of my life on the side of the road

I don't think this one needs explanation.  For the full story, check out the upcoming post "Roadside Attraction"

13. Climbing the Tooth in WA

Easy climbing, great company, awesome summit views.  Followed by milkshakes.

14. Driving the Alaska Highway

An adventure that's been in the making for years finally became a reality.

15. Biking the Denali Highway from Cantwell, AK to Paxon and back

One of the best adventures ever.

Biking the Denali Highway- Video

Our Little Orange Tent

We were about two weeks in to our first big road trip in 2010, 3.5 months traveling the west to climb, when signs for the Sierra Trading Post Outlet starting popping up on the side of the road.  I love gear.  And I love a good deal.  I suggested we stop.  Of course I wanted to browse, but I also really wanted a new tent.  The tent that the four of us (Chelsea, Star, Titan, and myself) had been using for the past two weeks was a little two person tent that I had bought from a friend.  At the time I bought it, it only needed to house Titan and I.  Now, I was realizing that it was a bit small for four beings on an extended trip.  Yes, you read that correctly, we were sleeping with two humans and a 60 and 75 pound dog in a two person tent, and planned to do that every night for three and a half months straight.

I found the tent section and there were a bunch of orange Marmot tents.  Orange is my favorite color, so I didn't need any convincing on which brand I would buy, and there was a three person tent called the Titan.  I may be biased towards things named Titan.  I bought it.

The little tent spent its very first night pitched at the base of the Grand Teton.  Titan and Star unfortunately were not able to be present for the tent's inaugural use, but they were happily running around on a large ranch while we climbed the Grand.  After a rewarding summit and a long descent, it was comforting to see our little orange dome beckoning us in the distance.  Our new home.  

Over the last five years, the tent has traveled everywhere with us.  Although we have been primarily sleeping in the car and now in the van for the more recent years, it still sees plenty of use.  It is not a lightweight backpacking tent, but it comes on all of our backpacking trips.  It has spent 14 days on the Tahoe Rim Trail, five days in the Wind River Range, and eight days on the Denali Highway this year.  It has a few bends in its poles from tent-flattening winds in Indian Creek and the Denali Highway.  It has a couple leftover blood stains from squashing bird sized mosquitoes in it in Cape Breton National Park in Nova Scotia.  One side of it is primarily Tenacious Tape after a tricky repair following Star's attempt to jump through the tent wall one morning.  It has kept us dry in countless nights of rain and snow.  It has traveled from east to west and north to south and been pitched in all of our favorite sports in between.  On clear nights, we enjoy leaving the fly off and looking through the mesh at the stars.  

It is a great tent.  It feels like home.  

Ode to a Pit Toilet

If pooping, talking about pooping, or toilets make you feel uncomfortable, you probably shouldn't read this post.

Pit toilet, I love you so!
When I see your brown facade and your chimney in the distance, I thank my lucky stars
I hike faster, bike stronger, send my project quickly, so I can run to your thick brown door
If I'm lucky, the lock works
and there are many rolls of toilet paper, their tails flapping in the wind as I whoosh the door open
If not, no matter, I brought my own roll
Yes, pooping in the woods can be nice, very lovely indeed
But after many days, my quads tire of squatting, and my shovel begins to dull
a seat would be so nice
For some reason, not everyone understands the signs:
"Please close the lid to reduce odor" "Close the lid to prevent flies" "Be sweet and close the seat"
But I will never let you down, I will not let the odor escape or the flies congregate!
In every pit toilet across America, someone has eaten a bad meal before visiting
I cannot understand how this occurs so frequently, but hopefully someone comes to clean you soon
Every once in a while, you provide me with a hand sanitizer dispenser as I walk out the door
and sometimes there is even hand sanitizer in it!
You shelter me during storms, offering your sturdy walls against the wind and the rain
Thanks for your support.  You rule.

If #Vanlifers were Internet Famous

What the Internet might look like if it got wind about how awesome van life is.

1. This looks like a regular old van from the outside, but wait until you see what's inside

2. These people live inside their van and go on adventures and it is everything

3. You won't believe where these people who live in their van go to the bathroom

4. Why this van home is better than your apartment

5. Getting rid of extra possessions and stress: why van life can be good for you

6. #HomeisWhereYouParkit: these 10 pictures of vans parked in cool places will make you want to sell your house immediately.  Wait until you see number 9 

7. Watch these people cook a delicious meal- inside their van!

8. Living in a van- how you can avoid paying rent and live a happier life

9. The hot new lifestyle trend sweeping the nation

10. What happened when these two people quit their job and moved into a van