Denali National Park: Bus Trip

When we booked our trip to Alaska to explore Denali National Park, we really wanted to go as far into the park as we could. We were visiting too early in September for the road lottery, where you can try to get permission to drive your personal vehicle beyond Savage River, so our only option …

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Exploring Redwood National and State Parks

I was thrilled the weather cooperated for our day re-discovering Redwood National and State Parks during my birthday motorcycle trip through Oregon and California. While we had driven through the park about 10 years ago on our road trip from San Francisco to Seattle, it was a completely new experience being on the motorcycles and …

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Summiting Lassen Peak

One of the most fabulous moments of my birthday motorcycle trip through Oregon and California was spending the morning of my actual birthday at 10,457 feet, having summitted Lassen Peak in Lassen Volcanic National Park! We woke up early and hopped on Brian's motorcycle to ride into the park from the southwestern entrance to the …

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Washington Hikes: Whipple Creek

After a great weekend exploring Vancouver, Washington, we made one last stop in Clark County to check out Whipple Creek Regional Park. It was the perfect opportunity to stretch our legs before our several-hour motorcycle ride home. There is a fair amount of parking at the trailhead but be warned - several of the trails …

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Outdoor Inspiration: Books and Movies

The month of April is full of reasons to celebrate spending time in the great outdoors - signs of spring, Earth Day, warmer weather, National Park Week, and today - National Arbor Day! Note: While National Arbor Day is always the last Friday in April, some states have elected to celebrate on a different date …

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Celebrating Earth Day, Your Way

It doesn't take Earth Day to celebrate our favorite things about this planet, but it's as good a day as any to reflect and recommit to protecting the world around us. While I've always loved trees and wildlife, as I've grown older, I've grown more passionate about preserving all aspects of nature and reducing my …

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Washington Hikes: Rampart Ridge Loop

Last weekend the sun was out, Mt. Rainier was towering overhead, and we took advantage of the break in the weather to squeeze in a Saturday morning hike before I needed to be home, accessible, and on-call for work. We set out for the Rampart Ridge Loop trail from Longmire in Mt. Rainier National Park, …

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