"Even the smallest mountains can hide the most breathtaking views" Waterfalls aren't the only thing Oregon is well known for. The various hot springs throughout the state are also a major attention grabber, at least for me they are. After our hot spring extravaganzas in Colorado and Utah, I was on the hunt for more.… Continue reading Back to Back Favorites in Oregon
Visiting the Deepest Lake in the US
Crater Lake National Park Building out the van in the span of a few weeks and making our first renovation on the road not even a few hours after we had left was foreshadowing for all the little adjustments we didn't know our adventure mobile needed. What better way to figure out the ins and… Continue reading Visiting the Deepest Lake in the US
Avenue of the Giants
Redwood National Park We woke up to an interesting view with the ocean on one side of the van and llamas on the other. The turnout we slept at became pretty popular overnight and we were greeted with a trailer containing two llamas that had pulled over for a rest. The driver had brought the… Continue reading Avenue of the Giants
Driving up Highway 1
"swim the sea, drink the wild air" - Emerson We started our day by waking up with an oceanic view. Apparently California just gives off some type of beach vibe because this day was yet another hunt for the perfect spot. Mind you this was May 25th, so still not the best weather to be… Continue reading Driving up Highway 1
Cali Beaches and Tidefalls
Alamere Falls The next morning Michael and I instantly got moving. As always, we didn't have much of a plan but we did want to see the Golden Gate Bridge. After thinking about a few different options, we decided to not actually cross the bridge since we would have to backtrack to get to it… Continue reading Cali Beaches and Tidefalls
Adventuring Around the San Fransisco Bay Area
Little Yosemite & Mt Diablo After our eventful time in Yosemite National Park the previous day (which you can read about here) we kept with the name theme and headed towards a place called Little Yosemite. The drive to our destination reminded me of what I used to hear about California and its rolling hills,… Continue reading Adventuring Around the San Fransisco Bay Area
Crossing Through the Valley of Yosemite
Yosemite Valley If there's one thing I've learned to be true of the popular National Parks, it's that parking can be pretty tricky. Yosemite is definitely one of the bigger, if not biggest, named parks and it sure shows. We arrived at the visitor center (after our second attempt at entering the park-check out my… Continue reading Crossing Through the Valley of Yosemite
A Snowy Lake Tahoe and Off to Yosemite!
"In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect" Once we got up and moving, it was time for us to head into California. Michael and I wanted to go to Lake Tahoe since we both have heard great things about it. I'm sure it truly is a beautiful sight to see, but we'll get… Continue reading A Snowy Lake Tahoe and Off to Yosemite!
Journey from Utah to Nevada: Hot Springs and Goodbyes
"Our bodies are our gardens to which our wills are our gardeners" Our time with John was coming to an end as we woke up the next day and headed back up through Utah. Once we dropped him off at his truck in Beaver, we started following him even further north. That is until we… Continue reading Journey from Utah to Nevada: Hot Springs and Goodbyes
Adventures Through the Canyons
Grand Staircase of Escalante It was a cold and frosty morning in the van. Taking advantage of our close proximity to Bryce Canyon National Park, we had a slow and comfortable start to our day. After entering the park, doing our regular visitor center visit, and noticing the large rotating solar panels outside of the… Continue reading Adventures Through the Canyons
A Day at Zion and a Taste of Bryce Canyon
"In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks" - John Muir There was no hesitation once we woke up to head into Zion National Park. Driving in (not so early in the morning) we somehow managed to get a parking spot near the visitor center. Once we got our passports stamped… Continue reading A Day at Zion and a Taste of Bryce Canyon
Archways to Nature
Arches National Park Waking up to a hot and beautiful day in Moab, we grabbed some ice for our cooler and headed into Arches National Park. Arches became a National Park in 1929 and is mostly known for its 2,000+ natural arches. After a long geologic process spanning millions of years, you can simplify the… Continue reading Archways to Nature
Exploring the Land of Canyons
"Wander often, Wonder always" Waking up, we immediately started our journey to Utah. The drive before the border of Colorado and Utah is one that I'll never forget; on every side of us were mountains of red rocks. You could just watch as the landscape changed throughout the roads. One of our last moments in… Continue reading Exploring the Land of Canyons
Black Canyon of the Gunnison (ft. a Funky Night in a National Forest)
"There's no time to be bored in a world as beautiful as this" With the vast amount of cattle fields out west, one would think that touching a cow would be a simple task. I'm here to tell you that it's not. Waking up in Kebler Pass gave us (me) the perfect first attempt at… Continue reading Black Canyon of the Gunnison (ft. a Funky Night in a National Forest)
Hot Springs and Hikes in Colorado
"The future will either be green or not at all" - Bob Brown Waking up in the mountains is something I don't think I could ever get tired of. Being able to step outside and see a rocky landscape littered with trees first thing in the morning is unexplainable. We woke up not feeling the… Continue reading Hot Springs and Hikes in Colorado
Backtracking in Colorado
Garden of the Gods Entering Colorado, we started with Colorado Springs and decided to head north afterwards. For a midwest girl who has only seen mini Michigan mountains and Appalachian mountains, the first sight of any mountain out west was incredible. Driving down the road, with wind turbines on either side of us, miles off… Continue reading Backtracking in Colorado
Gateway to the West
The journey begins! After pushing our departure date back a few days, we decided it was time to get on the road regardless of if we were 100% ready (although this leads to stabbing yourself in the finger with a screw driver while trying to install hinges on the road). We packed the van up,… Continue reading Gateway to the West
Converting the ad-VAN-ture mobile
Before we get into the heart of our adventures I thought I would show you around our tiny home on wheels. We initially had a plan to reconvert Michaels old van, so we gutted that and started putting in the base of our floor. That is until we realized he was about to upgrade to… Continue reading Converting the ad-VAN-ture mobile
An Introduction
The journey is the destination Hello! Getting back into this whole blogging business feels a little strange, but so many events have happened in my life recently and I'd love to share them with you! My name is Courtney and this story begins in 2019 during my last semester of college. I graduated with a… Continue reading An Introduction
Where We Roam 