tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27124100254411987982024-03-13T01:29:04.585-06:00Trees and TravelsNature and travel through narrative, pictures, videos, maps, and any other means possible. Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-62012882053152179142018-09-12T13:12:00.001-06:002018-09-12T13:12:45.822-06:00A Highlight Near Jackson Hole<div dir="ltr">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-19HbYr52hbh6csZmS9D6xfg4NZ82sfiL6pIDbqq41vQkltoljANOGjcrbZLwdBABYhJj14nTNEbhQUSnzk85xGCXVbnPBjKZGTs6S9gLdn2nnk_aHMokX2V-EmvyCFG_QpnxVFBEOUog/s1600/IMG_20180906_090345159_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-19HbYr52hbh6csZmS9D6xfg4NZ82sfiL6pIDbqq41vQkltoljANOGjcrbZLwdBABYhJj14nTNEbhQUSnzk85xGCXVbnPBjKZGTs6S9gLdn2nnk_aHMokX2V-EmvyCFG_QpnxVFBEOUog/s320/IMG_20180906_090345159_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a> In the past couple years, I've camped at quite a few random locations that I've found on <a href="http://freecampsites.net/">freecampsites.net</a>. The most beautiful one I've come across so far is along Granite Creek Road in Bridger-Teton National Forest between Jackson and Pinedale, Wyoming. This nine mile long road boasts multiple attractions that make it a lovely and cheap destination. About an hour from Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole, it's an ideal spot to camp if visiting the park.<br />
<h3>
Camping Out</h3>
I camped here the week after Labor Day, so my experience may differ a bit from what visitors might experience during the middle of summer. Online, many people mentioned that the dirt road was a perpetual cloud of dust due to a relatively high amount of traffic back and forth. This wasn't my experience at all though. Also mentioned online, the road had apparently been washed out at some point and wasn't easily passable for many vehicles. Again, this wasn't my experience. The road must have been fixed up since then. The majority of the road was no problem for my two-wheel drive Equinox.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7GE45zTizeKojtEJcK_ZMxZWFCypCJVsfd1thyHBRriWqBQY_R94QkAIVe8VJNClPy6kkM64HV6_aTmztr-ess5DM2rAFme09rGkiZi_y6QCqygILDf4REio2alrbnwQ6iiOHTlD2Fns/s1600/DSC_0179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7GE45zTizeKojtEJcK_ZMxZWFCypCJVsfd1thyHBRriWqBQY_R94QkAIVe8VJNClPy6kkM64HV6_aTmztr-ess5DM2rAFme09rGkiZi_y6QCqygILDf4REio2alrbnwQ6iiOHTlD2Fns/s320/DSC_0179.JPG" width="320" /></a> Along Granite Creek Road, there are numerous dispersed camping spots, albeit mostly used by RVs and trailers. We stayed in a tent, though, with no issues. Many of the sites are near the creek and have splendid mountain views. Coming through at around 6:30pm, we had no problem snatching up a breathtaking spot. Only a handful of other people were in the camping areas. Probably the biggest obstacle about finding a spot was the abundance of cows wandering around. We had to work around a few cow piles in the site we picked. I was afraid they might walk right to the tent!<br />
If dispersed camping isn't for you, there's actually a campground near the end of the road for a fee. It has pretty nice sites as well, but is really only worth the fee if you have a fear of using the bathroom outside.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktYlq4OB3MqHznfniEIwMIF-KlpRZWVEG5pugaXW6vd0yD7yY_vcktStBIcxLmDgO2MBQLAk1PImTJ42fbzUmnI1xDXdap-SeqSsqVsszFYvnlmulso9IO9YMhdGTnoy00pgqWHl-JN0u/s1600/IMG_20180906_111136314_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktYlq4OB3MqHznfniEIwMIF-KlpRZWVEG5pugaXW6vd0yD7yY_vcktStBIcxLmDgO2MBQLAk1PImTJ42fbzUmnI1xDXdap-SeqSsqVsszFYvnlmulso9IO9YMhdGTnoy00pgqWHl-JN0u/s200/IMG_20180906_111136314_HDR.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixW3_5yFyUqbTEQR_KmpIxatk0G_xFFm-6vG_J2x0D9GBqZI-VOQoMXCi8dtxKmiqPxh0Ba5zVgIHzc5NYuLgvNo9eEs3bBPKEe9N-xMzVWa5iYr8imdzvBwCSzWQ0FvmeNe11Ok3W1LsC/s1600/IMG_20180906_111131681_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixW3_5yFyUqbTEQR_KmpIxatk0G_xFFm-6vG_J2x0D9GBqZI-VOQoMXCi8dtxKmiqPxh0Ba5zVgIHzc5NYuLgvNo9eEs3bBPKEe9N-xMzVWa5iYr8imdzvBwCSzWQ0FvmeNe11Ok3W1LsC/s200/IMG_20180906_111131681_HDR.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<h3>
Granite Hot Springs</h3>
The coolest feature of this area is it's hot spring. The pool is only open from 10am to 6pm at this time of year unfortunately. We weren't able to go in the evening, but we showed up at the pool promptly at 10am the next morning. It was more developed than I had expected. There's an $8 fee for adults and $5 for kids, but well worth it. The spring feeds hot water into the pool, so closer to <br />
the spring is hotter and farther away is cooler. Closest to the spring is just short of hot tub temperatures, with the rest of the pool being around the temperature of bath water. It was a lovely soak on a chilly morning. Arriving right at opening time, only a couple other people were at the pool. We heard talk of a small spring in the creek, but did not follow up on what we heard. If you visit, perhaps ask the attendant about any other springs in the area.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJZonVeHOInUSAb3U27jjqFez5SFECy2E3ixXa3DHQHyo9iOeipjMljIchyNHaQa4FVam2HOuft9jRDLpLh2iBt46VRHquWaVSTrsUj5tTLlvrdSet_s26fTiHrjWIq7TJK6cVX8JAL91/s1600/IMG_20180905_192730143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJZonVeHOInUSAb3U27jjqFez5SFECy2E3ixXa3DHQHyo9iOeipjMljIchyNHaQa4FVam2HOuft9jRDLpLh2iBt46VRHquWaVSTrsUj5tTLlvrdSet_s26fTiHrjWIq7TJK6cVX8JAL91/s320/IMG_20180905_192730143.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<h3>
Limitless Attractions</h3>
Did I mention there is a waterfall along this road? Some trails as well? <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/btnf/recreation/recarea/?recid=77442&actid=30">trail information</a>.<br />
Granite Creek Falls lies near the road close to the pool. Trails start at a few different points, so watch for signage and review </div>
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If traveling through the Grand Teton area, Granite Creek is a perfect boondocking area to hang out in. During the day, relax at the pool, take in the views, or check out the trails. At night, enjoy nothing but the sound of the creek and a view of the Milky Way overhead.<br />
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<center>
<a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/btnf/recarea/?recid=71639">More information about the springs</a><br />
<a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/regions/intermountain/GraniteCreek/index.shtml">More information about the road</a></center>
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<a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/regions/intermountain/GraniteCreek/index.shtml"><br /></a>
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<a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/regions/intermountain/GraniteCreek/index.shtml"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d371242.93980689504!2d-110.71704104235772!3d43.370009168505646!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x0%3A0xa13d8fa872df7152!2sGranite+Hot+Springs+Pool!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1536774160006" style="border: 0;" width="300">More information about the road</iframe></a></center>
Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0Bondurant, WY, USA43.2029911 -110.4087918999999842.832348599999996 -111.05423889999999 43.5736336 -109.76334489999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-48159728232131484522017-12-01T16:02:00.002-07:002017-12-01T16:03:22.811-07:00Reuse Water Bottles and Save the World!<h2 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Water Bottles from Faucet Face</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPobSc4UQUfaX-FduA-FdgKCkkC_vMOxOPqfD_bKSHXovN_et4n33MKvqVMhdkZwXbDM9f4Q9SNn3VKTngECaaIDo0XUxKk_V9OgyCxBS7toylLrPBqFhZNwEBLoB300BcKFTbVL5ROvCl/s1600/DSCN3736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPobSc4UQUfaX-FduA-FdgKCkkC_vMOxOPqfD_bKSHXovN_et4n33MKvqVMhdkZwXbDM9f4Q9SNn3VKTngECaaIDo0XUxKk_V9OgyCxBS7toylLrPBqFhZNwEBLoB300BcKFTbVL5ROvCl/s320/DSCN3736.JPG" width="320" /></a> Sturdy, leak-free, and keeps water tasting fresh-- I can't ask for much more in a water bottle. Faucet Face's glass bottles are perfect for replacing single-use plastic bottles that folks often take to work or school every single day.<br />
Faucet Face has a variety of fun designs on their glass bottles and sell stainless steel bottles as well. Either way, your water will remain tasty without spooky chemicals sneaking in. By investing in one of these bottles, you can save money and help conserve the Earth's resources.<br />
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<h3>
Amazing Design and Quality</h3>
I've been using three of Faucet Face's glass bottles (as pictured) on a regular basis. Mostly, I've been taking them with me to work. They've also come with me on hikes near the Grand Canyon-- I have to keep plenty of water with me in the desert! Use these bottles on a daily basis for working out, yoga, hiking, or even just use them at home.<br />
I must say I've abused these bottles a little bit. I often fill them up, throw them in my bag, and end up tossing my bag around a bit. I've accidentally hit my bottle on hard objects, dropped my bag, etc. There have been no leaks or breakage in the bottles! Although they're glass, they can still take a beating. An important thing to note about the glass bottles is to make sure you keep the white disk inside the cap. You need it to keep your bottle from leaking!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_N8yI709nPVCV9NXEs_eljLNSPptNc5YZE4yuqv5FsmE1yAlKLCyid66-admbrzQEF8y8A9_Wh4iD5UnQqhzKeFwAZBRbNiBS-235ScmJiOXyctaCGPckPRfN7QUK_sNTntXNg3fJhUP/s1600/DSCN3731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_N8yI709nPVCV9NXEs_eljLNSPptNc5YZE4yuqv5FsmE1yAlKLCyid66-admbrzQEF8y8A9_Wh4iD5UnQqhzKeFwAZBRbNiBS-235ScmJiOXyctaCGPckPRfN7QUK_sNTntXNg3fJhUP/s320/DSCN3731.JPG" width="320" /></a> The greatest thing about glass bottles is that your water won't start tasting bad due to chemicals seeping into it. The glass is BPA free. You won't get a metallic taste either like you might with a metal bottle. The liquid will stay cold for quite a while as well.<br />
As far as the designs go, many of them promote conservation and health such as the "Stay Hydrated" design or "Hose Water" design. The designs are cute-- I got several compliments on my hummingbird bottle! The prints haven't worn away at all from the bottles. I wash them with dish soap and water regularly and notice no fading. You can even look into ordering bottles with a custom design!<br />
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<h3>
EcoFriendly Company</h3>
Apart from the superb quality of the water bottles, Faucet Face itself is a company you'll be happy to support. Faucet Face promotes health and wellness of the individual and of the world as well. The company provides support for keeping yourself hydrated while being active. On more of a global scale, Faucet Face donates portions of their sales to Third Millennium Awakening, a charity that helps improve living conditions--such as clean drinking water--for the Thane district in India.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNXzbmxiH-H4E_q0ptsKwKuuwE5AiKUtxG7Igon2BffaGsZqi99ODZiMg0Az93VIN1WPPscQGaBYawHw0l86x83ApCLcyYSo6iiz8njEHelXF0sDJrf-sI3JSDqEpHjfnnEtnjBAeqNAF/s1600/DSCN3743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNXzbmxiH-H4E_q0ptsKwKuuwE5AiKUtxG7Igon2BffaGsZqi99ODZiMg0Az93VIN1WPPscQGaBYawHw0l86x83ApCLcyYSo6iiz8njEHelXF0sDJrf-sI3JSDqEpHjfnnEtnjBAeqNAF/s320/DSCN3743.JPG" width="320" /></a> Of course there's the benefit for the Earth as a whole of using glass bottles: saving thousands of plastic bottles from being left out in the world. If you're a person who uses a new plastic water bottle every day, think of how many bottles you'll keep out of our landfills, oceans, and environment over just one year. Conservation is of the highest value to Faucet Face as a company-- and they prove it in their ecofriendly products.</div>
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<h3>
Get Them Here:</h3>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=treesandtrave-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B004ECKQ3G&asins=B004ECKQ3G&linkId=813a682518ac0f5df009683c1cb58ea1&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=treesandtrave-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B01GW191AU&asins=B01GW191AU&linkId=eab5bf7f3565c6c489f7f90eb63ae5c1&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=treesandtrave-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00SRUI516&asins=B00SRUI516&linkId=209bc180090a14b783d2f59faea2872e&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Check out Faucet Face's links:</div>
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<a href="https://faucetface.com/">Faucet Face</a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FaucetFace1/">Facebook</a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://amzn.to/2zk70RA">Amazon</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/faucetface/">Instagram</a></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/faucetface">Twitter</a></div>
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<h3>
Conclusion</h3>
I tried three of Faucet Face's bottles and can positively say they will remain my go-to bottles for work for a long time to come. Not only can I vouch for these bottles, I also allowed friends to borrow them for their opinion. Their results were similar to mine-- these bottles are great. If you're looking to do a small part to help out the environment and care for supporting companies whose priorities include health and conservation, give these bottles a try. You'll get your money's worth as well as play a part in saving the Earth.Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-28020742745995684362017-10-20T14:44:00.001-06:002017-10-20T14:50:16.677-06:00Covering a Lot of Land in a Little Time<div dir="ltr">
While planning my travels for the last month, I knew I'd be covering a lot of ground. Starting in Alaska, going home to Illinois, seeing my boyfriend's family in Virginia, and ending up at the Grand Canyon were all in the plans. It wasn't until I drove several thousand miles and went through many new places that it really set in. Here I made up a map of the places that I passed through, visited, or camped in the last month. These points actually only scratch the surface, as there are many more places along these routes that made for an even more notable trip.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m76!1m12!1m3!1d48829563.02605532!2d-148.48803594597578!3d41.67043177694195!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!4m61!3e0!4m5!1s0x56cd25ffcc762c3d%3A0x4bb125bf18d59c5!2sHealy%2C+AK!3m2!1d63.869738399999996!2d-149.021511!4m5!1s0x53e55d8725ce9b05%3A0x40cebe21998d434c!2sLiard+River+Hot+Springs+Provincial+Park%2C+Alaska+Highway%2C+Muncho+Lake%2C+BC%2C+Canada!3m2!1d59.422610899999995!2d-126.09712599999999!4m5!1s0x537170039f843fd5%3A0x266d3bb1b652b63a!2sCalgary%2C+AB%2C+Canada!3m2!1d51.0486151!2d-114.0708459!4m5!1s0x53486f8888fa9d97%3A0x373556d4f179b550!2sBillings%2C+MT!3m2!1d45.7832856!2d-108.5006904!4m5!1s0x877e870c18052023%3A0x69685e31dae677f0!2sBadlands+National+Park%2C+South+Dakota!3m2!1d43.8553804!2d-102.33969119999999!4m5!1s0x880e5c1f423a849f%3A0xb0038ba0ec0faed1!2sRomeoville%2C+IL!3m2!1d41.647530599999996!2d-88.0895061!4m5!1s0x89b111095799c9ed%3A0xbfd83e6de2423cc5!2sRichmond%2C+VA!3m2!1d37.5407246!2d-77.4360481!4m5!1s0x889a1ad89231ee4d%3A0xc6ba715075f6d16f!2sGulf+Shores%2C+AL!3m2!1d30.246036099999998!2d-87.70081929999999!4m5!1s0x8620a454b2118265%3A0xdb065be85e22d3b4!2sNew+Orleans%2C+LA!3m2!1d29.9510658!2d-90.0715323!4m5!1s0x873312ae759b4d15%3A0x1f38a9bec9912029!2sGrand+Canyon+National+Park%2C+Arizona!3m2!1d36.1069652!2d-112.1129972!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1508528650897" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyNFDiLP4TKu8AtnuUb8Bj_Kt0O4UjeiqV6EQPJiZ1te1x-56ZDEn036Y322LN3Tx5Wy_geBhDBZeP97dmXNdGClY_I27tDDnrc4Mzjc_JyYcbvvuii4kNjAUVO1YiSd89VhjoC9nz4RH8/s1600/IMG_20170922_114633690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyNFDiLP4TKu8AtnuUb8Bj_Kt0O4UjeiqV6EQPJiZ1te1x-56ZDEn036Y322LN3Tx5Wy_geBhDBZeP97dmXNdGClY_I27tDDnrc4Mzjc_JyYcbvvuii4kNjAUVO1YiSd89VhjoC9nz4RH8/s320/IMG_20170922_114633690.jpg" width="320" /></a> Though I traveled back through Alaska and Canada in much the same route as I had going north, it still managed to be quite different. Fall colors were rampant and wildlife activity had changed. I had the pleasure of visiting Liard River Hot Springs in British Columbia again, which was amazing. You can see the summary of my road trip up to Alaska <a href="http://treesandtravels.blogspot.com/2017/06/chicago-to-healy-alaska.html">here</a>. The route was the same until we got to Calgary. My boyfriend and I were sick with colds and for my boyfriend, a sinus infection as well. We had planned on going through Banff and Jasper National Parks in Canada again, as well as Glacier in Montana. Unfortunately, sickness left us rushing for the lower 48 so that doctor visits would be covered by health insurance. We darted south from Calgary, passing east of the mountains and really anything fun. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr58mnE7ePeJDG-Dwsyl5nEQcC-sVSLOc08eAlSKQYq112_D9JuQdTnoYfQbhRVpe1Q1B3KilUN2ClTWz9DVitahyATXoy7msURR3glNF6zJnlngkkuU5tjX3YwFpRcJZ4C7CNW9ECR8Ko/s1600/IMG_20170926_084938020_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr58mnE7ePeJDG-Dwsyl5nEQcC-sVSLOc08eAlSKQYq112_D9JuQdTnoYfQbhRVpe1Q1B3KilUN2ClTWz9DVitahyATXoy7msURR3glNF6zJnlngkkuU5tjX3YwFpRcJZ4C7CNW9ECR8Ko/s320/IMG_20170926_084938020_HDR.jpg" width="180" /></a> Once in Montana, my boyfriend was able to get antibiotics. We got back on track with our fun plans for the rest of the trip. We went to visit the Battle of Little Bighorn Battlefield, but then the car broke down! Luckily, we were only about 20 minutes from a Chevy dealer and were able to get the car running long enough to get to the dealership without a tow. After five hours there, we were able to get back on the road. We camped at Devil's Tower in Wyoming, waking up to the giant landmark in our view. Then we visited Mt. Rushmore and Badlands National Park in South Dakota on our way toward Illinois.</div>
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Finally we finished off the last stretch and arrived at my parents' house. I had family and familiarity for one week before moving on. We headed to Virginia for a week so that my boyfriend could experience the same. Then our two weeks of comfort at home were over.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghzggQ9NPNc6PPj1JETLW16UfW6lkvujJq0MBuPazZmXVfsHe9uRHT5x4VWV09Ww_uFyTNe6bsWRolKmdP9qZqj4OoYygwgOg5qCbyL0ADMVAyQmKoVLzej_Ceh6kVXHMmAziljxMPGzzh/s1600/IMG_20171014_143932534_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghzggQ9NPNc6PPj1JETLW16UfW6lkvujJq0MBuPazZmXVfsHe9uRHT5x4VWV09Ww_uFyTNe6bsWRolKmdP9qZqj4OoYygwgOg5qCbyL0ADMVAyQmKoVLzej_Ceh6kVXHMmAziljxMPGzzh/s320/IMG_20171014_143932534_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a> We left the Richmond area first thing in the morning on October 12th. The first day was extremely boring because it was a very long drive through unchanging landscape of the southeast. We lost about an hour in traffic in Atlanta, but still made good time. Our destination was the home of family friends near Mobile, Alabama. Yes, we took quite a detour to be able to visit the Gulf Coast. The following day was a designated beach day during which we went to Gulf Shores State Park. The beach was beautiful! </div>
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After our beach day, we headed to New Orleans to check out the French Quarter with a friend we met in Alaska. We were disappointed that we only had time to be there for an afternoon, but it was still a blast. I tried some delicious jambalaya at a restaurant called Gumbo Shop. That evening, we camped in a free campground in rural Louisiana.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnusiDkkdz-b1vRB8UhTM-34xhoxs6SnKwYPccMAhNAe3g8DIjYAXot1ATNUhn1Mb3sGeXoaa4j6HDgSxXWoo_BK6G6JadFQ9A3d2Obe9R_qYa_jpT0yDZJu0w9GKbmmP5ocg3S2mrsBOr/s1600/IMG_20171016_112136281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnusiDkkdz-b1vRB8UhTM-34xhoxs6SnKwYPccMAhNAe3g8DIjYAXot1ATNUhn1Mb3sGeXoaa4j6HDgSxXWoo_BK6G6JadFQ9A3d2Obe9R_qYa_jpT0yDZJu0w9GKbmmP5ocg3S2mrsBOr/s320/IMG_20171016_112136281.jpg" width="320" /></a> Then we had to move on to the middle of no where yet again. We passed through Dallas and hundreds of miles of *no offense* boring Texas. The route through the state unfortunately does not pass much of interest. We camped at Santa Rosa Lake State Park in New Mexico.<br />
The fun arrived again the next day when we had some time to explore a few national monuments in New Mexico. We had already planned to see El Malpais, but ended up seeing two more unplanned. Petroglyphs National Monument and El Morro were both spontaneous visits that were well worth the stop. Markings from ancient Puebloans are scattered throughout the rocks at Petroglyphs National Monument. At El Morro, there were some petroglyphs as well, but is more noted for the inscriptions on the rocks by the Spanish and other cultures who passed through a couple hundred years ago. There are also Puebloan ruins, which were extremely neat to see. We camped at Walnut Canyon National Monument, which we actually didn't have time to check out.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__9AfX5bV-6RX-bUIFEekeB42lfAeXRgaxLsp5NuZhpgldE5_pYB6ii0L3S-FbvU8IT2fTkngzQmdJAPK2r-AkNzmlmoAskp8c1DVnNzJ7qiieHgweDIX3KttyxPICNN3T95uGWRFtVjO/s1600/IMG_20171018_112746734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__9AfX5bV-6RX-bUIFEekeB42lfAeXRgaxLsp5NuZhpgldE5_pYB6ii0L3S-FbvU8IT2fTkngzQmdJAPK2r-AkNzmlmoAskp8c1DVnNzJ7qiieHgweDIX3KttyxPICNN3T95uGWRFtVjO/s320/IMG_20171018_112746734.jpg" width="180" /></a> Finally, on the morning of the 17th, we got to the Grand Canyon to start our new jobs. We checked in and have started to settle into our new environment. My car can finally get a decent rest-- until we start our series of weekend trips that are planned!<br />
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As a side note regarding my YouTube channel and social media, my content may be making a bit of a switch. For the last several months, I had kind of been neglecting my blog to focus on my YouTube channel. I finally caught up on editing my videos during my weeks in Illinois and Virginia, only to not be able to upload them here at the Grand Canyon. I will still be hunting for ways to be able to upload, but as of right now, it appears that I would need to spend literally an entire day sitting in the community rec center in order to upload one video. It looks like my blog may become my main source of content, along with my Twitter and Instagram posts. Anyway, please continue to follow my accounts-- there are more crazy adventures to be had!</div>
Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com1Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA36.1069652 -112.112997210.584930699999997 -153.4215912 61.628999699999994 -70.8044032tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-36270591250810824552017-07-16T03:53:00.000-06:002017-10-02T15:05:41.800-06:00Volunteering at Denali's Sled Dog Kennels This week, I made a commitment for the rest of the summer to a half Siberian, half Alaskan husky named Carpe. I'm happy to say this commitment involves giving him a walk a few times a week. You might think, "What's the big deal? You're giving a dog a walk." The reason why it is important is due to the fact that Carpe is a sled dog.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiacfvPBhvCzyQQZHKNW65XQ-kg_DclLUdw5moTp_q1i2EhDfS90Ai1SUntsnaYjDy4BhwREzQY9f8h7NeMOqi8NsxPHna9n151rauHeC9WnBKWmI7FdkkCeD3pzL8f4VcVqX0CNgvrEWY/s1600/IMG_20170714_123703731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiacfvPBhvCzyQQZHKNW65XQ-kg_DclLUdw5moTp_q1i2EhDfS90Ai1SUntsnaYjDy4BhwREzQY9f8h7NeMOqi8NsxPHna9n151rauHeC9WnBKWmI7FdkkCeD3pzL8f4VcVqX0CNgvrEWY/s320/IMG_20170714_123703731.jpg" width="320" /></a> Carpe lives in Denali National Park at their sled dog kennels. He is a working dog-- he helps pull sleds in the long Alaskan winter. These sled rides are not commercial rides for money or tours. They perform jobs in the wilderness. The sled dog teams allow the wilderness to be accessible to park rangers by means that are far better for the environment than motorized vehicles. Environmental conservation projects, protecting winter visitors, and patrolling the wilderness are among some of the duties of the rangers with dog teams.<br />
In the summertime, sled dog demonstrations are done three times a day at the kennels for park visitors. This is a fun way to learn more about the dogs and their jobs. The dogs often relax most of the day-- this is where the kennel volunteers such as myself come into play. We get the dogs some exercise by walking them. Some volunteers even run with their dogs . . . I think I'll work up to that.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FXarURsQJQo/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FXarURsQJQo?feature=player_embedded" style="clear: left; float: left;" width="320"></iframe> Although there are rules and a bit of necessary training, volunteering to walk the dogs is pretty straightforward. I called the kennels earlier this week. The man told me that I could come any day between 11am and 1 pm to receive an orientation for volunteering. I went a couple days later. They paired me up with a dog, Carpe, to walk every time I come. Volunteers walk the same dog each time to stay consistent for the dogs. After a brief orientation, a practice walk, and a little paper work, I was ready to start walking Carpe. Though there are set times that the volunteers are able to take the dogs out--basically times when there is not a demonstration going on--they are flexible about which days and times volunteers come. As long as I go three times a week, it doesn't matter which day or time. This works well for me since my work schedule changes slightly week to week.<br />
The following day, Carpe and I went for our first real walk together. These dogs are really only trained to pull sleds. Carpe is not trained to go on walks. He pulls a bit and gets a too excited when he sees a squirrel or some other dogs. I was told that he's gotten three porcupines in the past. He knows some tricks, but I haven't been able to see those yet. Carpe is a very sweet dog. He gets along well with people and such. I'm excited to be able to form a bond with him throughout the next two months, though then I'll be sad to leave him!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lYE-LfYXc8zHHMwjV1XceVmEt1SxMuzMy4okP-zxz2Vid_xk_YvdwrDtlb93qVVEqrlvFMxAelKJUFkFsfdoUaGG-56S-Sobi1bvRnz7FCUigI1jrXojLWVxa7wJ_BelCKXPOkerdAOn/s1600/giphy+%25281%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lYE-LfYXc8zHHMwjV1XceVmEt1SxMuzMy4okP-zxz2Vid_xk_YvdwrDtlb93qVVEqrlvFMxAelKJUFkFsfdoUaGG-56S-Sobi1bvRnz7FCUigI1jrXojLWVxa7wJ_BelCKXPOkerdAOn/s320/giphy+%25281%2529.gif" width="320" /></a> One thing that particularly surprised me during our walk was people taking pictures of us. As we have to walk the dogs near along the road, some people in cars and tour buses take pictures as they go by. Why don't they just visit the kennels???<br />
Anyway, to sum everything up, I'm proud to have this opportunity to volunteer with the dogs. I'm also happy to be getting in some volunteer hours in a national park. Hopefully adding this to my resumé will make me a little more marketable for a NPS job.<br />
If you ever find yourself near Denali for the summer, consider volunteering to walk a doggo. Even now, the kennels are accepting more volunteers. Just call the kennel for more information.<br />
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Kennels phone number: (907) 683-9586<br />
Website: <a href="https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/kennels.htm">https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/kennels.htm</a><br />
<br />Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-25797198495060113582017-06-10T11:36:00.001-06:002017-06-10T11:41:26.765-06:00Comfy and Sturdy Backpack - Ruigor RG6147<h2>
Okay, Here's the Thing...</h2>
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I am <i>really</i> not trying to turn my blog into a review page for equipment. It comes down to this: sometimes I find that I really love an item that I use in my travels and feel the need to share it with others. While I'm at it, I throw in an Amazon Associates link though *wink*.</div>
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Anyhow, onto my latest find-- the <a href="http://amzn.to/2rygo0o">Ruigor RG6147</a> backpack.</div>
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The RG6147</h2>
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From my Amazon review of the product:<br />
"Upon opening the package, I immediately noticed two things that really got me pumped about this bag:<br />
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First, the straps and back support are wonderfully cushioned and ventilated. I plan on using this bag for a lot of travel and hiking, so the level of comfort on my shoulders and back are very important to me. The padding is far superior to that of the backpacks I've used previously.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Oh5UO6fBzxwJ8RS-szqpIeScUbNMjiR96_01fWicYCjhQo9OUkwDsRuEOCjuskRgrO7-ErNpmKeMn9OphaqhbCR3JfBwuiWuzTJsRAbHTcEGZGLgfTGbmIbJ-ZKC4JeoXmIW6mgh7_to/s1600/DSCN2364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Oh5UO6fBzxwJ8RS-szqpIeScUbNMjiR96_01fWicYCjhQo9OUkwDsRuEOCjuskRgrO7-ErNpmKeMn9OphaqhbCR3JfBwuiWuzTJsRAbHTcEGZGLgfTGbmIbJ-ZKC4JeoXmIW6mgh7_to/s320/DSCN2364.JPG" width="320" /></a>The other thing I noticed is the amount of support provided to the laptop compartment. Apart from helping me bring my laptop to Alaska this summer, I probably won't actually use the compartment for my laptop that often. I have some oddly shaped equipment that ends up in my bag, though. My video camera stabilizer often pokes my back in an uncomfortable way through the thin materials in my old backpacks. The Ruigor bag has thick protection for the laptop compartment that will prevent the stabilizer from poking me-- yay!<br />
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Besides what I've already mentioned, the bag has quite a few other notable features. It's pretty sharp looking, regardless of your intended use. I can see this bag being used for school, travel, or even more professional settings.The main compartment is spacious. Relatively large laptops will still fit in the laptop holder with extra room in the compartment. The smallest compartment has organizational pockets, one of which zips. There is also a clip for your key ring on the inside, as well as a headphone slot. All three compartments have two zippers each, which makes it easy to open, but also easy to lock up with small locks. On either side of the bag, there is a decent-sized water bottle holder. Materials used for the bag seem very high-quality-- I don't plan on having to fix rips any time soon!"<br />
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This past week, I stored my laptop and accessories in this bag for a 3,800 mile road trip. I'm typing this review from my laptop-- needless to say, the backpack did an excellent job of protecting my gear. The backpack and contents arrived in the same condition they were when I left, despite being thrown around my car for a week.<br />
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It probably goes without saying, but I gave this backpack 5 out of 5 stars on Amazon. I will be using the bag on a nearly every day basis. The purchase and shipping went very smoothly. Swiss Ruigor has several other backpacks available on amazon as well that are worth <a href="http://amzn.to/2rXOOHJ">checking out</a> as well.</div>
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<b>Buy it here:</b> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=treesandtrave-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B01M70P3UR&asins=B01M70P3UR&linkId=2e0ccbe064f7881e71219764c836d2f3&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
<b>Ruigor's website: <a href="http://www.swissruigor.com/">http://www.swissruigor.com/</a></b>Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-84765890713061931462017-06-09T21:21:00.004-06:002017-06-10T11:22:59.384-06:00Chicago to Healy, Alaska<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m28!1m12!1m3!1d9772654.336079875!2d-124.61266709526188!3d53.27337665976511!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!4m13!3e0!4m5!1s0x880e5c1f423a849f%3A0xb0038ba0ec0faed1!2sRomeoville%2C+IL!3m2!1d41.647530599999996!2d-88.0895061!4m5!1s0x56cd25ffcc762c3d%3A0x4bb125bf18d59c5!2sHealy%2C+AK!3m2!1d63.869738399999996!2d-149.02151089999998!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1497063062893" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe><br />
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<h2>
A Long Way From Home...</h2>
Since January, I had been eagerly waiting to leave for Healy, Alaska to work a summer job. The day finally came for me to leave-- June 2nd. The map above shows the route we took to Healy, except that we drove through Calgary, Banff, and Jasper (the map won't embed exactly as-is). <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/wu3FvVcfoTF2">This is the link</a> to the exact route we took.<br />
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Summing it up</h2>
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This trip took a week. I will briefly summarize the road trip...</div>
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Day 1</h3>
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We left Romeoville, IL at about 6:30am. Minot, North Dakota was where we slept the first night. It was about a 900 mile drive that day. </div>
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Day 2</h3>
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On the second day, we left Minot and headed to Stoney Nakoda Resort and Casino in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada. It took us about an hour to get past customs at the border, being first time visitors to Canada. This leg of the trip was about 750 miles.</div>
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Day 3</h3>
Banff and Jasper National Parks made the third day particularly special due to the beautiful sights. We drove through both parks to Grande Cache, AB. It was a 350 mile drive with frequent stops to sight see. There was a free campground along the highway that we stayed at for the night.</div>
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Day 4</h3>
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We drove 680 miles from Grande Cache to Liard River Hot Springs in British Columbia. This began our trip on the Alaska Highway, starting at Dawson Creek. We slept in the overflow camping lot of the hot springs. Luckily, we were able to soak in the springs in the evening as well as the following morning.</div>
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Day 5</h3>
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The next part of the journey involved us driving to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. This was a 400 mile trek. We slept in the Walmart parking lot, which allows RVs to stay overnight in their lot.</div>
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Day 6</h3>
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Crossing back into the U.S., we drove 500 miles to Delta Junction, Alaska. The Alaska Highway officially ends there. The Alaska 7 Motel was where we slept that night.</div>
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<h3>
Day 7</h3>
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We drove the last 200 miles on the seventh day, stopping in Fairbanks on the way. Finally, we made it to our destination in Healy, Alaska!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsPYJmkDpVvGshInT_9v2EnFOFu65gycXaEshhnhL7xBzQvqqOQ0seRxN_hPfxYPQy8uDf4SbchbAEbhLzw3X6y2rvz2eOJKgf5Jnkt1owUslJQ2akX-9Aha2VfUir8aKjI64pecrcoj9/s1600/banff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsPYJmkDpVvGshInT_9v2EnFOFu65gycXaEshhnhL7xBzQvqqOQ0seRxN_hPfxYPQy8uDf4SbchbAEbhLzw3X6y2rvz2eOJKgf5Jnkt1owUslJQ2akX-9Aha2VfUir8aKjI64pecrcoj9/s320/banff.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com2Alaska Hwy, Canada59.899257899999988 -131.3336898999999755.801641899999986 -141.66083839999996 63.99687389999999 -121.00654139999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-51223507795325407172017-04-18T10:57:00.001-06:002017-04-18T10:57:27.520-06:00I Love My Yes4All Hammock<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yjC3QoNnRYPt6jg8fAT6CMXI-K_LvH30n-fEwRZOJ9D0ZSD7YYJcwo6yBBPOQtHxFWOjhG2mCRcTt5yRw8Sq-f8JNwHCdEMYus64TCFa1N2-OOlBS71_SpBb1y8U0ma1ME8Amdm2zHvN/s1600/IMG_20161010_145516152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yjC3QoNnRYPt6jg8fAT6CMXI-K_LvH30n-fEwRZOJ9D0ZSD7YYJcwo6yBBPOQtHxFWOjhG2mCRcTt5yRw8Sq-f8JNwHCdEMYus64TCFa1N2-OOlBS71_SpBb1y8U0ma1ME8Amdm2zHvN/s320/IMG_20161010_145516152.jpg" width="320" /></a> Throughout my adventures in the last year, I've whipped out my Yes4All hammock whenever I've had the opportunity. It's appeared in some of my YouTube videos and blog posts. I kind of want to rant and rave about what a good deal this purchase has been. Yes this is a paid product placement-- as in if you read this post and buy the hammock using the link at the bottom, I get a little cut from Amazon. Just a little thing I'm trying out.<br />
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<h2>
The Pros</h2>
Anyhow, about the product-- I purchased this hammock about 13 months ago based on price and reviews. The <a href="http://amzn.to/2pxUDKt">Yes4All Ultralight Double Hammock with Tree Straps</a> has proven to be well worth the money for me. The hammock is rated 4 stars on Amazon, but I rate it 4.5 stars.<br />
It's spacious, sturdy, and cheap-- there isn't much more you could ask for. I've used it about a dozen times, mostly by myself. I have tried it with another person a few times though, and it didn't break! The weight limit as provided by Yes4All is 300 pounds, though it's been tested to hold up to 450 pounds.<br />
The seams are triple stitched for safety and strength. Sturdy nylon makes the hammock feel durable. Allegedly it is machine-washable, but I have not tested that personally. The straps that come with the product have proven to be strong as well. After about a dozen uses, there is essentially no sign of wear except for the bag that the hammock folds back into. It has torn a little bit, as I am not very tactful when it comes to putting the hammock away. This hasn't affected the quality of the product itself though.<br />
Working by myself, I can generally set up the hammock in just a couple minutes. The straps are efficient and easy to adjust. Taking down the hammock takes a couple extra minutes. Like I said though, I'm not very tactful at putting it away. It can still be done in about five minutes, even with my clumsiness. Overall, the product is quite easy to use.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjeT3aODBPWS49LTwKFFCxwEOIfvLz8BaBHIpAz0tMKtU4McjT0C62AUOG8hfCyt6cu4KY3JlEGauTg79Ka3OtyvjCEA0cl5u8wC83cygRNrXrZ6elJfwDTcffNqmfgm71LeN8klFZPAwu/s1600/IMG_20170415_200049004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjeT3aODBPWS49LTwKFFCxwEOIfvLz8BaBHIpAz0tMKtU4McjT0C62AUOG8hfCyt6cu4KY3JlEGauTg79Ka3OtyvjCEA0cl5u8wC83cygRNrXrZ6elJfwDTcffNqmfgm71LeN8klFZPAwu/s320/IMG_20170415_200049004.jpg" width="320" /></a> Now onto one of the biggest selling points of the Yes4All hammock-- the price. If you look around online at hammocks, you'll find that there is a wide range of prices. Many of the hammocks online are sold separately from the straps. The great thing about the Yes4All hammock is that it is relaxation-ready-- it comes ready to hang. A very popular brand of hammocks, Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO), has high quality products that come at a much higher price. Mind you, I have not owned an ENO hammock, but I have used one before. I don't honestly find there to be a big difference in comfort, ease of use, or quality compared to my Yes4All hammock. Between about $65 for the ENO DoubleNest hammock and the $20 straps, you'll be running close to $100 dollars including taxes. I bought my hammock with straps for $28. You can buy three Yes4All hammocks for the price of one ENO. Enough said.<br />
Yes4All does provide some different color options, <a href="http://amzn.to/2oIyw5u">single-sized hammocks</a>, and <a href="http://amzn.to/2oksXaK">the option to buy the hammock without the straps</a>. Some of the color options are plus or minus a few dollars.<br />
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<h2>
The Cons</h2>
Now for the cons. There are hardly any. First, there is the wear on the storage bag after trying to stuff the hammock back into it. There are clear instructions for putting it away in the images on the Amazon product page... Yeah, I didn't follow those. That's my fault. The other slight downside to the product is its weight. It is marginally heavier than some other portable hammocks. If you're planning on doing a through hike of the Appalachian Trail with your hammock, this might be something to look into. Otherwise, it really doesn't make a noticeable difference. For the most part, it's not worth buying an expensive hammock for a difference of less than a pound in weight.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipA6IKnFNAhd6w9m0T7vN3byaW7ImBTm98Ft_DHn9SY-9WZsBRI_CPrG21ZjynJvx6TTaAlNendad_jn_838gkpjr9YqeXpeV6kuS7q4BfW9he3FkCdkyvmT2sHfxT3NVfthzajg1yXowR/s1600/IMG_20160529_163550420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipA6IKnFNAhd6w9m0T7vN3byaW7ImBTm98Ft_DHn9SY-9WZsBRI_CPrG21ZjynJvx6TTaAlNendad_jn_838gkpjr9YqeXpeV6kuS7q4BfW9he3FkCdkyvmT2sHfxT3NVfthzajg1yXowR/s320/IMG_20160529_163550420.jpg" width="180" /></a><br />
<h2>
Buy It!</h2>
Overall, I highly recommend this product. Not only do I own one myself, but I bought one for my cousin for Christmas. With the range of only about $25-$35 and its high quality, it's hard to beat this hammock. If you're in the market for buying a hammock, check out the Amazon link-- get relaxing soon! <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=treesandtrave-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00VLWH73O&asins=B00VLWH73O&linkId=eed6fae15218260e3f3eac3bbbb52583&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-45706676559726916052017-04-10T19:22:00.000-06:002017-04-17T16:22:37.155-06:00Plenty of Water at Matthiessen State Park!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5JHecRmrrl0tsjSFSYpfxWQF1suXooO7BIwyegDDfwu8yh9gLhlCgHEO5qffkpAC-FamXYonrLc0NJzkXitEpdLbxI-R2QKyOLCZkHR9DmbFkzGOy7nofdlgl15L2TC609apm6XxzjDrB/s1600/DSCN1665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5JHecRmrrl0tsjSFSYpfxWQF1suXooO7BIwyegDDfwu8yh9gLhlCgHEO5qffkpAC-FamXYonrLc0NJzkXitEpdLbxI-R2QKyOLCZkHR9DmbFkzGOy7nofdlgl15L2TC609apm6XxzjDrB/s320/DSCN1665.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
As many who follow my blog or channel know, I often visit Starved Rock State Park in Illinois. For quite some time, I've known that there are multiple other state parks right in the same area as Starved Rock. Included in those state parks would be Buffalo Rock State Park, Illini State Park, and Matthiessen State Park. I finally ventured to Matthiessen. Needless to say, I was not disappointed one bit!<br />
There have been some photos that I've seen of Matthiessen in the past involving stone steps crossing water and such. That was the main spot I wanted to find while I was there. With a slight amount of internet research, I found that the area I was looking for is in the Dells area of the park. I quickly found that my GPS was not bringing me to the right place-- in fact, it was bringing me to a closed road. Luckily there were several signs in the area which redirected me.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyE4iS9InhliO1Y77splS0Ys8KeIhVomhD_VhzMUUO1wxHme8aGF1XdytSE-htrZoe40MIBw35v2-H1l8svmi__7Of8iN7WjI4jfJbmlmPoQzKeWp7Wu0muBx1LoMTe7noX0QkFyWnIUE0/s1600/DSCN1682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyE4iS9InhliO1Y77splS0Ys8KeIhVomhD_VhzMUUO1wxHme8aGF1XdytSE-htrZoe40MIBw35v2-H1l8svmi__7Of8iN7WjI4jfJbmlmPoQzKeWp7Wu0muBx1LoMTe7noX0QkFyWnIUE0/s320/DSCN1682.JPG" width="320" /></a> I would say I was surprised as to how many people were there, but there is a pretty decent explanation. It was Saturday, April 1st, and about 55 degrees out. What made the biggest impact was that the main parking lot at Starved Rock was flooded and closed. Many people would have been left searching for alternative parking or even hitting up a different park. This is what I attribute the business at Matthiessen to that day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3BZd96gHOE_Bu-x87lVp_sj4vaTxUspGF5KhB6tiO35GWOeqh4PGWSgNKbESQSkyAA2B8cTG7pzd1WXLRTndUuObF_ZKXPxfyIhWumIfxuXgkutgegywmpNmYQSzk4H5-7AkGDxxkxm6/s1600/DSCN1677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3BZd96gHOE_Bu-x87lVp_sj4vaTxUspGF5KhB6tiO35GWOeqh4PGWSgNKbESQSkyAA2B8cTG7pzd1WXLRTndUuObF_ZKXPxfyIhWumIfxuXgkutgegywmpNmYQSzk4H5-7AkGDxxkxm6/s320/DSCN1677.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Parking was easy when I got there, though the lot was filled by the time I left. I ventured past the fort and took the loop on the right first. I headed down the inner trail at Lake Falls. The falls were really coming down! If you didn't guess by the fact that Starved Rock's parking lot was flooded, there had been <i>plenty</i> of rain recently. In fact, there was almost too much water in many areas. The trails were muddy, which I didn't mind. Many of the cool rock crossings were covered by water though. Some of the normal attractions Matthiessen has to offer were not accessible without getting your feet wet... and probably up to your knees as well. Being a little chilly outside, this wasn't ideal.<br />
I ended up heading back up to the main trail at Cedar Point. I continued on to the left loop, only really peeking down into the inner trail. The thing is that those inner trails (the green ones on the map) are mostly through the water. My volunteering shift at Starved Rock was in just a couple hours, and I didn't have a change of socks or shoes. With that said, <i>of course</i> I accidentally ended up completely submerging my boots and getting soaked.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyUUihqsPb3uIHgqTqnFaVKliTz4s5JW_Mtj5K6GdmvRbZg-_57PFklQT_j4L7UyZhtL2cdOIZKw4ph4bOnmGtf1GMHMGOomSISVuIQl70wQ2Nf3MW_F-Qh5KFp2F6XAcsCosh36rHaCp/s1600/DSCN1680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyUUihqsPb3uIHgqTqnFaVKliTz4s5JW_Mtj5K6GdmvRbZg-_57PFklQT_j4L7UyZhtL2cdOIZKw4ph4bOnmGtf1GMHMGOomSISVuIQl70wQ2Nf3MW_F-Qh5KFp2F6XAcsCosh36rHaCp/s320/DSCN1680.JPG" width="320" /></a> After finishing the left loop, I returned to my car. My attempts to dry my boots and socks were all in vain... I spent three hours volunteering at the visitor center desk with wet feet. Regardless, Matthiessen was pretty sweet to check out. Though the waterfalls are awesome in spring, going in the late spring or in the summer might work better. The water levels probably wouldn't be quite so high. Even if they were, at least it would be warmer outside if you get wet.<br />
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The waterproof cases that make my water shots possible:<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=treesandtrave-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B019DGN9GS&asins=B019DGN9GS&linkId=815bdcb04a716422286a68375b160122&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0Matthiessen State Park, 2500 Illinois Route 178, Oglesby, IL 61348, USA41.2854552 -89.02464370000001315.763420700000001 -130.3332377 66.8074897 -47.716049700000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-68598835665730448722017-03-11T20:19:00.000-07:002017-04-10T19:50:33.240-06:00A Neat Spot on the Appalachian Trail Just last week, I had the opportunity to check out a hike in Virginia on the Appalachian Trail. The spot is called McAfee Knob. It is a pretty well-known area along the trail. You might even recognize the place upon seeing the pictures up at the Knob.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d30159.2956082809!2d-80.08667544040678!3d37.38733852342571!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x0%3A0xa2f686a99656ea70!2sMcAfee+Knob!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1489282308836" style="border: 0;" width="500"></iframe>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyo5kNtQ43g6UFTgzZoz-R1GXG9QJQpCbloxz75BneuClYs3DKueg-idYXJFNqKOeG1B899uvlgmR43eD-riKqbd-sKhFOYTBzNnMK9YePoaaTf1Dk_OC2CK36OfuImXMTupYgMzuB01m/s1600/IMG_20170306_121656520_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyo5kNtQ43g6UFTgzZoz-R1GXG9QJQpCbloxz75BneuClYs3DKueg-idYXJFNqKOeG1B899uvlgmR43eD-riKqbd-sKhFOYTBzNnMK9YePoaaTf1Dk_OC2CK36OfuImXMTupYgMzuB01m/s320/IMG_20170306_121656520_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a> It was very easy to access the McAfee Knob as a day hike. There is a parking lot on VA-311 to access the trail head. It's a pretty popular hike, so we were lucky to go on a Monday during March. We didn't see very many people on the trail and only a handful at the Knob.<br />
The hike itself is about eight miles round-trip. It can be done as a loop or a in-and-back hike. Basically, you can hike in and out using the Appalachian Trail, or use the fire road that runs nearly parallel to the trail. The route that we took was on the Appalachian Trail on the way up to the Knob and the fire road coming back down. There is a fair amount of rock on the trail that you have to step over or around, including some stone steps here and there. The fire road is much smoother, but at some point you will end up back on the Appalachian Trail. The fire road doesn't go directly to McAfee Knob.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjrJ4RuetBt61UGfJjJZtKitC6Nwcvc-uny5L5qQJWncOj1eWJOoxXxZ_JRmTUJQn2KjVpbhuhQTkg5UBvkfSRmv7HKrlr9fvRnAh7DN7drc7UOD2kzY9_GoyN55hg1bP4cYOr5iM5XO-/s1600/DSCN1558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjrJ4RuetBt61UGfJjJZtKitC6Nwcvc-uny5L5qQJWncOj1eWJOoxXxZ_JRmTUJQn2KjVpbhuhQTkg5UBvkfSRmv7HKrlr9fvRnAh7DN7drc7UOD2kzY9_GoyN55hg1bP4cYOr5iM5XO-/s320/DSCN1558.JPG" width="320" /></a> At the trail head, the map describes the hike as moderate to strenuous. That is about right. There are easy stretches, but some relatively steep areas of elevation gain. You end up going up about 1,700 feet over the four miles to get to the top.<br />
There are two shelters on the way up-- the Johns Spring Shelter and the Catawba Mountain Shelter. They are both pretty basic but definitely provide a nifty spot to take a rest.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhit4XxF1GJMru2M59UJ-IlCH8_k_7icqBhwB696hOWVf8MUYlILUZeHXCn2oUpSSaRyn2yg649x5Vceu_G6dvEdyJhZIkLhM_XE7aEDx9qEo25u2vVjua8wMjgdZNMNWgMx4VVRRWdpG9L/s1600/DSCN1583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhit4XxF1GJMru2M59UJ-IlCH8_k_7icqBhwB696hOWVf8MUYlILUZeHXCn2oUpSSaRyn2yg649x5Vceu_G6dvEdyJhZIkLhM_XE7aEDx9qEo25u2vVjua8wMjgdZNMNWgMx4VVRRWdpG9L/s320/DSCN1583.JPG" width="320" /></a> Near the top, you'll start to see more and more rock. In some spots, there is a lot of moss and such, which makes the rock look rather pretty. Finally, you will reach McAfee Knob. Here there are exposed rocks and cliffs. Be sure to be cautious up here, particularly if the weather is less than ideal. The hike is certainly worth the reward though. At the top, you have a view of the surrounding mountains and valleys in most directions. You can do a bit of exploring at the top too, as there are accessible areas beyond what you can see right away.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizyvWo997Sb2A-Ma8IfuVIkmorMA5eMjhh10P3yBhHDuRX6zbS3YcIQUNG8o4vPgwbVhZHhqKiwIDcQ1OjHg7JP8ZjH7KX7yRoFwgGyVejy8SrwoBcYjJwaTIgtExoYMGOIZ65qmMooOw/s1600/DSCN1599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizyvWo997Sb2A-Ma8IfuVIkmorMA5eMjhh10P3yBhHDuRX6zbS3YcIQUNG8o4vPgwbVhZHhqKiwIDcQ1OjHg7JP8ZjH7KX7yRoFwgGyVejy8SrwoBcYjJwaTIgtExoYMGOIZ65qmMooOw/s320/DSCN1599.JPG" width="320" /></a> Coming down was easier and faster than going up. We finished the hike in a bit over four hours. A fit hiker could finish in less. I took frequent breaks and spent a fair amount of time at the Knob-- we ate lunch and what not.<br />
I highly recommend this hike if you are looking for Appalachian Trail sections to check out or if you're bored in Virginia!<br />
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Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-54197672770219872102017-02-27T20:13:00.006-07:002017-02-27T20:46:50.630-07:00Road Trip Planning the Easy Way If you're taking a road trip, it's probably because you are trying to save money or because you want to do <i>exactly</i> what you want to do. You don't want to mess around with expensive tour groups or travel agents who will schedule locations and events that you don't even want to spend your money on. The thought of planning a road trip yourself might seem cumbersome or even risky, but it doesn't have to be. Here are some steps that I follow while planning.<br />
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<h2>
Make a Google Doc</h2>
<div>
If you have not had the pleasure of using Google Docs before, now's your chance. Make a free Google account if you don't have one already. Access Google Docs by clicking the apps menu at the top right on Google or just search for Docs. Using a Doc has many advantages, including automatic saving and easy access on other devices or offline. You can make a Google Doc and share it with someone you're planning with so that you both can edit it in real time. You can even use speech to text on your Doc if you aren't big on typing by just clicking a couple buttons. Google Docs works pretty similarly to Microsoft Word. It has many of the same features, so it is easy to switch over to Docs.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKUgz4MDoWKjLfoM6eYE-Qyxcw2XRmJq9mtdU6zwUNUQWUinVt6-JWmcK_i0ysnygZvCVE3q0Fy1o4CnYdc714nAh-wiHsdn9MPJtCFsKKLxlLXH26YcVVo0b47Gvwd3BqY2dzMQ-JNMNQ/s1600/trip+planning2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKUgz4MDoWKjLfoM6eYE-Qyxcw2XRmJq9mtdU6zwUNUQWUinVt6-JWmcK_i0ysnygZvCVE3q0Fy1o4CnYdc714nAh-wiHsdn9MPJtCFsKKLxlLXH26YcVVo0b47Gvwd3BqY2dzMQ-JNMNQ/s320/trip+planning2.png" width="320" /></a> After you form the document, you can start adding stuff into it. The way that I start these documents is by starting a list of places that I know I want to go to. After that, I add the order that each stop would be based on their location on the map and a vague idea of what kind of route to take. Then I decide on how many days that I would want to be at each stop. These are the very most basic parts to include.<br />
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<h2>
Do Your Research</h2>
<div>
Research is going to be a crucial part of effective trip planning. In this day and age, the internet will be your number one resource. There are countless websites to help you figure out where to go. View some <a href="http://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/top-10/">Top 10</a> lists. Browse around on Google Maps for parks. Ask people in a forum for recommendations. <a href="http://nps.gov/">Nps.gov</a> is a great resource for National Park and other NPS site information. You can find camping information as well as fees, trails, and the whole lot. Look at some photography online and find out where your favorite pictures were taken. Simple Google searches will yield a plethora of information about locations you may want to visit.</div>
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Apart from the internet, don't forget about resources like books and atlases. There are plenty of movies and documentaries highlighting attractions at many parks as well.</div>
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<h2>
Add the Little Things</h2>
Now you can start to get <i>detailed </i>on your Doc. I add mileage/hours of driving in between stops using Google Maps. This will help you figure out how long you might need to stay someplace, what time you need to leave, and how much time you'll have for having fun. Plenty of links to related websites, names of hikes to do, and nearby attractions will help make your document as meaningful as possible. Get crazy-- even add some YouTube links so you can live out your trip while you're waiting in agony for your date of departure. Include information for where you'll stay the night at each stop. Call it a bit excessive, but I even include parking information when I visit cities.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9zxgTove2-7LJJ0mdOY6Xl-GhRSY3x7sLcq7qSwciaEHVf6pt8gk11TTaaEZOlrUz_SeV_d-6XoZ5AGpG7EpOsu62q3ZcNoNVvWuugyhu8EX1Yrf6VzGbSwL7MolFXU9VpxzGvudYUrW/s1600/trip+planning3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9zxgTove2-7LJJ0mdOY6Xl-GhRSY3x7sLcq7qSwciaEHVf6pt8gk11TTaaEZOlrUz_SeV_d-6XoZ5AGpG7EpOsu62q3ZcNoNVvWuugyhu8EX1Yrf6VzGbSwL7MolFXU9VpxzGvudYUrW/s320/trip+planning3.png" width="320" /></a> Whenever you can, add prices. At the end of all my planning, I calculate an approximate cost of gas, food, and accommodations. If there are any activities that you know will cost money or places that require fees, add them in.<br />
Find the cost of gas by adding up the number of miles in between every stop and add about 10% to account for driving around within parks, getting lost, and so on. Divide your total mileage by the miles per gallon that your vehicle gets. This gives you the number of gallons of gas that you will use. My 2013 Equinox gets 32 mpg highway and 22 city, so I would use about 28 mpg for my calculation because I will be on the highway most of the time but not always. Multiply that number by the price of gas per gallon. When planning months ahead of time, I even look up price projections on this <a href="http://www.eia.gov/outlooks/steo/">website</a>.<br />
You will probably find that you are changing your trip around, adjusting places to visit, and adjusting the length of your trip all the time for a while. I never like to entirely <i>delete</i> plans that I have changed. If I change my mind about going somewhere, often times I copy and paste it into the end of the document or a new document. Maybe I'll want to visit that place in the future sometime. Also, you never know when you might end up with an extra day during your trip due to a closure or something... Having some backup plans could help.<br />
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<h2>
Other Google Perks</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinsSpJKZwNMIZjUa9mwYgFmQkvWmhbj7NoqlOIUWEMZbz10zrhkkbrGihIw8NTpWoLMT7NFSYBCc7LYo0aoWAf5yzNNWU741IZHwoGfZ1u6qXETMZT1EyMUgNIE5iPW5xeIhiBba-GQV3v/s1600/trip+planning1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinsSpJKZwNMIZjUa9mwYgFmQkvWmhbj7NoqlOIUWEMZbz10zrhkkbrGihIw8NTpWoLMT7NFSYBCc7LYo0aoWAf5yzNNWU741IZHwoGfZ1u6qXETMZT1EyMUgNIE5iPW5xeIhiBba-GQV3v/s320/trip+planning1.png" width="320" /></a> In addition to using a Google Doc for planning, you can take it a step farther with other Google apps and features. Google Drive, where all of your Google Docs are stored, can be used even more. For example, my boyfriend and I have a shared folder on Google Drive where we can easily send and edit all sorts of things with each other. You can also upload files into the folder such as park maps.</div>
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An app called Google MyMaps can be used to place your road trip stops on a map. I'll be the first to say I'm not a huge fan of MyMaps mostly because it doesn't easily create a route for you with mileage and such. It is very helpful for visual people though who would like to see more of a pictorial representation of their trip.</div>
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<h2>
Get Out There</h2>
The method I've outlined here is what I've used to plan out multiple road trips, including some pretty lengthy ones. It's become my go-to for laying out a timeline for even a weekend camping trip. I've found that keeping my thoughts and ideas in one spot time after time has helped me plan each trip more easily. <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1daSKmYiOthyZXKv4vTUPfvaIUFaPM0J1HnNefKRB9-g/edit?usp=sharing">Here is a link to the document my boyfriend and I made for our Northeastern trip last year.</a> <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P4SCvcv5TOyme9wZUnj6WYlsuwsg3ruLLqwkeeNMFMI/edit?usp=sharing">Here's a shorter trip example.</a><br />
If you try a similar method to this one, please let me know how it goes. Everybody will have a slightly different style of planning even when using a Doc like this. Some spots in my documents might not make complete sense to you, being on the outside of the planning. My boyfriend and I know exactly how to read it though since we're the ones who made the plan. It will go the same for you as long as you discuss with your travel partners and attempt to stay organized. Of course, as always, have a wonderful time planning and going out on your next adventure!</div>
Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-59273106479670930162017-01-29T09:43:00.005-07:002017-01-29T09:45:10.715-07:00Well, I Have a Summer Plan In the last few weeks, I filled out applications for a summer job at around 20 establishments in or around national parks. I received emails from 10 of them requesting a phone or Skype interview. There were only three interviews that I actually did. All three offered me a job. It came down to figuring out how my boyfriend and I could both get jobs at the same place, and several other factors in deciding which job to take. Out of the three locations, two of them also offered my boyfriend a job (he had contact with some places that never called me as well), Two of the places are right at the entrance of Denali National Park in Alaska, and the third is in Yellowstone. If you read my <a href="http://treesandtravels.blogspot.com/2017/01/current-goal-national-park-summer-job.html">last post</a> about this topic, you can probably predict our decision...<br />
<h2>
We're Going to Alaska!</h2>
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I'm going to be working at <a href="http://denalipark.com/">Denali Gift Companies</a>. I'm not going to go too much into detail about the job itself, but here is some <a href="http://www.denalijobs.com/">job information</a> that the company has on a website. Basically, we're going to work at a gift shop right outside of Denali.<br />
<h3>
Healy </h3>
About ten miles away, there's a little town called Healy. This town swells enormously during the summer, because the seasonal employees for the Denali area attractions mostly live there. The gift shop company has some little cabins in Healy where the employees live. I will have $28 a week taken out of my paycheck to live there.<br />
The town doesn't have much in it-- just a few restaurants and such. Fairbanks is the closest town that has more of the "regular" amenities that we're used to in the well-populated suburbs. Fairbanks is about two hours away from Healy. It's likely that we'll make the trip up there every-other week or so. </div>
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<h3>
Getting There</h3>
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Yes, we're planning on driving all the way to Alaska. I've already applied for my passport so that I can pass through Canada. I will finally get out of the U.S. for the very first time! The plan is to leave from Illinois on June 2nd, provided that school lets out on June 1st as planned. I may be the only teacher not wishing for any snow days! We start at the gift shop the 10th, so we have eight days to drive around 3,600 miles. That's only 450 miles a day, which is very doable. With that being said, large portions of the route to Alaska are in the middle of nowhere. If we have car troubles, that could easily set us back immensely. We will still probably try to drive 700 or 800 miles a day to give us some extra time in case we have troubles.</div>
<h3>
Things to do</h3>
<div>
Obviously we're going to spend a lot of time in or around Denali. We'll camp, hike, explore, and all the other things to do in the great outdoors. In the Denali area, there are also some companies who do ziplining, rafting, jeep tours, helicopter rides, etc. which can also be options. I'm hoping to be able to get a few days off in a row a couple times in order to explore a little farther away. The goal is to get down to Anchorage and Kenai Fjords National Park, as well as get up north to Gates of the Arctic National Park. Hopefully these trips will work out, even if only for a couple days each.</div>
<h3>
So Much Excitement!</h3>
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If you can't tell, I'm extremely excited to be heading on this journey in the summer. This could very well be the summer of a lifetime for me. I'm nearly counting down the days until I say goodbye to the lower 48 for a few months. Keep a lookout on my <a href="http://youtube.com/c/treesandtravels">YouTube channel</a> and this blog for more updates about my adventure. Oh, I will have internet access while I'm in Alaska-- look forward to some top-notch content coming this summer!</div>
Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-4419139227979503242017-01-18T12:54:00.000-07:002017-04-22T11:53:35.513-06:00Sun and Sand in the Midwest<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBbqjAdzEsG_R0JpjXiTbemciC-ltiUbrzANqEO4eYu2xsjqOpgWnnJ4qW5E8VI-xns9NJ40DUEwtmlAc_94_-yXEAwC0JBetgDZhbrUHkeThCx2GJDWExn9MohsqUAz9P6bfWkMlA5Di/s1600/IMG_3526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBbqjAdzEsG_R0JpjXiTbemciC-ltiUbrzANqEO4eYu2xsjqOpgWnnJ4qW5E8VI-xns9NJ40DUEwtmlAc_94_-yXEAwC0JBetgDZhbrUHkeThCx2GJDWExn9MohsqUAz9P6bfWkMlA5Di/s320/IMG_3526.JPG" width="320" /></a> Anybody who knows me personally knows that I despise being trapped in the Midwest for the majority of the year. There is one particular spot that makes me forget that I reside in such a flat, boring area. Warren Dunes State Park in Michigan is the perfect nearby getaway spot for people in the northern Midwest who wish that they were somewhere else.<br />
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<h2>
About the Park</h2>
Warren Dunes is run by the <a href="http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?type=SPRK&id=504">Michigan DNR</a>. The park has a few miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, trails, camping, and a giant sand dune. There are towns nearby for any of your needs. A nominal fee is charged per car, which is pretty standard for most state and national parks.<br />
<h4>
Camping</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHAL7EnMUFXYH_q4gNJv86GGovQJ5yAGK00uIJqnecajz3aCI-nK4zJMvCtFoW4yVSqythSsWcQMxFNnmPai-lr4Ve2AbVJK-0jobJoMV2ub6noEi5LLB3YRz2qpbFR7cwJCVmSJ1mmFC/s1600/IMG_20160809_143402606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHAL7EnMUFXYH_q4gNJv86GGovQJ5yAGK00uIJqnecajz3aCI-nK4zJMvCtFoW4yVSqythSsWcQMxFNnmPai-lr4Ve2AbVJK-0jobJoMV2ub6noEi5LLB3YRz2qpbFR7cwJCVmSJ1mmFC/s320/IMG_20160809_143402606.jpg" width="320" /></a> Camping is $22 per night for a basic non-electric campsite, and of course, a bit more for electric hookups. I have only been camping here once and stayed three nights. The campground is not on the water and is a little bit farther away than ideal. It's within walking distance of the beach, but if bringing a cooler or other beach equipment, it's much more convenient to drive over to the beach parking lot. Be aware that there are a lot of nighttime critters in the campgrounds-- don't leave out any food or garbage! Overall, the camping is adequate but I wouldn't normally stay there.<br />
<h4>
The Beach</h4>
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Of course, the highlight of the trip is the wonderful Lake Michigan beach. If you've never been to a beach on the Great Lakes, you may be surprised when you arrive there and feel like you are on the ocean. From the beach at Warren Dunes, there is water as far as the eye can see. Some small fish may be visible, but generally I haven't seen much in the water. The water gets deeper as you go in. It doesn't take long to get in over your head, so weak swimmers and small children should stay pretty close to shore. Close to the buoys that mark the swimming area is a sandbar. This may be a little outside of the swimming area, but I've never seen anyone get in trouble for going there. I would not go farther than the sandbar though. Rip currents are a recurring issue in the lake, so pay attention to advisories and learn about what you should do in case you get caught in a current.</div>
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I like this beach compared to others on Lake Michigan because it's far enough south that the water gets comfortable in the summer. It's also pretty clean, as opposed to some beaches in Chicago or northwest Indiana.</div>
<h4>
Clay</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtX6zEajerGFxylpeqfqydwdpkVcUM4ND7dq9XeQiYbye5w-04-6xTDd9s04DpQhHUYcPpaZ9bPhJqSF_BVmOTSc6cmg4GX5rJBMAb1Mu0EAqsQrQakUO8-P_xy5bZJKLGqvJ1w_OBXrKI/s1600/IMG_3548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtX6zEajerGFxylpeqfqydwdpkVcUM4ND7dq9XeQiYbye5w-04-6xTDd9s04DpQhHUYcPpaZ9bPhJqSF_BVmOTSc6cmg4GX5rJBMAb1Mu0EAqsQrQakUO8-P_xy5bZJKLGqvJ1w_OBXrKI/s320/IMG_3548.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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While you're relaxing on the beach, you may notice some people walking around covered in clay. One fun thing to do besides swim is head to the clay pits. When you are walking toward the beach from the main parking lot, on the left you will see a creek that runs into the lake. If you walk through the water up the creek, you will run into some areas of clay. It only takes about 10 minutes to get to some of the clay areas, with some larger areas a little farther on. There is even an area with a clay slide-- though I wouldn't personally try to go down it. Be advised that last time I was there, in August 2016, there were signs advising not to go in the creek due to bacteria. </div>
<h4>
Other Things to Do</h4>
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If you'll be staying more than one day or find that the water is cold, there are a few different activities for you to do: </div>
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<ul>
<li>Do some hiking. There are several short trails to choose from for a fun day of hiking.</li>
<li>Check out the concession area. There is a snack bar and a little shop. I believe there may be some other activities going on there, but I don't normally make a point to head that way.</li>
<li>Run down the giant dune. It's on the opposite side of the parking lot from the beach. It will take some effort to get to the top though!</li>
<li>Look into rentals. I've never rented anything for recreational use in the park, but I know there are places you can rent kayaks and paddle boards from.</li>
</ul>
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<h2>
My Ideal Trip</h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJt-trGWx5r3S4uPnq42PMxVBZmet8q-2ihNmYw7NCcf5temw3Ek9AsmyTO422PHfv5ecOkdIons6DEPQMnnYkTKMMmLA3-YB-qyttc6FuXegVb87du363DCzi5aX4XDWMVF7PTbYuxGXJ/s1600/IMG_4225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJt-trGWx5r3S4uPnq42PMxVBZmet8q-2ihNmYw7NCcf5temw3Ek9AsmyTO422PHfv5ecOkdIons6DEPQMnnYkTKMMmLA3-YB-qyttc6FuXegVb87du363DCzi5aX4XDWMVF7PTbYuxGXJ/s320/IMG_4225.jpg" width="240" /></a> I've been to the Dunes enough times to have the trip planning down to a science. Pack a cooler to save money on food and drinks. Keep in mind that beach days are pretty tiring, so make an extra point to have enough to eat and drink. I usually bring food for two meals. Bring your beach necessities-- bathing suits, towels, a blanket, beach toys, sunscreen, and whatever else.<br />
Normally, we take a day trip. It's usually about a 2.5 hour drive from where I live to the park. Usually, I leave home around 9am. Michigan is in eastern time, so the local time is about noon when we arrive.<br />
We bring out all of our beach stuff and have a good solid couple of hours in the water, goofing around in the heat of the afternoon. By mid to late afternoon, we work up a good appetite and eat. Afterwards is usually about when we head to the clay pits for a while. Come back and rinse off in the lake before the air temperature starts to cool down too much. The early evening is a good time to climb the dune and explore, as the sand will cool down. Eat some more food, lay out on the beach, and wait for the sunset. Sunsets are beautiful from this beach, as it sets over the lake. We usually leave right after sunset.<br />
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In conclusion, whether you live in the Midwest or are passing through, this park is worth a stop. You may easily find this to be one of the nicest places within hundreds of miles. It'll remind you that nature is all around us, even in the boring ole' Midwest.<br />
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SOME OF MY GEAR:
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=treesandtrave-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B01BLUW1VS&asins=B01BLUW1VS&linkId=2468d3d43e972d34a5b0845c5b64e1b4&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=treesandtrave-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B019DGN9GS&asins=B019DGN9GS&linkId=815bdcb04a716422286a68375b160122&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=treesandtrave-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00AIGKWH2&asins=B00AIGKWH2&linkId=12ae7d8bcb963e387d6fe1ffee38c758&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com1Sawyer, MI, USA41.885503100000008 -86.5898396999999741.790945600000008 -86.751201199999969 41.980060600000009 -86.428478199999972tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-3342006985134216672017-01-11T20:01:00.000-07:002017-03-14T17:37:49.624-06:00Current Goal: National Park Summer Job A new endeavor has recently risen in my life. It's not an entirely new idea to me, but it seems far more attainable and realistic than before. This new adventure would involve my boyfriend and me working in one of the many national parks in the U.S. for the summer.<br />
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<h3>
A Goal Reborn</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4Fpoojul6NWRjRdMbiUIP_AW93PJ5pHs0K_VzWWxzz7XcAsbv1B9c4hQ3CdIurgiHmPnc926Mvd2m5r1-i3sXRBGVyTc7CEaer9qMN1BnV0km_h-PFiVHnY7TsvPBJBBgUWc1dnpn3RQ/s1600/IMG_0505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4Fpoojul6NWRjRdMbiUIP_AW93PJ5pHs0K_VzWWxzz7XcAsbv1B9c4hQ3CdIurgiHmPnc926Mvd2m5r1-i3sXRBGVyTc7CEaer9qMN1BnV0km_h-PFiVHnY7TsvPBJBBgUWc1dnpn3RQ/s320/IMG_0505.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel's Landing, Zion National Park, 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Before the beginning of my last year of college, I realized that a career that I could truly imagine myself having would be a job as a park ranger. After I graduated with an only slightly related degree in elementary education, I put in applications at national parks. I found these jobs on <a href="https://www.usajobs.gov/">USAjobs.gov</a>. Some of the listings required training that I didn't have. There were some ranger jobs that I qualified for due to my related coursework from college (mostly my science credits). The issue is that I have no experience working in a setting even close to that of a national park. To no surprise, I never got any calls that year.<br />
Moving forward to 2016, my boyfriend and I had started planning a grand summer trip for 2017, traveling across the western U.S., through Canada, and to Alaska. The fact soon sank in that even as frugally as we travel, that trip would end up costing an awful lot of money. How do we get the best of our summer while still being able to afford it?<br />
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<h3>
The Compromise</h3>
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That is when we began to look at non-National Park Service jobs within national parks. Many national parks have lodges, restaurants, and gifts shops run by concessionaires. These places look for staff to work their summer seasons. Many of them provide room and board to their staff as well for a bit more than $100 per week. The seasons begin anywhere between March and May, it seems, and end in September or October. Some positions available include hotel workers, kitchen workers, bartenders, wait staff, janitors, retail, and whatever else you can think of that would be involved in running a top-notch lodge in a busy park. It seems that many of the staff take trips together in their off days and have various activities to do as well. A couple of these concessionaires are <a href="http://www.xanterra.com/who-we-are/careers/">Xanterra</a> and <a href="http://www.alaskatourjobs.com/alaska-lodge-jobs/">Princess Cruises</a>. If you search for lodges within a park of choice, you should pretty easily be able to find the website and job listings for the summer.<br />
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<h3>
The Process</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJQ3lN09kG1MNBqY3c_QBNEE1YItjfe8C6ZMc49srgM0lCUqOzkKxB1HNeGSJlRyGSH6SkOFdcr8DSAyVniJLOXjtAp8dmUIjVVH4ef7QkALte46pFeG9_sR1OwmcD2I8WvvpnsjPIrN2/s1600/IMG_0352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJQ3lN09kG1MNBqY3c_QBNEE1YItjfe8C6ZMc49srgM0lCUqOzkKxB1HNeGSJlRyGSH6SkOFdcr8DSAyVniJLOXjtAp8dmUIjVVH4ef7QkALte46pFeG9_sR1OwmcD2I8WvvpnsjPIrN2/s320/IMG_0352.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bison in Yellowstone National Park, 2014</td></tr>
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The applications are pretty straightforward, with some having the option to include a resume. Many of them also ask if you are applying with someone, which is helpful for my boyfriend and me. The fact that I can't start a job until the beginning of June is a hindrance to my application. So far, we've put in applications for Zion, Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and a couple spots in Alaska. Yosemite and Bryce Canyon have both e-mailed my boyfriend, and Yellowstone e-mailed us both. The e-mails ask to schedule a phone interview. We had our phone interviews with Yellowstone, and were both offered the job. They weren't the jobs that we had applied for, but something is certainly better than nothing. We were told that they would try to keep us in the same location within the park. It's good to know that they would keep that in mind.<br />
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<h3>
Moving Forward</h3>
Our plan is to wait and see if we get offers from other parks before making a final decision. Even if I'm bussing tables at the lodge, I'd like to think that this will help me make some necessary connections and learn about how I can get a job with the National Park Service in the future. This would also be a good opportunity for us to spend quality time with nature in and around some of the most beautiful locations in the United States.<br />
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If looking for a national park summer job of your own, consider the following factors:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Potential job positions</li>
<li>Pay rate</li>
<li>Availability and cost of housing</li>
<li>Proximity to towns/other parks/attractions</li>
<li>Social requirements on and off the job (housing is often in dorms)</li>
<li>Interest in what the park itself has to offer</li>
</ul>
<div>
Stay tuned to the blog and my <a href="http://twitter.com/treesandtravels">Twitter</a> for updates about the job situation!</div>
Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-90473696163645275682016-12-17T10:20:00.002-07:002017-03-14T17:39:24.452-06:00Travel Budgeting!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We all know that traveling has the potential to be very expensive. One of the most effective ways to ensure that you don't spend all of your money on a trip is to create a budget. Setting a budget is one of the tips I outlined in my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_vI72stH5E">video</a>/<a href="http://treesandtravels.blogspot.com/2016/11/ways-to-save-money-while-traveling.html">blog post</a> about 5 major ways to save money while traveling. Budgeting is one of the more straight-forward ways to manage your travel money, but can sometimes be difficult to manage.</span></div>
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<h2 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
Before You Plan...</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMOMyEVh3Ej925ptk_EZneUxyildXRCAEXgy6Y7mmHyWMJxGAVvXCKGhGJmUVDrByXNG0KHC7b33ZHb_h0xkYRkpjo_jFVufvnuDHbdFpmdDjozjBCBY4w6zNf4Su_LB38KSIkLiBMU1Yq/s1600/IMG_20160712_140722521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMOMyEVh3Ej925ptk_EZneUxyildXRCAEXgy6Y7mmHyWMJxGAVvXCKGhGJmUVDrByXNG0KHC7b33ZHb_h0xkYRkpjo_jFVufvnuDHbdFpmdDjozjBCBY4w6zNf4Su_LB38KSIkLiBMU1Yq/s320/IMG_20160712_140722521.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before you begin to figure out a budget, you have to ask yourself if there are some things that you know that you want from your trip. Is there a specific amount of time you want to spend on your trip? Are there places in particular that you are already starting to plan to visit during the trip? Having a vague idea of your trip will help you to set a viable budget before you start the specific planning. For instance, if you know that you want to spend a week camping, you know that you’ll need to pay for a week’s worth of food and campsites, plus your transportation. You can check to see if that would be compatible with the amount of money you have. If it's not, you may need to think a little bit smaller as far as your trip goes.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After you have a little bit of an idea of what you want to do, start checking your figures to get an idea of a number for a budget. If you’re setting a budget for a trip a few months ahead of time, It may be helpful to do a rough estimation for how much money you will have at the time of the trip. Figure out how much money you are able to save between now and your trip. Include your tax return if applicable or other forms of income. Don’t forget about your bills though! Emergencies can always come up as well, so obviously it’s important to account for a little bit extra in case you need to fix something on your car or your cat gets sick.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<h2 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
Set Your Budget</h2>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9zibPVUBt64/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9zibPVUBt64?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once you figure out an estimation for how much money you’ll have at the time of your trip, set a limit for yourself to spend. You have to make sure you don’t leave yourself too little money for when you come home from your trip. Seriously, use your judgement! I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable coming back from a trip without enough money in my bank account to pay for my existence until I get back to work and get a paycheck or two. Keep in mind that taking time off of work will result in gaps between paychecks for most people. Unless you’re loaded with cash, you should keep your budget modest. A little can go a long way if you travel without some luxuries.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A little bit of an alternative way to go about this is to set an amount of money and say, “What can I do with _____ dollars?” You set a budget and completely plan your trip around your limit. This may be particularly helpful if your budget is relatively small.</span></div>
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<h2 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTd9G9JvWq3co8r7czlST3660EpK16MMHCKW-2RZBpy-lztJvy922365daOvaulsQDwwh1NyNpR_yIulPY8kQwcCmBsSen1ILmOoQAmA_f-zj2gnZdOcdL1YHePQ4rfNC0p5ID-4UYoxX/s1600/IMG_3258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTd9G9JvWq3co8r7czlST3660EpK16MMHCKW-2RZBpy-lztJvy922365daOvaulsQDwwh1NyNpR_yIulPY8kQwcCmBsSen1ILmOoQAmA_f-zj2gnZdOcdL1YHePQ4rfNC0p5ID-4UYoxX/s320/IMG_3258.JPG" width="320" /></a>Stick to it!</h2>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are the kind of person who has a difficult time sticking to your budget, try to transfer your other funds to someplace where you can’t easily access them. For instance, if you plan on using a debit card linked to a bank account for the majority of your transactions, perhaps transfer the rest of your money that is not part of your budget into a savings account. You’d still have access to your money, but you’d have to go out of your way to get it transferred into the correct account. This way, you can’t accidentally spend all of your money. If you’re a credit card user, bring a card on your trip that has a lower limit to avoid overspending. In any case, keep access to some emergency funds just in case you get into trouble. These would also be good ways to increase the security of your money in case of lost cards.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-90f1bf78-0db0-9bbc-69e0-c9ed769c4200"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once you've set a budget, the rest of your trip planning will be much easier. Budgeting is really the gateway to an effective travel plan. With a budget in place, you can begin to maximize your trip to fit within your price range. In the future, I will post about the planning process itself, as well as about getting a pretty accurate estimation of your total trip cost. Stay tuned!</span></span>Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-60447333085537993012016-12-04T16:26:00.001-07:002017-03-14T17:40:42.614-06:00Enjoying the Little Things...<h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapp1lyRjBBfCCLoO0D2Q9puv7D4GayWOijpNVYCxMzTw8kEt8pIzxGxJd1n1sGFChkZZjzVdga2NUc3pSMa3b2B3X8BB3TvEys0Icv9Bw88_B8w4a4qfp9fPUPWZkVYOlVkjmN3uosHlM/s1600/DSCN1355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapp1lyRjBBfCCLoO0D2Q9puv7D4GayWOijpNVYCxMzTw8kEt8pIzxGxJd1n1sGFChkZZjzVdga2NUc3pSMa3b2B3X8BB3TvEys0Icv9Bw88_B8w4a4qfp9fPUPWZkVYOlVkjmN3uosHlM/s320/DSCN1355.JPG" width="320" /></a>1:00pm</h2>
There's no way around it-- from August to May, I'm stuck in the Chicago suburbs for the school year. I get restless. This only increases as the time goes on, particularly in the winter time. Travel is hard, and frankly, I'm a baby when it comes to the cold. What am I to do? How am I supposed to get my nature fill when I am trapped in middle-class subdivision-warehouse-department store-chain restaurant-land? The only thing that one could do in this situation is enjoy the little things.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2IzQfy09ZHWnLApI-Cd6FMgsOHUiJwQeI631YCpatCdy4c4X1nGdiNv5tuLM_NXTZL6w1mpNICnFOtSWqW45mgNbq78TkWCQq65UvxdIsbkWkm5Kmeq1BEB2sjjd49z0ChXCbNwrl1t-W/s1600/DSCN1390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2IzQfy09ZHWnLApI-Cd6FMgsOHUiJwQeI631YCpatCdy4c4X1nGdiNv5tuLM_NXTZL6w1mpNICnFOtSWqW45mgNbq78TkWCQq65UvxdIsbkWkm5Kmeq1BEB2sjjd49z0ChXCbNwrl1t-W/s320/DSCN1390.JPG" width="320" /></a> As I type this out, we are receiving the first snowfall of the year. On most years, the first snowfall comes quite a bit before December 4th. Attribute the lateness to climate change, abnormally mild weather conditions, or coincidence-- I kind of like the timing. There was no snow until the start of meteorological winter, and I'm okay with that. Plus it's a Sunday. I don't even need to drive in it.<br />
Anyway, I've been able to spend my Sunday morning working on school work and gazing at the falling snow from my bedroom window. This has lead to the strong desire to take a lovely winter walk, during which I will take pretty snow pictures.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_bkbe4dPSb_XQ8wQg-HdYIRuq4npYJBdX7TMtuOcd4tRsKmiADQ92WHKTVt276tz_3-Ugo0jJqfiiXvOUGr-2EBd40pivSE6ur7BMBoWIKAY2mEqU0tX_iZplyViESY5nsDquru2Y-kK/s1600/DSCN1406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_bkbe4dPSb_XQ8wQg-HdYIRuq4npYJBdX7TMtuOcd4tRsKmiADQ92WHKTVt276tz_3-Ugo0jJqfiiXvOUGr-2EBd40pivSE6ur7BMBoWIKAY2mEqU0tX_iZplyViESY5nsDquru2Y-kK/s320/DSCN1406.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<h2>
5:00pm</h2>
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/T_Zpyf0PQlM/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T_Zpyf0PQlM?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfiQvWqZaK79B3BPlyOigFx7nOMyR5KEPk5v1aqGoJfMDocTEAxpKROHhbV6mZHomRCZ0unjpjdKoKF0ojZAmFw4nj-MymvniWX7yUZoPC0hy7A2Wbiy_amZk3qP45xEWVAgBx8EB-Y4r_/s1600/DSCN1364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfiQvWqZaK79B3BPlyOigFx7nOMyR5KEPk5v1aqGoJfMDocTEAxpKROHhbV6mZHomRCZ0unjpjdKoKF0ojZAmFw4nj-MymvniWX7yUZoPC0hy7A2Wbiy_amZk3qP45xEWVAgBx8EB-Y4r_/s320/DSCN1364.JPG" width="320" /></a> I've returned from my snow adventure. After bundling up, I walked out to a nearby forest preserve. Needless to say, I don't regret it one bit. Nobody else was out there, so all I could hear was the snow (and sometimes far-off vehicles). I've spotted deer and coyotes multiple times in those woods, but unfortunately didn't encounter much wildlife this time. Even though I have walked in that forest preserve many times over the years, the snow made it appear much different. Instead of walking on the trail, I was walking on a path traveled by some sort of small vehicle (which I'm sure wasn't supposed to be back there...) so it gave me a different perspective as well.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9M9TnMcemkE0LbyHK2i5wTZOGBI3dyLKIpgakDFAMst9X1zjLc2ugelky0FfJzL-7pGPlfGFQsqou7gzt6uT4CFMAQiGdnZIiKxvN_viHler3vAz4kuTYVoCt3Wdjx-S6nUSR_kMRovW/s1600/DSCN1370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9M9TnMcemkE0LbyHK2i5wTZOGBI3dyLKIpgakDFAMst9X1zjLc2ugelky0FfJzL-7pGPlfGFQsqou7gzt6uT4CFMAQiGdnZIiKxvN_viHler3vAz4kuTYVoCt3Wdjx-S6nUSR_kMRovW/s320/DSCN1370.JPG" width="320" /></a> It's little things like these that get me through the winter. No, I didn't travel to some northern land to observe polar bears. What I did was get a small reminder that there is nature right outside my door, even if I have to search for it a little. My winter wonderland can be just a short walk away.<br />
Don't let the cold and bad road conditions get you down too much. I encourage you to find your own spot to enjoy the winter when you can. Seasonal depression can hit hard in the winter-- observe some snowy tranquility to numb the pain a little. If your fingers are what's numb though, you should probably go inside.<br />
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Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0Illinois, USA40.6331249 -89.39852830000000934.3854434 -99.7256768 46.8808064 -79.071379800000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-168719052647286922016-11-19T11:03:00.000-07:002016-11-25T18:36:30.507-07:00Ocean & Mansions During a visit to Rhode Island, I had the pleasure of stopping for the afternoon at the <a href="http://www.cliffwalk.com/">Cliff Walk</a> in Newport. This was a lovely, peaceful stroll down a path with the ocean on one side and rich architecture on the other side. The path is 3.5 miles long, but we did not get to the whole thing.<br />
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There are a couple different spots from which you can start the Cliff Walk. We parked and started at Narragansett Ave. It is metered parking, but was only a few bucks for three hours. This is also the spot called Forty Steps. A guy got his credit card stuck in the parking meter... He was trying to put it in the slot where the receipt comes out, if I remember correctly...<br />
Anyway, we checked out the Forty Steps area. It was very nice, but a little bit crowded. There were a couple bathrooms there that had long lines. The Forty Steps themselves are stairs leading down to an area good for ocean viewing. There are rocky edges visible, making for a nice scene.<br />
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<h2>
Onto the Cliff Walk!</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_1pxulCPB_FiosFQSh89c5FfisqlNzf6WQIx1uhJxq7J44XXn5VIGnxyVm1ykFjeJX3nurPNStNNQFu8c6Kf9YTyN-lVlrtgIWUJUcpWpOuPPm-tax3PH09dB8jQILJaQbDUhmIWyx0-/s1600/IMG_20160712_140722521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_1pxulCPB_FiosFQSh89c5FfisqlNzf6WQIx1uhJxq7J44XXn5VIGnxyVm1ykFjeJX3nurPNStNNQFu8c6Kf9YTyN-lVlrtgIWUJUcpWpOuPPm-tax3PH09dB8jQILJaQbDUhmIWyx0-/s320/IMG_20160712_140722521.jpg" width="320" /></a> Moving on, we went to the right on the Cliff Walk. This trail is beautiful. During most of the walk, you have giant, beautiful works of architecture on one side and rocks and crashing waves on the other side.<br />
The trail itself is made of rocks that are easy to walk on, until you get to some certain spots. There are areas of the trail that is made up of rock that isn't level. With that said, there are spots where the drop is pretty high. Be sure to watch your step!<br />
You can walk through some stone arch tunnels as well. Another great thing about this trail is that there are places where you can easily stop and take a rest on the rocks below. I felt fancy just walking on this designated National Recreation Trail! </div>
<h2>
The Mansions</h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ochre Court</td></tr>
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Though the rocks and waves were the highlight of the walk for me, we got to see some very cool and very large mansions. The mansions were built by various rich people in the late 1800s and early 1900s, during the Gilded Age in Newport. A couple of mansions that I got pictures of were the Ochre Court mansion and the Rough Point mansion. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rough Point</td></tr>
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You mostly get a view of the back of the mansions from the Cliff Walk, but you can walk to Bellevue Ave. to see the front. If you're willing to pay, you can also tour the mansions, which sounds pretty neat. I'm not too big on history, especially history of rich families that I know nothing about. Because of that, the mansions weren't very exciting to me other than providing for an elegant air while walking on the Cliff Walk.<br />
We turned back the way we came after walking for about an hour and a half. It probably would have been possible to exit the Cliff Walk at a street and take a different route back, but we just didn't. An alternate route would be something to think about if visiting though, in order to see everything possible.</div>
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<h2>
We Give it a Thumbs Up!</h2>
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Apart from the Cliff Walk, there are beaches nearby, a state park, and other attractions within Newport. Although we didn't really check out any other parts of Newport, or Rhode Island for that matter, it's safe to stay that Newport would be a worth-while stop for anyone passing through. Take a little break from the city bustle of the Northeast and walk the Cliff Walk!Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0Newport, RI, USA41.4901024 -71.31282850000002341.3949424 -71.474190000000021 41.5852624 -71.151467000000025tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-22481328725385177652016-11-11T20:37:00.002-07:002016-11-11T20:38:54.115-07:00Ways to Save Money While Traveling<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Over the past couple years, I've done a fair amount of traveling. Now I wouldn't say I'm a cheap person, but I certainly enjoy saving money. Being that I don't mind traveling using minimal resources, I've developed some tips that can help others while planning and traveling. Be advised-- these tips may not work for everyone. If you're willing to live without some certain accommodations, you can plan a trip on relatively small budget.</div>
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1. Set a Budget</h2>
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Speaking of budgets, they are my first tip! Set a budget before traveling as opposed to planning and setting a budget after the fact. Stick to your budget too! Don't let yourself come home broke. In a future blog post/video, I will talk about how you can maximize your trip based on your budget. </div>
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2. Go Camping!</h2>
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Sleeping accommodations can easily become your biggest expense while traveling, but they don't have to be. Camping is generally the cheapest way to go. The majority of campgrounds are under $30 per night. There are also many campgrounds that are *free*! On <a href="http://freecampsites.net/">freecampsites.net</a>, you can find many of these places.</div>
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If you get tired of camping, there is also <a href="http://airbnb.com/">airbnb.com</a> which allows people to rent out rooms, couches, etc. to travelers. This has become very popular and is worth looking into if you prefer sleeping in a bed. It's pretty cheap as well!</div>
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In big cities, hostels are popular places to stay too. Primarily solo travelers stay at hostels, many of which are from different countries. You're sure to have an interesting experience staying at one of these, as they tend to be highly social places.</div>
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Keep hotels/motels as a last resort. It could be worth it to split a room with three other people, but otherwise try to avoid hotels.</div>
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3. Travel with Friends</h2>
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This is probably the tip that can allow for the largest amount of savings. Instead of solo traveling, find a couple of travel companions. You can split gas and accommodation costs, which will allow you to travel at a fraction of the cost.</div>
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For example, I went camping with my cousin Allie back in June. We went for 3 nights and drove around 700 miles round trip.</div>
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If I would have went alone:</h3>
Gas: 700 mi / 28 mpg = 25 gal. of gas x $2.00 per gal. = <b>$50 total</b><br />
<b> </b>Camping: $15 per night x 3 = <b>$45 total</b><br />
<b> </b>Food: <b>$20</b><br />
<b> Total: $115</b><br />
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<b> Traveling with 1 other person:</b></h3>
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<b> </b>Gas: $50 / 2 = <b>$25</b></div>
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<b> </b>Camping: $45 / 2 = <b>$22.50</b></div>
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<b> </b>Food: <b>$20</b></div>
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<b> Total: $67.50 per person</b></div>
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<b> </b>You can see that there is a significant difference between the costs of traveling alone and traveling with companions. The more people you travel with, the more you save... Until you would need to take an extra vehicle or get another campsite.</div>
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4. Shop for Your Food</h2>
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Yes, fast food is convenient, especially for those transportation days. You're better off taking a minute or two to stop and make a sandwich instead, because the cost of restaurant food adds up quick. Even at fast food restaurants, it's easy to spend $8 or over on a meal. If you research some quick, easy, and cheap meals to make on the road, you can spend significantly less money on food. Perhaps bring a camp stove-- that way you can still have hot meals. Consider buying generic food brands. Cheap fruits and veggies are great for snacks too. </div>
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5. Road Trip!</h2>
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My last tip (for now) is to drive rather than fly whenever practical. A road trip will nearly always be cheaper than flying. As long as you aren't in a giant hurry to get somewhere and have a reliable vehicle, driving is the way to go. Keep an eye on gas prices. 2016 has been pretty good for gas prices. If we get back to $4 per gallon like it was a while back, this advice is virtually null and void.</div>
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Public transit can be cheap and useful if visiting big cities though, so don't count that out just yet. Megabus has cheap fares to many cities. </div>
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Driving works better in the sense that you can get to wherever you want, as opposed to needing to take public transit or a cab get around. Plus there's the fact that if you bring people along, you can split the cost of gas and it'll be even cheaper.</div>
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Let me know if these tips have been helpful to you. Again, some of these tips may not be practical to use depending on the person or the specific trip. Whether planning a large or small trip, keep these ideas in the back of your mind. Maybe it'll save you some cash!</div>
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<br />Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-4129025095670953862016-11-01T13:47:00.000-06:002017-04-19T14:27:22.059-06:005,249 ft. Elevation? No Problem.<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="400" scrolling="no" src="http://albumizr.com/a/uWY" width="700"></iframe><br />
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Back in July, my boyfriend and I took on a trail rated as one of <a href="http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/trips/best-trails/worlds-best-hikes-dream-trails/">20 dream trails</a> by National Geographic. We ventured the Franconia Ridge loop in New Hampshire. The hike takes you up to Little Haystack Mountain, Mt. Lincoln, and Mt. Lafayette. This loop is about 9 miles, including about 3,500 ft. elevation gain in just about five miles. Though the hike was tough, it was without a doubt worth the struggle.<br />
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Preparations </h3>
The night before we planned on hiking, we camped about 15 minutes from the trail head. We were without cell phone signal, so the weather forecast that we had to go off of was from a day or two before our hike. The forecast had called for rain in the mid to late afternoon. Knowing the nature of the trail and potentially dangerous conditions at the summit, our plan was to get on and off the trail before it would rain.<br />
We drove over to the trail in the morning, packed and prepared with plenty of food, water, and safety items for a strenuous day hike. The trail head was very easy to find, as there is a parking lot right off of I-93. Once we were all set, we set out on our journey.<br />
<h3>
Starting the Hike</h3>
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Since the hike is a loop, one can choose to start going in either direction. We chose to start by veering to the right onto the Falling Waters Trail. The trail is about three miles and is very rocky all throughout the hike. This section includes steep elevation gain, particularly after the first mile or so. It leads straight up to the summit of Little Haystack Mountain. I'm a giant baby with mediocre cardio, so I really struggled going up this part.<br />
A very big plus side to this part of the hike is that there are some lovely waterfalls along the way. Cloudland Falls and Stairs Falls were both very pleasant to encounter along the trail. Being that the trail goes right up along these falls and the brook that forms them, many of the rocks on the trail are wet. It's something to keep in mind, being that the trail can be slippery even when it hasn't recently rained. <br />
<h3>
Franconia Ridge Trail</h3>
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After getting up to Little Haystack, you turn onto the Franconia Ridge Trail. This trail is also part of the Appalachian Trail. By this point, you're past the treeline and on exposed trail. I had never previously hiked beyond the treeline, so this experience was new and breathtaking. Literally. I felt sick-- some kind of mixture between altitude sickness and vertigo maybe? Being able to see mountains and more in all directions is an unforgettable sight. Eventually I felt better, but I did need to take a rest a few times. </div>
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Although we were up on the ridge now, there was still a fair bit of elevation gain and loss over this nearly two mile stretch. Mt. Lincoln is the next peak that we reached. As we moved higher and higher, we began hiking through low-level clouds. It killed the view, but proved to be an interesting and memorable experience. It got quite cold as well, though it wasn't necessarily a bad thing being that we had just scaled a mountain ridge and could use a cool-down.</div>
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Finally, we got up to the tallest peak in the White Mountains outside of the Presidential Range-- Mt. Lafayette. The elevation at the summit is 5,249 ft. We started at 1,770 ft. There is a rest area up there where we ate some food. There were a few people up there with us as well, but it was not crowded by any means. </div>
<h3>
Getting Down</h3>
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As much as we would have liked to hang out at the top a while longer, we feared that the clouds may mean that the rain was close. We still had about four miles left of the hike. While still on top of Mt. Lafayette, we had to make sure we were headed back down on the correct trail, as the Appalachian Trail continues on the ridge in a different direction. Continuing on the Greenleaf Trail, we started our descent. Once we got out of the clouds, we had stellar views once again. After about a mile, we reached the <a href="http://www.outdoors.org/lodging-camping/huts/greenleaf/index.cfm">Greenleaf Hut</a>, which is run by the Appalachian Mountain Club. You can make reservations to sleep here or stop for a snack. We continued onto the Old Bridle Path though to wrap up our hike. </div>
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The Old Bridle Path is three miles of navigating down steep rocks. It's not an exposed trail anymore, but tripping could get you a broken ankle. This section of the hike was more strenuous than I expected it to be. Normally I only really struggle with elevation gain, but going back down proved to be painful and time consuming. Eventually, we did make it down though and back to our car without injury. </div>
<h3>
Conclusion</h3>
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Had the rain started while we were still on the ridge, it would have been perilous to stay up there and even more slippery when coming down. Luckily, the rain held off long enough for us to get back to our camp site and cook up a good meal.<br />
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Knowledge is power-- if you are considering doing this hike (or any strenuous hike), be aware of conditions, hard sections of the hike, recommended skill levels, etcetera. I would not recommend the Franconia Ridge Loop for folks who are not in decent shape. You should have good knees, or be prepared with pain killers and to possibly face the physical consequences once the hike is all done. This trail would be difficult and dangerous for young children. If you are considering bringing your child, be conscious of their ability level before taking them out there. With the amount of steep, sometimes slippery, rocks and nearly two miles of exposed trail, over estimating your or your group's ability level can be deadly.<br />
If you are up to the challenge though, this hike will be an unforgettable experience for you. Have a blast!<br />
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Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0Franconia Notch State Park, Flume Gorge, Daniel Webster Hwy, Lincoln, NH 03251, USA44.1482539 -71.68612710000002218.6262194 -112.99472110000002 69.6702884 -30.377533100000022tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-53476142327517233342016-10-30T10:57:00.000-06:002016-10-30T10:57:13.912-06:00SOAR Program <br />
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Yesterday, October 29th, 2016, I had the pleasure of watching a presentation by SOAR Illinois at Starved Rock. SOAR stands for Save Our American Raptors. Needless to say, I was in for a treat-- they came with six rescued birds to show off. Using my phone, I was taking notes on the presentation. As we all know, sometimes technology can backfire on us... I lost my notes! Regardless, I remember quite a bit about these intriguing birds.<br />
<h2>
The Owls</h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Horned Owl</td></tr>
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The first owl they showed us was none other than a Great Horned Owl. She was so lovely looking-- I was glad to see her up close! I learned that these cool owls eat a lot of skunks, as they don't really have a sense of smell. Also, one of their ears are slightly higher on the head than the other, which improves their ability to hear and pinpoint prey.</div>
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Next we saw a beautiful Barred Owl. I don't remember too much about him, other that his name was Patrick. Barred Owls' eyes are very dark and almost look like dark hollow holes. They're a spooky, but make the owl even cooler.</div>
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They had a Short Eared Owl named Stitch. He was rescued after being found injured. They tried to sew up his wounds, but every time he ripped out his stitches! That's how he got his name. These owls live in grasslands and nest on the ground, unlike the other kinds of owls that we saw. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Athena-Screech Owl</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golem-Screech Owl</td></tr>
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The last owls that SOAR presented were two screech owls. One was a boy named Golem and the other was a female named Athena. They were so cute and little, despite being full grown. Golem weighed only 2.5 ounces, and Athena weighed 4. There is a significant color and body appearance difference between the two birds. Athena is red and round, whereas Golem is grey and and more tall. I learned that these owls eat a lot of moths. Sometimes they are mistaken for bats when it is dark. Athena is missing an eye. When she was rescued, her eye was removed because it was damaged from her injuries. The screech owls were my favorites out of the birds that SOAR brought.</div>
<h2>
...And a Turkey Vulture</h2>
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The final bird that we saw was a Turkey Vulture. I see these birds fairly often, but never up close. Apparently they smell very bad. I learned that they have a bald head so that when they stick their head into all the dead, rotting stuff that they eat, the nasty germs and bacteria won't get caught in their feathers. It is interesting that the bird has one nostril that is hollow in between. You can actually see straight through his nose!<br />
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<h2>
Protect the Birds</h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick-Barred Owl</td></tr>
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The SOAR presenters mentioned how many of these birds come into their care. It seems that most of them are either hit by cars or "rescued" unnecessarily by people. We can help to conserve the lives of these birds by slowing down when we see them in the road and being conscious of our surroundings while driving. It also helps to be educated-- doing some quick research before you decide that it is necessary to pick up a bird (or any animal) and care for it yourself is essential. More than one of the birds that I saw yesterday were "rescued" because they were alone on the ground. It turns out that it is completely normal for many species to leave their babies on the ground and continue to take care of them. Even worse, one of the owls that was "rescued" in this manner was fed a bunch of junk (like hot dogs and such) while in the care of its "rescuers," before being turned over to SOAR. This stunted her growth and disabled her from ever being released back into the wild.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stitch-Short Eared Owl</td></tr>
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It's easy to think you're doing the right thing. A person who rescues an animal has their heart in the right place. Do your research before ever making contact with the animal! It is possible for you to do more harm than good!<br />
Anyway, the presentation was extremely informative and interesting. I recommend seeing a presentation by SOAR if you ever have the opportunity. You can visit the SOAR website <a href="http://soar-inc.org/" target="_blank">here</a> to learn more about them and support their cause.<br />
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<br />Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0Starved Rock State Park, 2668 East 873 Road, Oglesby, IL 61348, USA41.320784 -88.993084715.798749500000003 -130.3016787 66.8428185 -47.6844907tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-81802584736180555402016-10-27T18:19:00.001-06:002016-11-30T20:27:51.431-07:00Fall Foliage at Starved Rock Well, this year's Fall Colors Weekend at <a href="http://www.starvedrockstatepark.org/" target="_blank">Starved Rock State Park</a> in northern Illinois didn't provide an enormous rainbow of autumn colors, but it did serve as a beautiful place to relax on a mild October weekend.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKl_TLaFUfc" target="_blank">View the video that I recorded on this day</a><br />
<h2>
My Day</h2>
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It's about an hour and fifteen minute drive from home to the park. I arrived about 11:30, which is when I said that I would be there to start volunteering. The last twenty minutes or so of the drive is always pleasant, and this time even more so. The trees and leaves were still so full. They made for a lovely sight going around the twisted roads. </div>
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Fall Colors Weekend is the 2nd busiest weekend at Starved Rock, with Columbus Day weekend preceding it. There certainly were a ton of cars-- I was afraid that I would end up parking at a distant overflow lot. I was lucky to snatch up one of the last spots before that lot filled up.</div>
<h3>
Volunteering</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYJTM1XZZAkpO0EIoDh7H8K_kNxEJTqwoegDF7xnWhaEZ1iTlA8UGAUKHcdJs8ZzIoPwpQitkXuNCjUaZPQbpNpgENMfltsRWQo_sqZQ22Y5zQNCcCDaZ2Dr2chjghS5zqQC2xatiszBS/s1600/IMG_20161029_124738722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYJTM1XZZAkpO0EIoDh7H8K_kNxEJTqwoegDF7xnWhaEZ1iTlA8UGAUKHcdJs8ZzIoPwpQitkXuNCjUaZPQbpNpgENMfltsRWQo_sqZQ22Y5zQNCcCDaZ2Dr2chjghS5zqQC2xatiszBS/s320/IMG_20161029_124738722.jpg" width="320" /></a> I started off in the visitor center. Spending some time with fellow volunteers, many of which I had not met yet, was important for me as a newbie. I helped out at the information desk for a little while as well. At about 1, a few volunteers and I were sent out to the trails to provide help, answer questions, and give interpretive information. A woman named Dagmar and I headed to the top of Starved Rock. She has been volunteering at the park for many years, so she was a wealth of information for the visitors and me. </div>
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After a while, we headed back down just in time for an emergency. A young woman fell about 50 feet down into Pontiac Canyon. We helped coral visitors to the sides or off the trails in order for the emergency vehicles to come through. I was assigned to direct drivers away from a small parking lot to prevent cars from blocking the exit route of the emergency vehicles. The woman lived, but that's about all I know about what happened after she was transported.</div>
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Once the situation was handled, I finished my volunteering at the information desk. I may not be the most experienced at answering visitors' questions, but I'm getting better!</div>
<h3>
Doing a Little Hiking...</h3>
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When I was through helping out at 4:00, I went out to hike a bit for about an hour and a half. My go-to spot is usually St. Louis Canyon, but instead I went to Pontiac and Wildcat Canyons. Wildcat is fun to go down into. There were a lot of people there, which takes some of the fun out of it though. The good thing about Starved Rock is that there are something like 13 miles of trails, so you can go several times and still see different sites.</div>
<h2>
Wrapping it up</h2>
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I'll be back at Starved Rock in just a couple days. You can expect more blog posts, pictures, and videos from there throughout the next months. Look forward to bald eagles in January!</div>
Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0Starved Rock State Park, 2668 East 873 Road, Oglesby, IL 61348, USA41.320784 -88.993084715.798749500000003 -130.3016787 66.8428185 -47.6844907tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-91294818589346596302016-10-25T19:48:00.001-06:002016-10-25T19:48:21.854-06:00Starved Rock Video<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0Starved Rock State Park, 2668 East 873 Road, Oglesby, IL 61348, USA41.320784 -88.993084715.798749500000003 -130.3016787 66.8428185 -47.6844907tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-15841331653305410242016-10-22T20:23:00.000-06:002017-03-14T17:43:16.219-06:00Centennial Trail Last Friday, I borrowed my dad's bike and loaded it into the back of my Equinox (this was not an easy task!) and headed over to the Centennial Trail off of 135th St. in Romeoville, Illinois. I only rode three miles out and back, which is a small fraction of this trail and connecting trails. Even if this place isn't the most scenic spot in the world, it is rich in local history and connects with other trails in a cool way.<br />
<h2>
The Bike Ride</h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the bench</td></tr>
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I parked in the small lot on 135th Street, From here, you can go a couple different ways. I chose to head toward the small trail bridge into the wooded area. The paths are nicely paved in this whole stretch. Many cyclists come through here, as well as pedestrians. There are mile markers that say how many miles to the next main location. About a mile in, there is a bench that it nice to relax at and could be a stopping point for a short walk. There is a split at about three miles in, which is where I stopped. You can either continue on to the right on the Centennial Trail or travel to the left on a little bridge lined up with I-355 to head into DuPage County's preserves.</div>
<h2>
Connecting Trails</h2>
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By far, the sweetest thing about this trail is the fact that it is part of a giant trail system. The Centennial Trail connects to the I & M Canal trail just on the other side of 135th Street. This trail is part of the Grand Illinois Trail, which is over 500 miles long. It is a giant loop around northern Illinois. You can also connect north to other trails as well. Not part of the Grand Illinois Trail, you can easily take this trail to Waterfall Glen forest Preserve, which I visited only a week before.</div>
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This trail can be really cool to take as a long-distance cyclist-- or long-distance anything, really. If you're a local, come check out the Centennial Trail as a way to get away from all the warehouses and subdivisions that make up the suburbs.</div>
Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-18808482755061991922016-10-20T15:53:00.004-06:002017-04-10T19:56:56.763-06:00Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve Now that the school year has started, I'm pretty confined to the northern Illinois area most of the time. With that said, I still need to get my hiking and nature fix! I have found that there are plenty of forest preserves in my area that are worth checking out. Many of these forest preserves I've never been to, so I'm starting a journey in which I will be visiting more of these places.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Navigating</b></span><br />
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Anyway, one popular spot that often comes up on my internet searches while looking for places to go is Waterfall Glen forest preserve in DuPage County. Basically, this park surrounds Argonne National Laboratory. I took I-55 to get there and it was only a few minutes off of the expressway. Columbus Day was a very busy day to visit, so I'm not positive if it is always a struggle to find good parking or if it was only because it was a fall holiday weekend. There were a lot of cars parked out on the street. The waterfall parking area was very small, but I was able to snatch a parking spot in there. Here is a link to a <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/560b2e0ee4b040a6eb9ec078/561b1f85e4b0b6c33376e141/563a7470e4b0c152700c5b68/1446671476662/map-forest-preserve-waterfall-glen-pulse-design-inc.jpg" target="_blank">map</a> of the area. I parked off of Bluff Road.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Trails</b></span><br />
If you take a look at the map, you can see that there is basically a giant, 9.5 mile trail going in a big loop around the place. There are some little side trails though, such as the one to go see the waterfalls. I did not hike the whole loop. There was just not enough time for that.<br />
Instead, I hiked around in the waterfall area. I was hanging out around a little creek, getting nice shots of the water. Eventually I came to the small falls that are the main attraction of the park. There were kids goofing around on the falls. Being that this was the only time I've been there, I'm curious if that is very common there. Overall, the trails were nice and so was the foliage.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oCquq1j-raKD-vaecNrz3PHKqpiMcxHy7ETxD5-n7pNwWOhHmshevb54ghmi_KjovfAC0_gUVQ29YIGN4WOrRPpMZIfInD-uxw8yvsaqYsokaKdMtSd3CGZjm0FEH3fTcd_RkTXyh0wy/s1600/IMG_20161010_145516152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oCquq1j-raKD-vaecNrz3PHKqpiMcxHy7ETxD5-n7pNwWOhHmshevb54ghmi_KjovfAC0_gUVQ29YIGN4WOrRPpMZIfInD-uxw8yvsaqYsokaKdMtSd3CGZjm0FEH3fTcd_RkTXyh0wy/s320/IMG_20161010_145516152.jpg" width="320" /></a> <br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hammocking</b></span><br />
Once I felt that I had seen enough of the trails, I found a great spot near the creek where I could set up my hammock. As very busy as the preserve was that day, I was still able to find near-solitude not far from the main areas. A couple people came around (including a few kids that just stood there and stared at me) but it was very quiet and peaceful.<br />
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I had a very pleasant time visiting Waterfall Glen and it was pretty close to home. I'm sure I will be back there to explore other parts of it. In the mean time, please check out my corresponding YouTube video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg7vPr1fD8M" target="_blank">here</a> to see more.<BR><BR><BR>MY HAMMOCK:<BR><iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=treesandtrave-20&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B00VLWH73O&asins=B00VLWH73O&linkId=23c7ff0b0439b9706dd8298344fbfcc0&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0Dupage County, IL, USA41.8243831 -88.090076241.4458286 -88.7355232 42.2029376 -87.4446292tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-28682911114587169552016-10-08T12:14:00.000-06:002017-03-14T17:45:27.140-06:00"Grand Canyon of the East" -- Letchworth State Park Only about a two hour drive from Niagara Falls, Letchworth State Park in New York is a spot of natural beauty that was well worth the trip. For us, this was a stop in between visiting the Adirondacks and heading to Niagara. Since we camped at a New York state campground the previous night, we had a pass that was good for all New York state parks the day we went to Letchworth, so we didn't have to pay the entrance fee for the park.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACGZUNcQrpzpzjoZYhd4MNNueZ7U2K-MmdrFl8aoNJXe_48HdQpeA79eLn_dShFfPqsTXYueYzcFxKHem7ZpDch2uj62yWaex-dJSFBRE-sIO6_rqo1alg0iWgPvYp9RRFCTSHCrHR9MP/s1600/IMG_3448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACGZUNcQrpzpzjoZYhd4MNNueZ7U2K-MmdrFl8aoNJXe_48HdQpeA79eLn_dShFfPqsTXYueYzcFxKHem7ZpDch2uj62yWaex-dJSFBRE-sIO6_rqo1alg0iWgPvYp9RRFCTSHCrHR9MP/s320/IMG_3448.JPG" width="320" /></a> <br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>First Impressions</b></span><br />
Upon entering Letchworth, we were a bit underwhelmed. Soon enough, we noticed that we just entered the park on the "boring" side. We began arriving at the lovely overlooks. Letchworth is kind of a big ol' canyon-- you peer down to see the Genesee River flowing through the park. There were numerous large birds soaring through the canyon. You can see this in action in my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVOC1QxUI2Y" target="_blank">YouTube video</a>.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvF2CIAka14x1QWulNTr3oFmMxONYYEu2fiYTw75eofY5PxihoUM5dZnlRdC84qJFYtODuRsmsOnnYJ3pgBTA1TPVoNJPMfhKEDNLjEYw5bQlYf2pFPO9AVkcEX9WPjCSg6pN7X66k4RaF/s1600/IMG_3446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvF2CIAka14x1QWulNTr3oFmMxONYYEu2fiYTw75eofY5PxihoUM5dZnlRdC84qJFYtODuRsmsOnnYJ3pgBTA1TPVoNJPMfhKEDNLjEYw5bQlYf2pFPO9AVkcEX9WPjCSg6pN7X66k4RaF/s320/IMG_3446.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Waterfalls</b></span> <br />
We moved on to the decent-sized waterfalls that Letchworth holds. The lower, middle, and upper falls all have good viewing areas with multiple perspectives possible. In one area, you can walk down some steps to a beautiful viewing bridge, with a lovely view of the waterfall on one side, and an inner-canyon view from the other side. The upper falls has a large railroad bridge high above it, which is pretty cool.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Into the Canyon</b></span><br />
One thing kept occurring to us as we spent the day in the park-- how can you get down to the river? We asked a man at the visitor center if there are any paths leading to the inside of the canyon. It turned out that there are a couple, but they are meant for fishing purposes. We were able to go down there, but the guy was sure to tell us that we can get in a lot of trouble for trying to swim in the river. Down at the bottom, we just wandered around a bit and enjoyed some scenery. Unfortunately, the paths leading to the bottom were not located in the most scenic parts of the canyon. Regardless, we got some good views. There were a lot of cute, tiny frogs. They might have been my favorite part!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Concluding the Day</b></span><br />
After returning to the rim, we found a nice picnic area to cook up some dinner. It was probably the most beautiful dinner spot that we had on the trip.<br />
Exploring most of the park only took us about a half a day, which was fine since we had such a busy schedule. Letchworth was definitely worth driving a little bit out of the way to visit. Don't forget that there is much more to New York state than NYC!<br />
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<br />Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0Letchworth State Park, Castile, NY 14427, USA42.6427985 -77.97949790000001317.120763999999998 -119.28809190000001 68.164833 -36.670903900000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712410025441198798.post-1947028886596220832016-09-17T08:09:00.000-06:002017-03-14T17:46:37.277-06:00Exploring Explore.org! Recently, you may have seen <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxrYRnxP9dk" target="_blank">this video</a> on the news, in which a grizzly bear named Grazer quickly gets in the water when her three cubs fall down Brooks Falls in Alaska's Katmai National Park. This video was nice to watch and added a little nature flair to the nightly news, but how many people know that they can view this webcam all the time during the summer months?<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What is Explore.org?</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://explore.org/" target="_blank">Explore.org</a> is a website that you can watch numerous live webcams of animals and nature ranging from <a href="http://explore.org/live-cams/player/service-dog-project-nursery-cam" target="_blank">baby service dogs</a> to <a href="http://explore.org/live-cams/player/african-watering-hole-animal-camera" target="_blank">hippos in Africa</a>. Keep in mind when viewing these cams, that they are in real time. If you're an American night owl, most of the U.S.-based cams will be off or too dark for you to see. Right now, it is about 8:30am central time, so it is still dark on my favorite Katmai National Park cams since they are three hours behind central time right now. No matter the time of day, there will always be cams to watch though. There are nocturnal bird cams, as well as some cams from other places around the world.<br />
Another thing to keep in mind is that there will not always be animals in the shot right at the time that you are watching. When you go to one of the cams, information is shown including best viewing hours. Just don't be discouraged if there aren't any animals the first time you click on a cam. There are plenty of others to check out. A good way to check out the cams when there are exciting things going on is by liking <a href="https://www.facebook.com/endangeredanimals/?fref=ts" target="_blank">explore.org on facebook</a>. They frequently will post their live cams when something fun is going on in one of the cams. Explore also has YouTube channels where you can watch the live cams or see highlights from the cams, such as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voWTWG5sGk0" target="_blank">this wolverine scooting through on Dumpling Mountain</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My Favorites!</b></span><br />
My favorite group of cams are the <a href="http://explore.org/live-cams/player/brown-bear-salmon-cam-brooks-falls" target="_blank">grizzly cams</a> in Katmai National Park. The most watched area is the Brooks Falls cam that Grazer's cubs fell down. This spot is known for years to be a popular grizzly fishing spot when the salmon come up the river. Upon seeing these cams about a year ago, I've done research to see how to visit this spot. It turns out Katmai is not easy to get to and a trip there would generally be very expensive. This cam will be as close as most people will ever get to viewing these grizzlies in person. There is a large online community who watch these bears, which you can get involved in on the comments on the cam. Possibly the coolest thing about the bear cams is that there is a <a href="https://www.nps.gov/katm/learn/photosmultimedia/upload/Bears-of-Brooks-River-2016.pdf" target="_blank">database of bears</a> who are seen on the cams. They all have names or IDs with notable features listed. You can try to identify the bears that you see! Also, park rangers frequent the chats, provide updates, and sometimes give talks or narrate on the cams.<br />
Unfortunately, the season for this cam will be ending soon, so check them out while you can. If you miss the bears, keep them in mind for next year and check out some other cams!Trees and Travelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11614731305904491950noreply@blogger.com0