Venturesome. What a year! So much has happened this past year its hard to know where to begin. I went on several major trips, sprinkled with many more little ones throughout the year. The biggest adventure: I married Jared in front of our families up in Nebraska at the beginning of July! Read on to see what else I've been up to, and at the bottom of this post you'll find the usual summary of travel stats for the year.
I try to take a birthday trip every year, though sometimes I find that pursuit difficult considering my birthday is in the middle of January. I chose to go to the beach this year, and while it wasn't hot and as sunny as I wished it was still better than snow!
In February I found myself and Callie sweltering in eighty degree weather in the Hill Country of Texas, enjoying our time backpacking at Colorado Bend State Park. It was our first of many backpacking trips this year, and it made such an impression that I want to go back! Maybe another February trip is in order!
This year I did something I've never done before, and travelled for work. Jared had the pleasure of accompanying me (other way around, but still) as we transported a sick cat to Houston for veterinary care, which included an overnight in the city. While I wouldn't wish to be stuck in a tiny exam room for so long ever again, it was still an interesting experience!
In March Callie and I headed back to Hill Country and tucked ourselves into the canyons at South Llano River State Park. I don't often arrive at a campsite with lots of daylight left, and our little secluded camp felt like a true, much needed retreat. Even if the armadillos were loud as they ran through the long grass.
Once again my little adventure dog accompanied me, this time to Copper Breaks State Park in west Texas during a weekend get-away in April. She is such a trooper when it comes to hiking and my incessant picture taking!
I headed home for the Easter holiday and spent some time with family and fine wine. Also, spending time drinking wine on a patio in Nebraska during April is pretty darn good!
Our fourth annual Father-Daughter trip has expanded a bit, now including most of my family and a good time at the River Walk in San Antonio. I can't wait to see what happens next year!
My sister and I spent a week and change deep within the deserts of the southwestern United States, where we hiked more than fifty miles, forty of which were along the Grand Canyon. We also tackled Angel's Landing in Zion National Park, and visited numerous other National Monuments along the way. No big deal or anything.
Jared's and my cross-country trip in June and July really felt like three adventures in one, what with us visiting family in Nebraska, North Dakota, and Minnesota. The highlight of the trip? I got to marry my best friend.
I packed up these two pups and headed to the mountains in Arkansas on a whim on weekend in July, needing to get back to my happy place in nature. It was Ghost's first time camping and he took it all in stride! He's going to make a fantastic adventure dog.
August, once again, found Torrey and I in the Colorado Rockies, this time spending several days backpacking in Rocky Mountain National Park in addition to hanging out around Pike's Peak. The best part of our trip was definitely seeing a bear up close and personal!
I took the dogs and myself to get lost in Lost Maples Natural Area, on the edge of Hill Country in September. While we had quite a few misadventures there, I can't wait to go back and explore some more trails.
I headed back up to Nebraska for a few days at the beginning of October and my dad talked me in to going to Indian Cave State Park while there (he really had to twist my arm...) Indian Cave was a childhood favorite, and heading back there brought a wave of nostalgia that I wasn't quite prepared for.
At the beginning of November Jared and I embarked on a whirlwind weekend up in Kansas City, MO to visit friends and attend a baby shower. While I enjoyed the nine hour one-way car ride, Jared did not. Friends are worth it, though!
Also in November I met up with Torrey at Buffalo National Scenic River to backpack fourteen miles along the national trail that parallels the river. I have yet to post about that trip but rest assured, there were many misadventures and several good stories out of the weekend!
Our most recent adventure just concluded, with us spending nine days visiting family and friends in Nebraska for the holidays. Jared and I had a wonderful time, especially when it came to hanging out with our little niece! (Callie looks like she's being squished in this picture, but she had been giving Charlotte kisses just before we took it!)
I struggled through the second half of last year after I lost Meeka, letting myself lapse on writing and travelling. This year I jumped right back into it, filling a journal full of travel entries, and I think I've been better about posting my trips on this blog! I've listed out my travel stats for the year here, and I know I can see an improvement in my travels compared to last year!
Number of Adventures: 16
Time Spent Travelling: 1615.98 hours
Number of Nights Car Camping: 7
Number of Nights Backpacking: 11
Number of Nights in Someone's House: 27
Number of Nights in a Hotel: 9
Number of Nights in a Cabin: 3
Number of Nights Driving: 1
Total Cost: $3912.93
Number of States Visited: 14
Distance Driven: 21,428 miles
Distance Hiked: 147.16
Number of National Parks/Monuments/Rec Areas/Forests: 13
Number of State Parks: 7
Number of Human Companions: 60
Number of Furry Companions: 21
Number of Scaly Companions: 2
I absolutely cannot wait for my 2018 adventures! I am planning two major trips already, but I'm going to keep them to myself until I get all of the details figured out. 2018 is going to be a good year!
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