A Snapshot and The Scoop: An Indulgence

Is it really a trip to the Buena Vista area in Colorado without a stop at the St. Elmo ghost town and a visit with a bunch of adorable furry friends? (The answer is no, btw.) Torrey and I had cut our mountain climbing short by a day and found ourselves with free time to indulge. We began with a visit to St. Elmo, a ghost town on the slopes of Mount Princeton where mining operations once created a booming industry. When the railroad moved away from the area and the mining dried up, the town was abandoned by all but a dedicated few, who have worked hard over the years to preserve their little corner of Colorado history. The town has few permanent residents, aside from the three species of squirrels that live near a pile of old railroad ties at the town center. I've written about these cuties before, and I'll continue to write about them every time we visit. #sorrynotsorry

A Snapshot and The Scoop: A Few of My Least Favorite Things

Let's talk about how much I dislike makeshift log "bridges" over rushing mountain streams. And let's also talk about how much I dislike crossing said bridges during the day when I can see, let alone having to cross them in the pre-dawn pitch black darkness of a mountain forest illuminated only by the beam of two headlamps while also being dive-bombed by bats who are attracted to the insects flitting around in the light of said headlamps. While I acknowledge that many of our summit bids in our goal to climb all 14'ers in Colorado will require us to continue beginning our hikes before dawn, that doesn't mean I have to like it. There is nothing creepier than a forest at night, and having to cross a bridge where one false move will send you plunging into icy water that promises to ruin your hike for the rest of the day while it is still dark, well, those are a few of my least favorite things. But we did it, despite my hesitation and grumpiness, and our summit bid was successful. I guess I'll just have to get over it, because I know there's more yet to come.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Pick Your Line

When you have no trail to follow, and it's really more about just taking the next step on your way up, you follow whatever route you can find in your bid for the summit of a mountain. Torrey and I were busy climbing 14,000 foot mountains again last summer, taking on Class 2 mountains that required some scrambling and boulder-hopping to get to the top. On this particular mountain, Yale, we reached the shoulder of the mountain and the end of the trail; we had to find our own way across a steep boulder field, haphazardly marked with carins from previous hikers, all of whom had their own skill levels and comforts with exposure (meaning how close they were willing to get to falling off the top of a mountain). Torrey and I each found our own way, with me sticking as close as possible to the middle of the boulder field, but not so center as to be quite at the top. I wanted to be able to hold on to boulders on both sides of my body, not just on the left or right. Boulder-hopping is a slow process (for me at least) due to the desire to make sure the rock I'm about to put my foot on won't roll away under my weight. Twisting an ankle on a remote mountain would be dangerous, and if the rock rolls off the side and takes me with it, the fall would be lethal. We carefully picked our way across the boulders, passing carins every now and then but mostly ignoring them as we found stable footing on our own. Reaching the summit has never felt so good.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Altitude Sickness

This right here is what altitude sickness looks like for us. When we're so close to being on top of the world, and have to all but curl up into ourselves to breathe through the nausea and headache. Altitude sickness can actually be very dangerous, even lethal, and though neither Torrey nor I have ever had it get to the point where we were in danger it has certainly been rather uncomfortable. It's also not something I'd want to go through alone - if I'd been hiking on my own I would have turned around and headed back to camp long before we got to this point, but we had each other and it kept me at least going forward, albeit with lots of breaks every 10 steps or so. It seems every year we climb mountains my altitude sickness gets worse; I never had a problem when I was younger, and only since moving to Texas have I noticed an issue with mountain climbing. I'm still looking for a treatment/cure that works for me, but until then I'll keep climbing mountains anyway!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Disconnect

There are very few things while travelling that make me as happy as I get when I see a Wilderness sign. Signs like this mean I'm leaving the real world behind, leaving cell service and internet and roads and cars and, for the most part, people, behind. I get to disconnect, get away, ignore reality for a little while and instead focus on myself, my hiking partner, and the world immediately around us. Because really, this IS reality, being in the moment and aware and self-reliant. If something happens out there, its up to you to figure it out, with no guarantee someone can come to help you. For some people, I dare say even most people, that can be a scary realization: that you're completely alone. But not to me. I thrive in Wilderness, I find my center, my mind calms and I don't have worries or anxieties over anything other than setting up camp before a storm pops up, and making sure I place the bear canister far enough away from the tent. Out there, I can get up with the sun and go to bed with it too, I can eat enough to fuel me through my day, I can sit and watch the world turn around me. I really can't wait to be out there again.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: My Spot

Last year's mountain climbing adventures actually left us with quite a bit of time on our hands, and we spent one afternoon just driving around, exploring Colorado by car. It was getting towards evening and we were on our way back to camp when I realized where we were - near the town of Salida, and not too far away from a favorite childhood haunt. I began looking for the turn off, going completely by landmark memory from I don't even know how many years ago. We drove past the road and I knew it immediately; I flipped a u-turn and, with mounting excitement, took the turn. Not far up the road, just inside the national forest, I found it: one of my family's favorite places to camp in Colorado, revisited year after year, affectionately named "Natasha's Spot." I'd had My Spot marked on nearly every map of Colorado I owned up until we all grew up and stopped being able to go together on week+ family trips and lost track of it after that. I hadn't even realized Torrey and I were driving close by until something about the drive jogged my memory, and at that point I knew I'd have to find it just for memory's sake. It was almost exactly how I remembered it, with the little creek rushing by and a wide empty space that perfectly fit a large tent, or a small camper. There was an additional fire ring now, two instead of just one, but the little gravel beach with the boulder overhanging the creek was still there, and I could all but see my younger self along with my sister sitting there for hours pretending we were surviving in the wilderness all on our own. I could smell the smoke from an early evening pine-wood campfire and taste the grilled potatoes my mom was so fond of making on every camping trip. I could hear my dad shuffling outside of the camper at night on us kids' side, pretending to be Big Foot and scaring my sister so bad she made me sleep against the outer wall (because what else are big sisters for but to protect you - and be eaten first?). It was way past berry season in late August, but I wondered if the strawberry patch was still there, a short (sketchy) walk across the swift stream. I don't know exactly how long I stood there among the trees reminiscing, but Torrey left me to dwell in my memories for a little while with a content smile on my face as I walked around and around, touching everything and taking way too many pictures of a few compact yards. If we hadn't had plans the next day with an already established base camp I probably would have asked if we could set up there that night, but there's always next year.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Pikes Peak Year Six

Once again, last August found Torrey and I at Pikes Peak, participating in and cheering on from the sidelines the runners of the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon. Torrey and I spent Ascent day at the top of the mountain, cheering her dad as he made it to the top. It was colder and windier on Pikes than it had been on any of the other 14'ers we'd climbed that week, and I was a little bit glad we had a warm giftshop/cafe to get into and warm up. Torrey keeps trying to talk me into running the ascent and up until now I've been adamantly against doing so . . . Now though, I might consider it. Just not this year; I'd like a little more running experience before I go for something like the elevation gain I'll have to suffer through in order to complete that particular race. We'll see though!

2019 Wrap Up: It Was A Quiet Year

Muted. As far as travelling is concerned, it's been a quite year for me. I've been just exhausted this year, which has led me to choosing to stay home more often than not, spending my weekends, long weekends, and even longer breaks around holidays lounging around my house and yard. I have been able to get out and run, though, so I'm still spending plenty of time outdoors - on both streets and trails- so I'm not lacking in the sunshine department at least. I did manage to get a few trips in this year, so read on below for a recap:

I kicked off 2019 by taking a week-long vacation to the deserts of Arizona with my cat. Hoodoo and I volunteered at an ultra race along the borders of Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, then we took off on our own to explore the deserts for a few days before heading home. We saw quite a bit of Arizona on our trip, and are already looking forward to going back again in the new year.

We adopted a new dog, and I "had" to travel to pick him up from my friend/his foster mom in Oklahoma. Bullet is a gentle, incredibly affectionate shepherd and fits in with our family like he's always belonged. And yeah, seeing Julia and her family while picking him up was the icing on the cake.

Callie, Hoodoo, and I took a weekend in late March to run away and look for alligators, and to spend a night on the gulf coast. We found plenty of gators, and while Hoodoo didn't appreciate the wind off the gulf we still got in a gorgeous sunrise stroll along the coast.

Hoodoo's and my trip to White Sands National Monument (now National Park!!) was . . . not great. It began with a hot day and a spectacular sunset followed by a lovely and quiet sunrise, then devolved into chaos and whipping sand and a flying tent with its occupants (us) still in it. One terrified cat, shredded tent, and broken wrist later, I don't think I'll be visiting White Sands again for a while. It took me six weeks to physically heal, and probably way longer than that to get over the disappointment of that disaster of a trip.

Despite still being in a wrist brace I took off by myself for ten days of driving and travelling around the east coast on what might be my most epic driving adventure to date. I visited 24 states plus Washington D.C. in that amount of time, saw the borders of Canada and the Atlantic Ocean, hit a ton of state and national parks, and tent camped most of those nights. It was a much needed retreat from normal life, and one of my top adventures of the year.

For the second year in a row LeakyCon was hosted in Dallas, and for the second year in a row I got tickets! Eleven year old me would never have forgiven myself if I had the chance to see Tom Felton (who played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films) in person, and I am thrilled that I went.

For the sixth year in a row Torrey and I headed to Colorado in August, where we spent a week hiking 14,000 foot mountains, camping, sight-seeing, soaking in hot springs, and attempting but failing to backpack in sand dunes (no more sand dunes for me for a while, dammit!) We also went to Pikes Peak for the Ascent and Marathon for the sixth time, with me once again acting as cheerleader. We've got 49 more 14'ers to hike, and I can't wait for the years and adventures to come.

In September Jared and I actually travelled together and spent a weekend on the Texas Gulf Coast celebrating a friend's beautiful wedding. Not only did I get Jared to travel, but I even got him to go swimming in the Gulf with me! Talk about miracles!

Another wedding, this time for my cousin, led me back to Nebraska in October, where I hung out with family and celebrated a couple's love by partying the night away. It was a super short trip for me, with really only a single day and night with my family before turning around and heading home, but it was all the sweeter for it.

A day trip in November when Torrey came down to my neck of the woods for a visit found us in gator country along the Texas coast, where we saw quite a few of these reptiles and also made a trip to see the gulf before heading home at sunset. A long day with many hours in the car, but good company makes the miles and hours fly by.

On a random Saturday in mid-November I was heading north to meet my dad somewhere in Oklahoma to exchange a precious package: the little kitten pictured above, now named Nova, had been hit by a car the week prior while on my way in to work. I found her, began her recovery, and proceeded to bombard my family with pictures and videos of the little kitten with a bobbed tail who just wouldn't give up. My sister decided she wanted her, so my dad and I met up halfway between our homes for lunch and to get Nova to her new family. It might be the craziest adventure I've ever had: driving 12 hours for a one-hour lunch and to exchange a cat, but who cares. Nova is happy and healthy and now I get to see her any time I visit! It's a win for everyone.

Again, it's actually been a pretty quiet year this year. I travelled the least amount this year since I started tracking back in 2014, and while it seemed like it was okay while it was happening I now wish I'd made a little more effort throughout the year. Of course, some things that prevented my travels were beyond my control, but there's always next year to be more enthusiastic. Anyway, the usual stats are below:

Adventures: 11
Hours: 986.86
Miles Driven: 18,298
Total Cost: $3,078.92
States Visited: 29 plus Washington D.C.
Hiked: 59.6 miles
State Parks Visited: 6
National Parks Visited: 9
National Monument Visited: 3
National Forests Visited: 3
Wilderness Areas Visited: 1
National Seashore: 1
Navajo Tribal Park: 1
Number of Nights Tent Camping: 12
Number of Nights Sleeping IN the Car: 8
Number of Nights Backpacking: 2
Number of Nights in a Hotel: 4
Number of Nights in a House: 10
Number of Nights in an RV: 2
Animal Companions: 31
Human Companions: 33 plus various wedding guests

2020 is a new year, a fresh start, and I may or may not already have all of my vacation time planned out for the whole year. I've got several week-long trips booked already, with the first one beginning in February in the deserts. I just know this year is going to be a good one, so goodbye to the adventures of 2019 and hello to the new ones of 2020!

Buffalo River Trail: Erbie to Pruitt

Concluded. The last day of hiking the Buffalo River Trail started out wet. It had rained in the night, and though we expected it we were a little disappointed to see the rain clouds lingering as we broke camp. We hopped in the car and went to get the other one parked at Steel Creek, debating the whole time whether or not to finish the BRT with the risk of rain or to save it for next year. In the end, we decided to go for it, figuring even if we got wet we'd end up in a dry car no matter how the day went. After dropping a car at Pruitt, the final trailhead on the BRT, we went back to Erbie and began.

The hike between Erbie and Pruitt was a gentle one. Sure, there were ups and downs, but for the most part we stayed right along the mist-shrouded Buffalo River. I couldn't have been more thankful for gentle terrain; my hotspots from the day before had developed into full fledged blisters, and pretty much every step was pain. I guess that's where my stubborn streak came in, as I all but refused to slow down or stop. I wanted to finish the trail, and nothing was going to keep me from it!

The trail took us through a little more open land than we'd seen so far, winding through a pine forest in places and along clear creek beds in others. The rain we worried about set in within a couple miles, forcing us to pull out our rain gear as we plodded along. It only rained hard for a bit, though it never really went away, sometimes misting, sometimes drizzling, sometimes with enough persistence to wet our jackets. A little bit of moisture on the carpet of leaves meant our trail became a little more treacherous, and we had to watch our footing more carefully as the leaves slipped under our shoes.

Torrey and I didn't talk much, prefering instead to listen to the crunch of leaves and whisper of wind. I withdrew into my own head, letting my imagination run wild in an attempt to take my mind off my wet feet and hot blisters. The littlest details caught my attention and more than once I stopped to poke at a mushroom peeking through the leaves, or to run my hand over the furry moss covering a tree trunk. I fell behind as the day wore on, and found myself walking alone through the autumn woods.

Almost at the end of the trail Torrey waited for me on a fallen log. As we rested we watched the river and glimpsed a bald eagle soaring over the bluffs around us. The final approach to Pruitt was slow and, on my part, painful. My feet hurt, and it was with a sense of relief and accomplishment that I approached my car. We ditched our packs and headed to the river, determined to touch it just once on our hike before calling it a day. Exhaustion melted away as we stood on the banks of the Buffalo River, gazing from its teal waters to the blue-gray bluffs towering above it, then on to the forest hugging the cliffs around us. We'd done it, we hiked the entire Buffalo River Trail from start to finish. With last year's trek from Boxley to Steel Creek added to this year's Steel Creek to Pruitt, we finished the 30+ mile BRT! We'll be back next year, but we aren't quite sure where we'll hike quite yet. Maybe the day hikes in the area, maybe explore other remote areas of the wilderness. Some day we'll float the river, but that'll be a summer adventure. Until next time, BRT! We'll be back.

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Smoke-Hazed Mountains

I have never, in all my years of visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, seen the sky so hazy. As a result of the fires burning all over Colorado this past summer our visit to the state, and specifically to the park, was filled with smoky skies. The smoke and fires were concerning enough that we mapped out our planned 14'er hikes accordingly, making sure the fires weren't anywhere close to where we would be. That didn't stop the smoke, of course, and on more than one occasion the brown smudge of smoke filled the horizon no matter where we looked. It was particularly bad in Rocky Mountain NP, with the mountains reduced to featurless silhouettes in the not-too-far distance. Breathing never became difficult, but you could smell smoke tainting the fresh mountain air, feeling it on the back of your tongue like a bitter aftertaste. I know fires are a natural part of forest life, especially those started by lightning and not the man-made kind, but it was still a bit sad knowing how much was going up in flames around us.

Leave me a comment below and tell me if you've ever seen the smoke from forest fires firsthand. What was your impression?

Buffalo River Trail: Kyle's Landing to Erbie

Spent. Our first full day back on the Buffalo River Trail was going almost exactly as we'd planned, with the minor hiccup of missing the spur to hit the toilets and a picnic table at lunchtime. We just found a flat rock in a sunny place for lunch instead, and continued our hike along the thru trail. Our views along the trail continued to impress, with glimpses of the river through the trees and a few high spots that allowed us to overlook swaths of the Ozarks.

One thing we did miss out on, however, was the chance to fill up our water bottles. We'd planned on filling up at Kyle's Landing, if not from the taps that were likely closed for the season then at least from the river using our filter. We missed our turn, though, and walked several more miles before we found a small pool set in the shade of an alcove where we sat for a few minutes and drank our fill. It was around this time that I realized I hadn't been taking proper care of my feet, and I was beginnning to fill the hotspots that hearlded a comming blister. I took a few extra minutes to remove my shoes and cool my feet, changing my socks and hoping the damage wasn't too bad.

Of course, as we continued hiking it became pretty apparent that I hadn't acted quickly enough. My feet hurt, concentrated on my right heel, and I found myself compensating by walking with a pronounced limp. We still had several miles to go before we called it quits for the night, planning on reaching Erbie Campground and one of our cars at the trailhead. Torrey offered to slow down several times, but there was no point. We still had the same amount of ground to cover, and in my head hurrying through them was preferable to prolonging my discomfort.

We took what shortcuts we could, following a forest service road instead of the trail itself until it spit us out at Erbie Historic Site. After poking around the homestead a bit we hopped on the road, knowing it would take us up to the campground and the luxury of our car. As is my usual, I began to second guess myself if we were heading in the right direction, if our car really was only a mile or so up the road and not three miles up like I suddenly began to fear. It was close to dark, and night falls quickly in the mountains. A mile we could handle, three miles would mean we'd be walking in a dark forest, alone, with only our headlamps and night noises for company. I confessed my fear to Torrey, convincing myself with every step that I'd somehow messed up and parked further away than we really needed to, prolonging my already intolerable foot pain into something that surely counted as self-torture.

You can't imagine the tidal wave of relief that crashed over me when we saw the sign for the campground after only a mile on the road. I grinned like an idiot, ridiculously pleased with myself that I hadn't managed to screw up this year. As I limped up to the car and dumped my pack I could have cried. As it was, we really didn't have all that long before we lost the light so we hurried to pick a site where we set up the tent and began dinner. We stayed out at the picnic table far longer that we would have hung around if we were in the backcountry, watching the stars come out above us as we listened to the river rushing past, contemplating the next day and the end of our trail. Then, of course, we hit the bathroom before bed and Torrey decided to take us on a joy ride to the creepy abandoned farmstead just down the road. And I really did cry. Read about the night we confirmed I'm a wimp here.

Buffalo River Trail: Steel Creek to Kyle's Landing

Steady. Although we missed the leaf peak by two weeks, autumn in the Ozarks couldn't be passed up. Torrey and I were back in northern Arkansas, planning on finishing twenty-five miles of the Buffalo River Trail over four days in the middle of November. We arrived in the tiny town of Ponca at midday on Friday and spent a few hours getting ourselves oriented and settled before dropping a car off at each trailhead. We only had an hour and a half or so of light left, and spent about forty-five minutes hiking at a quick pace along Steel Creek until we made camp for the first night, settling in a hollow next to the creek just off trail.

I did mention it was autumn, right? It got cold that night, cold enough that I regretted not placing my pocket warmers somewhere I could find them when I inevitably woke up in the wee hours of the morning, freezing my toes off. I didn't really get back to sleep after that, shivering too much to relax in my bag, so I was up with the sun as I tried to bring feeling back into my fingers and toes. We ate a hot oatmeal breakfast as we waited for the forest to warm up around us, watching droplets of water fall like rain as the sun melted frost from the upper branches of the trees.

Soon enough we were on our way, gaining elevation as we rose above the creek to come out on a bluff high above the Buffalo River. Fading leaves carpeted the forest floor, crunching under our shoes as we waded through ankle deep piles blown around by the wind. Frozen trickles of water laced dry creek beds, echos of springtime rains and gushing falls, and we passed more than one overhang that surely boasted water pouring over its edge during summer storms. Not for the first time I wondered what the trail would be like to hike in a different season, perhaps late spring or early summer, when water was abundant and a green canopy obscured the sky. Maybe one year I'll find out, but for now I'll stick with the oranges and yellows and whitish blues that come with autumn leaves and open skies.

Even with our packs on the trail was relatively easy and we ate up miles. Several times I commented to Torrey that our hike this year seemed easier than the section we hiked last year. The views certainly were better, with the trail more closely parallelling the river and affording views of its greenish-blue waters more frequently. We planned to hike from Steel Creek all the way to the BRT's end point at Pruitt, though our short-term goal was Kyle's Landing where we planned on breaking for lunch.

At least, stopping at Kyle's Landing was the plan. We did great on the approach, making miles and time as we estimated we would. We knew we were getting close when we began losing elevation, leveling out at river level and hearing voices of day trippers. We even saw a few other hikers, presumably enjoying a short walk from the parking lot. Somehow or another, though, we missed our turn. Instead of taking the spur and heading to the parking lot and river, we kept going on the BRT, and it took us asking each other if that last tenth-mile felt like a lot further than it should have before we realized we'd missed our turn. It wasn't really a huge setback, though. Sure, I'd been looking forward to dumping some trash and using the pit toilets, but we had the forest to ourselves and we could empty trash at our next stop, where we planned on making camp that night. So, as the sun shone directly overhead Torrey and I found ourselves a couple of nice rocks and ate a cold lunch, resting up for the next leg of our hike.

2018 Wrap-Up: Um, It Was A Year

Flagging. I'm not even sure what to say about this year. What a whirlwind! I would travel a bunch, then go several months without hitting the road, only to have several trips lined up back to back. Half the trips I began the year planning ended up falling through, but others popped up unexpectedly and I learned to roll with it. This was definitely a year for learning new things, not only about myself and my limits but about my furry and non-furry companions as well. This was the year I got lost, but conquered mountains. This was the year I discovered the puppy I raised to be a travel companion hates travelling, but then successfully raised an adventure kitten.  This was the year I decided I don't like camping in forests nearly as much as I enjoy camping in deserts. This was the year where sometimes, I just wanted to be home. I had some health issues during the later part of the year that sucked the energy out of me and made me wish for nothing other than a place to lay my head for hours on end, and I think my travelling reflected that. Yeah, it was definitely a year, and I'm honestly glad it's over. Take a peek at the summaries of each of my adventures below, and like the past few years check out my stats at the end of the post:

Between being sick with the flu and moving into our new house (!!!) I missed my annual birthday trip this year. Instead, I snuck away in February for a couple days and drove around Texas to check out seven state parks, including Monahans Sandhills pictured above. Ghost and Callie tagged along too!

I had a very unexpected adventure in March, which included a trip up to Nebraska and down to extreme western Texas. This trip included some one-on-one Father/Daughter time as we explored western Nebraska's national monuments during late winter.

This year also included my first Ren Fest! Unfortunatley I didn't dress up, but Jared did buy me a cloak for my very own. I looked like a Jedi. Or an elf. I'd rather stick with Jedi, personally. Anyway, my ren fest experience was awesome and I can't wait to go to another one!

I also ran up to Nebraska to go to one of my oldest childhood friends' baby shower! It was a short and sweet trip and I was so happy to be part of her day. (Side note: I got to meet little Emily later in the summer on one of my stops by home! She was so precious!)

I had wavered back and forth on where to go during a week off at the end of May, trying to decide between the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico, or to make a trip of driving around the New England states. I kinda wish I'd chosen New England, because this was the trip I ended up lost in the desert. I got out of it, obviously, but I won't deny that it left me quite shaken for a while. And now I can't look at my legs without seeing the scars. I came out of it stronger once I'd spent several days laying on the couch licking my wounds (read: pride) and it wasn't long before I'd decided the Gila and I have unfinished business that I'll be looking to make right in the future.

Jared and I had a weekend run-away to Dallas, just the two of us, to celebrate our anniversary a little early in the middle of June. We did what we do best: visited zoos and aquariums, got up to shenanigans, and ordered lots of room service.

My sister and I embarked on a looooong adventure in July, visiting everywhere from Yellowstone in Wyoming to Arches in Utah. We really went without much of a plan, and in the end that turned out better for us. We like going with the flow, and not being sure where we'll end up, though we're both Type A enough that we had a general idea of what we wanted to see. Mountains to desert, with a few hot springs and geysers thrown in? Bring it!

I also went to my first ever convention this year, and of course it was a Harry Potter convention in Dallas! I had a great time at LeakyCon, and they're coming back to Dallas next year. I can't wait!

Y'all have heard me brag about this enough, so I'll keep it short: I met Torrey in Colorado for our annual August Pikes Peak visit, and while we were at it we hiked six 14,000ft mountains in five days. With my cat. #LikeABoss

I managed to find a weekend to go leaf-peeping this autumn, and was able to bring my kitten as well as my old Marley man. I have to say, a weekend in the forest (despite a midnight thunderstorm and a leaky tent) did wonders for my happiness.

Torrey and I accomplished more this year than just hiking a few mountains: we also finished the Buffalo River Trail, a 37 mile trail that parallels the Buffalo National River in the Ozarks of northern Arkansas. It was cold, it was warm, it was dry, it was wet, and it was awesome.

Jared and I met my family down in San Antonio for an early family Christmas celebration on the River Walk during the weekend after Thanksgiving. The temperatures were in the upper 70's, the Walk was decked out for Christmas, and we had our fair share of over-indulging. Like ya do.

I just wrapped up a short surprise visit to Nebraska last week to be there for my little sis, who graduated with her Masters Degree this winter. I have to say, I am one proud big sister!

I had the fewest adventures this year since I started travelling back in 2014, but this year was all about quality. I had three week-long trips, and ten more smaller ones throughout the year, and I'm pretty sure I set a record for the least amout of money spent on my trips. Number of hours and amount of miles travelled was about average, and the number of states visited seems to be holding pretty steady. Check it out:

Adventures: 13
Hours: 1053.1
Miles Driven: 20,744
Total Cost: $3085.98
States Visited: 12
Hiked: 105.69 miles
State Parks Visited: 11
National Parks Visited: 5
National Monuments Visited: 6
National Forests Visited: 6
Wilderness Areas Visited: 1
National Rivers Visited: 1
Number of Nights Tent Camping Near the Car: 9
Number of Nights Sleeping IN the Car: 10
Number of Nights Backpacking: 7
Number of Nights in a Hotel: 8
Number of Nights in a House: 10
Number of Nights Driving: 1
Animal Companions: 28
Human Companions: 27

Overall 2018 was a good year, and I've already got my sister's and Torrey's summer trips planned out for 2019. I'll do everything in my power to get Hoodoo out and hiking with me as well, likely on several smaller trips throughout the year. I've got a big trip coming up this winter, where a certain desert is calling my name. Obviously I'm already looking forward to 2019. Bring it on!