Looking over my pre-trip literature from OARS, I stopped to re-read the section about what was provided that stated that they would provide everything needed for a relaxing and adventurous trip. The smart aleck voice that always lives in my brain quickly piped up and said, “Yeah, everything expect a bathroom with indoor plumbing!” The uncivilized nature of travels into…
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Fall leaves, crisp air and (I swear) the scent of cider were the welcoming crew when we landed for a long October weekend in the hidden town of Coeur d’Alene. Although I normally make it my business to know the ins and outs of a location before we arrive, I knew very little about this northern Idaho hamlet in the…
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~ The View that Kept us Driving for 13 hours~ It is just under 800 miles by car from our home in Texas to Panama City Beach. In less abstract terms that only parents will understand, that’s 7 potty breaks, a handful of meltdowns, and nine complete replays of the movie Frozen on the DVD player. It’s a long trip, especially…
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When the opportunity to hit the river for a four day rafting excursion fell into my lap, I first felt giddy excitement followed by pure panic. It wasn’t just the thought of falling off the back of the boat or peeing in the woods that had me worried; it was the prospect of collecting the specialized gear for a new…
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Standing in the middle of Sportsman’s Warehouse, the only sporting goods store in the remote town of Vernal, UT, I am a crumpled mess. I have a Columbia fleece slung over each arm, a bright pink one for me (and I hate pink) and a gray one for my eleven-year-old son. I have chosen them because they are the heaviest…
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