Moab Adventures, Part 2

It has been a crazy couple of weeks since I last posted a blog..but jeez wedding planning is a lot of work!

I cannot believe it has almost been a month already since our trip to Moab, Utah. I miss the desert hot days, the scenic red rocks, and the sporadic nature of being on a road trip vacation. In fact, I’m already counting down the days until we are back out there next year for spring break!

Moab is most known for the National Parks that are found in town, but I would have to say that my favorite part of the trip was all the other adventures we did while out there!

SlickRock Mountain Bike Trail 

This bike trail is no joke. The whole terrain is slick rock, which means you grip to it so easily and can ride super fast. However, due to the “grippy” nature of the rocks the trail consists of lots of intense drops and climbs, riding along the mountain edge, sandpits, and other extreme obstacles. Slick rock was hands down one of the hardest trails that I have ever ridden, note I am a mediocre mountain biker. I did absolutely love the scenic views that the trail provided through out the entire 11 mile loop though. If you are a mountain biker I would highly recommend riding this trail!

Stand up Paddle Boarding the Colorado River 

As most of you may know, the Colorado river is not your typical calm and slow river. It is full of class 1-2+ rapids and travels at an average speed of 6mph. So, who in their right mind would want to SUP down that?

Kwin tells me that we need to scare ourselves once a day to feel alive; Well let me tell ya, this day was full of that! We pumped up our Tahoe SUP inflatable paddle boards about 12miles upstream from camp (which are super easy to travel with!) and hit the rapids.

Other Great things about Moab 

Corona Arch 

This Arch was probably one of my favorites in Moab. I wish is was a little more sunny for an epic sunset, but the view and hike was still amazing.

Fischer Towers! 

 

Fischer Towers is just a little bit outside of Moab, but is beautiful (Especially at sunset). We stayed out and star gazed for awhile before heading back to camp.

Petroglyphs 

You can find ancient Petroglyphs on almost every trail! Some of them dating back to the 1600’s.

Road Bike Trail 

In Moab, they have bike trails everywhere. Really, you can bike to almost any destination you want which Kwin and I absolutely loved. Plus, can you beat the view of the La Sal Mountains in the background?

 Our Awesome Campsite, right on the Colorado River!

Base camp was something hard to beat, especially being right on the colorado river and in the mountains!

Canyon Lands and Arches National Parks-Moab, Utah!

We just returned home from our week long trip in Moab, Utah…and let me tell you, it was amazing! The Red Rocky mountains, warm desert air, La Sal Mountains in the horizon and just the environment was so awesome. Every day was exhausting and filled with lots of hiking, mountain biking, and just enjoying the beautiful outdoors.

In this blog I want to tell you about two of our days, which we spent in the National Parks in Moab. Theses are called Arches National Park, and Canyon Lands National Park.

Arches National Park 

Arches is known for its more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches; most commonly Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch!

We arrived to Arches just before sunrise and made our way back to Delicate Arch, guided by our headlamps, to catch sunrise. It is rated one of the best sunrise spots due to the way the sun hits the arch and the light glowing off the red rocks. It really was a breathtaking view and great way to start the day.

We then made our way to Devils Garden! This was my favorite part of Arches because of how beautiful the scenery was. We hiked the Primitive Loop Trail finding multiple Arches and making our way through a maze of red rock mountains (or Fins as they call them).

Arches was full of great views, easy and extreme hiking and is definitely a place I will visit again in the future.

Canyon Lands National Park

Canyon Lands started out very similar to Arches with a headlamp guided sunrise hike. This time we made our way to Mesa Arch. This is National Geographically rated as one of the best sunrise locations in Moab! It definitely was beautiful, but because of its high ranking everyone seemed to be there.

From there we went to Grand Overlook Point where we hiked right along the cliffside. This trail is commonly known as “Island in the Sky” because how the cliff extends over a huge canyon, you could seriously see for miles!

(Yes, Kwin is a bit of a dare devil and likes to hang off ledges that have a 400ft drop!)

Next on our list was a road bike to Dead Horse Point. We parked out car about 7 miles out from the main entrance and then rode in through the desert planes. The views were breath taking. From there we decided to do a trail run the rest of the way to the actual hairpin overlook of Dead Horse Point.

Spending a day in Canyon Lands is definitely not enough because of how large it is. I hope to be back there next year and can explore even more territory that we weren’t able to see!

Moab is lucky enough to not only have two National Parks within a couple miles from each other, but also some of the top ranked Mountain bike trails in the nation and infinite other hiking trails.  I can easily say that Moab now has a piece of my heart and I cannot wait to go back again!

Early Bird Gets The Best Sunrise!

Oh the notorious saying “Early Bird gets the worm,” something I was told quite frequently while growing up. I, like most young kids, would usually laugh and respond saying “I’d rather sleep.” It was not until college that I my mindset changed and I truly started appreciating early morning wake ups.

I find that mornings are the most tranquil part of the day and where I am most productive. Catching the sunrise peaking over the horizon is one of my favorite things; whether it be sitting on my paddle board in the middle of the lake, on-top of a mountain, or just sitting on my back deck it really sets the mood for the day.

Yesterday, as I was returning home after a kick ass workout, I took a slight detour. Northern Michigan is known for its picturesque sunrises and sunsets, but in the winter they are hard to come across. NOT THIS MORNING! The horizon was painted with pinks, blues and oranges. The water of the lake calm as can be with the thinnest ice covering overtop. And nothing but the sound of birds chirping filling the air.

I sat and watched the sunrise from atop a snow covered rock, just taking in the beautiful view. Moments like these are a constant reminder to appreciate life and everything that you have. This year has been full of so many changes, all of which I am so thankful for.

Everyday I am working towards being a better person than the day I was before. Changing one habit and practicing it everyday is all it takes.  If i had never changed my habit of sleeping in till late morning I would never be able to enjoy these beautiful moments.

“Your life doesn’t get better by chance, It gets better by change.” -Jim Rohn

Next Adventure in the Making, Utah!

Kwin and I are always scheming what our next adventure is going to be. Whether it be a quick weekend trip or something big, we’re always on the go.

“Take every chance you get in life, because somethings only happen once.”

Our next adventure is going to be a road trip out to Moab, Utah!  There is something about the red rocks, sunny skies, mountainous terrain, and vast open spaces that we are both drawn to. Moab is one of Kwin’s favorite travel locations and I’m so excited to finally be getting out there. Being that Kwin has been to Moab so many times already he’s created a pretty great itinerary of must go places (but always leaving room for additions/new places we find!)

Itinerary

-Slick Rock    -Corona Arch     -Moab Rim Trail    -Canyon Lands     -Arches

-Fischer Towers      -Horse Shoe Rim    -Dinosaur Tracks    -Porcupine Rim

While in Moab we plan on setting up camp in our little camper along the Colorado River. We don’t let a second go to waste while traveling so our days will be filled with hiking, mountain biking, paddling/white water rafting on our Stand Up Paddle boards and eating good food at all the local places!

Getting Ready

We are two and a half weeks out from leaving and have officially started prepping for the big trip. The adventure will start with a 24 hour road trip in our tightly packed truck, while pulling our camper along behind. It will be exhausting, especially the treacherous flat planes of Nebraska and Iowa, but worth it none the less.

 Kwin has been working on the camper all winter, making improvements so that everything runs smoothly.  We absolutely love our pop-up camper, as it is perfect for traveling and quick set up!

As a couple, Kwin and I are able to easily delegate tasks based on each others strengths and weaknesses. While Kwin is in charge of maintenance and itinerary planning, I usually take care of the little detail planning and getting everything else together .

What we will be bringing:

-Tahoe SUP inflatable paddle boards: http://www.tahoesup.com

-Mountain and Road Bikes

-Cooking utensils: portable grill, portable stove, pots, pans, eating utensils,

-Hiking gear

-Tent for backcountry camping under the stars one night

-Lots of other safety equipment: headlamps, bear spray, portable shower

-Dog gear: food, leash and collar, booties

-Electronics: power cords, camera, GoPro, Drone, portable charger, solar panels

-GROCERIES: must have lots of snacks (or usual plan is quick easy breakfast, lots of snacks during the day, BIG dinner)

The emotions that traveling brings about is something hard to describe. The butterfly’s in my stomach, difficulty sleeping, and only being able to focus on what is to come are only a few to list. As the time gets closer to leaving I can’t help but think about all the beautiful things we are going to experience and how lucky I am to be able to travel as often as I do. MOAB, HERE WE COME!

February Heatwave, Northern Michigan Edition

This winter has been one for the books. It started out brutal; getting pounded with lake effect snow, below freezing days, and tremendous winds. This is nothing new for the northern Michigan folks though. Its something most of us look forward to; A change and time for snowshoeing, skiing, fat tire biking and so many other winter outdoor activities. Not too long after the new year rang in,the typical winter weather we are use to changed. HEATWAVE! Temperatures reaching the high 50’s and even into the 60’s (you can say goodbye to all the snow we had.) Not that I am complaining! Don’t get me wrong, I love winter…but if it could only be 2-3 months instead of 5 I would be content. The change in outdoor activities changed just as fast as the winter did. People are out running, biking, and even paddle boarding.  I know I’m trying to take full advantage of this warm weather because it could switch back overnight again. This is why I love living in Northern Michigan, as it is always so unpredictable making for spontaneous adventures! Here are some pictures from our weekend living up the February Heatwave! 

 

 

Winter Weekend in Marquette!

 As we cross the Mackinaw Bridge from Mackinaw City to St.Ignace there is an instant feeling that you’re in a whole new world. Something about the Upper Peninsula of Michigan that separates it from anywhere else I have ever been. Picture this: Virgin White Pine forests along one side of the road with a view of Lake Michigan on the other. Traffic is nonexistent. No billboards advertising the nearest McDonalds or skyscrapers in site. Now at this time of year add about 3 feet of snow plowed up along side the road and you’re set.

Northern Michigan in the winter can be pretty brutal: you get the intense lake effect snow from Lake Michigan. The brutally cold winter days and nights, barley getting above freezing; and the majority of the days are cloudy with a peak of sun occasionally. So why do I love it so much up there? Well that’s because the snow, coldness and peaks of sun are what make winter beautiful. When I think of winter I don’t think of 75 and sunny. In fact, weather like this makes me enjoy the other seasons so much more because I appreciate them so much.

Growing up I use to hate winter. I felt like all I could do was stay inside and do nothing. Well I sure was wrong! As I’ve gotten older I have started to expand my horizons (thanks to my wonderful Fiancé, Kwin) and gotten out to enjoy the beauty of winter. I look forward to snowshoeing, skiing, fat tire biking and all the other activities there are to do.

This past weekend in Marquette, MI was possibly one of the best winter weekends I can think of. It was one of those random sunny weekends (and lets be honest sun makes everything a little bit better). Kwin and I do not like to waste a second in a day, so here is a little rundown of what we did this weekend.

Saturday: 

• Woke up before sunrise to get to one of our favorite hikes, Sugar Loaf Mountain, and were able to hike the beach and mountain to catch a beautiful sunrise.

• Went fat tire biking at the Marquette groomed winter trails. This was quite a challenge for me. See, I am still new at this Fat tire biking stuff and the beginning of the corse was NOT EASY! However, I never give up to a challenge and kept going. It ended up being such a beautiful, relaxing and fun ride too!
• Went Skiing at Mount Marquette. This ski resort was absolutely breath taking. At the top of most of the hills you had this amazing overlook of Lake Superior, plus the skiing conditions were absolutely perfect!

• Took our dog,Kanyon, for a hike along the pathway that goes for miles along Lake Superior.  We love this pathway for many reasons: It’s perfect for biking and walking along, you’ve got a great view of sunrises and sunsets, and it’s right along Lake Superior!
• We ended our day by going to one of our favorite restaurants in Marquette, Sol Azteca (this place is a must!)

Sunday: 

• Woke up, again before sunrise, and drove to Pictured Rocks to catch the sunrise there.

-Our plan here took a little bit of a twist. We thought that the road was plowed all the way to the coast line, however when driving down there we soon found out that it was a season road (meaning not plowed!) This did not stop us, instead we hopped on out Fat Tire bikes and rode the remaining three miles back.

• Our first stop was Miners Castle. This was absolutely beautiful with the sunrise hitting the colorful rocks and the crystal blue water.

• Second, we rode an additional one mile to the Miners Falls. This is a waterfall hidden in the Pictured Rocks National forest. This was my favorite stop of the weekend. The waterfall was breathtaking. 80% of it was frozen solid, but being how massive it is there was still some flowing water. When we got there the sun was hitting it so perfectly!

• We then finished our Fat Tire bike back and started our voyage home.

Marquette and Pictured Rocks are two of my favorite places in the Upper Peninsula, and maybe even Michigan in general. The rustic, wooded, outdoor feel that you get when you’re in the Upper Peninsula is something you can’t get anywhere else. If you are willing to endure the cold temperatures and snowy terrain, I would highly suggest going up there for a winter adventure!

New Year Resolutions…Nawh, how about Life Long Accomplishments

The start of every new year is always full of excitement and motivation to meet those new goals you’ve set for yourself. “It’s a new year, time for a new me.” I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard or seen someone post about that; whether it be this year or in previous years. I am not meaning to bash on those individuals, because sometimes the changes made do actually last and become a lifestyle, but lets be honest…how many people do you know that actually embrace their new years resolutions fully?

I am not perfect in anyway. The past couple years I found myself making the same resolutions over and over again: get fit, have a body like (insert name of sexy model), only eat healthy food-meaning you can’t go out and enjoy drinks with friends because that would be cheating. Phew, thats exhausting just reading those.  Yes, I workout almost every day and eat a  health/clean diet (I try to stick to 80/20); But I never felt like I was meeting the resolution that I set for myself. I always felt like in some way I was doing it wrong and would mentally punish myself for “not doing it right.” Whoever made the rules as to what was right vs. wrong? Shouldn’t New Years Resolutions be something to better yourself and improve on last years accomplishments?

While listening to a Tim Ferris podcast, I cannot remember the individual whom he was interviewing, they were talking about Resolutions and how ridiculous some people get about them. Tim, and said guest, agreed that resolutions are more meant to be lifestyle changes that you already have and want to continue doing, as well as things that you want to start incoporating in your everyday lives. This inspired  me to do some deep thinking about my “resolutions;”  I came to the conclusion that I don’t have anything in my life I want to change. If anything I have made tremendous changes this year that I want to continue doing, and even build on. 2016 was a year of growing up, becoming an adult, finding myself and happiness, gaining confidence, and physically/mentally and emotionally gaining freedom from a demon I had been fighting for quite some time. I feel like a new women! Don’t get me wrong, I fully understand that someone people are in big need of change, and look to the new year as the time to initiate them. But really, we should be making such changes all the time throughout the year; constantly challenging ourselves to be the best person that we can be.

I want to make 2017 a year of continued growth for me. I do have some goals that I did not have for last year, but if I don’t achieve them this year I have the rest of my life to do so. I want every “resolution” that I set for myself to be a lifestyle change, something that I can continue doing forever and not have to just complete it this year. I find that it is easier to be more accountable when you write out goals; not only for you to see but others too! So here is a list of accomplishments that I want to continue doing and want to start incorporating as well!

Megans Goals: 

• Self love: Journaling and Self Affirmations every day.
• Starting my new blog.
• Becoming more fluent in Spanish again: practice every day, take a medical professions class at the local community college, speak with Kwin whenever possible and when watching movies have subtitles on.
• Expand my horizons with cooking: trying to find a new recipe each week and if it’s not perfect the first time try again!
• Get out of my comfort zone and make new friends. It’s super important now that I’ve officially moved up to Traverse City and have more times to do things
• Read more books!
• When I am becoming stressed don’t take out my energy on eating..process what is going on at the time and fully assess the situation.
• Spend more time with family and friends and show that I truly love and appreciate them.
• Be more affectionate with Kwin. You should never stop “dating” your significant other.
• Get more into photography to document our adventures and amazing life! Photos you can cherish and look back on forever.
• Be Happy, Healthy and Active every day because you’ve only got one life to live so make it the best yet!
• Pay it forward!

Please leave a comment below about some of your Life long changes that you plan on continuing or starting this year! I cannot want to see what everyone says. Lets make 2017 the best year yet ❤

2016, A Year in Review

2016 was a year of ups and downs. I faced many mental and emotional challenges within myself. However, with the help of family and friends I was able to work through the obstacles and make 2016 one of the best! I graduated with my Bachelors in Nursing from Grand Valley, officially moved up to Northern Michigan, went on countless traveling adventures, and got engaged to the love of my life.

Looking back, I have grown tremendously over this past year. Transitioning into the adult world has been a real eye opener; budgeting money, working a full time job, making time for family and friends, home improvement projects, and so much more. I’ve been really focusing on self love and taking care of my mind the best I can. At the beginning of the year I was pretty skeptical about self-affirmations and journaling daily, but I have found that incorporating these into my everyday life have dramatically helped my overall well-being.

Now lets get to the fun stuff, the adventures of 2016! None of these would have been made possible without my amazing travel buddy and finance, Kwin. Having someone to travel with, who has the same interests and passions, truly makes the adventures so much more enjoyable.

California: We rang in the new year with our first adventure: a California surfing trip. Here was where I learned to surf for the first time,  caught some amazing sunsets, and great hikes!

Cabin Trip in the UP: Our Cabin is our little piece of heaven. It’s tucked away in the middle of nowhere , so it’s the perfect setting for a weekend away and to be unplugged. We spent an awesome Valentines weekend away. There we cross-country skied all of our goods for the weekend  in on our backs..note this was 4ft of snow! It was easily one of my favorite trips this year.

Utah: I joined Kwin and our friend, Cam, at Zion and Bryce for a weekend of hiking. The views were breathtaking. I had to return home  to finish school, but the others continued their journey to Moab,  Arches, and Breckenridge for some skiing.

Michigan “Stay-cation”: This trip was a little different than most of our others, in that nobody knew where we were. This was because we were staying local, in northern Michigan. However, we didn’t want anyone to know what we were doing. On this vacation we camped on Lake Michigan, biked 50+ miles along the Lake Michigan shoreline, camped out on our boat and were able to enjoy  the beautiful Michigan in ways we never had before! 

Marquette: We took many trips up to the UP this summer because we love it so much. We enjoy biking the trails, camping along Lake Superior, hiking some beautiful cliffs, and paddle boarding the Pictured Rocks coastline.  Later that fall,we adventured up there , yet again, this time bringing a group of friends to enjoy the Fall Colors! It was an amazing and beautiful weekend. The best part of it was that Kwin asked me to marry him onto of one of my favorite hikes: Hogback Mountain.

Mexico: To end the year we spent an amazing weekend in Puerto Aventures, Mexico. I had never been there before, but it was amazing! Hiking through the ancient Miayan Ruins, snorkeling the reefs, paddling boarding, and soaking up the Mexican sun. It was definitely a christmas I will never forget.

2016, was one amazing year! I cannot wait to see what 2017 has in store for me.