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Colorado National Monument

In this post, I discuss hiking trails, a scenic drive and amazing sites that we saw on our 15th wedding anniversary trip to this National Monument.

 

**Author’s note: Just a word of warning, as this is a federal, National Monument, no dogs are allowed on any trails (exceptions for Service Animals). They are only permitted in the campgrounds and parking lots.**

The Trekkers spent our 15th wedding anniversary trip in Grand Junction, Colorado hanging out at the Colorado National Monument! Funnily enough, for our 10 year anniversary we had visited Dinosaur National Monument which sits about two hours to the north. You can read about that adventure here and here.

Grand Junction/the Grand Valley:

The Colorado National Monument is found in the Grand Valley, which is located in far, western Colorado, only about 30 miles from the border with Utah. The Grand Valley is comprised of a number of small towns including Fruita, Palisade, and the much larger city of Grand Junction. This is the true, drier, more desert-like, western slope of the Rocky Mountain state.

While Grand Junction proper is smaller than Rapid City, the entire Grand Valley area is actually larger than Rapid so the end result was it felt busier/more crowded driving through town.

The streets in Grand Junction are hella weird! I’ve never experienced anything like it! You may have 25 1/2 street or 35 3/4. We even saw a 7/8 street once! What the heck does that even mean?! How do you have 7/8 of a street?! I was SO CONFUSED! 🥴

Dry, rocky cliffs that resemble books sitting on a shelf and lit pink by the sunset sit in the far background with a metro area spread in the foreground.
Little Book Cliffs that frame the northern side of Grand Valley shining in the evening sun
Tall, rocky cliffs in the background with trees and a small city amongst a drier, desert-like environment in the foreground, as seen from above.
The Grand Valley

Hiking at Colorado National Monument:

There are a number of awesome hiking trails throughout Colorado National Monument. Many are short and relatively easy day hikes while others are lengthy and challenging hikes through some of the canyons. The few we enjoyed are outlined below:

Please note there is basically NO SHADE on most of the trails throughout the Monument. Also, you ARE in Colorado so even the “easier” trails sit at around one mile in elevation.

Devils Kitchen:

The Devils Kitchen trailhead is the first one you come to when you enter the park on Monument Road (from the Grand Junction side). It is less than a mile in each direction and is a simple, out and back hike.

It is fairly well-marked and largely flat as it traverses a canyon floor. Shortly before you reach the actual rock formations there is some scrambling required and the signage isn’t great. Basically just keep aiming for the rocks like what are shown in the picture below (there really isn’t anywhere else to go. 😊)

Devils Kitchen is basically just a small, rock circle made of rock spires. It’s pretty and pretty cool! This trail is family friendly for anyone who can handle basic walking/hiking and a little clambering. This is definitely a great trail for kids who want to scramble!

A circle of red-rock spires
The Tranquil Trekker enjoys Devils Kitchen
A circle of red, rock spires with green plants poking out, all under a blue sky.
Two pairs of hikers legs and feet-in-boots sitting on a stone overlooking a dry canyon filled with green scrub brush under a blue sky.
The Trekkers take a break and enjoy the canyon view
Serpents Trail:

Assuming you can find parking, you can do the Serpents Trail and Devils Kitchen the same day. The trailheads are directly across the road from each other–there is also a nice picnic area to enjoy here!

The Serpents Trail is about two miles one-way. It does connect with Monument Road again about three miles further down the road.

Serpents Trail was the original, dirt road that brought visitors into the Monument. It is now closed to vehicles and serves only as a hiking trail. It gets it’s name from the many switchbacks that the trail uses to “snake” it’s way up the side of the hill.

This trail is not overly difficult as you’re basically just walking on a gravel road. Depending on which direction you choose you will often be walking “up” the entire route.

A large boulder in the shape of an alien head and face sit alongside a dirt trail with rocky canyon walls in the background.
Do you see what I see in this boulder? …come on now! 👽 🖖 (Mr. Trekker says I’ve been watching too much Ancient Aliens! 😇)
Rocky, gray cliffs in the background overlook a red-gravel and green scrub brush-filled canyon.
This pic gives you an idea of the switchbacks that circle back on each other on Serpents Trail.
A small, green, pinyon pine juts out of the rock, under a clear, blue sky
I found this tenacious, little tree facinating!
Liberty Cap (the short–difficult–way!) with return on Corkscrew Trail:
Rocky, gray cliffs tower over green, scrub brush covered rock and grassland
The start of the short, fun, steep section of Liberty Cap trail. Yes, you hike all the way to the top in less than 2 miles!

This trail is on plenty of maps but it’s a little confusing to reach. To make it easier I’m going to quote the directions from the park website to reach the trailhead from the eastern side of the park–you can find this info on the Monument’s website here.  (Note: this trailhead takes you to the quick, difficult, pretty portion of the trail! It begins near the Grand Junction entrance.)

“From the east entrance, proceed north on Monument Road 0.6 miles (1.0 km); turn left on South Camp Road; drive 2.6 miles (4.2 km) to its junction with South Broadway; turn left and go 0.5 miles (0.8 km); turn left onto Wildwood Drive and go 0.5 miles (0.8 km). Watch closely for a brown trailhead sign on the right at what appears to be a driveway; turn down this road to the trailhead…” 

This trail made for a great loop! There are many different options to complete this trail section:

–Liberty Cap up, Corkscrew down
–Corkscrew up, Liberty Cap down
–Just take one of these two trails both up and down

We opted to take Liberty Cap up and Corkscrew down, partially because we hadn’t seen the Corkscrew trail yet, partially because we like loops and not returning the same way we started (already saw that part of the trail!) and also because Corkscrew is listed as “moderate” on the trail map while Liberty Cap is listed as “difficult”. Due to this, we figured Corkscrew would be less steep for the descent–we were right and I would agree with these difficulty designations.

Stone and dirt steps carved into the side of a hill as it traverses the side of a steep canyon
You can just make out the steps in the rock trailing down the side of the hill
Green scrub brush and brown rock cover a steep, canyon wall
There is a trail there somewhere!

This is actually a lengthy trail if you do the whole thing. If you want to access the other trailhead it can be found on the western side of the park about halfway along Rim Rock drive. The majority of that route from the west is fairly easy and traverses a canyon within the central part of the Monument. The fun part then comes at the very end of the trail. (This is the beginning of the trail if you start where we did from the trailhead on the eastern side of the park near Grand Junction). If you want to hike it the way we did, the actual route is fairly short though you gain over 2000 feet in elevation in less than three miles! (it’s steep folks…but VERY fun!)

I wouldn’t recommend taking Corkscrew up because it’s a lengthy slog through soul-crushing switchbacks with NO SHADE. There is also a lot of black rock on this portion of the trail that will absorb/radiate the sun’s heat on hot days–and there are a lot of hot, sunny days in Grand Junction!

I also wouldn’t recommend taking Liberty Cap down if the trail is at all wet/snowy/icy/slippy-in-any-way. Not that it can’t be done, but there are a number of steep sections where you may end up crab-crawling your way down on a good day. In wet/slippy conditions this could become dangerous very quickly.

A dirt trail traverses a narrow, rock ledge with rock walls on one side and steep drop-off on the other,
It’s a bit difficult to see the steep drop-off at the side of this cliff but a fall here could easily result in serious injury if not be fatal!

Please note: along with being steep this trail includes a number of steep drop-offs. My acrophobia was definitely triggered (but I made it!–and the view at the top is ABSOLUTELY worth it!)

This trail was especially momentous for me as it just so happened we hiked it exactly 10 months to the day after I had major abdominal surgery! It was completely reasonable that I had recovered enough to complete this hike in that amount of time. However, knowing where I was 10 months ago–when I needed hard-core, pain meds just to be comfortable enough to get out of bed to walk to the bathroom–and here, 10 months later, I was able to scramble on all fours; stretch, bend, twist and even crab-crawl my way down steep sections of trail and feel AMAZING doing it–this was such a feeling of accomplishment!

Also, not having any pain, heartburn or needing to desperately pee on the trail for the first time in years 🤣 (especially hiking a trail this difficult) reminded me of the new lease on life I had now that surgery was behind me! Turns out my doctors’ promises were right, I really am a new woman! 😁

Colorado is one of my favorite places to visit. Click here for more posts on this awesome state!

Rimrock Drive:

Rimrock drive is the main road through the park. It’s paved and an easy drive throughout. It offers INCREDIBLE views of the canyons/rock formations that make up the park. Numerous pull-offs are spread along the length of the route and there is a Visitor Center near the west entrance (the Fruita side). Numerous opportunities for hiking are also available off the road. The park also offers some camping options.

Brown rock monolith rises up from the scrub-brush covered canyon floor
Independence Rock
Red rock formations rise from a scrub brush-covered canyon floor, all under a clear, blue sky
It almost resembles Monument Valley in Arizona!
Red rock formations rise from a scrub brush-covered canyon floor, all under a clear, blue sky
Monument Canyon
Large, rock boulder fallen off a rocky cliff and sitting on the floor of a scrub-brush covered canyon floor
Fallen Rock–I wonder why they named it that? 😉

Scrub-brush covered canyon floor with red rock walls rising on the sides; brown, rocky cliffs in the background all under a blue sky with some white, puffy clouds. Rock monoliths also rise from the canyon floor. Scrub-brush covered canyon floor with red rock walls rising on the sides; brown, rocky cliffs in the background all under a blue sky with some white, puffy clouds. The road Broadway runs through several of the towns in Grand Valley and connects the two ends of Rimrock Drive between Fruita and Grand Junction. This road, along with the Rimrock route, make for a great loop drive!

Some other pics from our trip!
A hillside of yellow-leafed trees mingled amongst dark green, pine trees.
The Grand Mesa

We first visited Grand Mesa on our Southwestern Road Trip in 2017–we couldn’t do much because I was recovering from a TERRIBLE flu that I had caught on the trip and it was still so early in the summer much of the park had snow. Then we returned in summer of 2018 for our Colorado Road Trip and were able to enjoy a lot more hiking. It was fun to come back in fall of 2024 and see it again in a different season and from another perspective!

View down a mountain slope with yellow-leafed and dark, pine green trees. A dirt road snakes along farther down the hill and small lakes can be seen in the far distance.

These quail were ADORABLE and ran all over the porch at the Air B&B we stayed at making squeaky noises.
Rosy pink and blue-green light spreads across a dark, night sky.
A surprise Northern Lights viewing!
Light comet tail flies across a dark, night sky
We caught the ATLAS Comet when we got home!

 

If you’re looking for a fun and beautiful place to visit, check out the Colorado National Monument on Colorado’s Western Slope!

Have you visited the Colorado National Monument?   Tell me about your experience in the comments! 

 

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Red rock formations rise from a scrub brush-covered canyon floor, all under a clear, blue sky. Text reads, "Colorado National Monument. Visit this amazing site in far, western Coloroado"

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Drive the Extraterrestrial (ET) Highway

In this post, I detail our adventure through the Nevada desert on the ET Highway!

 

For me, the Extraterrestrial Highway was the highlight of our Epic, 40th birthday, Spring Break Trip!  We actually somewhat designed the entire trip around THIS drive. 😁  In fact, I enjoyed the ET Highway so much that I am dedicating an entire post to what amounted to only a few hours of our trip!  Mr. Trekker gets nerdy about fighter jets (and the weather 😉), I get nerdy about aliens! 👽 🖖

Related post: Tips for your First Time in Vegas!

The Extraterrestrial Highway has been a MAJOR Bucket List item for me for YEARS!  It’s all thanks to one of my favorite movies, Paul!  Paul is an amazing movie with awesome stars…that you’ve probably never heard of.

The movie came out in 2011 and is stupid-fun. 😁  It isn’t well-known and I have no idea why?  It stars Simon Pegg, Nick Frost (if you are familiar with these two actors you can already guess what type of movie it is 😇); Kristin Wigg, Jason Bateman, and Seth Rogen voices the alien.  It’s hilarious, fun, and literally one of my favorite movies EVER!

As you may have guessed from the actors, there is A LOT of swearing and adult humor in this movie.  Depending on what kind of movies you let your kids watch I’d say it’s older teen-friendly. (It is rated R, for more info and a preview, click here!)

I won’t give away too many details but the basic plot of Paul is that an alien escapes from Area 51, finds a couple of nerds who he needs to help him get home and hilarity ensues.  It’s kind of an ET for adults! 😁

Part of what makes the movie fun is that it spoofs so many other great alien movies:  Star Wars, ET, Indiana Jones (ok, not an alien movie) Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind, and of course, Alien.

An old train car with a mural of aliens painted on the side

As part of the plot they visit a bunch of the “alien sites” in the desert southwest, and I’ve been wanting to see these since I first saw the movie. This trip was the perfect opportunity! (And it also inspired a book idea!)

Where is the Extraterrestrial Highway?

The ET Highway runs along the VERY rural Route 375 between Crystal Springs/Hiko and Warm Springs in southern Nevada!

The road got its name because it runs very near the infamous Area 51.  It is also located in an extremely rural area where people claim to see strange lights in the dark, night sky. (We did talk to some locals who say they’ve seen weird stuff that they can’t explain.)

Alien Sites on the Extraterrestrial Highway

All of these sites can be found along and/or directly off of the ET Highway.

Green road sign covered in stickers. The words "Extraterrestrial Highway" are barely visible through the stickers.

—Alien Research Center:  This awesome place is located about seven miles south of Hiko, Nevada, and just to the west of Crystal Springs, on Route 375. (It’s literally the only thing in this spot, you really can’t miss it. 😉)  It’s really just a tourist trap situated inside a Quonset hut.  That being said, it is a MUST visit for any alien nerd.  It is AWESOME! 😁

Two-story tall, metal alien stands outside a small building.
I love this guy!

Sign in the foreground reads, "Alien Research Center, Earth Station Area 51, Welcome to our Universe". The top of a 2-story tall, metal alien stands behind the sign.

—Little A’Le’Inn:  (pronounced “Little Alien”–get it? 😉)  This is a small inn and cafe in the TINY “development”–can’t really call it a town–of Rachel, Nevada.  It’s a good place for a potty break.  The food is also good and the workers offer AWESOME tips on finding Area 51!

Some security guys from Area 51 were eating lunch there when we visited.  How do we know they were from Area 51 you may ask?  Well, they were wearing military fatigues, and driving creepy-looking, inconspicuous, government trucks (and the only government site for MILES around is, Area 51. 😁)

Parking lot with a sign that reads, "Restaurant, Bar, Motel, RV." A drawing of an alien and the sign reads, "Earthlings Welcome. Little AléInn". Also, a very old, upside down satellite dish hangs from a small crane, appearing like a small flying saucer. A small flying saucer with lights sits on a short pedastal near some picnic tables A small restaurant with alien and flying saucer drawings, A short, green alien statue stands in front and a sign reads, "Little AléInn, Earthlings Welcome".

—The Black Mailbox:  Rachel, Nevada–this is nothing but a dumb mailbox in the middle of nowhere but it’s fun!  People put stickers on it and leave trinkets in it–it reminded me of the UFO Watchtower we visited on another Spring Break trip to the San Luis Valley of Colorado!  The story goes that this is where secret, government mail for Area 51 was delivered (though there doesn’t appear to be ANY historical evidence this is true.)

A black mailbox covered in stickers sits in the desert
The Black Mailbox

—Area 51 (Dreamland Resort):  Has anyone not heard of Area 51? I mean really?  Watch the History Channel for five minutes! 😉

Area 51 goes by several names.  It is also known as Groom Lake as this was an ancient lake bed.  It is factually known to be an area where military aircraft have been tested and military, practice drills still occur (the infamous SR-71 was tested here during the Cold War).  If you are lucky you may get to watch (and hear) military aircraft practicing not far above your head!

This page gives you all sorts of info on Area 51, the local area, “unexplained sightings” locally, and possible military traffic you can watch for.

A stop sign covered in so many stickers it is almost unreadable. Another sign above it reads, "WARNING, US Air Force Installation. PHOTOGRAPHY OF THIS AREA IS PROHIBITED. NO DRONE ZONE.
NOTE: This is NOT Area 51. It’s a sign in the parking lot at the Alien Research Center that is supposed to mimic the signs at the actual Area 51.

We “almost” made it to THE Area 51!  We were basically right next to it, but since it was actively raining (and had been raining/snowing for several days–because why wouldn’t it, in the desert? 😝)  we opted not to take my CRV down the rutted, muddy path to reach the actual site. 😇  We did see the two roads that take you to the infamous locale, though.

Note: if you venture to the site, you will be on a public road.  Stop BEFORE you reach the gates.  You will likely see security forces but they will leave you alone as long as you remain at a respectful distance.  This is NOT a joke.  From the stories we heard, these military police DO NOT have a sense of humor. 😝  For good tips on how to lawfully view Area 51 (and how to find it!) talk to the locals at the Little A’lé Inn.

Desert scrub brush and cacti reach to the horizon on a cloudy day.
Somewhere out there, amongst the Joshua Trees, IS Area 51.
An empty, two-lane road stretches across the desert, to the horizon and up a hill towards mountains in the distance.
We saw SO MANY views of long, empty roads like this on the trip. I LOVE them! They even inspired a new book idea!

So if you’re in the mood for a Road Trip and some Out-of-This-World fun, check out the Extraterrestrial Highway!

Have you driven the ET Highway?  Did you have any otherworldly experiences?  Let me know in the comments! 

 

Did you enjoy what you read here today? Pin it!

Green highway sign covered in stickers. Can barely make out the words "Extraterrestrial Highway". Pin reads, "Drive the Extraterrestrial Highway" Three pictures: 1) A stop sign covered in so many stickers it is almost unreadable. Another sign above it reads, "WARNING, US Air Force Installation. PHOTOGRAPHY OF THIS AREA IS PROHIBITED. NO DRONE ZONE; 2) Green highway sign covered in stickers. Can barely make out the words "Extraterrestrial Highway; 3) Parking lot with a sign that reads, "Restaurant, Bar, Motel, RV." A drawing of an alien and the sign reads, "Earthlings Welcome. Little AléInn". Also, a very old, upside-down satellite dish hangs from a small crane, appearing like a small flying saucer. Pin reads, "Drive the ET Highway"

 

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Flight 93 Memorial

In this post, I review the Flight 93, September 11th Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

 

As part of a road trip out East to visit the Trekker In-Laws a few years ago, we visited the Flight 93, September 11th Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. (For anyone who isn’t aware, United Flight 93 was one of the four planes hijacked by terrorists on September 11, 2001.  They believe this one was headed towards the capital when it was brought down by the INCREDIBLY brave passengers who were trying to take control back from the terrorists.)

Author’s Note:  I usually try to keep this blog light and carefree.  Unfortunately, there is really no way to do that with this post.

I felt like I lost my innocence in a lot of ways on September 11th, 2001.  The metaphorical curtain was removed and I saw the depravity, hate, and evil capable in the human spirit.  I also felt horrible feelings within myself that I didn’t even know were there.  It was the first time in my life I understood how it felt to actually hate another human being, to feel like I wanted to lash out and hurt someone who was responsible for hurting others.  When you see innocent people being harmed, dying in horrific ways, knowing that families are being ripped apart, forever altered, it makes you angry.  You can’t understand why some people would want to hurt others like that. (As someone who has a degree in human psychology, I can understand that these feelings are perfectly normal as a reaction to such a trauma.  It’s still alarming to see those feelings manifested in myself, however.)

The Flight 93 Memorial Visitor’s Center

We started at the Visitor’s Center which was very well done.  It highlights the events of September 11th with various video and audio recordings that actually occurred that day (news reports, recordings from air traffic control, even some of the messages people on the planes left with their families–those were particularly heartwrenching.)

View up a green-grass hill at a large, concrete building
The Visitor’s Center at the Flight 93 National Memorial

It was a very emotional experience to visit this memorial, as I assumed it would be.  Mr. Trekker and I realized this is the only national memorial we’ve been to that commemorates something that happened in our own lifetime. (I’ve also been to the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial which is very beautiful.  We hope to visit Ground Zero at some point in the future, as well.).

I can’t imagine the thoughts and emotions that the people on the plane felt.  They knew what was happening and that they were likely to die, so they were facing their own mortality on top of dealing with this attack on their homeland.  I have always been awed by their bravery and their final act to try to stop the attack and take control back.  I pray I am never in a situation like that.

The memorial brought back memories of that fateful day.  Mr. Trekker and I were (barely) freshmen in college, we had only been there a couple of weeks.  Funnily enough, that was one of the first times we remember actually spending time together.  We went to chapel together with a group of friends that night…

One of the spooky parts of that day for us was our college was located only about an hour from Chicago.  A lot of the kids we were in school with were from the Chicago area and they were all worried that the terrorists might be targeting the Sears Tower (now the Willis Tower).   

Related Posts:  Hershey’s Chocolate World!; Gettysburg Battlefield

This was the first national crisis Mr. Trekker and I had ever lived through, it was definitely a defining moment for our generation. (I realize this is an indication of just how blessed life is for most of us in the US…the fact that we were almost 20 before we had to deal with a crisis like this and that for most Americans, this type of national crisis is a once or twice-in-a-lifetime experience.  We are so blessed not to live in a war-torn country!)

This was our “Pearl Harbor moment”.  I will never forget where I was or what I was doing that morning, what the weather was like, or how we found out “something” was wrong.

While walking through the memorial I just kept thinking, “I know our country and world are divided right now but man, I can’t contemplate one person having so much hate for another, and for seemingly innocuous reasons.  How can you want to kill someone who isn’t posing a risk to you or your family, who is just existing…most if not all of the victims were completely innocent (some were children even!)  

The Wall of Names

The Wall of Names is the actual, granite, memorial stone that looks much like many other memorials around the country.  It also sits at the bottom of the hill, near the final flight line and boulder that marks the crash site.  It features a separate stone for each innocent person killed on the flight with their names engraved in the marble.

View down the length of a long, concrete wall with names written on it
The Wall of Names

Flight 93 Flight Line and Crash Site

The actual crash site sits in a field below and behind the Visitor’s Center.  It was once an old mine that scarred the land.  Now it is a lovely green area filled with wildflowers, surrounded by trees and accentuated with birdsong.  I think it is a perfect memorial to the people who died.  I’m glad this former scar on the land got a new lease on life, so to speak.

A green meadow with trees in the background. A line is mowed into a portion of the grass
Flight 93 flight line. The mowed area is the final path the flight took before it crashed into the field.

According to one of the guides we spoke with, the plane hit the ground at over 500 mph with hundreds of gallons of fuel onboard.  Needless to say, the resulting explosion left very little behind.  So a boulder is used to mark the plane’s final resting place… 

A green field with a large boulder at the rear and trees behind
The boulder is the site of the actual crash of Flight 93. No one but the families of the victims are allowed out near it.

Walking Trails at the Flight 93 Memorial

There are several walking trails that ring the field that marks the plane’s final resting place.  One is the Avenue of Trees that is a paved trail lined on both sides by trees.  It circles one side of the field where the plane crashed and leads from Memorial Plaza, at the bottom of the hill where ceremonies are held, back to the Visitor’s Center.  It leads past the 40 Memorial Groves where more than 1500 trees were planted to commemorate the people who died at this site that day.

The Western Overlook Trail is a dirt and grass path that forms the other side of the loop around the field.  It runs from the Visitor’s Center down to the actual stone memorial and the crash site itself, and then on to Memorial Plaza at the bottom of the hill.

A paved walkway with trees on both sides
The Avenue of Trees

Tower of Voices

The Tower of Voices is located elsewhere on the monument’s property.  It is 93 feet tall (in honor of the flight number) and it features 40 different wind chimes (one for each, innocent person killed on the fateful flight.)  It needs at least a 12 mph wind to chime well.  It wasn’t ringing much the day we were there but what we heard was pretty.  It’s an unusual, haunting, and very subtle sound.

Click here for a video of the chimes in action. (This link takes you to the virtual tour of the site on the Memorial’s main page. Click “Enter” to start the virtual tour, then click on “Tower of Voices” at the upper right corner of the map.  Then click the musical note in the upper right corner. Sorry it’s convoluted, this is the best-sounding video I could find.)

A tall, concrete tower with holes throughout and bells hanging from it sits on a grassy hill
The Tower of Voices
View from the bottom of the metal chimes that hang from the tower
A look at the chimes that make up the Tower, from below.

US 30 through Southern Pennsylvania

We brought the scenic, US 30 back from the memorial.  This road holds a special place in my heart as it was the same route we drove to college (from home, in Indiana) and I took a portion of it from home to North Carolina when we lived there.  It’s funny how certain objects (like roads) can sometimes play a role in our lives.  As another example, US 6 ran right near where I grew up.  It also ran right through Mr. Trekker’s hometown, even though we grew up almost 800 miles apart.  We were connected long before we even knew it! 😀

This is a VERY pretty, country drive.  The route curves through forests and over and around hills–I use this term instead of mountains–technically we were in the Appalachian and Allegheny Mountains.  HOWEVER, they are thousands of feet shorter than the Black Hills in South Dakota, so I also call these uplifts hills. 😀 (Even though they are almost twice as tall, the Black “Hills” may be called that because they are thousands of feet shorter than their big brothers to the south and west in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. 😀)

**Final snarky note (I felt bad putting this further up) 😇 :
People wonder why I don’t like to fly (I’m probably one of the only ‘travel bloggers’ who hates to fly! 😂)  I don’t like dealing with airport security (which admittedly has gotten worse since 9/11).  I don’t like packing for it, I don’t like having to take my shoes off; I don’t like that flying in a plane is essentially just public transportation where they pack you into a tube, like sardines.

I don’t like that my flight in Michigan can get delayed for HOURS because it’s raining in California and I’m flying to Florida. 🙄   I’m also terrified of the prospect of crashing to my death from 30,000 feet in a fiery tube (and that’s just from good, old-fashioned, mechanical failure, that’s before the idea of terrorists comes into play.) 🙄  All of this is why the Trekkers’ road trip! 😂  

I really enjoyed our visit to the Flight 93 Memorial.  It is situated in a beautiful setting in the country.  It’s peaceful and tranquil, with the tweeting of birds surrounding you.  I couldn’t help thinking this would have made me mad if I had been there when the crash happened.  How dare the birds tweet happily on this horrible day! 😝  It is a wonderful, final resting place for the people who died on that fateful day, however.

I want to end this patriotic post with my favorite song that came out after 9/11.  I still get chills whenever I hear it…Courtesy of the Red White and Blue, by Toby Keith…

Have you been to the Flight 93 Memorial?  What was your experience like?  Tell me about it in the comments!

 

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View down the length of a long, concrete wall with names written on it. Pin reads, "Visit the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania"

 

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Happy Blogiversary!

In this post, I ruminate on my last five years of blogging and what I hope to achieve in the next five years

 

The Tranquil Trekker turns 5 this month!  That’s a pretty major Blogiversary milestone!  I can’t believe it’s been that long!  For fun, here’s a link to the first, full-length blog post I ever wrote:  Dugout Gulch Botanical Trail (#77).

How It Started…

I started the blog in 2016 kind of on a whim, not knowing ANYTHING about blogging.  I did it mainly to make it easy to share pictures and stories of our adventures with our family and friends.  At the time we were living more than 900 miles from our closest family members and people were always asking about the random trips we took.  I originally assumed “no one makes money on a blog”, so I didn’t start it with that intent at all.

What’s Changed…

SO MUCH has changed in the last 5 years!!!

–In 2018 I left my full-time job and started social media accounts for the blog.  I also switched from a free-hosted blog (WordPress.com) to a self-hosted blog (WordPress.org).  I can honestly say that I LOVE both Bluehost and WordPress.org!  They make blogging easy for me, the technologically-challenged, “geriatric” millennial. 😝 (I also now know the difference between the two WordPress options. 😉  If any novice bloggers out there want help deciding which option is right for them, let me know!)

–I monetized my blog!  Contrary to popular belief, it is actually possible to make money blogging! 😮   I’m still not making much, but at least it’s something! (And at least now I know what affiliate programs are and how they work!)

–In 2020 I FINALLY learned how to do SEO and started ranking on Page 1 of Google for many posts!

I still hate SEO, it still feels to me like you’re speaking “robot” to make a computer happy–which you kind of are.  It’s hard to make the blog post feel authentic to ME.  But…I understand the need for SEO.  At some point, if you want your blog to be seen by others, you have to make it easy for the Google Bots to “see” you first.

I’ve even had a couple of freelance jobs where I did proofreading and helped with SEO optimization on other blogs.  I definitely NEVER thought THAT would be a job for me! 😮

What I’ve Learned…

You could ask, when did my blog really start?  In 2016 I was lucky if I was publishing one post each month as I was busy with my full-time job and other projects.  In 2018, when I finally got on social media, I really started pushing my blog to the masses.  But it wasn’t until 2020 that I finally started really doing the SEO.  So, did I “start” my blog in 2016 and I’m just a REALLY slow learner, or did it really not “start” still 2018 or 2020?  Whatever the answer you can see I have learned SO MUCH throughout the whole process.

I also learned how to code…barely. 😉.  Really I just learned how to look tips up online to tell the webpage how to do what I want it to do.  Sometimes, Google really is your friend! (If anyone has any suggestions on coding classes I could take, specifically for web development–namely HTML and CSS–let me know!  I’ve been on the lookout but haven’t found anything that really fits just yet.)

Over the last five years, I’ve made a lot of friends in the blogging world, specifically travel/outdoor recreation bloggers.  I’ve done guest posts on other blogs and collaborations with other friendly bloggers (click here to see those!)  There are so many supportive people in the blogging world, I’ve been SO impressed by how many want to help each other.  It’s a really encouraging community to be a part of!

What’s Next?

What will the next five years bring?  Who knows!  Some day I want to attend my first blogging conference.  I’ve also been working on a project for the last several years that I’ve been keeping very hush-hush.  I’m truly hoping to make enough progress on this to reveal it to you soon…🙏 🤞  I do hope to continue the blog, at least in some form, for the next many years!

Thank you for hanging out with me for the last five years.  I have grown to love blogging and I TRULY appreciate the supportive readers I’ve gained along the way.  I hope we have MANY more years of blog enjoyment ahead of us!

What brought you to my blog Dear Reader?  What holds your interest and gets you to keep reading?  Do you have any suggestions of things I could change in the future or topics you’d like to see me cover?  Let me know in the comments!

 

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Mindful Thoughts on COVID

In this post, I look back COVID, from my perspective.

 

In the spring of 2020, the world ended (metaphorically speaking)…it still feels surreal…COVID…I feel like it became a punchline…of the worst joke EVER! 😝  So many people lost income and jobs to the Pandemic (I did), and so many lost their livelihoods.  So many people had their lives abruptly changed and for some things may never fully return to normal…

We were lucky out here in South Dakota.  We never had any real, state-wide mandates (masks or otherwise).  Most people were good about wearing masks during the height of the Pandemic.  (You still see people wearing them occasionally.  I still wear them sometimes for work but that’s because I work with people who are very high risk who also live and spend time in community settings.)

I am still awed at how a minuscule event in one corner of the world could shut the entire globe down…

The majority of the US population now has COVID antibodies (whether through vaccines, natural immunity, or both)

They say that as much as 95% of Americans now have COVID antibodies, whether that be from the vaccines, natural immunity, or both.  If I NEVER hear the words “herd immunity” again, it will be too soon! 😤 *sigh*

Mr. Trekker and I have both 😝

Mr. Trekker and I stayed healthy for a long time!  We both received our 3rd round of COVID shots in late 2021…and then we both got COVID (probably Omicron) in early January 2022.

I got it from him, we have no idea how he got it. 😝 

We didn’t have it too bad, it mostly felt like a bad sinus infection/cold. Interestingly enough, between the two of us, we were more worried about me getting it because I have mild asthma.  As it turned out, I hardly had a cough at all, while Mr. Trekker ended up with a mild cough for several weeks afterward…this virus is weird!

I also ended up with mild pinkeye as a side effect of my first round with COVID (apparently that isn’t too unusual with viruses.)  Since then, my eyes have become INCREDIBLY sensitive.  They’ve always been that way but now, if they get dry from dust or wind, or if I am near any food that could be considered even the teeniest bit spicy, my eyes will begin to burn and water horribly (like to the point where I can’t see out of them. 😝)  This is especially true in my right eye which is also the one that had the worse pink eye symptoms.

Then in June 2022, we both got it again…

This time, I’m pretty sure I got it from a client (even though we were sitting outside and she wasn’t symptomatic at the time.)

I then proceeded to pass it on to Mr. Trekker and MommaTrekker. 😔

We were really worried about her as she’s over 70 and has several pre-existing conditions. She had just had a booster a few weeks before though and honestly faired better than either of us! 

This time it didn’t last as long and the symptoms weren’t as severe. Unfortunately, we both ended up with a cough that lasted WEEKS and more lasting Long COVID symptoms from this round–mostly brain fog and memory issues (that unfortunately lasted for YEARS afterward!)

Again…*sigh*

I HATE this virus! 😡

Then in late 2024 my parents and I were at church together. I remember distinctly thinking this is the first time in SO LONG that I can remember that I’ve been in a situation like this where I don’t hear ANYONE coughing or sneezing–by Tuesday both myself and both parents were sick! Yep, tested positive for COVID a THIRD time! 🙃 (Fortunately this time was the most mild for all of us, and Mr. Trekker lucked out as he was away for a work conference at the time and he completed missed out on the fun. 😝)

Mindfulness in the Midst of a Worldwide Pandemic

I try and keep a somewhat positive outlook on the whole experience by being mindful of how the pandemic ACTUALLY played out vs. how the experts feared it might end up.

There were more than one million deaths in the US from COVID-19, and millions more worldwide, and to be clear, EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. of these was awful!  However, when the whole mess started the experts were projecting more than two million deaths in the US alone, before the end of 2020, and that was with social distancing protocols being implemented.

I don’t mean to make light of the tragic losses that did occur, but this FAR lower statistic is a pretty amazing feat!  It is a testament to the scientists, researchers, medical professionals, and technology we have available to us at this point in history!  If this awful virus had come around 100 years ago or more, billions could have died! (Think the Spanish Flu.)

Valid Emotions During Crisis Situations:

We all experience and respond to crises differently but I think it’s important to acknowledge that whatever feelings you had regarding COVID were valid.  We should be mindful of how we express them but don’t run from these emotions (be they positive or negative).  Accept them and acknowledge they exist (because they will whether you fight them or not).  We must allow ourselves to feel whatever it is we need to.  Below are some emotions I experienced throughout COVID:

Anger About the Pandemic:

—Hoarding: Many people seemed to think only of themselves and didn’t save enough products for others (some who were seniors or the immune-compromised who really shouldn’t have been going out).  If you aren’t the Duggars, or you aren’t buying toilet paper for multiple families, you don’t need to hoard! 😡 

On the other hand, we were told not to hoard, but then the CDC and other emergency preparedness groups came out and said to have up to a month’s supply of food on hand…what were we supposed to do with those two bits of contradictory information? 🤷

Leave people alone!: I never understood many peoples’ desires to comment on the choices of others.  I’ve said before on several occasions that I lean Libertarian so I’m pretty big on people being left alone to make their own choices.  However, I do understand in crisis situations when at least local governments may need to implement certain restrictions in the interest of Public Health.

More so than that though, I don’t understand peoples’ need to criticize others for wearing a mask or being careful when the general public is no longer being forced to.  You have no idea what a person’s situation is. Just because they wear a mask doesn’t necessarily mean they’re “living in fear” (and if they are, so what? How does that affect you?)  They may be immunocompromised (or be caring/living with someone who is.)

There was a point, several years into the pandemic, where I was preparing for–and recovering from–MAJOR abdominal surgery that required a multi-day hospital stay.  I went full March 2020 and wore masks for WEEKS in public around that time.  It wasn’t that I was “scared” per se, but I did NOT want to get sick with ANYTHING!  It could have led to my surgery being delayed, my getting horrifically ill, or serious complications after surgery due to violent coughing/sneezing/vomiting. 

So, why not just leave people alone to do what they feel is best for them? (And you can do the same for yourself!)

—The Media:  I often felt a sense of rage at the news media.  I’ve distrusted them in the past but after COVID I’ve become completely jaded–regarding the virus and most other news-worthy issues.  They seemed to mislead at every turn if it could cause controversy. (I probably shouldn’t be surprised anymore but I still am at points.)

I’d read a clickbait headline that makes one claim and then goes on to almost disprove itself if you read the actual text of the article, or watch the entirety of the video clip they referenced in the article.  They weren’t openly lying, because there was a semblance of truth in what they said, but their claim was so far from the truth that it may as well have been a lie with the message they were proclaiming to the masses (and for the record, I don’t care which news source is your favorite, I’ve seen ALL of them do this.)

They seemed to take pleasure in reporting bad news and stirring people up.  They didn’t take the time to fully research information, that would apparently have taken too long. 🙄  It seemed to be more important that they were “the first” to break a story.  The really shameful thing was, that I don’t believe they cared.  They just went happily along reporting bad news every chance they got because it may have helped a reporter’s career or a certain company’s reputation.

Depression and Anxiety over COVID:

Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows I already struggle with anxiety (which obviously, COVID caused for many of us.)  One symptom of anxiety is catastrophizing.  This means your mind automatically jumps to worrying about the worst-case scenario and that was SO EASY to do during COVID.

I believe I’m technically an optimist at heart.  I try to focus on the positive (although I worry about the worst-case scenario, of course, especially with my anxiety).  But it just felt like, during the Pandemic, that so many only wanted to focus on the worst thing that could happen and they wanted to scream that to the world.  Why?  Why do we seem to focus on things that make ourselves and others miserable?

We need to rely on Logic, not Emotion during these difficult situations!  I believe we have to be calm and logical when dealing with times like these.  I don’t mean to sound snarky, but why can’t people stay rational when things get difficult without immediately jumping to APOCOLYPSE?!  It feels like they’re pouring salt into an already raw, gaping wound…

COVID is here to stay–unfortunately…

COVID will never be “fully” over, at least not for the next few decades.  From what I’ve heard from the experts, fairly regular–hopefully mild–infections and regular vaccines (at least for some) are going to remain a part of “normal” life. 😕  

At one time I was hopeful that we were on our way out of this mess.  Now that I’ve done everything right (at least regarding getting my vaccines) and (at least I) STILL got COVID (THREE TIMES!)–AND we’ve got Long-COVID symptoms I’m more skeptical…

I believe in science. I believe it’s very possible the reason neither of the Trekkers got all that sick from this potentially deadly disease was due to our vaccines.  I also believe the reason none of our parents have gotten very ill from COVID is due to vaccines.  And I am VERY thankful for these! 

But when we got sick 1 MONTH after getting our boosters (in my case this happened two. seperate. times!) I just felt…DONE.  I think, at that moment, I just gave up.  It’s here, it isn’t going away, and we have to learn to live with it….THE END. 😪

I understand the vaccines probably worked as intended and those in our families who have had COVID while vaccinated came through relatively unscathed.  But we still got it, and I’m assuming if another strong variant develops, we will likely be at risk of at least mild disease from that.  So, this is our “new normal”. 

We will probably have the threat of at least mild illness always looming…possibly for the rest of our lives…it sucks but I just feel like that’s what we have to adjust to and accept for the foreseeable future. *sigh*–again!

Searching for Hope and Encouragement in Crisis Situations

I have to end this post on a good note, right?

I can’t help it.  Even with my learned helplessness after years of being beaten down by COVID, I still feel a glimmer of hope.

COVID was a unique time in our lives.  Many of us have never experienced something like this before.  As a (very OLD) Millenial, the only country-wide crisis I’ve really had to deal with was the September 11th terrorist attacks.

I grew up hearing stories about my grandparents’ generation dealing with World War II, the rationing of meat, the transitioning of factories to make equipment for the military, and the various Drives people engaged in at home for the “war effort”.  I always wondered what it would be like to be able to do something like that to help your country.  Now I know…

Through all this, I’ve been reminded that there is a lot of good in the world, and times like these are when it really shows.

A lot of good things DID happen!  Vaccines were produced in an unheard-of, record time.  So many people bound together to help each other get through the crisis, from wearing masks and social distancing in public to those who volunteered their time to make masks for local schools and hospitals.  Others ran errands for people who felt they couldn’t go out.  Some small businesses transitioned to help their local communities (like distilleries that stopped producing alcohol and started producing hand sanitizer instead.)

I think a lot of the world’s goodness was shown throughout COVID.  I know I’ve learned a lot, both about myself and also about the reality of country-wide/worldwide crises:  how they proceed, how people react to them, the good and the bad.

So there are things to be hopeful about regarding COVID!

What did the COVID crisis feel like to you?  What POSITIVE things did you see during this time of crisis?  Share your experiences in the comments!

 

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Microadventures: Fun Close to Home!

In this post, I review a recent adventure the Trekkers pursued, “chasing” the Neowise comet!

 

I’m going on a Microadventure!

What is a Microadventure?

“Microadventure” is a term that’s come about in recent years.  It basically means you’re going on an adventure that’s close to home, easily accessible, and can be completed in as little as a few hours.  It can range from anything from a Saturday picnic in the woods to a several-day long camping trip.  It can be enjoyed at any time, though it became increasingly popular during Covid when many people were choosing to save some money, and to not venture too far from home.

Microadventures are a great way to find the hidden gems to enjoy in your local community and region.  They’re especially helpful as an escape from everyday stress and burnout when you may not have the time, funds or vacation days for a lengthy trip.

The Trekkers live for microadventures, be those outdoor activities in the Black Hills, or storm chases in the nearby plains!

One of our favorites was several years ago when we “chased” Neowise, the comet that made a surprise appearance in the skies above us!

This wasn’t the first comet I’ve seen in my life.  I’m old enough to remember standing outside my childhood home, in the 1990s, with my mom one night, checking out the Hale-Bopp comet through the binoculars.

How do I find a microadventure near me?

It helps that we live in a beautiful place that makes these opportunities many and easy to find, though you can enjoy these types of activities in most places if you know where to look.  Go to your local community park or just take a drive in the country outside the city lights.  So many places have walking paths and greenways now, even in more urban areas.  There are also museums, historical and natural sites, and additional recreational activities, such as ropes courses to explore.

We actually started our chasing adventure on Skyline Drive, which traverses the ridgeback that splits the town of Rapid City in two.  Unfortunately, the light pollution from town made it difficult to see the comet.  A few evenings later we visited Badlands National Park, with MommaTrekker and Puppers in tow.

Badlands National Park, by-the-way, is one of the best places to view the night sky that I’ve ever seen.  As the park’s location is the epitome of the “middle-of-nowhere” and being that this area is more arid, where clear skies are a common occurrence, this is a place with very little light pollution where you can view the night sky in all its grandeur.  It helped that the night we went, the moon wasn’t up yet.

My mom agreed that she had never seen so many stars, and she’d spent the last 40 years living on a farm in Indiana!  Several different constellations, planets, and the Milky Way were also easily visible to the naked eye.  I can also attest, from previous experience, that this is a GREAT place to view meteor showers! 😮 

Several days later, we finished our adventure with a short drive to Pactola Lake which is about a half-hour to the west of Rapid City.

A small, white-colored comet streaks across the dark night sky
Neowise over the Badlands!

A small, white-colored comet streaks across a dark, night sky dotted with stars

Whether you don’t have much spare time, you prefer sticking closer to home, or if you’re trying to save a little on expenses, try out a microadventure.  See what you can discover near you!

What sorts of activities do you enjoy on your microadventures?  Tell me about them in the comments!

 

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A Very Trekker Christmas

In this post, I discuss some of my happiest memories from Christmas, as well as some new traditions the Trekkers have started.

 

Happy Christmas everyone!

This has always been one of my favorite holidays, so on this Christmas Eve Day I thought I’d reflect on some holiday memories from my childhood, and some new traditions that Mr. Trekker and I have been implementing into our own, little family.

Trekker Family Traditions

Family Christmas traditions are funny, and growing up, my family was no exception.  Time for a bit of a confession…I never really believed in Santa (shocking, I know 😮).  Some people think that’s sad, but I was always richly blessed during this time of the year, so I never felt like I missed out on much.  Below are some of the reasons why I went without this holiday tradition:

1)  We didn’t have a fireplace growing up, so even as a child, my overly logical, skeptical mind was like, “ummm…how would that work?”

2)  My mom always put presents under the tree when she was done wrapping them.  I’m not sure how this got started, but to me, a tree looks naked if there are no presents under it (and yes, I still do this too.) 

Also, I always helped her shop for, and wrap, presents for my cousins, so I kinda figured that if she was “Santa” for them…it’s pretty obvious who Santa was for me! 😉 

Also, also, inevitably, I always ended up finding one of my presents before the big day and it was ALWAYS on accident (truly!)  One year, my mom sent me to her closet to get something for her, completely forgetting one of my unwrapped presents was hidden in there! 😂

3)  I grew up in a very religious family, especially on my dad’s side, so that aspect of the holiday was always stressed more than Santa or the gifts (Grandpa and Uncle were pastors after all 😉).  I think this was good though, as it always helped me to keep the commercialism of the holiday in perspective.

One tradition we had for a few years, when the kids were young, is to have a birthday cake for Baby Jesus on Christmas Eve.  We even got to sing “Happy Birthday” to Him (and there was cake so…😁!)  I think that is such a cool tradition.  It’s a fun way to help keep the true meaning of Christmas front-and-center for kids!

A box of Queen Anne cordial cherries sits on a table
Not everyone likes these sweet treats (I do!) but they represent a special memory for me. We would have them every year at my Grandma’s house at Christmas!

4)  Most of my Christmas memories from my childhood are from the BIG gatherings we used to have at my grandparents’ house on Christmas Eve.  The WHOLE family (we’re talking like 20 people) would gather there, with mounds of presents stacked everywhere.  After dinner, we always dressed in our best (I usually got a pretty, new dress each year, several times my mom even made them!) and we went to the Christmas Eve church service, which has always been my favorite of the whole year! 

The church would be decked out in beautiful lights and decorations, and it would always end with a moving version of “Silent Night”, lit only by candlelight.  Then, the lights would be brought back up, and while we basked in the acrid, sulphuric smoke that wafted from the tips of the blown-out candles (I LOVE that smell), we’d be sent off to a rousing rendition of “Joy to the World!”

Then we’d return to Grandma’s house for…PRESENTS! (This is probably another reason why I never believed in Santa. 😂)  

The story my grandfather told me for starting the tradition of opening gifts on Christmas Eve was that my mom and her three siblings used to wake my grandparents up REALLY early on Christmas morning to open presents (of course).  The “old folks” didn’t like it, so…they started opening presents Christmas Eve instead, so they could sleep in Christmas morning! 🤣 (To be fair, my mom disputes this story. 😂)  I always thought I was lucky, all the other kids had to wait a whole other sleep to get their presents, HA! 😉

Changing Holiday Traditions

As an adult, the holidays always seem a little weird, especially when you move far away and only return home occasionally.  They say you “can’t go back again” and in many ways this is true.  The experience is never quite the same as the rose-colored memories you have from childhood.

I have SO MANY amazing memories associated with this holiday.  I find these days though, my feelings are somewhat bittersweet.  I still LOVE all the shiny lights, carols, the beauty and peace of a candlelit church service, and time spent with family…but Christmas doesn’t quite feel the same as I remember as a kid.  For the last 20 years, things have been changing, as all of us “kids” have been moving out (and away) and getting busy with our own lives. 

You watch once-vibrant grandparents and parents age, slow, and eventually, one year, become only a memory…so all the memories made with them start to dim, as well. 

It just never quite feels the same as the days when Grandma would crawl around on the floor with us kids, with silly string in her hair.  One year the tree fell over on her as she rooted around for that last Christmas present (true story, there is video evidence of this somewhere! 😁)

A grandma lays on the floor laughing and playing with two grandchildren amongst wrapping paper
This is my favorite pic of that crazy lady, it shows her in her element…with her grandchildren.  This was Christmas, circa 1986, and yes, that brown mop of hair you see on the left would be me.

Relatives or childhood friends you were once almost inseparable from, you may now find you have little to talk about outside the updates you’re already aware of from social media.  While some family members are lost, new ones are added (both through marriage and birth).  While these are, certainly, blessings, the additional people–and their responsibilities to their own families–create complexities of their own.

Traditions change.  What used to be a gathering at Grandma’s house, of what seemed like 100 people (when you were 5), is now a smaller group sitting around another table, or even gathering at a restaurant where you can pay a stranger to cook for you and clean up afterwards! 😉 

It’s almost impossible to get everybody together at the same time anymore.  Everyone lives all over the country (sometimes all over the world!) and we’re all busy with our own families (and families-in-law).  Even on the rare occasions we DO all get together, there are so many other distractions (many of us have young kids of our own now). 

It just isn’t the same as when we used to stay up till 3 am on Christmas Eve, my cousins and I, playing with our new toys together, while the adults played cards in the other room…  

Your concept of family may change too.  It’s no longer just about blood relations (especially as various in-laws or step-family members are added).  Not everyone was blessed with a close-knit, loving family.  Others may have no close family left or those that remain may live too far away to visit with every holiday.  For many, friends make a wonderful, adoptive family.

There is always a sense of loss of family members, and “the old ways”.  One of the only real guarantees we have in life is that things WILL change.  This can be a good thing, though.  We can store up wonderful memories of bygone days, and continue some old traditions from times past while seeking to embrace new practices that will carry with them wonderful memories of their own.     

New Traditions

Mr. Trekker and I have started to develop our own traditions.  Christmas Eve, I make homemade lasagna, then we open presents with my parents (gotta keep that tradition alive!) and still enjoy a candlelit, church service.  We also like to watch a “big” Christmas movie that night, like “It’s a Wonderful Life”. 😁  Then, before bed, we read “The Night Before Christmas”. (When I was a kid we often read the Christmas story out of the Book of Luke, from the Bible, but now we kinda figure we’ve just heard it at church, so… 😉)  Then…for the big finale…we have a little slumber party in the living room with the dog, under the glowing lights of the Christmas tree!  Who needs kids to have fun?! 😂

When Christmas morning comes, we start it off with homemade treats for breakfast!  Then, there’s Facetime chats with Mr. Trekker’s side of the family (we  “Zoomed” Christmas morning with relatives who live in far-off places for years, long before COVID made it cool! 😝)  Then it’s time for the big, Christmas dinner!  Finally, we end the evening on the couch watching “A Christmas Story” (the one with Ralfie…”you’ll shoot your eye out!”)

To Conclude

Change is inevitable, and I will CHERISH those Christmas memories from when I was a kid for the rest of my life.  But I am also excited to make new memories, in the new situations we find ourselves, and with the new friends and family who may be joining us in the years to come.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!  Enjoy your traditions with your own friends and families (be they blood-relation or otherwise and whether they are in-person or virtual) this holiday.  Merry Christmas to you all, and as Tiny Tim would say, “God Bless us, everyone!” 😉

Tell me about your family’s Christmas traditions in the comments!

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Christmas Tree Hunting in the Black Hills National Forest

In this post, I discuss a delightful holiday pastime, Christmas tree hunting in the Black Hills National Forest.

 

Well, kids, it’s that time of year again!  Thanksgiving is over, the turkey has been eaten, you may have gotten some good deals on holiday shopping…or better yet, you said, “FORGET THAT!” and chose to #optoutside to enjoy some fresh air and work off those Thanksgiving Dinner calories instead.  Either way, it is now, FINALLY time to enjoy the Christmas season!

The tree is decorated, the lights are sparkling (both inside and outside the house), and Trans-Siberian Orchestra is booming from the speakers.  Christmas has now been fully embraced by the Trekker household!

This time of year the Trekkers take part in what has become an annual tradition:  Christmas Tree Hunting in the Black Hills National Forest for the Trekker Family Christmas Tree!

Some years, thigh-high snowdrifts can make the hunt exceptionally challenging (Mr. Trekker plays lumberjack, carrying the tree and saw. 😮)  

We load up the “old family sleigh” (otherwise known as Mr. Trekker’s 4WD truck) and head out to our favorite, tree cutting spot (no, I’m not going to tell you exactly where it is.  We’ve got our eyes set on other trees up there for future years! 😉)

Green pine tree on a snowy hill. Much larger trees surround it and tower in the background.
A Trekker Family Christmas Tree in its natural environment

Where do I get a permit for hunting Christmas trees in the Black Hills?

The Forest Service encourages the practice of hunting Christmas trees in the national forest to assist them in maintaining healthy forest spaces.  Also, there is nothing better to compliment the Christmas Season than the smell of pine in your living room!

You do need a permit to cut a Christmas tree in these areas.  They are $10 each (max 5 per person) and you have to go to a Forest Service office or certain private vendors to obtain one.

For information on how to go about acquiring these, check the Forest Service website (where you can buy and download a pass online).

There are some restrictions on which parcels of land you can acquire the trees from and all usual restrictions pertaining to vehicle travel still apply.  Also, be sure you are on public, Forest Service land and not Private Property when tree hunting.

Something to be aware of if you’re going tree hunting in the national forest…these are not “tree lot” or “tree farm” trees.  These are WILD, “free-range” trees. 😮   They haven’t been trimmed and shaped on a farm with others their size, placed a perfect distance apart for ultimate fullness.  They’ve been forced to fight for sunlight and nutrients among others of their kind, some that are MUCH bigger. 

They may have had to grow around other trees or obstructions or had to survive vicious storms and wind, or the damage caused by animals.  Basically, these trees look how they are SUPPOSED to, without human intervention. 😁  The chances of finding “the perfect tree” are pretty slim, but you’ll know when you find the “right” tree.  It calls to you. 😉

Where are good places to hunt for Christmas trees in the Black Hills National Forest?

There are a variety of pine trees available in the Hills for this purpose, ranging from the stereotypical, Christmasy, spruce tree to ponderosa pines.  I personally recommend the Black Hills Spruce which is usually found on north-facing slopes of hills and wetter, lower-lying areas.  We tend to favor the central to northern Black Hills in our searches.

Be warned, many roads in the Hills are Forest Service roads (or old logging roads) which means they are dirt, rutted, and not maintained AT ALL for winter travel.  Conditions in this area this time of year can range from dry, dusty forest roads, to mud, to–frequently–several inches or even feet of snow!

I would not recommend driving on them without a four-wheel-drive/high-clearance vehicle.  Some of the roads don’t require this but much of it depends upon current conditions and varies year-to-year (or even week-to-week and day-to-day.  Heck, let’s face it, in the mountains, it can vary hour-to-hour!)

Usually, the roads are snow-covered, sometimes deeply.  Some years (moreso recently) there is little snow and the roads aren’t muddy, so even my all-wheel-drive CRV could suffice, though these are not normal years.  Also be aware, as with many places in the Hills, if you were to become stuck or mired…it will likely be quite a hassle (and quite expensive!) to get out–and that’s once you hike somewhere you can get a cell signal to call for a rescue!

A truck with a snow-covered tree sit on a snow-covered ledge. A lake backed by a forest is in the background. The clouds are grey and it appears to be snowing.
Lunch, by Deerfield Lake, after a successful hunt, on a snowy Saturday!

We have a favorite area we frequent (nope, still not going to tell you where it is!)  I will tell you this much, the mountains west of Deerfield Lake have an abundance of spruce trees (assuming that’s the type you’re searching for.)  Flag Mountain Road is one of our favorite routes that takes you to some good hunting spots. (That’s ALL the helpful info you will get from me!)

The difficulty with this location is that it usually receives some of the heavier snowfall in the Hills.  Even if there is little to no snow in the lower elevations, what falls as rain lower down often falls as snow in the higher portions of the Hills.  And, as I mentioned previously, as is true throughout the Black Hills, cell service in this area is often spotty (if it exists at all).  So if you do get stuck and/or your vehicle becomes disabled, you may have a lengthy walk–possibly in deep snow–before you can call for help. Also, watch your step when you venture off the roads.  The deep snow can easily hide stumps, downed trees, and other deadfall that can trip you up.

A dry, grass meadow with many pine trees in the background under a blue sky.
Our favorite Christmas tree hunting area in less snowy years
A dry, grass meadow with some tire marks heading off into the distance. Tall pine trees are on all sides under a blue sky.
Usually, there are inches to feet of snow in this area.

Mr. Trekker and his truck usually handle the conditions well, we’ve only gotten stuck…a few times. 😇  Mr. Trekker didn’t mind too much though, it gave him a chance to expand his trail, snow-driving skills (and the opportunity to play with his tire chains. 🙄)

To be clear, we know this area well, such as which parts to avoid as the road winds through gullies that tend to drift.  We always carry numerous options of recovery gear with us–and yes mom 😉–we always bring extra clothing in case we get stuck out for a lengthy period of time or need to hike out to call for help.  We also have bug-out plans if the conditions prove worse than we had anticipated.  Click here for a short video of one wintery trip in the forest!  

A snowy meadow. Tall pine trees can barely be seen in the background through the gloom and snow. The shape of a truck is in the far background.
The truck stalks its prey (said in my best, nature documentary-narrator voice 😉 )

Our usual MO is to wander around one of our favorite hunting sites for a while…until both of us look across the meadow…and see IT, standing on the border between meadow and forest, with its much larger brothers towering in the background.  You always have to wait for that “Griswold Family Christmas Tree” moment (and yes, Trekker family tradition dictates we watch that movie the night we go tree hunting as a necessary part of the Christmas season. 😉)

If you’re really lucky, as you begin the search for the perfect tree it may start to snow gently…then it looks like a Norman Rockwell painting!  A word of advice, we’ve learned the trees look smaller in their “natural habitat”, surrounded by their MUCH larger brothers.  More than once we’ve had to cut a tree more drastically than we initially thought was needed once we got home and tried to fit it in our living room.  We’ve learned if Mr. Trekker’s 6’4 frame can reach the top of the tree…it should fit in the house!

To Conclude

So, if you’re looking for a great place to cut down your own tree, while also helping the local forest stay healthy, don’t be afraid to get your hands a little dirty.  Get out to your nearby national forest and get yourself a “free-range” Christmas tree. (It’s more organic than those tree-farm trees! 😉)

Christmas Tree Hunting in the Black Hills (or anywhere really) is an enjoyable, family-friendly experience.  I encourage everyone to try it out and as always, be safe and smart when venturing out.  The experience of trekking out to the wilds to acquire a tree from its natural habitat is incredibly exhilarating.  It speaks to the instinctual lumberjack who’s hiding in the deepest, darkest depths of all of us. 😉  It’s also a fun, family activity.  As I mentioned earlier, there’s little cell service out there, so gather the kids up in the “old family sleigh” and head out for some good, old fashioned–sans-technology–family time!

…just don’t forget the saw! 🙃

A lit Christmas tree in a dark room with other Christmas lights surrounding it
The final product!

Have you ever ventured out to cut down your own family Christmas tree?  Tell me about your experience in the comments!

 

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I Do: 10 Tips on Making a Marriage Last

After more than a decade of marriage, I give my 10 tips on how to make it last!

 

Author’s Note:  I originally wrote this post five years ago for our 10-year anniversary. We’ve been through a lot together in the succeeding five years:

–we survived a worldwide pandemic and relative lockdown (complete with multiple rounds of COVID each–we like to share 😝–and now we’re both learning how to live with long-term COVID-brain 🥴 )
–Mr. Trekker was an AWESOME caregiver when I had major surgery  

I wanted to add more items five years on but honestly, I couldn’t really think of anything else helpful to add.  So, from someone who is five years further into a lengthy, successful, and very happy marriage, enjoy!

 

Mr. Trekker and I celebrated 15 years of marriage recently! Since we started dating early in our freshman year of college, we’ve been together more than half our lives!  I’m not sure we can remember what it’s like to NOT be a twosome! 😍

For a long time, we just hung out as friends, within our shared group of friends, and got to know each other casually.  Mr. Trekker and I were best friends first (in my opinion, that’s the way to go!)  At first, I didn’t even consider him as a potential romantic suitor (although if you ask him, I was always in his sights. 😊)  We just clicked in a way I never had with a guy before.  We became inseparable, best friends, almost instantaneously. 

One of the first times we hung out was a group trip to the local gas station. (Ok…we are OLD and we went to a SMALL school in the middle of podunk-nowhere Indiana, there wasn’t a lot to do there.  Most of us didn’t have cars.  We were also poor, college students, and this was before streaming tv–I didn’t even have a cell phone till AFTER I graduated college. 😮)

Due to these factors, a quasi-tradition at our school was a midnight, slurpy run to the nearby 7-11.  One of the nights, Mr. Trekker and I tagged along, individually, with a group of friends. When two friends, who were dating, started a round of piggyback rides, I casually mentioned, “I want a piggyback ride!”  Then I heard this deep voice emanating from this tall, lanky kid behind me, who I barely knew, “I’ll give you a piggyback ride…” That’s how it all began folks!  See guys, you can still sweep a lady off her feet, even in the 21st century! 😉

Now that we’ve been married for 15 years, I think it’s fair to give out a  few tips on how to make a marriage last…

1.  MARRY YOUR BEST FRIEND!!!

I cannot stress enough how important I think this is.  If I could give only one piece of advice on how to have a successful marriage, this would be it!

This will ultimately affect the way you relate to your spouse throughout the entire course of your relationship.  You will likely live through both the best and the worst moments of life with that person.  Why would you want it to be anyone other than your best friend?  I can’t imagine trying to navigate childrearing, sickness, family/household emergencies or any of the other stresses and difficulties that life will inevitably throw your way, with anyone other than your best friend!

Your best friend is the person who knows what you’re like at your worst, yet is still willing to put up with you. 😉  They will ultimately end up being one of your highest priorities anyway, so why wouldn’t you choose that person to marry?  Your spouse knows you more intimately than anyone else.  They know every one of your embarrassing, disgusting details (whether you want them to or not. 😛)  Why would you want anyone other than your best friend to have that kind of incriminating material on you? 😉

Your best friend is the person you have the most patience for, and the one you’ll do anything to fix a divide between.  Your marriage relationship should be this strong.  Your best friend should be the one you have chosen to be yoked to for life.  People have actually told us, “You guys just seem to actually LIKE each other”.  Um…yeah…we’re married!  Is this a common thing these days?  Do people choose marriage partners they DON’T like?! 🤔  

If your current spouse isn’t your best friend, figure out a way to change that.  Yes, it IS that important.  Find something the two of you enjoy doing together.  Find a way to bond.  I GUARANTEE you, without a shadow of a doubt, this will make your relationship better. 

If you’re engaged to someone who isn’t your best friend, don’t give up hope yet, but for the best chance of making your marriage succeed long-term, find a way to change this BEFORE the wedding.

The person you are “just dating” may not be your best friend…yet…but do they have that potential?  If not, rethink the relationship now before it gets more serious.

On the other hand, could the person who’s currently your best, platonic friend be a potential mate?  If that isn’t a practical option, figure out what qualities they have that draw you to them, and look for those qualities in potential mates (honesty, integrity, empathy, humor, drive, quirkiness…)

Two, old wedding rings with lace running through them
Two of my grandparents had died by the time we got married. Both were with their respective partners for almost 50 years! On our wedding day, I carried both of their wedding rings in my bouquet. I couldn’t think of a better way to bestow favor on our marriage.

2.  Play together!

Really!  Life is serious enough, have fun with the mate you’ve pledged your life to.  Goof around, pick on each other (good-naturedly of course).  Enjoy fun activities together!  Make each other laugh (they say it’s good for the soul!)  Tease, flirt, do fun, silly stuff with each other.  “Adulting” can get pretty dull, spice it up!  Got a day full of errands?  Find time for a quick ice cream or lunch date in the mix.  Go on walks together.  Get in food fights!

One of Mr. Trekker and my favorite memories from college is when we got in a food fight with buffalo wings from Dominoes…sauce got everywhere, it was epic!  His former roommate still doesn’t know that one of the wings ended up in his shoe (we cleaned it up! 😮🤫😇)

So play around and have fun with your mate…you know, like you would with your best friend… 😮

3.  Sex

Hehe…yeah, five years on and…NOPE, still not gonna talk about that subject!… 😲😋😘😉😇

4.  Pay attention to the little things

People tend to show you their true selves, in subtle ways.  Watch for clues for how your Intended will treat you years down the road.  You know, once the lovey-dovey, rose-colored glasses of dating life are removed and the ugly reality of spending the next 50-odd years with someone sets in. 🙃

These are things like, do they put the toilet seat down?  This is, admittedly, a bit trivial, but it can have serious implications for things to come.  Something like this is a small, simple sign that a person is considerate of and empathetic towards others.  That’s not a bad indication when considering someone as a potential, lifelong mate!  What’s the old saying, if you can trust them with the little things…(and yes, I noted early on that Mr. Trekker was very conscientious about putting the seat down!) 

5.  Say “I’m sorry”…OFTEN, and then…FORGIVE!

Whoever came up with the old adage “love means never having to say you’re sorry”…is an idiot. 😋  Seriously, that’s stupid!  We’re all human so we all make mistakes.  We’re also all intelligent enough to know when we were wrong.  So humble yourself, apologize when you’ve screwed up, and try to improve on your actions in the future.

For the spouse being apologized to…FORGIVE!!!  This is key when talking about a long-term relationship.  We all have times when we can be complete jerks.  We all lash out, from time to time.  Unfortunately, our spouses, by the very nature of how intimately we are connected, are most often the outlets for our frustrations. 

I don’t know why we seem to have this fault in our human nature that the person who is supposed to mean the most to us is also the one we default to treating the worst.  It’s probably because they are the one person we can truly let our guard down around…

If your best friend is a jerk to you, don’t you want to forgive them as quickly as possible to get back to your fulfilling relationship?  Be forgiving of your partner, we all have our bad days.  Remember, you chose them for a reason.  And the next time you are feeling cranky, remember how it felt to bear the brunt of that emotion from someone else, and maybe try to be as gentle as you can with them.

6.  PATIENCE!

This goes hand-in-hand with #5.  Because we are all human and therefore, all flawed, we’re going to screw up…A LOT.  Show patience towards your mate.  They are the one you dedicated your life to, they should be the one you grant the most patience to and are most tolerant of when they become frustrating…kind of like you would your best friend…🙃 (Yes, I’m going to keep harping on this point.  I TRULY believe it is THAT important). 

A cake topper with a male and female in hiking clothes/equipment and a flag with a picture of a dog
I’m sure it won’t surprise you that the Trekkers picked a hiking couple as their cake topper. 😁 And yes, since Doggo couldn’t be at the wedding, we included her on the cake!

7.  The “dreaded” in-laws 😱

I was fortunate to be blessed with pretty great in-laws (and I’m not just saying that because my mother-in-law reads this blog…REALLY! 😉)  Seriously though, I know family dynamics are complicated.  Not everyone is blessed with an extended family that’s easy to deal with.  HOWEVER, those family members played a large part in making the person you have chosen as a life-long mate into who they are today.

When you marry that person, you marry their family too.  Why not do everything within your power to make your relationships with those people as peaceful as possible?  If you don’t get along with them, don’t do it for them.  Do it for the person you have chosen to love, above anyone else.

8.  Show restraint with complaints…

Ok, before anyone yells at me, I am NOT saying you shouldn’t speak up if you’re feeling unhappy, or that your needs aren’t being met.  HOWEVER, I think there is a time, place, and manner in which to bring up grievances. 

The old clichés of, “it isn’t what you said, it’s the tone you used” and “you’ll attract more flies with honey than with vinegar”?  Yeah, those are actually true!  The best time to air your frustrations is probably not in the midst of your anger.  If you can hold your tongue just to the count of 10, or a few minutes, or maybe even a few days, the problem may be able to be resolved more quickly and/or with fewer feelings hurt. 

How do these things usually play out?  Someone says something in the heat of anger that may be true, but that isn’t very kind.  Then later, apologies are garnered and the situation is talked over and resolved calmly, right?  So, why not just skip the anger and drama, and jump right to the calm discussion?  I find I can usually express myself more effectively when I’ve had time to think about exactly what is upsetting me anyway.  Wouldn’t you strive to be gentle with your best friend when confronting them about something they do that upsets you?

9.  Don’t let life’s little hiccups ruin things

“Life is messy, sh*t happens, don’t sweat the small stuff.”  Living by these ideals will make life easier.  Eventually, things aren’t gonna work out as we planned.  We gotta buck up and deal with it, kids.  We gotta learn to “just groove“.  Besides, sometimes a minor disappointment, such as a rained-out picnic in the park, can lead to an even better result…like a Subway picnic on the floor of your dorm room. (Ask me how I know! 😇)

Speaking of rain, don’t be afraid of a little rain on your wedding day (…even if it is an outdoor wedding! 😮)  They claim it’s good luck!

I recently learned the supposed reasoning behind this and it’s kind of cool…When you get married it’s called “tying the knot” right?  Well, in the past, what material was often tied in knots…? Rope.  And what happens to rope when it gets wet…? It swells.  So, the idea is, that a “knot” tied on a rainy, wet day, will swell and be impossible to untie…ha! 😉 (In case you are wondering, yes, it was rainy and in the upper 40s the day of our OUTDOOR wedding, and it was wonderful!  It was nothing that a covered gazebo with a roaring fire in the stone fireplace couldn’t cure!)

10.  …and last but not least…

Did I mention you should marry your best friend? 😉 😇

These tips are just my personal opinion, of course.  You can decide if you take them to heart or not.  But I think it’s fair to say that long-term marriages aren’t a super common thing these days.  I believe in learning from the lessons of others.  So, I try to follow the models of other long-term couples (both for what TO and what NOT to do. 🙃)  These tips are things that work for us…

The Trekkers have big shoes to fill.  Both of our parents have been married more than 40 years, and most of our grandparents came close to (if not hit) the 50-year mark! 😮  I pray we are lucky enough to have–at least–that many years together!

Do you have any pieces of advice for a long and happy marriage?  Let me know in the comments!

 

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Autumn is a Wonderful Time of the Year

In this post, I discuss my love for my second-favorite season, Fall!

 

It’s Fall ya’ll!  The official, astronomical start of Fall was this weekend! (I’m always happy to escape the heat of summer! 🥵)

I live with a meteorologist, so I actually tend to go with the meteorological start of Fall which is September 1.  The meteorological seasons always made more sense to me anyway.

The astronomical calendar is based on the position of the sun.  Spring and Fall start on their various equinoxes, while Summer and Winter start the days with the longest (and least) amounts of daylight. 

In contrast, the meteorological calendar just divides the seasons up into three-month sections (Winter starts December 1, Summer starts June 1, etc.)–Who thinks of winter starting in the middle of December, or summer in the middle of June anyway? 😋  It always feels like those seasons are half over by the time they “officially” start.

Why Fall is Wonderful

Fall is my second-most-favorite season of the year (it’s only slightly short of Spring as my most favorite season 😉)!  I absolutely LOVE it!  There are only two bad things about this time of the year:

      • The South Dakota winds tend to start blowing again 😗
      • The days are starting to get shorter in earnest now, which I never enjoy. (The good news is, Fall is usually fairly busy for the Trekkers, and with Halloween will come the start of the Holiday Season so, before we know it, it’ll be January and the days will be lengthening again! 😎)

I am SO ready for the heat to be gone! (Especially after this year. I can confidently say this was the first summer since we moved to the Black Hills 13 years ago that summer made me as miserable as it did when we lived in North Carolina. 🥵)

I always look forward to summer, until it gets hot and stays hot and then I say…NOPE! 😋  I just don’t “do” hot ya’ll, sorry.  And while I enjoy summertime activities (and all the daylight), I just don’t find that I enjoy summer weather that much.  My body just can’t handle the heat (my doctor says I have “heat sensitivity”. 😓)

Click here for a list of some of the Trekkers’ favorite, fall hikes!

I can’t help it, I just LOVE fall weather; the crisp, cool evenings, the damp, foggy mornings.  I LOVE that it’s starting to feel good to snuggle in a sweatshirt again.

I love the smell of drying leaves and the way they *crunch!* underfoot, not to mention all their beautiful colors!  The ever-green pines here in the Hills contrast so nicely with the vibrant yellows of the aspen trees, all set against the backdrop of our–frequently–blue sky.

I love the way these signs herald change.  The cool air just feels like such a relief after the hot summer.  It’s like we’re all coming out of a sluggish mode and we’re gearing up for a season full of activities again.  I also LOVE the moodiness of the cloudy, grey days (as long as they don’t occur too close together, or I have to pull out the Vitamin D3† early!)

Other Vitamin D3 options:  Nature’s Bounty, Nature Made 2000 IU tablets, NOW softgels

What is your favorite season?  What are your favorite parts of Fall?  Let me know in the comments!

 

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