Category: notes for a better world

A Day in the Life of a Freelancer

In this post, I detail what I learned from my experience working as a freelancer.

 

Author’s Note: I wrote this article several years ago when I was working as a Freelancer, writing grants, online articles, and doing some consulting. Unfortunately, COVID brought that opportunity to a grinding halt (though I now have a more typical “9 to 5 job” I’m still blessed that it’s very flexible and it allows me to frequently work from home.) I thought people may still find my Freelance experience interesting though and I do hope to return to this type of work someday. 

I cannot express how thankful I was that I was able to seize this opportunity.  My thanks especially go out to my amazing hubby, as without him this wouldn’t have been possible (both emotionally and financially).  A word of warning, this type of work is not all roses and sunshine.  It’s hard work, there isn’t a lot of job security and it requires a large amount of personal discipline.  But the freedom it gave me to live my life as I chose made it all worth it!

Can you freelance in most professions?

Freelance work covers a wide range of industries.  It can be anything from online writing, web design, or consulting to an artist who is contracted for work or a person selling beauty products or supplements on the side.

A freelancer could be a stay-at-home parent who babysits other people’s children in addition to their own, jobs like Uber, or a dog walker.  Basically, it is any service contracted between you and another party, for any type of payment.

Payment may not even be financial in nature.  While I firmly believe no one should work for “free”, it isn’t unusual to do at least some freelance work for no financial compensation.  Instead, “payment” could include experience earned, connections made, or even just the hope of future dividends paid.  I got started as a volunteer and this eventually morphed into a paid opportunity.  

Freelancing can be a physical job based on a hand-shake with a real human, or a gig in the new, online workforce where you may never meet or even see your client face-to-face.  Literally ANYONE can do this!

Is freelancing a “real” job?

The answer is a resounding YES! (and it can be TOUGH!)  Freelancing often gets a bad rap.  It’s become more and more accepted and normal in the past few years (especially during COVID), and trends suggest this will only continue into the future.

But many people (and even some businesses and potential employers) treat it with condescension.  They think all we freelancers do is sit on the porch all day, sipping on lemonade while we type on our laptops.

To be fair, there is a little truth to this idea (says the woman who is currently typing on her laptop while sitting on the porch. 😇) 

But many don’t realize the effort that goes into freelancing…

A freelance job is stressful

I didn’t fully appreciate just how stressful freelancing would be when I first started.  There are things they don’t tell you about this “dream job”.  For one, you literally don’t get paid unless you’re actively working.  That may seem silly to say, but you don’t realize just how tiring a day of work can be until you don’t make a dime unless the project is delivered and completed, to the client’s liking.  Whether it takes you two hours or two days to complete the project, the payment is the same.  Even if you bill a client on an hourly basis, you have to justify every minute of that hour. 

At a typical hourly (or even salaried) job, you get paid for those breaks you take to run to the coffee machine, or the bathroom, or to stop by a coworker’s desk to discuss a project (and end up shooting the breeze for the next 20 minutes).  As a freelancer, you don’t, you literally have to work for every…single…cent you make.  It’s a wonderful, flexible, exhilarating, rewarding experience, but it’s also tiring.  I can honestly say I felt more tired at the end of the day, working part-time from home as a freelancer, than I almost ever have working a normal, 9 – 5, hourly job. 

There is a lack of job security with freelance work

There is also the financial strain of fluctuating, irregular income, and extreme job uncertainty with freelance work.  While no job is “guaranteed”, people with long-term employment are usually pretty comfortable that their job will still be there next week or next month.  With freelancing, there is virtually no job security.  There are some contracted positions, but those are usually only “guaranteed” until the current project is complete (and as we all learned with COVID you can be laid off at any time, with little to no warning.)  Most freelancers are continuously seeking out new work.

Freelancers work an irregular schedule

You can spend days or weeks with almost no work, and then a big project will crop up with little notice (which is wonderful, for the money and experience, but it can cause a lot of sudden stress and really throw off a family routine). 

Please understand I don’t intend any of these statements as complaints.  I LOVED working as a freelancer and hope to return to it someday.  I am VERY aware of just how fortunate I was to even be allowed this opportunity.  I just want people to understand that just like any job, working for yourself has its challenges, as well.

Freelancer pearls of wisdom

I learned a lot through my freelancer experience, and I know a lot of freelancers who are striving to make their “side-hustles” work, so I thought I’d pass on a few pearls of wisdom:

–Freelance work is INCREDIBLY rewarding.  This was one of the only jobs where  I actually felt like I EARNED every single dime I made (don’t tell any of my “real” bosses I said that! 😛)  That felt REALLY GOOD!

It was ironic, I made less working as a freelancer than I had in more than a decade, but I felt more proud of the work I did and the income I received.  It reminded me of when I first started working in high school.  Even though the checks weren’t large, I knew I busted my butt for every single dime I received (of course, then Uncle Sam comes in and takes his share…😤)

–I find online freelance work can be surreal.  It IS work, it takes time, planning, and mental energy.  But it doesn’t FEEL “real”.  Depending on the type of work you do, tt may not be unusual to only communicate with clients via email or online messaging.  You may never hear their actual voice, or even know what they look like!  Then there’s also the fact that your work is magically sent into the ether that is the World Wide Web, and then, a while later, if the client is pleased, money magically appears in your bank account. 😮

I’ve gotten several jobs through Upwork, a freelance matching service.  There are several platforms like this out there that allow freelancers to connect with potential clients around the world.  I’ve worked with companies as far away as Seattle.  Living in western South Dakota, just a few, short years ago it would have been hard to even connect with a place like this.

–I am still somewhat amazed that you can actually make a decent income, literally working from your backyard.  I have learned that there are actually legitimate companies out there that will pay you a decent wage to work from home.  It takes a little luck to get established and to find some of the connections, but once you get over that hurdle, depending on the time you have available, your internet connectivity, your skillset, and your determination, you can make a decent career for yourself as a freelancer.

–I liked being able to pick and choose what companies I wanted to work with and what projects I wanted to work on.  Obviously, if I was picky, that meant less money in my pocket.  But it enriches your work life when you don’t have a boss forcing you to work on a project you aren’t interested in or being forced to work with a company you don’t respect.

–I had to learn about things like quarterly tax payments to the state, and “estimated tax” to the Federal government.  Ugh, every time I had to deal with the bureaucracy involved with these my Libertarian heart grew a little larger (and I say that as a former State employee living in a business-tax-friendly state! 🤑)

–Then there’s the constant bane of my existence, the one act of blogging that makes me want to rip my hair out and throw the–not inexpensive–laptop across the room…the dreaded coding. 🤮  I HATE coding!  I’m learning to do it, though I’m still an extreme novice, but I HATE it.  I know, this is an unpopular opinion, and I probably just made a bunch of “Women-in-STEM” advocates cringe, 😉 but I can’t help it.  I HATE it! 😋

I find coding is a tedious process.  The more I understand, the more I can use it, but it just doesn’t spark my interest.  A lot of people really enjoy it, and I can kind of understand why.  It is like a puzzle that needs to be solved (kind of like math, which I also HATE! 😉) 

But for me, the time spent trying to figure out why that stupid heading INSISTS on remaining in the middle of the page just feels like a waste of time.  It’s probably mostly that the blog isn’t making much income at this time.  That’s ok, that’s how these things work and I understand that.  The hope is that it will pay dividends in the future.  But I think the stress of spending hours fighting the code would be much easier to handle if a hefty salary came along with it. 😛

Goals I was able to achieve in my attempt at freelancing:

      • I’ve was able to develop a decent portfolio of online travel writing that served me well in long-standing jobs
      • My grant writing career didn’t progress like I hoped it would. COVID, and the resulting economic decline saw to that. I did find  I could only focus on a few projects at once, so having one or two clients I could place all my focus on was much better than having to divide that focus out among numerous agencies.I originally started by providing volunteer services.  I learned A LOT during those years, and am happy to say that knowledge paid off as several grants I submitted were approved for funding.  It’s incredibly satisfying to be able to help local, non-profit agencies that I care about and can see literally helping people in my own community, to be able to continue to provide those necessary services.
      • For a short time, I was able to work as a consultant for a local agency and was able to pull from several previous jobs to succeed in that position.
      • Regarding the blog, I have learned SO MUCH regarding marketing, social media, and coding and I’ve even begun to master the much-dreaded SEO. 😮   Don’t let anybody kid you, maintaining a blog can be a full-time job in itself.  But I’m excited to say I’m finally starting to see some success and growth!

You won’t find a more flexible, family-friendly work environment than that of a freelancer.  But, there’s also the stress that comes from uncertain job security and the financial strain that’s caused when you move away from a steady, full-time income (and benefits).  This is made far easier for anyone who can lean on a partner or spouse for financial support or things like health insurance, but not everyone is in that position, which makes freelancing even more difficult.

To Conclude

Many people pursue freelancing on a part-time basis as the ever-popular “side hustle“.  This is a GREAT way to get started, it’s also far smarter and more secure financially.  But it poses problems of its own…

We’re all busy, trying to carve out time in our days around work, house chores, dealing with kids and/or elderly parents, or working around busy family schedules.  Finding time to fit in an additional job, especially one where you may not make much money for the first several years, can feel like an insurmountable obstacle.

I pursued this endeavor under the best of circumstances (I was financially able to lean on a partner for support and we don’t have kids), and I STILL felt the stress and eventually failed at my endeavor (at least for now. 😉)  I can’t imagine how people who deal with additional stressors manage.  So to all the other freelancers out there, trying to make it as a pioneer in this new, gig economy, my hats off to you!

Have you done freelance work?  What have you learned?  Are you interested in becoming a freelancer?  What additional questions do you have?  Let me know in the comments!

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Ode to an Old Friend

In this post, I remember the life of a wonderful dog!

 

After 12 wonderful years, we finally had to say goodbye to our family dog.  We aren’t sure exactly how old she was.  We adopted her as a young adult in 2007 so…she was at least 13 and could have been closer to 15, just based on the information we were given at the time of adoption.  This sweet, spoiled canine led a good, long life!

Allow yourself to feel grief

Sometimes “adulting” is hard.  I’ve spoken before about how we don’t like to experience any pain in the modern world if we can avoid it (and frequently we can).  There’s usually a pill that will at least help to dull the ache.  Pain is never completely avoidable in life, though.  One of those unavoidable heartaches is the loss of close friends (be they human or animal).  Grief sucks…and it HURTS!

We must keep in mind though, that this feeling of loss we are forced to experience from time to time is actually a sign of a good life.  That pain means you had something to love, something that added joy to your life, to begin with.  We should consider ourselves blessed if we have things in our lives that hurt so much to lose.

The Trekkers have been preparing for this eventuality for quite a while.  For the last several years, we’ve watched our dear friend, slow, lose her hearing, and the ability to fully enjoy many activities she used to delight in.  The dog who once–with enthusiasm–drug our butts all the way up and down the 6,683-foot Mt. Mitchell, in North Carolina, became a greying friend who could barely make it around the block. 

Our furry friend led an enjoyable life.  Since 2007 she’s accompanied us on countless hiking and camping adventures, traveled with us to both Indiana and New England to spend holidays with our families, and relocated more than 1700 miles across the country with us when we moved from North Carolina to the Black Hills of South Dakota. (She glared at me from the back seat of my Civic through every mile of that trip 😂!  This is a dog who used to get carsick after less than 15 minutes in a car, which made things interesting those first few years. 😛)

We adopted her from the Wake County Humane Society in Raleigh, North Carolina.  For anyone living in the area, this is an amazing place.  They provide an incredibly comprehensive survey to help match you with your ideal pet, and they provide support services after adoption (such as behavior counseling) if needed.

Happier memories of times past:
Black and tan dog lays on the back cushions of a sofa
She LOVED to sleep on the back of that couch (it did not survive her)! 😂
(View from the rear) Dog walks in front of a woman down a trail in the woods
Dragging Mommy down the trail…
(View from the rear) Dog walks down a snowy trail in front of a man
Dragging Daddy through the snow…
Black and tan hound dog stands on a rock in the forest
She loved getting outdoors!

Black and tan dog panting while standing in the forest

In case it isn’t obvious from the pictures, this pup was spoiled rotten.  😉

We received her terminal diagnosis several months before she died, so we were very blessed to get to spend so much extra time with her.  She ended up outliving the vet’s prognosis by several months!  We were so happy that she hung on long enough to be able to enjoy laying in the sun and rolling in the soft, green grass of spring again.

I have to say a huge, “thank you!” to the staff at Dakota Hills Veterinary Clinic as well.  They took such good care of our friend for the last eight years, she actually enjoyed going there.  On her last day on earth, she happily walked in the front doors, excited to see the friends she had made there.  The staff made a difficult and painful experience as easy as possible to bear. 

We were fortunate to have more than 12 long years with our friend, and I like to think she was pretty happy with her human pack members as well.   

We should all strive to live life like a hound dog!

Black and tan dog lays on green grass with a tennis ball in her mouth Black and tan dog rolls on her side in the grass and snow

Black and tan dog rolls on her side in the grass and snow

Black and tan dog rolls on her side in the grass and snow

Black and tan dog lays upside down in the grass

Goodbye old friend, you are missed but you will never be forgotten…

Black and tan dog lays in the bright, green grass

 

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Reduce Stress by Embracing Mindful Minimalism

In this post, I provide a list of mindfulness and minimalism practices I use to keep my sanity when I’m stressed.

 

I hate that feeling when your mind seems to be racing out of control.  When you’re so hyped up, your whole body feels like it’s trembling.  It’s like you’ve ingested too much caffeine…you feel like life and your brain is careening out of control and you just can’t seem to relax.  The more you try to focus on something the more it seems to slip through your mental fingers.

Yet you notice, perplexedly, when you take a breath and are able to relax, that thoughts come easier.  You can remember and focus when, just a few hours ago, you couldn’t hang onto a thought for more than a few seconds…read on for tips on how to lessen stress using Mindful Minimalism.

Signs Your Body is Stressed

Tight stomach muscles…taught shoulders…you feel the dull ache of a tension headache at the back of your neck…then your eyelid or cheek starts to twitch…your lower back and shoulder blades are tense…there’s the occasional, weird twinge in your chest or abdomen…sometimes a lightheadedness kicks in, complete with difficulty focusing and a dazed sense of, what could almost be described as, disorientation…you may have trouble sleeping, or experience sleep disturbances or strange dreams…

These are all signs that our body is telling us, “YOU ARE STRESSED AND NEED A BREAK!”  You know the stress is building when you notice these signs.

My understanding is some of the stranger symptoms, such as the lightheadedness and disorientation, occur because we have a tendency to unconsciously hold our breath– or at least breathe shallowly–when we are tense and stressed.  This leads to lower oxygen levels and the disconnected, lightheaded feeling (it doesn’t help that I have chronic sinus and inner-ear problems that mess with my equilibrium 😋).

How to Use Mindfulness and Minimalism Practices to Reduce Stress

I’ve learned to take heed when these symptoms show themselves.  At the first sign of them, I immediately try to kick my mindfulness, simplicity and minimalism practices into high gear.  I focus on meditation, physical exercise and taking slow, deep breaths.  I also try to focus on only one task at a time while keeping the distractions as minimal as possible.

In the age of our always-on, always-connected lives, many people are starting to feel that our brains are being overwhelmed, present company included. Below are some of the procedures I employ when I notice these symptoms and realize I need to take a little “me time”:

Digital Minimalism:

This may seem odd for a blogger, and full disclosure, I do use multiple social media platforms for the blog.  However, I try to focus on them ONLY for the blog.

I do use them to stay up-to-date on certain subjects, mostly travel-related, and to keep in touch with long-distance family and friends.  I also peruse the occasional political site to keep up with the news, as well.  But I consider it a good sign when the platform is “nudging” me that I haven’t been posting much.

Prioritize Minimalism in All Areas of Your Life:
            • I try to minimize the distractions caused by music and television (unless I’m focusing on them as a means of relaxation).
            • I try to focus on other relaxation practices such as coloring or writing in a journal.
            • I’m big on simplicity.  I don’t wear much jewelry, and what I do wear tends to be small.  I find one of my biggest irritations in the morning is how much time I waste “getting ready” (and the fact that Mr. Trekker can do it in half the time it takes me 😋).  So, to counteract that, I keep that process as simple as possible.  I don’t mess with my hair much, most days I don’t even dry it.  I wear very little makeup, I don’t even own a bottle of hairspray anymore. 😋
            • I’ve never been a very showy person (says the woman with a nose ring and tattoo, but hey, they’re both small!   I suppose “showy” is in the eye of the beholder. 🙃)  My tattoo is simple, consisting of only one color and a little shading. Both can be hidden if I choose.I prefer these methods of beautification because they are simple and constant.  They’re there but are blessedly low maintenance.  Often times I completely forget about them.  They allow me to show off my own personal flair but in a subtle and simple way.

(To be clear, this isn’t intended as any sort of judgment on people who do prioritize beautification more.  These methods are just part of the way I keep life simple.  I was also always way too lazy to take the time to learn how to do much regarding my hair or makeup anyway. 😛)

Make Lists (LOTS of Lists!):

I’ve always been a fan of list-making, but I find during times of higher stress it’s even more helpful.  It relieves stress because, when you write things down that you need to keep track of, you don’t have to “stress” 😉 about remembering them anymore.

This also helps with maintaining focus as you have fewer thoughts bouncing around in your head.  I always carry a pen and a small notebook with me so, at a moment’s notice, I can write things down I don’t want to forget.  You can also use the “notes” or “reminder” function on your phone, but I’m partial to the “old school” method.

Stress Makes Everyday Life Harder

High levels of everyday, mental stress make it more difficult to handle real problems when they actually occur.  As an example, a “low-tire” light on a car, while not usually more than a nuisance, can feel like an insurmountable obstacle that you don’t feel like you can handle when your mental energy supply is already depleted.

One of my biggest struggles is feeling like IhavetorushandgetmytodolistdoneasfastasIpossiblycan!!!  (That’s difficult to read, right?  Yeah, that’s just a glimmer into the everyday workings of my foul little mind. 🙃)

Inevitably I find I allow myself to get stressed about all the things I need to do throughout the day or week.  Sometimes they are legitimately urgent (in which case they go to the top of the Mental Energy Priority Pile).  But more often than not, they’re just everyday tasks that need to be completed.  Things like errands, groceries, chores around the house and various work tasks. These issues are by no means life and death, they’re just part of normal living.  Inevitably I find I ALWAYS manage to complete them (quite often, faster and more easily than I thought I would).  And if they take a little extra time to finish, guess what, the world somehow still continues on.  The sun still rises each morning and sets each night, the birds still sing in the trees…

The trouble with all that stress I bring on myself is that when I complete the task and realize all is well…I still have all that negative energy built up…and then I start stressing about how to relieve THAT! 😛🙄

To Conclude:

Ultimately, it’s not healthy for us to maintain all the strain that we hold on a daily basis.  The rates of anxiety and stress-related illnesses keep increasing in modern society.  The saddest part of this is, that most of our lives aren’t even that difficult.  We are literally making ourselves sick with illnesses that harbor potentially lethal consequences…over “First World Problems”.  We all really need to CHILL OUT! 😉

More and more I’m finding that implementing mindful, minimalism practices helps with controlling my anxiety and stress-related symptoms.  I hope this list helps you (and I) work toward a more serene life.

How do you implement Mindfulness and Minimalism practices to help reduce everyday stress?  Let me know in the comments!

 

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Black and white picture of the woods in snow. Tree shadows trail across the white snow. Pin reads, "Reduce Stress by Embracing Mindul Minimalism; 'Into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.' --John Muir"

 

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Final Thoughts on Low-Carb Lent

In this post, I outline what I learned when trying a low-carb diet.

 

Several years ago I tried going low-carb for my Lenten Fast.  Honestly, it didn’t go very well…

I did a pretty good job of staying away from grains (my primary goal) but I ate potatoes…and fruit…and drank soda.  I ate a hard-core, hearty, wild rice medley on a few occasions, as well as bread ONE TIME (that was more out of necessity and it had actual seeds in it!) 😉😝 

It still floors me that foods of this heartiness can somehow be “bad” for you (assuming you don’t have outstanding medical conditions).  These types of seemingly counterintuitive ideas still make me a little dubious that this low-carb craze is really best for every body type. 🤔

Going Low Carb is Hard!

I think I mentioned it before, but in case I didn’t make my feelings perfectly clear then…this diet is a PAIN IN THE A**!  I wasn’t expecting it to be as hard as it was, and I wasn’t expecting to come to LOATHE it as much as I did.  

Cravings weren’t the problem, those actually weren’t too bad and I have experience dealing with those. What I wasn’t expecting is how INCREDIBLY inconvenient this diet is.  That is what I found to be the most difficult part.  People never talk about that factor.  

As an example, you may have to go to multiple stores to find what you need as it’s not easy to make substitutions.  I can’t imagine trying to work the diet around the palate of a picky child (this picky adult struggled 😝).   

Perhaps for people in more metropolitan areas, this isn’t as much of a problem.  But for those of us where the nearest Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods is 400 miles away, it can be a bit of a hindrance. 😝

  The main takeaways from my low-carb experiment:  
      • This diet is EXPENSIVE (compare a bag of almond flour to a bag of regular flour sometime)! 😝
      • This diet is difficult if the entire household doesn’t commit to it.  You either have to end up making multiple dishes to keep everyone happy, or the special food ends up posing a HUGE inconvenience to anyone not committed to it. (This seems unfair to them, in my mind, if you’re pursuing the diet for non-health-related reasons.)
      • Unless you live in a warm climate where you have regular, easy access to fresh fruit and veggies all year round–or you have your own large orchard/garden to get these goodies from and can easily preserve them for later–you can end up needing to go to the store multiple times per week to keep getting fresh foods.  The stuff that’s good for you spoils quickly, especially during the warmer months. (Oh, and have I mentioned that fruit has carbs in it). 🙄
      • I was hungry quite a bit.  That probably means I wasn’t eating enough protein, but dear God, how much meat can one person stuff their face with? 😝 

        I probably should have chowed down more on the vegetables too, but as I’ve said before, I have a sensitive gag reflex regarding veggies, I can’t explain why.  Ever since I was a child, a certain texture or “green” flavor hits the back of my tongue and it’s like my stomach lurches and my throat closes up.  At that moment, any appetite is instantly gone (of course it comes back later, with a VENGENCE).    

      • I found that I thought about food ALL THE TIME.  I was CONSTANTLY thinking about what I was going to make for the next meal (or the next several meals)…and whether or not I needed to stop at the store while I was out running errands (or make a special trip out just to go to the grocery store)…and if I DID need to go out which store, specifically, did I need to go too?  It was EXHAUSTING! 😝
      • I also noted more instances of heartburn when I went low-carb.  This seems odd, as most of the research I’ve done makes it seem that low-carb diets should help with heartburn occurrences.  Maybe this is further evidence that my body doesn’t really need a low-carb diet?  Or, maybe I’m just suffering the effects of getting old. 😝
      • In a previous post, I talked about feeling like carb-heavy meals made me feel full of air, whereas protein-heavy meals left a more substantial, full feeling.  I will say, when I eat mostly protein and vegetables, I feel like there are still a few holes missing.  Like a piece of bread or some crackers could just perfectly cap off the satisfying meal.
        I found it interesting that this desire did not slacken AT ALL across the six-week fast. (I’m also taking it to mean it’s ok if I eat some carbs since it seems like that’s what my body wants. 😁)

The most surprising thing of all, I found this diet to be depressing, and I mean that in the most literal way.  For me, it kind of sucked the joy out of eating.  It required so much thought and planning and was so limiting of foods I truly enjoy, that it made me not even want to bother.  I couldn’t help feeling like, “what’s the point”?  

Going low carb made me miss out on some of my favorite foods

I’ve said this before but I’m sorry, I can’t give up things like pizza, or noodles, or brownies. Not entirely at least.  I may be able to reduce my consumption of them, but as long as these things aren’t making people in our household sick (and at this point in our lives they aren’t), I can’t give them up entirely.  

At some point, giving up these things starts to make life less fulfilling.  I’m not sure if that’s emotionally unhealthy, to put that much emphasis on food, but I think it’s how a lot of us are.  Food reflects our cultures, in both a macro and micro sense, so I don’t think I’m the only one who feels this way. It brings us comfort and happiness, it’s called “comfort food” for a reason for heaven’s sake! 😉 

I’ve said it plenty of times before, but I’ll say it again, I’m a Midwest girl at heart. We show love through food (this includes some of the most fattening, most DELICIOUS meals you can think of). 😝  I enjoy eating, plus, I was fortunate to grow up in a family of good cooks who passed their recipes on to me (Mr. Trekker doesn’t complain). 😉 

Related posts: Yummy Keto-friendly recipes!; Yummy Low-Carb Foods; A Sustainable Low-carb Lifestyle

I enjoy foods that bring back memories of family dinners and happy times.  This diet takes A LOT of those emotions away.  If I don’t require it for health reasons, why would I want to limit myself like that?  So, lessening, yes, substitutions, sure, but complete exclusion of certain foods, I don’t think so. 😝  

There were a few good takeaways from my low-carb experience:
      • I found it interesting how much I became aware of my eating practices (such as how many “white” carbs I generally consume that aren’t good for you.  Also, how frequently I eat them).  I do hope to continue better practices in the future regarding snacks (trail mix and peanuts rather than chips, for example).
      • Another thing I found is you can usually “eat-paleo” at just about any location, you just may need to get creative. (I say “usually” because I actually found that I could not find ONE low-carb dish at one of my favorite restaurants. Hey “Pizza Joint”, they have invented this stuff called “salad”.) 😝As an example, take McDonald’s.  You can eat a burger (or two) and salad, just hold the bun.  Technically, you should also hold the cheese and ketchup, but I wouldn’t. 😝 (This hearkens back to my point about, “why bother eating, at some point?”) Obviously, McD’s isn’t the healthiest choice, but in a pinch, you can make places like this work.

Going low carb is a complete lifestyle change

I LOVE to eat, so it has to be exciting, it has to be a treat.  If it isn’t, I’ll never be able to maintain a lifestyle change such as this.  As long as my household remains healthy, where the foods we eat aren’t making us sick (such as with Type 2 Diabetes, Gluten Intolerance, etc.)  I’m going to stick with what enhances my life.  After all, if we aren’t enjoying it, what’s the point?  

If Mr. Trekker or I needed a diet like this for health-related reasons, that would be one thing.  I can commit to a lifestyle change with that kind of motivation.  But that’s really what this diet is, it’s a full-scale, lifestyle change.  If you aren’t willing to commit to it fully, I would dissuade you from it.  

In the end, I’m glad I tried the experiment.  I learned that my body does seem to respond better to a higher protein and fat diet (with whole-grain carbs included).  As an example, if I have a sandwich for lunch, white pasta for dinner, or cereal for breakfast, my stomach is growling LOUDLY (and I am STARVING) just a few hours later.  

In contrast, if I eat something higher in protein (a thick piece of steak, pork, or chicken) mixed with veggies, or breakfast with bacon, eggs, and potatoes, I can usually make it 3 – 4 hours without feeling hungry.  This makes sense, as basically, fats and proteins burn more slowly than carbs (though I do notice that “non-white” carbs, such as brown rice, millet, and items with whole grains, stick with me better). 

So, based on this, in the future, I’m going to pursue more of a “slow-carb” diet rather than a “low-carb” diet.  This allows for whole-grain carbs and, I think, will fit far better with the Trekkers’ current lifestyle (and my patience level). 

So my take-away after six weeks of going low-carb…I won’t be “going Keto” (or Paleo) anytime soon!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a date with some soft, Easter Dinner rolls!

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!

Have you tried a low-carb diet?  Tell me about your experiences in the comments!

 

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Picture of a bag of Organic Millet & Brown Rice RAMEN. Pin reads, "Low Carb Lent"

 

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Mindfulness and the Open Road

Who wants to go on a road trip?

 

I love going for drives, I absolutely LOVE them.  I love lengthy road trips too (as anyone that’s followed this blog for a while should know) but I also love just simple drives around the countryside.  It’s hard to describe the feeling of peace and freedom that comes from the open road.  

I enjoy drives by myself on winding roads (just me and my Honda, dancing through turns).  I also enjoy them with Mr. Trekker, my trusty side-kick, and usually, the primary driver.  He’s probably one of the only people I can stand being stuck in a car with for days on end. 😁 (This is another good sign to watch for if you’re considering marrying someone.  The question isn’t just can you tolerate, but do you actually enjoy lengthy car rides with your significant other? 😁 )  

Can you inherit wanderlust?

I maintain it’s not my fault that I have this crazy obsession with the open road, it’s in my genes.  I seem to have inherited my maternal grandfather’s wanderlust.  He used to love to “go for a drive”.  Oftentimes, he’d invite us grandkids along (it didn’t hurt that this usually meant there was a Wendy’s frosty in your future if you went 😉).  I can remember my grandma asking him, “why are you going this way?”  His response was always, “I already went the other way!” (Duh! 😉)  I firmly endorse this statement!

Mr. Trekker even knows if he’s driving us somewhere, we can’t go the same way twice.  Why would we go home the way we came, we already saw that stuff today?! 😝

Can wanderlust be taught?

I don’t think this desire is all Nature though, I blame Nurture, as well.  I went on numerous road trips throughout my childhood, with both my parents and grandparents.  I rode along with my paternal grandparents, one year when they returned to their home in Kansas after a visit to Indiana.  I also rode to Florida for family vacations several times as a child.  I even helped my maternal grandparents drive there on a few occasions, as I got older and they started wintering in the warmer climate.  My parents and I also took numerous trips to New England over the years, to visit family.

As it turns out, there were times Mr. Trekker and I may have been quite near each other, throughout our childhood, as he grew up near where the family we were visiting lived–we didn’t actually meet until college though.  He also shares my love of road trips, probably due, in no small part, to the highway adventures he enjoyed while growing up.  His parents took him throughout New England, as well as to countless Civil War battlefields up and down the Eastern Seaboard.

A dirt road climbs a green mountainside

Songs about the Open Road

There are a few songs that well relate my love of the open road (click on the link on each title to hear the full song):

In “Take a Back Road”, by Rodney Atkins, the lyrics state:

…Gotta get outta here, get it all off my mind
And it makes me wanna take a back road
Makes me wanna take the long way home
Put a little gravel in my travel…

These lyrics speak to me because there are times when I feel like I need to escape from the stress of daily life.

…Tear down some two-lane country who knows?
Get lost and get right with my soul…

We shouldn’t be afraid to go the long way through the countryside, things seem to fall back into balance after spending a little time on the open road.

I’ve been cooped up, tied down ‘bout forgotten
What a field looks like full of corn and cotton…
…I need the curvin’, windin’, twistin’ dusty path to nowhere…

I, personally, could never forget the sight of a field.  I grew up surrounded by them (and still live by the prairie).  But that isn’t the case for everyone.  A lot of people are constantly surrounded by a concrete jungle.  I think this separation between us and our evolutionary roots with the natural world causes angst for people.  Getting out on the open road helps us get back in touch with those roots.

A dirt road leads across the prairie with mountains in the distance.
In “Backroad”, by Granger Smith, the lyrics state:

Barbed wire fence carving out a hillside, cutting holes in the midday sun
Like a postcard framed in a windshield covered in dust
I love the rhythm of an old grey blacktop
Steer the wheel, one-handed on a two-lane, hugging that line
I got the windows down, no one else around singin’…

I used to be incredibly outgoing and extroverted.  I would get re-energized just by being around other people.  These days, I’m still outgoing, but more and more, I prefer quiet and solitude.  Mr. Trekker and I can spend several days in the wilderness, with just each other, the pup, birds, deer, moose, and maybe a bear for company.  We head into “town”–that can mean very different things in different parts of the country–to restock on supplies and get a shower, and within a day we’re both ready to get back to the solitude again.  These days, I get exhausted being around people all the time.

**Working from home the last several years probably doesn’t help my newfound introverted side much.  I spend more time alone (or with just the dog) now than I ever used to, which I am PERFECTLY happy about, mind you.  I have actually found, now that I’m not around people as much, my patience for them (in parking lots, while driving, in stores) has actually increased.  It’s like less exposure to people increases my tolerance level for them! 😂 

We hope to someday get property in the Hills.  Maybe we’ll live close enough to our neighbors so that we can actually see their house from ours…maybe. 😝  We currently live in town, but at least in the summer, our backyard is walled in by green trees, shrubs, and bushes.  I can at least pretend I’m alone.  I see pictures of other neighborhoods where the houses are closer together, or the properties aren’t separated by barriers.  Or I see pictures in large cities where big buildings block out the sky unless you’re looking straight up.  These images just make me cringe!  They get my anxious heart pumping!  I need room to breathe, ya’ll! (Again, not really my fault.  I grew up as a farm girl in Indiana, it only makes sense that I love wide open spaces.) 😁

Granger Smith goes on to say:

Freedom is the miles I’m rollin’ on…
…I feel the wheel like a melody, like a radio dialing in strong
The breeze smells like a summertime hay field’s just been cut
I got the windows down, way out of town singing…

There is freedom on the open road (and the smell of fresh-cut hay is DEVINE!)  Don’t just take my word for it.  There have been some famous people who have shared my love of it too.  John Steinbeck, for example, in his book “Travels with Charlie” (his poodle) comes to mind.  In that account, he and Charley enjoy a country-spanning road trip, sleeping out of his truck camper.

A dirt road runs through a dry landscape covered in scrubbrush, leading to some trees, with mountains in the background.
Another song that reflects my love for the open road is “My Church”, by Maren Morris.  The lyrics of that song state:

…I find holy redemption
When I put this car in drive
Roll the windows down and turn up the dial
Can I get a hallelujah
Can I get an amen
Feels like the Holy Ghost running through ya…
…I find my soul revival…
…Yeah, I guess that’s my church…
…When this wonderful world gets heavy
And I need to find my escape
I just keep the wheel rolling, radio scrolling
‘Til my sins wash away

I get this sentiment. I feel the same way about the open road.   I feel refreshed and stimulated when I’m out there.  It’s almost a spiritual experience or a spiritual renewal of sorts.  I feel so much more relaxed after a good, long drive. It’s like I can breathe again, like I’ve been rejuvenated.

**This is partially why I love being out in nature so much.  It’s quiet, it’s natural, it’s solitude, it’s peaceful.  You gotta respect it because it can kill you, 😳 but it can also refresh you in a way nothing artificial can.  Nature and wide-open vistas are my Xanax!  

Oddly enough, I don’t love the Plains because they are too wide open.  It’s a bit overwhelming.  I love the mountains, but I couldn’t live in them, either.  For one thing, the weather can be too extreme.  For another, they block the view!  I prefer to live in the foothills, they are an almost “Goldilocks”-type region.  You get to experience the best of both worlds.  The flatter land that leads up to the base of the mountains is open, so you feel like you can breathe, but it doesn’t continue on endlessly.  It is reigned in by the rocks (and you can also enjoy mountain views, as well).  You also benefit from the protection the monoliths provide from the worst of the weather, and lower altitudes usually also offer more mild weather.

A dirt road travels through a grassy area into some trees, with rocky, tree-covered mountains in the background.

I love taking my car on the winding back roads.  It’s fun to drive and it makes you feel like you’re one with the land, it’s like you can finally relax. I LOVE the smells of the country, yes, even “those” smells.  Manure is natural too kids! 😉

Below are some more pictures of our travels on the open road.  Don’t they just make you feel like you can breathe?:

An empty, paved road travels the prairie with mountains in the background.

A dirt path through a field of wildflowers with mountains in the background

An empty, paved road winds through the hazy mountainsAn empty, paved road rides over tree and grass-covered hills

An empty, paved road winds through towering mountains

A dirt path crests a hill, with mountains in the background

A snowy landscape and a long, railroad bridge over the ice-covered Missouri River

So, the next time you get the chance, don’t be afraid to get out there and enjoy your own back roads a little!

Do you enjoy long drives in the country?  Tell me about it in the comments! 

 

Did you enjoy this post?  Pin it!

4 pictures: 1) A paved road runs along a wall of pine trees; 2) A dirt road runs through a desert landscape with scrubbrush and reddish-borwn rock formations along the side, all under a clear, blue sky; 3) A dirt road runs through a dry landscape covered in scrubbrush, leading to tree-spotted mountains in the background; 4) A paved road through a meadow leads to rocky mountains in the distance. Pin reads, "Mindfulness and the Open Road"

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Yummy Low-Carb Foods

In this post, I review some more yummy, low-carb recipes, stuffed peppers, and spaghetti squash.

 

Several years ago I attempted a lower-carb lifestyle during my Lenten Fast.  Below are some of the recipes I tried, including stuffed peppers, roasted brussle sprouts and spaghetti squash! 

Fun low-carb meal ideas!

Stuffed Peppers:

These are AMAZING! (And this is coming from someone who doesn’t even like peppers.)  Most people make them with green peppers (I think?) but I chose to go with red, orange, and yellow because–as I mentioned before–I don’t like peppers. 😝  I hoped these would taste sweeter and possibly have a lighter flavor (and they did!)  There are numerous recipes for this, some are for enchilada, some for Philly-cheese varieties.  I kind of made up my own concoction.  

I combined ground turkey with dried onions and garlic salt and then added diced tomatoes (the kind with peppers, onions, and celery mixed in).  I cooked all that together, then stuffed them in the peppers that I cut in half and de-seeded.  I added a little cheese on top and cooked them for about an hour. (You don’t have to cook them a full hour, it kind of depends on how tender you want your peppers to be.  I like them super tender–bordering on soft–so I cook them longer.)

To finish, I added another layer of cheese and baked them a few more minutes to finish them off.  (I know, this isn’t exactly paleo-friendly, with the cheese, but it is keto-friendly.  Going low-carb is one thing, going low-dairy is something else entirely–a girl has to have some fun in life! 😉)  Also, I actually found this dish was better the second day after the spices had time to meld together.  

Bottom line, I HIGHLY recommend this one!

Baking container on a stove, with peppers cut in half, stuffed with a meat/veggie mixure and sprinkled with cheese
Before baking
Baking container on a stove, with peppers cut in half, stuffed with a meat/veggie mixure with melted cheese over the top
Ready to eat!
Spaghetti Squash: 

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this.  The texture is a little different (crunchier) than real pasta, it IS a veggie, after all. 😝  The taste is very mellow as it mostly takes on the flavor of whatever spices or sauces you are using.  I’ve heard you can use butternut squash as well, but I haven’t been brave enough to try that one.  I like butternut squash, I just worry it’ll be too strong a flavor for “pasta”.  I also don’t want to ruin my love of it. 😳

This dish is pretty easy to make once you get the squash cut in half.  Just baste it with olive oil, add some garlic, salt, and pepper (or whatever spices/sauces you want), and bake, face-down, for at least 30 minutes, or till desired tenderness. (You should be able to stick a fork clean through the squash, easily.  I found 45 minutes seems to work fairly well.)  

After baking, you shred the squash–careful, it’s hot!–with a fork.  This should be VERY easy,  It kind of just strings off, all the way down to the rind.  Then I add some sauce and cook it up.  I use red sauce, but you could try a thinner, Italian sauce, Balsamic vinegar, an alfredo sauce, or just some more spices.  Play with it and find what you like best! 

A word of “warning”, these smell like cheese pizza (or at least cheesy breadsticks) while you’re cooking them.  Just be prepared for the cooking of this dish to cause lusting for “not-so-low-carb” foods.  😝

The recipe I used for this dish can be found here.

Baking sheet on a stove with yellow squash cut in half and sprinkled with black pepper
Pre-baking
Baking sheet on a stove with browned, yellow squash cut in half and sprinkled with black pepper
Post-baking
Shredded yellow squash in a pan on a stove
Post-shredding
Shredded, red-colored squash on a plate
Final product
Roasted or Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Roasted Sweet Potatoes

This one we REALLY enjoyed.  It’s a bit of a unique twist on this typical dish, as you don’t use any sweet spices.  Instead, I used garlic salt and pepper (the recipe calls for garlic, salt, and pepper). 😉  I wasn’t sure how it would taste with the combination of the sweetness of the potato and the spice of the spices, but we REALLY liked it.

The mild, sugary flavor of the potato blends perfectly with the spicy and salty kick of the other seasonings (it reminds me of the combination of a salty pretzel dipped in sweet chocolate).  Baked this way, with the peel left on, the peel crisps up and adds a surprising, candied crunch.  This also adds a pleasing, sweet flavor to the dish.  Mr. Trekker wasn’t too sure about this tuber, as he hasn’t liked it in the past, but he stated he’d happily eat this dish again!  Here’s the recipe I used!

Sweet potatoes cut up on a baking pan

Glazed Sweet Potatoes

I also tried sweet potatoes with a cinnamon-sugar glaze.  The glaze was DEVINE on the potatoes; however, with all the brown sugar it required I don’t think it would qualify as low-carb. 😔

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

For this dish, I used basically the same recipe as the one I used with the sweet potatoes.  Mr. Trekker really liked them, I thought they were ok.  I was pleasantly surprised by their mild smell and flavor (I’m not a huge cabbage fan).  They had a subtly-sweet aftertaste and the tender, crunchy texture was pleasing.  They were a bit “green-veggie”-tasting for me (my palate really struggles with green vegetables).  I enjoyed them better mixed with another flavor and texture, such as potatoes or gravy.

Browned brussel sprouts, cut up, in a bowl

Zucchini spaghetti

This one was GROSS!  It was mushy and tasted too “green” (although I’ve liked zucchini in the past, prepared on the grill).  I ended up eating Cheerios for dinner that night. 😝  I’m not even going to show you a picture of this mushy nastiness, just YUCK!

To be fair, I’ve heard from friends that the problem may be that I used frozen zucchini…well, I bought it at Walmart and that’s how it came! 😝  Apparently, if you use it fresh it keeps its texture better but, you still have to deal with all the residual, natural liquid from the vegetable.  I think I’m just gonna take their word on that one. 😝

Related posts: Yummy Low-Carb Foods; Yummy Keto-friendly recipes!; Final Thoughts on Low-Carb Lent; A Sustainable Low-carb Lifestyle

To Conclude

One takeaway I’ve had from these “foodie” experiments is that I’m glad we’ve found at least a couple of recipes that we both really enjoy (namely the sweet potatoes and the stuffed peppers).  I would rate both of these dishes as “comfort food”.  It’s nice to find recipes that are healthy that you also derive a lot of enjoyment from.  

One slight annoyance with many of these dishes is the cooking time. Several of them take 30 minutes to 1 hour to cook.  However, they’re SUPER easy to make.  Many of them only have prep times of around 15 minutes (not including the baking times).  The nice thing is, though they take a while to bake, you’re free to get other stuff done while that’s happening (dishes, laundry, pack the kids’ lunch for tomorrow, read a book, write a blog post, 😉 whatever!) 😃

 

Have you tried any of these recipes?  What did you think?  Tell me about it in the comments!

Did you enjoy this post?  Pin it!

4 pictures: 1) Baking container on a stove, with peppers cut in half, stuffed with a meat/veggie mixure with melted cheese over the top; 2) Baking sheet on a stove with yellow squash cut in half and sprinkled with black pepper; 3) Shredded yellow squash in a pan on a stove; 4) Shredded, red-colored squash on a plate. Pin reads, "More Yunmy Low-carb Foods"

 

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Anxiety: The Devil Inside

In this post, I discuss two songs that I feel well explain my struggle with anxiety.

 

“Where words fail, music speaks.”  –Hans Christian Anderson

Music has long been known to stimulate the brain and emotions.  An entire field of therapy has evolved around this theory.  Anyone who has read this blog for a while knows that I struggle with anxiety and some depression.  I’ve mentioned previously how certain songs speak to me.  Today I am going to discuss two songs I’ve always found draw a perfect picture of what it feels like to live with these disorders. (This may apply to other mental health diagnoses as well, but these are the ones I have personal experience with and can speak to.)  The songs are “Monster” by Skillet and “Jekyll and Hyde”, by 5 Finger Death Punch…

“Monster” (by Skillet)

I love, love, LOVE this song!  It is, by far, one of my top 10 favorite songs.  It’s just so pertinent.  It’s one of those tunes you can’t help but get revved up by.  My understanding is, the band’s intent with this song was to use the “monster” as a metaphor for sin, or a person being fake and not showing their true selves to the world.

(For those who may not know, Skillet is a Christian rock band.  I can proudly say I liked them back in high school.  We don’t need to talk about how long ago THAT was, 😝 but let’s just say it was well before everyone else thought they were cool. 😉) 

Anxiety as an invisible demon

“The secret side of me, I never let you see
I keep it caged but I can’t control it…”

Every time I hear these lyrics I think of my struggle with anxiety. They refer to a monster (the diagnosis) that is caged (invisible).  This is especially relevant as many of us who struggle with mental health disorders are often quite adept at concealing them.  Sometimes, people suffer so silently they aren’t even aware they have a disorder at all, as they’ve never talked with a professional and been diagnosed.  They may think they’re “just a worrier” or that they’re just “different” from other people.  

It’s not uncommon for those who struggle with anxiety to actually be incredibly outgoing, driven, and as a result, quite successful.  This means outsiders may be surprised to hear of their internal struggle, as it isn’t obvious.  The thing about this monster is though, while I can keep it “hidden away” and subdued in its “cage”, I can’t control how it may scream or violently shake its enclosure (i.e. me 😝)…

“…the beast is ugly…”

The beast (the disorder) is nasty.  Dealing with it is exhausting and a constant chore…

“My secret side of me I keep hid under lock and key…”

“…Cause if I let him out he’ll tear me up, break me down…”

I worry that if I slip and allow “the monster” to show its ugly face, that it’ll get out of its cage and I’ll lose control of it–and as a result–lose control of myself.

“It’s hiding in the dark, its teeth are razor sharp
There’s no escape for me…”

“…No one can hear me scream…”

This speaks to the fact that “the monster” causes emotional pain.  It’s difficult to explain to others what it’s like dealing with a mental health diagnosis, so you feel like they can’t understand you.  It makes you feel isolated…due to this, people often suffer in silence.

Anxiety constantly plagues you

“It’s scratching on the walls, in the closet, in the halls
It comes awake and I can’t control it
Hiding under the bed, in my body, in my head…”

“…I feel it deep within, it’s just beneath the skin…”

Imagine the frustration of something continuously scratching on the walls around you, constantly picking at you.  You know it can’t physically hurt you, but you also know nothing you do can make it go away, either.  It accompanies you everywhere.  It’s your everpresent, unwanted companion.  

You feel it in your chest, it churns in your gut, it makes thoughts bounce around in your head.  It hides just under your skin, where no one else can see it, but you know it’s there.  You worry that it’s obvious to others though, oftentimes, it’s invisible…  

There is no magic pill for anxiety

“The nightmare’s just begun…”

To me, this phrase speaks to the fact that this disorder is something I’ll, likely, have to deal with for the rest of my life.  There’s no magic pill that will cure me tomorrow.  It’s something I have to accept and deal with.

“Jekyll and Hyde” (by Five Finger Death Punch)

This song, obviously, references the pop culture icon where two souls, one evil, one an upstanding doctor, share the same body.  

Anxiety is a constant anchor around your neck

“There’s just so much..weight on my shoulders
All I’m trying to do is live my…life
Supposed to be happy, but I’m only getting colder
Wear a smile on my face, but there’s a demon inside…”

just like Jekyll and Hyde…”

“…I feel like Jekyll and Hyde…”

This song also reflects the idea of a demon (the anxiety) living in you that you can’t quite control.  It constantly wears on you and drags you down.  You’re continuously dealing with this weight on your shoulders while putting on a brave face for the outside world.  It even speaks to the feeling of guilt that is often present for bothering other people with this struggle because you know that others are struggling far worse than you are.

“I just wanna be Jekyll, but I’m always fighting Hyde…”

“…Everyone I know, they’ve got a demon inside…”

This also alludes to the notion that everyone struggles with problems.  These could revolve around mental or physical health, finances, relationships, a job, or other outside circumstances beyond our control.  Everyone is dealing with something.

In both of these songs, I see “the demon”, “Hyde” or “the monster” as a metaphor for my anxiety symptoms.  They’re always there, waiting to rear their ugly head.  I can usually control them, but sometimes, it’s a struggle.

Battling the “Demons” of Mental Health Disorders

A “demon” or a “monster” is a good way for me to describe my personal experience of the sensation of dealing with mental health diagnoses. Whenever I try to imagine my anxiety in a physical sense, it’s always in the form of a black shadow, with large claws, reaching out to grab me.  Other times, I imagine a beast with its talons already embedded deep within my shoulder–like something out of one of Frank Peretti’s books from the ’80s. 😉  

The “demon” is something I can control.  I own it, not the other way around. However, what I can’t control is the fact that it is consistently present within me.  I may be able to keep it from “breaking out” into the larger world, but it’s still something I have to deal with.  

Are there “perks” to anxiety?

I don’t mean for this post to be a downer.  I actually find both of these songs to be energizing.  Who doesn’t enjoy some hardcore dance moves with a little headbanging thrown in for good measure? 😳😉  I’ve actually come to appreciate, to a degree, some of the insights into life that my anxiety has brought me.  The disorder allows you to better empathize with the hidden struggles others face because you’ve experienced difficulties, personally, as well.  

I also find my anxiety helps me to appreciate life more (in a sense).  When you’re constantly stressing that something may go wrong, it helps you to fully appreciate, even the small things, that turn out right!  The disorder also helps you keep in mind that regardless of how happy and “put together” someone may look on the outside, you have no idea what they may be dealing with privately.  NO ONE has a perfect life, or has it “easy”.  That’s a common bond we all share.  I am thankful that I have learned how to use this struggle as a tool, to deepen my lived experience.  

I don’t expect anyone to pity me for having to deal with this struggle.  This is just the one God (the Universe, Fate–or Whoever/Whatever-you-believe-moves-the-pieces-around-on-this-giant-chessboard-we-call life) dealt for me.  Everyone has challenges placed in their lives, this is mine.  I just hope this allows you a clearer understanding of what life is like when dealing with an invisible illness or unknown, difficult situation.  Maybe we can all use this knowledge to give each other a little break since we’re all dealing with something.

**Below are links to both songs.  For those who aren’t aware, Five Finger Death Punch has an affinity for explicit word use.  I love their music, but in the interest of keeping this blog’s PG rating, I left those words out of the lyrics.  This is a GREAT song though (and it’s got an awesome guitar riff near the end) so I encourage you to click here for the UNRATED, full version. 😁 (But if you’re offended by strong swear words, you’ve been warned. 😉)

You can view the video for “Monster” here. (Anyone who’s heard the song knows one of the best parts is the final chorus line when an electronic demon sound screams “I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!!!”) 😉

Do you struggle with anxiety or another mental illness?  Is my experience similar to yours?  Tell me about it in the comments!

 

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Cross Country Skiing is Hard! Be Persistent!

This post is a glimpse into the ongoing process of the Tranquil Trekker learning to cross-country ski…

 

Most articles I’ve read about cross-country skiing call it the “easy” winter sport.  You never hear about people having terrible accidents on cross-country skis.  “It’s something even a beginner can do!” they say…these are LIES I tell you, filthy, dirty LIES! 😮😉

Cross-country skiing is HARD!!!

The Trekkers have been cross-country skiing for several years, though we usually only get out a few times each winter. (Life is busy!  We’ve also had such warm winters the last few years it’s hard to keep the snow around–at least snow that isn’t sticky or icy, that is powdery, and actually fun to ski in…have I mentioned how much I hate climate change? 😡) 

This could explain why I’ve struggled so much to grasp the techniques of the sport.  I read somewhere that you have to ski 10,000 kilometers to become skilled at cross-country skiing (it was a Canadian talking. 😝  For those of us living south of the border, that’s over 6000 miles!)  We’ve probably skied less than 100 miles so far, so we’ve got a little ways to go. 😅 

We’ve pretty much done all the stuff you’re supposed to do to learn to ski.  We’ve watched various videos on Youtube, we’ve talked to the “experts” at several sports shops and equipment rental places. (To be fair, we haven’t taken an actual class, I can’t quite bring myself to do that.  I don’t need five-year-olds skiing circles around me to humble my skiing ego.  The bruises and sore muscles I acquire every time we go out take care of that just fine, thank you…Also, comparing my skill to that of a five-year-old is probably insulting…to the five-year-old! 😝)  

An example of what frustrates me so much when all these experts make skiing sound so EASY… “The snowplow technique is an easy and effective way to stop yourself that even beginners can employ.” Will someone please tell me how I’m supposed to do this with six inches to a foot of snow on top of my ski?  Or at the very least, with a six-inch lip of packed, icy snow surrounding the lane my skis are in?!  They don’t tell you THAT in the videos! 😝  

The trainers also say things like, “if you fall, just get your skis under you and roll back up!”  Uh-huh, again, how do I do that when I can’t even see where my skis are under all that snow?  And when I can’t get any leverage, because every time I try to push myself up my arm sinks into the powder up to my shoulder?  Also, I have weak ankles that are “supinated”, meaning they tend to bend outward and I put most of my weight on the outer edge of my feet so I roll my ankles easily and frequently…this causes lots of problems. 😝 (I’m just saying, my lack of skill may not be ENTIRELY my fault, 90% my fault, tops. 😉) 

I think a lot of these “experts” and trainers are used to cross-country ski resorts, where the trails are groomed and the terrain is fairly flat.  They aren’t guiding people in the backcountry, through the secluded (albeit GORGEOUS) national forest, where hills can be steep, turns tight, and you may have to break your own trail.

A ski path traverses a meadow covered in snow and surrounded by trees, all under a clear, blue sky.

Cross-country skiing is easy! (NOT!)

This sport is, supposedly, easy to master.  People don’t usually even wear helmets when engaging in it.  They aren’t needed, you aren’t going that fast.  You hear people say, “if you can walk, you can ski.”  This may be true for some people, but, on a normal day, my feet don’t–usually–slide out from under me (each going an opposite direction) due to their waxed or fish-scaled bottoms. 😝  I do believe the saying is true regarding snowshoeing, I just think skiing takes a bit more finesse.  

Let’s just be blunt here, I pretty much suck at skiing.  Yes, that flailing spider monkey you see SLOWLY making their way down the hill, the one you pray doesn’t hit you…the one you wish would just get out of the way…or the one you just want to avoid entirely…yeah, that’d be me. 😇  I’m the one who, when on skis, falls over…WHILE STANDING STILL…on flat ground!…because I had the audacity to turn my head to look in another direction. 🙄

For those who aren’t familiar with the Eagle Cliff area where we usually ski, it has some groomed trails. (The area is run by volunteers so sometimes you have to be patient for them to finish with the grooming and plowing at the trailheads.)  

To be clear though, it isn’t unusual for us to have to break trail when we go skiing.  Or, if we don’t have to actually cut a trail, oftentimes there is just a two-track ski path available to follow that was recently cut by someone else.  If it was only just created, it may not be packed much yet.  Due to this, we may not have the struggle of breaking through six inches (or more) of fresh powder, but we can still sink with every glide we make as the process of packing the trail is still occurring (it almost feels like walking in sand).  I only stress this to make people aware, we often aren’t dealing with perfectly groomed ski trails here.

Cross-country skiing IS fun! (No really!)

Regardless of the frequent humiliation, when I am able to remain vertical, I really enjoy skiing.  I like the exercise.  I like the way I can glide along, almost soundlessly, through the beauty of the snow-shrouded forest, with just the *wisp-wisp* of the skis slipping through the powdery snow as an accompaniment.   I LOVE seeing the adorable, little, rodent paths crisscrossing the snow as they make their way from snowbank…to fallen log…to tree…

I do feel bad, though, for the rodent whose path suddenly ends in the middle of a large area of wing-swept snow, where it’s obvious that something both much bigger than himself (and with talons) scooped him from his daily business, never to be seen or heard from again. 😳  At least it was a good day for the bird, I guess. 🤭  

I enjoy watching the deer spring effortlessly through the snowpack at our approach.  I always find it fascinating, “reading” the stories the forest “tells”.  In the Black Hills, this often includes the large, padded tracks left in the snow by a giant feline’s paws.  You can picture it stalking the unsuspecting deer herd in the meadow below, from its vantage point on a ledge high above.

Foot prints traverse a meadow covered in snow and surrounded by trees.Learning to cross-country ski

After several years of trying, I have finally learned to use my knees while skiing! (This technique may seem like a no-brainer, but it was a HUGE game-changer for me, so bear with me. 😉)  

I’ve always known a bent-knee stance should help with control, flexibility, and looseness.  Apparently, I’ve just never bent my knees enough. (It’s amazing how well things work when you do them correctly. 😝)  All of a sudden I felt like I hit this sweet spot.  I could finally use the angle of my knees and the weight of my body to turn (a little!)  I could finally attempt the “snowplow” maneuver used for stopping (slightly!)  But, for the first time, I actually felt like I had a little control (“little” being the crucial word). 

I also found, the lower I kept my center of gravity, the easier it was to keel over into a fall if I felt like I was losing control.  I FINALLY conquered my fear of plastering myself into the nearest tree!  Now, if I feel like I’m heading towards a tree and can’t seem to turn the skis from their stubborn track, I can lean to my side and slide to a safe stop–with legs that flail a bit less.  Getting rid of the fear changes everything! (Remember I have anxiety! 😉)  

I recently learned a new trick…plant your heels! This helps when trying to “snowplow” to stop and can help with steering too!

The best method when cross-country skiing actually reminds me of the best method when mountain biking…stay loose!  When you’re fearful or worried, you’re tense; you’re tight; your body can’t flow with the normal rises and falls of the surface you are gliding over.  And if you do fall or hit a bump badly, you’re more likely to injure yourself due to your, already tight, muscles.  So, this newfound ease of mine is a game-changer!   

I also need to learn that I’m not really moving all that quickly.  It just “feels” like I’m careening down the hill at unimaginable speeds.  In the real world, I’m actually just coasting along. 😝

Be persistent when learning a new skill

For me, this has been one of the most frustrating activities we have attempted, but I FINALLY feel like I’m starting to make some progress!  I think there’s a take-home lesson in this.  That is, never give up.  If there is something you enjoy doing, something you have your heart set on, something you want to accomplish, keep working at it, and keep persevering.  You may fail MANY times, but each time is another opportunity to learn a new technique that you can implement on your next attempt.  Each time you try, you get a little better, a little stronger, a little faster.  

Footprints in the snow run through a "tunnel" of leafless trees, all under a clear, blue sky.

I read that the word “F.A.I.L.” can be a positive acronym for:
First
Action
In
Learning 

I like that, it’s empowering.  It helps us to recognize that sometimes failing to do something the first few times–or the first few hundred times–we try it doesn’t have to be a negative experience.  It pushes us beyond the boundaries of our comfort zone.  We can use it to make ourselves better.  Oftentimes, I find failing at something, and thereby having to work hard and be resourceful to achieve it, actually benefits me more in the end than if I had just, easily, succeeded on the first try.  Those difficult experiences are how we learn!

 Regarding skiing, I just have A LOT of learning to do!  😉

What experiences do you have with cross-country skiing?  Tell me about them in the comments!

 

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Hiking the Robber’s Roost Trail, Custer State Park

In this post, I review two adventures where we learned the value in seeking out the “boring” locales, even on “less-than-ideal” days.

 

Author’s Note: The Trekkers originally hiked the Robber’s Roost Trail in Custer State Park on a foggy, mild, January day.  Many of the pictures below are from that trip.  We have since returned in warmer weather and found it to be equally enjoyable so I’ve added a few more pictures! 

Is it cold out, or windy, or really hot, or raining…then it’s not a good day to spend outside, right?…or is it?

The Robber’s Roost Trail, in Custer State Park, can be enjoyed in almost ANY weather!

One thing anyone who lives near mountainous terrain can tell you is the weather can change at a moment’s notice–which can be both good and bad–and it can vary greatly between nearby locations.  The Trekkers have experienced this frequently. 

One particular January day our local area was socked in with heavy, freezing fog.  It was a damp, 30ish-degrees so it wasn’t exactly ideal for being out (though the hoarfrost on the trees was beautiful!)  

Previous experience has shown us how variable our local weather can be, dependent on terrain.  Due to this, we knew the weather in the Black Hills could be far different than what we were currently experiencing in town (being married to a meteorologist who can look up conditions in certain areas helps too 😉).  So, we decided to try out the Robber’s Roost Trail in Custer State Park.  We knew, at the worst, we would be able to enjoy a pretty drive and could get some nice hiking in, while at the best the weather could be FAR different as we climbed in elevation.  Boy, was it!

A Foggy Drive through Custer State Park

As we headed for the park, Mr. Trekker made the prediction that we’d emerge from the fog shortly after passing the entrance sign (where the road begins to gain in elevation)…he was right on the money! (I’m gonna channel Johnny Depp from Pirates of the Caribbean and state, “There’ll be no living with him now.” 😝)  

As we headed toward our trailhead, we made several stops for photo opportunities of the gorgeous hoarfrost the freezing fog had left behind.  I can’t quite explain why, but that natural occurrence utterly fascinates me.  The way the frozen crystals cling to the local flora can cause a smooth piece of bark to look almost furry.  It reminds me of the tiny hairs on a spider’s legs.  

Close-up view of bare tree branches that are covered in frosty needles of ice
Isn’t this incredible?

Close-up view of a dirt path that runs through a brown-grass meadow with frost covering the individual grass stems. Pine trees appear through fog in the background.

Close-up view of tiny pine trees in a brown-grass meadow with frost covering the individual grass stems. Pine trees appear through fog in the background.

Hiking the Robber’s Roost Trail

When we arrived at our trailhead, the sun was shining brightly, and continued to do so…for the remainder of the afternoon!  We had many opportunities to view the fog bank below us, in the lower elevations, but it never reached our altitude until the very end of our trek.  By then, we had returned to the car and were wandering about, seeking out prime picture opportunities.  😁

A dirt path runs through a brown-grass meadow with pine tree-covered hillsides in the background. Fog rises over the trees and hills in the far background, all under a clear, blue sky.
The fog is coming!

A brown-grass meadow with pine tree-covered hillsides in the background. Fog rises over the trees and hills in the far background, all under a clear, blue sky.

A single, pine tree sits on a brown-grass hill with smoke rising over the pine trees in the valley behind, all under a clear, blue sky.
It was incredible, watching the fog slowly rise from the lower elevations.

A brown-grass meadow with pine tree-covered hillsides in the background. Fog rises over the trees and hills in the far background, all under a clear, blue sky with a foggy sun shining through.

The trail isn’t anything exciting, it’s just an old fire road that winds through prairie land, around and over hills throughout the park, but we had a great time!  

The scenery used to be more picturesque, but after the large, Legion Lake Fire that swept through this area in December 2017, this portion of the park now consists, mainly, of a burn scar.  For this reason, be aware, that in the warmer months, there is very little shade.  You should be prepared for hot conditions.   

If you’re looking for some additional fun activities to check out in Custer State Park, click here!

Where is the Robber’s Roost Trailhead?

The trailhead is located in the southern portion of Custer State Park, off of Oak Draw Road (just to the east of the Prairie Trail trailhead).  You can reach that road from the southern arm of the Wildlife Loop Road (Route 16A).  

The hike just follows an old, forest road, out-and-back, though it can be combined with other old roads, in the local area.  These would make for a great hike, horseback, or mountain bike ride. (We’re planning to try this route on our bikes soon!) 

A dog looks down a brown-grass hillside over an expanse of other hills in the distance, all covered by trees that appear to have been burnt.
Puppers enjoying the hike!
A dirt lane traverses a brown-grass hillside with a lone, pine tree on it's side and tree-covered hills in the background--some of the trees appear burnt.
You can see the burn scar in the distance

Below is a short video I took, at the end of the hike, of the coyotes’ haunting song that seemed to welcome the fog as it silently slipped back up the mountainside…(turn the sound up for this one!):

Below are a few more pictures of our trek.  Thanks, as usual, to Mr. Trekker, for several of the pictures!

Picture looks black & white. Leafless trees and a milky sun appear through the fog

The sun shines through whispy fog as it rises above hills
To me, this picture feels otherworldly, like smoke rising from a scorched landscape (it is just fog).
A fog bow forms over a fog-covered trees under a clear, blue sky
Fogbow!
2 hiking boots covered in mud on the ground
Did I mention this trail can get a “bit” muddy? 😳😁

In Conclusion

Don’t be afraid to seek out the “boring” or “go-nowhere” treks, they can sometimes offer some surprises of their own.  We enjoyed a great–albeit INCREDIBLY muddy–hike (basically in shirt sleeves)…in mid-January…in SOUTH DAKOTA!  Whereas, if we had stayed at home, we may have felt depressed by the cold, damp, foggy day.  So don’t be afraid to Get Out While the Gettin’s…Bad!

Have you had a positive experience where you ventured outdoors when the weather was less than perfect?  Tell me about it in the comments!

 

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An Amazing Southeastern US Road Trip

I review a road trip to Florida, and discuss thoughts I often have on the open road, and why I enjoy lengthy road trips so much!

On an amazing, southeastern road trip one Thanksgiving, the Trekkers experienced 9 days, 13 states, 4,433 miles, 1 snowstorm, 3 seasons and numerous ecosystems.  We were invited to spend the holiday in Florida, with family.  Neither Mr. Trekker, nor I, had been there in at least a decade, and we realized we’d never visited together.  

We also figured out a route that allowed us, both, to check off another item on both of our “bucket lists”…after this trip, both Mr. Trekker and I have visited all 48 of the continental US states!  {Note: the Trekkers are currently accepting donations to fund trips to States #49 and #50… 😉–Based on my above statement, you should be able to guess which two states these are. 😉} 

Oil Refineries, Route 66 and the Ozarks!

We enjoyed some unique experiences on this trip:

–We saw oil refineries that twinkle across the bays as they hug the coast.  I prefer green energy, but, there’s a certain beauty connected with these structures (at least at night).

They remind me of the old, steel factories you see in Gary, Indiana, near where I grew up.  There, an eerie, orange glow emanates from them and the reflection glitters on nearby Lake Michigan.  In Louisiana, the bays of the Gulf of Mexico proffer a similar effect.

Bright lights shine and are reflected across a bay of water at night.

View from a car on a bridge: bright lights shine and are reflected across a bay of water at night
Some of the refineries are HUGE!

View from a car on a bridge: bright lights shine and are reflected across a bay of water at night


–We drove another portion of Route 66!  I had forgotten it runs through Missouri until we stumbled on it while surveying the map.  We had last seen that route on a trip through New Mexico in 2017.

A blue and white road sign reads, "Historic Byway, Missouri US 66"

A mural on the side of an old, cement building shows a picture of an old car driving past a large road sign which reads, "Joplin Missouri, You're in Historic Route 66"; along with a Route 66 road sign. Below this is painted a road map across the US with Route 66 signs.


–I was also able to experience the beauty of the Ozarks for the first time (Mr. Trekker had been there before.)  I had no idea how lovely the majority of Missouri and western Arkansas are with their rolling farmlands and forested hills.  Fall also runs a little later in those states, so we got to enjoy the late, remaining foliage as well! (Note to the Missouri Department of Transportation, your snow management on your highways could use some work. 😝)

–We experienced multiple seasons on this trip.  When we left South Dakota it was 15 degrees out!  We enjoyed fall colors in the Ozarks and through beautiful, northern Georgia.  Then, at the end of the weekend, we fast-tracked it back to South Dakota to outrun the impending, winter storm that was bearing down on the lower Midwest. 😳

THIS is why we drive rather than fly (this, the TSA and the fact that I hate those cramped machines! 😉)–I’m not afraid of flying, per se, it’s the crashing-to-a-fiery-death-in-a-cramped-metal-tube-from-30,000-feet-up that scares me. 😝

Cross-country travel in a car also allows you to truly experience the varying landscapes and cultures that are present throughout our wonderful country. In addition to the US being a “melting-pot” of various people and religious identities, it showcases a cornucopia of landscapes as well.  On every road trip we take I’m always amazed at the various scenes and inhabitants we encounter.  

Things you’ll notice when you visit the “Lower 48”: 

The South

This region is characterized by cotton fields, salt marshes and flat, coastal plains.  Comprising a portion of the “Bible Belt”, folks here are friendly, though they’re often quick to spot that, “ya’ll ain’t from around here are ya?” 😉

The Northeast/New England

Highlighted by rolling, hilly, farmland, heavily-forested mountains and flat, coastal plain; many think of this region as sporting “city-folk” with fast-paced lifestyles.  There’s plenty of “country folk” outside the urban centers who may disagree with that assessment, though.

The Midwest and Great Plains

This area is comprised mostly of flat farmland.  Many think of it as boring, flyover country.  It may not be as exciting as other regions, but this area has a unique beauty of its own.  Being that I grew up there, its charmingly simple way of life will always hold a piece of my heart.  And you can’t beat their sunsets over the “amber waves of grain” (and cornfields). 😉  The folks who live here, residing fully in the ‘Bible Belt”, are known for their friendliness (and tornadoes!  It’s THE place to be, in the country, for storm chasing! 🌪) 

The West

I would define the borders of this area as the country west of the Missouri River (excluding the West Coast) and north of the Desert Southwest.  In my personal opinion, you can’t beat the beauty of the craggy mountains that are found here.  They don’t call this area “God’s Country” for nothing.  

In my experience, some of the friendliest people I’ve encountered live in the rural West.  This is an interesting contrast to, what can be, a difficult life.  Living in the West is a whole other ballgame.  The land is rugged, the weather is harsh, and its residents have to be tough.  It’s a place that, even in the 21st Century, has to be survived.  Maybe this fosters kinship among those who choose to brave its challenges?  Here, the weather and nature–both flora and fauna, can, quite literally, kill you.  But the people who call this, immensely beautiful and often desolate place, “home”, won’t make you regret a visit.

The West Coast (ie: the western halves of the West Coast states)

It’s amazing how different the various sides of these states can be!  The eastern halves of Washington, Oregon, and California are comprised of more rural, scrub and farmland, and the people trend toward a more conservative ideology. 

**The two halves are split but rugged mountains!**

The western halves of these states are flatter, far wetter, coastal plains; sometimes ranging to a temperate, rainforest climate.  The people who reside there are usually categorized as metropolitan.  I was, pleasantly surprised, though, by the light-hearted lifestyle of the LA area.  

Texas/the Desert Southwest

Texas is one area I can’t speak much to, as we haven’t spent enough time there for me to get a feel of it (a problem we’re hoping to correct). 🤞  I do know it’s hot and dry, though.  😅  The rest of the Desert Southwest shares characteristics with the West! 

The statements above are just generalizations, of course.  As we’ve traveled around the country, I’m always amazed how cultures vary within these local regions, as well.  

As you traverse the states, rural areas are usually more conservative, and the larger cities tend to trend more liberal.  The change from urban to rural can be stark and often occurs quite quickly.  Many living in the rural areas of Illinois, Virginia or New York may not feel they have much in common with their counterparts living in the DC suburbs, Chicago or New York City.

 “Transplants”, people who move from places like NYC to more conservative states, like North Carolina (and others), make those places a melting pot of cultures and ideologies within their own right.  One place we visited several years ago was the small town of Willits, in northern California.  It was one of the first places we’d visited in the state, and I was surprised how charming and “Midwestern” it felt.  

Let’s embrace our similarities!

What am I trying to get at here?  The bottom line is, none of that sh*t really matters.  I think we often forget that we’re all in this together.  We all vary, but we all share similarities as well.  Often times, those similarities aren’t categorized by skin color, religion, politics, etc.  Regardless of where we live, what church–or synagogue, or mosque, or temple–we attend (or don’t); who we vote for, or who our favorite sports team is, we’re all human.

We all live in the same, magnificent country.  I firmly believe, we’re all, for the most part, good people (one generalization we all share).  As our country remains divided on numerous issues politically, religiously, racially, culturally, I think it’s important to keep this fact in mind.   THIS is what makes road trips so enjoyable!  I LOVE traveling the country, and experiencing how much we all have in common!

The late chef and world-traveler, Anthony Bordain, felt food bonded us, that our connection with it could bridge divides between cultures, religions, politics, etc.  I think we need to seek out other “bridges” like this, as well.   Whether that be a common love (or hatred? 😳) for a specific sports team, a love of the outdoors, whatever.  I don’t care who you voted for in the last election (or if you voted at all); if you cheer for the Yankees or Red Sox; if you say “pop” or “soda”.  

I. DON’T. CARE.  

Those things aren’t important in the long run.  What is important, and what we need to focus on, are the commonalities we all share.  We need to seek out the things that unite us, not those that divide us.  We need to realize how blessed we ALL are to live in this incredible, messy, complicated place.  

We’re all stuck on this big, beautiful, blue ball, hurtling through the dark, cold, emptiness of space.  We’re all in this together, so let’s make the most of it, be kind and try to get along, yeah?  🤠  


See below for some more pics from our cross-country adventure! (Thanks, as usual, to Mr. Trekker for some of these):

A drawbridge is raised on a road bridge in the background. The blue water in a bay flows in the foreground and under the bridge.
Drawbridge!
A white bird with black feathers sweeping from its head pecks at the sand on a beach.
Is it just me…
A white bird with black feathers sweeping from its head stands on a beach.
A white bird with black feathers sweeping from its head pecks at the sand on a beach. …or does this bird look like Bernie Sanders?  😳
A large tree (with moss clinging to it) hangs over an old rest stop building
I love the moss!
A road sign is lit by lights at night and reads, "Welcome to Mississippi, birthplace of America's music"
State #48 for the Trekkers!
A radial elevation dial held in a person's hand over water--where a foot sits in the water--reads "0 feet" (sea level)
The lowest altitude we reached on the trip. You can see my foot is in the Gulf of Mexico if you look in the lower left corner…
A radial elevation dial sits on a car consul and reads, "12,100 feet"
…contrast that with the highest altitude we reached on our road trip the previous summer, at the top of Independence Pass, in Colorado!
Multi-colored (mostly white) shells sit on the sand as a wave comes into shore
Seashells!
Two peoples bare feet stand in water to their ankles
“I got my toes in the water…”

 

Florida Beaches:

A beach in the foreground with minimal waves and the blue ocean expanding to the horizon, all under a blue sky with white, wispy clouds
A beach in the foreground with minimal, white-capped waves and the blue ocean expanding to the horizon, all under a blue sky with white, wispy clouds. Some green trees are in the far, side-background along the beach.A white beach with tall grass in the foreground, multi-story beach homes are in the background. Dark, minimal waves wash up on a dark beach as the ocean stretches to the horizon. The sun sets into the clouds causing yellow and pink colors in the clouds. Several birds are on the beachSmall gray, ocean waves wash up on the beach. Multi-story buildings stand along the beach in the far background

The shadows of two people stretch across the beach. Multi-story buildings stand along the beach in the far background
Beach Trekkers!

Rear view of a woman walking along the beach, with minimal waves washing on shore. Numerous people stand in the background with multi-story buildings standing along the beach in the far background

Goodnight Florida!

An orange and blue sunset shines in the cloudy sky over a beachDry beach grass in the foreground, a white-sand beach stretches to the horizon dotted with people and a lifeguard stand. The sky is gray-cloudy with peaks of yellow, orange and pink sunset barely shining through. Dry beach grass in the foreground, a white-sand beach stretches to the horizon dotted with people and a lifeguard stand. The sky is gray-cloudy with peaks of yellow, orange and pink sunset barely shining through. The reddish-orange setting sun is peaking through the clouds.Green beach grass in the foreground. The sky is gray-cloudy with peaks of yellow, orange and pink sunset barely shining through. The reddish-orange setting sun is peaking through the clouds in the far background.Dark beach grass in the foreground. The sky is light blue with gray-cloud wisps. The reddish-orange setting sun is peaking through the clouds.Green, palm trees with gray-pink clouds in the blue sky overhead

What have you learned from traveling around the country (or world)?  Let me know in the comments!

 

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Three pictures: 1) A blue and white road sign reads, "Historic Byway, Missouri US 66"; 2)3) A beach in the foreground with minimal, white-capped waves and the blue ocean expanding to the horizon, all under a blue sky with white, wispy clouds. Pin reads, "What I learned on a Southeastern US Road Trip"

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