Rendezvous Park, Wilson, Wyoming
A family crosses the country with pets and belongings in a Suburban, encountering challenges like their anxious dog, mountainous terrain, and delays from government paperwork. They adjust plans and enjoy destinations like Rendezvous Park in Wyoming, home to the troll sculpture "Mama Mimi" by artist Thomas Dambo. Despite the setbacks, they experience memorable moments and have no regrets.
Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bird King
Several months ago My Therapist and Little One were in Portland to help a friend and they stumbled upon an all-inclusive playground that also led them to see “the troll.” Little One said it was a giant baby. My Therapist said, “I will not turn this into a thing. I will not turn this into […]
Mickinnick Trail, Sandpoint, Idaho
I failed today. It was really hard. Not that I never fail – everyone fails. But, I think I usually find myself just having to accept I am slower than I want to be or used to be, but still making it to the end, whatever that means. Still a failure, because I did not […]
The Gnome Trail, Maple Valley, Washington
A week ago I was the most fortunate to get to road trip with My Therapist and her spawn, who I will call Little One, to see the “Northwest Trolls: The Way of the Bird King,” with some side trips. I will write about the trolls in a different post, but one of the side […]
Mineral Point Trail, Sagle, Idaho
We will not forget any time soon how Barbarian Scientist and I learned early on how to share our time. I would go visit him for a weekend, and for him weekends were for staying up late, sleeping in, and completing chores. It was so painful for me. I believe weekends are for waking up […]
Saltese Uplands Conservation Area, Spokane Valley, Washington
We do not have an official contract yet, or a forwarding address, but we are down to the 5-week-ish countdown to relocating from the Inland Northwest. I might stay behind for a couple of weeks. Who knows. Nearly all of our belongings that we are giving away and selling have been managed and just about […]
Mackenzie Natural Area, Liberty Lake, Washington
I wrote here about Liberty Lake Loop, in Liberty Lake, Washington. On the drive to the trailhead parking lot there has been a lot of real estate development, but there remains one section reserved for recreation, called the Mackenzie Natural Area. Following the typical historical accounts of white people removing Native Americans from their homes, […]
McKenzie Conservation Area, Newman Lake, Washington
Well. I am here to be anti-climatic. After a week of hiking in the south west, it is difficult to be back in North Idaho during the beginning of March. The exciting trails are still inaccessible due to snow, and the accessible trails are…well, they are not the trails of the south west. Not far […]
James T. Slavin Conservation Area, Spokane, Washington
Winter is often pretty lame in the Inland Northwest. Although the lack of snow makes life easier in many ways, it also makes the gray days seem more gray and the cold seem colder. So, when the clouds part for a day, it feels like you might have died and surprisingly landed in heaven. Even […]
The Center of the Universe, Wallace, Idaho
Wallace, Idaho is one of my favorite places ever. It is a tiny, old mining town in North Idaho, about an hour east of Coeur d’Alene. It is a town with a population of 800 that has had to restart many times. In the late 1800’s, miners discovered one of the largest silver deposits in […]