Tag: Adventure

Road Trip: 1st Stop

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Fredericksburg

Our first overnight stop was yesterday in Fredericksburg and we had a pretty great time. If you’ve never been, Fredericksburg is a smaller hill country town known for its wineries, distilleries and German heritage. There are lots of historical sites and museums spread throughout the town, especially on Main Street.

We’ve only been to Fredericksburg one other time so we thought this would be be perfect little overnighter to kick off our trip. Once again I used Air B&B and actually found the perfect little inn (Fredericksburg Inn & Suites). The inn is located just a few blocks from Main Street and had ample amenities. We really enjoyed the pool and of course my Texas shaped waffle this morning.

Main Street is where all the ‘action’ takes place in Fredericksburg. It’s filled with little shops, wine tasting rooms, restaurants and historical sites. We kicked off our trip with a couple tastings from Texas wineries such as Becker Vineyards, Fiesta Winery, and Fat Ass Ranch and Winery. The Bearded One was not impressed with our fruity selections (coconut lime wine, watermelon, peaches) but it was an in good fun. One downside To Fredericksburg is that every thing pretty much closes early, like 5:00-5:30. We didn’t get to explore too many shops due the early closures but we were able to enjoy a couple of drinks, appetizers and live music at Silver Creek Beer Garden and Grill.

The Texas hill country is also known for Enchanted Rock (we’ve hiked it) and other outdoor activities that are just too hot to explore during July. We will have to come back during cooler weather to take full advantage of this beautiful area

Overall, we had a pretty successful first day on our road trip. Today we are headed out to…El Paso? Las Cruces? …..we will see!

Road Trip Ready

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So anyone who knows me knows that I am a P-L-A-N-N-E-R. I love planning vacations, I am a natural organizer and my vacations are usually planned way in advance. Well folks, I am out of my comfort zone on this upcoming trip. Honestly I’m a little nervous but mostly I’m excited. Me and the Bearded One are headed out tomorrow on our 3,000+ mile (round trip) journey to California and back. We have a couple places planned and booked on the route but for the most part, we are winging it! Wish us luck! We will keep you posted. First stop, a quick little over night in Fredericksburg.

A few possible stops along the way

See You Next Year Colorado

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Once again Colorado exceeded our expectations. Between the five of us on this trip we probably took a thousand photos (I’ll upload more in this post ). Honestly, pictures alone can’t capture the natural beauty Colorado has to offer. If you’ve never experienced the Rocky Mountains, put them on your list, there is something for everyone in the mountains.

From hiking, to shopping, to enjoying the small town festivities, we pretty much did it all this trip.

This time Hoosier Pass was my favorite hike, but you can’t beat the views of Kite Lake and Quandary Peak. I’m sure we will visit all three places again (maybe eventually I’ll join the 14ers club!)

Kite Lake

Kite Lake Trailhead

Hoosier Pass

My Favorite Views

Quandary Peak

Fairplay

Fairplay and Alma are still my favorite tiny towns. We went to the “TGIFairplay” free concert event and were impressed by not only the town, but the welcoming people and friendly atmosphere. If you’re in Fairplay you have to take an stroll down their streets to stop by all the little shops and admire the historical sites.

For all my adult beverage connoisseurs check out South Park Brewery in Fairplay. Grab a Cherry Blonde craft beer at 9,953 ft, you won’t be disappointed. And if you do decide to stroll down the streets of Fairplay, swing by the South Park Distilling Tasting Room and let Megan hook you up with a fabulous cocktail! Not only did she make Amanda and I great drinks, she remembered our names and made us feel welcome.

Cherry Blonde South Park Brewery

Go Visit Megan at South Park Distilling Tasting Room

Breckenridge

We also visited Breckenridge for their Sunday Market which included lots of artisan hand made goods. It was a fun event, and we were able to walk around the town, shop, and swing by the Gold Pan (a bar established in 1879 with a rich history). I know Breckenridge is famous for skiing in the winter months but it’s just as beautiful and lively during the summer.

This has once again been an amazing trip. Not once did I feel like there was nothing to do. Our trip was packed full of activities and relaxation. As long as I’m still impressed by Colorado we will continue to enjoy our Colorado Adventures! See you next year Rocky Mountains.

Next years goal:

  • Hike Wheeler Lake again
  • Visit Blue Lake by Quandary Peak
  • Zipline
  • Natural Hot Springs

Colorado: Quandary Peak

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Quandary Peak

Well today we attempted to tackle our first 14er. For those of you don’t know, a 14er is a mountain peak that reaches 14000 feet elevation. Quandary Peak is 14,265 ft elevation, which is a pretty big deal.

Trail Head Sign- We should have read it better!

Last year in Colorado we hiked Hoosier Pass and made it to 11,500 feet elevation and this year we hiked it once again and made it to about 12,400 ft. So basically, Quandary Peak seemed like the perfect challenge. After doing our research it seemed like a pretty decent 6 mile hike. It’s a pretty popular peak because the trail is well maintained and labeled. It’s known as one of the less challenging 14ers, but apparently someone lied. This hike was ridiculous.

We started off pretty early and from the get-go I knew it was going to be tough. The mountain is pretty much a straight incline. There were no places that it flattened out and the terrain was pretty rough.

We began the trail straight through the trees. The trail was laid out well, but it was rough. Lots of rocks, and roots had to be climbed over and maneuver around as we began our ascent.

After about the first uphill mile I started to lose steam and had to slow down and pace myself. The boys decided to go ahead of us which was perfectly fine with me. Slowly and surely me and Amanda made our way further and further up the mountain. We were doing pretty well until we left the tree line and encountered the rocks. There are no word to describe the challenge these rocks gave us. For over a mile we climbed and climbed the rough, ridged rocks.

The Rocky Trail

We knew the boys were way ahead of us and we were even able to see them in the distance at times. There were several times we wanted to quit but we pushed through and continued on the path.

Well, we never quite made it to the top. By the time we hit 12,800 the Bearded One was starting his descent. He made it to 13,400. Two of our other buddies Josh and Joe pushed through and eventually made it to the full 14000 (whoohoo!).

Views during our climb

We tried our hardest!

I have to say, Quandary Peak was the most challenging physical activity I have ever encountered. After 6 hours on that dang mountain, I’m exhausted. Although I’m disappointed we didn’t all make it to the top, I’m really proud that we pushed ourselves up that strenuous mountain! The views and experience alone was totally worth the struggle. It was truly a once in a life time experience (I don’t plan on attempting it again anytime soon) and I’m glad I pushed myself.

Quandary Peak : 1

Messy Bun-Bearded One: 0

The Bearded One’s Pictures

Colorado: Good for the Soul

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The drive in to Colorado was breath taking. From the plains of Texas, to the rocky hills of New Mexico, then the mountains of Colorado. It’s hard not to marvel at the mountains God created and appreciate the beauty of nature. This destination truly makes my heart happy and makes all the stressors in life seem so minuscule in comparison. There’s no one in the world I’d rather share this experience with than then the Bearded One and our best friends. I don’t even think there are word to describe the joy I feel when I travel. The pure, simple bliss of not only the adventure itself but the final destination.

Home away from home

Our first few days in Colorado have been pretty serene. No chaos, no drama, no stress. Our Air B&B is perfect, plenty of room, and a huge deck that overlooks the mountains. If you’ve never tried Air B&B for traveling, you are missing out. This property is perfect. Not only is it nestled in the trees but there are nearby hiking trails which we took full advantage of already.

Porch Views of Mount Silverheel

So far we’ve spent most of our time on the deck, hiking the neighborhood, cooking fabulous meals and catching up on our favorite novels.

We did venture out and explore the town of Fairplay. There are lots of little shops and ample photo ops in the quaint little town. We stopped by South Park Brewery which has my absolute favorite beer, a cherry blonde. We also walked around Alma, which is even smaller than Fairplay. Both are beautiful little picturesque mountain towns. Tonight, Friday night, Fairplay is having a free community concert we plan on attending, which I’m really looking forward to. We also plan on doing some mountian yoga today and hiking Mosquito Gulch, a 6 mike hike.

Beautiful flowers throughout Fairplay

So far this trip has not only been successful, it’s been rejuvenating for my body, mind, and soul.

***UPDATE: Amanda and I completed a yoga class and it was AMAZING. It was my first official yoga class and it was wonderful. My entire body was workout and I did things I didn’t know know my body was even capable of. If you’re in Fairplay stop by Open Sky Yoga for a drop in class with Jamie. She changed my whole perspective on yoga and I am bound and determined to give it a try at home ❤️

Colorado Adventures: Short but Sweet

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966 miles

14 hours and 48 minutes

2 days in the car

Our Colorado Adventure has begun.

The gloomy summer storms didn’t stop us this AM as we began our the first day of our trek to Colorado.

After several rest stops, a picnic lunch in the middle of nowhere, we made it to our first destination, Amarillo.

I’m sure we could do this trip in a solid day, we did last year on the way back, but there’s just something about a good old fashioned road trip that really makes my heart happy.

I love being able to stop when we need to, flip through the radio stations, enjoy the tiny towns we drive through and just converse with my vacation buddies and the Bearded One. ❤️

Vacation makes my soul rejoice and I can’t wait to explore Colorado!

Day 1= Success

St. Louis Day Two: Soulard Market & Forest Park

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Our second day in St. Louis was just as eventful as our first evening here. The overall atmosphere of the Soulard neighborhood is relaxing and tranquil. No one here seems in a hurry, everyone just seems content traveling and enjoying life at their own pace. We started our morning at the famous Soulard Farmers Market.

Soulard Farmers Market

Now Chris and I attempted to visit the farmers market when we were here in January but let me tell you, it was nothing in comparison to the summer market. Let me give you a little history about the market before I describe our memorable day:

-one of the oldest markets in the US, founded in 1779

– open year round

– over 125+ venders with all kinds of products

-fresh veggies and fruit, organic products, fresh meats and cheeses, food booths, homemade soaps and crafts, live music, and so much more

-my grandma use to sell here with her aunt and uncle when she was a kid ❤️

I absolutely love farmers markets and this is by far my favorite. I enjoy seeing people sell products they’ve worked so hard to produce and are so proud to display. Today we had a mission in the market; we needed to find food for a homemade dinner and breakfast the following morning. We had no real plan of what we wanted, we simply explored the booths and came up with a menu on the fly. I have to say, we did a pretty fantastic job.

Forest Park

Fun fact, right before we left the market it decided to POUR rain for the next few hours. We decided to find something inside to do so we headed back to Forest Park.

Forest Park is full of activities such as:

  • The St. Louis Zoo
  • Muny Theater
  • The Jewel Box (a huge greenhouse)
  • The Museum of Art
  • The Science Center
  • The Missouri Museum of History

There are quite a few other places in Forest Park, some of which the bearded one and I explored during Christmas break. Today we visited the history museum and I was overwhelmed with fun facts about my home state. I was especially impressed with the history of Forest Park and the background information I learned about the 1904 World Fair that took place in St. Louis.

I’d say we had another successful day in the great city of St. Louis. Tomorrow’s plans include, The Arch, Ted Drewes, the Graffiti Wall and my old neighborhood.

St. Louis Adventure, Day One

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After a quick overnight stop in Raymore, MO to see my granny,  gorge on frozen custard, and jam out to Waylon Jennings, we finally headed to St. Louis, Missouri.

There’s so much to explore and experience in St. Louis, The Gateway to the West, home of the Arch, Anheuser Busch  headquarters, and my old home sweet home.

As a child growing up in the suburbs of St.Louis I never really appreciated or knew the deep historical roots of my city, as an adult, I appreciate them that much more.

St. Louis Day One:

We quickly checked  in to to our Soulard Air B&B (it’s fantastic, we stayed here for New Year’s Eve) then headed on over to the St. Louis Zoo in Forest Park.

Now, I have to say, I’m not a huge fan of zoos overall but the STL zoo is so nostalgic. I recall numerous family adventures as a child and the St. Louis zoo and all it entailed are part of those fond memories.

During the summer the zoo has extended hours so we showed up around 4 and stayed until 7. On our way out we noticed they had a free concert going on and people were flocking in by the car loads. Pretty cool summer activities for families, couples, and anyone else looking for a live concert.

The zoo itself is one of my favorites. There’s plenty of entertaining exhibits, it’s shaded, it was far from crowded and it’s a FREE attraction. Of course you have to pay for some of the activities like the train and different shows, but entry to the zoo is free, which is a pretty appealing feature. Make sure you park on the street to avoid the $15 parking fee!

In the 3 short hours we were there we were able to cover lots of ground. First stop, the herpetarium full of exotic reptiles from across the world, and air conditioned of course! Next we visited the primate house, the 1904 Bird Enclosure, and pretty much everything else the zoo had to offer. There weren’t any unique or rare animals we’d never heard of before, but it was still a pretty relaxed evening at the zoo. I’d definitely recommend the St. Louis Zoo to any newcomers. My favorite of course was the elephant exhibit ❤️.

When we’d finished with the zoo we decided to just take a quick drive around Forest Park to see what it had to offer.

Forest Park:

During our Christmas Break adventure we were able to visit the St. Louis Museum of art, which was spectacular and had an eclectic array of art. But, due to the freezing weather, we didn’t really have the opportunity to explore the park at its fullest.

Anyway, during our quick drive we came across the annual Shakespeare in the Park: Romeo and Juliet free performance and let me tell you, it was PACKED! I put it on my list for our upcoming days (we were too late to stop today).

We were also able to see all the other events and museums the park has to offer such as, The Jewel Box, The Muny Theater, The History Museum, The Science Center and quite a few others.

Overall, I’d chalk up our first day in St.Louis as not only successful, but relaxing and informative. Stay tuned  for  the rest of our STL adventures: Soulard Farmers Market, Anheuser Busch Brewery, The Graffiti Wall (recommended by our bartender), The Arch, museums, food and whatever else we can accomplish in our 3 day expedition!

The Adventure Begins

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“The world is a book and those who do not travel only read one page. “ St. Augustine

Often times we get wrapped up in the monotonous, often stressful routines of our everyday life. For us, that just happens to be the world of teaching and coaching. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my job, I’m constantly impressed by my students, and I admire the majority of my hardworking peers. But with that being said, sometimes we need a break!

We work hard all year so we can immensely enjoy our summer break and our many travel adventures. I use social media, particularly Facebook, as an outlet to share those adventures with my family and friends, but this summer, I wanted to try something a little out of my comfort zone and write all about it.

I need to take a step back from Facebook to really enjoy life’s adventures and for me, these adventures include traveling with my numero uno. I believe that we often lose sight of the moments in front of us when we are so driven to share every single minuscule moment with everyone. Although I understand the irony of me posting this first blog on my social media, I will be taking a summer break from Facebook.

Please follow our new blog to keep up with all of our travels and our new travel Instagram (loaded with travels, not selfies I promise!).

Instagram: beamadventures

Blog: https://theadventuresofmessybun.wordpress.com/

Travel with us as we explore the country.  From St. Louis,  to Colorado, to our first long road trip across the west Coast; join us for weekly updates on our favorite places, new memories, and the inside scoop about traveling with your best friend ❤️

First stop: St. Louis, MO