Adventure Podcasts
I’ve always been a huge fan of podcasts. During this season of traveling slower and spending more days at home, I’m turning to podcasts more and more for future trip planning and to live vicariously though for a bit. Here’s a list of some of my favorite outdoor podcasts that have been been getting me through. PEAK NORTHWEST: Specifically for adventuring in Oregon this podcast by the Oregonian is great for future trip ideas of places to explore throughout the northwest. It’s shown me that there are still so many places to get out and explore once we can again. You can check it out here. GAZE AT THE NATIONAL PARKS This is a new favorite. Mike and Dusty have a great sense of humor and recap different things to do at various national parks. The podcast feels like you’re exploring the national parks with two friends. And they also…
North Cascades National Park
The North Cascades are absolutely beautiful. There are so many different types of things to do and and see in the park. The park is also way less crowded in comparison to other large national parks which is surprising since it is less than three hours away from Seattle. So it is great for a weekend or longer getaway. ABOUT THE PARK North Cascades is a massive national park. You won’t see all the areas in one weekend but its a great place to come back to again and again because it offers something completely different to do each time. The park has over 300 glaciers and 500 lakes. The amount of lakes the park has was something that completely surprised me. Parts of the park are only accessible by boat/plane including the Stehekin Valley and Lake Chelan areas. The Ross Lake area is the most accessible area of the…
San Juan Islands
There’s been a lot of information about the San Juan Islands in the news this week due to those creepy Murder hornets that were found in the US for the first time there. But I’m here to tell you all about why the San Juan’s are amazing & you should add them to your bucket. The San Juan Islands are one of my favorite places that I’ve ever been and I plan to return year after year. ABOUT THE ISLANDS: The San Juan Islands are located in Northwest Washington. Theres actually 172 Islands total but there’s four main ones that you can take the ferry to from Anacortes, WA: Orcas Island, Shaw Island, San Juan Island and Lopez Island. You can spend your time island hoping between them all or just visit one. I found this website super helpful when deciding which one we wanted to check out. THINGS TO…
Rocky Mountain National Park Camping Trip
Last August I took a camping trip in Rocky Mountain National Park for my best friends birthday bash. It was my first time to Colorado and I absolutely loved it. There is so much to do and see in Rocky Mountain National park and its a great place to see wildlife. Colorado also has great access to Gluten Free food. GLUTEN FREE FOOD SITUATION I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to find Gluten Free food in Colorado. I am always cautious when leaving the Gluten Free mecca that is the Pacific Northwest because I am unsure of how I will be able to have access to food. The good news was with a little bit of research I found great options in Denver and other towns in Colorado as well. I use the Find Me Gluten Free App to find Gluten Free restaurants. There’s also some other…
Adventure Movies & Shows to Watch
Stuck at Home Social distancing? It’s been rough. This is a challenging time for everyone. Here in Portland, Oregon the sun is starting to shine and it’s getting more difficult to stay inside but we know we must. So for the time being we’re watching some great adventure movies and shows to get us through. Here’s some of our favorites we’ve watched so far and links to their streaming services. Hope you enjoy! KEN BURNS: THE NATIONAL PARKS, AMERICAS BEST IDEA This entire series is on Amazon Prime. If you’re a history buff and you’ve never watched Ken Burns documentaries you’re in for a treat. In this series he chronicles the history behind how the National Parks originated. Its fascinating and you’re bound to learn something new about your favorite parks. He also has other great documentaries on various subjects from country music to the Vietnam War. MERU Meru is…
Berry Picking
In my opinion, Berry Picking is the perfect summertime activity. It gets you outside in the sunshine, exercise from walking around the farm and its great for kids as well as adults. It also keeps your freezer stocked up with safe fruit for the next few months. When diagnosed with Celiac Disease and told that I had to change my entire diet as well as worry about cross contamination, it was rough but I was feeling so awful at that point that I would do anything to feel better. I didn’t initially expect the psychological toll that the disease would take, not just dealing with brain fog but also dealing with the isolation that being “different” brings along with the stress of worrying about which food items were going to possibly make me sick. One way I combatted these feelings early on was to start picking my own fruit and…
How to Survive Wedding Season Gluten Free
Weddings are a joyous occasion that here on the West Coast typically involve being outside and eating. They are an amazing celebration but can also be stressful for those with Celiac Disease, Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or other food allergies. I just had the honor of being in my best friends wedding this past July and since its wedding season, I thought I would share some tips I learned on how to survive wedding season while on a 100% Gluten Free diet. There are two approaches to surviving wedding season while Gluten Free, bringing your own food or calling the catering company. Option 1: BRING OWN FOOD This is the approach that I personally take with weddings. The risk of getting sick is too high for me to enjoy the meal so I feel safer just bringing my own food. This past wedding weekend, we car camped leading up to the…
Gluten Free Car Camping
June was filled with car camping trips for us. We kicked June off by bouncing around Bend, then camping at Timothy Lake on Mt. Hood, Orcas Island in the San Juan’s and finished out the month camping along the McKenzie River Highway. This weekend we’re headed to Big Sur, Pinnacles National Park and Santa Cruz, CA. Each trip is a little different but here is how I break up my main approach to figuring out GF Camping Life and adjust as needed by the trip. Figuring out how to bring all of your GF food can be stressful so I break it down into smaller steps for myself so I am less overwhelmed. First, I start with the basics, coffee. Then go from there. 1.The Coffee/Tea/Additional Drink of Choice Operation Decide what additional drink you would like to make and then what is needed to make it. Sounds simple but…
A Day on the Mountain
Living in the PNW, there are quite a bit of mountains to explore. When packing for a day on the Mountain, I typically stock up on the snacks and pack extra supplies in case of emergency. Main Items that I bring for a Day Hike: Sawyer Water Filter Wild Zora Bars Fruit A lot of Clothing Layers Hiking Poles Sunscreen First Aid Kit
A Day at the Beach
When spending the day at the beach I always make sure I bring these items. SUN BUM SUNSCREEN First off, anytime I am doing anything outside I always put on some Sun Bum sunscreen. When I was first diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I struggled to find a Gluten Free sunscreen that I knew was safe for me and also safe for the ocean. Finding Sun Bum was a game changer. All of the suncreen is Hypoallergenic, Reef Friendly / Oxybenzone Free & Octinoxate Free, Cruelty Free, Vegan, Oil Free, Paraben Free, Gluten Free, PABA Free, and Water Resistant (80 Minutes). HIPPEAS Hippeas are one of my new favorite snacks. They are certified Gluten Free and Vegan. They are made from chickpeas. The perfect savory snack for a day on the water. HYDOFLASK Whenever spending time outdoors it is important to stay hydrated. This is especially important on the water. Hydroflask…