Author Archives: Brittany

• The Birth of a New B

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on August 4, 2016

  I apologize in advance if this post is over the top, but per usual I need a place to puke my thoughts. To quickly summarize the point of this post all I can say is life.feels.good. That may sound pretty simple, but when you’ve been in a limbo state of life for over a year it’s a bit more complex.

  Hippie dippie vibes need a triangle of Bikenstocks. 

  

  I’m starting to feel like my old self again. The self that was excited to go on adventures, the self that was excited to go for a run, the self that had no desire to fill her body with processed sugar (lol), the self that enjoyed going to work in the morning, the self that felt creative in the kitchen, the self that felt a desire to connect, the true self.

  OK, and a little bit of processed sugar.

  

  I have learned so much about myself the last year, and despite my own personal “struggles” (I hesitate to say struggles because perspective is everything – I had a roof, I had food, I had opportunities, etc..) I know this time of my life was essential for my own personal growth. Settling for less than what we are meant to do in this world can be a slow killer, side effects similar to smoking cigarettes.

  

  Morning commute

  Bottom line – I wasn’t happy, I wasn’t growing, I wasn’t challenged, and I wasn’t living to my potential in any area of my life. I couldn’t decide what to study in school, I felt it was time for a change at work, and I was in need of more social interactions. So I waited, and then eventually I had to say goodbye to my comfort zone.

  I often advocate the idea of “up and quitting” a job that no longer serves you, challenges you, or allows you to grow to search for what really makes you tick, even when society deems this as irresponsible. Perhaps for you the change needed is following your true passion regardless of the fear you’ve built around the ideas.

  Ever notice how the people that are most happy with what they do in this life are those that don’t build walls around the ideas they create in their minds? They think it, believe it, and DO IT.

  

  Be like this bird, break free from the cage. Also – wallpaper goals.

  For me, I knew the time had come where I needed to embrace a huge change and take the leap. I’m not saying what I do now at work is my “passion,” but it’s surly bringing me closer to new and exciting opportunities. It’s challenging my mind in ways I’ve not experienced before.

  In the short three weeks I’ve worked in Seattle I feel like a completely new person. I isolated myself a lot the last year for reasons I really don’t know, but I’ve completely blossomed into a chatty Kathy again. I’m talking to any and everyone that I come in contact with, and it feels natural. I finally WANT to be around people again. I fully attribute this to taking a risk, and jumping into a completely new world.

  

  Evening commute

  I tend to think I’m not “good enough” for some of the things I want in life. This mindset is toxic, it’s sludge that needs to be purged from the walls of my brain. If you think you’re not good enough, then you will manifest a life less than what you’re truly meant to live.

  Truth is anyone is “good enough” for anything they want. Some things take extra work to obtain (I couldn’t just walk into a hospital tomorrow and perform heart surgery no matter how detailed the dream I had about it was), but if it’s truly what you want you’ll make it happen.

  Wash away the toxic thoughts like a river washing away bird poop.

  

  If you feel stuck in life, it’s because it’s time for a change. This is black and white to me now, point blank, very simple if you allow it to be. When a street is blocked off during construction it’s for the safety of other people, this “safety zone” is a temporary thing until the new and improved street is completed. Safety zones are not meant for long term living.

  My safety zone is gone, I’m on a new adventure, and I’m exploring avenues I once thought were out of my spectrum. I’m excited to see what opportunities come my way now that I’ve finally opened the door to shake things up in my world. Take it from me, the longer you stay in a place of unhappiness the longer you’ll be unhappy. You are not a tree, you are meant to move. 

  Q: What are your weekend plans?! I enjoy this question because I finally have “real weekends.”

  

   

  | 60 Comments Tagged Hike, Life, Random, Seattle, Starbucks

• Just Do It – Giveaway

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on July 27, 2016

  **This giveaway is now closed, and the winner has been notified**

  Before I started my new job I really wanted to prioritize a few more adventures, and I went on a marvelous 9 mile journey to the summit of Tunnel Creek Trail. I wrangled a buddy so I wasn’t alone (you’re welcome mom and dad), and despite having my bag full of essentials I was missing one thing.

  

  

  I forget this item often, despite the fact that I have three pair in my car – sunglasses. You see dear readers it’s mostly cloudy in my beautiful state, and the thought of sunglasses doesn’t pass my mind until it’s sometimes too late.

  

  I find that clouds, much like with snow, almost require sunglasses more than the actual sun. Almost. With that said I’m often prepared with 9/10 of the 10 essentials for hiking.

  Last year I snagged myself a fun pair of Ray-Ban’s which I adore, but I find that I need to wear a hat with them as they don’t provide proper coverage on the sides. If I wear them out and about too long my eyes will hurt, and I don’t always want to wear a hat when I run.

  

  Naturally this meant I needed another pair, so my friends over at Sunglasses Shop hooked me up! Say hello to the Nike Excellerate Sunglasses.

  

  

  

  I’m living for that case.

  These sunnies wrap around the side of my eyes so much better. I’ve worn them on multiple runs and they are SO lightweight I barely notice they are on. I also find that I don’t squint at all with these. They’re perfect for running! Or any other sport you partake in. A bit of info on this frame:

  Excellerate is made to fit women’s faces. Its frame is smaller. Nike MAX Optics allow eyes to see clearly without distortion. A polycarbonate lens gives crisp views and the greatest impact protection. Durable wrapped arms provide the best side protection. Plus it gives a comfortable fit. UV400 lenses. Nike sunglasses come with a two year warranty.

  But how do they actually look on a human face?

  

  

  My one and only critic of these shades is that I wish the lenses were darker. You can see my eyes, which means I can’t stare at good looking male runners without getting caught.

  They’re super comfortable though and do exactly what I needed. If you are in the market for a new pair of sunnies, check out Sunglasses Shop. However if you’re in the market for a new pair of Nike sunnies then it may be your lucky day because one reader will win a free pair.

  I can now venture back to the forest prepared for the overcast, or the sun.

  

  This was the summit, though you’d never know with those clouds covering the view.

  To enter the giveaway: go to Sunglasses Shop website and answer the question below. For additional entries follow Sunglasses Shop on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram (or all three, leave a separate comment for each follow for an extra chance to win.) Giveaway open for one week!

  Seriously, Just Do It.

  Q: Which style of Nike sunglasses would you choose??

  

  | 62 Comments Tagged Giveaway, Hike, Nike, Running, Sunglasses

• When the “Other Plan” Comes to Fruition

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on July 18, 2016

  You know when things don’t go the way you might have initially hoped and you tell yourself (and others): “it’s OK, life must have another plan for me!” I’m big on this mindset, and truly believe that life works itself out the way it’s supposed to. The hard part is listening to the inner pulls that try to guide us.

  

  I also find that when you really, and I mean “deep in your soul really” let go of whatever kind of control you’re trying to take on life that isn’t working, things start to unfold like a blooming flower.

  

  For example: my meals lately have been very whole foods based. It should come as no surprise that “real food” works best, but once I stopped trying so hard to figure out what foods were bothering my system and really listened to my body, things slowly got better.

  Once I stopped listening to outside opinions and advice from doctors that didn’t align with my beliefs I started to feel better.

  

  Fun Fact: Did you know that if you leave the pit in the avocado, it stays green?

  

  

  I have an insatiable sweet tooth, so I like to make my own desserts.

  I was dealing with food intolerances for the last year, and it wasn’t until I simply let go of the control and the obsession (and stress) of “figuring it all out” that my mind, body, and spirit all started to work together.

  I’m over the moon about all that food stuff, but this post is more about something else. Some of you may remember this post, which was then followed up by this post.

  

  The CliffsNotes version of those two posts are this: I knew in my heart it was time for me to pursue something more with Starbucks. I felt that my current position had expired its purpose, and because this company is paying for my bachelors degree I couldn’t yet pursue outside options. With that said, I started looking into jobs at the corporate office.

  I had one fish bite my line back in April, but it wasn’t the right fit. Instead of sulking about it I stayed positive and knew life had another plan, and it did. Fish number two bit my line about a month ago and today I start my new role in Seattle. Oh, and this role is 10x better than the first bite and I am so thankful that didn’t work.

  

  Every aspect of our life has a purpose. Some things are only meant to last a short while before catalyzing us to our next adventure. I’m notorious for staying in my comfort zone, and while I’m thankful for everything that has come in my time working retail for Starbucks, I’m long overdue for my next chapter.

  I started with this company 3.2 years ago at a time in my life when I needed a place to heal after a tumultuous break up and an unclear life path. The store saved me in so many ways, and leaving there yesterday had me in tears.

  Like, ugly cry tears. 

  

  Yesterdays post work 3.2 miles to commemorate my time at the store. Oh and I got a new Garmin. Mad love – more on that later.

  I think staying in my comfort zone too long, and not accepting that this time of my life was meant to end sparked some of my health problems. I’m a believer of that “woo woo hippie dippie” mind/body/soul connection stuff and when one thing is out of whack the whole bus slows down.

  So what’s the moral to my story? If you quit on life, life will quit on you. When you feel like nothing is going your way, and that life is kicking you while your down, you MUST trust that your other plan will come. Sometimes it takes a month, sometimes it takes two years, sometimes it takes a decade. -OR- perhaps it’s time to take that leap without knowing quite where you will fall. 

  In my case I had to leap, I wouldn’t have made it the last year without some hard core faith. 

  

  This transition is going to be very bittersweet because the first part of my journey with Starbucks came at a time in my life when I felt very lost, and it gave me a purpose for a chunk of time. The store, my coworkers, and a handful of my customers became my family, and I have nothing but positive experiences there which is rare to find.

  It also sprouted a passion for coffee in my soul that I will never outgrown. I’ll no longer be making lattes the way I did, but I plan to bring my passion with me into my next adventure and see where it takes me. Look for me as the annoying corporate worker that forces coffee tastings on her coworkers.

  

  Corporate on the outside, 12yr old on the inside

  My new job requires me to be at a desk, which I don’t love, but my desk will be standing. I will be helping other Starbucks employees from the US and Canada with any inquiries they may have in regards to human resource policies and practices, benefits and pay information, manager questions, etc…another stepping stone onto something more.

  I have no idea what’s ahead with this new journey, but what I do know is that I am more in tune with myself now than I ever have been before. I’m sad to leave this chapter, but ready for a new one. We are wired with sensors that communicate effortlessly, and it’s only when we actively choose to ignore them that we max out our effort meter. Try listening to the signals next time, it’s a whole lot easier

  I promise. 

   No questions today 

  

  | 90 Comments Tagged Coffee, Life, Plant Based, Starbucks, Vegan, Whole Foods

• Unexpected Friendships 

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on July 11, 2016

  The universe has a funny way of bringing people together. I’ve been friends with two wonderful humans for over three years now, and I met them both through blogging. I often wonder if one day I’ll decide to stop sharing my adventures with the world, but one thing that keeps me coming back is the connections I continue to make with like minded people.

  

  Two years ago I flew to Virginia to explore the land with a girl named Megan. Megan and I then drove north to Michigan to attend a girl named Lillian’s wedding. It was a trip I’ll never forget. Fast forward two years, and Megan invited Lily and I to her wedding. So I hopped on a a plane, flew to Michigan, and Lily and I drove north to New York.

  All thanks to blogging. 

  

  Megan’s wedding was a combination of summer yellows and rustic wood browns. A casual yet classy wedding on a golf course that appeared to be straight out of the jungles of Jurassic Park. It was beautiful.

  

  We ate, we celebrated, we laughed, we mingled, and we continued the wedding tradition of our triangular friendship. This must mean I’m next, so Mr. Mountain Man anytime you’d like to show your face I’ll happily smile back.

  

  That other pretty lady in the middle is Alex, met her through blogging too!

  I’ve had the opportunity to travel to California, Ohio, Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania meeting a handful of people along the way, simply because I decided to share my mind with strangers five years ago. What a trip.

  

  Without this adventure I may never have seen the lovely street art in Rochester, New York after a 5 mile run through the city. I may never have experience the cheapest produce at the Rochester Public market (where I proceeded to flabbergast an elderly man at my abilities to consume pounds of lettuce in one sitting) spending $1 on a bucket full of apples.

  

  

  What a lovely adventure it’s been, and I can’t wait to see where I travel to next.

  I hope it’s somewhere with Indian food as good as I found in Michigan, because my mind was blown by the flavor explosions.

  

  Q: What’s the most unexpected way you’ve made new friends?

  

  | 64 Comments Tagged Bloggers, Explore, New York, Vegan

• Niagara Falls 

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on July 5, 2016

  Initially I had planned to venture into Canada land with maple syrup suckers in hand while wearing a red poncho to explore behind the raging falls of Niagara, but life happened and plans changed. Instead of bailing on the falls altogether, Lily and I decided to visit the American side in Buffalo, New York.

  There are few words to describe the magnitude of these falls, but I’ll do my best through photos. 

  

  A sign for the falls, next to a sign for death. Should we be concerned?

  

  Playing tourist is something I’ve become quite good at. Perhaps it’s something I should add to my resume. In an attempt to fit the tourist persona, Lily and I went straight for the Maid of the Mist boat ride. The boat took us right up to the falls, so close that we had a momentary white out due to all the mist.

  It was like standing inside a cloud.

  

  

  

  Despite the fact that I was given the most fashionable blue poncho to protect my $9 tank top from the moisture of natures beauty, I still managed to walk off the boat with the look of a freshly showered alpaca. It was in that moment that I knew I wouldn’t be meeting my future husband on this day.

  

  The boat ride was awesome, Canada on one side, America on the other, us in the middle of international waters ready for anything. It was great, but we wanted more.

  More water, more views, more ponchos. 

  

  The Canadian Maid of the Mist – red ponchos!

  

  

  Canada!

  Next up: The Cave of the Winds Boardwalk. This took us within feet of the falls, so close we were gifted brand new sandals to allow the rushing waters to flow over our exposed toes. The sensation was similar to what I imagine it feels like to walk on a pool of thinned out mint pudding – cool and refreshing.

  

  

  

  This attraction was called Cave of the Winds, but alternatively it should have been called seagull cesspool island. Never have I seen so many birds in one spot, squawking, shrieking, and another messy activity that starts with s…

  

  Just when I thought I filled my quota for ridiculously good looking outfit attire, I got another poncho. Yellow this time.

  

  

  I thought I was wet after the boat ride, well this took me from bathed alpaca to drenched musk ox.

  

  After three hours of visual stimulation it was time to continue our journey, and to fill our bellies. Destination wedding was in full pursuit. Someday I’ll go to the Canadian side of the falls and wander into the caves, but for now I have great New York memories, new sandals, and an unexpected annoyance of seagulls.

  Q: Did you know that you can get legally married on the Maid of the Mist boat because it takes you over international waters? It’s a shame I didn’t find any bachelors.

  

  | 59 Comments Tagged Explore, New York, Niagara Falls

• Road Trippin

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on June 30, 2016

  I often tell people I’m a terrible road trip partner. I shift around a lot, I drink a lot of water, and I get restless easily equating to multiple stops along the way. Or maybe I’m a great road trip partner because I like making stops and seeing things I otherwise wouldn’t see.

  

  Last Wednesday I flew to Detroit for a road trip adventure with my pirate friend Lily. Our destination was New York for a wedding, but we left a few days early for some explorations. Originally the plan was to visit Niagara Falls on the Canadian side, but I dropped the ball as if it were a rhino corpse when I noticed my passport expired.

  The day before my trip. 

  

  Two tangled haired gypsies barefoot on the beach

  I choose my friends well these days and although it was a huge bummer, Lily had such grace about the situation and we quickly changed gears. Come to find out I could have gotten into Canada with my birth certificate, but I don’t want to talk about it.

  Insert hands over eyes face here.

  Instead we would stay a night in Erie, PA and explore Presque Isle State Park, with a pit stop in Cleveland for lunch with Meghan. What a lovely last minute surprise that was. Seeing Meghan was well worth the $250 spent on a Canadian hotel I never slept in.

  

  Cleveland has amazing vegan options.

  The state park is surrounded by Lake Erie giving miles and miles of beach to walk. We first tried walking through the woods because I naturally gravitate towards the trees, but the flies were so bad I began to question when the last time I had showered was.

  

  I’m not much of a beach person, but I did enjoy getting sand between my toes.

  

  

  

  It’s been a while since I rose early without work being the driving force for my alarm. The beauty of vacation is that you can stop to smell the roses, or rise early to catch the sunrise. Click here to watch my first time lapse of the sunrise.

  

  

  Post sunrise morning walk.

  While it was a big fat bummer we couldn’t go through Canada land, our plan B turned out to be a wonderful first stop on our adventures north. Pennsylvania was also the only place I found a co-op with vegan options galore. Needles to say I stocked up on treats and meals.

  

  Somehow I saved this chocolate chip cookie for the plane ride home. Three days later.

  Things don’t always go as planned, and sometimes we have brain farts loud enough to shake the sea. Some things end up out of our control, but our emotions and reactions are two things that remain ours to choose.

  

  Take it from me, choose a relaxed mind, an adventurous spirit, and a slippery shoulder to let unexpected detours slip right off into the past.

  Q: How do you deal with abrupt changes in plans?

  

  | 54 Comments Tagged Beach, Cleveland, Explore, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vacation, Vegan

• Rekindling the Run

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on June 28, 2016

  This isn’t the first post I’ve written where I blab on and on about how I got burned out with running, took a break, had some kind of light at the end of the tunnel epiphany and found my way back to it a couple months later. Nope, not the first, and I’m comfortable knowing it won’t be the last.

  

  

  This ebb and flow is normal for me and it typically starts the same way, but the differences between each time is how I end up finding my way back.

  

  It is just me, or does the map of my route look like a person crawling on the ground? Like me crawling back into running more.

  I just got back from a trip to the Midwest/east coast to attend a wedding and explore with my dear friend Lily, and I had two very enjoyable runs. Running in a new area always helps rekindle the flame as it’s one of my favorite ways to explore.

  

  I’m in a place of contentment with any distance and any time, which makes each run more enjoyable. My first run through Orion, Michigan was a simple 3 miler for a mere 30 minutes, but it was just what I needed.

  

  The second run was a 5 miler through Highland Park in Rochester, a beautiful plot of land in upstate New York. I stopped a handful of times to take photos, which is something I never used to deem acceptable while on a run.

  How silly of me.

  

  

  I used to feel like stopping for a breath, for a photo, or even a sip of water meant I wasn’t strong enough to run all the way through. This mindset never quite matched with my “run for fun” mentality because I’m not competitive, I’m in the middle of the pack, and I enjoy my mediocre pace, but stopping – heaven forbid.

  In reality these microbreaks encourage me to go further and motivate me to run more often.

  

  The park was hilly, but I focused on my surroundings and enjoyed each step. The path led to a lookout over the city with visual stimulation everywhere including this reservoir.

  

  It should come as no surprise that the green trees, blue skies, and fresh air motivate me to move more. I also blame sitting in a car for hours while on a road trip, which also happened last week (more on that later.)

  I get restless. And I snack. A lot.

  

  Balance is my favorite word for a reason, and when activities are rotated and spinning like a wheel it ensures minimal burnout, and maximal excitement.

  Q: How do you prevent activity/workout burnout?

  

  | 78 Comments Tagged Adventure, Detroit, Running, Vacation

• Pratt Lake Camping Trip

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on June 20, 2016

  Last weekend I went on my first overnight backpack/camping trip since I was 17. The last time I had an adventure like this was with a group of people, my dad included, as a team building exercise. We hiked 5 miles into the HOH rainforest for two nights.

  This time, it was just me and a friend. Alone. In the mountains. 6 miles in. Without the false safety of a parent.

  In the rain.

  

  

  We knew it was going to rain, but decided to go anyway. Looking back I regret nothing, but I’ll tell you that in the midst of this journey I was kicking myself for not listening to my gut when it told me to sit this one out.

  

  

  I should have taken the broken bag strap as an omen, or perhaps my sleeping bag not fitting onto my bag was an indication this wasn’t meant to happen, but I ignored the voices and stepped out of my comfort zone.

  Actually I leaped, rolled, and clawed out of my comfort zone.

  

  Hiking in the rain doesn’t phase me. I grew up in Washington state and I’m used to rain. Sleeping in the rain however, with wet clothes, in the middle of no where, is another story. A story I’m going to share right now.

  

  Never in my life have I begun a hike at 5:45 pm, but when you get lost in the REI garage sale sometimes things just happen. Knowing we only had to hike one way meant we had the option to start later because we were setting up camp instead of turning back around.

  The thought of it getting dark still lurked over my head and kept a slight ounce of fear in my bones. 

  

  This hike was new to both my hiking partner and I, but here is what we knew: our camp destination was at Pratt Lake, 5.5 miles from the trail head. The highest elevation was 4100 ft, and when we pulled into the parking lot there were plenty of other cars. Seemed like no big deal.

  

  

  The beginning of the hike was magical. We were like two gypsy souls dancing in a street parade. It wasn’t until nearly two hours into the hike that we discovered we had only made it three miles. The sky was getting dark, the rain was getting harder, and my bag was getting heavier.

  My perception of time and distance was completely skewed thanks to the added weight of my bag.

  

  This is when we decided to pick up the pace. My back ached, my coat was drenched, and my soul was scared. I don’t often feel scared of other people (we saw none for the first two hours) but I feel scared of being in the dark without proper camp set up, and of wild animals.

  Around 8pm we saw our first fellow souls, two men hiking the opposite direction. It was rather late to be heading back towards the cars, but when we asked if they were heading out their response instilled a small panic in both of us: “yea we are going back, the weather is just too much right now.”

  

  dusk

  

  We both looked at each other realizing we had no form of light (rookie mistake) and no idea how much further we had to go. We contemplated if we should follow the guys, but in the time it took for us to think about it they would have been too far ahead.

  Instead we made ourselves momentarily feel better by calling them wimps. It helped for a bit.

  

  It took us another hour to finally catch a glimpse of the lake and in that hour we both experienced feelings of fear, regret, confusion, and discomfort. It was now after 9pm and we had only moments of daylight left. The rain was still beating down our backs so we decided to set up camp under a giant tree.

  In the middle of the trail.

  

  It took longer than I’d have liked to set up this tent, both of us struggling with numb fingers and exhaustion. I wanted to quit and crawl into the thing deflated, but thankfully my partner knocked some sense into me.

  Tent up, clothes stripped (there is no shame in the woods at 10 pm when you’re soaked) and fear momentarily silenced we sunk into our sleeping bags and began to laugh. We had to be crazy to camp in this weather, and crazy we were. We weren’t the only crazies however, and around 10:30pm a group of hikers and a dog had to maneuver around our tent.

  In the middle of the trail.

  

  The next seven hours were filled with 45 minutes of sleep, but that’s just an educated guess. I felt something run by the side of our tent at one point, the landscape was rugged, we couldn’t get warm, and I couldn’t shake the thought of animals smelling our food. In an attempt to get warm we decided to crawl into one mummy bag and spoon.

  No shame. 

  

  Morning finally came bright and early at 5 am and we didn’t hesitate to pack up our things. We had initially planned to hike another 6 miles to another lake, but after our night we decided to call it quits and head back.

  The morning view on the lake made the entire trip worth it. That and the check mark I can now add to the “bad ass” column of my bucket list.

  

  

  

  The sun came out on our way back to the car, the birds were singing, I attempted to feed them, and I even found a quarter – things were good again.

  

  

  The award for best dressed goes to….

  

  The journey back to the car included many laughs, multiple conversations about the wussy men, a handful of fellow hikers in awe of our adventures, and a sense of accomplishment I hadn’t felt before. I also experienced ungodly hunger because I barely ate a thing the entire trip.

  

  It’s in these moments of exhaustion, fear, and doubt where we discover what we are truly made of. Sure, I would plan better next time, but I’m glad we took this spontaneous trip into the woods, and I guarantee we are both stronger because of it.

  Until next time…

  

  Q: What’s your idea of camping? Sorry, but driving your car to a camp ground with running water and a bathroom is called “glamping” in my book. Still fun, but not the same.

  

  | 74 Comments Tagged Camp, Explore, Hike, Washington

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on June 14, 2016

  1. The last week of work I noticed an abnormal trend. The birds are singing at 330 am, and the sun is coming up at 430 am. Brace yourselves people, the earth is doing weird things.

  2. I took time off of running the last two weeks and dove forehead first into yoga. My first run after two weeks off had me feeling like a blob. A cat blob.

  

  Or a mop with a face, you decide.

  3. Speaking of yoga, I’ve been getting my zen on at least three times a week and I wonder why I ever stopped. I’m going full on “woo woo” and meditating daily too. It’s been a total game changer for my mind.

  4. I’ve decided that should I ever get my own dog (which I would like to have simply for mountain adventures) I’d like him to be black and white. Then we can match just like we were two eight year old girls.

  

  For now I’ll keep borrowing this guy to match with.

  5. I tend to go full on crunchy granola when the summer months hit, and this year has been no exception. No make up, minimal hair washing, eating cleaner, daydreams about living in a Winnebago and traveling  the country. It’s awesome.

  6. I have an obsession with lettuce and peanut butter. Separately of course, but I’ve also learned they aren’t so bad together.

  

  PB and raspberry “lettucewich.”

  7. I went camping over the weekend and it was a mix of misery, terror, and exhilaration. All at the same time. Blog post to come.

  8. One of my regular “clients” is that cat blob shown above. She’s made a cameo on the blog many times, but she wasn’t comfortable with me sharing her morning routine. Until now. Whipped cream on a plate, if only we could all be so spoiled.

  

  9. Almost lost all my morals at REI on Saturday. Went in to buy a forest pass for my hikes/camping, walked out with a new Patagonia fleece, a camping mug, and food I didn’t need. I held it together and put back the pair of Chacos I almost bought.

  10. I finally jumped on board the Ben and Jerry train, but had to give it my own spin. The ice cream alone was fantastic, but adding self ground PB and granola to it gave my mouth the wildest party it’s had in a while.

  

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 59 Comments Tagged Cats, Confessions, Running, Vegan

• Ira Springs Trail – Mason Lake

  Posted at 6:56 AM by Brittany, on June 6, 2016

  It’s here, it’s here! Summer is *almost* here! 

  

  I used to be neutral about summer, and then one year I discovered my love for hiking. The longer and warmer days made these hikes more doable and more enjoyable.

  

  

  Last Tuesday I kicked off the season with a solo hike to Mason Lake. I had never been to the lake before, but I had been to Bandera Mountain which shares the same beginning of the trail. I’ll never forget the hike to Bandera because the bug swarms were out of control, and Tuesday was even worse.

  I was like one of those barn animals with fly’s swarming their faces. 

  

  The beginning of the hike was familiar, with steep hills and rock fields. I was breathing like a labored donkey thinking to myself how out of shape I am, but after passing 6 people I realized perhaps I was trying to bulldoze up the mountain too fast.

  I’m still somewhat out of shape though. 

  

  

  This hike was a much needed soul revival. Summer months bring out my desires to explore, and when I explore I feel balanced and centered. Insert “ommmmm” chants here.

  

  

  The trail climbs 4300 ft into the sky providing amazing panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, including the ever so gorgeous Mount Rainier as shown above. Conditions this time of year were fine, just a few trees down towards the lake that allowed me to practice my show horse leaps.

  

  

  I did feel a bit nostalgic missing my hiking partner from the last adventure to this area, but I very much enjoyed being on my own clock. Solo hikes mean bathrooms are everywhere, and sweaty hot mess appearances are no big deal.

  Actually let’s be real, sweaty hot messes are never a big deal in the mountains.

  

  Fun fact: my nostrils are shaped differently.

  

  

  The lake was so still and quiet you could have heard a pin drop. Plenty of giardia looking water too.

  

  

  

  I sat. I savored. 

  

  

  Great view of Bandera mountain.

  

  One of the things I love about hiking, aside from the immediate sense of accomplishment and relaxation, is that it inspires me to be creative. For me this is something as simple as taking photos, and sharing them in this space.

  

  

  

  It’s imperative for our well being to find things we are passionate about and to DO THEM. Make the time, because nothing is more important than self care.

  Q: What inspires you to be creative?

  

  | 62 Comments Tagged Bandera Mountain, Hiking, Mason Lake, Solo Hike

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