Tag: Hiking

• Söderåsen National Park

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on October 18, 2022

  Whenever I travel to a new country I try my best to visit a National Park. Sweden has A LOT of national parks, which made it difficult to choose which one I wanted to see. I knew going north would not be an option on this trip, the weather would be too finicky and the drive would have been too far, so I focused my sights on the southern region of Sweden.

  After scouring over the internet a few times, I finally chose to visit Söderåsen National Park, located in the southern most county of Skåne (it took me days to pronounce this correctly.)

  Derek and I planned our Air B&B stays around this adventure, and everything else we did was extra. Our first Air B&B was in the municipality of Höör, a tiny little countryside filling all my European farmland dreams. We stayed in a tiny house on the property of a sweet Swedish woman and her husband, and while I adored the little space, I lost my marbles for the onsite green house.

  

  

  The drive south from Täby where we were staying with Dereks aunt and uncle was about 6.5 hours. It was a surprisingly smooth drive (I drove), but by the time we arrived at our Air B&B we were ready to stretch our legs. We chose a spot that had two bikes we could borrow, and neither of us had to think twice about taking them out for a spin.

  The bikes were rusted, too small, and looked over a decade old, but they were the most magical steeds to ride 10 miles of countryside on.

  

  

  We stayed at this place for two nights, and I spent both mornings sipping my coffee inside the green house with one of the cozy red blankets draped across my lap. On our first morning the host offered breakfast, but I wanted to ensure I was in top shape for a day of hiking and couldn’t risk feeling like shit. Derek partook and our host brought him a basket of perfectly wrapped bread, vegetables, an egg, a cookie, fresh yogurt, cheese and salami, and fruit. It was adorable.

  Meanwhile in the greenhouse…

  

  After finishing our morning routines, it was time to head to the park. Our Air B&B was a short 25 min drive from the park, meaning we didn’t have to leave at dawn. Upon arrival we were one of four other cars in the lot. This National Park has a few different locations to start hiking from, and it was very low key. No passes, no crazy parking, no park rangers, just a beautiful piece of land for everyone to enjoy.

  

  

  Our original plan was to hike through the center of the park, and turn around halfway giving us a 10 mile introduction to the area. We ended up going to a different location first per the suggestion of our Air B&B host, and we ended up staying in this area the entire day. There were so many options to explore.

  My favorite thing about this hike was that the trail markers were painted onto trees.

  Often times more than one trail would intersect, and then a tree would have multiple colored circles. We followed three separate colors at separate times until we clocked 10-11 miles (our Garmin watches had slightly different readings.) The area felt like something out of Jurassic Park, and we had long stretches where we saw no other humans.

  

  

  The highlight of this adventure for me was overhearing a German family as they walked past us. One of the women greeted us in German, so I said goodbye to them in German. The man at the end of their train turned around as we passed and asked me if I spoke German. I said to him (in German) that I try, but not much. He then asked if we spoke Swedish and I said we spoke English.

  We then (in English) talked about where they lived in Germany, where I used to live in Germany, and how we were all enjoying our trip to Sweden. The entire interaction left a warm feeling in my heart.

  After our hike we went into the tiny “visitor center” at the start of the trail and had a lovely chat with the woman working in the center. I wanted to buy a pin to add to my national park pin collection, and I was in luck. We then returned to the tiny house with souls full of joy and adventure where I made salmon and potatoes for dinner. Contentment at its finest.

  

  

  The following morning we had a leisure start before checking out and heading towards our next destination. Just enough time for me to spend one more morning in the adorable green house of my dreams. Next up: Kullaberg Nature Reserve.

  Q: What was your most magical Air B&B (or hotel) stay?

  

  | 18 Comments Tagged Brittany's Life Abroad, Hiking, National Park, Sweden

• Let’s Go to Oregon – Hiking Trail of Ten Falls

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on September 30, 2022

  My previous post highlighted Duncan and I embarking on a mini getaway to Oregon for Labor Day weekend, and after our first hike we crashed hard at our Air B&B. We both slept well, but I had some horrendous neck pains that had been lingering for about a week keeping me awake. When I woke up in the morning, I was in so much pain I was unsure if I would be able to go on our second hike.

  This second hike was another one I had discovered, saved, and wanted to complete for a handful of months, and while the drive was only 4 hours from my house, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity when we were close. Anyone who knows me knows I am wildly stubborn, and I refused to lay in the tiny house all day. Duncan was amazingly supportive and helpful, he usually comes on these adventures with me because he knows how much they mean to me, and he did whatever I needed that morning to help me feel better.

  I started with resting and stretching, and ended with some cat therapy.

  

  

  This tiny grey kitten appeared out of no where, and was so incredibly friendly. I stepped outside hoping the fresh air would make me feel better (I was not doing well in my mental space), and like a gift from God there this tiny being was. I gave her a pspspspspsp and she came RUNNING to me. We cuddled for a while before I lured her into the tiny house (oops) to show Duncan.

  I slowly started feeling like I could move a bit more (I also succumbed to taking an NSAID, which I never do), so we finished cuddle time and set out for our adventure.

  Our second adventure was a visit to Silver Falls State Park to hike the very popular Trail of Ten Falls. I’m not normally drawn to waterfalls, but this trail name lured me in with the promise of ten. It’s like eating stale crackers – when you have just one they are lack luster, but the more you eat the better they become? The drive to the park was a little over an hour, and we passed through some amazing Oregon farmlands.

  One day, my goal is to live in an area with miles and miles of farmland.

  

  Once we arrived at the park, we made our way towards the trail. It felt a bit like a mini national park with how many humans were there, as well as the layout of the park. I knew going on a holiday weekend mid day would be bad, but my goodness there were a lot of people. Once we made it past the first waterfall the crowds thinned out. We started off with a bang, the first waterfall was one of four falls we were able to walk behind.

  Those four were my favorite of all the falls we saw.

  

  The above two photos are the first fall we saw from different angles. After this we were able to settle in a bit and I was able to relax. Duncan was a saint and carried the only backpack we brought because there was no way I would be able to sit a pack on my shoulders with my pain. We put both of our water bladders in his pack and his tube sat on one side, and mine on the other. Water breaks were so romantic, like one soda with two straws.

  The pain was still there, but during the first three miles I was able to manage it. We quickly found the second fall and it was another one we could walk behind.

  

  Each fall we could walk behind I wanted to stop at for a moment, but there were so many people we just kept walking. The trail was quiet in most spots until you found yourself at one of the falls you could walk behind. Like a Walmart on Black Friday. Around mile four I started to find myself in a lot of discomfort, but I did my best to put one foot in front of the other and continue on. We saw some waterfalls throughout that were just ok, and then found ourselves at another walk behind fall.

  

  By the time we left the above fall, I was over the hike. Which honestly was more of a nature walk that went on for seven miles. We found ourselves at a fork in the road which would have cut off some of the hike, but I didn’t dare quit on the loop – even if I could barely move my upper torso. By the time we made it to the very last fall, I was done – I just wanted to teleport back to the car.

  Despite being in pain and exhausted, the last fall was the best of them all. Well worth continuing on.

  

  

  I think had I been less uncomfortable I would have enjoyed this more, and should I return in the future I would like to see this place in the fall. Everything looks better with colorful leaves. I’m glad we went, and overall it was worthwhile. I ended my day the same way that I started it – kitty snuggles. This time one of the other cats on the tiny house property came to say hello. The house had three cats on site, and sadly the one cat that was too scared to say hello was the black cat.

  My heart has a special place for black cats.

  

  The following morning my neck pain was less intense (of course) and we spent the morning lounging before making the drive back to Washington. The tiny house was home to a handful of very friendly chickens, who provided me some of their bounty for my breakfast. My farm to table heart was bursting at the seams for those eggs. After breakfast we cleaned up and packed the car for the drive home.

  

  

  If you’ve made it this far, good on ya. This was a long one. A most wonderful weekend getaway with my best guy. If you need a place to stay for some Oregon adventures I highly recommend the Tiny House Farm Stay – even if just for that tiny gray cat (but really it was all great.)

  Q: Have you ever had to power through discomfort while traveling? Silly question – this should apply to everyone. I want to hear your best stories. One time I was riding a stifling hot bus in Slovenia going back to my hostel after a long day at the lake, and I had to fight with ever fiber in my body not to vomit on the person next to me.

  

  | 23 Comments Tagged Airbnb, Cats, Hiking, Oregon, Tiny House

• Let’s Go to Oregon – Hiking God’s Thumb

  Posted at 8:30 AM by Brittany, on September 26, 2022

  One of my favorite things to do is discover a hike (online), save a hike (to my AllTrails app), and complete a hike (with my feet.) Something about the progression, the build up of excitement, and the accomplishment of this process brings me so much joy. Bonus points happen when these hikes are international, but that doesn’t mean my home country hikes are any less stellar.

  One of my latest discover it, save it, complete it adventures took me to my neighbor state of Oregon. I hadn’t been to Oregon in years, so Duncan and I took a mini getaway for the Labor Day weekend. I had wanted to hike God’s Thumb for a handful of months, and while trying to decide where we should go for his three day weekend (I take full advantage of these) he suggested Oregon.

  Badda Boom Badda Bing, Oregon hear me sing.

  

  In my 33 years of life I have never been to the Oregon coast. I didn’t realize this was a fact until after our trip, but my goodness is it beautiful. It felt so much different than the Washington cost. Each are beautiful, but Oregon felt to me like I was stepping onto the coast of Ireland. Maybe I just have Europe on my mind…

  We spent two nights in the small town of Falls City at an adorable tiny house surrounded by cats and chickens and rabbits and a dog. Give me an Air B&B with cats and I am a happy human. The tiny house was adorable, and perfectly situated between God’s Thumb and another hike we wanted to do, but first up was God’s Thumb.

  

  This hike is a goldilocks hike – not too hard and not too easy. It was steeper in sections than I expected, but we managed fine and the first chunk of the trail is in the forested canopy area. Perfect for a warm summer day. Eventually the trail opens to a giant field before coming over a hill to see the first sight of the “thumb.”

  

  I think this was my favorite hike of the summer. The crashing waves, the blue water, the unique shape of the point we were walking towards made me feel incredibly warm inside. As did the sun, it was a mistake to wear a black shirt on this hike. We spent a decent amount of time on the thumb with a plethora of other humans, but I managed to sit in different spots for different views trying to soak it all up.

  I could have sat there for hours.

  

  

  We chose to do the loop part of the hike, opposed to the out and back. There are multiple places to park for this hike, but the main parking area on AllTrails worked out perfectly. The lot closest to the trail fills quickly, but we started later in the day and got a front row spot. Plus, there is plenty of parking lining the road further down. Overall we hiked around 5 miles and certainly worked up an appetite.

  

  We made it to our Air B&B around 1830, and spent the evening relaxing before our next adventure. These weekend getaways are just the right amount of adventure to fill my meter back up after feeling like I have been in one place for too long. I don’t know what it is, but something about sleeping in someone else’s house in an area I would otherwise never see brings me so much joy.

  It’s the little things.

  

  Next up: second day in Oregon – trip to Silver Falls State Park.

  Q: Have you been to the Oregon coast? Apparently the Oregon coast is called the “peoples coast”, because the entirety of it is public land.

  

  | 24 Comments Tagged Hiking, Oregon, Tiny House

• Mount Angeles

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on August 15, 2022

  One of my pals just bought a new Subaru Outback. Naturally when one buys an adventure mobile such as this, adventure is put onto the radar almost immediately. I was happy to oblige when she asked me to go for a hike with her, and we had plans to go for a mild, chill elevation hike last week just to get the feet moving.

  Then the tables turned and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the outcome.

  I have been craving, longing for, pining and whining to get my feet onto an epic hike all summer, and I finally did just that. I haven’t always been the best at last minute changes to a plan, I like to have an idea of what I need to prepare for, but as I have gotten older I have been working on morphing more into a human like flubber so that I can bend and roll with what’s thrown my way.

  A work in progress, but a progress nonetheless.

  

  A group of pals from work had a hike in the works, and when they asked me to join I didn’t think twice. It helped that I was in the peak energy and social phase of my cycle (ladies, I cannot stress enough tracking your cycle and knowing how your body works throughout the entirety of it!) We planned to meet at 0600 for an early start at the Hurricane Ridge location of Olympic National Park.

  This area fills up quick on weekends, so an early start is a must.

  Our plan was to hike Mount Angeles, a new to me trail with recent bear sightings and a scramble at the summit. What could possibly go wrong? Fortunately for us nothing went wrong, and the trail was mosey and mild for the first couple miles, allowing the entire group to stick together. When we started the hike we could see our destination at the end, although in the beginning I had no idea the curved peak was our summit.

  

  There were six of us total, and we kept a nice pace walking along chatting about the awe and wonder around us, the possibility of wildlife sightings, and the amount of sunscreen our pal Chris had accidentally put on. His entire body looked like the face of a mime. At least he would not be getting burned. We eventually came to a fork where the left had a drastically steep start, and we were not sure if it was the correct path despite the map telling us it was.

  So we went right instead.

  After ten minutes of going down, down, down, we realized we had gone onto a different path heading to a different destination, and four out of six of us decided we wanted to go back and try the path to the left. We headed back to the fork, waved goodbye to the other two, while four remaining hikers trekked on into the wilderness, hopeful for new sights, sounds, and smells.

  

  I had the idea of a “scramble” in my head, but I wasn’t sure what exactly that entailed. The four of us slowly made our way up the mountain and it was certainly more steep than the first half of the hike, but nothing was unmanageable. We took it slow and only one person passed us coming down. I asked if he made it up the scramble and he said yes.

  He advised to keep to the left, that it was longer but easier, and while I appreciated the input I didn’t anticipate I would be crawling up a rock wall.

  The closer we got the more we realized the landscape difference between what we had been hiking and what must be the scramble portion of the trail. We all decided then that we would hike to just below the scramble and call it. We made it to a beautiful open meadow where two of the girls stopped, but I had to touch the trees at the very base of the scramble.

  I had to go the final 100 ft before I no longer felt comfortable.

  

  As I sat at my chosen summit, the other two decided to join and we all savored the views before turning back to the parking lot. The summit provides a panoramic view of the entire range around us, but I was happy with the views we had. The climb was a little too vertical for me with no designated path. Maybe one day I will enjoy the idea of a scramble. I would be fine crawling up, it’s the coming back down that scares me.

  

  

  After admiring some local marmots, we made our way back to the fork where we hoped to find the other two members of our party. Turns out our hour and a half detour was a bit longer than everyone expected and the other two made their way back to the parking lot. The views from the lot were just as awe inspiring meaning everyone left happy that day. This hike was just what I needed to bring my soul to life, even if just for a few hours.

  I’m thankful for good friends with a zest for life, and I cannot wait for more adventures in my friends new Subaru.

  

  

  Q: Would you crawl up the scramble?

  

  | 27 Comments Tagged Hiking, Mount Angeles, Olympic Mountains, PNW, REI

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on July 26, 2022

  1. I am writing this post from Duncan’s apartment where the WiFi is like that of my dreams. Fast like a Starbucks lobby, but comfortable like a hug from an old friend. The WiFi at my place is horrid, and often prevents me from wanting to write anything because of how sSSsLLooOwwWw it is. Little luxuries like this keep the world spinning.

  2. I have had the last two weeks off of work for what was meant to be a vacation, but turned into a staycation. For the first week I was irritable, kicking myself for not having anywhere to go after changing original plans, but during the second week I settled right in. I go back to work today and can’t say I am looking forward to it. I’ve been biking, hiking, sleeping, running, eating, staring at the wall, and reading.

  I’m currently reading A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, and prior to that I finished the book below.

  

  3. With this time away from work, my chronic – year long back pain – has subsided during the second week. I am certain that my job has been contributing to my lack of healing, and I am now game planning my next move. No job is worth breaking my body for.

  4. The heat has hit Washington and it has hit haarrdd. Duncan and I went for a mid morning hike recently that should have been moderate to easy, but it felt hard with the heat. I suppose having Covid two weeks prior made it difficult too, but who knows. The views were great though.

  I don’t know which I preferred, the mountains off yonder or the gray jay’s stealing food out of people’s hands.

  

  

  5. I have a possibly unhealthy attachment to my cat. I feel genuine sadness when I leave him for a night or two. I have always loved the little ball of fur, but lately I feel closer to him. Please live forever. Please let me put you on a leash and come with me on hikes.

  6. I have been more mindful of my Instagram usage lately, and occasionally take days off at a time. The benefits I get from staying off of it outweigh the temporary boredom quell, but recently during one of my allotted scroll times I entered a giveaway for some local GF/V donuts I have been wanting to try. Spoiler: I WON!!!

  I was stoked to get a free six pack of their current seasonal flavors. Half of them were more of a miss, but the other half were tasty. Although I still prefer my Brittany friendly muffins from another local biz.

  

  7. Speaking of Brittany friendly muffins, I woke up Sunday morning to Duncan surprising me with one of these muffins. I told him I wanted a muffin surprise someday, and I didn’t anticipate that day being so soon. It was delicious, despite the fact they initially gave him the wrong muffin. We went back to get the right one.

  8. I found a new road to ride my bike on that gives me backroad farm vibes. Maybe because it is a backroad with farms…but it makes me feel like I am biking in an area that warms my soul which is hard to find where I currently live. I rode there three times in the last week, and I think I have finally found my new spot.

  

  9. I miss the spirit of blogging past. When I first started this blog, I met copious amounts of others both online and in person because blogging was a growing hobby for many. I understand the entirety of this type of social media has changed with the onslaught of Twitter and Facebook and Instagram etc, but sometimes I just miss the community these blogs fostered.

  I also adore when those who still read my blog leave me a comment. Like, it legitimately makes my day. Please be a community with me. I need friends.

  10. I sometimes get sucked into the homebody aura that Duncan exudes, and while this is helpful at times it can also be harmful for me. This past weekend we got out of our bubble and went to a brewery for a friends birthday and played card games with six other humans. We laughed until our bellies ached, and afterwards we ate sushi with the sunset.

  It doesn’t take much, but that evening was a complete recharge for my mental health battery.

  

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 57 Comments Tagged Biking, Donuts, Early Morning Confessions, Hiking, REI

• Joyful June

  Posted at 9:30 AM by Brittany, on June 28, 2022

  I am a sucker for a good alliteration (hence my corny blog URL circa 2011.) Nothing flows off the tongue quite like two words with the same first letter, and because I have been a bit of a pessimistic pill the last couple of months, I have decided to dedicate an entire post to more uplifting energy. I am trying my damndest to find joy in my everyday life despite the stagnation I feel.

  Not to worry, this is a normal way of existence for me. I don’t like the idea of settling for mundane, so when my life feels a bit monotonous I feel an uptick in anxiety. I have been coping, and there are indeed joyful days sprinkled amid the stale air in my lungs, but they do say you are your attitude after all.

  Without further adieu, let’s list five joyful specks in my life.

  

  1. Duncan. Ohhh Duncan. Where do I even begin? Duncan and I have a bit of an age gap. Erm, a decently significant age gap, as well as a plethora of differences. We had no idea where this relationship was going to go, and somedays we still don’t, but what I do know is that age has nothing to do with the ability to provide proper emotional support.

  Never have I ever dated someone who holds me so tightly when I cry.

  He has been such an unexpected blessing in my life, and I am thankful everyday to be shown what a meaningful relationship consists of. He also sometimes rocks a mustache giving me real Tom Selleck vibes. We celebrated our one year anniversary in April, and I went full high school prom proposal with a candy board.

  The idea was indeed borrowed, but the cringe worthy words were all my own. No shame.

  

  

  2. Hikes with friends. I have maintained a consistent fitness routine throughout the year, but my baseline hikes have been low-level adventures. I embarked on my first higher elevation hike a few weeks ago with two gal pals and I was sore for two days after. I don’t have many people around me that I truly enjoy investing my time in, but every so often a few slip through the cracks and we enjoy an outdoor adventure.

  Plus, I recently watched Grizzly Man for the first time, and have become absurdly afraid of bears. I don’t see many solo hikes in my future for a while.

  

  

  

  3. Torture Device. Aka my inversion table. Out of pure desperation after a year of consistent sciatic pain, I bought an inversion table. I had literally nothing to loose (except some money I suppose.) Nothing was working, I was in constant discomfort or pain, and my quality of life was suffering because of this unwelcome guest always nagging at my nerves.

  I cannot say if this has been exclusively what helped, but for about two weeks now I have had minimal discomfort allowing me to run again. I find this table to be a place of relaxation, and I can adjust how far back I want to go. Some days I only invert a little, and some days I invert more. I am a fan, and I will be keeping this tool in my repertoire.

  Also, shoutout to Duncan for helping me assemble this the day it came. I was extremely overwhelmed by the weight and the instructions, but he showed up at my door without being asked.

  

  4. Running. Running and I have had such an on again off again relationship. Recently I stopped running in attempt to help the above mentioned back issues (herniated disc), but I have been able to start again the last couple weeks and already it has improved my mood. I’m never without a weapon though, because running outside as a woman is always a gamble.

  The sad reality of the world we live in.

  

  5. My baby. Sometimes it’s hard for me to fathom how this tiny being had such a life threatening health concern four and a half years ago. I spent a lot of money to ensure he lived another day, and each day I have with him is now a blessing. He brings me so much joy, and his neediness over the last few years has been welcomed with open arms.

  Except when he humps me.

  

  I am thankful to have these pockets of joy in my life, but I also appreciate the ability to recognize that sometimes it’s ok to feel stuck. I’m realizing this is a recurring situation for me, and perhaps not just a short term struggle. Perhaps this is something I will continue to manage throughout my life. The up’s and the down’s are expected, but the waves feel more frequent than I would like at times.

  At the end of the day I know when I fall into these pockets of life my body is trying to tell me something. Typically a change is needed in some form, and I am trying to figure out where I want to start first. Change is not always easy, but it is almost always necessary. All things considered, I have become quite good at surfing these waves of life.

  Most days.

  Q: What is bringing you joy right now?

  

  | 21 Comments Tagged Duncan, Hiking, Life, PNW, Running

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on April 19, 2022

  1. Long time no talk. How about a “what’s new” Early Morning Confessions style post? For starters I got a new bike. I actually got a new mountain bike, but then realized I don’t like mountain biking much. I like forest service roads, and I like long distances through designated trails, but I don’t like single tracks.

  Thankfully I bought the bike at REI, and they have a fantastic return policy. So I returned this bike, and bought a new gravel bike instead. Oh, and I also had to order them both online. It’s hard to buy a bike online! The first bike was too big for me, but thankfully my new gravel gal is just right.

  My longest distance with her at one time thus far has been 20 miles. Our love affair is a slow build, as I am still getting used to drop handle bars.

  

  2. Duncan got a new bike too. Same story. Bought a mtn bike, and changed to gravel. We now have the same exact bike. I made sure we got different pedals though, we can’t be exactly the same after all. I now have three bikes, and I officially understand the n+1 problem when it comes to owning bikes…

  3. Speaking of Duncan, he and I went to a cat cafe recently and it was so unbelievably enjoyable. I’ve been wanting to do something like that for a while now, and we started small with a cafe close-ish to home. Seattle has a few bigger cafes we might visit in time, but Catffeinated was a great intro.

  

  4. I have been an absolute tornado in the kitchen the last month. Winter blues always bite me in the backside causing me to feel temptations I don’t normally feel during the warmer months, but it’s worse when I start to feel stagnant. I know this about myself – I start feeling a need for change and when I don’t make a change my brain starts to allow my body to take less care of itself.

  5. Case in point.

  

  6. Legendary Doughnuts was visited after the cat cafe, and inhibitions were down after an hour of kitty time. Duncan bought a dozen doughnuts and I decided to YOLO that day. What I am about to say next will be shocking, so brace yourself.

  We ate all but maybe 2 donuts in one day. ALL OF THEM.

  I know I need to go easy on myself when these splurges happen, but it can be hard to completely let go of food anxiety. At the end of the day I do not regret consuming my body weight in gluten filled pillows of sugar heaven, but it did take me 48 hours to feel like I could function normally. The joy’s of a 30 something with food sensitivities.

  7. Despite my tornado like behavior, I think my consistent activity helps to thwart any drastic changes to my body after these caloric surpluses. Hiking and biking are my best of friends. And Duncan, he is my best of friend too.

  

  

  8. At the end of March I had the stomach flu for 24 hours, and it was the most brutal experience I have endured in a very long time. I would rather have Covid again, than to ever puke for 8 hours straight. The lingering effects lasted for a few days, but I am thankful I didn’t have weeks of recovery like some do.

  9. I have the itch to work a seasonal job again, somewhere in the deep heart of Alaska, or Wyoming. I am not entirely against this idea, but I also have the itch to build a tiny little life in a tiny little space in a tiny little town with my tiny little cat in a tiny little hat.

  

  10. One week from today, Duncan and I will have been dating for a year. I am flabbergasted by this, for so many reasons. Perhaps I will write a post dedicated to Duncan and I, and some of our back story, but for now I say this – I am beyond blessed to have someone like him in my life. Swoon.

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 32 Comments Tagged Biking, Duncan, Early Morning Confessions, Hiking

• Birthentines Day

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on March 3, 2022

  I was born on the 15th of February, one day after the consumeristic holiday known as Valentines Day. As a wee lass, I loved the back to back celebrations. In elementary school this meant a day of Halloween like trick or treating around the classroom giving valentines to my classmates, followed by a day of cupcakes for the class courtesy of my mom.

  Any excuse to cut math short was a good excuse…

  As I got older the traditions continued – a box of chocolate from my mom or from adolescent relationships, followed by a day of celebrating all things Brittany’s life. Now as I inch myself closer and closer to middle age, I find the concept of keeping these two days exclusive a bit…much. Who needs that much sugar after they hit 30?

  

  Don’t get me wrong, I love a good excuse to make a nice meal with a special someone, and this was the first time in eight years I had that special someone. Duncan asked what I wanted to do for Valentines Day, and we both decided on a salmon and Brussels sprout feast. I’m not into expensive flowers, jewelry, or whatever else has been marketed to women, but I did buy Duncan the above succulent from Trader Joe’s.

  I’m one of minimalistic taste, and that white pot with the tiny heart sold me immediately.

  

  For my birthday we ventured towards North Bend for a hike I had done many, many times. In fact I hiked here on my 28th birthday as well. My how time flies. I was hopeful the weather would cooperate, but the higher we got the colder we felt. The rain started to fall as we reached the viewless summit, and my plans of eating a muffin at the top quickly blew away with the chilly wind.

  I had hoped to show Duncan the amazing view from the top, but it was just too cloudy and cold. We decided to make haste and get out of the clouds. I’m thankful he was such a trooper and willing to hike with me in the cold rain. I like doing something adventurous on my birthday, typically a nice hike, and this was a lovely adventure.

  

  Perhaps because I didn’t sleep well, perhaps because of lingering Covid fatigue, or perhaps because I am now one year closer to death, I found myself more tired than anticipated after this hike. Duncan and I were lights out at 1800. How far I have come from the days I enjoyed staying out until all hours of the morning on my birthday…

  With the two days of extra chocolate concluded, Duncan coined the 14th and 15th as Birthentines Day. I quite enjoy the sound of that.

  

  I may or may not have had this balloon sticking out of my hiking pack… (I did.) I did have this balloon sticking out of my pack, and a girl passed us excitedly wishing me a HBD. It’s the little things.

  Q: Do you have a birthday close to another holiday? I will hardly consider Valentines Day as a holiday, but it’s as close as I will ever get.

  

  | 17 Comments Tagged Birthday, Hiking, PNW, Valentines day

• Speaking Of

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on December 13, 2021

  I debated turning this into another Early Morning Confessions post, but I settled on a “proper” post that will likely still be a bit sporadic. A few things have happened in my world since we last spoke, nothing crazy, but a few fun things I wanted to share with the three people who visit my blog (my grandpa, my dad, and my boyfriend.)

  Speaking of my boyfriend, this cute mountain man turned another year older last month.

  

  

  I was a hot mess in my kitchen trying to bake with butter for what felt like the first time. At the height of my baking days I was plant based, so butter did not cross my lips. These days, I am still dairy free (except for those blue moon splurges when I eat the three day old pizza in my fridge on the first day of my period), so I still do not bake with butter.

  I found it surprisingly difficult to bake this cake, but after what felt like an entire afternoon the masterpiece was complete. Special shoutout to my mom and my cat for helping me. My mom with the KitchenAid, and my cat with emotional support. 32 going on 12 for me.

  Speaking of going on 12, I have grown exceptionally fearful of the world around me. No amount of protection is too much these days.

  

  I introduce to you my new running friend. I first discovered Go Guarded on Instagram, and I knew I had to have one of these mace/knife combos. I am extra alert these days while I run outside, but this tool helps me to feel a wee bit safer. Except for the constant fear of tripping and severing important arteries, but I’m more inclined to explore alone with this device.

  Speaking of exploring, I went bird watching for the first time in my life recently.

  

  Duncan and I went for a wetland walk, and he brought his binoculars with the hopes of seeing some birds. Birds we saw, but the highlight of this walk was a rogue seal who found his way to the inlands for some rest and relaxation. A pleasant surprise on this afternoon of adventure.

  Speaking of adventure, I went for my first snow hike of the season last week.

  

  Before 1/3 of my readers get upset (I’m looking at you dad), I did not go solo on this adventure in the snow. There were five of us who braved the lower temps with the hopes of awe and wonder. I will say, I was not expecting THIS much snow when I prepared for the hike, but thankfully a good base layer and an 850 down jacket kept me mostly warm.

  

  

  I only lost feeling in my digits a few times, thanks to my good friend Raynaud’s. We hiked for around four and a half hours, and managed just under 9 miles. I had hiked the trail to Annette Lake before, but never in the winter. I didn’t recognize a single part of this trail – could be because it’s been six years since I’ve hiked it, or could be because of the snow.

  Speaking of snow hikes, look at this gem photo I took of Duncan on my birthday back in February after a mass of snow fell on him.

  

  Little did we know two months after I snapped this photo we would be like school children in his car after a hike confessing we had weird bubbly feelings in our bellies for each other. Life is weird.

  That’s all for now.

  Q: What’re your holiday plans?

  

  | 38 Comments Tagged Baking, Hiking, Life

• Rachel / Rampart Lakes

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on November 16, 2021

  I’m loosing my interest in blogging these days. Not to the point where I feel I will stop, but enough to leave large chunks of time between each post. In reality I find that I often want to share things that are messy, deep, or related to mental health, and I don’t have much energy left to try and convey my points well. I continue to be affected by the world around me more than I’d like.

  I am also loosing my interest in hiking these days, but that is normal for me this time of year. The weather has gotten nasty, and the rain is more present than ever. I’m not against hiking in the rain, but my motivation is far lower when the mornings are dark and the days are wet. My motivation was higher last winter when one of my motives for hiking was to hangout with Duncan, which I suppose worked in my favor. 😉

  I did manage one more higher elevation climb before the snow hit last month.

  

  

  The hike we chose was to Rachel Lake, with the option to continue on to Rampart Lakes. We had read multiple recent trail reports stating the fall colors were out loud and proud, and I knew this was a “must do now” situation. On paper the elevation gain for the distance didn’t look bad. In reality, most of the elevation was in one spot – crawling over large roots and tromping through constant streams.

  It was a bit intense.

  This hike was brutal for me. I am in decent shape, but this hike kicked my ass. I knew going into this hike I would be run down, as I was due to start my period. Any woman out there knows the entire week before starting feels like cinderblocks are attached to our ankles at all times. The fatigue is intense, and I had already over done it with my running for the week. So I was tired, but I didn’t dare miss out on this epic fall hike.

  I made it to the first lake, oooo’d and ahhhh’d the unbelievable fall colors, and then I started my period.

  

  

  The air was chilly, so we didn’t sit and savor for too long. Just long enough to refuel the engine as mine was on empty after the climb it took to get to Rachel Lake. I ate a banana with generous scoops of Sunbutter, a Chomps meat stick with a potato, and two rows of Lily’s chocolate. I typically like to rest and digest after I eat, but if I sat too long my hiking crew would have had to drag me up the mountain to our next destination – Rampart Lakes.

  Period be damned.

  Now, while I was sitting on the rock in the above photo I was looking at the ridge on the other side of the lake thinking to myself, “no. no way am I going any further. Stick a fork in me – I am done.” Alas, I knew I would regret not pushing on, so we packed up our stuff and continued the journey. While my fatigue was still at a high, the exploration around Rampart Lakes was amazing, unlike anything I had seen on a PNW hike. Exploring almost always gives me a boost of energy.

  

  

  

  

  Each one of these photos showcases a different lake in a network of lakes. I quickly discovered why the word lake was plural in Rampart Lakes. These pools of water were seemingly endless, in a choose your own journey type of way. There were multiple paths going multiple ways, each leading to a new mystical lake. Once we were up in this area we had no end destination, we simply wandered until our tanks hit E again.

  We decided to pull the plug at a lake tucked into a basin, where once again we were met with breathtaking fall colors.

  

  

  

  I was enamored by the view shown in the above photo. I did nothing to alter that photo, and there appears to be a vertical line drawn separating two drastically different mountain landscapes. The sun clearly hits the areas on the right side of the photo more than the left, and what a beautiful representation of differences. A perfect view to turn around at.

  Our trek back down to Rachel Lake provided vast views of the surrounding mountains, and if I squint hard enough I can see the rock we ate lunch on.

  

  

  

  The hike down from Rachel Lake to the car was equally brutal as the hike up, but in new ways. I don’t typically have knee discomfort while hiking, but I did on this hike. The large step downs over the roots had me daydreaming of sitting my fanny on the cushy seat of the Subaru. By the time we made it back to the car we had clocked just under 11 miles with nearly 3000′ of elevation gain (over half of that in one spot – sheesh.)

  Needless to say I was shot by the end of the day, but I now have another wonderful adventure for the books.

  I don’t anticipate I will have many more hikes worthy of sharing here for the rest of the year, which means if I blog it will be about day to day life. As a consumer I prefer reading about peoples lives, but as a writer I hesitate more and more as I get older. Ironically I care less what people think, but I am trying to be mindful that we are still in a bit of a weird place right now with the way the world is being torn in two.

  As the literal darkness of fall and winter swallow us whole, my goal is to bring a small sliver of light to anyone who visits this small space.

  Q: How do you stay uplifted during the darker months?

  

  | 38 Comments Tagged Fall, Hiking, PNW, Rachel Lake

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• Contact: blissfulbritt@yahoo.com

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