Hi! Welcome! We are a family of four with a deep love of travel, the outdoors, staying active, and new adventures of any kind. We are passionate about sharing our experiences adventuring with our little ones. We hope that other families can get inspiration, tips, and tools they need to embark on adventures of their own. Questions? Email us!
Back Road Family
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Approaching a pregnant run with a beginners mind means I often wonder... Will my left butt cheek cramp up and cause me to limp back to the car? Will my tight sports bra cause boob rash? Will my right hip flexor give out? Will I need a full meal? (Better to pack one just in case). Will I be warm enough? Will my maternity leggings slide down? How many times in an hour will I have to squat in the woods so I don’t pee in my pants? Might I just pee in my pants? Where are the most densely forested areas so I get some peeing privacy? All real possibilities, mostly centered around my bladder. (Mamas, I know you feel me) I’m not giving up what keeps me sane SO I do my wondering. Then I say, “Come what may, I’m running anyway.” Every run brings a new surprise 🙏🏼 @__magneticnorth__ for teaching me about a beginners mind and how important it is for my endurance practice. Stay curious. Keep moving.Maybe a third kid will help us figure out this parenting gig. Third time’s a charm right? #saycheese #marchbaby #boyorgirl #itsasurpriseThe Alpaca and I are the only ones cooperating for this picture. #thanksalpaca #bestsockseverI love when people share the real moments behind their social media pictures so here is our real moment. 30 mins prior to this picture Sage was sprayed with poop. Cedar had a sudden, leaky, diarrhea incident covering his legs, onesie, and shorts. Peter got C’s clothes off and was holding him naked, I was holding the solar shower up high, and Sage was hosing him off. While Sage was hosing, the incredible force of Cedar’s bowels shot round two poop all over Sage’s dress and fleece. Her response was, “ I WAS HIT!” I took this picture post-poop with Cedar recovering on my lap, Sage recovering with hot chocolate, and Peter packing up our entire campsite so we could canoe back to our car. We were bummed to leave our secluded lakefront campsite but in the packing process there was beautiful light to capture the resilience of our daughter who can really handle just about anything. 💩Just add water.South Sister Summit. Powered by a steady stream of M&Ms and her own two legs. Today Sage’s inability to sit still, her fiery will, and puppy-like energy manifested into something profound and powerful. I was so proud of her I think I cried three different times on the way up. Sage you are my Queen ❤️ As long as my legs will carry me I will follow you up mountains. A Blog post with more details about our South Sister Summit can be found at backroadfamily.com link in bio.
Category Archives: Sri Lanka
Travel Journal: Sri Lanka
When we travel, we travel hard. We maximize our time even if it means more time in the car and barely stopping for breaks. Seeing the world is our passion. The more we see the better.
Sage was dropped into this lifestyle at birth and she rolls with it well. But don’t be fooled to think we have a laid back kid, actually quite the opposite. She is just like her parents. Strong willed, active, and opinionated. If you read our posts and think to yourself- “Our kid could never handle this stuff…you know how fill-in-the-blank he is!” Think again. I promise it’s more about regulating your own emotions and expectations than it is about your child.
An Afternoon with the Elephants
Our final afternoon in Sri Lanka was spent with the elephants of Pinnawala. When we arrived at the Hotel Elephant Park for lunch I was frozen in awe. Dozens of elephants were bathing in the river below me. Looking from left to right in sheer astonishment, my jaw dropped. “You have got to be kidding me…this is real?!” We placed our order and walked to the restaurant ledge where our guide, holding a bag overflowing with pineapples and bananas, arranged for us to feed an elephant.
Tears in my Tea
Life is full of surprises. Positive or negative, these surprises validate for me the existence of something larger and more powerful. My spiritual journey is evolving and while I don’t know for certain what this larger and more powerful thing is, I can say that it is constantly providing me with opportunities to expand my definitions and challenge my perceived capabilities.
The most recent surprise was receiving the devastating news of my Aunt’s imminent passing. I don’t think it was a coincidence that receiving this news aligned with the once in a life-time opportunity to travel through Nuwara Eliya tea country and spend time with the majestic Sri Lankan Elephant. On the surface it may sound like I am lessening the severity of the news or that these events are wildly disconnected, but I think the world works in mysterious ways.
The journey of the tea leaf.
Animal Encounters: Sea Turtles
One of the many surprises in Sri Lanka was the opportunity to have close encounters with rare and beautiful animals. This post is dedicated to the critically endangered sea turtles. The most fascinating fact we learned about the Sri Lankan Sea Turtles is that the females return to the beach where they were hatched, decades later, to bury their eggs in the sand. And did you know that the temperature of the sand determines the sex of the babies?
Sri Lanka: Time Travel on a Train.
Sri Lanka. The clean, majestic, natural beauty of this country left me breathless and there is no better way to experience this than from a window of the train. This day was out of a dream. Maybe it’s my love for period movies combined with a deep yearning to be back in nature but this experience is one I will never forget. It’s worth a trip to this country just to ride the train.
Posted in Asia, Destinations, Sri Lanka
Tagged Sri Lanka, Token system, Trains, travel with toddlers
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