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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On our family hike I got reeeeeeeaaaaally serious about making a few resolutions. In no particular order... I resolve to participate in a January detox that includes mostly bacon, cheese, and sourdough bread. I resolve to figure out how many grams of sugar we consumed in the month of December and next December we will double it! I resolve to brush my teeth twice a day. I resolve to keep Shiloh 9 months old forever. I resolve to create an exact replica of the garlic sauce at Kebaba. I resolve to befriend someone with a sheep farm. Free wool? I resolve to air fry edamame. I resolve to discover where the car smell is coming from. I resolve to take a picture of the kids drinking hot chocolate when they get their little behinds up this mountain. Whoohoo, one resolution completed! Here are some pics from our hot chocolate hike including my favorite view of the rocks and the river (the light is so good!) while trying to coordinate a family pic in the foreground 🙄 Happy 2020All 3 kids got on the mountain today for a full day of⛷ awesomeness. Can you find Shiloh? I do love growin’ the babies but since I’m not 🤰🏼, I’m skiing and I really love that too! Woot woot!The tug-o-war between adventure and simplicity. This has been the theme lately. Should we? Should we not? Can we pull it off? If we can, does that mean we should? Last week we drove over 28 hours as a family in 7 days. Part of me looks back and thinks, “what were we thinking?!?!?!?!” At the time, I was sure my good attitude was enough ensure success! And glory! Turns out though, sometimes there is success (and glory!) in holding back, in saying “no,” being ok cancelling (despite what others will think of you), and deciding to keep things simple. The trip was way too much for this new family of 5 and we are still recovering (almost a week later). I wish had approached life with an 8 month old the way I approached life with a 1 month old. Slow and steady. Just because he’s bigger and easy doesn’t mean we need to do all the things. We’re feeling a little broken and still trying to put the pieces back together again. Friends, this is a big season… there is no shame in slowing down, staying in your pjs, snuggling by your fire and keeping things simple. These choices can be beautiful adventures too. I am reminding myself that life is long- the bigger adventures will return. Here are some of the big wins of our big adventure. An afternoon climbing and hiking in Malibu Creek State Park, and some chilly fun in Manhattan Beach. ❤️Off to find ALL the Almond Joys. #hookmommyupFall snuggles 🍁🍂We really tried. 📷 @sabinescott_
Category Archives: US travel
A Bird Over Jackson
Here is what you can do in Jackson Hole when you aren’t really into skiing.
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Travel: A Canyon Fit for a King!
Just east of Fresno, CA, in an area geographically similar to Yosemite, lies Kings Canyon National Park. After hearing about the canyon’s reputation for unrivaled beauty, we decided to meet some friends and check it out. We pulled into the entrance and I felt like I missed something.
Posted in Camping/Outdoors, hiking, Sierra Mountains, US travel
Tagged biking, camping, cedar grove, hiking, Kings Canyon, Kings Canyon National Park, muir rock, Sequoia
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Tips for Backpacking with a Small Child
Parents are often reluctant to take their child on multi-day visits to the backcountry. On the surface, I can understand their concerns but when I dig deeper it’s more often assumptions and irrational fears that keep a family inside. Hopefully this post will provide motivation and tips for outdoor sleepovers! Continue reading
Rae Lakes Loop with a 2 year old (Packing and Prep)
Today we spent over 12 hours packing. Yes, it really took over 12 hours and we don’t have the kid to blame.
Utah: Zion 100.
The last portion of our vacation was the big motivator for taking the trip. Our friend Greg was participating in the Zion 100, an ultra-marathon spanning 100 miles of the Zion wilderness. I was so excited about his race that I begged Peter to plan a vacation to Utah around the same time. He agreed and there we were, meeting everyone at Greg’s hotel to learn about our responsibilities as support crew and pacers. The race began in the dark, early in the morning on a Friday. (I was already so jealous of him)
Good morning Greg! Ready to run 100 miles?! Continue reading
Posted in Running/hiking, US travel, Utah
Tagged road trip, road trips with babies, ultramarathon, zion
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Utah: Zion. Angel’s Landing
The hike to Angel’s landing is another ass kicker. The hike is straight up and carved into the side of sheer rock, the trail is an aggressive approach to a flat and gorgeous look out above.
That peak above Peter’s head is Angel’s Landing, where we are headed.
Posted in hiking, Roadtrips, US travel, Utah
Tagged Angel's Landing, hiking, road trip, road trips with babies, zion
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Utah: Zion National Park
Zion From Bryce we drove down the gorgeous highway 89 and into the northern entrance of Zion. Having never visited Zion national park before I really had no idea what to expect.
Posted in Camping/Outdoors, hiking, Roadtrips, US travel, Utah
Tagged camping, hiking, road trip, road trips with babies, springdale, zion
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Utah: Bryce Canyon
On the long deserted stretch toward Bryce we were surprised when three Pronghorns bolted across the road in front of us. Peter swerved left, the confused Pronghorn ran right and slammed into the side of our car. I screamed the foulest of foul words and it’s nothing short of a miracle that Sage has not started running around dropping F bombs whenever she sees a animal. Somehow the word didn’t stick and fortunately we slowed down enough that both the Pronghorn and the car were ok. Well I think the Pronghorn is ok. It sauntered of into the wilderness and was only a short distance behind its friends. At the time we had no idea what the animal was and were both in shock. We found the closest pullout and drove in to catch our breath. The shock turned into tears of laughter (me) when this sign was staring at us from the side of the road.
Utah: Kolob Canyon. Zion National Park
Upon seeing the signs for Kolob Canyon we made a last minute decision to get off the highway and check it out. Sage was sleeping so we stayed in the car but from the car we saw many hiking opportunities and were interested in the overnight backcountry possibilities leaving this side of the park.
Posted in bike touring, Biking, Roadtrips, US travel, Utah
Tagged arch, cycling, kolob, road trip, road trips with babies
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Saint George, Utah
When our friend Greg announced he was going to run one hundred miles for the Zion 100, I jumped at the chance to make supporting him, a vacation for us. We explored many different options for the trip, bike touring was on the table for a while, taking the camper trailer, backpacking… when finally what seemed like the best way to do it all was to leave the camper trailer at home, make reservations for hotels and campgrounds, pack up the car, load the mountain bikes, and hit the road.
Posted in bike touring, Biking, Roadtrips, Rock climbing, US travel, Utah
Tagged biking, ibert, road trip, Rock climbing, Saint George, travel, travel with toddlers
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Washington D.C.
Sage and I tagged along for Peter’s work trip and had such a great time exploring the city. We flew out a few days early so Peter could spend time with us over the weekend and we must have walked at least 20 miles in one weekend around the city. I forgot how fun cities are with children and it makes me miss living in New York. With all the stimulating sights and sounds Sage’s words practically doubled.
Posted in US travel, Washington D.C.
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Wisconsin round two!
We had so much fun last time we visited Twin Lakes Wisconsin that we decided to return! Lucky for us, Brian’s family extended a second invitation and didn’t mind that we were returning with one more in tow.
Cactus to Clouds-Pregnant
Cactus to Clouds. It’s a 26 mile hike with a 12,000 foot elevation gain… pretty much one of the toughest day-hikes in the United States.
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We weren’t telling people about the pregnancy yet so I am trying to hide the mini belly with my down jacket![/caption]
Posted in hiking, US travel
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Boulder, CO
The last leg of our honeymoon was spent in lovely Boulder Colorado with our friends James and Rebecca. If there were an award for the “awesomest outdoor couple” these two would win.
Crossing the river to Sherwood Forest[/caption]
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Posted in Colorado, hiking, Rock climbing, Running/hiking, US travel
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Wisconsin- Go BIG or Go Home!
Brian won’t make you rich, but he will make you fat, tan, and happy!
San Gorgonio Mountain
During our 16 miles and 6,000 vertical feet together, Gorgonio threw some good punches. First it tried to get me with an achy left hip flexor followed by my own tears as I pondered whether or not this was a result of my age. My present for my 31 ½ birthday is achy hips?
Posted in hiking, Southern California, US travel
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Joshua Tree
After a long week, knowing I am heading into nature always rejuvenates me. It’s like an instant second wind.
Posted in Camping/Outdoors, Joshua Tree, Roadtrips, Rock climbing, US travel
Tagged camping, Joshua Tree, Rock climbing
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San Clemente-Temecula Bike Tour
I have been mourning our wedding week and its absolute perfection for almost a week now. It was our dream come true and then…with some hugs and tears… it ended.
But, as with all big events in life, I learned something about myself.
Posted in bike touring, Biking, Southern California, US travel
Tagged bike touring, oceanside, Temecula, wine tasting
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