Explore Iowa: Maquoketa Caves

Last weekend Cody and I made our way north to the famous Maquoketa Caves State Park. I forgot about how different everything looks there compared to the rest of Iowa... It's almost as if you aren't in Iowa at all. Only 45 minutes from home we found giant caves, steep inclines, and cliffs. Getting there Maquoketa …

Throwback Thursday: Hiking in Roanoke, Virginia, 2016

In March, Cody and I visited Lance and Leah in Roanoke, Virginia for the second time. It is safe to say that they are some of our favorite people to visit. Great food, great company, and of course great hiking is always a given when we make it out east to see them.  This time around We …

Explore Iowa: Wildcat Den in Muscatine County

Yesterday Cody and I took a spontaneous hiking trip to Wildcat Den State Park, not far from the Quad Cities. We were pleasantly surprised about how unique the experience was. Ye old Pine Creek grist mill Since 1848, the Pine Creek Grist Mill has been operating in Muscatine County. The mill, which is indeed still grinding grain to …

What to expect hiking Jotunheimen Bessegen Ridge in Norway

When I signed up to do the Jotunheimen, Besseggen hike way back in May, I had no idea that this hike would be a grueling test of my physical and mental capacity. When I read the description of this excursion on the University of Oslo's website it stated, "Please be aware that we will be …

Hiking Preikestolen: Talk About an Uphill Climb!

This entire trip, my brothers and I have been begging to go on a hike. We finally had a chance to experience one of the most breathtaking hikes in Norway a few days ago! We were told about this hiking location, called Preikestolen, by one of my dad's cousins and our great family friends when …