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Our Big Summer 2025 Road Trip: Washington State Pt 1.

Welcome to the Bellingham leg of the trip! We’ve been in Washington state for a little while now, and it’s time to share our experience in Bellingham, a seaside town by the Canadian border.

I’ve also reached a point where I will be skipping certain days that I don’t find interesting enough to talk about. I’m completely jumping over our time in Snoqualmie/Issaquah, where we spent a couple days before we went to Bham. I didn’t really do anything noteworthy in that area, but I love how round sounding the names are, if that makes sense.

During our time there, we spent time at coffee shops, enjoyed various spots on the local scene, and celebrated the 4th of July. We even had a little day trip to Vancouver, which I will detail in another post.

Trip Diary Begins

July 3, 2025

We arrived at Bellingham and began our day in a couple of different coffee shops. When it came time for dinner, we headed to Aslan Brewpub, where we tried some different beers and their house-brewed hop water. We ordered the Karaage chicken as our app, followed by Bacon Smash Burgers for each of us. Everything was very tasty!

July 4, 2025

Happy 4th! Jon’s friend, who lives in Seattle, came to Bellingham for the day to hang out with us. We spent most of the day hopping around to different bars and breweries. For lunch, we enjoyed delicious tacos from Black Sheep.

The Portal Container Village is a particularly cool spot in Bellingham. It’s an outdoor space close to the water with an industrial vibe and various container businesses serving food and drinks. We hung there for a bit and grabbed some beers.

Later, we moved on to another spot in the area, where Jon and I sipped on some espresso martinis that hit the spot. Though espresso martinis can feel a bit wintery (perhaps due to our particular enjoyment of them during a ski day), who says you can’t have one on the 4th of July? Do what you want!

After his friend headed back to Seattle, Jon and I continued to walk all around town. We ended up at an Uisce Irish Pub (once again, do what you want!), where we ordered a couple of creamers and some cheese bread. It wasn’t super poppin’, but we enjoyed our beers and the bartender was friendly.

When the sun began to set, we tried to catch the fireworks by the water, which called for a bit of a long walk. Now, I don’t personally care for firework shows that are too long. Sometimes it’s just like, we get it, ya know? I enjoy fireworks, but the shows often tend to drag, IMO. This particular show, however, seemed pretty short, and the grand finale left something to be desired. But hey, it was still pretty!

We grabbed dinner at JUXT Taphouse, just barely making it in time to get food. We paired our last meal of the day with a cocktail flight.

July 5, 2025

Jon and I started the day with one of our favorite summer/fall activities: a farmers market! (We’re big fans of the markets in Denver, and love exploring others in different towns we visit.) After getting our small haul of blueberries and a cookie, we went to a coffee shop until 2.

Later, we went out to the Irish brewery again and saw the same bartender. We also chatted with a very friendly older couple. We had a nice conversation and they gave us some good recs. They even shared a story of the time they saw 14 grizzly bears in one day! (I believe they said this happened at Glacier National Park, another spot on the bucket list.)

Post-creamers, we went to Schweinhaus Biergarten, where we had some more beers and split a brat. For dinner, we grabbed some pizza.

Side Quest: On July 6, we took a day trip to Vancouver! A separate post will be coming soon. 🙂

July 8, 2025

For breakfast, we visited a bagel spot. I got a sandwich with an over medium egg and cheddar. It didn’t have meat on it (none of their breakfast offerings did), but it was actually pretty good.

Post breakfast, we ended up back at The Portal. There, I worked on an acrostic, something I’ve been doing lately to stretch my creative and problem solving muscles. It was super chill and barely anyone was there, but ’twas a vibe. We later returned to Black Sheep for some tacos.

Back at the hotel, I did the super fun shower and dressing my wound routine. Taking the gauze off is the absolute worst! I had grown quite tired of facing the horrors every day.

That evening, we headed to Aslan Depot for jazz night. Aslan Depot is another Aslan location with more of a lounge atmosphere. It was pretty crowded outside, so we sat inside and could still hear the music. I worked on another acrostic and read some stuff Substack. We vibed out for a little before turning in for the night.

July 9, 2025

When I was finally ready to rise for the day, I began to reorganize my luggage while listening to a podcast. Then, we went out for a late breakfast. It was raining (not too hard luckily), and the air smelled invigorating. I’m not generally an “I love rainy days” person, but I was kinda into it at that moment.

We went to Great Harvest Bread Co. after breakfast, where they were giving out free slices of hot buttered bread. I selected a seeded bread of sorts, which was hearty, savory, and super satisfying. Jon opted for a cinnamon rasin slice. We also ordered a blueberry cinnamon roll, a combo neither one of us had seen before. Naturally, it was delicious sticky sweetness.

Later, we visited a bookstore cafe. I ordered an iced ube matcha latte, and honestly, it was not my favorite. It was beautiful to look at, but the taste was not for me. The drink was milky, as lattes are, but the ube flavor itself almost felt like it made the drink milkier or something. In my experience, I find flavor additions in matcha lattes often cut that overwhelming milky taste, but that was not the case here. Anyway, enough of that. I browsed around the bookstore for a bit, which had so many books. Then, I walked across the street to check out nearby shops, while Jon stayed and worked.

I wandered into Bloomhaven Bottleshop, a store with entirely non alcoholic offerings. This place is so cool. NA options have certainly become more popular in recent years, but I’ve never seen so many different options in one place. While we do still drink alcohol, we’ve definitely become more mindful recently, and love the option for a fun drink that tastes like booze but isn’t. The owner is lovely and said the shop had been around for about 10 months.

July 10, 2025

It was the morning of checkout day. I began to wonder if the hotel was putting me in a funk and that it will be better and refreshing to sleep in the tent again, as much as I appreciate having the ammenties.

Jon worked out early in the morning, while I got some more sleep. When he returned, we got all ready and packed up and packed out. After a little bit more time working in a coffee shop, we checked out another bakery, Saltadena. We selected a chocolate cookie sandwich, along with two Lil’ Scrappies, their signature treat. We ate the cookie sandwich right after buying it, and it was decadent. 10/10!

Before leaving Bellingham behind, we swung by Whatcom Falls and had ourselves a little stroll in the forest. We headed on to Hey Dumplin for dinner, which offers Eastern-European style dumplings with a bit of fusion sprinkled in.

Our bellies were satisfied and it was time to move on to the next place. We drove to Anacortes, passing by some scenic bays on the way. The views of the Samish Bay in particular were so pretty.

We arrived in Anacortes and went to Creative Hub & Coffeehouse. The owner was so sweet and welcoming. When the coffee shop closed, we grabbed a bite to eat, and headed to the campground we had reserved.

On the way to the campground we stopped at some lovely viewpoints with amazing views of the water. (The photo under this date is from one of those spots.) As it goes oftentimes, the real beauty doesn’t translate in the photos as strongly.

After taking in the views, we went to camp. This campground was definitely interesting, and the spots were very close together. I will say though, they had some of the cleanest porta-potties I’ve ever seen. We wrapped up our night, unsurprisingly, with some Righteous Gemstones.

Our Big Summer 2025 Road Trip: The Idaho Leg Pt. 2

During the second stretch of our Idaho leg, we stayed in and around Boise. We split our time back and forth between camping and Airbnb/hotel stays and were in the area for basically 5 full days. One odd thing I noticed in Boise, and this could be me being nitpicky, is that the drinking water wasn’t super cold. I encountered this at multiple establishments we visited. On a more positive note, the food in Boise is top-notch. Read on for more. 🙂

Trip Diary Begins

Thursday, June 26, 2025

We dipped from Stanley in the morning, and I got to sleep a little in the car. For breakfast, we stopped at Wild Bills Coffee and Bistro in Garden Valley, which was super solid. I ordered a Huckleberry Toast, which features avocado, fresh huckleberries, feta, slivered almonds, and hot honey. It was tasty and very unique. I also added two eggs. Jon opted for the Déjà Vu, which is essentially a classic breakfast plate, a go-to for Jon.

We filled up and continued our drive to Boise. Upon our arrival, we went to a coffee shop called Roast & Vine. Jon later went to pick up sandwiches for lunch from The Roosevelt Market. I enjoyed the Space Chicken, a sammy with sliced chicken, mozzarella, mama ‘lil pesto, and baby spinach. Now, I don’t know what the heck “mama ‘lil pesto” is, but it wasn’t ordinary pesto. It was more of a tomato-y or roasted peppery-type spread. Whatever the heck it was, it was delicious!

After checking into our Airbnb, I took a little walk to the bookstore. When I returned to the place, we got ready for a yoga class, and dropped off laundry on the way. This yoga was 100 DEGREES! The yoga classes we typically attend are hot, but not that hot. It was hitting me pretty hard, especially because I was almost certainly dehydrated. My bad!

Post-yog, we showered back at the Airbnb and got ready for dinner. We ended up at a pizza spot called The Wylder, where we tried a few different types of pizza and wrapped up the meal with cookies and ice cream.

It’s always nice to walk around for a bit after a meal to digest, so we explored the Boise River Greenbelt a bit before turning in for the night.

Friday, June 27, 2025

Boise had a mountain bike festival going on, which we had gotten tickets to. Friday marked day 1 of the festival, which took place at Eagle Bike Park.

We both got demo bikes (yes, even I), and did some easy trails. Despite the easy level of the trails, I was still super nervous, tense, and awkward. I only lasted 45 minutes, but hey, I gave it a whirl!

When Jon was finished riding, only about 15 minutes later, we departed the bike park and hit the town. We started Lost Grove Brewing in Hyde Park. They had some great happy hour beer deals, which we took advantage of. While there, we ordered an app as well. We landed on the wings with the miso buffalo sauce, which were perfect! They had a perfect crispy coating, and the sauce was super yummy.

Before dinner, we walked back to the Airbnb to reset. We landed on St. Lawrence Gridiron for our final meal that day, and OMG, it was absolutely amazing. I specifically can’t get over how good the Dirty Bird was. It’s truly one of the best fried chicken sandwiches I’ve ever had. This sammy features Louisiana spices, chili oil, white BBQ sauce, house slaw, and house pickles. It was all really working for me. Jon and I split the sandwich, along with the Brisket Platter and potato salad. Everything was fantastic.

We then went to a whiskey bar for a little bit before walking back to the Airbnb and ending the night with the Gemstone family.

Saturday, June 28, 2025

We slowly started to get together and pack up in the morning, and made our way to Bogus Basin for day two of the mountain bike fest.

I spent most of my time relaxing, reading, and listening to my audiobook. In the evening, I ended up going on a 1.5 hr hike on Deer Point Trail. I was initially planning to hike for a shorter amount of time, but my legs just kept moving. It was a lovely hike, which included foresty vibes, views of the ski runs, sunshine, and wildflowers.

We found an awesome spot to camp for the night, not far from where we’d spent the day. Before bed, we watched the SEASON FINALE of Righteous Gemstones, which was crazy!

Sunday, June 29, 2025

We headed back to Boise from our camp spot, which took about 45 minutes. When we got back to town, we grabbed THE BEST BREAKFAST EVER at Goldy’s Breakfast Bistro. I love a good Chicken Fried Steak, and this one was really, really, really good. Jon got a classic breakfast-type dish, which he said was delicious. We both agreed it was the best breakfast we’d had on the trip so far.

After our meal, we walked around the block a couple of times to digest a bit. Then, it was bike time! I rented a bike so we could ride around town and explore, as I left my own road bike at home. It was so fun! We rode for around 1.5 hours, covering 17 miles. I had a great time until I washed out at the very end and got a bad case of road rash. Rats! I was so scared on the mountain bike, and yet when I did get hurt, it was from road biking. Figures! Lots of people saw it happen, too. 🙃 But they were so friendly about it.

We checked into a hotel yet again. Then we went to Mother Earth Brew Co. and got some cheese bread, pizza, and beer. The main reason we chose to visit this spot is because when we were at the bike shop returning my rental, which was across the street from Mother Earth, a kind stranger brought over a cup of water and some napkins to help Jon and me manage my fresh wound. As Jon dumped the water on my leg, I noticed it felt cool and refreshing. I requested that we visit the brewery that evening so we could get our hands on that cold water. (It didn’t feel quite as cold in the mouth as it did on the leg, but it was still an upgrade!)

Monday, June 30, 2025

I was quite sleepy and skipped the hotel breakfast. My injury was also very aggravating. Eventually, I ate a banana, and we went to a coffee shop for a short amount of time. I also went to Rite Aid and grabbed some gauze and other supplies to dress my wound. Thrilling!

Back at the hotel, Jon worked out in the gym and worked for a bit downstairs, while I relaxed and listened to my audiobook. I had gotten myself in a bit of a funk. Jon later went to yoga again at the super hot studio (I didn’t wanna risk all the sweat and stuff with my fresh road rash), which gave me some more time to blog and relax.

He returned and showered, and then we went out to grab a bite at Boise Brewery. Once again, we had some super solid food. We started with the hummus, which included kalamata olives mixed in, and was topped with a garlic confit. It also came with chili crisp, which we mixed in. For our main dishes, we ordered the Patty Melt and the Bulgogi Bahn Mi, both of which we split.

Then, it was back to Mother Earth to work and vibe. They were even streaming Love Island. At 9, we went back to the hotel.

Whitewater Rafting at the Royal Gorge: I Was Terrified, Then I Loved It

‘DISTANCE FROM DENVER: ABOUT 2 HOURS

Jon and Lai in the raft on their first whitewater rafting adventure at the Royal Gorge

Another Bucket List Adventure

Another outdoorsy activity has been crossed off the bucket list: whitewater rafting! Jon and I recently went whitewater rafting for the first time, accompanied by three of our friends. Back in November, I got him a voucher for a trip through Giftory for his 30th birthday, as I knew it was something he’d been itching to do. On Sunday, June 15th, we went on a half-day trip with Raft Masters in Cañon City.

From Childhood Fears to Rafting Realities

Growing up, my dad went on a few whitewater rafting trips with different groups of guys, and he told us how scary and crazy it was. His trips scared me, and I hoped he would stop going. Who would’ve thought that 15 years later (give or take), I’d be embarking on my own rafting excursion. Not me!

Pre-Rafting Jitters

The night before the trip, Jon and I camped in the area to be close to the launch point for our whitewater rafting tour. When we went to bed for the night, I couldn’t stop the fears spinning in my head. My parents warned me about how dangerous it was, which definitely got in my head. I’m not saying it’s not dangerous, because it certainly can be, but my anxiety got the best of me. I wondered if my fear meant that I had some kind of intuition. That it could be a sign that I would die from this rafting trip.

There were a couple of thoughts that helped relax me, however. For one, a couple of our friends who were joining us had gone on rafting trips before. Plus, I love skiing in the winter, which can certainly be a dangerous sport. I needed to stop worrying that the rafting day would be my last.

The Calm Before the Splash

When we woke in the morning, I felt a lot better. We packed up camp and headed to town for breakfast, where we met our friends who had traveled there in the morning. After a fast breakfast, we threw on our water shoes and helmets and headed to the bus.

On the ride to the takeoff, one of the guides went over all the safety measures. Much like being on a plane, I worried I wouldn’t process everything enough and hoped I just wouldn’t have to worry about it. (Although when I am on a plane I usually tune it out and hope for the best 😬.) They also determined our raft groups. Jon, Hannah, Evan, Chris, and I were all in a group, led by Freck. The other guide led a group with a father and his young sons. It was pretty cool that our whole raft was people we knew.

Into the Rapids

As we got into the raft, we decided Jon and Evan would take the front row. Hannah and I were behind them, Chris was behind us, and Freck led from the very back. Freck went over how we should position our feet. I was on the left side, second row, and jammed my left foot into a crack in front, and the right foot behind. We practiced a couple of paddle strokes close to shore before setting off.

Once we were all set, we headed out on the flow of the river. Freck constantly updated us on what we were approaching and the difficulty levels. The first rapids were class 2, and they weren’t scary at all. It was so fun! This made me more comfortable about the class 3 and 4 rapids to come. As we went down the rapids, water splashed into the raft, a refreshing way to beat the intense heat. We were all smiling and laughing.

We paddled through a mix of rough rapids and calm stretches, which gave us time to catch our breath. It was nice to have more relaxing moments where we could talk and chill to break up the sloshing around. We learned the names of the many rapids, such as Sunshine Falls, Sledgehammer, and Grateful Dead Rapid.

The waters were at a medium level during our trip, which made the rapids super solid but less intense than they would’ve been a couple of weeks earlier. It felt like the perfect amount of thrill for me, as a newbie to the activity. We also learned that this rafting company isn’t allowed to run commercial tours if the rapids reach Class 5, due to the increased danger, which put my mind at ease.

Throughout the trip, our guide would call out cues for how to paddle, who should paddle, and how many strokes. For example, “Left forward 2” meant that those of us on the left side should paddle forward twice. “Back one” meant everyone in the raft should paddle backward once, and so on. We passed near the pumphouse, which we learned used to supply water to the city, and was abandoned in 1973. Thrilling and educational!

Embracing the Moment

The scenery on this trip was so sick. This part of the Arkansas River runs through the Royal Gorge canyon, which is so beautiful. We eventually passed under the iconic Royal Gorge Bridge. It was awesome! My fears had long dissipated, and I was having a blast.

I tried to engage my core and do everything I could to stay in the raft. I believe falling out is a pretty common occurrence while rafting, and not inherently a death sentence, but I just didn’t want to worry about the whole thing. Luckily, none of us fell out the whole time! We had one close call and a great save, but no actual falls. Go us!

Rafting Break + Cold Plunge

We eventually stopped at a spot to take a break from the rafting, where we could jump off a rock and into the water for a bit. I decided to take the jump. (It’s nowhere near as high or scary as cliff jumping at St. Mary’s Glacier, which I will never do again.) Jumping into the water was super fun, but left me shivering for a long time after. The water was freezing, and though the day was hot, I simply could not stop shaking.

Pulling Ashore and Regaining Our Land Legs

We rafted a little more to the endpoint, where we all disembarked. My right foot had fallen asleep, and it took me a minute to shake it out and get stability back in my legs. We all loaded on the bus and headed back to where we began our day with Raft Masters.

I loved my first whitewater rafting experience. It was so much fun! It had a perfect balance of thrills and comfort, and the Royal Gorge setting made it extra special. I would absolutely do another trip in the future, and I recommend those interested to check out Raft Masters.

Jon and Lai taking a selfie in the raft before setting off

I Used to Hate Running. Then I Ran the BOLDERBoulder.

DISTANCE FROM DENVER: HALF AN HOUR 😉

A selfie of Lai at the start of her first 10k

How I Ended Up Running the BOLDERBoulder 10K

This Memorial Day, I participated in the BOLDERBoulder, a popular 10K race in Boulder, Colorado. This iconic event has been held every year for the past 45 years, and is recognized as America’s All-Time Best 10K by Runner’s World Magazine.

I’ve Never Been Much of a Runner…

I was never much of a runner. Growing up, some of my friends would go for runs at the local track or around the neighborhood, and sometimes… I would join. But I didn’t particularly enjoy running. It just wasn’t my thing.

Cut to last Memorial Day. Jon and a few of our friends all ran in the BOLDERBoulder. I opted to go hang out and support them, rather than join in on the running. It did, however, seem like a super fun race. I was told that along the course of the race, people were handing out shots, and there was even a slip ‘n slide.

The BOLDERBoulder ends inside the University of Colorado Boulder stadium, where runners complete a lap around it to the finish line. I waited for Jon at the stadium as he ran the course.

From Walk-Jog to 6 Miles

After seeing how fun this seemed to partake in, I made it my goal to run the BOLDERBoulder myself in 2025. Despite my historic aversion to running, it seemed like a cool experience worth trying. So, around Labor Day, I began giving running a real try. (Jon and I had also been running the last little bit of many hikes we did that summer.)

I had to build myself up after dipping my toe in, starting by running for a few songs at a time and then taking breaks to walk in between. Once I had a few runs under my belt, I treated myself to a solid pair of running shoes and began running more regularly, aiming for once a week. I eventually reached a point where my minimum preferred run was 3 miles. Leading up to the race, I ran the 6.1-mile distance one time, while the majority of my runs were somewhere around 3-5 miles.

Waking Up and Lacing Up for My First 10k

On race day, Jon and I woke up around 5 am, got ourselves together, and made our way to Boulder. I put on some glitter freckles for a little bit of added fun. My group’s start time was around 7:15 am. Jon’s was before mine, as he was in a faster group. There was a chill in the air, and the sky was overcast, with rain on the horizon. The hope was that it wouldn’t come until the event was over.

Pressing Play and Hitting the Pavement

When the shot went off, it was time to start running. I had already started my Spring Run Vibes playlist a minute-ish before the set start time, so I wouldn’t have to worry. I started the tracking on my watch and began running alongside my crew.

After getting started, the doubt crept in. What did I sign myself up for? I thought. Sure, I’d run this distance before. It wasn’t like it was a half marathon, and I’d been running relatively often, but I still wondered how I’d manage the distance. Eventually, however, that feeling dissipated.

My pace went back and forth between fast-ish and a steady jog. I had spurts of motivation to run on the faster side, passing by other runners, interspersed with moments of slowing down. After my first mile, I saw on my watch that I had run it in 8:33 minutes. I had never run a mile that quickly before. Wow. I couldn’t believe it.

Rain, Shots, and Unicorns

The rain arrived after all. It started as a light mist, which honestly wasn’t so bad. It actually felt kinda refreshing. Soon, it turned into more defined drops, but it wasn’t heavily downpouring, thankfully. Some water got in my eyes, but it wasn’t so bad. Four songs in, “Unwritten” by Natasha Benningfield came on, which felt rather fitting. Yessss Natasha, I am, indeed, feeling the rain on my skin.

Throughout the course, many exciting elements made the race more fun. Yes, some people were handing out shots. No, I did not have any, because running after consuming alcohol sounds highly unpleasant. The booze was reserved for after the race. There were also various people playing live music, dancers, and of course, people holding fun signs and cheering on the runners. I remember a mom and her little girls dressed as unicorns, holding signs that said something about unicorn magic. It was so cute. All of these fun moments put a smile on my face throughout the race, making it all the more exciting. No longer was I questioning my choices. I was having fun, taking it in, and feeling proud of myself for being one of the runners.

The Final Stretch Through the Stadium

I ran and ran through Boulder, and before I knew it, I was in the home stretch. I approached the stadium among a swarm of other runners. This approach involved a slight incline. I’m so close. I couldn’t believe how fast the time had gone by. Soon, we were entering the stadium. Excitement was coursing through me.

We ran into the stadium and began the final push. It didn’t take long before I heard Jon, who had already finished, screaming my name and cheering me on. This gave me even more motivation and made me feel so good. As I got closer to the finish line, I pushed harder and gave it my all, running past a few runners in my swarm and through the finish line. I DID IT! I had to catch my breath. Then, I made my way inside to the post-race area, grabbing little cups of water and Gatorade that people were handing out near the entrance. The woman who handed me the Gatorade had to ask if I was okay, because I was breathing a bit hard. I was doing great.

I Did It!

My finish time was 55 minutes and 45 seconds. The one other time I ran 6.1 miles, it took me an hour and 7 minutes. My goal, my hope, was to finish the race in an hour or less. And I did it! I did it 12 minutes less than the last time I ran that distance. I was so, so happy!

Once inside, I quickly found Jon. The feeling I had was amazing. I was out of breath, but I was incredibly proud of myself. He gassed me up, as he does, which made me beam even more inside. We grabbed our little bags of treats, along with our free beer (yep, at like, 8 am). We chatted with a couple of friends who also ran once we found them, before getting the heck out of the stadium chaos and heading to brunch.

Post-Race Chill and Bloody Marys

The rain and cold were a lot more uncomfortable now that we weren’t running. We walked about 20 minutes to The Buff, where we put our name on the list. During the about 45-minute wait, Jon walked another 8 minutes to the car to grab our jackets.

Once we were seated for brunch, we ordered some drinks. Amazingly, they had a list of cocktails that were 99 cents. I enjoyed two Bloody Marys. (Sadly, they couldn’t make it a Bloody Maria at the 99-cent price.) For my meal, I ate the Buffaquiles.

When our bellies were full, we made the final walk back to the car and headed home. It may have been a gloomy day, but the BOLDERBoulder made it so much fun.

So, Maybe I Don’t Hate Running

I used to hate running. It wasn’t for me. But now, I have a 10K under my belt, and honestly, it was an amazing experience. I would love to participate in more races in the future, and I’ll likely run the BOLDERBoulder again. Maybe I’ll even get cRaZy 🤪and take a shot next time. We’ll see…

My Race Day Playlist

If you really want to put yourself in my shoes and get the full experience I had, here are the songs that played, in order, throughout my race.

Check Out My Run On Strava

Sunset Alpine Touring at Crested Butte: An Adventure to Remember

distance from denver: AROUND 4 HOURS

Gearing Up for My First Alpine Touring Adventure

I recently went on my first alpine-touring adventure at Crested Butte Mountain Resort! While I had previously skied St. Mary’s Glacier (a few times) and terrain off Berthoud Pass (once), this was different. During those earlier outings, I hiked up in hiking boots for St. Mary’s and ski boots at Berthoud Pass, so using a full touring setup was a completely new experience.

Jon got a touring setup last year and has done a few backcountry excursions. More recently, he started skinning at the resorts. After completing his first resort tour at Eldora, he enthusiastically told me I would love it. I was immediately interested.

🎿 Skinning refers to climbing uphill with “skins”—strips that stick to the bottom of your skis for traction.

Leading up to our recent trip to Crested Butte, Jon mentioned he wanted to do some sunset alpine touring at the resort. I was drawn in right away and called a ski shop in the area to inquire about renting a setup.

Touring setups differ from traditional ski setups in a few key ways, including the type of bindings and boots. A touring setup also includes skins. I was able to get a great deal at The Alpineer in town

Prepping for My First Tour

After checking into our hotel, we headed to the mountain, remembering to grab our headlamps. CB’s uphill policy allows skiers to skin up and ski in designated areas between 4:30 pm and 8:45 am. (Uphill access can vary by resort. Winter Park, for example, allows uphill access while the lifts are running.)

I got my boots on, ensured they were in walk mode, stuck the skins on my skis, and clipped into the skis. Jon helped me get the hang of my setup and clip in. With touring bindings, your heel is free during uphill ski mode, allowing you to climb more easily. There are also risers you can put down to raise your heels when climbing steeper hills.

Uphill Access: More Than Expected

We embarked on our sunset tour at 5:30 pm, climbing on the designated route as music was thumping from the base. We saw some others uphilling as well. Jon initially believed this would be a quick lap, as it didn’t seem we could go very far up. He even thought we might have time for two laps. Soon, however, we realized we could go much further than we initially thought.

Learning the Rhythm of Alpine Touring

Going uphill on skis is a very interesting experience. Jon advised me to slide the skis up rather than lift them off the ground. It definitely got my heart rate up, and it took some time to figure out, but it was really fun! Once I started to get more comfortable, I was feeling it. 😎

We climbed for a bit before Jon told me we had gained about 300 feet of elevation. I was having fun and feeling proud, but hearing we’d only ascended 300 feet bummed me out a little. Thankfully, time started to move faster as we climbed higher, and I couldn’t believe how quickly we gained elevation.

A Stunning Scene

The sun was setting, and the scene was beautiful. A hazy glow enveloped the mountains while orange crept into the sky. I couldn’t stop looking around and commenting on how cool this was. I must’ve said wow and oh my god a zillion times.

It was also pretty peaceful. Yes, there were other skiers out and about (but way fewer than during lift operations), and there were sometimes noises of snowcats, but it was still so calm and magical.

There’s something special about climbing up a mountain with skis on. I couldn’t help but think of when Jon talks about “earning your turns” while mountain biking.

🏔️ Fun Fact
The phrase “earn your turns” was coined in the 1970s by backcountry skiers who hiked up mountains to enjoy their hard-earned descents.

I love how touring uniquely combines hiking and skiing and adds a new twist to the resort experience. I felt very accomplished and happy as we continued our ascent. I excitedly mentioned that I could see myself getting into this. Jon knew I would feel this way.

From Skinning to Skiing

We finally reached the top of the uphill access, which is 1,661 feet of gain. This climb took us a total of 1 hour and 26 minutes–not bad! (See stats in the gallery below.)

It was time to transition. Of course, I had to snap some more pics before we did. I was starting to get chillier around this time. I had worn base layers, my melly, and my bib, with my gloves around my wrist. I felt pretty warm during the climb—almost too warm—but once we reached the top, I got cold, especially in my hands. Transitioning to downhill mode involved taking off my skis to remove the skins and then adjusting the bindings. The whole process took us about fifteen minutes (including taking our pictures).

We started the downhill portion of our adventure. I instantly felt super awkward. Since I wasn’t used to the bindings, I was a little shaky. The snow was also a bit crusty, in my opinion (it’s been a weird season). But I took it slow and steady, and I eventually felt more comfortable.

From ‘Wow’ to ‘Oops’

We skied and skied down pretty low-key terrain in the dwindling daylight. This is just so cool, I thought. The high didn’t last forever, though. Following the path down should’ve been easy, but we quickly got confused about the correct route and went the wrong way. We found ourselves at the bottom of the East River Express lift, and ropes were blocking the way down. Big yikes. So, after we had been skiing for 16 minutes, we had to skin a second time to get up and out of where we ended up.

I had been so blissful and excited when we were skiing. Unfortunately, our mistake made the whole thing take much longer than planned. I begrudgingly transitioned to uphill mode once more. At least it was more practice (I guess!). Exhaustion and frustration hit me hard.

An Extra Hour of Skinning (And a Mental Battle)

We had to skin for about another hour. Jon kept giving me progress updates, hoping to reassure me that we were almost there. All I heard was, “We still have to go up more”. My emotions were a little scattered. As the sky turned dark, sprinkled with stars, and the nearly full moon shone, I was caught between annoyance that we were still out at this hour and appreciation for how cool this was.

I decided we would need some beer when we were done, even though it was a Wednesday. We also realized that during our first downhill round, I completely forgot to switch my boots to ski mode, which could have certainly been another contributing factor to how awkward it felt.

At Last—The End of the Climb

Finally, after what felt like ten thousand years, we made it to the top of the Painter Boy lift, where a sign noted the way down to the base. When we got there, we began transitioning for the final time. This time, I made sure to flip my boots into ski mode.

A Run-In with the Snowcat Operator

We ran into a snowcat operator, who said we were not supposed to be there. We explained that we had made a mistake and expressed how sorry we were, and he was understanding. He even said he’d had to tell other skiers they were in the wrong place, so we weren’t the only ones. He wished us well and went on with his job.

The Final Descent—For Real This Time

We made our way down and back to the base. Thankfully, this took less than ten minutes. Boy, was I relieved to be off the mountain.

From Grumpy to Grateful

The whole activity ended up being 2,723 feet of elevation gain (remember when we thought it would be a short excursion?). It took us about 3.5 hours, meaning we didn’t return to the bottom until 9 pm. Phew!

We took off our gear and began walking back to the hotel, feeling so accomplished and breathing sighs of relief. Jon mentioned it was probably good for me to get that extra practice. He had also snapped some amazing photos of the starry night on the hill. Gotta find the silver lining! And what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger or whatever. Yes, I was a grumpy girl for a minute there, but it was an experience I will never forget.

A Bartender Saves the Day & Hotel TV

We had to figure out a dinner plan. Since it was past 9 pm in a small mountain town, most restaurants or bar kitchens had already closed. Luckily, a lovely bartender made an exception and allowed us to place a food order to-go. An angel in the flesh! She was so sweet (and she got a good tip). We enjoyed hazy beers while waiting for our food, which we brought to the hotel and ate in the common area.

Though it was late and we were exhausted, we still had to shower. Once we were cozy in our PJs, it was time for our favorite–hotel TV! We landed on House Hunters, a classic. Eventually, we switched the channel to Magnolia Network, where we enjoyed some Fixer Upper: Welcome Home. Despite being so tired, I was pretty invested in the outcome. We didn’t go to bed until around 2 am. It sure was a long day!

New Hobby Unlocked

So, would I go alpine touring again? You bet! I want to get a touring setup and do this more often. Before the chaos, I was really into it. Even during the chaos, I had moments of wonder. You live, and you learn!

As a newbie, I especially enjoyed being at the resort. I want to try backcountry trips at some point, but there’s a lot more risk involved. Resort uphilling feels a lot more accessible and safe. Plus, it was a fun new way to experience the resort. I look forward to getting more into uphill skiing and continuing to try ~all the things~ this side of the country has to offer!

Make sure you have a solid understanding of maps and where you can go! I definitely wouldn’t recommend going off-course. You are not allowed to, for one. We found the joy in the journey, but you kind of have to in these times. So if you’re going to be inspired, be inspired by trying new things and finding beauty in struggles, not in doing things you are not supposed to.

Rooftop Tent Trip #1: Wrapping Up Our Adventure (Days 15 & 16)

Our First Rooftop Tent Adventure series is coming to a close! We spent the final two days in Jackson, before bad weather led us to return home early. Despite the change of plans, we enjoyed ourselves as our trip was winding down.

Trip Diary Begins:

Wednesday, May 31

Once again, we slept in to get some extra snuggle time in. I was very sleepy. Then, we made our way to Jackson, Wyoming, encountering lovely mountain scenery on our drive. (The Tetons are spectacular.)

After a relatively uneventful day getting some work done, we went to dinner at Merry Piglets, a Tex-Mex restuarant. There, we had Spicy Huckleberry Margaritas, which were delightful. I love embracing huckleberry flavored things, which are quite popular in the Yellowstone area. (We just talked about the wontons with huckleberry dipping sauce at Slippery Otter Pub.) Our meal was pretty heavy, but boy did those margs hit the spot. We’ve since returned to Merry Piglets, and the margaritas were just as good as we remembered.

I noted in my notes app entry for the day that the town of Jackson is so cute. Once again, I stand by that (how couldn’t you though? If you’ve ever been to Jackson, you know). I’ve been back a couple of times since this first trip, and I love it there, especially in the summer.

Thursday, June 1

Switching things up from all our sleeping in, we woke up mad early. We arrived at Cowboy Coffee before it opened at 6 am. Once we were inside, I basically napped on Jon’s shoulder for awhile, before starting on my work around 7:30.

We made the tough decision to end our trip a little early because the weather got crappy. It was rainy and had even started storming. Though we wanted to spend more time exploring Yellowstone (I would have loved to see Grand Prismatic), it was the right call. It was cool that we even got to experience Yellowstone at all!

Scary Fact: Yellowstone’s geothermal features are beautiful, but incredibly dangerous. I remember falling asleep to a podcast once, and awakening to a horrifying discussion about encounters with these features that led to death or injury. The good news? Deaths and injuries are extremely rare. Just be smart and follow the instrcutions at the park! Don’t be a touron—for your own good.

We were pretty conflicted but both felt it would be good to just start heading home. Of course, we were still sad the trip was ending. It’s always bittersweet ya know? But in that moment, I belonged in the car eating White Cheddar PopCorners. There’s always next time—and we will be back!

Trip Reflection

So, that’ll do it with this series! Our first road trip with the rooftop tent was so amazing. We skied in Mammoth, which has become one of our favorite mountains, explored the Oregon Coast, went to a music festival, enjoyed an “average day“, and even saw a bit of Yellowstone.

Our rooftop tent has enhanced our adventures so much, and I can’t wait to do another 2-week+ road trip with it! We use it all the time in the summer and fall, and it will continue to be a staple of many journeys to come. I look forward to exploring more, experiencing more, and sharing more of these special moments.

Rooftop Tent Trip #1: A Taste of Yellowstone (Day 14)

We’re approaching the end of Our First Rooftop Tent Adventure! On Day 14, we bounced between Montana and Wyoming, explored a piece of Yellowstone National Park, and ate more delicious food.

Trip Diary Begins:

Tuesday, May 30

Feeling sleepy and not prepared to start our day, we snoozed the alarm multiple times. It was a sweet morning of prolonged cuddles and coziness. Eventually, it was time to get on the road once again. I stayed awake for a bit during the drive, but since I’m lucky enough to be a passenger princess most of the time, I got to sleep even more in the car.

We stopped at a coffee shop, where I had matcha and a burrito, and Jon ordered a bagel sandwich and a coffee. We listened to more of the Therapy Gecko podcast as we made our way to the Wyoming side of Yellowstone.

Fun Fact: Yellowstone is primarily in Wyoming, but a small percentage of the park is in Montana and Idaho.

As we drove through the park, we saw a ton of bison on the side of the road, which was super cool. I love seeing wild animals (and eating them — bison are delicious. Sorry!). We even saw some cute little baby bison. 👶🦬

We then enjoyed a lovely hike on Dunraven Pass. There was still a good amount of snow this time of year, and it was a bit later in the day, so we only hiked about half of it. Regardless, it was a beautiful hike, and the weather was quite pleasant.

Unsurprisingly, we found ourselves in some crazy traffic on the way out of the park. We also saw more bison (yum).

Back in Montana, we went to a restaurant called Slippery Otter Pub. We kicked things off with jalapeño wontons with huckleberry dipping sauce (they were 🔥), followed by elk and bison burgers (like I said, bison is delish).

It was time to find a camping spot for the night. The evening was rainy—moody, cozy, and atmospheric. We watched the series finale of Succession in the tent before going to sleep. It was the perfect cozy end to our day.

Rooftop Tent Trip #1: Chili’s & The Little Mermaid (Day 13)

It’s time for another post about Our First Rooftop Tent Adventure! This particular day was memorable for a different reason. Although we didn’t see any sights, it’s a notable memory from this trip. There’s something to be said about the joy of an “average” day, even on an exciting road trip.

Trip Diary Begins:

Monday, May 29

The time came to depart from the festival. We woke up around 9, used the bathroom, got packed up, and said goodbye to our friends before we hit the road again.

We drove about 3 hrs to Spokane and stopped at Planet Fitness to shower. As prep for our trip, we got PF memberships. This allowed us to easily shower at various places along our route.

One woman at the gym gave off some weird vibes, which seemed to confirm what we’d heard about Spokane. We met someone at The Gorge who lived in Spokane, and he mentioned there was a “heavy” feel to the area. (No shade to Spokane!) Maybe it was confirmation bias, but we thought something was a little off, and the unpleasant woman wasn’t helping. But hey, we all have bad days.

Okay, onto the good stuff. For lunch, we decided to go to Chili’s. Sometimes, the classic chain restaurants are just what you need. We started by ordering Presidente Margaritas. These margs come with a shaker so you can shake them at the table, adding a fun interactive element to the meal. For food, we got an appetizer trio and quesadillas. It wasn’t anything new or local to the area, but it truly hit the spot.

The perfect follow-up to a chain restaurant meal is going to see a movie. The live-action version of The Little Mermaid had recently come out, and I was super excited to see it. I don’t consider myself a Disney Adult™, but I do enjoy certain Disney movies (especially The Little Mermaid). I was curious to see how the underwater scenes would look, and I thought Halle Bailey was the perfect choice for Ariel. She literally looks like a princess, and she has a beautiful voice.

Jon and I both loved the movie. It was a magical, colorful, and fun-filled experience. The songs are so iconic, too! Jon especially appreciated the message of following your own path and listening to your heart, and I can’t argue with that. It was an absolute 11/10 film, and I highly recommend it. If you’re interested in checking out live-action Disney movies, please watch this one. I haven’t seen it since that first time in Spokane, but I’m craving another watch right now. Love, love, love!

After our wonderful time at lunch and the movies, it was time to get back on the road. Along the way, we stopped at a cool gas station in Montana. (It may have been the St. Regis Travel Center.) Yes, even gas stations can be cool sometimes.

We listened to The Therapy Gecko podcast during our drive (which I completely forgot about until working on this). It’s certainly a unique podcast, where a man with no professional qualifications gives advice to callers. Sometimes the advice is good, and other times I find it to be questionable. Oh, and he’s also dressed like a lizard, which you obviously can’t see if you’re only listening, but it’s part of his whole schtick.

In one of the episodes we listened to, he had an interesting conversation about living in the moment versus always looking for the next thing. That can definitely be hard to do sometimes, especially if you’re always planning your next trip like we are. But it’s a great reminder to slow down and be present.

Overall, this was a top-tier day. We didn’t ski, hike, travel the coast, or see live music, but we had a wonderful time enjoying simple pleasures. For this reason, this day stands out to me. I love that during a trip where we did so many exciting and new things, we also had a great time doing something typical of an ordinary suburban weekend. There’s a certain beauty in that—one I can’t ignore.

Rooftop Tent Trip #1: Memorial Day Weekend Music Festival (Days 11 & 12)

We’re making our way through Our First Rooftop Tent Adventure! In this post, I’ll be sharing the two days we spent at The Gorge Amphitheater over Memorial Day weekend for a music festival headlined by Illenium. This festival was actually what had initiated the whole plan for the trip. Jon’s friend, who lives in Seattle, had told him about it, and we decided it would be the perfect excuse to spend some time road-tripping west of Colorado.

Trip Diary Begins:

Saturday, May 27

We arrived in Seattle the previous day and stayed with Jon’s friend. We left his apartment around 9 in the morning to head toward the Gorge, making a few stops along the way (bagels, Safeway, etc).

Eventually, we got to the campground. We got ourselves set up and relaxed for a while before it was time for the show to start. When the time got closer, I began to change into my festival outfit and put on some makeup. I had bought a really fun beaded sheer blue skirt from iHeartRaves (which I went on to destroy in the washing machine…RIP), which I paired with a blue sequined bodysuit. Jon wore a fun Hawaiian shirt and shorts.

They had a few different food options in the campground, and I enjoyed some Thai curry.

When it was time for the show, we walked into the concert venue. Jon and I stayed through most of Tiesto’s set, before getting tired and heading back to camp. Unfortunately, there was no re-entry allowed after leaving the venue, so we wouldn’t have been able to go back in that night if we wanted. We didn’t see Illenium that night, but he’d be performing again the following night anyway.

Before we turned in for the night, we met some fellow concert-goers in the campground, who let Jon borrow a phone charger for a bit. Gotta love the festival friendliness!

Sunday, May 28

We woke up around 7 and Jon cooked us up some breakfast. Then we spent a lot of time sitting around before the shows started. The sun was beating down hard on us, which was very draining.

We made friends with our neighboring campers and played rage cage together. Jon and I needed to take a beat, so we went for a walk and got some Kona ice. It was a refreshing treat that was perfect for the heat.

Finally, it was time to get ready for the shows again. Obviously, I had a new fit for the day. I also put my hair in bubble braids and added some glitter to my look. I had brought some glitter gel, which Jon and I both used. We even shared some with our other friends and neighbors. It was a hit!

We went to the venue and ordered garlic parmesan chicken and margs and sat down to eat. We migrated to a different grassy area to chill during the set. (I do not remember, nor can I find who was performing at this time.) Later on, we moved down to the lower pit area for the rest of the show (Dabin & Illenium). This night, Illenium performed his throwback set.

A big moment for me was when a lovely girly gave me my first kandi, a beaded bracelet that’s a big part of EDM and rave culture. She asked me my sign, and handed me a Virgo themed bracelet while she walked me through the whole ritual.

The time came for us to head back to our car and turn in for the night. It was a long day (with a lot of sitting around and a lot of partying), so we were ready to be tucked away in the tent.

Rooftop Tent Trip #1: Skiing at Mammoth Mountain (Days 3 & 4)

It’s time for another installment of Our First Rooftop Tent Adventure! On days 3 & 4 of our first rooftop tent road trip, we had so much fun skiing at Mammoth Mountain. With plenty of spring snow, sunshine, and amazing après vibes, it was an unforgettable stop. We were even spoiled with a couple of nights at a hotel.

Trip Diary Begins:

Friday, May 19th

After a good night’s sleep, we woke up, packed up camp, and set off for Mammoth Mountain, just a short drive from our campsite. After arriving at the resort, Jon slammed his finger in the car door. Not fun! Luckily, this didn’t require a trip to urgent care. When we effectively sought a friend’s opinion (it’s great having a Physician Assistant friend; you know who you are), we decided that he would be fine, bandaged the finger, and got on with our day.

We started skiing around noon, dressed in Hawaiian shirts and jean shorts. It was my first time skiing in shorts, and I loved it. The weather was amazing, and our outfits were perfect for it! The slushy spring snow was super fun, and Mammoth had a lot of snow, especially for mid-May. They had about 30 runs open at this point. Skiing there was a blast and a half. This was also my first day skiing a wiggle, which was fun, even though I didn’t ski the entirety of the wiggle.

After a bit of skiing, we stopped back at the car and had lunch. Once we had eaten, we headed to the (fantastic) après at the Yoddler. It was so much fun! We each got an Aperol Spritz—one of the perfect après drinks, IMO.

That night, we were living the life of hotel luxury at the Motel 6. We checked in, relaxed, and freshened up before heading to a brewery for dinner. At the brewery, we ate yummy nachos and buffalo chicken flatbread. We returned to the hotel and had a chill night watching a little HGTV before bed. Enjoying the comforts of the hotel, we decided to book a second night.

Writing this now makes me wish I was on vacation again. No worries, just vibes, HGTV, and a hotel bed.

Saturday, May 20th

The weather was lovely again! I wore a different pair of jean shorts and a crop top, while Jon wore a tank and jorts. I also had my Mellanzana with me for the chillier moments. We even ~sorta~ got to ski through some trees, which was nice for this late in the season.

It eventually started raining. There was even a lightning warning! Because of the brief moment of ~weather~, we had to stop skiing for a hot sec, but it didn’t last long. We skied a couple more laps, bought some merch (obviously), and hit après again. This day was even more lit since it was a Saturday. The party had it all: champagne spraying, a guy doing yo-yo tricks, an older lady dancing on the table, and even a few dogs. Such a vibe! After we were done there, we went back to the hotel. We sat outside for a bit before deciding on a new brewery to go to. After we enjoyed our beers, we went to Roberto’s Cafe for dinner. I had beef taquitos and Jon had a carne asada burrito. We caught a stunning sunset before going to bed.

Toyota 4Runner is parked in a pine forest with a rooftop tent set up. A mountain bike is attached to the back, and camping gear, including a storage bin, is on the ground beside the vehicle.

Selfie of Jon and Lai in ski gear and tropical shirts in front of a large woolly mammoth statue at Mammoth Mountain. They are smiling, wearing helmets and sunglasses.