Just Go.

Long drives have never really bothered me. In fact, road trips will always be my favorite. I still vividly remember our family drives when I was younger, from Washington to Mexico and back. We would pack our van to the roof, fit our family of six, and jump on the road before sunrise.

It was probably my first taste of travel. I’d stay awake for as long as dad would stay awake, and my eyes would widen at the site of endless scenery…from mountains, forests, and deserts to evergreen trees and saguaro cacti. But my favorite memory was driving into the night and staring into a giant sky cloaked with billions of stars.

Fast-forward to today — I still find myself craving the road and searching for random destinations. So I do exactly that.

But in sharing these moments with the world, whether it be through this blog or Instagram, I have noticed a pattern in people’s reactions. The most frequent being…I don’t have time to travel, how do you do it? I’m strapped to an office job for 40 hours a week; it must be nice to have a job that lets you travel as much as you do. You must be making bank ($$$).

The truth is, I am no different than you, I am not always traveling, and I do not make bank (though it would certainly be nice). Just like you, I work 40 hours a week and have the weekends to do as I please. The only difference is that I like to maximize my weekends, take full advantage of my paid time off, and live within my own means (but this subject deserves its own blog post).

On a Friday night, you can find me packing a bag and driving into the night. Other times I feel like sleeping in, and I don’t leave my home until Saturday or Sunday morning. But there are also times when I become a complete homebody and choose to Netflix and Chill (and Pizza) through an entire weekend. It really just depends what my mind and body desires.

But I’ve learned not to let miles and hours intimidate me. I’m okay with taking a 4-hour drive only to watch the sunset, then drive back. I’m okay with driving into our neighboring state if it means spending the weekend embraced by a new environment. And I’m okay with losing sleep and driving all night, just to be back in time for Monday at the office.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that there are so many flavors of travel that can be done in a single weekend. It all boils down to how you’re willing to adjust your time for the sake of doing what you love. Perhaps it is time to start measuring trips in moments instead of miles. Think of it as an adventure. Just go.

Below is a compilation of photos from one of those weekends. We only had a Sunday to ourselves, but we chose to drive 3.5 hours to spend the day in one of my favorite locations of the Olympic National Park. And it was exactly what our mind was craving for…

…the road, coffee, and the great outdoors! How do you like to spend your weekends?

Love & Adventure,

Denise

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HURRICANE HILL, OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
(Hurricane Ridge)

The day was cloudy and misty.

This was our first time doing the Hurricane Hill Trail. I highly recommend it! It’s a short, easy hike, and the views are unbeatable.

A good portion of this trail is paved. But we chose to walk off the beaten path…

…and right back onto the paved trail.

It was so foggy that day. But I’ll take it…I love fog :)

The higher up the hill, the sunnier it became.

Snow in the summer.

And the wildlife! Spy the chubby marmot below :)

This trail connects to other trails along the way.

We stayed on the main trail, but only after play :)

10-second timer for the win…

I could stare into the heart of the mountains for daaays, and would never grow tired of doing so.

It was there that I was kissed by a rainbow…And it was EVERYTHING. Rain and Sun were never as magical…

We drove home feeling re-energized and ready to welcome another week. Incredible what a few hours of Vitamin N can do to the soul :)

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Stay curious, wild hearts!

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