Our Great Western Adventure—Living Dreams, Honoring Thirty Years, and Doing It Now

The Beginning of a Trip of a Lifetime- Mount Rushmore

Why Not the Coast or the Caribbean?

As our thirtieth wedding anniversary approached, Kevin and I knew we wanted to commemorate the occasion with a trip.

“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.”- Seneca

Thirty years is a long time, and we’ve each banked over fifty years of living. But in the scope of the universe, our lives are barely a speck—while what we still yearn to do is boundless.

The more we age, the more this feels true. That’s what inspired a trip filled with experiences and escapades, rather than “rotting” on a beach. I say rotting metaphorically, but in truth, our aim was to energize, not decay. Our typical summer vacations are reliably beach-centric; not a coincidence that it’s a place I go to in my head when I need to escape. There is great value in soaking up sunshine and peace, but that’s not what this trip was destined to be.

I was also on a mission to knock off some bucket list items, and Kevin was up for the challenge. He’s generally amenable to my crazy ideas, and sometimes even excited about them, too. Why not roll this all up into one great adventure? I’m not waiting around for someday to live a rich life.

Someday isn’t a guarantee. Someday is today.

The Road to the Great Western Adventure

The planning of this trip was a joint venture. I brought the overall vision—a drive that took us from Iowa through the northwestern states and looped back through Colorado and Nebraska. I gave Kevin a loose itinerary, and he made the overnight arrangements. Our accommodations would include a mix of starlit camping and downtown city lights. Activities would comprise our favorite things—hiking, kayaking, breweries, books, experiencing new things, nature, and stunning scenery. I’m glowing just reliving it in my mind.

My bucket list includes travel to all the United States, and I added six on this excursion. We hit four National Parks—Yellowstone, Glacier, Olympic, and Rocky Mountain. Two other destinations were on my bucket list—Mount Rushmore and Shoshone Falls. I could write a book just gushing about these experiences alone.

Camping was actually on my bucket list, as well. I’d never camped as a kid. Kevin is not a fan of roughing it, so we’d never gone camping in our adult life. He wasn’t stoked about this part, but he humored me.

Mountains and Magic

Our outdoor activities were a nature enthusiast’s dream!

At Yellowstone, in late June, we experienced sun and warmth, rain, and a blizzard, like a whirlwind of all the seasons. And Old Faithful? She didn’t disappoint—faithful, as promised.

We took a boat ride, hiked, and shopped at Glacier. Going to the Sun Road was terrifying, exhilarating, and breathtaking all at once. I can’t even put words to the majesty!

Camping at Olympic, our truck tent overlooked a forest brook with a visiting doe and two curious fawns. We snuggled in, read, and played cards while lulled by the pitter-patter of rain. In the morning, we kayaked on the still lake, ensconced among mountains draped in clouds. The Hoh Rainforest at Olympic is a lush, green paradise where I imagined fairies and sprites hiding among the moss and mushrooms.

Rocky Mountain had a completely different topography and rustic beauty. Our home for the night was the most charming tiny 1930s cabin by Shadow Mountain Lake.

One of my goals, at the mercy of nature, was to see “all the animals”. Although Kevin was sure we were going to die by bear attack, the only glimpse we got was two black bears lumbering away into the forest. We did see mountain goats, various deer and elk, a friendly marmot, birds-a-plenty, bison, and elusive moose. And hilariously, we were held hostage on a hill in a cemetery by a herd of big horn sheep.

I’m a master planner, so we feasted by campfire, picnicked, and enjoyed our fill of s’mores.

Nothing screams nightlife like a glow-in-the-dark room and drinks!

City Lights, Vibrant Nights

In stark contrast to the quiet energy of nature, the cities were alive with vibrant culture and art, constant motion and manmade wonders. We visited Deadwood, SD, Spokane, WA, Portland, OR, Boise, ID, Seattle, WA, and took a ferry from there to Bainbridge Island.

Again, I could fill many pages gushing about the indulgent food, breweries, quaint shops, and wonders of the cities. Of note, Pike Place Market in Seattle was a treasure trove of everything anyone could ever want! I think we could have explored for days and still not experienced everything—so many sights, sounds, smells, people. If you’re wondering how I didn’t have a panic attack, wonder no more. I did. But it was worth it. I recovered and somehow managed to bravely ascend the Space Needle. Another noteworthy spot for a book nerd (or literally anyone) was Powell’s Books in Portland, OR.

One of my favorite city activities was just wandering the streets and letting ourselves get “lost”. Not entirely! I mean, we aren’t that adventurous. But the buzz of city life and just sampling what called to us felt so free and lively. Like the parks, but in a completely different way, each city offered a diversity of vibes and discoveries.

Oh, and we found Waldo! You see everything in Seattle.

What Happens When You Release Control

Throughout our time, we resolved to be unattached to outcomes. As much as we had planned where to go and the major things we wanted to accomplish, we were equally prepared to roll with anything that arose.

The funny thing is, everything seemed to fall into place. Our patience and adaptability never seemed to be challenged. Perhaps that was luck or maybe being relaxed and embracing the unknown just served us well. We really savored every moment.

I have to admit, the very first night my confidence in our resilience wavered. Day one was a long one, stopping to visit Kevin’s mom and a couple of sights on our way up through South Dakota. We arrived at our campsite at nearly 8 p.m., still needing to pitch camp. The anti-camper was on the edge. Then we discovered a hole in our air mattress; I held my breath. Alas, we started dinner, cracked a brewski, and my darling rallied. We laugh about it now, because the rest of the trip was perfect.

It Wasn’t Just About Travel: The Bigger Picture

There were several takeaways from this trip, beyond the glory of travel. So many things during this ten days blew my mind!

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”—Oliver Wendell Holmes

This concept is so real! It’s not only travel that can affect us in this manner. Everything that’s new to us changes our brains, but travel is an exceptional way to enrich life.

We discovered that national park people are some of the nicest people. We met people from other walks of life and other countries. And oh, the dog people!

Witnessing the differences in topography across our country firsthand is so much more impactful than consuming a book in geography class. We learned by just looking things up as we drove: what are the fields of yellow across the Pacific Northwest states? Why did it smell like Chinese food on the interstate by Boardman, Oregon? What is an Indian taco? I kept so many notes.

To choose one standout memory of the many—Mount Rushmore brought me to tears. Literally. This was one of our first destinations, and I just started to cry. The history and meaning, of course, is noteworthy, but the tears came from realizing I was seeing it with my own eyes. Standing there, at 51 years old, I’d believed that this, among other things, were things that I wasn’t meant to experience in person. As a child and well into adulthood, with limited vision, I believed these were things “people like me” didn’t get to do.

This was a lesson that took way too long to absorb. Nobody should live in a box labeled “People Like Me.” You have to call your shot and make it happen. Nobody is going to do it for you, and you don’t need permission.

You don’t get time back. Adventures don’t have to wait for retirement or until this or that falls into place. I decided not to wait for someday. A meaningful life is built by intentionality.

This is Just the Beginning…

The year 2025 was a year of abundant travel. My heart is full as I consider the opportunities that made that happen. For me, opportunity looked like a Spring Break that aligned for a family visit to my daughter’s in North Carolina, this 30th anniversary trip begging for adventure, our daughter being sworn in to federal court as an attorney necessitating another trip east, a work conference in Nevada that I turned into a Lake Tahoe and Donner Party Museum adventure, and ending with a storybook family Christmas in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Travel can even be in your backyard—check out McGregor, Iowa.

Be assured that there will be future blogs with more adventure—stories from National Parks, favorite hikes, unexpected moments, campfire meals, and experiencing Tahoe (note: two new states for the bucket list).

The Takeaway

I’ve found so much joy this year in living life to the fullest. Is every moment blissful? Absolutely not! We do have real life to live and jobs to work. But as hard as I work, I play just as hard and with a heart full of gratitude.

Above all, this trip taught me that I can make things happen when I prioritize it. I’ve resolved to live my values, the most important of which are my family (always number one), my wellness, and honoring nature and the forces that sustain us.

My wish is for us all to live well. I hope you find some inspiration from my stories to stop and smell the roses. But, for real!

No roses to smell? Plant some!

Twinflower