It's the fate of every trip.  You spend hours planning, researching, budgeting, and paying for a trip.  You have the ideal travel experience in mind.  The pictures and videos you watch depict beautiful images you're ready to see in person.  You. Are. Ready.

Mother Nature always has other plans.  Weather shows up and immediately starts to impact your thoughts on a day.  Rain, snow, wind, fog.  All of them begin to interfere with your expectations of your travel.  It can be difficult to navigate and can ruin an experience with the wrong mindset.

Mindset makes all the difference.  Whether you are feeling under the weather, or whether the weather impacts your plans, it all depends on how you view it.  You have the choice to let the weather decide how amazing a trip will be, or you set your mindset to having the best trip - no matter what.​

We set our minds to travel despite what could happen.  We've found ourselves in winter storms in the summer, and unexpected warm days planned for snowshoeing in the winter.  And yet, we still move forward and make the most of the experience in front of us!

It's also how to approach life. There are good days, and bad days, and slow days, and rough days.  It's your mindset that decides how you'll keep moving forward.  Life is an experience.  All of the moments, good, bad or otherwise, shape your journey and your adventures.   And the more you go forward, the more the good you find.  Which is exactly what we did when we found the largest statue tribute to the Underground Railroad in Battle Creek on an unexpectedly snowy day.  It's incredible. 

Don't let a little weather get you down.  You are meant to do amazing things.  Embrace everyday of the journey!  Start planning now for your next adventure.  Despite the weather, it's going to be amazing. 

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(We are Amazon Affiliates and make a small compensation from qualifying purchases so that we can continue to travel and teach about the world)

We headed out of London by train to a small costal town on the English Channel.  We were set to explore Dover, England.  Dover Castle and the White Cliffs were our first adventure across the pond.  

To set the scene, Dover sits at the narrowest point of the English Channel between England and France.  This location became the entry to England, and many battles between the Island and the mainland took place here.

The castle sits atop white cliffs made of natural chalk, giving them the name "The White Cliffs of Dover".  The cliffs became a natural defense against those crossing the channel.  The castle dates back to the 11th century, and was added on to become one of the largest castles of England.

Additionally, it served as a defense center through World War II.  Moden defenses of the time brought bunkers and radios underground.  Dover played key roles in a variety of WWII battles. (You can see the bunkers.  It's a tour we did not know about until we got home.  Highly recommend to find it!)

We spent a couple of hours walking around the castle, before beginning the hike out to the White Cliffs.  We found ourselves along narrow roads with winding curves.  The English countryside is incredibly beautiful, but can be tricky at times to navigate on foot.  We try to save a lot of money, so walking it was.

You can drive to the entrance of the cliffs, pay a fee to park, and walk along the top of the ridge.  This is an easier hike that allows you to see the cliffs and enjoy their beauty.

​We did not do that.

The other hike you can do asks you to follow the trails along the edge of the cliffs.  You find yourself traveling up and down steep climbs and narrow paths.  The edge is close, and the pictures are worth it.  But we do caution you.  The hike is incredible.  Know your own limitations and be mindful of the edge to keep yourself safe.  You hike at your own risk across the cliffs.  

One of the paths takes you to a secluded rock beach.  You do have to time it correctly, as the tide coming in and out makes traveling down the ladder a little tricky.  Once you step on the beach, look around.  You are now on the edge of hundreds of years of history.  

In front of you spans the English Channel.  The shipping lane that connects to multiple parts of the world.  Countries have crossed this channel for years attempting to explore, conquer, trade, and change the world.  Adventures swimmers make the trek across the channel to be part of the fame.  Swimming the channel is a challenge that that chosen few take in order to put their names in history.

Looking up, the wall of England is at your side.  Buried into the walls are tunnels, bunkers, and secret passages used for years to protect the shores of England.  Men dedicated country spent their lives digging, living, and protecting the shores from those who sought to destroy it.  

The hike ends at a lighthouse, which has food and small tokens available for purchase.  And when you sit on the edge, in the modern world, you just might get a message on your cell saying "Welcome to France".  You are that close to the next country.

Hiking out was a little simpler, as you can stay along the ridge and watch the cliffs come and go in front of you.  They change as you walk, and you realize you change a little bit as well.  As cliffs and the castle sit in front of you, and you get the chance to marvel at how the two coexist as part of England's history.

And if you're lucky enough, look down after your hike.

History covers your shoes, and you get to take just a little bit of it with you on the way out.

We are asked often how we afford to travel.  We are both teachers, with the number of responsibilities that comes with adulting.  Yet, we do everything we can to budget travel.

The New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia is a hidden gem in the traveling world.  Located in the center of West Virgina, this is an up and coming area of history, outdoor travel, and natural beauty.  

We were drawn to the area by the Bridge Walk, which the cost was covered as a Christmas gift.  The Bridge Walk is a unique experience only found one other place in the world, in Australia.  Read more about it in the link below.

What we hadn't anticipated was the wonder and beauty West Virgina had to offer.  We decided it's a state that gets highly underrated.  Every road, every turn demonstrated another incredible view.  While the drive is slower paced than most states due to the curves, it helps to relax and sing "Take Me Home, Country Road" on repeat.

In our exploration of the New River Gorge Area, we found numerous free places to explore.  Hawk's Nest offers incredible views of the New River Gorge area. 

 While there, make sure to visit the ghost town of Thurmond.  The road out to the old town is lined with waterfalls along the river you follow.  While there, you step into history, as the abandoned town has left relics of its coal mining past.

​Make sure you take your National Parks Passport as you can get multiple stamps from the area! (See our button below!)

The accommodations are affordable, and various rent by owners or hotels offer prices for every budget.  In addition, camping is popular.  The New River Gorge area is famous for its white-water rafting, which can be an additional expense if you're interested and willing!

Take time to plan your trip now.  The Bridge Walk does book up, and you'll want to get your days in so you can budget your trip.  It's a drivable destination, and worth your travel time!

It's coming.  White, cold, and ready to make its appearance this winter.

Here comes the snow.

Edged by Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, and Lake Huron, the Upper Peninsula has a beloved relationship with snow. So much so, that the Keweenaw Road Commission maintains a "Snow Thermometer", tracking the white stuff that falls every year.  This attraction boasts the record of being the world's largest snow thermometer.  It's website also holds claim to being one of the original website domains on the internet!

Traveling here, you can find records of snowfall the Upper Peninsula has both maintained and broken over the years.  (Interestingly enough, this year was the first year on record the UP did not have snow on Christmas.)  Snow is essential to the UP and provides the opportunity for Yoopers to break records themselves.

One of those records broken hails from Iron River, a small town south of the Snow Thermometer.  A Yooper Native, Nick Baumgartner, became the oldest Olympian in his sport to win a gold medal in the 2022 Snowboard Cross Olympic games.  He not only embraced the snow in the Upper Peninsula, he became a part of it's history.

Snow goes a long way to set records and break them.  It may not break a record every year, but it consistently comes, falls, and tries again.

Be persistent like Yoopers and snow.  Continue to come back to your dreams over and over again to set your own records and break them.  Travel to find new places, find new dreams, and set new records. 

There are no limits.

Break your own records and enjoy the snow along the way.

Read about Nick's journey from the UP to a Gold medal.  Click above to find his book and Olympic fun!
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The party is over and 2023 is behind us.  Time to bring in the New Year and the new you!  Resolutions galore!  It seems like most people are in a hurry to get rid of the things they don't want.  This may include things in their life that may have become old, out of date, or just not useful anymore.   

Lakenenland, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, asks you to pause on that type of thinking.  Located in the Marquette area, Tom Lakenenland has created an incredible place to stop and visit to reflect on what you can do with the scraps of old in your life.

Using what people would consider "junk" metal and scrap iron, Lakenenland is an outdoor art museum created by Tom Lakenen himself.  His talent allows things that would have been put out with the old as useless, to have new life.  Suddenly, old becomes transformative art, invoking discussion as people wander the trail through the woods.  

An avid hiker can find this hike along the North County Trail.  A welcomed stop, Tom has created a warm and inviting environment for travelers to take a break and enjoy his work.  Those looking for an adventure through the woods in the Upper Peninsula, Lakeneland has fishing ponds, a bog walk, and even a playground!

Unlike modern art museum's, this outdoor art show allows families of all ages to enjoy it's creativity.  It's free and open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  

It's a brand-new year.  And we are eager for the new adventures that lay ahead.  However, along the way, we are going to look back at things that might seem old or outdated and give them new life.   

Stay Tuned.  It's going to be a great year!

Happy 2024! And let us know if you've been or are planning to go to Lakenenland!