After exploring the Furnace Creek Inn, Ranch and Visitor Center, we made our way over to the Borax Museum, a small, slightly cramped, museum decorated with wall-to-wall antiques and historical items about the Harmony Borax Works (later called the Pacific Borax Company). Entrance to the Borax Museum is free with a $2.50 printed guide available […]
Author: Andrew & Allison
Death Valley Day Four Part I: Furnace Creek Inn & Ranch, Golf Course, and Death Valley National Park Visitor Center
We got up late that morning; all of us were incredibly tired from our hike the previous day! We planned to spend the first half of this day exploring Furnace Creek Inn and Ranch, as well as the National Park Visitor Center. Don and Donna, ready to go! Furnace Creek Inn has always been one […]
Lowest Point in North America at 282 Feet Below Sea Level – Badwater, Death Valley National Park, California
We woke up early that morning and prepared for our hike to the lowest elevation point in North America at 282 feet below sea level, Badwater Basin! Dad and Andy had studied the maps and did as much research as humanly possible to figure out where this exact spot was. As you will read below, […]
Death Valley Day Two: Fall Canyon Hike & Stovepipe Wells
We woke up early the next morning to prepare for our hike. My father had proposed two possible hiking routes for us. One was what he deemed “technical,” which, after further questioning, we learned meant “lowering Mom into a dry fall.” Apparently my parents had done this hike previously and the completion of it necessitated […]
Death Valley Day One: Las Vegas and Driving to Death Valley National Park
Andy and I left very late/early (depending on how you look at it) on Wednesday the 11th/Thursday the 12th. My father, who is an avid Death Valley hiker (see below), instructed us to fly into Las Vegas (through Seattle), as the drive to Death Valley National Park was only about a two hour drive from […]
Snowy Hike Up Angel Rocks
This past weekend, Andy and I went on a snowy and very very cold hike to Angel Rocks with our friends Alex and Ethan. Angel Rocks is a very popular hiking trail about 45 minutes from Fairbanks along Chena Pump Road. We always finish off Angel Rocks with a soak in the Chena Hot Springs. […]
Loving Alaska, Even in the Winter!
Alaska is truly a beautiful place. I know I say that a lot but I am so often awed at its beauty that even the same landscapes, mountains, and piles of snow I see each day make me feel so blessed to live in such a beautiful state. There’s an unfortunate assumption that Alaska’s allure […]
Honeymoon Day 17: Saying Goodbye and Saying Hello
Saying goodbye to Greece was very difficult. It was a beautiful and unique country, with loving and inviting people. The food, hospitality, and history was humbling and amazing. It was particularly hard for Don, as he had to say goodbye to his homeland. At the Athens airport. Despite his smile, he was not happy to […]
Honeymoon Day 15 & 16: Corfu Part II and Back to Athens!
Andy and I woke up that morning and meandered down to the hotel dining area for breakfast. They had a gorgeous spread with fruit, pastries of all different kinds, cereals, eggs, and a variety of meats. The breakfast area was like a restaurant with beautifully laid out tables with table cloths, china tea cups and […]
Honeymoon Day 14: Corfu Part I
The next morning we got up and checked out of our beautiful hotel. It was hard to say goodbye to Kalambaka and the gorgeous monasteries. I wish we had more time there, but we had to make it to Corfu that evening. We drove from Kalambaka to the Port of Igoumenitsa, about 2 hours away. […]