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Road Trip to Boone NC

In March Winnie-dog and I went on a weekend road trip to Boone, NC.

Our first stop was Blowing Rock. I wanted to see the famous geological formation called The Blowing Rock, pictured below. Normally there is a great view of the mountains but the fog rolled in and there were no views. The good thing is that there wasn’t anyone around; we had the park to ourselves.

We walked through the trails and pathways.

As we drove over to Grandfather Mountain, I was hoping to drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway but it was socked in with fog. It was scary to drive the twisty turny road and opted to go back to Boone, and drive to Grandfather Mountain the longer way.

We drove up to the top of the mountain and it was foggy, windy and rainy. We passed Forest Gump curve and parked.

We walked around in the fog and then I went up to the famous swinging bridge.

No views again, but it was okay. I know I’ll be back.

As we exited the road we stopped and hiked around the nature trails. Winnie needed a lot of help in and out of the car, but as soon as she got on the trail she found her legs and we took a long hike.

We went to the hotel and had a great room with a comfy bed while watching the forecast of incoming wind and rain. I was hoping to stay two nights but I got nervous with the forecast and we left for home in the morning. We drove through a vacant Boone and App State campus. It’s such a beautiful mountain town. I knew I would be back to see this place in all its summer glory.

This ended up being Winnie’s last road trip. She passed away two months later. I’m so glad we got to hang out for two days, see the world, and hike some trails in North Carolina.

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Things To Do Before You Die, updated again

I’m feeling reflective and I find this post, Thing to do before you die, updated.

And then I find this: Let’s just see if dreams come true, post. My dreams are about pushing my limits, seeing new places, and adopting more dogs. (Oxford comma intended)

I’m looking at houses on real estate websites and find a perfect cabin in the woods, somewhat close to Great Smoky Mountain National Park. A cabin in the woods has always been my dream. As much as living in Montana.

I’m reaching a point where I want to go back to that list I created as a senior in high school. Things I want to do before I die. Who thinks of these things at 18 years old living in New Hampshire? Apparently me. Goal oriented, fast thinking, decision maker; often not thinking of consequences.

Here’s my updated list:

  • Be a member of a church
  • Cabin in the woods
  • Visit Italy and Spain
  • Finish a 100 mile running race
  • Complete a Marathon in every state
  • Finish Ironman Florida

When I think about the original list. There are a few things I remember about that original list.

I remember: being a member of a church, log cabin in the woods, be married, have a child, Mount Whitney, AT, triathlon, live out west.

A few of these I can still do.

Today, in 2025 I don’t want to travel internationally until our government is restored and a sane president is elected. I can do everything on the original list except be married and have a child. I’ve lived out west. But maybe this is my time to be a member of a church and buy a cabin in the woods.

I’m a lover of lists and dreams and plan and possibilities.

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Best things of 2024 – In retrospect

Reflecting on the best things of 2024, here are my best thoughts and actions from 2024

I love trip planning and making my dreams come true. I planned some good ones in 2024. Places I traveled to: Little  Rock, Memphis, Whitefish, Banff, Glacier National Park, Missoula.

Realizing that I’m good at my job and and I’m not here to make people like me. 

Realizing that I might just stay here for a while. 

Finishing the Philadelphia marathon.

Buying a Wahoo trainer so I can ride inside. 

Driving the Cades Cove Loop in Great Smoky Mountains National Park  

What am I doing when I am my favorite self? The answer: when I’m on a trail in the woods, whether hiking or running. Most of the time I’m scared and can’t wait to get home, but my favorite self is out there reaching a goal such as getting to the summit, and hiking fast or running to get there, and then get back home safely. I like being an outdoorsy person who knows how to dress in layers to stay warm. I like doing amazing things outdoors. This is my favorite self. 

I also really like going to work and I like the work I do. I like doing all the tasks I do from project planning and coordination to strategy and master planning. I like all the things coming at me at once and making a plan from chaos. I just have to remember not everyone likes the same things I do, and they don’t approach problem solving like I do. 

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Monument Valley March 2025

I’ve been writing this post for a month. I’m still processing everything I saw. But also, simply, it was such a great few days to travel across the country (although flight problems delayed me one day). I have been consumed with all of life’s problems in government, work, dogs, and so many things that don’t matter; but do. I’m flip flopping. And couldn’t complete a thought. But unexpected change, makes things more clear. I’m finishing this and here it is:

I want to tell you about Monument Valley in Arizona. I want to tell you what I saw and how I felt about it. Here it is. Finally.

For more than 10 years I’ve been wanting to visit Monument Valley. I’ve seen pictures and read articles about why it’s one of the top places to see. I’ve been to places all around it: drove through Kayenta, Four Corners Monument, Page. But never through Monument Valley. 

The first week of March, I flew to Arizona and headed north to Monument Valley.

I’ve driven this route several times: the Phoenix airport to Highway 17 North to Flagstaff. For trips and to get somewhere. Many times I’ve gone this route.

By exit 322 I finally feel like I’m out of the desert and into the mountains and Ponderosa Pines. These Ponderosa give this area a different feel and I can see San Francisco Peaks in the distance; the elevation is now 7,000 feet. It’s getting cooler, and there is snow on the mountain peaks. I am looking forward to stopping in Flagstaff for food then continuing northeast to Monument Valley

I get to Monument Valley and I’m in a red, painted desert. 

I checked into the View hotel and love the newness of the hotel. The view from my room of the valley had amazing views: Mitten Buttes (East and West), Merrick Butte, Three Sisters, Totem Pole, and Ear of the Wind.

The next morning I woke early, knowing that I was not going to run the trail race in the Navajo Tribal Park, which was the original reason for coming here. I instead hike to a rocky peak about a mile from the hotel and watch the sunrise over Homan Valley.  I just sat and looked at the landscape and the color. 

Later I drove to the Navajo National Monument and walked the trail to Betatakin Overlook. 

The desert southwest – captivates me.

I picked a great week. The following week, weather came in and this happened.

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Winnie-dog 2013-2025

I adopted Winnie during a 4th of July weekend 2013 in Tucson at a Petsmart Adoption event from the Tucson Humane Society. I knew the shelters were overcrowded and heard about the adoption event. I really wanted a 2- or 3-year-old dog to keep my other dog, Daisy company. At lunch I drove over to take a look around. There were puppies! I asked to pick up the tan one, and fell in LOVE.

I told them I would come back after work to pick her up. And she was FREE. I went back to work, took a half day, and went to get her. It was total chaos for a year. Chewed sofas, ruined carpet, aching back as she pulled me on every walk. Winnie and Daisy.

The best moments with Winnie happened after moving to Colorado; she learned to swim and run free on trails. It gave me so much joy to watch her  swim and run free on hiking trails, after the Tucson desert.

In 2017 we all moved back to New Hampshire. After Daisy died, Winnie and I started hiking in the White Mountains, in the fall and then into winter. In total, Winnie bagged 10 4,000 footers in New Hampshire. 

I adopted sweet Goldie-dog right before the pandemic and the three of us hiked together on the trails on Concord, NH.

In 2022 we moved to Tennessee and finally bought a house with a yard for Winnie to soak in the sun, dig and watch the world. 

I think Winnie loved the years she was an only dog. But she also loved every dog in the pack. As she slowed down, she loved looking out the window to watch the Fed Ex truck and kids riding bikes and critters passing in front of the house; and bark at them like all the other dogs.  

9/9/2018 – Winnie bags her first 4,000 footer, Hale

September 2018 – Mount Eisenhower, NH:

November 2019 Winnie and Goldie – Moosilauke, NH 

She spent her final days with her brother Chet, and sister Goldie. She swam in the Little Pigeon River in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and drove around Gatlinburg with her head out the car window. 

Thank you to the great staff at the Sevier County Humane Society for your kindness and care today.

The best dog in the world. 
Winnie Stats:

Total Road Trips: 3 Tucson to Colorado, Colorado to New Hampshire, New Hampshire to Tennessee

States Lived:  4 Arizona, Colorado, New Hampshire and Tennessee

Houses: 8 (Tucson apartment, Hot Sulphur house, Tabernash house, Rye house, Concord apartment, Gatlinburg cabin, Gatlinburg apartment, Sevierville house)