About a month ago, we returned from Glacier National Park. For those who haven’t ventured that far northwest, it’s located in the upper part of Montana, right on the Canadian border. The park is considered a peace park since it extends across the border into Canada, which is a fascinating concept. It really makes me reflect on the possibilities of being neighbors with Canada. I’m inspired to cross over and explore more incredible places that I can check off my map.
For now, I’m grateful for the hikes we completed during our trip. Our time in Glacier was amazing, with perfect weather throughout. The hikes we accomplished could have been challenging if we hadn’t chosen the right time to visit and if we hadn’t had many overcast days. Here are the hikes we tackled:
We initially planned to do the first three, but we added Siyeh Pass after hearing rave reviews from rangers and fellow hikers. Over the course of the week, we hiked more than 30 miles! We were treated to breathtaking views, spotted numerous marmots, and enjoyed an abundance of beautiful wildflowers. I have so much to share about this experience, and I can’t wait to tell you more. It truly became one of my favorite parks, and I want to share everything we discovered.
Next up: Avalanche Lake!
The past few months have felt like a whirlwind. I’ve settled into my new job, which definitely keeps me on my toes—never a dull moment and always something new. Soon, we’ll be testing equipment in the van to ensure I can work while I’m out exploring the West again. If all goes well, Lylah and I will be back on the road, embracing the freedom of adventure. We’re both thrilled to get back out there! While having a home and routine is nice, this past year off has intensified that travel itch.
Once you catch the travel bug, it’s hard to shake. This time, we’re trying something different: we’ll be stopping at ski and snowboard resorts in the West for a bit of a tour. Dad is joining us, and I can’t wait to explore those spots and improve my snowboarding skills. For him, it’ll be an exciting chance to shred some fresh powder and check out the places you’ve recommended.
We’re still finalizing our itinerary, but I’m eager to discover what’s out there. If anyone has recommendations, I’m all ears! I’m particularly hoping to explore more of Oregon, so please share any thoughts on must-visit places.
In a few weeks, I’ll be heading back to P.A. for a quick weekend getaway. I’m really looking forward to exploring the city more and spending time with my boyfriend’s family. While it’s a shorter trip than we’d prefer, we’ll take what we can get for now. I’m sure we’ll be back sooner rather than later!
Before that, we’ll be working on some wallpaper to finish up our hallway so we can mud and paint it to our liking. We’re eager to wrap up this project, especially since we have a whole bathroom remodel on the horizon. I know it’ll be worth it, but it’ll also involve a learning curve. I’m picking up so many new skills in remodeling that I hope to use in the future, especially when I find a fixer-upper of my own.
For now, I’m enjoying the freedom of traveling in my van and keeping my eyes open for what’s next. Who knows—this could lead to something exciting that I can build upon. Only time will tell what lies ahead, and maybe someday I’ll get to share those experiences with you all and what I’ve learned along the way.
While I have been home I have been helping my boyfriend out with some home renovations. It's been slow going and we take breaks in between projects but so far it's been mostly painting rooms and throwing away items that have been hanging out in his house from past roommates. This weekend we finally decided to start on a big project that has been long overdue.
In the hallway, someone decided to go ahead and PAINT over the wallpaper. And it is old wallpaper from the 1970s. The trouble with this is that the paint has made it impossible to get through to the wallpaper and in some places you can see the wallpaper coming through if you look in the right places. After months of talking about it and then deciding to just go for it, we got a steamer (rented) and supplies to start scrapping it off. First of course we used the scoring tool and put little holes in the paint and then started to steam away.
The first thing that happened was that the paint was not coming off. It was basically making us having to work 10 times harder to get even to the wallpaper. After some trial and error, I figured out a way to get the paint off. We needed it to bubble and then peel the top layer and then steam the paper and then it comes off like a dream. The issue though is that it was taking a million years just to get the paint off. It became apparent that we were in some trouble with time here.
So we decided to try some other things to see if maybe we can get the paint to come off faster. What we discovered (and keep this in mind folks if you run into this issue.) is you take paint thinner put a layer on the paint and then leave it overnight to dry it creates a glue-like consistency. Leave it overnight and then come in with the steamer and steam a section. When you do that you then create a small hole in the paint and start to peel chunks away to get to the wallpaper too then scrap it off. It's a process that we found by accident and while it's not ideal it is faster than how we were doing it before. Of course that doesn't make it any easier for us and we are still struggling with anger issues and trying our best to hold back our fists but hey, we will get there.
So this is your friendly reminder to NOT paint over wallpaper...ever...or you may be stabbed multiple times.. just saying.
In a little less than two weeks we are finally returning to one of the best events that my father and I have attended when it comes to pinball. We are going back to the VPS show and I am so pumped to go back. It's a three-day event where you pay one price to play over 500 machines. My boyfriend will also be attending with us and I am ready to watch him become overwhelmed by the number of choices that he will have to choose from as well as dive him into more of what I grew up with. It's been years since Dad and I first went and I have a video of that experience here for you guys to rewatch from my YouTube channel.
At that time it was "pre- covid" and after what happened in Michigan (Which I'm sure you're familiar with) we decided to stay away from this event. Now that the masks and vaccines bs is over we have finally decided to go back and enjoy ourselves in this immersive experience once again. This year my bf and I are staying at a state park for the weekend (which I have never been to) and will be enjoying the fresh air while Dad stays at a hotel. Of course, I'm hoping to video more of this event and share it with you all just as I did with the one from pre-coid. I can't wait to see what machines they have and to play them all to my heart's content.
White Water and Fun House here I come. I'm ready to play
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