Sometimes, there are touristy things on websites or in guidebooks and you wonder if they are really worth it. The road to Hana is one of those things. It's become kind of a destination thing and there are a million possible places to stop along the way, so you really have to figure you out what your priorities are when you make this trek. For me, the priority was not sitting in traffic all day. If I've learned one thing living in Washington D.C. it's that you want to be going against the flow of traffic during your morning commute. The same is true in regards to the Road to Hana.

With that as our guide, we got up early and headed out before the other sleepy heads on Maui were awake and ready to go. By daybreak, we were well on our way to making our first of six hundred and twenty twisty turns on our way to the other side of the island. We didn't stop at the first set of waterfalls, or the second. We made a beeline for the end of the road with the idea of hitting things on the way back.  It was definitely the way to go. 

One stop we did make on the way was at the Hana Farms store. The banana bread there was legendary and with good reason, it was delicious and clearly made with bananas that had been crossed with cocaine. I could have eaten five loaves myself. It was so good. They also had cookies that were bigger than Madeline's head. In fact, a lot of things on this trip were bigger than Madeline's head....cookies, flowers, whales.

After filling ourselves with banana bread, we continued our twisty journey. We did have to stop by one of the dozens of roadside waterfalls because everyone got a little car sick, but we didn't stop for long! The drive itself was ridiculously beautiful with glimpses of the ocean, waterfalls, tropical forests and stunning vistas. Even if you are stuck in traffic, it's probably amazing. It's also very narrow in places which ads to the time it takes to make it all the way to the National Park. 

When we arrived, it was raining gently, which is ok on a hike in Maui because its 80 degrees outside. The Pipiwai trail is well worth the drive. It's an easy trail and it is stunning. The giant banyan tree is incredible, but we really enjoyed the walk on the boardwalk through the bamboo forest. The bamboo would knock together in the wind and it sounded so cool. On the way to the main waterfall, there was another amazing waterfall. Truthfully, the whole hike was fabulous and we barely noticed the 1.8 miles to Waimoku falls. Once done with the hike, we hiked down along the seven sacred pools and had lunch by the ocean. That was just as stunning as the hike in many ways. As we sat by the ocean, the sheer power of the waves against the lava rocks was fabulous. The vistas were stunning and the wind refreshing. 

After lunch, we began our journey back to the other end of the island. As we made our way back up the road, it was clear to see that we had made the right decision. There was a line of cars trying to get to the National Park. As we cruised back through the six hundred and twenty curves, we made a few stops. The first was for some coconut ice cream that was supposed to be super amazing. It was not. It was the most overrated ice cream I have ever had. Not worth the stop. The second was to see the wonky bark on some of the Eucalyptus trees. They were cool. The final was at a garden aptly named the Garden of Eden. A little pricey, but certainly worth the stop. The views were amazing, and all the flowers and trees were beautiful. It was a nice place to stretch the legs after being in the car for so long on the way back. After that, we headed back to the resort. We laughed at all the signs that had been changed to be somewhat inappropriate and marveled at all the broken-down cars. In fact, I thought it would be clever to just make those junked out cars mile markers, there were plenty of them to see.

All in all, the road to Hana was an amazing and fun filled day. It was well worth the drive and the one thousand and forty turns. 

While the beach in Maui is amazing, our skin tone dictates that if we spend three straight days on the beach, we will spend the rest of the vacation applying Aloe and feeling miserable. So, we decided to spend today enjoying one of the other amazing aspects of Hawaii: hiking. The first place we headed to was the Waihee ridge trail. We brought our hiking poles and sturdy shoes with us on this trip for this very trail. It's steep and muddy. The views are amazing and the forest divine, but it's a solid climb. At least it's at sea level! The climb starts out in a really cool forest and quickly gains the ridge line where you can look out over the lush, green valley. It really is an amazing hike with gorgeous views. If you want to know more about it, check out Mike's website: whatmikeyliked for a more detailed description of the hike itself.

On the day we went, the clouds blessed us with some solid rain, making the trail more muddy but keeping us cool. We saw lots of people sliding down the steep trail and creating lasting stains on their clothes. We were grateful to have proper hiking gear. Teva's are a great sandal to bring to Maui as most of the hikes are doable with Teva's except for maybe the trails around the summit of the volcano. At the top of the trail, there is a little viewing platform where you can sit, have a snack or lunch, before you head back down. All in all, it was a great little hike that got us off our butts and onto the trail.

On our way back into town, we stopped and got ice cream cones and then headed to Iao Valley State Park. There is a little fee to pay to access this area. The hike to the cool views is super short and on a paved trail. It's a pretty cool little vista, but the real gem here is the creek that flows out of the park. There is a dirt trail that parallels the creek and there are endless little pools that you can sit in, jump in, and play in. We spent the rest of the afternoon here in the shade of the trees rejoicing in the cool waters. It was an unexpected find and it is very accessible.

After we had played in the river, we headed back to our condo for dinner, sunset, and a walk along the ocean. Maui couldn't be any more paradisiacal.

When the weather is warm on the weekends during the winter, we try to take advantage of it by being outside doing something fun. Since it was a rather warm Sunday, we got the itch to go hiking. Abby and Madeline didn’t feel like going for a hike, so Mike and I took Emma and headed to Spruce Mountain Open Space for a jolly good time. We hit some snowy sections on the way up which wasn’t all that surprising since it was technically still the winter. We ended up hiking the big loop all the way around the plateau and back. The views were incredible, and it was so enjoyable to be hiking at a rather brisk pace. Sometimes it is fun to have an adventure with one kid at a time. We loved being with Emma and listening to her talk on our hike. She is such a great girl!

Hiking up in Mueller State Park during the changing of the leaves has been our annual tradition since we moved here 8 years ago. Last year was the first year we didn't make it to the park, and it's been 3 years since we were able to do it with all five of our kids. With the boys in town visiting during their college fall break, we packed an awesome lunch and headed up to enjoy the beautiful fall weather. We lucked out since the leaves were still vibrant and beautiful. Peter, Abby and Madeline all found great walking sticks on the first stretch of the trail. We all loved watching Madeline copy exactly what Peter was doing. She was his little sidekick for the day. We ventured along the Outlook Ridge trail to the Raven Ridge Overlook and set up our picnic lunch on the big rocks. We love the views from this overlook. In the distance we could still see lots of yellow popping up through the evergreen trees. It was absolutely beautiful. After stuffing our faces full of sandwiches, cheese and crackers, chocolate covered pretzels, and veggie chips, we headed down the rocks to explore a bit like we do every time we come to this place. We were amazed and shocked to see that the teepee we had made 2 years ago was still standing. There were a few more tree branches that people had added which was fun. Madeline was the most excited to play there and in the cave down below the teepee. All the kids were able to squeeze in the open cave for a quick photo. After playing around for quite some time we climbed back up to the overlook, grabbed our bags and headed back to the car. It was great to be able to build more memories together at Mueller State Park.

We have lived in Colorado Springs for 8 years and this was the first time that Mike and I hiked the famous Crags trail. The 5-mile trail started through a beautiful aspen lined meadow with mountain peaks in the distance. After walking through a forest of aspen trees we came to another clearing with the coolest rock formations in our view. As we rounded the corner from this first rock formation, we began to make the climb to the top of the granite dome. As we made our way to the top we came upon some astonishing gnarled ancient Bristlecone Pines sprinkled throughout the rocks. In every direction we saw the coolest rock formations and were amazed at the beauty of these rock formations and at the view of the Rampart Range, Ute Pass, and the Catamount Creeks drainage. We could've stayed up there all day, but the wind was pretty brutal at the top. After eating a quick snack, taking in the 360-degree view, and playing very quickly with an Australian Shepard, we headed back down the trail. This was a relatively easy hike and one in which we will have to do again with our kids.

It was so nice to sleep in this morning before heading out on our last adventure in Crested Butte. We packed our lunch and then headed out on Gothic Rd. We drove all the way to the Judd Falls/Copper Creek Trailhead, just past the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (which resembles a sort of eerie ghost town). The weather was much cooler than the day before and so we headed out with our jackets. This trail was lined with the most beautiful yellow aspens and the hike to Judd falls was just gorgeous. The falls was magnificent to see from the viewpoint up above and it reminded me of the falls at Salish Lodge in Washington. It was fun to read the history behind this area and how it started as a mining town, then turned to a ghost town, and then to a scientific field station. We decided to continue on the trail and head on the Copper Creek trail towards Copper Lake. As we neared an opening to the vast mountain range, we saw several cows journeying in the same direction. It was fun and unique to see cows on the trail. For sake of time, we decided to turn around and head back instead of trying to push it to the lake. This trail is one we will come back and do again when we have more time. After we got back to the car, we drove up a little further to a small lake and ate our lunch and skipped rocks for a bit. Everyone got into the rock skipping fun and we all took note from Mike who is the ultimate rock skipper. Our trip to Crested Butte was shorter than the year before but we had just as much fun hiking different trails while still enjoying the changing of the leaves. This is definitely one of our favorite places to adventure during the fall season.

Emma and I got up this morning and went for an early run before getting ready for a day of hiking with the family. Running at 9000ft is no small task and I expended a lot of energy just to keep up with her. It was all worth it, though, as we ran through the most beautiful scenery. The leaves were absolutely amazing as they were in the middle of turning colors for the fall season. We all hopped in the 4runner and headed back to Ohio pass to walk the Beaver Pond trail again. Since we were a week or two early from the peak time to enjoy the changing leaves, it was not crowded at all. We essentially had the trail all to ourselves which was amazing. Even though not all of the leaves had started changing, the beauty inside the aspen forest on this trail is pretty spectacular any time of year. At the beaver pond there was a beautiful section of yellow leaved trees across the pond. It was magnificent. We would have circled the pond but since the cows were roaming around we decided to head back the same way we came. On the way back to the car Madeline and I walked a little slower than the others so that I could take some photos of the aspen trees and enjoy the beauty a little longer. She was not disappointed at all to go slower and eat a fun snack along the way.

After leaving Ohio pass, we decided to hike up the Scarp Ridge trail to see the magnificent views of the Maroon Bells and other mountain vistas from the top. It was a brutal steep ascent and the sun was out in full force since it was the middle of the day so we were all a bit warm. The hike was more about the views at the top than it was about viewing the changing leaves so it took some of us a hot minute to be ok with that. The views at the top did not disappoint. It was pretty spectacular. We didn't spend very long at the top since the sun was hiding behind the clouds and the wind was pretty strong. We hiked back down trail until we met up with the 421 loop. We found a nice sheltered area along the ridge line and stopped to eat our lunch. We hung up the hammock between two small trees but only Madeline was small enough to sit in it since the trees weren't strong enough to hold us big people. The 421 trail was really pretty and I enjoyed going back down that way a whole lot better than the trail we took to the top. By the time we got back to our car we were all exhausted. I wasn't surprised since the hike was a little over 5 miles roundtrip and we ascended 1600 ft in the 2.5 miles it took to get to the top. We spent the rest of the night back at the hotel, refueling and relaxing. 
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​One of the best things about summer is being able to exercise with Mike. Since his morning case got cancelled, we decided to head to Mt. Herman for a morning hike together. I love this hike even though it isn’t very long. It is a steep mile or so to the top, so you feel like you got a slight workout without having to work hard. One of the best things about hiking is the great conversations that Mike and I have as we are hiking. That is the biggest reason why I love hiking with Mike more than any other sport. Sometimes we can chat on the bike, but hiking is a little easier to hold a real conversation. This hike ends at the top with the most beautiful view of the valley. I wish I could start every day like this one. Life would truly be perfect if I could spend time like this every morning with Mike. 

We spent the morning sleeping in and eating a good breakfast before packing all of our stuff in the car and heading off on our last fun day in Crested Butte. We had initially planned on hiking Snodgrass Mountain just north of the ski areas, but as we were driving along Gothic road, we saw a sign that said it was closed. We decided to just drive for a bit to see what was more north along the road. The views were great but eventually we turned around to see if we could access Snodgrass Mountain from the western side of the mountain. We didn't have much luck on that side but enjoyed exploring the views from Washington Gulch Rd. We probably spent an hour in the car just enjoying the different areas of Crested Butte. Then we headed back into town and decided to hike the Upper Loop Trail system right on the mountainside of Mt. Crested Butte. We headed on the main trail for a little over a mile and then decided to stop along a pleasant part of the trail, hidden in the aspens, and eat our lunch. We saw a couple of different mountain bikers on this part of our hike. I would definitely like to come back and ride my mountain bike here. After turning around and heading back on the trail, we made it back to the intersection of Upper Loop Trail and Happy Hour Trail. We decided to head up on the Happy Hour Trail to see what the views would be in that direction. I am so glad we decided to do this trail because after hiking several switchbacks, we eventually popped out of the aspens and when we turned around further along the trail we could see how far and deep and wide the aspens stood. We didn't stay on the open trail that long since it was getting a little too hot outside, but we made it far enough along the trail to be happy about adventuring that far. By this point, everyone was ready to turn around and head back to the car. Emma did a great job being Madeline's buddy on this hike and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to their conversations as we headed back down the trail. We really got lucky this weekend with the amazing fall colors that we saw. I had always heard that Crested Butte was amazing in the fall and now I know exactly why people claim Crested Butte as one of the best places to visit to see the fall colors! We will definitely be coming back here for another fall adventure!

We woke up to a beautiful crisp morning in Crested Butte and got all ready to do some hiking and enjoy the beautiful fall leaves. We ventured out of the town of Crested Butte on Rt. 12 towards Kebler Pass. On the way towards Kebler Pass Mike decided to venture off on S. Plains Gulch Rd (12F) towards the West Elk Wilderness. At first the road was nothing special and we were amongst a million pine trees. There really wasn't a whole lot of aspen trees or any colorful trees for that matter. It was at the point where we thought maybe we should turn around and then we popped out at the top of this amazing view of aspen trees. We continued on the road as it wound down towards the West Elk Wilderness. Just the drive alone was worth the detour and we took full advantage of the beauty of it all. All the windows were rolled down and I was standing in the front with my head up out of the sunroof so I could take photos while Mike drove really slowly. I'm sure people thought we were crazy. We made it to the trailhead for the Beaver Pond hike and were lucky enough to grab the last parking spot. This was a short hike, maybe 2 miles total, but it was the most beautiful fall hike ever. There were just so many aspens it was unreal and although the leaves had already started to fall off the trees, there was still plenty of yellow left on the trees. Every time a little breeze would blow through the trail it would rain down yellow aspen leaves. Between that and the sun shining through the trees, it was pretty magical. When we finally made it out of the single track trail to Beaver Pond, the views were equally impressive. We walked around the lake and enjoyed the mountainside view of the colors as well as the impressive beaver dams. As we made our way back, the kids had fun running on dead logs, having duels with big broken branches, and for a few minutes we even sat quietly just listening to the sound of the aspen leaves rustling in the wind. It truly was the perfect way to start our fall day in Crested Butte.

After leaving the West Elk Wilderness we headed back on Rt. 12 towards Kebler Pass. It was no surprise when we got to the most prominent part of Kebler Pass because there were more people and the aspens seemed to go on forever. It was quite a sight to behold as this area hosts one of the world's largest aspen groves in the world, with the biggest being Utah's Pando grove. After taking in the views mostly by car, and a quick stop for me to take an epic panorama of this area, we continued on Rt. 12 towards Lost Lake Campground. We parked the car near some picnic tables, ate our lunch, and then headed on the Three Lakes Trail. This trail was a 3.5-mile loop, passing three different lakes, plenty of aspens, and some amazing views. We made sure to spend time at the lakes skipping rocks and just enjoying the beautiful day. After viewing the last lake (Dollar Lake) and making our way back to the trail to make the loop back to the campground, we noticed a small trail that veered off from the main trail. It looked promising for some good views and so we followed it. What we saw was remarkable. We saw the entire main range of Kebler Pass that we had been to earlier that day. Since we were the only ones at this little overlook it was quiet and so we sat down for a few minutes and enjoyed the stillness. Although I took a ton of photos on our hike, nothing quite does justice to seeing the fall colors in person.

​Mike and I ventured up past Woodland Park towards the Lost Creek Wilderness to do a hike we had never done before. We hiked on the Bison Peak Trail which ended being about a 12-mile hike round trip. The Lost Creek Wilderness is one of the most unique wildernesses in Colorado simply because of its terrain. Above tree line on the Bison Peak Trail, there were some of the most bizarre rock formations you will ever see. Much of the Lost Creek Wilderness, which spans 120,000 acres, is dominated by these incredible rock formations, including massive polished granite domes and towering spires. There weren’t a ton of people on the trail and part of that is because this trail is not in a super convenient location to Denver. Also, the trail was incredibly steep just to get to the top plateau areas where you can view the amazing rock formations. Once at the first plateau the trail wasn’t clear, so we just wandered in the correct direction until we found sections that looked like trail. It’s a good thing that Mike had already hiked this trail because he knew generally where we were going. Once the wind started to pick up, we stopped to put on more layers and got a random Facebook call from Andrew. It was awesome to be able to talk with him up on the mountain. Our reception was that great once we started hiking again, so we had to say goodbye and continue onwards. We hiked for another 1-2 miles until we finally reached the summit. At the top, Mike immediately found the Geocache box and found the journal that he had signed several years ago when he hiked this with Peter and the rest of the Boy Scouts. I was just happy I made it to the top because I had been tired all morning and the steepness of the trail really tried me physically and mentally. I can honestly say that the views from the top and the many plateaus of unique rock formations was well worth the hike. Since the weather looked like it could be getting iffy, we didn’t waste any time heading back down the mountain. We hiked so fast going down. One thing is for sure, I always have a great time when I am hiking with Mike. 
 

​Being Epic Pass Holders, we were able to take the ski lift to the top of the mountain which was so much easier than hiking or biking up! We took the Royal Elk trail over to the lake and sat on the far side of the shore. It was so pleasant. We then hiked back down to the hotel. Why do trips like this have to end? It seems like it would be better if we could work 2 days a week and take 5 days off.  I think life would be better if we didn’t have to work so much.  

Any vacation wouldn’t be complete without some silly long hike. Mount Timpanogos seems like a straightforward hike, and for the most part it is, but it is a long, long hike. The waterfalls, wildflowers, and stunning views make it all worth it. Peter and Andrew basically raced up the mountain, proving that it's really annoying to go hiking with younger people with good lungs and springy legs, but we kept up with them pretty well. Emerald Lake was beautiful and there were mountain goats just hanging out alongside the trail.  Crossing the snowbanks was tough, but getting to the summit wasn’t too bad, especially since we’re pretty used to the altitude. The views from the top were perfect. It was a beautiful day to be in the mountains. The real beast was coming back down. It’s just a long, long way by the time you get back down. The entire hike was sixteen miles round trip. Sara ran down the last couple of miles and the boys spent time just enjoying all the waterfalls. Afterwards, it was a race to IN-N-OUT for everyone so we could refuel our bodies. It was such a great hike, but one we would pay for with sore legs for the next couple of days. 

​written by Mike

One of my favorite things to do in life is go hiking.  So it was a great day to be able to get up early and hike with my best friend up Y mountain. Bonus fact, it was also the place of our first date. It was fun to hike up the switchbacks, take in the views and just sit and talk and look over the world. Plus, we did it all before anyone else really got up in the morning. There’s something great about being up in the mountains and watching the sun come up on the world. Makes you grateful that you were around for another year to take it all in. Later on that day, we had doughnuts and opened presents. I’m always happy when I get a surprise for my birthday. For years, I have been coveting a new Taylor guitar. It was pretty great to be surprised with a new guitar for my birthday, super fun to play with great sound and great action. Abby was a sport because her birthday got delayed until we got to Utah. I think it paid off for her in the end and it was worth the wait. Great food and good times. Birthdays are about being with family, laughing, and eating too much frosting.

written by Mike

Oh, the weather has been so good to us lately and we are super grateful. After doing home church we packed lunch, snacks, and water and headed on a new hike with the kids. We drove the swag wagon up Mt. Herman road and parked at the trailhead to hike to the top of Mt. Herman. We were lucky to grab a parking spot just as someone was leaving. The road was already lined with cars. It was around 1:30pm so we weren't all that surprised that it was crowded. We passed a few families on the trail, but it really wasn't as crowded as we thought it would be. Madeline was such a trooper and hiked the ENTIRE way up the trail. She had help with a few spots where it was slippery, or the rock steps were too big for her to step up on her own. Each one of us took turns holding her hand and helping her along. It really was quite impressive that as a 3-year-old she could handle such an incline. Mike carried the kid backpack just in case, but she didn't even ask to sit in it at all. The hike was really fun as we headed through some great tree sections and some fun rocky sections. Eventually we popped out on top and the views were pretty spectacular. We found a nice spot below the ridge line to each our lunch and enjoy the view. Madeline was all about the chips and grapes. Everyone else enjoyed the other fun snacks that Mike packed. Grapes, brie, crackers, chips, and hummus pleased everyone. After some laughs and silliness at the top we decided to put Madeline in the backpack for the descent. We hiked down so fast it was hard to believe it was that short of a hike. The entire hike was only around 2.5 miles round trip. The funniest thing Madeline said on the way down was, "I can't wait to get back to the car so I can hold my blanket and suck my thumb." Oh, she just makes us smile. It's good to be outside with all of the kids hiking in the great outdoors.

​After just one week of being quarantined with the new stay at home orders, we were all getting a little antsy and decided to head out for a family hike at Spruce Mountain Open Space. To our surprise, the parking lot was completely packed. Luckily, we didn’t feel like there were too many people on the trail. With everyone practicing social distancing, we walked wide on the trail whenever we came to other families. Madeline was so excited to be out hiking and she kept up with everyone surprisingly well. The first part of the trail was all clear and then as we started to enter the shady part of the trail we came upon the snowy section. Since the weather has been warmer the trail was starting to melt and instead of hiking up icy sections it was more of a slushy snow. There were lots of snowball fights as we headed up the trail. The boys were always ahead and so the rest of us got the brunt of random snowballs flying towards us. It’s a good thing they didn’t have good aim. Once we got to the top we rested, took a family photo, enjoyed the view, ate some chocolate, and then headed down an entirely different way. We decided to climb down some big rocks and explore. It was definitely a fun way to go down, albeit it a bit more dangerous. After getting back to our car, we were all craving ice-cream and so we headed straight to Baskin Robbins and got ice-cream cones through the drive through. I couldn’t think of any better way to end our fun family hike.