Las Vegas

Man was is it hot here. We spent the days in the hotel to keep cool. Even walking around at night made you sweat. However, we got to see some cool things. We spent 4 hours at the Mob Museum and didn't get to finish it all. While we had an fun time at Meow Wolf I'd have to say Arte was by far my most favorite. The art brought me to tears. We took an Uber to Arte and had the most fun experience with our driver, who's also a musician. He played a song that he was writing for his wife, which was an honor to hear. We also played a few rounds of mini golf at Swingers. Gabby and I each got a hole in one. However, my favorite part was when I was dancing to my next hole and an older woman danced with me as they were leaving the course.

Lake Pyramid, CA

Camping in the heat sucks. The weather report called for low 90's, and it was over 100, every single day. We did get to go see one of my co-workers in Santa Monica, which was a blast.

I will say, our camp set-up is pretty nice. We have a nice cleaning/kitchen station. Plus I was smart enough to get solar chargers for our fans and misters.

San Francesco, CA

Our our way to San Francesco we stopped in San Simeon to see the elephant seals. We loved watching them fight for a few seconds only to take a rest while leaning against each other.

We had so much fun riding the ferry, visiting Fisherman's Wharf, and the Japanese Tea Garden. Gabby faced her fear of heights by riding on the ferris wheel with me. As you can see by the picture, she's not happy. However, she did it!

We ate so much amazing food, and I had the best ice cream I've ever had. If you get the chance, you must visit the Ferry Market. They have amazing food, and an ice cream shop called HUMPHRY SLOCOMBE. They have basic flavors like vanilla, but they're known for their odd combinations, such as Curry and Peanut Butter. I had the goat cheese and habanero jam flavor, and it was literally the most amazing thing I've ever tried.

Redwood, CA

We stayed at this cute campground, Patti's Tewer RV park. The camp hosts were so friendly. Every morning they get together and have coffee around the campfire. If you stay for a week or more, you must spend time with Pattie and the crew. I loved taking a break from work and chatting with everyone. I was lucky enough to get invited to their 4th of July potluck with Patti's friends and family.

We could have stayed for 2 weeks, there was that much to see. We only got in 4 hikes, and it's the first place we've left where I felt like we missed out. Fern Canyon was out of this world. Gabby and I loved pretending like we were int he Jurrasic Park movie. The air smells amazing, and something about that place just feels like home.

Oregon

We did so much, and yet only experienced a small portion of Oregon. This week we celebrated Gabby's 17th birthday, but splurging with a hotel on the beach. Unfortunately, I failed at finding a bakery to get her a cake. I found myself at a pix's dessert vending machine, and it wasn't too bad. Somehow the Peculiarium in Oregon beat out whale watching for Gabby's favorite activity. After 3 failed attempts in San Francisco we got lucky with Dockside Charters in Depoe Bay, Oregon and it did not disappoint. The waves were rough, so if you get sea sick, or are afraid of a rocking boat, this isn't the adventure for you. I on the other hand loved it! We saw a mom and her calf. The captin gave us a lot of education on whales, and sadly their decline. Only 3 calfs were born this year. It's always a good reminder that we share this planet.

We also went on the Oregon coast train ride, which was another big hit with Gabby. I highly recommend this. We learned a lot about the area, and it's history while seeing the beautiful coast line. We spent the night in Tillamook and of course went to the creamery. Gabby also joined me walking through a tunnel in the cliff where we got to rescue some starfish, and enjoy the tide pools.

Anacortes, WA

If I were going to pick a place to live in the US, this would be it. Gabby and I stopped in Seattle on our way, to see the Space Needle, visit Pike's Market Place and have some amazing food. However, it was nothing compared to Anacortes.

While there, I got to reconnect with an old friend, and we got to hang out with the camp host, Wayne. At 80 years old he is both full of life and doing an amazing job at the Camp Erie campground. Gabby allowed me a second attempt at wowing her with a whale tour through Island Adventures and she was impressed. The captin had a great sense of humor and had a naturalist on board to provide education about orcas and the wildlife in the area.

While there we took our car on a ferry, a first for us, and went hiking in the San Juan islands. One night we decided to splurge and dine at The Restaurant. We had pre-dinner drinks by the fireplace outside, and then watched the bay as we dined.

Yellowstone, MT

We had a great time camping at the KOA in West Yellowstone, MT. While we were there, we went to Bear World and fed the bears during our wildlife excursion. We did get to see one bear on our first night there. We also learned that bears will cuddle to stay warm, and I have never wanted to join a cuddle puddle so much. Although Gabby informed me they would rip my face off. We did see old faithful, but unfortunately we didn't see as much wildlife as I had hoped. That being said, it was still a fun trip and beautiful as usual.

Voyageur's National Park

This trip pretty much just fell into our laps. The Pine's is typically booked out weeks or months in advance. However, I highly recommend planning a trip. We stayed at the Driftwood resort, after I got the call that there was a last-minute cancelation. Then we got another call two hours before reaching the resort saying that someone had cancelled their boat reservation. We saw so many birds and deer. The water was so soothing, and I learned how to drive a boat. Thursday night we went to the bar and played BINGO. We didn't win, but we had a blast anyway.

"S Signal Lost" - Google Maps

We hauled ass this week. We frequently lost our GPS signal, but because maps was freaking out we constantly heard "S Signal Lost." On the upside I got to see a lot of old friends from my time at NICE. In one week we passed through Wisconsin, South Dakota, North Dakota, Michigan and Philadelphia.

For anyone interested in the medical field, I highly recommend the Mutter Museum. You aren't allowed to take pictures, so we couldn't post anything from there, but plan on at least 4 hours. Gabby was pretty upset with me when we only had 3 hours and she didn't get to finish. If in Philadelphia I recommend Waterfront Inn in Essington. It's right on the water. The outside looks like a dump, but the inside has all been remodeled. Shout out to Trish, our amazing guide. We had the most amazing Italian food that I've ever eaten at Victor Cafe.