The Klaus House Goes West: Day 1, Grand Forks to Great Falls (June 8, 2013)

                 

We (my mother, brother, and myself) were on the road around 6 A.M., and for the first hour or two it seemed like the road belonged only to us, the truck drivers, and the golden light of the rising sun. As we passed Fargo and headed west on I-94 we were gradually joined by more travelers like ourselves. 

The travel highlight of the day was stopping in the Badlands at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. As always, the Badlands are an inspiring sight. You drive across generally flat grasslands and then suddenly, without a warning, the earth opens up and the scene is dominated by jutting red rocks and stunted trees. Each layer or rock seems to be a different rosy shade, which contrasts sharply with the greenery that manages to find a foothold in the sandy soil. This trip was especially memorable because the buffalo that inhabit the park decided to come and say hello to all the visitors. My family has been visiting the Badlands for longer than I can remember, and we have never had the buffalo willingly come and graze so close to people! It was a slightly crazy but amazing moment, and one that will probably never happen to me again no matter how many more times I visit the area. :)

That dark shape sitting at the edge of the cliff in the center is a buffalo!

Family Time!

In my family the Badlands are filled with memories of happy camping trips and a reverence for the beauty held within the park. Do you remember in the Lion King when the hyenas shiver at the word "Mufasa?" Replace "Mufasa" with "Badlands" and you have our reaction in a nutshell! If there was one place I would tell everyone who passes through ND (or live there for that matter) to go, it would be Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Seriously guys, please, if you get the chance or if you have to change your schedule to make it, do yourself a favor and just go there! 

After the Badlands we headed through Dickinson (yes, that is its real name... but feel free to take a few seconds to snicker if you feel the need) and through to Montana 200. The road is a two lane highway with many hills, so keep your eyes peeled for the escaped sheep/cattle/antelope that has wandered onto the road. Other than that and the occasional hairy pass to get around a truck, this portion of the drive was uneventful. The terrain we went through was empty grassland dotted with cattle and the occasional beaten up looking ranch or town. 

TIP: Fill up in the last city in North Dakota before you continue into Montana, because there isn't another gas station until you hit Great Falls! 

We pulled into Great Falls around 6:00 P.M. and I am forever grateful to our family friend Sue- she had dinner cooked up and waiting for us. There are few things more lifting to ones mood than being surprised with delicious food after a long day in the car! During and after dinner there was happy chatter as we all caught up with one another, but by 8:00 P.M. we travelers were weary and soon found ourselves fast asleep in our beds. 

And Thus Ended Day 1 of the Klaus' Trip West.

-AK

On The Road Again

Hello Everyone!

I'm just writing a quick post to let you all know that I am leaving for Seattle today!!! My mom, brother, and I are hitting the road together for the first time in years! We will be in Seattle for three days, one for exploring the city, one for watching whales, and one for touring the University of Washington. We will then be heading towards home, but will pause for a day or two in Great Falls, Montana to visit family friends. I probably won't be posting anything here until after I return, but you can follow along with my trip via my Instagram account! 

Bon voyage!

<3 AK

Itasca, Kayaking, Waterfalls oh my!!!

Hello Everyone!

I hope that you have all had fantabulous Memorial Weekends! For me this past weekend was devoted to testing out gear and having wonderful adventures with my man friend Bob. I tested out my Yuma pants again (see review here), my Osprey backpack, Asolo hiking boots, and my new Camelbak bladder! I will soon be writing reviews on the last three items soon, so keep an eye out for upcoming gear reviews!!

Bob and I headed up to Itasca State Park on Saturday where we spent an absolutely beautiful day hiking in the Northern Woods of Minnesota. If you have never been to Itasca, you should make plans to explore it! The main attraction, the headwaters of the Mississippi River, and the bike path on the East shore that runs by the campgrounds are often busy, but (as I learned this weekend) the hiking trails are peaceful. Bob and I saw two or three groups during our five mile hike, which is amazing considering how busy the above mentioned areas are. The entire park is worth hours of exploration, and even though I have been walking the park's paths for years, I am still struck anew by the beauty of the park with each visit. 

5 other things that rocked about this weekend:

1)Visiting Bob's family and having smores in the backyard
2) Kayaking on Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis 
3) Minnehaha Falls 
4) Freshly made Cinnamon Pull-Aparts
5) The Impossible Project film for 600- especially the black and white film! (see images below- isn't the black and white just the cat's meow?!) 

Best wishes,

AK

"I Want to See Mountains..."

Exciting news everyone!!!

I am going to Glacier National Park this summer, and I am so EXCITED!!!!!!!!! Bob and I have been talking about this trip since last summer, and now it is officially happening! I have made a tentative schedule for us already, and have reserved a campsite (though we hope to be able to switch to a quieter, tent only site after we arrive). Now, however, I have to think about the packing details, and to be honest I am overwhelmed. I haven't spent a week hiking and camping since I was a child, so this experience is going to involve a lot of research and (probably) quite a few mistakes. I am not planning on bringing my computer with me, but I will have at least Icarus and my Iphone for photos, which I will of course share upon my return. I will also be posting on my Instagram throughout the trip, so please feel free to follow me!

Of course, those details are me getting ahead of myself. What I am really trying to focus on now is what to buy. As I have mentioned, I haven't been hiking in forever, so I am sure I will be in need of purchasing some basics. Below is a list of things I know I will need, but I could really use your input, advice, and suggestions!!!

Four things I'm know (or at least I'm pretty sure) I will need: 
1) Hiking Boots- I want them to be comfortable, durable, light, and perfect for all types of weather. (Any suggestions? Does such a miracle boot exist?) 
2) Backpack- Durability is a must, but I also want it to be able to store a water bladder, food, and other necessities while protecting my cameras and NOT GETTING THEM WET!! Oh, I have been considering the ones that have the straw built in- anyone know if those are worth it? 3) Clothes- any fabrics I should avoid? I've heard that cotton is a big no no! We are going to be on all day hikes, so cooler mornings, than warmth, but then high altitude weather's volatility= not sure what to wear! I have found articles with suggestions for men's hiking clothes, but not so much for women's. 
 4) Water purifier/filter- We are planning on carrying water with us, but I am planning on having one of these for a back up, just in case we don't bring enough water, but there are so many different types of filters/purifiers- thoughts? 

Sneak Peek at the lovely personal book I made via Artifact Uprising :)

Any other suggestions? I am sure I will have other pieces of gear that I will be asking all sorts of quetsions about, but these were four items that I KNOW I will need and I'm just... well I'm an almost newbie. I love hiking, but this will be first trip I will be planning as an adult!

Thank you in advance for all of your suggestions, 

AK

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Oh the merry month of January :)

Hello dear readers,

Is it just me, or does January seem to get a bad rep? It is true that after the buildup to the exciting holiday season and the New Year, January seems quiet and sometimes a bit forlorn, but I find January to be one of my favorite months for that very reason. While the holidays are full of traveling and hustling from one wonderful gathering to the next, January is full of... nothing. It is a month in which we can rest and regather- a blank slate so to speak. It is, as the New Year celebrations suggest, a month of new beginnings. January is when I reset my patterns for the next year, when I reconfirm my goals and plans, and just recharge. I love love love that January offers us that opportunity, because my introverted soul would wither away if it wasn't allowed that chance to rest!


January is not, however, boring. Or at least, it doesn't have to be! Two weekends ago Bob and I challenged the idea that January was no fun by exploring the city of St. Paul! It was thankfully warm that weekend (we've had a lot of -20 degree days... anything above -5 is appreciated), and I got it in my head that we HAD to find the 'cool' places in St. Paul. You know, the out of the way places that offer an amazing cup of coffee or make the best fresh doughnuts while still having a cozy "everyone is welcome and loved" atmosphere (though of course, cool hipster attire is recommended). Anyways, I wanted to explore and find these gems, but Bob wasn't as convinced (something along the lines of 'what the heck are we going out for instead of curling up and staying warm at home?'), so I had to change my tactics. With the help of a quick Google search (thank goodness for technology) and Bob's addiction to coffee, I lured him out into the cold to find one of the "best coffee shops" in the St. Paul area.

Amore Coffee is situated across the river from downtown, in West St. Paul, and it seems to be one of the few businesses in a mainly residential neighborhood. Housed in an old brick building, the coffee shop oozes a "we are your home away from home" vibe. The tables and chairs were all mismatching, and there are couches and small coffee tables which create a comfy nook within the larger space for groups to gather. Boardgames are provided, as are a few books, and work by local artists adorns the walls. The menu is not limited to caffeinated beverages, as soup, sandwiches, bake goods, AND amazing white hot chocolate are also offered. Bob and I both loved our drinks, and I had a blast watching as the 'regulars' drift through and interact with both the other regulars and the 'visitors' like myself. If you ever go to the twin cities and want a relaxing cup of coffee, defiantly check this place out!! 

 

Oh, and if all of that cool stuff isn't enough to convince you that Amore Coffee is awesome, it is SOLAR POWERED! I KID YOU NOT! THE PLACE IS SOLAR POWERED!!! HOW COOL IS THAT?!!!   

  

After an hour or so at Amore, Bob and I headed back into the downtown area proper and just wandered. Bob wanted to show me the Union Depot, so we headed into the sky-way close to where he works and backtracked until we hit the station. It was amazing. The station has been lovingly remodeled (or preserved, not sure which), and everything in it is stunning- from the polished stone floors to the high ceilings. The coolest part? Exploring it with Bob. One might think that since Bob walks through the station on the way to work everyday he would be bored exploring the depot, but he wasn't. As he told me, "It is so cool to actually take my time and walk through here. When I walk through on my way to work I get so focused on making it in time that I don't realize how beautiful this place really is." After we meandered and explored the station at length, we wandered around outside for a bit before returning home to nap before we headed to watch the Wild play. :) It was a wonderful weekend, full of exploration and rejuvenation- a perfect example of how wonderful January can be. :)

-AK

Happy Halloween!

Hello my lovely readers,

I am technically writing this the day before Halloween, but I figure that most of you probably will read this tomorrow ( it is almost 10 after all! *gasp*) and plus, I wanted to wish everyone a happy Halloween a little early! (Wait till Christmas, it is my favorite holiday and I am already dreaming about pine trees and singing Christmas carols!) Anyways, I hope that you are all going to have an amazing Thursday and that you spend your All-Hallows Eve in good company! For some of you that might mean dressing up in crazy costumes and partying until the wee hours of the morning, and for others it might entail a quiet night at home watching Netflix and handing out candy to children, but I hope that whatever your choice you have a smashingly wonderful time! :) 

This photo was taken with Icarus (my Nikon D60) and edited using VSCO's 02 film pack in Photoshop.

Till next time, with wishes for your good health and happiness,

AK

March Madness

Hello everyone!

Well the as that saying goes, "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lion..." Or at least that has been the weather on the frozen plains!! We had two blizzards this past months and there is still snow on the ground! However, I can't complain because I also managed to have a wonderful March in which I 1) visited the Minneapolis Institute of Arts for the first time, 2) went to my second NHL game, and 3) spent St. Party's day with my family! I am so thankful to be surrounded by such wonderful people and to be able to have lovely adventures!

I hope that you are all having milder springs and equally fantastic adventures!

-AK