What I Learned, Looking Forward, Looking Back: September 2026

Happy Monday and happy end of September! I don't know about you, but I have really been enjoying the nice fall colors and the bit of crispness to the air! I've been taking daily walks, sometimes on my own, but usually with company, in the form of a four legged friend. Actually I think the theme of the month should be "four legged friends," as I spent time with no less than five dogs and six cats (not all at the same time) this month! The only place I did not spend time with pets was California, but that will be happening in October, so stay tuned! 

As always, I'd love to hear what you're up to! Please copy and paste the questions at the end and add your answers to the mix! 

Where was I? Ohio, Montana, Oregon, California

What country related books or documentaries did I watch? 

Read: By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder (found in a little free library, which was kismet, as I had just read On the Banks of Plum Creek during TBE with Birchie!) 

Watched: None (but I am in the US, so I am giving myself a pass)

Did I complete any other items on this year's looking forward list? 

✅New food <-- soy matcha latte. I thought I didn't like matcha but this one was okay. 

✅New beer <-- Steeplejack Brewery Fizzy Biscuits Hazy IPA (yum!) 

✅ New States  <-- none

✅ New National Parks  <-- none

✅ New thing <-- I shipped my bike! I flew back to CA but the logistics were complicated (no car big enough, plus I had other things to do before going to the place where the bike will be stored) so I just had it sent. I had already had it boxed due to taking it on the Amtrak, so it was not too much extra work. However, it is not cheap! But its better than figuring out how to get it where it needs to go in California. Convenience > Cost in this case! 

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1. What is the name of last month's chapter? 

January: Devouring the Sweet Potato

February: Back in the Groove

March: Serenity Before the Storm

April: Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

May: The Ring of Fire and Ice

June: On The Road Again

July: A River Rides Through It

August: That's What Friends Are For

September: Four Legged Friends

2. What did I learn last month? 

I learned that Travis, the son of the Nike founder Phil Knight (if you have not read Shoe Dog, do it now!) directed a movie called Wildwood which is about a girl whose baby brother gets kidnapped by a murder of crows (kind of Labyrinth-esc sounding to me) and she has to try to find and save him in a forest near Portland. So, currently (until October 30) there is an exhibit where there are 30 crow statues painted by different artists which can be found around the city. You can find the map here. 

This one is at the rose garden

3. What was the weather like? 

It was great for the most part, although there was a big storm when I was in Montana and some pretty heavy winds for a day in Oregon. All in all though, it was about 45-70 F (7-20 C), with no rain and nice fall colors and it was lovely. 

4. What event last month was my favorite?

I had a great time with Birchie, who came to visit me in Oregon. We went hiking in the Columbia River Gorge, tried some new beers, went to trivia night and of course went to Powells! It was fun to show her around some of my Portland favorites! 

5. What was the best thing read, listened to or watched last month? 

Book: Grey After Dark by Noelle W. Ihli - it was a thriller and was entertaining

Movie/Show: Traitors UK (Peacock) - Birchie and I finished Season II together. All I can say is, I would not be good at that show, as I cannot lie! These people are ruthless. 

Podcast: I am still plugging along at Headwaters, which is about Glacier NP and the area in general. This month I learned that the Empire Builder, which is the name of the Amtrak I took from MT to OR, got its name from James Hill, who was the founder of the Great Northern Railway. Because his rail network drove massive economic growth across the Upper Midwest and Northwest, people called him "The Empire Builder."  That episode can be found here. 

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

I went with my MT friend to pick huckleberries as a storm was brewing and we went up a dirt road so we could get to a higher elevation. As we went up the road, the wind was picking up and we could see and hear trees falling in the forest. We hunted for berries then headed back down, and encountered a big fir tree across the road that we had come up. The funny thing is that we had just been discussing how we both carried a go kit in our car. We are both from a small mountain town and of course, grew up without cell service and had to learn to fend for ourselves. We were talking about how a lot of people nowadays don't know how to fix a flat tire, or often don't have emergency supplies in their car. Anyhow, we got to the downed tree and luckily my friend had a handsaw in her car, so we had to saw it to get it out of the road. We were happy that we practiced what we preached in the end, as we would have been stuck otherwise! 

Before, During & After

7. What am I looking forward to this month?

A long hike with a friend (and of course, this will count toward the CBWC!), getting some reading done, and seeing a few new places! 

A preview of where we will be hiking

Your turn! To copy/paste, highlight the text below and click CTRL-C, then put the cursor in the comment box and click CTRL-V.

SEPTEMBER:

1. What is the name of your last month's chapter or the theme of your last month if you prefer that?

2. What did you learn last month?

3. What was the weather like where you are?

4. What event last month was your favorite?

5. What was the best thing you read, listened to or watched last month? 

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

OCTOBER: 

7. What are you looking forward to this month?

Bonus question! Do you know how to fix a flat tire? Do you carry an emergency kit in your car? Where will you be walking in October? 

What I Learned, Looking Forward, Looking Back: August 2026

Happy Monday! As I mentioned in my last post, August was a full month! I definitely saw a lot of great things, connected with some great people and logged a lot of miles. I also took over 4,000 photos and that does not even include ones that other people took for me on their phones and shared! Buckle up and stick around to find out more! 

As always, I'd love to hear what you're up to! Please copy and paste the questions at the end and add your answers to the mix! 

Where was I? Montana, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska & Iowa (phew, that was a mouthful!) 

What country related books or documentaries did I watch? 

Read: NONE! My reading in August was basically non-existent

Watched: NONE! Woof. 

Did I complete any other items on this year's looking forward list? 

✅New food <-- Huckleberry bear claw, which is a big thing in the Glacier NP area (my take? Despite loving bear claws and huckleberries, I found it a bit overrated!) 

✅New beer (*new category) <-- too many to count! However, my favorite was Mustaches and Man Buns! How's that for a name? 

✅ New States  <-- Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota (which leaves me with only three more to finish all 50!) 

✅ New National Parks  <-- Cuyahoga Valley, Indiana Dunes, Theodore Roosevelt, Yellowstone & Badlands (+ Mt. Rushmore, which is not an NP)

✅ New thing <-- So many! Here is one: Floating on the Flathead River, which reminded me of my childhood (we did A LOT of rafting and tubing)

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1. What is the name of last month's chapter? 

January: Devouring the Sweet Potato

February: Back in the Groove

March: Serenity Before the Storm

April: Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

May: The Ring of Fire and Ice

June: On The Road Again

July: A River Rides Through It

August: That's What Friends Are For

August was the month of visiting and hanging out with friends, both new and old. My oldest friend I visited was from high school and I had not seen her in about six years! 

2. What did I learn last month? 

I learned a lot about capitals and capitols! We visited four state capitol buildings, Bismarck, Helena, Pierre and Lincoln, and in that I learned a lot about the buildings themselves, the towns and the states as a whole. For example, I did not know a lot about the Montana gold rush, or the fact that North and South Dakota are the 39th and 40th state, but this was not deliberately chosen; the papers for statehood were shuffled around, making it fair that one would be first and the other second but not actually choosing one over the other to be ahead in line. 

My quick take on capitols: there are lots of circles! 

Various things found in ND, MT, SD, NE
(Check out Birchie's blog for more detail coming soon!)

3. What was the weather like? 

It varied. The weather in Montana was great, but very smoky. Then Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Minnesota were humid and hottish. North Dakota, Montana (again), Wyoming were good temperatures (50s- 80s for the most part) and not humid. South Dakota was hot (90s) but not humid, then as we headed back east, the humidity came back! I am not sure I am cut out to live in the Midwest, more due to humidity than the extreme cold (I lived in Iowa over a winter and it got down to -30 f, but I still think that's better than super humid!!!) 

4. What event last month was my favorite?

This is too hard to choose, so I will do some quick bullets. 

- Staying with my HS friend and going tubing with her, having great catch ups and hanging out. 

- Hiking in the Bob Marshall Wilderness with Bugsy

- The Blogger Extraordinaire Road Trip with Birchie (her posts so far: Days 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12)

- Seeing many bison in the wild 

- Visiting five national parks, including some sleepers

- Many small exploratory hikes and runs

- Meeting Doggo

- Meeting several bloggers IRL for the first time

- Meeting up with several bloggers for a second (or more) time

....and too many more to list! 

A taste of the national parks. 
(stay tuned for more)

5. What was the best thing read, listened to or watched last month? 

Book: On the Banks of Plum Creek (one of only TWO books I read this month! 😒)

Movie/Show: Traitors UK (I had seen an episode or two before, but Birchie and I started watching it from the beginning)

Podcast: Elisabeth's two interviews on BOBW and The Reframe

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

I liked the story about how Helena actually cheated in order to get the capital status, and this was not found out until much later when restoration work was being done on some of the officials old houses and they found a bunch of hidden votes (for the other city of Anaconda)! 

7. What am I looking forward to this month?

Catching up on admin, having a routine, and seeing another old friend or two! 

Your turn! To copy/paste, highlight the text below and click CTRL-C, then put the cursor in the comment box and click CTRL-V.

AUGUST:

1. What is the name of your last month's chapter or the theme of your last month if you prefer that?

2. What did you learn last month?

3. What was the weather like where you are?

4. What event last month was your favorite?

5. What was the best thing you read, listened to or watched last month? 

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

SEPTEMBER: 

7. What are you looking forward to this month?

Bonus question! Tell me about your oldest friend! When was the last time you saw them? 

What I Learned, Looking Forward, Looking Back: July 2026

Happy Monday! I hope that everyone is enjoying their summer and is getting plenty of time outside in the sunshine! As you are reading this, Cristof and I have just completed Segment One in Montana and are celebrating with ice cream, beer and a well deserved swim! In case you have not been following along, this means we are done! 

The last leg was quite smoky unfortunately and I spent a lot of time dodging fires again. 

Captured on 07/25/26
Not shown: Canada fires

And as you often ask after a journey like this, what's next? I will be staying in the US for a couple of months, doing some hiking, road tripping and housesitting before setting off for another international destination. More on this later! 

I'd love to hear what you're up to! Please copy and paste the questions at the end and add your answers to the mix! 

Where was I? Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana

What country related books or documentaries did I watch? 

Read: finally finished On The Plain of Snakes by Paul Theroux (Mexico)

*Also read these, not related to this year's travel plans, but good all the same! 

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See (China)

First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung (Cambodia)

Watched: The Real Story of the Sunshine Mine Disaster which is about an incident in the 70s at the Sunshine mine near Kellogg, Idaho, when a mine fire filled the tunnels with deadly carbon monoxide. Ninety-one miners lost their lives, making it one of the worst mining disasters in U.S. history and leading to major improvements in mine safety and emergency equipment.

Did I complete any other items on this year's looking forward list? 

✅New food <-- Fry Sauce (apparently a UT special, made from mixing mayo, ketchup and a few other spices etc. I love mayo, so of course I was a fan!) 

✅ Book about country <-- On the Plain of Snakes (Mexico)

✅ New thing <-- Saw ospreys and a muskrat in the wild

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1. What is the name of last month's chapter? 

January: Devouring the Sweet Potato

February: Back in the Groove

March: Serenity Before the Storm

April: Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

May: The Ring of Fire and Ice

June: On The Road Again

July: A River Rides Through It

I rode along many creeks and rivers in July, thank goodness. It was a welcome relief from the dry, hot plains and deserts I had been near before! 

2. What did I learn last month? 

I learned about fry sauce, what the difference is between an osprey and an eagle, the difference between the screech of a hawk and a falcon, and that a muskrat is MUCH smaller than a beaver (PS beavers are huge). 

I also learned (noticed?) that people in ID and UT don't fly their state flag as much as people in AZ do (or it is not as obvious?) and that the ID state flag has the state seal on it, and this seal is notable for being the only U.S. state seal designed by a woman. The UT flag and highway signs all have a beehive on them, which is a symbol of hard work, cooperation, and perseverance, specifically due to the early settlers, who were part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

I also learned (just now, when I was going to use the acronym "LDS") that church leadership asks people to avoid using "LDS" or the nickname "Mormon" as a substitute for the name of the Church. Preferred terms if a shortened name is used, are "the Church" or "the Church of Jesus Christ."

3. What was the weather like? 

It was great! Sure, sometimes it was hot, in the 90s or even above 100 a few times, but for the most part, nights were in the 40s and 50s and daytime temperatures were in the 80s. The only issue really was the smoke, and it was heavy (and really smelly) at times! 

Red sky in the morning, firefighters take warning

4. What event last month was my favorite?

Again, it really is too hard to decide. I am going to do a post later with a wrap up of the bike trip, including some favorites, so for now I will say that the animals I saw were a highlight! Here are some interesting additions from July.  

🌟Water animals, including a muskrat, a river otter and one dead weasel/ferret. 

🌟A plethora of birds, including three baby ospreys in a nest (It was huge! I thought it was an eagle's nest at first), two juvenile (and curious) owls, pelicans, sand hill cranes, many waterfowl and various flitting and flapping and chirping other birds that I cannot name. Oh and many hawks, who screamed and screeched above my head as I was riding. 

🌟 Rodents galore and of various sizes, including marmots, squirrels, chipmunks, ground squirrels and probably prairie dogs (I honestly am not sure of the difference between the last two). 

🌟So many hooved animals, including deer and elk, tons of Bambis, many MANY cows, horses, goats, pigs, buffalo and llamas. 

🌟Randoms such as bunnies, snakes (mostly dead, only two rattlers), butterflies, and bees. 

Note: I did not see any bears; nor did I see any prints or scat. I am not sure why not!  

5. What was the best thing read, listened to or watched last month? 

Book: The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett. Set in 1933, this is the story of a little girl in a Mississippi orphanage, the vice squad, who at the time was trying to get rid of all illegal activities, such as gambling, drinking and prostitution, a childless "old maid" named Birdie and her social climbing sister, and many other intriguing characters, who are all tangled together in some interesting ways. 

Movie/Show: I haven't really watched TV at all, but I do have a few Jim Gaffigan standup bits saved on my YT for nights when I need a pick me up. I especially like this one where he roasts Canada (while, of course, performing in Canada). If you like it, there is a full length version. 

Podcast: This episode of Lives Less Ordinary, which made me cry a little while riding my bike, about a family getting lost at sea while trying to escape from Vietnam by boat after the Vietnam War. 

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

I finally finished the bike route, and took myself for a second breakfast to celebrate. [Quick backstory: I probably burn between 3,000 - 5,000 calories per day most days. I generally eat breakfast around 6:00 am and by 9:00 am I am already hungry again]. I walked into the local breakfast joint around 10:00 am and there was a large table of older gents (Montana rancher and cowboy types) all eating and chatting. 

Tuesday Breakfast Club

When I am hungry, I want it all, and can never decide between sweet and savory, so I ordered biscuits and gravy (with eggs and hash browns) and a side of pancake. When it came out it was a lot of food, but I knew I could do it. Not one, but several of the cowboys commented, saying things like, "are you expecting someone else?" and "there's no way you will finish all that!" and "don't worry; they have to go containers." Um, CHALLENGE ACCEPTED, gents! So I ate it. All of it. By the time I was finished they were gone, but I told the server to make sure she let them know the next time they were in that I DID IT. 

What? I am a Taurus, people. Plus, seriously, I really was hungry! 

Table for two one!

7. What am I looking forward to this month?

Spending time with friends! 

Your turn! To copy/paste, highlight the text below and click CTRL-C, then put the cursor in the comment box and click CTRL-V.

JULY:

1. What is the name of your last month's chapter or the theme of your last month if you prefer that?

2. What did you learn last month?

3. What was the weather like where you are?

4. What event last month was your favorite?

5. What was the best thing you read, listened to or watched last month? 

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

AUGUST: 

7. What are you looking forward to this month?

Bonus question! What is the weirdest animal you have seen in the wild? Have you every had Fry Sauce? 

What I Learned, Looking Forward, Looking Back: June 2026

Happy Monday! I hope that everyone in the US had a good long weekend and Happy very belated Canada Day to my Canadian friends! Today, the US plays Croatia in Seattle for the World Cup and although I will not be there, my friend K will be there, cheering on our guys! Go USA! Actually, I have not had a chance to watch many of the recent games, as I have been in the mountains and out of service, and as you are reading this, I will likely be riding again... 

I'll be doing this...

However, I am making progress!! Currently Cristof and I am in Segment 5 in Utah and we are over halfway done! However, I have been dodging fires, struggling up hills and eating way too much fried food! 

I'd love to hear what you're up to! Please copy and paste the questions at the end and add your answers to the mix! 

Where was I? Arizona, California, Washington, Utah

What country related books or documentaries did I watch? 

Read: The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver (Mexico) (5 stars)

Watched: n/a

Did I complete any other items on this year's looking forward list? 

✅New food <-- I tried several AZ beers including Tower and Dark Sky Brewery

✅ Book about country <-- The Lacuna (Mexico)

✅ Family time! 

✅ World Cup!

✅ Ride my bike in two new states <-- Arizona, Utah - 2/2

✅ New thing <-- Went to the World Cup (live)

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1. What is the name of last month's chapter? 

January: Devouring the Sweet Potato

February: Back in the Groove

March: Serenity Before the Storm

April: Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

May: The Ring of Fire and Ice

June: On The Road Again

June brought several road rides, which are NOT my favorite. Some of them were a bit dicey, aka small shoulder, fast traffic, but I lived! 

2. What did I learn last month? 

I learned about Piccadilly, a highly popular, sweet-and-sour Arizona treat that pairs shaved ice, cherry or Kool-Aid syrup, chamoy, and diced dill pickles. I did not get a chance to try it but I wanted to! Maybe next time? 

3. What was the weather like? 

It is all over the place. From about 110 F in Phoenix, it was a lot nicer in the northern part of AZ for the most part, maybe in the 80s at most. A break in CA and WA brought WONDERFUL 50s, 60s and 70s, then the Grand Canyon area was back in the 90s. Utah for the most part has been nice, with highs in the 80s and lows in the high 30s or low 40s at times. I will take lows in the 30s over highs in the 110+ any day. 

It's cold in them thar hills! (~10,200 ft)

4. What event last month was my favorite?

I can't really pick. There have been so many wonderful views and places I have never seen or been to and have been pleasantly surprised by. There have been so many people asking if I am okay, or need help, or offering me rides or drinks or buying me breakfast, or who are just curious about what I am doing. The World Cup was an experience of a lifetime. I also spent time with family and friends, both old and new (including one HS friend who I have not seen in about 15 years!) And of course, seeing my Dad fit eight days worth of camping food into a bear cannister which really is meant for four or five days worth. Some things never cease to amaze me, nor do they get old. Tetris for the win, Dad. 

Dad helps me get ready for a future hiking trip

5. What was the best thing read, listened to or watched last month? 

Book: The Courage to be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi. I would not say this is my favorite book of all times, but it really made me think a lot! There are some things I did agree with and some I did not, but all in all it was quite thought provoking. One of the parts that resonated was about the separation of tasks and the premise is that we suffer because we choose to—not consciously, but out of fear of change. By letting go of the need for outside validation and mastering this issue, it offers significant relief from burnout and the pressure to please everyone. If you read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

Movie/Show: n/a

Podcast: The Wild Ideas Worth Living podcast is an interview format where the host interviews all sorts of people who have had "wild" ideas, be it entrepreneurship, long sailing trips, or this one about a girl who became a paraplegic at age 17 but then went on to win several Olympic medals (in several different sports!) I am getting lots of inspiration and ideas for future endeavors! 

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

I took K's daughter A driving for the first time. She was super cute about it and was very nervous. She did a great job, as I knew she would, as she is very responsible and thoughtful. However, when we went to swap back to drive home, she left a very big butt shaped sweat pool on the driver's seat! 

7. What am I looking forward to this month?

Seeing more places that I have don't even know about yet! 

My first glimpse of Mary's Nipple, Skyline Dr. UT
(also smoke in the background 😔)

Your turn! To copy/paste, highlight the text below and click CTRL-C, then put the cursor in the comment box and click CTRL-V.

JUNE:

1. What is the name of your last month's chapter or the theme of your last month if you prefer that?

2. What did you learn last month?

3. What was the weather like where you are?

4. What event last month was your favorite?

5. What was the best thing you read, listened to or watched last month? 

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

JULY: 

7. What are you looking forward to this month?

Bonus question! Do you remember who took you driving for the first time? How did it go? 

What I Learned, Looking Forward, Looking Back: May 2026

You may recall that May is my favorite month. Don't get me wrong, I actually love all the months for various reasons, but May always seems to be a place of rebirth. The flowers are blooming, the sun starts shining more, and this is one of the best months to be 

in San Francisco. Karl, the fog, has not made his appearance yet, as it is brought on by the very hot temperatures inland clashing with the cool temperatures of the Pacific. The weather is just right, not too cool, not too hot, and the morning air is fresh and clear. May always reminds me that it is a joy to be alive. 

This year is no different. I flew home on the first, beat jetlag by staying up the entire flight (boo yeah) and literally hit the ground running....by going out for a run in one of my favorite places, the headlands. The rest of the month was spent with family, walking or running my usual 6 mile loop, and at the end, prepping for and starting off on the next adventure, a bike trip! This one goes from Mexico to Canada along a different dirt route, which you can see here. 80% of the route is on dirt and 70% of it is on public lands (National Forests, National Parks and Monuments, and BLM land), which means that for the most part, you can stop and camp wherever you want. Currently I am still in Segment 9 in Arizona. 

I've got a long way to go still...

I'd love to hear what you're up to! Please copy and paste the questions at the end and add your answers to the mix! 

Where was I? Alaska, BC, California, Arizona

What country related books or documentaries did I watch? 

Read: I actually read quite a few books about the US and Mexico! 

Amity: 1866 post Civil War, formerly enslaved (but not yet freed) brother and sister get separated; one is in the US and one is in Mexico. Brother goes to find sister. (****)

Ballad of Love and Glory: 1846 Mexican American war (****)

On the Plain of Snakes: Travel writer Paul Theroux drives along and crosses over the US/Mexican border several times before delving deeper into the country. (in progress)

Watched: n/a

Did I complete any other items on this year's looking forward list? 

✅New food <-- black sesame ice cream *yum*

✅ Book about country <-- see above

✅ Family time! 

✅ Ride my bike in two new states <-- Arizona - 1/2

✅ See at least one National Park that I have not been to before. <-- Glacier Bay NP, Alaska

✅ New thing <-- saw an orca!

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1. What is the name of last month's chapter? 

January: Devouring the Sweet Potato

February: Back in the Groove

March: Serenity Before the Storm

April: Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

May: The Ring of Fire and Ice

I went from Alaska (cold) to Arizona (hot) all in one month and it was quite the contrast! 

2. What did I learn last month? 

I learned a lot about salmon, glaciers, my family's knowledge of trivia questions and...cactus! I decided I had to stop calling them the "one that looks like a pincushion" and the "one that looks like a Rastafarian" and so I looked them up. Did you know that Arizona has over 50 different kinds of cacti? We all probably are familiar with the Saguaro (middle row, far left photo), and it is very fun to find people shapes within them, but one of my favorites is the Cholla (top row, middle photo), because it reminds me of my little succulents at home, where you could remove the "chick" and make a whole new plant. The Cholla does the same thing, giving it the nickname of the Jumping Cholla. Also, if you speak Spanish, you will know this already, but if you don't...Saguaro is pronounced Sah-wahr-oh, and Cholla is pronounced Choy-ah. 

Cacti

3. What was the weather like? 

It was all over the place! Alaska was around 40-50 most of the time, San Francisco was around 50-60, it was about 50-70 at my parents, and then it was 70-105 in Arizona! The only place it rained was BC, but otherwise the skies were clear and it was beautiful! 

4. What event last month was my favorite?

It's really hard to choose! I saw orcas! I even got them on video, which was very lucky! We also did a helicopter ride to a glacier while in Alaska which was a very cool experience. I have been on a helicopter before but I can honestly say that it does not get old. I would do it again in a heartbeat and would love to even learn to fly one. #lifegoals! 

I also got to ride on a narrow gauge railway that my Dad has done a lot of work with, spent a lot of great time with family and friends, got a new bike, played many, MANY hands of Rummy with my brother, had a birthday, ate hamburgers, drank beer, walked in the forest, went to San Francisco and so much more! It was a very full month for sure. 

5. What was the best thing read, listened to or watched last month? Despite a pretty slow start, once I started riding, I read at least a book a day on audio, and due to camping, have been reading my Kindle a lot at night! However, no five stars, but lots and lots of fours! 

Book: The Electricity of Every Living Thing - While on a thru-hike in England, the author determines that she has Asperger's. The walk gives her time to think it through and contemplate what this diagnosis means for her.  

Movie/Show: The Inspector Lynley Mysteries (Britbox/Kanopy (free)) - Classic detective stories set in London and surrounds, based on books by Elizabeth George. When I was younger I read so many of her novels and loved them. The show was filmed in the early aughts so the quality is not great but the stories are still fun. 

Podcast: I am loving the Headwaters podcast, which is about Glacier NP. First of all, it is hosted by two rangers, and I like them, so that helps. Second, despite being about Glacier, there are so many interesting parallels to other things, like this episode where they talk about forest fires and how they affect different groups, the environment and the animals. 

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

My Driver License was expiring on my birthday this year. Now, I am not a procrastinator, so of course, I got online in February to renew. Not to make a short story long, but if you are unaware, for a REAL ID, you need to have a physical address and prove that you live there. My ID still had my Oakland address, so in order to renew the first step is to change your address (online) and the second step is to request a new ID (also online). Easy right? Well, for some reason, the online address change would not work. I would go it, change it, it would say that it was going to take 3-5 business days, then I would get no email or anything, but in 3-5 days would go back and check and it would say "not processed." I did this several times using different browsers, my phone, and even my brother, as I thought maybe the issue was that I wasn't in the US. It did not work. I sent an email to the DMV asking for an extension. I got no response. 

I was going to be arriving home one day before my birthday, so plan B was that I would just go in to a physical location. If you have ever been to the DMV, or maybe it is just the DMV in California, the reputation is not great. So I printed out everything that they may ask for, and tried to make an appointment. The first available was in June, so I decided to just take my chances. I borrowed my Dad's car and went in on my birthday, the day my ID expired, and got in line. Good news: it only took about 15 minutes! Yay! Bad news: I got back in the car and the car wouldn't start. So I spent the next hour figuring out why and ultimately getting a new battery for the car. 

In the end, it was not too bad, and I went and got my free Starbucks milkshake frappuccino to celebrate my win. The funny thing is that my Dad had asked me earlier what special thing I wanted to do for my birthday and I told him that it was just a regular day really and that I had a lot of errands to run. So after my errands I also helped him clean out the basement! Sometimes being an adult is fun, eh? Full disclosure: I had a hamburger and a beer too!

Cheeseburger salad, buffalo cauliflower, IPA

Is this how the IG people do it?

7. What am I looking forward to this month?

The World Cup! I will fly home and go to a game in the Bay Area and then go to Seattle for a second game and it is going to be so much fun. My friend K and I have tried to get tickets to other years but have failed so this is our redemption! 

Your turn! To copy/paste, highlight the text below and click CTRL-C, then put the cursor in the comment box and click CTRL-V.

MAY:

1. What is the name of your last month's chapter or the theme of your last month if you prefer that?

2. What did you learn last month?

3. What was the weather like where you are?

4. What event last month was your favorite?

5. What was the best thing you read, listened to or watched last month? 

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

JUNE: 

7. What are you looking forward to this month?

Bonus question! What is your ideal birthday meal (and drink)? 

What I Learned, Looking Forward, Looking Back: April 2026

I know that April is not quite over yet, but I will soon be on a plane, on a ship and with family, and so I thought I would post early this month, as I will be otherwise occupied once the month is actually over.  

Please copy and paste the questions at the end and add your answers to the mix! 

Where was I? Thailand

What country related books or documentaries did I watch? 

Read: The Glass Kingdom by Lawrence Osborne. A book set in Bangkok about an American woman who steals from her boss and escapes to an expat apartment in Bangkok. She makes some friends and meets some locals but also finds some trouble along the way. I just thought it was okay. 

Watched: Mysteries of the Mekong (shown on Apple TV, YouTube TV or Paramount) -- A nature documentary about the Mekong Delta. I personally like nature shows so I enjoyed it! 

Did I complete any other items on this year's looking forward list? 

✅New food <-- Malatang soup at Xiong Lao Han Malatang

✅ Book about country

✅ Documentary about country

✅ Fun times with the girls! 

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1. What is the name of last month's chapter? 

January: Devouring the Sweet Potato

February: Back in the Groove

March: Serenity Before the Storm

April: Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

2. What did I learn last month? 

I learned that elephants eat for about 16 hours per day. Then also only digest about 40% of what they eat, which means they poop roughly every 1.5 hours, which ends up being a total of about 200 pounds of dung per day. 

3. What was the weather like? 

It was hot. I would estimate that the lows in the evening were around 29 C / 84 F and the highs were around 39 C / 100 F, with humidity of about 50% plus. The silver lining is that it only rained a couple of times. The downside is that I only went out for real exercise a couple of times per week (I did walk to places still, but did not do dedicated runs very often). 

4. What event last month was my favorite?

Having the girls visit! We had a lot of fun wandering around, eating, going to the beach, feeding elephants and more. It was really fun to see things through their eyes, and we gave them some cash so they could interact with the vendors and locals when and where they wanted, and seeing what they decided to do and how they handled new situations was interesting! 

5. What was the best thing read, listened to or watched last month? My reading has been absolute crap. Between having the girls here, feeling lethargic due to the weather and spending a lot of time planning the next several months, I have not done much reading. 

Book: The Unselected Journals of Emma M Lion: Vol 1. It was short and sweet and about as much as I can concentrate on at the moment. 

Movie/Show: The new season of Top Chef, which is set in the Carolinas. 

Podcast: This episode of Acquired about Costco. (If you enjoy this, you may also like this one about TJs)

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

When the girls were here, we set up some tours for their enjoyment. Tour #1 was to an elephant sanctuary, where it was hot and there were flies. L was so bothered by the bugs, and kept asking if we brought bug spray (we didn't) and spent most of the time there scratching (PS they were not biting!) and trying to brush flies off. Tour #2 was a old train ride, a train market and a floating market. L slept through the train ride, and ate something that looked like a nut in the train market (she is deathly allergic). I am pretty sure that instead of remembering the tour events, she will remember bugs, heat and nearly dying. Kids! Side note: we had a great time staying cool by playing cards in the AC cooled apartment, so I am sure there are other memories to be had! 

7. What am I looking forward to this month?

Alaska cruise, seeing family, and starting a new cycling adventure! 

Your turn! To copy/paste, highlight the text below and click CTRL-C, then put the cursor in the comment box and click CTRL-V.

APRIL:

1. What is the name of your last month's chapter or the theme of your last month if you prefer that?

2. What did you learn last month?

3. What was the weather like where you are?

4. What event last month was your favorite?

5. What was the best thing you read, listened to or watched last month? 

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

MAY: 

7. What are you looking forward to this month?

Bonus question! If you have littles in your life, what thing have you done that they have totally missed the point of (in your mind) or didn't seem to care about? 

What I Learned, Looking Forward, Looking Back: March 2026

You thought I only posted on Mondays, but I fooled you! Due to my 20 in 20 anniversary next week, this week I have a bonus episode for you. You're welcome! This is not a joke! 

Please copy and paste the questions at the end and add your answers to the mix! 

Where was I? Japan

What new food did I try? There were a lot of things! The most fun one was Okonomiyaki, which is like a noodle, cabbage and oyster omelet of sorts. 

What country related books or documentaries did I watch? 

Read: Fifty Words For Rain <-- Japan (kind of strange)
Read: The Reason I Jump <-- Japanese author, who happens to be a 13 year old boy with autism *This one was my favorite of the three
Read: South of the Border, West of the Sun <-- Japanese author

Watched: The Unspeakable Things That Happened in Unit 731<-- covert biological and chemical warfare research unit of the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) and World War II.
Watched: Being Japanese Part 1 and Part 2 <-- identity in Japan (especially if you are not full Japanese)

Notes: I enjoyed The Reason I Jump, as it gives you an insight into some questions you may have about autism. I also found the Unit 731 documentary interesting in that I had heard about the Japanese being cruel during some of the wars, but not this specific part of it. I really enjoyed Being Japanese, as it talks about the struggles to integrate for some "outsiders" to the Japanese culture. 

Did I complete any other items on this year's looking forward list? 

✅New food
✅ Sent > 5 post cards
✅ Hiking in Japan
✅ Book about country
✅ Documentary about country

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1. What is the name of your last month's chapter or the theme of your last month if you prefer that? 

January: Devouring the Sweet Potato
February: Back in the Groove
March: Serenity Before the Storm

April will be busy, then...the summer will be busy...so March is the last calm month for a while! 

2. What did you learn last month? 

I learned that the reason the Japanese statues have little "aprons" on them is because they are an offering to the guardian of children and travelers, Jizō. Parents place these items on statues, often with hats, to ask Jizō to keep their children warm and safe in the afterlife, to ask for protection or express gratitude, or to ward off illness or evil.

Statues with bibs

I also learned how to wash before going into a Shinto shrine (use dipper to clean the left hand, right hand, mouth, then clean the dipper), and how to properly pray at the shrine (pay a coin for good luck, bow twice, clap twice, pray, bow again [and sometimes ring a bell]) and how you should walk to the side of the path as the middle is reserved for the gods. 

Washing station

3. What was the weather like where you are? 

It was great! It rained a few days but mostly it was around 10 C / 50 F. Perfect running weather! 

4. What event last month was your favorite?

Hiking the Kumano Kodo was great. It is a pilgrimage over 1000 years old and it just felt so serene, walking amongst the tall cedar trees, seeing the shrines and temples and hearing the birds and the bugs. It was right up my alley. 

5. What was the best thing you read, listened to or watched last month? 

Book: I really enjoyed Travels with Charley, in which John Steinbeck takes a road trip across the US with his dog. 

Movie/Show: I started the new season of Top Chef, which is in the Carolinas this year. 

Podcast: Don't be fooled by the title; this episode of Choose FI is of two women talking about getting used to not hoarding time, and about how hard it is to let go of perfectionism. I related to them very much. 

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

Well it's not really "funny" but I had to get dental work done in Japan, a root canal and a crown, in two different cities, and neither of them spoke any English! It turns out, they have very cool machines and the out of pocket cost (total--> root canal: $90, crown: $375) was probably less than it would have been at home WITH insurance. Despite disliking dentists generally, it was probably the most pleasant dental experience that I have had in a while. Also the second dentist let me take photos of him and his machines while he was making my crown! 

7. What are you looking forward to this month?

The girls! They will be joining me for spring break and we have a lot of fun things planned. Elephants, floating markets, eating all the street food, massages, mani-pedis, beach time, temples, buddhas, the works! I will need a vacation once they leave but it will be very fun I am sure. 

Your turn! To copy/paste, highlight the text below and click CTRL-C, then put the cursor in the comment box and click CTRL-V.

MARCH:

1. What is the name of your last month's chapter or the theme of your last month if you prefer that?
2. What did you learn last month?
3. What was the weather like where you are?
4. What event last month was your favorite?
5. What was the best thing you read, listened to or watched last month? 
6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

APRIL: 

7. What are you looking forward to this month?

Bonus question! What was the worst dental procedure you have had? 

What I Learned, Looking Forward, Looking Back: February 2026

I like February; having four weeks means there is an organized manner to the month. Exactly four weeks with no extra days hanging off the ends. It is short but sweet, and is a good time to start planning for the months ahead. I did get some planning done, started my continuing education for my licenses and even worked on my taxes! So it was a productive month, all in all. Here is the look back for the month. I will also be adding notes on new foods, books and documentaries set or about the countries where I am traveling, and completion of any items on the looking forward post I did last week. This month, I will also go over a few of my FIGS, hosted by Elisabeth! 

Please copy and paste the questions at the end and add your answers to the mix! 

Where was I? Taiwan

What new food did I try? Peanut Ice Cream Roll (rice paper, peanut crumbles, ice cream and cilantro), aka the Ice Cream Burrito. Delicious. 

What country related books or documentaries did I watch? 

Read: Daughters of Shandong <-- China/Taiwan
Watched: Island in Between  <-- Taiwan

Both courtesy of Diane. Thanks! 

Did I complete any other items on this year's looking forward list? 

✅Rode a bike in Taiwan 
✅ Sent > 5 post cards

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FIGS: Lunar New Year decorations and celebrations, finishing a good book (see below), getting a clean bill of health, random morning catch ups with several loved ones, a few runs along the river, mostly great weather, a couple of fun and challenging hikes, dragon fruit smoothies, boba tea, getting my taxes 90% completed, getting my continuing education 90% completed, 7-Eleven takeout meals.  

7-Eleven Chicken Breast Bento
Tofu, egg, chicken, cabbage and rice

Just heat and eat! Cost ~ $3.00

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1. What is the name of your last month's chapter or the theme of your last month if you prefer that? 

January: Devouring the Sweet Potato
February: Back in the Groove

This is a play on words as I (1) pulled a muscle in my back and had to read a lot and recover for a while. However, it could not have come at a better time, as I was (2) in the same place for one month, hence the "in the groove," as I was also able to get back into a routine of sorts for the month, even if it was not as active as I had hoped. 

2. What did you learn last month? 

I learned that firecrackers are lit during Lunar New Year to scare away evil spirits and the mythical monster "Nian," while welcoming good fortune, joy, and prosperity for the coming year. This ancient tradition signifies a loud, celebratory start to the spring festival. The noise and bright flashes are believed to attract good fortune and prosperity for the new year. 

How did I learn this, you are wondering? Well, this goes on not just for one day, but for about two weeks, or maybe more, and it happens all day long, but especially around 11 pm or 12 am! When I left at the end of the month it was still happening and the actual New Year day was on the 17th. They are VERY loud. Also, paper slips representing things like money, cars and homes are burned to honor ancestors and deities by providing them with money, goods, and, by extension, wealth for the afterlife. This is a crucial expression of filial piety (care for elders), ensuring spirits are well-provided for in the new year.

Needless to say, the month of February was very loud and smoky! 

3. What was the weather like where you are? 

It was mostly nice! There were a few rainy days, but all in all the weather was probably highs around 21 C / 70 F and lows around 9 C / 48 F. There were a couple of hotter and cooler days but it was very temperate for the most part. 

4. What event last month was your favorite?

Being in a place that celebrates Lunar New Year was a lot of fun. I mean, I have been lucky to live and work in San Francisco, where we have reportedly the oldest Chinatown in North America as well as one of the largest outside of Asia. This means that I have a rudimentary knowledge of the customs or events during this time. However, it was tenfold in Taipei! Also, in San Francisco I learned how to say Happy New Year, but I only learned it in Cantonese, so I have had to learn it again in Mandarin! The decorations and the lights and the lanterns are very striking and very impressive to say the least. 

5. What was the best thing you read, listened to or watched last month? 

Book: The Moor's Account by Laila Lalami

Movie/Show: I usually don't have Netflix, but my Airbnb had it, so I binged Outlander. It was fun to see some of the places where I was only a few months ago. When I was in Scotland, I had not seen any of the episodes, but we did pass by some of the filming locations, and I actually stayed with a friend in Linlithgow. The palace there (where Mary Queen of Scots was born, and where my friend got married!) was Wentworth Prison in Outlander. 

I also got an Apple TV subscription with one of my credit cards and I need suggestions! Do you have any? 

Podcast: The Thoughtful Travel podcast. If you are looking for inspiration for destinations, or like to hear stories of why people travel, their mishaps along the way, traveling with kids and more, you may want to check this out! 

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

I had a hamburger in Taiwan on one of my last days there. Why is this funny? Well, if you know me, you know that I like to eat the local food. However, I was meeting up with some new-to-me friends, and when I asked them if they wanted to go to the night market, my friend said that her husband was "not an adventurous eater" and that he liked going to Western food places. So not only did I have a hamburger, but I paid more for one beer and one hamburger than I probably have paid for my last 8-10 meals out at local places (and for the beer, I essentially paid San Francisco prices for it). However, the moral of the story is, that if you want to make new friends, you have to (literally) pay the price. PS they were both very nice people and I would hang out with them again. 

7. What are you looking forward to this month?

I am looking forward to hiking the Kumano Kodo (PDF map here) in Japan. Like the Camino in Europe, it is an ancient (1,000 year old) pilgrimage linking three grand shrines. It is considered a path for healing, purification, and spiritual reconnection with nature. You know me, I love spiritual reconnection with nature! Also, there are Onsen, which are thermal baths, where you go naked, and I think that is something that I need to try at least once in my life. 

Your turn! To copy/paste, highlight the text below and click CTRL-C, then put the cursor in the comment box and click CTRL-V.

FEBRUARY:

1. What is the name of your last month's chapter or the theme of your last month if you prefer that?
2. What did you learn last month?
3. What was the weather like where you are?
4. What event last month was your favorite?
5. What was the best thing you read, listened to or watched last month? 
6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

MARCH: 

7. What are you looking forward to this month?

Bonus question! Do you have any suggestions of what to watch on Apple TV? Have you ever been to a naked thermal bath?