The Blogger Extraordinaire (TBE): The Whole Story

If you have not already heard about The Blogger Extraordinaire (TBE), welcome! TBE was a ~ 4,000 mile road trip across the Midwest and West that I did with Birchie in August. She did a fun wrap up last week and I thought I would do a similar one (but different!) So, buckle up and let's get started!

I love a good spreadsheet. I also like to have lots of possible plans, although I do not always do all of them. TBE started as a seed where Birchie wanted to do some Amtrak travel, I was going to be "close to her" and available, and with that, a tree began to grow. This tree was the TBE spreadsheet! On the spreadsheet were the Amtrak routes, some national parks, some capitals, and lots and lots of friends! Then we looked at the map to see what was even possible and went from there. Unfortunately, given some of the locations, an Amtrak trip would have meant getting off and on the train and/or renting a new car in several places. This led to Birchie suggesting that we just take Brad (her car) instead, and me volunteering to stay around for the entire trip, aka back to the starting point, before carrying on with my own plans. 

We then had several "meetings" where we video chatted and drank our respective beers while scheming to determine what would actually be possible vs what would be too much. Here is what we came up with: 

Too much? Maybe. 

The general plan was this: Four state capitals. Five national parks. As many friends as possible! Let's see how we got on, shall we? 

Day 1 - 4: Ohio. I flew to OH, and stayed there! Previously, I have been through the Cincinnati airport several times, but, since it actually is not in Ohio, but in neighboring Kentucky, plus I don't count airport layovers anyway, I did not count it on my "states visited" list until now! In Ohio, we went thrift store shopping so that I would not look like a complete bum, then went hiking in a new to me National Park, Cuyahoga Valley, strolled around Cleveland, met up with some friends, went on a boat, drank beer and took lots of photos of Cleveland signs!

Ohio

Day 5: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois. Day one of road tripping! We got on the road, stopped at Indiana Dunes National Park, and ended up in Chicago, where we met up with Ernie for a Mediterranean dinner and lots of catching up. 

Lake Michigan

Day 6: Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota. After a quick morning run around the hood, we drove from Chicago to Madison, where we met up with Engie and Sarah at the Marigold Kitchen for some yummy breakfast and even better conversation. We ended the day in Minneapolis where we annoy Phil and have a great time hanging with the boys and catching up with Lisa. 

I did not test these

Day 7: Minnesota, North Dakota. We had a nice morning walk around Lake Harriet before it is time to say goodbye! We head towards Bismarck, but have a nice stop in Fargo, which has a cute little downtown, and...no visible woodchippers! We ended the day in Bismarck with a ramen so hot it made me cry (in a good way)! Random fact: Bismarck and it's twin city, Mandan, are both in the same time zone, despite the fact that the majority of ND west of the Missouri river is in Mountain time. 

Lake Harriet

Day 8: North Dakota. After a nice run around our super cute neighborhood, we went and toured my first state capitol building for the year! It has a plain exterior, but the inside is art deco and it sets the tone nicely for our future capitol explorations. It is also the tallest inhabited building in the state. Once done, we headed to Richardton, where we met up with a friend I met on my repositioning cruise! He is excited to show us everything, and we went on a whirlwind tour of brunch, Theodore Roosevelt (TR) Presidential Library, TR National Park and Medora before heading to the Pitchfork Fondue, which is actually steak cooked on a pitchfork (in hot oil). Then we headed to the Medora musical, which is in a cool outdoor theater. 

I am not the first person to take this guy's photo

Day 9: North Dakota, Montana. We headed from Richardton to Billings with a stop at TRNP to take a quick hike around the Badlands. Fun fact: Billings is the biggest city in Montana, with ~ 120,000 people. 

TRNP hike

Day 10: Montana. I had a morning run in Billings, then we did a quick walk near the Yellowstone river, then we scooted to Helena, arriving early enough to take a hike on the hill near our Airbnb. After we got settled in, we headed to the Windbag Saloon for some burgers and beers. We finished the day off with trolley ride around town, and learned a lot about the Montana gold rush. 

Keep Helena weird!

Day 11: Montana. I did a quick trail run in the hills near our Airbnb, then we had homemade scones for breakfast. A tour of the capitol building topped off our Helena morning. Then we headed to Michelle's for some excellent cow education, four wheeler driving, dollhouse viewing, dinner and conversation! 

This bull don't take no $hit. 

Day 12: Montana, Wyoming. I learned how to play Connections (badly) then we "helped" Michelle's husband by driving his tractors around the ranch. I am sure he would like me to come back next year to help some more! Then we sadly said goodbye and headed towards Yellowstone, where we found a couple of steaming pools, a hike and some colorful holes to look at before settling at the Old Faithful Lodge. More burgers and beers are had, and I see an eruption before the night is over. 

My kind of place...

Day 13: Wyoming. The drive out of the park is a fun one, with lots of things to look at! We spotted the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, did a quick hike at the Natural Bridge and headed east. The drive was very scenic, even outside of the park, and we saw plenty of big rocks (my favorite). We made a quick pit stop for some kettle corn (and a free drink) in Cody, then we headed to Ten Sleep, where we had another burger and beer before walking back to our motel. 

The drive from Yellowstone to Cody (east)

Day 14: Wyoming, South Dakota. We left Ten Sleep and stopped in Buffalo, which ironically is the first place that Birchie and I met IRL (NY last time, WY this time). There is a nice creek path for our daily stroll, plus a picnic table in the shade for our daily picnic. We carried on to Hill City, where we met up with a friend of mine for dinner (the choices: big steak or small steak; cash only). We stayed in a lovely place, the Horse Creek Resort, where we decided to take a "rest day" and stay two nights. 

Good advice (found in Buffalo, WY)

Day 15: South Dakota. The HCR abuts the Black Hills national forest, and so I started the day with a walk through the woods. After that, it is back in the car, to Mt. Rushmore, the Needles Highway, and the Crazy Horse Monument, with a stop in Hill City for pizza. We got smart and got enough leftovers for dinner so we could just veg out after we got back. We get back, veg out, and decide to start watching Traitors UK, which I first saw about a year ago at my friends' house in Scotland, but never pursued more of before this. 

My happy place: porch, book, beer

Day 16: South Dakota. Sadly, we have to leave our relaxing abode, and so we headed to the capital of SD, Pierre, pronounced like peer. It's not a bad drive, but it is a little bit boring, except for the section where we went through Badlands National Park (if you are counting, this is NP #5!) We got to Pierre, checked into our hotel, and walked to a BBQ place nearby. We discover a riverwalk along the Missouri, which is quite pleasant. Random fact: Pierre is split into two time zones, with the river being the dividing line. We watch Traitors again; I fear we are hooked. 

Black Hills NF

Day 17: South Dakota, Nebraska. We did a self tour of the capitol before heading out and towards Nebraska. This drive seemed long, or I was tired, but I was really glad to get out of the car, and even happier that Lincoln was a happening town with a fun walkable old town and downtown area. We went for dinner, and I got BBQ again. I am beginning to see a trend here. (#beefitswhatsfordinner!) More Traitors. 

Downtown Pierre

Day 18: Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois. I ran, we toured the capitol, we got back on the road. The tour was loud, the group was big, the building was echoey, and the tour ran loooooong. The guide had a lot of energy, and the class of '71 group keeps talking and asking questions. It was a beautiful building but I was happy to get back on the road. We drove until basically the halfway point to our endpoint, including all the way across Iowa, before stopping in Ottawa, IL. More Traitors ensues. 

Lincoln capitol garden

Day 19: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio. I did a quick shakeout run among the corn fields in the rain before having breakfast and getting in the car. We stopped for a quick hike before leaving IL, and its clear that we are getting back into humid-land. The drive contained a lot of freeway, but it didn't seem too bad. We got some more rain along the way, but are back in Ohio in time to go grocery shopping, buy beer, and have a nice dinner before we head to bed. 

Humid IL hike

Day 20: Ohio. I took a run, we took one last group Doggo walk, we ate, and we finished binging the first season of Traitors. I mean, we can't leave things unfinished, right? Plus we are both tired and it is nice to just veg out and relax. Also laundry is a must! 

I wonder how hard it would be to ride this

Day 21: Ohio. I get on a plane and head west again, to get Cristof and head out to the next leg of my adventure. 

Goodbye, Ohio

Want more? Here is my quick and dirty August wrap up. Here are some interesting things we found out about each other. Here are Birchie's mid-trip updates: Days 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12, 13-15! Also coming soon: Rate my trip posts!! 

When was the last time you did a road trip? Where did you go? How long was it? 

Same, Same, But Different

After traveling in a car together for many, many hours, and then spending time in hotel rooms, Airbnbs, attractions, restaurants and bars, Birchie and I found out a lot of things about each other! The Blogger Extraordinaire was fun, not just for the sights seen, people visited and photos taken, but getting to know each other better was an adventure in itself. Of course, as adult people who have lived independently for many years over our lives, we found out some things that we definitely had in common and some things that we did differently. The question is, how did it stack up? Did either of us change due to seeing how other people did things? Let's find out! 

Same, Same

Alone Time: We both appreciate our alone time! It does not always jive up at the same time, but for the most part, we like a quiet morning, and a chill evening. We also don't mind listening to an audio book or podcast rather than always talking in the car, although this did not happen a lot, it did happen from time to time. 

The End Result? In the morning, I would often take a run while Birchie did her thing, and then in the evening after dinner, we would often do our thing or watch a show. However, this did evolve as we went along, and was maybe influenced by our newfound Traitors obsession. 

Food: Luckily, we were pretty much on the same eating schedule. We had a small breakfast, often stopped for a car sandwich lunch around 11:00 am, then were ready for dinner pretty much as soon as we got settled in the lodging, which was generally around 5:00 pm. 

The end result? We are both happy to be part of the early bird special and usually made sandwiches at a gas station or rest area for lunch. 

Picnic in Buffalo, WY

Beer: We both like beer, but especially IPAs. Need I say more? 

The end result? We would happily share a flight to try different beers, or even share a beer if it came down to it. 

Beer selection at the Sleepy Coyote in Ten Sleep, WY
Note the saw in the background

Music: We both like musicals and also love singing along to them! 

The end result? On the trip, we listened to Sound of Music, Hamilton and The Music Man (sparked by our drive through Gary Indiana, Gary Indiana, Gary Indiana!) I also had Phantom, Les Mis, In The Heights, Newsies and more queued up, but in the end, we just could not get to all of them! We also went to see the Medora musical in North Dakota. 

Outdoor theater in Medora, ND

Mayo: Spicy mayo for life! 

The end result? We only needed one sandwich condiment! 

Exercise: We both wanted to be sure that we kept to a semi-regular exercise routine, given we would be in the car and eating strange foods etc. 

Hiking at Theodore Roosevelt National Park

The end result? I often went on a run around town, we took at least one walk or hike per day, and we also sometimes did push ups (Birchie more than me!). For me, my average steps per day for the 15 days we were on the road was just under 16,000, and there was no day under 10,000 (one day was 10,008!)

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But Different

Multiple Car Loads: I like to bring everything in from the car all at once. This is not just on vacation, but also when I buy groceries or really whenever I have to unload anything from the car. Birchie likes multiple trips. This could be that she travels in style, road trip style I mean, and has a cooler and other nice gadgets to make the trip more enjoyable. I have one bag, and can carry the cooler and multiple other bags at once in order to do it all in one. 

The end result? By the end, if the room was hard to get to (aka up a set of stairs, further away etc.) Birchie was okay to take just one trip. If we were parked right in front of the room or door, I was okay to just do one. Did we rub off on each other? Yes. 

Luggage: As you know, I travel light. I normally do this, but currently all I have is my bike stuff, so its even lighter than normal! Birchie has a deluxe road trip set up, with a cooler, coffee maker, electric kettle and more. I also only have two black outfits (and a running outfit) so I don't have many clothes either. 

Birchie (left), Me (right)
PC: Birchie (more info here)

The end result? I got a lot of ideas for my future campervan set up! The electric cooler is clutch. When cycling, I eat a lot of processed foods that don't need refrigeration, and it was so nice to be able to buy cheese or beer and have it be cold when you want it. Birchie did mention that she is considering swapping over to the all black ensemble.  Did we rub off on each other? Yes!   

Audio Speed: Birchie listens to audio (books, podcasts) at 1x speed. I listen at 2x or 2.20x. We did try listening to some audio at 1.1x to see what Birchie thought, but it was a bit of a fail. 

The end result? If the podcast was one that I had listened to before, the voice often sounded like the person was sick or had had a stroke or something. I didn't love it. Birchie didn't really like anything more than 1.1x. Did we rub off on each other? Not this time. 

Sandwiches: I had turkey, she had tofurkey! 

The end result? We both had sandwiches and it is not hard to carry around two different kinds of meat (in Birchie's excellent cooler). Did we rub off on each other? We didn't need to! I would eat tofurkey if needed. I think Birchie would eat turkey but wouldn't love it. 

Deli meats

Coffee: Part of Birchie's cool road trip packing set up is a pour over coffee maker, electric kettle, half and half (in the cooler) and premeasured ground coffee. I like good coffee, but also can drink pretty much anything, including instant coffee. I generally drank the hotel coffee, or made drip coffee if we were in an airbnb. Also, she has only one cup, whereas I want two or even three if we have time. 

The end result? She made her coffee each morning, and I sourced my coffee from various places, including the hotel lobby, gas stations, the in room coffee maker, or my own emergency stash of Nescafe. Did we rub off on each other? Halfway. I would go up the scale, but I doubt Birchie would go down. 

Last day of the trip, I splurged!

Parking: Birchie is a parking lot/garage person, whereas I am a curb/street parker. I can and do parallel park and free parking is always better than paid parking. Birchie just wants the car to be safe and the parking to be simple and does not care about the price. 

The end result? When I drove, I parked wherever, although of course was influenced by the fact that the car was not mine, so probably parked in more conservative places than I would have if it were my own car. Birchie did not attempt to park on the curb. Birchie only attempted one curb parking job, and it looked like a drunk person may have parked the car (unfortunately I did not take a photo, but I do believe two tires were on the curb. Also, she has approved this joke in advance! I would never make fun of her without her permission.)  Did we rub off on each other? Hard No. 

Questions for you! Let us know what your preferences are in these categories! Even if you just have time for one, let us know, what speed you listen to your audiobooks at and how many trips you take from the car after you get groceries or come back from a trip! 

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? 

Since You've Been Gone

You may have noticed my lack of posting recently, but one of the things that I've decided to do more, especially in summer, is to live life and to try to be off the internet more. I know; it is not easy! There are so many things that can suck me in! I've done a lot of blog reading here and there, but not much commenting, so I apologize for that! I am going to do a rapid fire summary of some of the things that kept me from being present in this space over the last few months and then you will also be seeing some recap posts about some of my favorites along the way. Some will be a little bit of a repeat of prior posts but I will try not to bore anyone! 

After being in Bangkok for the month of April, which meant hot hot temps and a general lethargy due to the humidity (despite or maybe also due to eating lots of good food), I was kind of ready to go home and see people and be in cooler temps! It started with a flight home on May 1st. 

May: (recap here) I had a great time with friends on our "regular 12" loop around the Marin headlands, then set off on a 10 day Alaska cruise. This is something that I would recommend to you even if you are not a cruiser. My Mom is not a huge travel fan, mostly due to the getting there and away aspect, but even she was wowed, and now talks about doing it again! We saw animals, glaciers and lots and lots of beautiful scenery. Plus I went to Glacier Bay, a new National Park!

Glacier Bay NP

Then, after visiting some friends, I headed to Tucson, where I started a 2,700 mile bike ride from Mexico to Canada. It was hard at first, and quite hot and dry, but soon I had my legs and it was so fun to see some of the interesting smaller towns and beautiful dirt road scenery of Arizona. Fun fact that most people may not know: Arizona has a lot of pine forests, not just desert! Another fun fact: Tucson public transit is free! Yippie. 

Mogollon Rim, AZ

June: (recap here) When I arrived at Flagstaff, I headed back (by bus) to Phoenix to fly to San Francisco for the World Cup. I took the Greyhound, which was not bad. Also, the Phoenix local bus system was not too shabby either. I stayed at a very swanky hotel using points, met up with a high school friend and her son, then headed to SFO. After the game there, I spent time with family, then headed to Seattle for more family time, another game, and a fun trip to Bainbridge Island (Fun fact: for $10 you can get a nice ferry ride, a great view of the skyline, and a nice wander, and plenty of options for lunch and coffee). The World Cup was fun and is something that I am really glad I did, despite the cost. 

Bainbridge Ferry, WA

After the game, and the wonderful weather of the Bay Area and Seattle, I headed back to the oven that is Arizona, and pedaled north. I visited the Grand Canyon and had a harrowing ride through the Navajo Nation before accepting a ride with a semi truck driver to Kanab UT. From there I headed north through UT, skirted Bryce, saw a cattle drive, finally had more water options and camping in the shade, and got to ride on Skyline drive (a 100 mile stretch of road above 10,000 feet). 

July: (recap here) I rode through Utah, including the Park City area, dipped into Wyoming a bit, then skirted the border of Idaho and Montana for a while before riding through a really cool section called the Magruder Corridor, which is about 100 miles of complete wilderness. I made friends with motorcycle riders, camped near some beautiful creeks, and rode up hills that I never would have thought I could (go legs!) I then popped back into Montana for the final stretch north, where I arrived at the Canada border near Roosville. Along the way, I had a nighttime encounter with a bear, but he and I parted ways amicably! 

Lots of cows (WY + everywhere)

August: (recap pending) The first half of the month consisted of hanging out with an old high school friend in Montana, then meeting up with my hiking partner, Bugsy, for some time in Glacier NP and a seven day hike in the Bob Marshall wilderness. This was great, except for the fires and smoke, and some major "bushwhacking" through downed trees due to some crazy winter microbursts. At some points we were climbing over piles of downed trees that were easily 15 or 20 feet high! 

Bugsy in the trees! (MT)

After leaving Bugsy, I headed to OH, a new state to me, to meet up with Birchie. She showed me around the state, introduced me to my new favorite beer, and made sure that when I said that I had "been to OH" before, I really meant it (not just through the airport as I had in the past). Then we set out for The Blogger Extraordinaire (TBE), a roughly 4,000 road trip from Ohio to Montana and back, with a goal to see lots of capitol buildings, national parks and PEOPLE. And that we did! We also ate good food, stayed in some interesting accommodations, learned a ton of different things, talked about everything and did some hikes and runs along the way. More recaps will be coming soon about this. Let's just say that it was good, but stay tuned for more! 

While you wait for my road trip recaps, you can read Birchie's posts: Days 1-3, 4-6, 7-9

Stay tuned for some favorite places, animals, eats and lots of fun rating systems where I rate runs, accommodation, national parks, new states and more! 

What fun things have you been up to this summer!?! Lay it on me! 

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)

--------------------------------------------------------------------

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?