West Coast Roadtrip- US-101

I have always dreamed of cruising up the 101 and camping along the way. This past October those dreams became reality! The planning began after I signed up for the Yosemite Half Marathon. If we were already driving up to Yosemite , why not make a huge loop out of it and hit Big Sur and San Francisco too right?? This was our game plan…

Day 1: Drive north towards Big Sur and stay in Oceana (central coast)

Day 2: Head to Big Sur Campground bright and early

Day 3: Camp!

Day 4: Drive to San Francisco

Day 5: Stay in SF

Day 6: Head to Yosemite

Day 7: Explore Yosemite

Day 8: Race day!

Day 9: Drive back to San Diego

The first day we left early in the morning and headed north, stopping at Santa Barbara on the way because its an adorable city. We explored the Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens which was full of small turtles so I was ecstatic. 

Our next stop is San Luis Obispo which is a town on the central coast of California that is full of charming restaurants and wineries. We had attended a wedding here a few months prior so we were slightly familiar with the area.

We visited Slo Creek Farms to pick a “few” apples… I got carried away because there is always a larger, redder, more appetizing apple around the corner that needs to be picked. After picking apples we asked some new friends at the farm for winery recommendations. We were sent over to Kelsey winery which makes cider out of the apples at Slo Creek Farms (yay local businesses!). We headed right over to Kelsey for a tasting flight and were greeted by adorable winery dogs. After a lovely afternoon in the sunshine we headed downtown to have a few beers at SLO Brewing Company. We had a lot of fun here and ended up staying a while and trying many different kinds of beer.

After a long day of driving, eating, and beer drinking we were ready for a relaxed night and headed to our vacation rental to rest. Early the next morning we would start our drive up the scenic 101!

Cross - Country Road Trip

Last week I embarked on what has been my greatest adventure thus far. I drove across the southern United States from Orlando, FL to San Diego, CA. Luckily my sister jumped at the opportunity to join me on this adventure. It’s hard to put into words the feeling of packing up all your belongings in a small sedan and hitting the road. I suppose the first word I would use to describe those feelings would be nervous. Nervous about my car, it was so heavy with my items that I wasn’t sure if it even would move. The nervousness slowly faded and turned into excitement. This journey was one to enjoy, not simply a means of getting from A to B. The roads leading us from the east coast to the west coast were beautiful and scenic. 

Our first stop was New Orleans, LA which we had both traveled to before on hurricane relief projects. Sidebar: When you have volunteered in NOLA you appreciate it on a deeper level than the Bourbon street patrons. You gain an understanding of the city's soul and feel its heartbeat. This brings a greater appreciation to the local culture and vibe.

While in Lousiana we stayed at an AirBnb in Arabi which is just outside of New Orleans. I cannot stress enough the quality of AirBnb. You are able to rent someones home and typically get to meet them and ask for suggestions and advice on the city. It provides a completely unique experience that proves to be more welcoming then other lodging options. Because we were staying in a small town, we took a cab to new Orleans for dinner at a restaurant called thirteen where I found a vegan BBQ tofu sandwich and the NOLA Rebirth Beer. Next we went to Bar Tonique for craft cocktails and had the Moscow Mule and a Caipirinha (grapefruit bitter drink). Both drinks were amazing and the Moscow Mule was the best we had ever had. In the morning we went to a jazz brunch at The Court of Two Sisters which was a buffet style brunch in a beautiful courtyard.

AirBnB Arabi, Louisiana

Bar Tonique

New Orleans Re Birth Ale

Jazz Brunch

Jazz Brunch

Day two brought us to Austin, TX where we stayed with a friend we knew from Orlando. We explored downtown Austin traveling to Rainey Street which is an area of older houses transformed into bars. 

The next morning we had a completely vegetarian brunch at Bouldin Creek Café. The food was amazing and even my meat eating friends were in awe at the flavor packed meals. They also had ample vegan cookies/brownies- I did not try any of these but they looked incredible. 

Rainey Street

Austin Sign

Bouldin Creek Cafe

We got back on the road later than originally planned, but it caused no real issues. Our next destination was La Mesa, NM. Where we stayed at another AirBnB which was even MORE charming. In the morning we sat outside drinking coffee and enjoying the scenery. We had a quick lunch at a Mediterranean restaurant called Sheba Grill where the food was delicious and our server was very nice, he even gave us a few waters for the road! Next we made an important stop at a liquor store called Celebrate Liquor Co which was right off I10 (address 2500 S Valley Dr Las Cruces, NM 88005) in order to buy some beers from New Mexico. They can't export their beers so this was my only chance to try a few. I bought three six packs of assorted stouts and then we headed out.

AirBnB New Mexico

AirBnB New Mexico

New Mexico

After leaving New Mexico our plan was to stop in Phoenix and head to San Diego the following day. However, at about 5 hours in we decided we were antsy to get to San Diego so we filled up the gas tank again and continued on for the remainder of the 12 hour drive. The last day was tough because we were exhausted and hungry for a real meal but it was an amazing feeling to wake up in San Diego. I felt accomplished, exhausted, and adventurous.

Overall cross country road-trip lessons learned

1.     Bring lots of snacks/water and gas up whenever possible in the Midwest. There are very long stretches of endless road, no cell service, no exits.

2.     Try to do the majority of the driving in daylight. There were no street lights and on windy unfamiliar roads this was an added stress.

3.     Have an idea of what you want to do and see in each city so you don’t waste time doing research upon arrival. With that said, if you get a recommendation from a local or see something that looks amazing, feel free to change up the plans.

4.     Audiobooks/podcast are a great way to pass the time and calm you down if you feel anxious while traveling (we listened to serial)

5.     Reach out to friends/family that you may be able to stay with along the way

6.     Do a full car tune- up before you leave. I remember thinking on the long stretches of endless highway how grateful I was that I put new tires on my car and did my 100,000 mile service before starting the trip. 

Finally Made it to San Diego!

Denver Breweries

Sunday in Denver started out with breakfast and mimosas at Watercourse foods- the food was so amazing on Friday that we had to have it again on Sunday :) The mimosas were 2 for 1 and were very generously sized!

We headed straight to Tommyknocker Brewing and the drive from Denver to the brewery was incredibly scenic. As usual I could not stop from tearing up at the beauty of nature. Call me crazy but I am stunned every time I see such a beautiful view. The pictures barely sum up how amazing the sights are in Colorado

We planned to visit a few different breweries so at Tommyknocker we got the sampler platter instead of getting full size beers. My favorite was their cocoa porter ale which is seasonal and only available november-march.

 
After leaving Tommyknocker we headed to the Golden Gate Canyon State Park to hike the Blue Grouse Trail. The trail was only about 1.5 miles and was a very easy trail. We weren't sure how we would react to the altitude so this was the perfect start, I definitely could have done a longer trail though!

 

Next on the list was Avery Brewing which happened to be having a release party for their Tweak Beer which is a stout with coffee added and aged in bourbon barrells and is a whopping 17.01% alcohol. We had to try one but we split it and sipped it slowly, it was VERY intense but delicious. 

After leaving Avery Brewing we headed to Oskar Blues and accidentally ended up at the Oskar Blues restaurant not the actual brewery. We stayed for a beer but didn't hangout for long because we were at the wrong place! We skipped ahead to our next brewery on the list which was Left Hand Brewing. This was our favorite of the day because for anyone that's a fan of dark beers, they have a LOT of options. We got along great with the bartender and he gave us a ton of samples so we tried every beer they had on tap. The most interesting one was an IPA they had with jalapenos in it. 

After a full day of driving and sampling beers we headed back to the hotel to relax and eat leftovers. We were too tuckered out to go out Sunday night. After spending a day driving through the mountains, I wish I had done that every day while in Colorado. Its truly the best part about the entire state :)

Washington Park- Denver

Saturday in Denver started with morning snowfall! Very exciting for two Floridians exploring Colorado. Naturally the first thing I wanted after waking up was a hot cup of coffee. I think the most important part about traveling is avoiding chain coffee places/restaurants. A quick search will bring you to a cozy local coffee shop. My choice for Saturday morning was the Purple Door Coffee. They employ previously homeless/troubled teens that are trying to get their lives back on track. This was a win-win for me, I was able to get a delicious latte and contribute to a great organization. I made my latte vegan by replacing regular milk with soy milk (They also have almond milk available)

Latte with Soy Milk

After grabbing coffee we headed over to Voodoo Donuts which has been featured on Diners Drive-ins and Dives. This is a 24 hour donut shop that sells vegan donuts and regular donuts in endless different flavors. Below are my two vegan donut choices; one is vanilla icing with oreos and the other is a cinnamon sugar flavor. They were deliciously sweet :)

Voodoo Donuts

I wanted to see a few city parks so we went to Washington Park (or "Wash Park" as the locals call it) for a morning walk. The park was pretty barren except for a lot of birds and some crazy locals running around the park in shorts and a t-shirt in SEVEN degree weather... I imagine this park in the summer/early fall is absolutely beautiful. I enjoyed the snow covered grounds but it was incredibly cold so we did not last long. 

Washington Park

Washington Park

After walking around outside it was time to warm up so we headed to The Denver Tea Room and Coffee Saloon for some hot tea. We cozied up next to a window drinking rooibos tea and enjoying watching the snow fall. Its always nice to have a relaxing moment during a busy vacation.

After having tea we met up with a friend at Snooze which is a very popular breakfast spot, I was able to select three different sides (vegan chorizo, vegan sausage, and hash browns) for a vegan brunch. The food was flavorful but vegan options were definitely limited as with most breakfast restaurants.

Next we spent a few hours walking around the mall at Cherry Creek Shopping District. Then headed back to our Airbnb to relax for a bit. We found a place for dinner called Hops & Pie which specializes in pizza and beer. We put our names on the list as soon as we got there but the wait for a table was around 2 hours. If you plan to eat here I suggest snagging a few seats at the bar and just ordering food from there. We had the vegan mac & cheese and it was incredibly savory, creamy, and toasty because of the bread crumbs on top. It was amazing paired with the Denver pale ale I was drinking. The only complaint I have about this restaurant is that their options of dark beer are VERY limited, but this should be assumed with the name HOPS and pie. They like hops! We spent a few hours socializing and drinking beer, then headed home to get some rest before Sunday.

More later on Denver :)
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Denver Treats

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Denver, Colorado for the very first time. I am not sure why, but I have always felt very drawn towards Colorado, despite never visiting before. I have always desired to explore the snowy mountains, endless trails, and delicious food. Finally this past weekend I had the opportunity to do just that. 

The weekend started when my work conference ended on Friday at noon and I picked up my boyfriend from the airport. We went directly to Watercourse Foods for lunch thanks to the raving reviews I had heard from friends. The restaurant is 100% vegan and has tons of creative dishes that made my mouth water just looking at the menu. I decided on The Atlas Burger with a side of the Mac 'n Cheese. The Mac 'n Cheese was incredible; by far the creamiest and most flavorful vegan Mac 'n Cheese that I have ever tasted. Of course I had to finish the meal with something sweet, I chose the Resee's Cake and my boyfriend had the Samoa style "Scout" cookie. The cookie was coconuty, crunchy, and nutty while the cake was dense, moist and very rich. 

The Atlas Burger

Scout Cookie

Resee's Cake

After Watercourse we checked into our AirBnb rental. This was our first time renting through AirBnb and we had a great experience! The apartment we stayed in was very clean and charming and check-in was incredibly easy. I liked the idea of staying in an apartment and eating the local food instead of staying in a hotel where more chain-like restaurants would be located. If you are interested in giving it a try- let me know and I can send you a coupon for $25 off your first rental!

After an hour of relaxing we tried to catch the 5pm tour at Great Divide Brewery in downtown Denver. We caught some traffic along the way and unfortunately missed the tour by a few minutes, but we were still able to sample some great beers. I had the Denver Pale Ale, typically I would go for their Yeti beer but I felt it was time to try something new. The pale ale represented exactly what a pale ale should with the right amount of hop. A note of warning though, the tap room standing area is limited and the brewery was very crowded. However I enjoy seeing breweries in this state because it gives me hope that this craft beer movement is not just a phase but will be sticking around. 

If the crowd at Great Divide starts to overwhelm you, check out The Lobby right next-door. They have a great beer selection and plenty of tvs for watching sports. They also have different specials for days of the week. We ended up eating dinner there and I had a portobello cap burger. The food was pretty good, but definitely not as flavorful and unique as Watercourse.

Our first day there was only a half day but we were still able to try out some great restaurants and beers!

Sylacauga, Alabama Off-Roading

I am staying for the week with my boyfriend in Pell City, Alabama which means that I am not far at all from off-roading, hiking, and swimming in lakes! TripAdvisor will tell you that this area of Alabama has basically nothing to offer but I disagree.
We went with a group of friends and two Jeeps on an off-roading adventure. We got onto Forest Road 600-1 in the Talladega National Forest near Sylacauga, Alabama at Highway 148. The road starts out as basically a gravel one way road, as you keep venturing on it becomes more bumpy and rugged. There were a couple of very steep side trails that we were able to get the Wrangler up with a winch around a strong tree. We were definitely happy to be in jeeps with 4WD because some parts of the trail are VERY rugged and rocky. There are also some puddle areas with standing water (that smells awful) but are fun to drive through. 
We drove for about 2 hours and then stumbled across this beautiful look out point because the boys wanted to drive the jeeps up onto the rocks. It is called Heath Cliffs Overlook. As we walked over the rocks we were all in awe at the view. 

On the way back down the radiator cracked in one of the jeeps and it overheated. We had to tow it out with the other jeep through the rockiest and windiest parts of the trail. This was definitely a challenge and a bit nerve wracking through all of the trees. 

A few lessons learned

- Definitely do not go alone incase something happens to your jeep/truck. You will be very deep in the forest and will most likely not have cell service 

- There are many horse flies in this area so just be weary of this

- Bring water and snacks because it is a very long trail and there are no sources of water

- Bring your tools so you can try to fix anything you need to in the event that something happens

Even with the slight hiccup, it was an amazing day and a great first time off-roading experience for me!!

Travel To Enhance Your Life, Not To Escape It

This past weekend, I traveled to Myrtle Beach with my boyfriend and we had an amazing and adventurous weekend. The trip was short (too short as usual) but incredibly wonderful. Upon return when I experienced the typical "Monday Blues" after an amazing vacation, I realized the importance of the way we think about traveling. 

I think most people go on vacation to escape the stress and frustrations of their daily life. This can really put a damper on your return trip because you will be dreading getting back to the daily grind. Maybe if we think of traveling as an opportunity to enhance our lives and make us better people, it wont be so upsetting as we make our return trip. With this mindset, you will return home feeling refreshed, relaxed, and more cultured. 

On our way to Myrtle Beach we stopped in Savannah, GA because it is a charming historic city that we both had never visited. I instantly fell in love with the cozy houses and foliage filled streets. If you get the chance to go, visit Forsyth Park for a nice walk and wander around The Historic District for some great sight seeing. Below are some pictures of Forsyth Park.

Forsyth Park

Forsyth Park

After our walk we ate at a restaurant called Green Truck Pub which had some incredible food made from produce at local farms, and I was even able to try a local beer (Savannah Brown by Coastal Empire Beer Co) ! I ate the veggie patty with corn and black bean salsa and avocado on top. The food, service, and beer were all amazing and I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys eating (and drinking) local products. 

The next morning we tried something I have always wanted to do- Parasailing! This was an incredible and almost indescribable experience. My mind kept going back and forth between being incredible scared, and in awe of the beauty around me. My boyfriend who LOVES heights was relaxed the entire time and now wants to go skydiving...  

Atlantic Water-Sports Parasailing

After this adventure we were pretty hungry and decided to try Ethiopian food while in Myrtle Beach! The restaurant was called Redi-et Ehtiopian Cuisine and turned out to be incredibly delicious. Ethiopian food is typically eaten by hand, and when our waitress brought us our meals she asked if we would like to use forks. This felt like when you are at a sushi restaurant and you quietly ask for chopstick cheaters. I hesitantly said "yes we would like forks" and immediately regretted it. If we are going to eat Ethiopian food, we should eat it as it is customarily eaten- by hand! 

Our forks remained wrapped and unused as we proudly finished our meals. I was able to find three different vegan options that I could combine into one meal. Of course we also tried two different Ethiopian beers, a Stout and a Lager. 

Injera and Hakim Stout

Lentil Pastries

Vegan Dish: Collard Greens, Pureed Lentils, Roasted Veggies

My main message here is that the best part about traveling is learning more about the world around you, so try the activity you are scared of and eat the type of food you have never had. When you do, immerse yourself completely and hold nothing back. In doing this, you can return back to your "real life" content knowing that you have enhanced your life. Don't dread returning home, reminisce happily on all of the adventures you took part in.