A couple weeks ago our good friends and their pup came with us on our last adventure with Magnolia. It happened to be a beautifully clear night, and we camped alone on the cliff’s edge in the San Rafael Swell. The Wedge, also known as the “Little Grand Canyon,” has amazing views by itself, but … More The San Rafael Swell: Saying Goodbye
Here he is– no whistles or bells. Magnolia’s replacement. I’ve been fighting to accept the reality of giving up our beautiful VW bus for something so sterile, but we’ve been driving Becket around for the past few weeks, and I’m realizing that for what we do, he is going to be a better option than … More Meet Becket, Our New Tiny House on Wheels
I first climbed Rainier last June (2014) and it was everything I thought it would be. We drove into the park in a heavy mist and as the road climbed higher, the snow lining the road turned from patchy to four-foot tall walls lining the way to Paradise. When we got to Paradise the stereotype … More Rainier on the Rocks
When Matt and I got married I was sure to let him know beforehand that I am not a cook– not that I can’t cook, I just never really enjoyed it. The first two years of our marriage he did most of the cooking, but after we moved into the van I had a shift … More Faux Pho
We’ve lived in our van for 10 months now, and in that time we have discovered some things that help make our lives easier. To give you some perspective we live in a 1978 VW Westfalia– which means we are limited on space. Here’s the list in no particular order of importance: Pendelton Wool Blanket: Not … More But wait… How do you shower? The top 10 essentials for van life:
I recently got back from a solo trip to Zion National Park. It’s pretty amazing how crowded the place has become. Every year I return to the canyon, it seems to be more of a tourist trap and less of a place of inspirational grandeur. To get to a trailhead I have to ride a … More Finding Desert Solitaire
Perhaps we happen to be lucky– Matt and I were both raised in Utah by parents who love the outdoors. From their love, we developed a passion of our own and it has taken us to where we are today– many mountain adventures in almost three years of marriage, eight months of which has been … More A Week in the Life of Some Simple Mountain People
Six months have gone by since we began this bus life journey– it’s hard to believe that so much time has passed. Matt and I are apart now for the first time in all those months. He had an opportunity to climb Denali in Alaska and we couldn’t pass it up. He’ll be gone 5 … More Sugar Magnolia
I’m pretty sure I’m in heaven. Never in my wildest of dreams have I imagined that life could be so beautiful. I wake up smiling. I go to bed smiling and thinking about the places I’ve been, the people I’ve met, and the love that I feel. Days pass like weeks and weeks pass like … More The Simple Life
We were booted from one of our favorite camping spots last night– a dirt parking lot at the base of a trailhead tucked away from any sort of commotion. An officer tapped on our window around 11pm just as we were getting a fire going. He wasn’t friendly– he had no interest in who we … More Take Us or Leave Us Alone
Simply Mountain People 