Artist Point Wedding

Sun streamed through the blinds in our bedroom at Sumas Mountain Lodge as I tiptoed out the door seeking breakfast. We’ve stayed at this rustic hotel many times before, but apparently our previous visits had taken place on the weekend. The ground floor restaurant, Bob’s Burgers and Brew, apparently did not serve breakfast on weekday mornings. And so that is how I found myself eating a breakfast of microwaved oatmeal on my wedding day in a gas station in Sumas Washington, suitcase in tow.

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Puget Sound & Islands

The Non-Bridal Shower

A few months ago, my sister Bethany asked if I wanted a bridal shower or bachelorette party before the wedding. So far, my focus has been on ensuring that the wedding is as simple and stress-free as possible. The idea of playing tedious parlor games or traipsing around in a veil and a tiara had me breaking into a cold sweat. No, thank you.

Mt. Baker

Pre-Wedding Visit to Artist Point and Nooksack Falls

We sit with our backs against a rock, holding hands and watching the shadows lengthen. Mt. Baker rises majestically behind us and Mt. Shuksan towers before us, its ragged top obscured by clouds. We had considered hiking further but aren’t prepared to face the snow hugging the steep trail ahead. So we stop and sit companionably in silence, drinking in the view and the soft afternoon light.

Puget Sound & Islands

Lummi Island Ramble: Baker Preserve and Otto Preserve

It’s always fun to discover new trails. On a recent trip to Lummi Island, I took the opportunity to check out some footpaths in the area. There are three trails that I know of on Lummi Island, all managed by the nonprofit Lummi Island Heritage Trust. The Baker Preserve Trail is the best known of the three, and so I decided to start my explorations there.

Issaquah Alps / Trail Maintenance

WTA Work Party at Soaring Eagle Regional Park

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about doing trail maintenance work. Considering the thousands of miles that I’ve logged on well-loved trails, it was becoming a source of embarrassment to me that I’ve never volunteered to help maintain a trail. So, I recently joined a Washington Trails Association work party at Soaring Eagle Regional Park. Located on the eastern edge of the Sammamish Plateau, the 600-acre Soaring Eagle Regional Park a hidden gem among a dense network of suburban sprawl…

Aunty-Niece Day at Mt. Baker’s Artist Point and Heather Meadows

I took a spontaneous trip to Mt. Baker’s Artist Point with my 7-year-old niece Ava this past weekend. On a family hike earlier this year, she held my hand and commented several times that she wished we could go on a hike together, with just the two of us. Her words stayed with me for the rest of the summer and so I decided that it was time for a special Aunty-Niece Day.

Family Hike to Fragrance Lake

In celebration of hike-a-thon, I went on a hike this weekend with with my team, The Amazing Shaw Family. We chose Fragrance Lake for our adventure as it’s centrally located between our homes. We hoped the hike would push but not overly challenge my niece and nephews, who range in ages from 4 to 7.

Ozette Triangle Day 3: Exploring the Rugged Beauty of Cape Alava

We awoke in a fog again on Sunday morning. Thankfully, it didn’t drench our tent this time as we hadn’t affixed the rainfly. We packed up reluctantly, knowing it was the last day of our hike.

Ozette Triangle Day 2: Hunting for Petroglyphs at Wedding Rocks

We awoke on Saturday morning in a cloud of fog. Droplets of mist hung in the air and soaked the tent. I was glad Daniel talked me into affixing the rainfly last night or we would have gotten soaked. I walked south to filter water and find the privvy. During my PCT hike last year, my fellow hikers and I made a game of rating the trail toilets. This was not the worst toilet I had ever seen…

Ozette Triangle Day 1: Dodging Bears at Sand Point

The Ozette Triangle has been on my bucket list for a long time. Located in Olympic National Park, this 9.4-mile loop hike includes both lush green forests and rugged coastal beaches. An easy elevation profile combined with several options for beach camping make this a favorite backpacking trip for hikers of varying levels of ability. We reserved a wilderness permit several months ago as permits are required for overnight camping. And so Friday morning found us heading west toward the Olympic Peninsula via the Bainbridge Island Ferry.

The Hike-a-thon is here!

On Wednesday, I celebrated the launch of Washington Trails Associations’s hike-a-thon by bringing a friend to my favorite trail. Meghan hasn’t been to the Redmond Watershed Preserve before and it was fun to share the trail with a someone new. I’m excited to participate in the hike-a-thon again this year, this time as a part of The Amazing Shaw Family team. We are raising money for the Washington Trails Association – a fabulous organization that promotes and preserves local area trails and our public lands.

Alpine Sunset: Backpacking Mt. Baker’s Chain Lakes Loop

I sat with my back against a rock, watching the mountains reflected in the lake below. As the sun slowly dipped over the horizon and twilight descended around me, I sighed with happiness. This is what I have been missing since I left the PCT last fall. I started my adventure earlier that morning, scrambling to readjust as my original hiking plans for the weekend fell through…

a rambling unicorn

exploring the world one new trail at a time