Tomorrow is going to be a very difficult day. Lap of Love is coming to put Shadow to sleep. Even though I knew this day was coming, nothing could prepare my heart. Eight years ago, Sean and I rescued Shadow. Shadow lived with me while Sean was away at college. The lovable malamute became my best friend. Shadow came into…
Author: Pattie
Life Lessons Learned: The Let Them Theory and a Kayaking Adventure
Kayaking trips are something I don’t think I have blogged about much in the past. We enjoy kayaking on day trips and we also enjoy kayak camping. This past weekend, we paddled 12 miles on the Catawba River with our kayaking group. It was our 6th annual River Feast and a Toys for Tots toy drive. It was a great…
Surprising Finds on Our Virginia Overland Camping Trip
Last weekend, we went on our first overlanding adventure in Virginia. We met two other couples at a HipCamp Friday night and headed out early Saturday for the off-road trails. We ended up driving about 100 miles off-road over the weekend! We had so much fun! The second night we camped at Flagpole Knob. It had been raining all day…
Max Patch to Hot Springs: A Backpacking Adventure
We had a great adventure last weekend. We hiked from Max Patch to Hot Springs. It ended up being just over 21 miles with an elevation gain of 2,966 ft. From the summit of Max Patch to Hot Springs has an elevation loss of about 4,629 ft heading north bound. It was a moderate hike with several ascents that were…
Jeep Lift Kit Installation: Ready for Off-Road Adventure
Last weekend, Marty and Sean put a lift kit on my Jeep! This has been something we have been talking about for a very long time. On some of our adventures, we’ve hit dead ends, because we just didn’t have the clearance. One time, we left the chainsaw at camp, so we had to walk an extra mile to get…
Exploring the Sam Knob Loop Trail
Last week at work was a beast! I got home from South Carolina Friday at 8:30pm. We had already packed our backpacks because we knew I’d be getting in late. We made a fairly quick turn around and headed to Brevard, NC. We did not roll in to Brevard until after midnight. Whew! This backpacking trip was worth the late…
Repurposing an Old Jacket into Insulated Food Pouches
We have been wanting to get food insulation pouches for quite some time, but never got around to it. You can get them for $15- $50, ranging from simple to fancy. They are not hard to find in stores or online. The insulated bags help freeze-dried food rehydrate better and keep it hot longer. I cannot attest to the fact…
Backpacking Adventure: Carvers Gap to US 19E Recap
This past weekend, we backpacked from Carvers Gap to US 19E. We tracked our hiking miles and it ended up being a total of 17 miles. We did hike to a few water sources. Most guide books say the hike is around 15 miles. Our 17 miles did not include any walking around campsites or anything off trail. We got…
Backpacking the Appalachian Trail: A Weekend Section Hike
This coming weekend, we are planning on backpacking 14 miles on the AT. We will hike from Carvers Gap to US 19E. It’s a busy section of the trail with many hikers claiming it’s the prettiest section of the entire Appalachian Trail. That said, it is the prettiest section in North Carolina, hands down. We are excited about the change…
Happy FriYay: Hiking Tales and Homeless Backpackers
Happy FriYay! It’s been a busy week here in the Carolinas. We went out and hiked 5 miles with our packs on Sunday after Mass. After the previous week and vertigo, I was a bit nervous. It turned out fine, thankfully. After my urgent care visit and a stronger antibiotic, the middle ear infection is gone and has not returned.…
My Little Red Bike 