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“Race Me To The Pole” Expedition: One Man’s Journey to the North Pole for Charity

Sometimes you get one of those emails in your inbox that make you smile and burst with enthusiasm. Last week, I received just that kind of exciting email from a woman named Hannah who reads my blog, and asked if I would be interested in sharing her friend Gavin’s story. Without hesitation, I instantly agreed as Gavin’s adventure to the North Pole rates right up there with the kind of amazing travel and giving back philosophy that prompted me to start blogging in the first place.

I asked Hannah to put together a brief write-up and send me more details on Gavin’s trip which I edited below. I can already tell that this is going to be an amazing journey that I’m betting some of you will love to follow along. I know I will be!

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Adventure Travel Global Issues Global Non-Profit Organizations and Social Good Enterprises SOCIAL GOOD Trekking/Hiking
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Moonlighting at Moonlight Basin

Author’s note: This is my last post on our recent family vacation to Big Sky, Montana. To see other posts on Montana, click here. 

Mid-week during our ski trip to Montana we opted to try out neighboring Moonlight Basin ski resort. Known as Big Sky’s little sister, Moonlight Basin is smaller, cheaper and humbler yet in my opinion equally if not more beautiful and pristine. We spent a wonderful day skiing there with our dear friends who joined us on the trip. Two families, with two kids each, the same exact age. It was a wonderful day like all the rest.

The day started out iffy. Weather was moving in and it was expected to rain. But we couldn’t complain as the last five days of our trip in Montana had been absolutely spectacular with perhaps the bluest sky I’d ever seen. If all else fails, perhaps we’d have to get a day pass and hang out in Moonlight Basin’s magical, misty pool, slope – side.

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Adventure Travel Montana TRAVEL BY REGION United States
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Finding liberation at Liberty Bowl

“We have always been dreamers in Montana”. – Brian Schweitzer

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Big Sky trail map. Photo credit: bigskyresort.com

Day three skiing at Big Sky meant it was time to pick it up a notch and hit the bowls. There is nothing more liberating and invigorating than physically challenging your body. It was time to hit the blacks.

We traveled with another family to Montana and my friend and I rode the gondola up to the top to hit the back bowls. It was another sensational, postcard perfect day. I felt more alive than I had in months.

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Adventure Travel Montana Skiing TRAVEL TRAVEL BY REGION TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY
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Big Sky Bliss

“I’m in love with Montana. For other States I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection. But with Montana it is love. And it’s difficult to analyze love when you’re in it”. – John Steinbeck

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I have always loved mountains for as long as I can remember. Starting at the mere age of three, I begin skiing with my parents which over the years blossomed into a life long love of  downhill skiing. Today, decades later I’m in my parents boots and am skiing with my own children. It is quite a joy to see them go down the hill and develop the same love of the mountains and great outdoors as I have.

This week we are in Big Sky, Montana for our first-ever family ski trip. We’re here for an entire week of Spring skiing and you couldn’t ask for better weather. It has been absolutely brilliant. Bursting mountain blue sky, bright, joyous sunlight and deliciously soft, silky snow. What more could you ask for than a stint enjoying Big Sky’s bliss? Not much in my opinion.

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Home in the mountains

Yesterday we left for a long awaited vacation and I can’t tell you how incredibly ready I was to get out of town. The last few weeks have been a bit difficult especially given our recent family stint with the stomach flu. Spring has not even attempted to visit and the weather has been unseasonably cold. All in all, my spirits were sinking and it was time to leave.

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Adventure Travel Montana
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A visual feast at Macy’s Painted Garden

Screen Shot 2013-03-28 at 9.41.47 AMThis year’s Macy’s Flower Show is a definite stunner to the senses. The theme is The Painted Garden and is inspired by the colorful, brilliant flowers, jewels and market hues of India and Southern Asia. For most Minnesotans like myself, who are literally starved of color right now, the rainbow hues of the Painted Garden offer a visual feast to our hungry eyes.

As you walk through the room, all at once you are at peace as you smell the fragrance of a thousand flowers. Gentle background music lightly hums in your ears, and the room is an elaborate display of colors ranging from a magnificent variety of tropical flowers to the brightly colored hanging umbrellas and gorgeous paintings along the walls.

I still can’t decide what my favorite flower or work of art is at the Painted Garden. But I’d have to vote either for the centerpiece of the show, the elaborate, exotic elephant sculpture which proudly wears a blanket made of 20 different species of dried and fresh plant material or the insanely surreal Phalaenopsis Blue Orchids which are out of this world.

Come, take a look for yourself at some of the gorgeous flowers that paint the 8th floor of Macy’s department store in downtown Minneapolis. You will not leave this post disappointed!

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Eye candy: A glimpse into the Painted Garden

Today I decided that I’d had it with winter. I picked my daughter Sophia up from Kindergarten and we headed to downtown Minneapolis for the Macy’s Painted Garden Orchid Show. It was exactly what the doctor had in order.

We stepped inside this tropical paradise on the 8th floor of the Macy’s department store and were transported into a tropical garden more likely found in India or Thailand. Of course, given how much I adore flowers I snapped away like mad and then we walked around the show another time so 6-year-old Sophia could take some shots.

Here is just a teaser of some of the gorgeous flowers we saw. Once I have a chance to process all the photos, I will for sure give you a full report filled with color….a post not to be missed.

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In honor of WordPress’ iPhonography month, all these photos were taken with my tiny iPhone and processed on Instagram. Hope you enjoyed them! 

Minnesota TRAVEL BY REGION TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY United States
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Staying on my own little Cay

Author’s note: This post is part of my series on my recent trip to Honduras. To read past posts on Honduras, click here.

Not all of life is work and no play. Sometimes you have to reward yourself and celebrate the fruits of your labor. This is at least how I presented it to my loving husband as I booked myself two days at the Barefoot Cay in Roatan, Honduras.

I had just left the mainland after a week of volunteering and living like the locals. I had researched options on the internet and discovered the luxurious, secluded Barefoot Cay and knew I’d have to check it out. It was a bit more expensive than where I’d usually stay, however, it had a lot of fabulous amenities for a solo traveler.  When I read the front page of Barefoot Caye’s website, I was enticed and realized I had to give it a try.

Otro mundo aparte – A world apart.

The pace is unhurried…  The beaches white…  The water azure blue. 
Barefoot Cay Resort creates a feeling of calm and closeness with nature to a level few have experienced.

I arrived just as the sun was setting on Friday night and was instantly welcomed with an icy cold local beer at check in.  I couldn’t think of a better greeting than this after the bumpy rough ride on the ferry.

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The Bays of Roatan

Author’s note: This post is part of my series on my recent trip to Honduras. To read past posts on Honduras, click here.

Jakesprinter’s Sunday post theme is “Bay“. I realized that most of my travels are to mountains or other locales that do not typically include bays. Then as I glanced over at my copy of Lonely Planet: Honduras, I realized the cover said “Honduras and The Bay Islands“. Silly me, Roatan could be included in this challenge and I spent an entire morning touring her lovely bays and remote villages, way off the beaten tourist path.

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Roatan, Honduras
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Sunset ferry to Roatan

Author’s note: This post is part of my series on my recent trip to Honduras. To read past posts on Honduras, click here.

I left the mainland of Honduras on the four o’clock ferry, just in time to catch the glorious sunset over the Caribbean Sea. Although the hour and a half ride was exceedingly rough (I noticed something was going on when the ferry employees handed out plastic vomit bags as soon as we set sail), I still was thrilled to be out at sea as the sun set and cast brilliant hues of saffron yellows, golds and pale pinks across the sky and water. It was utterly brilliant.

I stood the entire way as I was concerned I’d get seasick. Standing seemed to help as I was able to allow my body to sway and move with the motion of the waves. Many people were not so lucky so I was happy when the ferry finally pulled into the shore of Roatan right as I was starting to feel a little green.

Here are some of my favorite shots along the way, as the sun began to set and cast her magic upon all those who could see.

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