This weekend I’m off to a land where most people don’t want to be this time of year–the land of the cold. Packing layers and donning sweaters is me in my element, though, so I couldn’t be more stoked. Plus, apparently there’s a whole town full of my relatives, so my mom and I are taking a soul-searching, life-affirming vacation to explore the depths of our familial history. Quite the emotions. So, in honor of our Norway trek, I decided to ask some awesome bloggers what their favorite spots are in Norway. I’ll learn something and you’ll learn something. Maybe you’ll find these places on your next trip:
Travel
7 Things You Learn on a Long-Term Road Trip (LTRT)
As much as you think physically training for hikes is important, it’s not. Your most valuable asset is your mind. Fine tune that like it’s your job. So, to help you better prepare for your own trip, here are a few things to note if you want to be mentally prepared for a sweet adventure.
You Need a Killer Playlist
You think you have enough music to keep you jamming for miles after miles? You’re probably wrong. The playlist will repeat itself, and you will be stuck skipping every song since you’ve long grown tired of them. Pull together absolutely everything for this playlist. Those songs you only have as novelties, the songs you love to hate (eh hem, let’s be honest, Justin Bieber’s whole new-ish album) and the oldies you can’t help but sway with. Pro tip: don’t fear singing along because that is definitely what will keep you awake at the wheel on hour 12.
Fin (Big Trip Days 45-56)
This is the “I had a case of the home-stretch lazies and didn’t write posts” post. So, here’s the truncated version of the last leg of our Big Trip. The gear review post will be coming soon, so stay updated if you’re interested in how things like our stove, tent and shoes worked out.
Day 43 and 44:
We popped into a family friend’s house in the ‘burbs of Toronto after I accidentally turned on the car alarm in the middle of the Canadian highway (you can’t win them all). From that base point, we took the train into the city for a day to catch the Hockey Hall of Fame and traipse around the lake shore. On our last evening in the ‘burbs, we got crafty and painted commemorative mugs (see below for the exclusive designs).
Big Trip (Days 36-42)
This past week, I think we’ve been accepted into the bison community. Stay tuned for updates on how we assimilate.
Day 36:
We left the comfy bed at Jackson and began our trek to the Badlands. Being that it’s more than a one day drive, we sat back, relaxed and popped in a movie. Mainly, it was me making weird faces at Evan. But we did pass a town called Emblem with only 10 people. We’re assuming FarmersOnly.com gets near 100% of that town’s business. Close to that “town” was Greybull where Evan and I set up camp for the night.
See Bags Go 