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So, it's about to crazy here. I got Pat a surf board for his birthday last month, and then this week I bought myself one because I didn't want him having too much fun without me. I pick my board up on Friday and I cannot wait! Pat and I have gone surfing twice, once in Hawaii and once in New Zealand. As usual, Pat is a natural. It's been 6 years since the last time Pat had been surfing and already after going out a few times, he's light years beyond my skills. Right now, I'm just getting really good at not drowning, which is key. In the spirit of this new adventure, I wanted to share some really cool surf spots around the world, and not all of them are where you might think, like this first one... 1. Surf Pool at Wadi Adventure- United Arab Emirates I'm sure surf purists are skeptical, but it's considered the future of surfing. Plus you don't have to worry about sharks. That sounds like it's worth checking out to me! It's considered the best surf pool in the world. If you find yourself in the neighborhood, check it out! 2. Raglan, New Zealand Raglan is famous for it's world class long left hand break. If you've seen the move Endless Summer, they made a point to visit this legendary surf spot. So, while we were there, we decided to check it out for ourselves (Check out our post on surfing in NZ). Just our luck, there were no waves that day. But Raglan also has beautiful black sand beaches that are always worth a visit. 3. Oahu, Hawaii There are lots of places on Oahu that are great for beginner surfers, but on the North Shore when the weather is right, you'll get some of the biggest surfing waves in the world. While we were there they were having the Quicksilver Eddie Aikau surf invitational. It's an invitational partly because there's only so many people in the world who can surf these waves. It's pretty spectacular to see. I think it's safe to say that I will not be out on any waves like that anytime soon! 4. Port Orford, Oregon You might be thinking to yourself, isn't it kind of cold to be surfing in Oregon? And you'd be wrong. Yes, you'll want a wet-suit, but you're going to love learning to surf in Oregon. Whenever I see surf videos and there's hundreds of people fighting it out to catch a wave, I think how horrible that must be. Here in Oregon, we have lots of great surf spots for beginners to experts and you'll have the waves and the beach mostly if not completely to yourself. I don't know about you, but when I'm falling and looking like a klutz all day, I don't want a lot of spectators. Port Orford has a nice sandy and pretty protected beach that has lots of nice little waves for learning on. 5. New Buffalo, Michigan Yes, you read that right, Michigan! There's even surfing in the Midwest. Winds blowing across Lake Michigan can create ocean like waves and having you paddling out in no time. There's a pretty dedicated group of surfers there, so you're bound to find someone to show you the ropes.
It just goes to show you that, no matter where you are, you can probably find some surfing fun not too far away. Where are your favorite surf spots, even if it's just to watch? I hope you have some fun plans this 4th of July weekend and this summer if you are elsewhere in the world. Wherever you go, travel happy! Skeeter
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Exactly a year ago today, I set off on my journey to Oregon. I loaded up my little Subaru and headed for the coast. It was both exciting and incredibly hard. I had to leave Pat behind while he finished up work and things with the house. At that moment we didn't know when exactly we'd see each other again. I cried so hard from Pocatello, Idaho to Burns, Oregon that my chest hurt for days. But I'm so glad that I did it. Now that Pat and the pups are here and we're moved into our new house and a whole year has gone by since I set off on my own, we are so happy. Since we moved here we've spent more time at the beach than we probably have in our whole lives. We've started to learn how to sail and to surf, and we rejoice when there are still flowers blooming in December. Oregon is an absolutely amazing place. So, in honor of Oregon and our 1 year anniversary of beginning this new adventure I wanted to introduce you to The 7 Wonders of Oregon. Travel Oregon has put this list of wonders together and if you visit their site, you can find additional details on what to see and do while you're here. You're going to want to bookmark this and start planning your trip. Oregon as a whole is amazing, so to be one of the top 7, means it's extra special. Which one will you see first? Need some help, here's an suggested route: 1. Mt. Hood I remember when I first saw Mt. Hood. I was driving to Portland and it seemed like it just exploded out of the green valley in all it's snowy Majesty. I remember thinking "where the eff did that come from?!"Mt. Hood is home to 6 six areas, beautiful alpine lakes, and gorgeous hikes and camping. 2. The Oregon Coast So, I'm a little biased, but I think the Oregon Coast is the best of the 7 wonders, but I'll let you be the judge of that. If you want a constant reminder of how awesome the coast is, be sure to follow us on Instagram. I can't get enough of sharing this beautiful place. The picture above was taken at the beach down the road from our house. We feel so lucky every time we're there. On the coast you can go crab fishing, surfing, hiking, camping, see whales and dolphins, and sea lions. All the beaches in Oregon are public which is incredible! You can sand board, ride dune buggies...really your imagination is all that is limiting you from having an incredible time on the coast. 3. The Columbia River Gorge This is one we haven't visited yet, but is high on our list to see next. I have to see this waterfall! It's just a short drive from Portland and not only hosts beautiful scenery but also great wine. So, go for a hike, and then go for a drink afterwards. It sounds like a pretty great idea to me. 4. Smith Rock Smith Rock is a rock climber's paradise. It boasts 300 days of sunshine and endless options for adventure. Not sure that you want to be hanging from a rope from a cliff? Well there's also plenty of options for hikes, paddle boarding and mountain biking and caving. You can also visit Newberry Crater National Volcanic Monument, where astronauts trained to walk on the moon. 5. The Painted Hills This place doesn't even look real. It looks like the surface of a far off planet. You can visit and dig for fossils and visit ghost towns and imagine what the world was like millions of years ago. There are few places like this in the world. 6. The Wallowas Take a gondola ride up 3,700 feet from Wallowa Lake Village to the peak of Mt. Howard and see this amazing place from the top of the world. This land has changed very little since pioneers crossed it by wagon. Relive your childhood Oregon Trail dreams and see it for yourself...don't forget an extra oxen! 7. Crater Lake Last but not least, we have Crater Lake. Crater Lake is surrounded by nearly 2,000 ft cliffs and is the deepest lake in America and one of the deepest in the world. Famous for it's deep blue color and beauty, this is definitely a place you need to see. In addition to towering cliffs, Crater Lake is also surrounded by delicious wine, cheese, and chocolate makers. How can it get better than that? If I haven't convinced you yet, check out this video from Travel Oregon! How many of the 7 Wonders of Oregon have you seen? Seen them all? What's your favorite? Haven't seen any? Well hop in the car and get going! Let us know in the comments which wonders you're checking off the list! I'm going to be on the road a lot myself this week, so I might be a little MIA. But, I'll be back next week with more. What are your travel plans this summer? Wherever you're going, don't forget to travel happy! Skeeter Way back in 2008, Pat and I took a roadtrip of the Oregon Coast. One of our favorite stops was the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport. Since we moved here, its been on our list to get back there again. So for Valentines Day, we jumped in the car and headed that way. We got kind of a late start, because well, it was Saturday and...well that's the end of my excuses. So by about an hour into the trip we were pretty hungry and stopped in Florence for lunch at a place called Craig's BBQ....we almost went home after this because we were in a delirious food coma. The lady tried to warn us that the sandwiches were big...and then I laughed and said "I'm pretty serious about my sandwiches" Yeah, we'll they're serious about their sandwiches too. Check and mate! This is the Jr. Viking...so half the size of the full one. Try not eating for a week before if you want to take it on. This picture does not do it justice. There's 4 different kinds of meat all cooked to perfection and ready to destroy you for the rest of the day. Pride precedes the fall and all that... Back to the aquarium! We were not deterred and continued on our quest for adorable otters. If you time your trip right, you can see the otters, seal and sea lions, and the penguins fed. The otters are by far our favorite. There's a good reason the glass walls are so tall, I might just take one home with me. Did you know that otters out at sea, hold hands when they sleep so they don't drift apart from each other? Que the collective ahhhh! There's lots of cool things to see like these cool jellyfish and star fish. I once saw a jelly fish out in the wild while snorkeling in Hawaii. I thought it was a plastic bag and I was mid internal rant about people polluting when it blooped about..and then I let out a underwater yelp and turned around back for the beach. So fearless in the face of danger, ha! Ocean:1 Skeeter: 0 So this encounter was much less terrifying and allowed me to appreciate their beauty at a safe distance. Afterwards we drove up the road a bit to check out a lighthouse, but the real star of the show was the view of the bridge. It was ridiculously nice all weekend, so nice I feel bad for telling all you guys digging out of snow...why don't more people live out here, seriously?
If you're thinking about making a trip out, be sure to stop at the aquarium and say hi to the otters for me! Have a great week and happy travels! Skeeter |
Skeeter
Hi there! I'm Skeeter. I grew up moving a lot and that makes me a bit restless for travel and exploration. I started this blog with my husband Pat when we decided to backpack New Zealand for a year. We are always looking for the next adventure and are loving life. We're just your average couple with two sassy dogs and a love for travel. We're sharing our travels and the tips we pick up along the way. LIZHello! I'm Liz. Blogging is very new to me, but I'm so excited to finally write as much as I talk! Archives
December 2016
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