2026 Travels: USA & Mexico

An open-ended adventure by Rachael Read more

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Trip start
January 16, 2026
2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
Bi-annual girls trip begins
January 16 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 14 °F
Off we go to the Nisswa cabin for what has become our bi-annual girls trip! It’s an insanely cold weekend with some negative 20 degree wind chill. Does that sound like a good time to go into the hot tub?! I think so! It was very cold to run over there in just our hats and swimsuits but it’s so invigorating! It’s the best way to do some self care! We also went on a walk and had to wear all the layers! Crazy to go from so many layers and then be like “a swimsuit is probably enough coverage for this weather!” We got icy but we had a great time! It really makes you ready for lots of cheese, meat, dip, and drinks!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
Let the party begin
January 17 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 3 °F
It’s time to break out the drinks! Friday night we drove to the cabin and then almost immediately went to bed. So now we are finally getting to the party. Han made us some Moscow mules to start us off! We played heads up, a party game that tells each person what to do, and then we just danced and chatted! The pic of syd on the stool is a recreation from last time we were up at the cabin. Couldn’t tell you how that picture came to be the first time but this time was a bit of a cheat. We look a bit drunker than were are. We are getting older and more chill for sure! Han and I did brave the extreme cold to do a clothed lap around the cabin. It was a very fun night without being too crazy!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
Chilling in the cold
January 18 in the United States ⋅ 🌬 7 °F
The rest of the trip was very relaxing. I think we watched 4 movies in one day! It snowed some and was still in the double digit negatives so we really just stayed inside. We did visit Syd’s land she’s planning to have a cabin built on. It’s only about half hour away. We went to make sure nothing untoward was happening out there. We also stopped my Ye ol pickle factory. Somehow that was my first time there. Turns out it’s just a dive bar in a small town haha. We were then back inside and just chilling. Mike and I went on a walk on the last morning to just say we did and get some movement in. But that was about it. I’m glad we continue to make this a tradition and all enjoy each other’s company so much! It’s also very important to have those girl chats every once in a while!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
Colorado day one
April 4 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F
The fam is flying to Colorado! It’s spring break for everyone else and just 5 PTO days for me. When we land in Denver we start driving straight to Georgetown. In the car we get a big laugh about all the signs that say colo. Sprigs. Like there isn’t room to list the whole name?! Also it’s fun to say! Our little cabin Vrbo is so so cute and in a tiny town near Georgetown. We have time to sit in the sun and read before we meet up with Matt Megan and the little ones! They are so cute and sweet. Not shy at all which always surprises me because I was never like that. We go to a brewery near them and just get to catch up. Then as we’re leaving I see this beer mitten and I asked the bartender to pay for it and he just told me to take it! And then as I turn to leave he says wait it comes with a beer too! It was really nice of them - I was shocked!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
Easter Skiday
April 5 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 45 °F
Today is Easter Ski(sun)day! We got free(!) passes from Matt and Megan’s neighbors so we wanna make the most of the day. We get there and get our gear on and after the parents lose half their life and find it again we get on the slopes. It’s been such a dry winter in CO that Loveland is one of the only mountains still with snow for skiing. So we got so lucky! It looks pretty snowless in some places but the runs themselves are pretty good. The little ones and Matt meet us at the top of the mountain to do communion for Easter and then we get to watch how the pros do it! It was such a good day skiing - I always remember how much I like skiing once I start again. I did fall flat on my face on a very flat area that had started to melt and had gotten really sticky! I thought I had broken my toe but I kept skiing so I could have more runs with Megan and Emma. We then had a drink and listened to a band. Later that night Matt made us dinner and it was so good! We got to play more with Emma, Sage, and Cedar. Great to see them in CO before they move back to MN. Oh and we saw a huge shooting star!!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
Games and giggles
April 6 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 39 °F
We got some donuts in our little town and had time for a hot tub in the morning before heading off to our next place. It’s such a good way to start the chilly morning! Madre and Mike and I just chatted and soaked. It’s nice to roadtrip through CO because there are such good views for the whole ride! We are now at a little home on the top of a hill basically by ourselves in the countryside. It’s such a pretty place! I went on a little walk to see if I could find some bones the parents had seen but hadn’t taken pictures of. I basically did the whole walk twice because they were so bad at giving me directions to their location but I did find them eventually. I think they must be coyote. That night we had dinner at the place and played nearly every game in the game trunk! We were silly goofy giggling all night! We each picked a game and then we played a round of each! I won the most games thank you very much!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
Nat. Park #42
April 7 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F
We go to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison today and it’s my 42nd National Park! Right when we get there I can see why they made this a national park. It’s such a huge canyon and the cliffs are so beautiful and steep. It’s a very rare type of sight and such a unique place. The park is still closed for the winter so we start with the one hike that we can drive to as it’s at the visitor center. As we are on the hike we see a car driving up on a farther part of the road and we realize they opened the park! This means we get to do so many more hikes and small viewing points. Each spot is pretty different and the views get better and better. I think we did all but one of the marked hikes of park - we skipped the Diablo trail because we are not a fan of the devil. We also got an album cover photo and started to contemplate the new album tracks and title. It’s a very underrated park!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
Traveling this beautiful world
April 7 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F
The night before we move on to the next place we get in the hot tub and look at the stars. I was in there for hours and got to watch it go from a beautiful sunset to a dark dark sky. It was so dark we even saw things we have never seen before. Flan spotted a star cluster which looked just like a smudge in the sky with the naked eye but with some binoculars we could see all the stars that are grouped together in the sky. Then I looked around and found another one! It was so cool to see and explore the sky with the binoculars. Orion’s Belt actually has 6 stars as each of the 3 is really 2 stars super close together! We also saw Jean Jacket (the alien from the movie Nope) in the sky! So creepy! He was just a clown creating a blacker spot in the sky but it was way more fun to assume it was an alien coming down for us. The next morning we drive to the next stop and again the drive is part of the great part of the day since the views are so insane! We are staying in another cute little cabin and just chill and enjoy a short slow walk. We go to the little hippy town nearby for some good pizza so the day ends on a good note!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
Nat. Park #43
April 9 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F
Now we get to go to God’s sandbox! It’s such a strange situation to have so much sand right at the base of a mountain range. We get onto the sand and immediately it’s a struggle. Of course walking on sand is hard and walking up hill on sand is even more challenging. However we want to get to the top of the first ridge so we can see some of the expansive views. It was very hard. The wind is whipping the sand at us when we try to sit down for a rest but when standing up the wind is really helping. I couldn’t do this in the dead of summer! Madre, Flan, and I made it all the way to the top. Padre dropped out early and Mike made it most of the way. It was worth it to make it to the top but my legs were shaking! Coming down was so strange since we could just ride the sand like a wave of water! No wonder they rent people sleds. Padre and Mike had gotten our sleds for us so once we got down we did a few runs but the walking back up even the small dunes was not making the sledding all that worth while. So we left the main dune area and had lunch. Then we still had energy (apparently) so we went on another hike that was kinda in the back of the dunes. It was another good national park - I would recommend!!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
Enjoying the red rocks
April 10 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F
The trip ends with us spending time with the parents’ college friends. We have dinner with them and hang with their dogs and their granddaughter. We also are there while the astronauts come home from their flight around the moon which was great timing! So cool to see them as they get out of their capsule and get to see the Earth again. The next day we have brunch at their home and then we go to the Garden of the Gods. It’s an area with a bunch of huge red rocks just sticking out of the ground. It was a really nice hike. We had some ice cream and ended the day with some pasta at home. It was a chill but fun way to end a really great trip!!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
A work vacation?!
April 13 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F
For the National Home Energy Performance Conference we all got to go to Columbus, OH. It was actually a really nice downtown. We could walk to all the restaurants and they were really delicious and nice. Shelby, Ike, Zainab, and I hung out a lot and it was such good weather that it felt like a vacation. We did go to a lot of classes and talks but we also had time to go do some fun things too. We went to a minor league baseball game which was having 10 CENT hotdog night!! So insane! I thought it was dollar hotdog night which seemed like a great deal let alone paying $0.34 for three dogs!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
Off we go again
April 23 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 52 °F
Chris and I are going to Charlotte, NC for Deetz’s wedding. He is one of Chris’s college friends. I am really excited because we are staying with Nick who I have met a number of times and I want to keep getting to know him more. Of course as soon as we get there we go to a disc golf course. It’s hot outside but it’s a really pretty course. Hanging with nick is always fun - he has a very good vibe. That night we are invited to the welcome dinner at a nearby restaurant. It was a really cute patio area and they had an open bar and a really nice buffet meal. We talked to some of Chris’s long lost college friends/acquaintances - it was a bit awkward as they weren’t very open to talking but me and Chris had a good time together and we got an awesome welcome gift! This is a fancy wedding weekend already! We ended the night having snacks and drinks at the Airbnb and watching basketball.Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
The Indian wedding!
April 24 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F
Deetz’s family is from India so this morning is the Indian ceremony at the mint museum in downtown charlotte. I get to wear the beautiful dress that I borrowed from Vindya from church. She was so nice to give it to me for the weekend. It’s so gorgeous and the most gown like dress I have ever worn. I need to wear more big skirts! The ceremony was 2 hours and it was hard to see but the attention to detail and the intention behind all the parts of the ceremony makes it much more meaningful than most weddings I go to. Everyone was dressed really beautifully and the traditional outfit of the bride was so elaborate and beautiful. It was a cool experience to have. We then had cocktail hour (non alcoholic) on the roof of the museum and had Indian food for lunch. It was fun to see the traditions of another culture!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
Out on the town
April 24 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F
Today was a really chill day for me. Chris and Nick went discing golfing but I decided this trip to just pack cute shoes and clothes so my feet are already tired. I also wanted to finish my book and start Heated Rivalry. Our place has a cute little fireplace spot so I got to sit in the sun and read all day. It’s great to feel some true spring/summer vibes. Tonight there is a bar night with the groom and all his friends. The bar was a cute place with a big patio. We could order drinks outside and we watched people play ping pong. It helped to have some drinks to get a little closer and more open with a bunch of the UGA guys. I sound so midwestern but alcohol really does help open people up and have a good time!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
The white person wedding
April 25 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F
Today is another chill day at the beginning. When I saw we could walk to a Biscuit Belly I said we have to go there. They have insane biscuit sandwiches. Then, as expected, Chris and Nick went disc golfing and I stayed back to read. I HAVE to finish Heated Rivalry asap! Tonight is the Christian wedding which I have started calling the white wedding as in white people. I mean how Christian is it really and so it’s basically just in the style of white people. It’s a super cute place with the ceremony in a garden area and the food served under a beautiful big tent. It ends up sprinkling but it actually adds to the cozy atmosphere inside the tent. They have another open bar with a Hugo Spritz and a spicy margarita as the specialty drinks. The food was insanely good and made me realize I love a good buffet so I can eat some of everything! They also had ice cream and 2 other desserts. It was really incredible. The dance party was poppin and the saxophone player really added something awesome to the atmosphere and to the classic club songs! It was a really fun night with fun people.Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
The party part
April 25 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 64 °F
On the dance floor they handed out cowboy hats which added a fun energy to the party. They really did a great job with all the details of this wedding. After the wedding we walked to a local bar and had a quick drink. Honestly walking over to the bar was really fun as I got to talk to some people I hadn’t talked to much before.Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
On the way home
April 26 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F
For our last day we get a ride to the airport from Nick to pick up a rental car. We say goodbye but we aren’t leaving just yet. We have to drive to Raleigh as that’s where our flight out is. Because we are in Raleigh we text Brandon and Nicole to see if we can have lunch with them. They suggest one of their favorite burger spots so we meet them there. It’s so fun to see them and I am glad we had time to catch up. Being farther away from Chris’s friends is hard because I don’t want him to lose his people over time from lack of seeing them so I’m really glad we could see them for a bit just to keep that connection. Nicole is very pregnant which is so crazy. I’m happy for them and it was good to hear about their honeymoon and new house. We then played a quick round of disc where I made some good long puts that I was proud of. Then, sadly, it’s time to go home but it was a good trip and I have spent more time away in April than at home so I can’t complain!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
It’s one hell of a drug
May 16 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F
Back to FLORIDAAAA! We are back to Tampa area after our hiatus last year. We are back to our favorite hotel the Island House Hotel Resort! It’s so cute and nice. It feels really amazing to be back in a place we know so well. We start at a new restaurant that’s along the water and the parking lot was slowing being taken over by the ocean. When we drive up there’s a huge puddle in front of where we need to drive and the guy in the car in front tells us to go first since our rental is taller than his car. We all had a literal mini heart attack as Mike guns it through the puddle and the water washes over the front of the hood and up to the windows. I was so sure we would get stuck and start sinking into the sand! But we made it out the other side (thank god!) I think it left us with a weird vibe for lunch but we did get to have our first pina coladas by the water. The rest of the day was way more relaxing. We hung out by the pool then got to go back to Coconut Charlie’s and have a delicious meal by the ocean and with a beautiful sunset. We also got buckets of cocktails so we might be actually feel something!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
Just enjoying the day
May 17 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F
You can’t get much better then food and sunshine and the ocean. We start at a cafe we have been to before and we got coffee, breakfast burritos, and took some smoothies to go. We then got to lay on the beach and get a lot of sun! It’s such perfect hot weather with a little breeze that it’s really easy to lay here forever. But we have lots of restaurants we have missed in our 2 years away. Next stop is our favorite seafood place The Conch Republic. We get all the foods we remember from last time - the mussels in cream sauce, the bang bang shrimp, and the calamari. We also add some wings to the order. You know the foods superb when the calamari is our least favorite part. The mussels are humungous! Tonight is our fancy night on the town so we drive to Tampa to go to a fancy rooftop Mexican place. Last time we went to Tampa for dinner it was super duper windy and tonight is no different. We can barely sit there without feeling like we are getting blown away. But the food is really good and the vibe is cool. We have a very nice waiter who lets us move around twice to try to avoid the crazy wind and weather. I did like having a more classy night and I would definitely go back to this place.Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
Food, water, sun
May 18 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F
Another day of food, water, and sun! We got to go back to our favorite brunch spot because it’s so cute and funky and the food is also really good. I got an omelette and some iced coffee. We got watched by a heron again (at dinner the other night one was stalking the empty plates) but they look kinda cute with their mohawks. Then it’s back to the beach. The ocean is really quite warm so me and Mike swim for a while. Then we go to a new place for pizza and it was amazing! We even got to see dolphins in the bay while we ate! We swam in the pool and did some reading before going to a new beach side restaurant. It was a very good time, it rained but then we got to see a rainbow on the beach?! Are you kidding?? It was beautiful. We had some more drinks and good fish tacos. It’s so fun to have a lot of time together just talking and wearing cute outfits. For once I feel like my looks are actually coming together like I had planned.Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
The last hurrah
May 19 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F
Our last day - it’s sad that is almost over but we have the whole day still to hang. So we walked to a new coffee shop which has the cutest patio. We brought our drinks back to the pool to live it up in the sun one more time. We were able to check out of our room but keep hanging at the pool which was super nice. Then we went back to The Conch Republic to eat mussels and have a few piña coladas. Then as we do we went from one restaurant to the next. We had to hit up our most favorite restaurant - Water and Flour. They have such good pizza! It was a chill end to the trip but all worth it! At the airport we realized that the whole place was shut down due to lightening and our flight was still circling above us in the sky. The flight going out before us was direct to MSP so a very nice guy told me to see about switching our flights to that one so once the storm did finally end we could get out of there rather then wait for our plane. And it worked! They had space for us. It was perfect because we got to be at the pool and eating instead of waiting in the airport with the people on our flight who were delayed so long. It was one of the best trips back - it all lived up to the hype in my memory!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
Girls go camping
June 18 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F
This year we are going to Tettegouche State Park up on the north shore for our girls camping trip. We take a stop at Gordy’s for a pre dinner snack because we couldn’t resist and then make it to the campsite. It’s a really nice one with a lot of space and no visuals of any other site. And we are close to the bathroom. We make our classic first night of camping meal of pasta and meatballs and then get settled in and start the fire.Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
Outside all day
June 19 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F
Tettegouche is a really nice park with some waterfalls right by the campsite. We are able to hike to them from the campsite road. And even though they are just a few 10th of a mile both hikes have a lot of stairs and we are sweating even with the cool weather. It makes me wanna get right into the streams. I’d say the best part of the hike was just the fresh crisp air and the little wildflowers. We then had lunch with Mike fishing pickles out of the jar with a lot of fingering of the pickle jar. We were too scared to use the utensils since the ground squirrels had gotten into them. And they ate the whole citronella candle! We spend the afternoon chatting and reading. We go from some deep convo to discussing restaurant faux pas and back to reading. Cooking over the fire makes everything taste better and our French toast and sausage is so so good!Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
So camp
June 20 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F
The reading circle is not one for getting up and going but then we decide on a hike to Mount Baldy. It’s along another part of the park so as we drive over we get to see some views and see lots of lupine flowers along the side of the road! I didn’t know we had those here, it’s sooo pretty. The hike has some elevation by MN mountain standards. I learn that the rock here is over 1 billion years old and has some mineral in it that is super rare and more common on the moon! The view is really pretty from the top and it seems it’s called mount baldy for the big rock at the top. The rest of the day is spent at the campground where we have The Dessert before dinner so we don’t get too full for it and then we make our whole meal over the fire again. Maybe we don’t even need to bring the camp stove with us anymore. Willow is the perfect little camp dog who is very very sleepy after so much excitement.Read more
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2026 Travels: USA & Mexico Traveler
All natural cold plunge
June 21 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F
Today is our last day but we aren’t in a rush to get home so we make The Dessert over the fire for breakfast - nothing could be better! The breakfast version has peanut butter in it as well as Nutella and marshmallows. Then after getting packed up we finally do a hike along the north shore! It’s such a calm day that the whole lake looks glassy! How the biggest lake in the world can even be glassy is crazy to me but it makes the already awesome views even more unreal. It looks like we are looking down at the clouds from a mountaintop rather than down at a lake. It’s the best hike we did by far. LeighAnna and I wore our swimsuits so that we could get into the water before going home. It would have been too cold if we had to sit outside the rest of the day but heading home I know we will survive. It was way colder than I was expecting though! I have been doing cold plunge at the gym but this was colder than that! My feet felt like they wear actively disconnecting from my legs! But it was amazing! I jumped in three times just to keep experiencing it.Read more
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