Travel | Adventure Awaits

Michigan and Again (and Again)

Posted on December 14, 2015 by huizingr

When I started this blog, I explained that one of my life goals is to visit all 58 national parks in the United States. I’ve been to a handful, but I still have a lot of traveling to do (which certainly isn’t something I’m complaining about!)

Though I’m a Michigander through and through and have spent most of my life exploring the great mitten state, I have surprisingly never been to the one and only national park in Michigan: Isle Royale.

As the largest island in Lake Superior, Isle Royale is isolated and only accessible by plane or boat (Wikipedia). It is the only national park in the United States that completely closes during the winter, and it is also the least visited (Wikipedia). In fact, less than 20,000 people visit Isle Royale each year, which is fewer visitors than most national parks receive in a single day (Wikipedia).

I would love to plan a trip to Isle Royale. I’m sure I would need at least five days to take in the experience and explore the park while kayaking, hiking and camping. Perhaps Michigan’s sole national park will call my name during the summer of 2016!

In celebration of the many other Michigan landscapes I’ve explored, here’s a list of my (current) top three favorite travel destinations in both the Upper and Lower Peninsulas:

1. Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park

The Porcupine Mountains.

The Porcupine Mountains are a group of small mountains that are located in northwestern corner of the Upper Peninsula. This area is surrounded by beauty, such as forests, waterfalls, and lakes (including the mighty Lake Superior). When visiting, I love hiking to points where I can get a good view of the Lake of the Clouds.

2. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Pictured Rocks.

Also in the Upper Peninsula, the Pictured Rocks can be found along the shore of Lake Superior. The rock formations, stone archways, waterfalls, and sand dunes in this area are wondrous! I definitely recommend going on a Pictured Rocks boat tour, especially in the evening when the sun is setting. The way the light hits the rocks and changes their colors is absolutely breath-taking.

3. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Sleeping Bear Dunes.

The Sleeping Bear Dunes can be found in the northwestern corner of the Lower Peninsula (which is generally just an absolutely beautiful corner of the state, by the way! I definitely suggest cruising along the coast on M-22 if you ever get the chance!) On the shores of Lake Michigan, this national lake shore features marvelous sand dunes. The area is great for hiking, biking, and if you’re daring enough (and in need of a good workout), dune climbing!

Lastly, it’s important to mention that the title of this post comes from a song written by a magnificent Michigan-base band: The Accidentals! Every member of this eclectic group is a multi-instrumentalist and excellent songwriter, so I definitely recommend giving them a listen (and experiencing their insane energy at a live show!)

Concluding the Summer of 2007: The Legendary Yellowstone

Posted on November 1, 2015 by huizingr

The main focus of my family’s summer 2007 road trip was to explore the country’s very first national park: Yellowstone. Established as a park in 1872, Yellowstone is well know for its abundance of diverse wildlife and geothermal features, like the Old Faithful Geyser (Wikipedia). I spent over a week camping in Yellowstone with my family, so we were able to explore much of this wondrous park.

Yellowstone National Park: Where the buffalo roam.

Driving in to the park for the first time, we were greeted by a large heard of buffalo. These beasts were absolutely fascinating, and would walk alongside our car when it was parked on the side of the road. Having never seen buffalo before, I knew we were in for an exciting adventure!

We saw different types of animals everywhere we went: deer, moose, black bears, grizzly bears, elks, wolves and many more. This land was truly diverse, and we never knew what we were going to discover next.

Old Faithful, a massive geyser that consistently erupts every 35 to 120 minutes.

The Old Faithful geyser was truly an amazing sight. Erupting every 35 to 120 minutes, it is one of the most predictable geographical features on earth. Eruptions can shoot 3,700 to 8,400 gallons of boiling water to a height of 106 to 185 feet in the air. I have never seen anything quite like it.

The roaring Yellowstone River.

The Yellowstone River is actually a tributary of the Missouri River. It rolls over the Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls, and actually connects with Yellowstone Lake. I noticed boiling water from many hot springs flow into the river as well, making the tributary a connector for many of the various bodies of water in the park.

The beautiful and powerful Lower Yellowstone Falls.

Observing the Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls was incredible. The falls are massive and stunning; they were certainly one of my favorite hiking destinations. Considering past travel experiences, I would say experiencing the Lower Falls (pictured above) felt like a mix between the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls.

Yellowstone is covered with intriguing (but extremely dangerous) hot springs.

Lastly, I was awed by the crystal clear, abundantly colorful and, of course, extremely dangerous Yellowstone hot springs. These hot springs are caused by the Yellowstone Caldera, a super-volcano beneath the park.

The diversity of Yellowstone was fantastic; we were able to explore a new area of the park every single day. I would without a doubt recommend visiting this park. It is an amazing experience, and I certainly hope to return one day!

Photography – The Jones Soda Collection

Posted on October 24, 2015 by huizingr

My photo of Castle Rock featured on a box of Jones Soda.

Jones Soda is a unique beverage company from Seattle, Washington, and they have created a fun way for fans to contribute to their products’ packaging. After submitting a photo to the Jones Photo Gallery, there is a chance your submission may be chosen to be featured on a nationally distributed Jones Soda bottle label or box.

A little over two years ago, I ambitiously submitted over 120 photos to the gallery. Many of them were taken on different road trips and travel experiences, so I thought it would be appropriate to share 30 of my favorites with you (see the gallery below).

Anyway, around this time last year one of my photos was featured on the berry lemonade soda boxes as a part of the Jones Soda Michigan series. The photo was taken at Castle Rock, a historical landmark in St. Ignace, Michigan.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I’m honored to have my work featured on a Jones Box; it’s a fun and unique way to share my adventures with others. If you’re into taking photos, I encourage you to submit a few to the Jones Soda gallery. You never know what might happen!

Returning to the Summer of 2007 — Taking on the Teton Range

Posted on October 24, 2015 by huizingr

A spectacular view of Grand Teton, the tallest mountain in the park.

Returning to the tales of my summer 2007 out west adventure, I am actually going to tell you about the last leg of our trip: exploring Grand Teton National Park. This wondrous park contains the 40-mile-long Teton Range, the longest tributary of the Columbia River and a quaint and rustic town known as Jackson Hole (Wikipedia).

My 13 year-old self did his best to take in and capture all of the beautiful scenery.

One thing I forgot to mention in the beginning of my summer 2007 posts is that on this trip was my first time using a digital camera. My family bought one specifically to document this trip, and I immediately took charge. I was an overly-enthusiastic photo taker, snapping pictures of everything I found interesting, peculiar or beautiful. But being that this was my first time out west, I found literally everything to be interesting, peculiar and beautiful. By the end of the trip, I had taken over 2,000 photos.

Yes, it was excessive, and the majority of the photos were of very poor quality. But I learned at least two things: 1). I needed to work on practicing self control, and 2). I loved taking photos!

Our view from inside a historic, log cabin church. It was quite serene.

Unfortunately, our car broke down in the small town of Jackson Hole where we were staying during our visit. Because of this, we ended up spending much more time exploring the town and enjoying our hotel’s swimming pool than exploring the park. While our car was working, we did get to take in some beautiful scenery and visit some interesting areas, like the historical log cabin church that is pictured above. One our car was fixed, it was time to say goodbye and head back home.

Because my mobility was limited in Grand Teton, it is one park that is at the top of my “Must Return To” list. One day I’ll see you again, Grand Teton!

Another Update on Alternative Breaks

Posted on October 24, 2015 by huizingr

Last week I wrote about a student organization I am involved in called Alternative Breaks. Check out that post to learn more about what AB is all about! I also encourage you to check out AB’s brand new website, which I had a great time creating!

AB concluded its last Info Night event this week, so I put together a fun little video that captures some of the crazier moments from the events. Check it out!

I hope everyone enjoys the weekend. Cheers!

The Summer of 2007—Discovering the Badlands

Posted on October 18, 2015 by huizingr

Back in the summer of 2007, my family departed for a three week-long road trip. The thirteen year-old version of myself was incredibly excited, for this was to be the longest vacation my family had ever attempted. Not only that, but the destinations we had planned on visiting were some of the most exciting I could imagine: the Badlands, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park! Indeed, this was the trip that ignited my passion for national parks and kick-started my mission to see them all!

In the next few weeks, I will discuss each national park I visited while on this trip. To begin, I will reminisce about my family’s first destination in the state of South Dakota…

The beautiful Badlands. This exciting change of scenery was much needed after driving hours and hours and hours past nothing but cornfields.

After spending hours trapped inside my car with nothing to do but look our the window at the eternal, never-ending cornfields of the Midwest, I was exuberant when we finally arrived at our first destination: Badlands National Park! Known for its mountainous landscape filled with jagged buttes, Badlands surprised me (Wikipedia). The landscape changes so suddenly from flat farm land to sharp mountain structures that I could hardly fathom how the change had occurred. With that said, finally exiting the car and having a chance to stretch my legs by exploring the numerous hiking trails was fantastic. We only stayed at the Badlands for a few hours, but I treasure the memories I have of running through the hills with my little siblings and taking in all of the sights. I also enjoyed spotting the playful prairie dogs that are sprinkled throughout the area.

Majestic Mount Rushmore. A photo just doesn’t do it justice.

After our quick visit to the Badlands, my family pressed forward into the Black Hills. There we stumbled upon another amazing sight: Mount Rushmore!

According to Wikipedia, “Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States. Sculpted by Danish-American Gutzon Borglum and his son, Lincoln Borglum, Mount Rushmore features 60-foot sculptures of the heads of four United States presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The entire memorial covers 1,278.45 acres…”

Playing Peek-A-Boo with George Washington.

The area surrounding the monument was absolutely packed with people. There was a patriotic vibe, as a flag for each of the 50 states was featured prominently in the viewing area. Energy levels were also kept high, as an eccentric folk band played exciting music for the crowds. Additionally, there were goats walking around the trails that brought you closer to the monument— my younger siblings found this very amusing! It was both exciting and interesting for me to see a monument that I had heard so much about and frequently saw in photos. Being able to see the real thing in person made me realize that there was much more in store for me on this incredible road trip.

Adventure Awaits with Alternative Breaks

Posted on October 14, 2015 by huizingr

During my freshman year of college, I was lucky enough to get involved with an incredible student organization called Alternative Breaks. AB coordinates week-long service trips during winter, spring and summer break. As a new college student, I wanted opportunities to venture out of my comfort zone. I wanted to make new friends and experience new places, and AB was the perfect opportunity to do so!

My Community Cooperation team in Philadelphia.

My first trip was called Community Cooperation. I found myself in the unfamiliar city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. My group and I spent the week exploring the city and volunteering at an after school program.

Hanging with Dan, one of my new friends from Philadelphia.

We worked with kids who were growing up in a neighborhood with high crime rates and few resources. We helped with homework, partook in arts and crafts and played basketball. It was great getting to know the kids! They all had positive energy and a sense of hope that was inspiring. Dan, a second grader who loved to sing and make macaroni necklaces for his “girlfriend,” was one student I connected with a worked with throughout the week. There are many days I wish I could go back to Philadelphia and visit all of the students again!

Relaxing on a frozen beach on the coast of New Jersey.

Last year, I applied to be a site leader. I was overjoyed when I learned I got the position and was given the Relief Efforts trip. During the spring of 2015, my group went to New Jersey to aid people who had lost their homes to Hurricane Sandy. We worked on a variety of houses and learned many new construction and home improvement skills.

Taking on the New York City subway system! I get by with a little help from my friends.

Some amazing friendships were created during the Relief Efforts trip. We were even able to do some traveling! On our free day, we took a train to New York City. We spent the entire day exploring and visiting different locations like Central Park, Time Square and the 9/11 Memorial. It was a fantastic experience!

Info Night #2 is set up like a job fair, so feel free to drop by at any time!

This year I have a new position with AB: the VP of Public Relations and Recruitment. To gain more members, I have been working with the e-board to host a series of Info Night events. Info Night #2 is on Wednesday, October 21 from 8:30pm to 11:00pm in Henry Hall Atrium. All GVSU students are welcome, and I invite all to join us! There will be opportunities to meet all of the site leaders and learn more about each trip. There will also be free food and a ukulele raffle!

I also encourage you to check out AB’s OFFICIAL WEBSITE, which was recently redesigned with WordPress.

Though this isn’t my typical type of blog post about vacations and visiting national parks, AB has given me many amazing travel experiences, and I wanted to take some time to share my stories. I also want to encourage everyone to consider getting involved.

I finished my winter break trip application this morning. Now I’m wondering what new adventure await for me with Alternative Breaks!

Cave Crawling— Exploring the Mammoth Caves

Posted on October 14, 2015 by huizingr

During the spring of 2008, I traveled with my family to Mammoth Cave National Park. I was only 13 years old at the time, and though I have a lot of specific memories—like swimming in our campsite’s swimming pool and my little sister’s stubborn insistence that we watch Barbie movies during the long drive to Kentucky—much of the memories I have from this trip are blurred.

Entering the cave. Who knows what lurks within?

Mammoth Cave is the world’s longest known cave system, with more than 400 miles explored (Wikipedia). When I visited, I was with my younger sister and brother, who were ages 6 and 4, respectively. I was also with my mom, who found the cave to be frightening, and my dad, who was somewhat claustrophobic. Given my company, I was unfortunately only able to explore about 2 miles of the mysterious and peculiar cave.

Should I turn back now or venture further into the the cave? (I choose the latter!)

I remember the eerie silence that loomed in the air two miles in. Without the lanterns along the cave trail, I would have been in complete darkness. These memories are rather unnerving, but they made for a grand adventure. I would love to go back someday soon and experience more of what the cave has to offer!

Montezuma’s Castle, Monument Valley & Other Summer 2015 Adventures

Posted on October 4, 2015 by huizingr

Throughout the past few weeks, I have written about a few of the national parks I visited during my 11 day adventure in the American southwest. I flew from my hometown in Michigan to Las Vegas, were I proceeded to rent an RV which I used to explore the states of Arizona and Utah. Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest and Zion are the national parks I visited during this trip, and I discussed those adventures in previous posts. However, now I’m going to write about everywhere else I traveled to during this trip.

I’m ready. Are you? OK. Let’s go!

Route 66

We spent a lot of time on Route 66. This particularly sign is somewhere between Las Vegas and the Hoover Dam.

During the trip, I drove along Route 66 many times. This historic highway takes you through many diverse landscapes that are sprinkled with gift shops and 50’s themed diners. Decorated with black and white tiled floors and Elvis Presley posters, I couldn’t resist the allure of the burgers and milkshakes at these vintage restaurants.

Montezuma’s Castle

Intrigued by Montezuma’s Castle.

Montezuma’s Castle National Monument can be found in Yavapai County, Arizona. Here you will find fascinating cliff dwellings that were built and lived in by the Sinagua people between approximately 1100 and 1425 AD (Wikipedia). The cliff dwellings are curiously well-preserved, and invoke many questions about the mysterious pre-Columbian American cultures that were present long ago.

Monument Valley

Dancing in the wild, wild west. We were happy to be in Monument Valley.

Monument Valley is located in Navajo Nation on the borders of Arizona and Utah. A sprawling desert packed with majestic mountains and buttes, the landscape is absolutely beautiful but also seems to set the scene for the perfect stereotypical cowboy movie. In fact, many westerns have been filmed in this area for decades. More recent films, such as Transformers and the Lone Ranger remake, have been filmed here as well. I was lucky enough to go on a guided tour led by local residents, and they taught me a lot about the area and Navajo culture.

Springdale, Utah

The many rock shops we visited brought me back to the days of Geology 101 during my freshman year of college.

On our way from Zion National Park to Las Vegas, we stopped in a quaint little town called Springdale. We passed through many towns during the trip, but I included Springdale on the list because it was filled with “rock shops” that I greatly enjoyed. Fascinating and beautiful rocks abounded, and it was fun to dig through them all and practice my photography skills.

Las Vegas

Unfortunately, the folks at Hershey Chocolate World wouldn’t let me purchase this statue made of solid chocolate.

This past March, I visited New York City for the first time. This July I had the opportunity to go back, only this time around it was New York, Las Vegas, Nevada. While there, I ventured into Hershey Chocolate World and discovered the masterpiece pictured above!

The High Roller: a view from above.

The High Roller: a view from below.

My time in Las Vegas was minimal and I actually didn’t partake in much revelry while there. Instead I traveled 550 feet into the air on the world’s largest fairest wheel: the High Roller. Hey, what can I say? The view was wonderful and I had a great time traveling above the city instead of joining the craziness below.

Chicago

We found the Bean!

A nice view of downtown Chicago. I took this photo as I biked from Millennium Park to Navy Pier.

Upon returning to Michigan, I met up with a few friends to take a mini road trip before I actually went back home. We spent a day exploring Chicago, and it was fantastic! We journeyed to Shedd Aquarium, Millennium Park, Navy Pier, and a handful of other awesome places. The best part was utilizing the city’s extremely affordable and easy rental bike system– biking through the city streets was a great experience in itself!

This past summer was truly one to remember. I scratched many activities off my bucket list and saw some incredible things. I’ve enjoyed sharing a few of my stories, but now I’d like to hear from you: what did you do this summer?

Zion – A Voyage of Discovery

Posted on September 29, 2015 by huizingr

There was much to see and explore when I visited Zion National Park this summer. I spent three days in Zion, though I could have spent well over a week. The park is packed with diverse landscapes, interesting wildlife and more hiking trails than I could dream of. An extremely convenient shuttle bus system allows visitors to quickly travel to any part of the park they’d like, making it easy to connect the dots and understand the bigger picture of this natural wonder in southern Utah.

Under the Weeping Rock.

Journeying to the Weeping Rock, a rock ledge on a mountainside that seems to be eternally crying, was a particularly fun adventure. Seeing the water fall hundreds of feet to the ground below and taking in the mountain peaks that surround the area were sites that definitely made the up-hill hike worth it.

Hiking to the Emerald Pools.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the Emerald Pools hike. As you journey from Lower, Middle and Upper pools, the hike gets increasingly difficult.

We made it to the Upper Emerald Pools! Feeling victorious.

Though the hike from the Middle Pool to the Upper Pool is only .3 miles, it took us nearly an hour to complete. You have to hop rocks and weave your way through rough terrain, all while trying to managing the extremely steep incline. We were overjoyed once we reached the top, and spent over an hour relaxing and enjoying the beauty of the Upper Emerald Pool.

Standing in the Narrows, looking up.

Though I was unable to hike the Narrows due to the dangers of flash flooding, I was able to enjoy the scenery of the hiking trail’s entrance. This hike is one that is definitely on my bucket list for next time. I cannot wait to return to Zion!

	Reflecting on Techno… on My First Blog Post
	The Vinyl Countdown… on Concluding the Summer of 2007:…
	Victor Rakmil on Photography – The Jones…
	Another Update on Al… on Adventure Awaits with Alternat…
	nikirath on My Travels in the Summer of…