February 21, 2014

Kobe, Japan: Traveling the World in our Own Backyard with Seattle’s 21 Sister Cities

Did you know that Seattle currently has sister city relationships with 21 cities throughout the world? The establishment of sister cities fosters relationships between two locales thus creating greater understanding of their respective cultures. The exchange program began in 1956 thanks to President Dwight Eisenhower. His intention was essentially one of world peace and less conflict; or at least more peaceful relationships between the United States and other countries of the world.

I have an ongoing goal of honoring and highlighting each of the 21 sister cities of Seattle. The master list of cities appears in my “Travel the World in Your Own Backyard: Seattle’s 21 International Sister Cities” post and will be updated every couple of weeks.

Sister City: Kobe, Japan

Year Established: 1957

Representation in Seattle:

[Read more…]

February 18, 2014

Keeping Kids in Nature: 8 Ways to Make Time for the Outdoors

Guilt. That’s the feeling that was creeping up inside and pestering me about spending time outdoors with Bergen (2.5 years old). Thinking that just wandering around experiencing nature is an avoidance or even a luxury. It’s an extra saved only for when we have time.

Shouldn’t I be worried about and occupying myself with more important things? You know, household stuff. Maintenance. Organization. Cleaning. Just getting things done.

Yes, those are valid concerns, but after listening to an inspiring talk by Richard Louv, and diving into his book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, I’m convinced that my instinct is correct. While spending time outdoors is indeed a pastime, it’s not just a way to pass the time. It’s serious business, and our health depends on it.

According to Louv, TIME is one of the top reasons kids are kept from nature. Many of us struggle with finding enough hours in the day to accomplish all we want to accomplish, so I thought I’d share eight ways we create more outdoor time for ourselves and our son.

[Read more…]

February 13, 2014

Built-in Adventures: Cougar Mountain’s Big Tree Ridge Trail

In search of a new pair of trail running shoes to take me through my training and ultimately another half marathon completion, Bergen and I found ourselves about 30 miles east of our Seattle home recently.

Sure we have glorious mountain views here in the city of both the Cascades and the Olympics with Mount Rainier and Mount Baker popping out on particularly clear days, but when you venture further out you can find yourself with mountains practically falling on top of you.

And that was the case the other day. In Issaquah, Washington, where we were shopping, the surrounding mountains are unofficially called the Issaquah Alps with some of the more well know hills being Cougar, Squak, and Tiger mountains.

Walking over to our lunch spot on a fabulously clear day, Bergen (2.5 years old) looked up at the sky and all around, and asked, “Hike…?”

[Read more…]

February 11, 2014

Notes from a Blue Bike: Journey On and Live Life with Intention

Home may be where the heart is, but on the open road lie your five senses, and when you return to your heart, you’ll better see, smell, and hear. -Tsh Oxenreider Notes from a Blue Bike

Validation. We’re doing something right. A family further along, having lived through our current season of life has given me inspiration to journey on. But now, even more, I know that I need to be careful in my choices.

Yes, forge ahead, follow your heart, just go, but also…stop and think, and as the sub-title suggests live intentionally.

[Read more…]

February 7, 2014

Tashkent, Uzbekistan: Traveling the World in our Own Backyard with Seattle’s 21 International Sister Cities

Sister City: Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Year Established: 1973

Representation in Seattle:

The Tashkent-Seattle relationship is quite strong, and was actually the very first Soviet-American Sister City connection to be established in the world. A wide variety of exchanges have occurred between Tashkent and Seattle from the arts (cinema, dance, tightrope walking) to professional (dentist, lawyer, chef) to social and civic work, and beyond.

The sister city organization hosts an annual event in the spring to celebrate the Central Asian New Year called Navruz.

Our “travels” took us to the Tashkent Park, which was dedicated, with a visit from the Mayor of Tashkent, in 1974 and is located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. It features the statue, “Semurg” “Bird of Happiness”, given to Seattle from the people of Tashkent in 1989, in addition to an arbor and painted peace tiles created by school children.

[Read more…]

February 6, 2014

Staying Warm at the Seahawks Parade: How to Layer-up Kids for an Outdoor Event in the Cold

Really I’m just incredibly proud of my hometown team, and I want to show off the support shown by Seattle and the entire state of Washington (and beyond) yesterday at the Seahawks parade. Our team won the SUPERBOWL. That’s a big deal. And I’m so pleased that our entire city thought so too.

[Read more…]

January 30, 2014

Urban Hike in Charlotte, NC: Little Sugar Creek Greenway

Wanting to spend time in the city, but still enjoy the outdoors in the beautiful, sunny Charlotte, North Carolina weather, we opted for some urban hiking while visiting family during our Southeast trip last December.

[Read more…]

January 24, 2014

Traveling the World in our own Backyard with Seattle’s 21 International Sister Cities: Beer Sheva, Israel

Sister City: Beer Sheva, Israel

Year Established: 1977

Representation in Seattle:

Several education, social work, and business exchanges have occurred between the people of Beer Sheva and Seattle. In order to “travel” to the city, we visited Beer Sheva Park in Seattle’s Rainier Beach neighborhood (southeast Seattle).

The park was renamed in honor of the sister city in 1978, and includes a playground, waterfront area along Lake Washington with boat launch, picnic spots, and plenty of green space. A beautifully crafted set of table and benches to honor Dorothy Schroeter who was president of the Seattle-Beer Sheva Sister City Committee from 1989-1997, and Lucille Fuss who was the Vice President from 1989-1999 is also featured.

[Read more…]

January 17, 2014

Exploring Art, History and Nature in South Carolina’s Andrew Jackson State Park

Have I written about the fact that I love state parks? During our trip to the Southeast (Georgia and the Carolinas) in early December my mom mentioned a state park not far from her house. You can guess that we, along with sister and 7-year old nephew jumped on board!

Andrew Jackson State Park is located in Lancaster, South Carolina, which is an hour or so south of Charlotte. According to the South Carolina state park system, the site of the park is where Andrew Jackson, our 7th presdient, actually grew up.

We first spent some time exploring the main grounds, which includes a museum, old school house, meeting house, and an immense statue of young Andrew atop a horse.

Later we hit the woods and hiked the mile nature trail loop, also called the Crawford Trail. It was an easy walk and nice way to take in some of South Carolina’s natural beauty as the path (actually crossed the Old Church Road twice) took us through a forest filled with pines, cedars, and oak trees.

At the end of the loop while I hung back snapping photos, Slaed got to experience an owl swoop by overhead. He was the only lucky viewer as Bergen was too busy climbing on rocks and the rest of the clan was checking out the meeting house.

With the intention of rewarding the boys with some fun at the playground, we walked over to the fishing lake passing by the amphitheater on our way over. We ended up having so much fun playing in the boats, running up and down the dock, and throwing rocks into the lake that we ran out of time and steam!

What state (or region, province, etc) do you live in? Have you visited any state parks recently? Tell us about your experience!

Info to Know:

Andrew Jackson State Park is located in Lancaster, South Carolina (1 hour south of Charlotte, NC)
- 196 Andrew Jackson Road Lancaster, SC 29720
- 803-285-3344
- Hours: 8am-6pm Daily from Nov. 1-March 31, 9am-9pm Daily from April 1-Oct.31
Features include museum, old school house, 2 short hiking trails (1 mile each), meeting house, amphitheater, lake, fishing, boating (no motors), playground, and camping.
$2 for adults, Free for Youth 15 & Under, $1.25 for SC seniors
Strollers not recommended for trails.
Looking for lunch or dinner near by? Head North on US-521 just past Sun City Carolina Lakes to 521 BBQ & Grill. Delicious Carolina BBQ served by the nicest people you’ll meet. Be sure to get some hush puppies too.

Come join the conversation! You can keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email. We’d also love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter! If you enjoyed this post, please “like it”, “tweet it” or “pin it”!

More State Park Adventures:

January 10, 2014

Cle Elum, WA’s Teanaway Valley: The Search for an Iceless Hike

Here in Washington State our skiers, snowboarders and all around winter enthusiasts are a little bummed with the lack of snow. Ski resorts are closed. Festivals are being cancelled.

As we drove past Snoqualmie Pass last weekend en route to a quick getaway in Cle Elum, Washington, instead of the usual winter scene of clean white powder, we saw rocky mountains and hills mixed with whitish-brownish slush. Though we did see a few kids tubing down one hill, thanks to some artificial snow, the rest of the area looked more like Seattle when we get a little dusting: Thin layer of white with lots of green grass poking through.

On the bright side, we were blessed with very little traffic and we anticipated some nice hiking conditions. Yes, aside from worrying about the ski resorts losing money and the small towns suffering from lack of ski commerce, we were okay with the scene since we really weren’t after any ski-related activity. Just looking to enjoy a quiet, unplugged day or so in the mountains.

After getting situated in our cabin rental, we set off to explore the Teanaway Valley and find a suitable hike. First we headed west just a mile or so from the cabin. When the paved road turned to dirt and gravel, we were met with a clean sheet of ice suitable for skating, not driving and certainly not hiking.

We continued on anyway, and thought we’d found a great spot when I saw a sign marking the national forest area and a hiker symbol pointing us toward a trail. We got all geared up, packed Bergen into the carrier on Slaed’s back, and in the time it took me to grab Norman (the dog) and organize my belongings, the boys had taken a spill. The trails here were just as bad as the roadway.

Bergen was fine, protected by the pack, just a little shaken up, while Slaed endured a few scrapes on his knee along with some bruising and soreness. Wonderful dad and husband that he is though, he agreed to continue on to try to find a spot that was a little less icy.

So we ventured back and tried another direction…and another…and then another only to find ice everywhere. It became obvious why we had only seen a handful of people. No snow, you can hike. With snow, you can snowshoe. With ice…that’s a little trickier.

On the way to one of these ventures, we did notice one white minivan parked just outside of a trail entrance, and even though we ignored this spot initially, it gave us hope that we could at least go back and explore it’s hiking possibilities.

You can probably guess that’s exactly what we ended up doing. Thanks to a nice open meadow-valley of an area that receives plentiful sun, we were able to create a hike (of sorts) for ourselves. Now it wasn’t completely iceless. We still had to dodge some slick spots and did our fare share of slipping, but no more falling.

And when we finally didn’t have to worry so much about a skating rink at our feet, we had a chance to enjoy the view. Aside from a bird or two, we curiously saw little wildlife, but for some reason I felt as if a cougar would come around to meet us at any moment! Oh, and we did run into the owner of the minivan. Just a loan hiker out for a nice walk. He was smarter than us though–he had hiking poles!

Have you ever run into less than favorable conditions on an outdoor adventure? What happened?

More Hiking Adventures:

January 6, 2014

New Year, New Adventures: Support Your State Parks

Happy New Year!

A fresh new year definitely has me thinking of things I want to accomplish in 2014, but I also can’t help but think about the goals, aspirations and new ideas that began around this time a year ago. One of the goals we made as a family was to visit more of our Washington State Parks.

We kicked the year off and set the goal in motion with the purchase of the Discover Pass. In fact, it was one of my Christmas gifts to my husband, Slaed, but a state park pass also makes a great new year’s gift for yourself or someone you love. So many goals come to mind that it would help with:

Fitness
Health
Travel
Exploring the outdoors
Beginning a new outdoor sport or activity
Education

Our Discover Pass brought us to places all across our Puget Sound region in 2013:

To be honest, we were surprised to learn we only visited a total of 10 state park units, but we did visit several of the parks more than once with Moran being the most frequented. And besides, 10 (+) is a whole lot more than years past.

A side effect of our interest and enthusiasm for our parks is that we now seek out state parks in our travels outside of Washington. Our trips to California, Wisconsin, South Carolina this year all included visits to at least one state park gem.

With a brand-spanking-new pass for 2014 ready and waiting, we’re anxious to see what the year will bring in terms of state park adventures. Looking back on the year, we really didn’t venture past the Cascades to any of the parks in Central and Eastern Washington. Seems to me that a new goal may be taking shape!

Are you motivated to visit more state parks this year? Why? Tell us about the state parks near you!

December 17, 2013

Keep the Holiday Season Fun and Festive: How to Make Time for Adventure

Let me state the obvious. The holiday season is a busy time. Many of us have so much more on our plate (literally and figuratively) right now. When you think about it, all of it eventually leads to good stuff, but when you’re in the thick of it, it can be down right dreadful.

Take gifts for example. Thinking of a loved one, and picking out something you know they’d truly appreciate, want or need is such a joy. Standing in line at the post office with an impatient toddler to send that gift can make you pretty frustrated and kill all that delight you had in the first place.

I feel lucky though. I feel lucky and thankful because in the midst of our holiday to-do list, we have found little ways to keep things merry and bright. And merry and bright in our book means making time for adventure, mostly in the form of spending time outdoors.

Making Time for Adventure in the Busy Holiday Season

Create a shopping adventure

We love heading downtown and can get so much accomplished because all of our stops are in one central location. Plus we’d rather shop Pike Place Market, and the surrounding local shops than deal with the mall. Downtown areas of small towns, art and craft festivals, and neighborhood business districts are also super festive and places where you can find unique gifts.

What helped us recently was having a plan. We had a specific list of stores to get to and gifts in mind for purchase. I strapped Bergen (2 years old) to my back, and we were able to journey around easily. Since we knew exactly what we were after, there wasn’t a lot of waiting around, which meant the little guy was content.

It also helps when there were 2 adults, so at one point Slaed was able to run into a store while Bergen and I took a break to play and enjoy the holiday scenery.

Have goals for getting your holiday tasks accomplished, but also make fun a priority.

At the beginning of a big holiday task day (or the night before) we make a realistic list of all we want to accomplish. Any thing from post office runs, picking out a tree, buying gifts, and grocery shopping is on that list, but FUN is also on the list, and it takes precedence.

Wake up early

Weekdays, I’m always up at the crack of dawn, but during this busy holiday season, I’ve also added weekends to my early waking habit. We are truly blessed with a little one who sleeps in, so I’ve tried to take full advantage of that, and use that time to write Christmas cards, wrap presents, and generally get organized for the rest of the day.

By getting so much accomplished in the morning, our day is more open and less stressful. And you guessed it, we can work in more time for fun.

Build-in adventure

I talk about this in our everyday life as well. Whenever we have an errand or to-do list task, I think and scheme about an adventure close by that we can build in. It can go the other way too. If you have a fun holiday festivity you want to go to, think about how you can build-in a task on the way or in the area to accomplish from your to-do list.

Make adventure a reward

Accomplishing the daily to-do list is huge for us. It’s a great feeling, and we find it reason to celebrate, so often we have a contingency that when all is checked off, we get to do something fun. Last weekend, it was luminaries on Saturday and walking along the Seattle waterfront on Sunday.

How do you make time for adventure and fun during the busy holiday season?

More Holiday Fun and Adventure:

December 13, 2013

Christmas in the Southeast: Celebrating through Georgia and the Carolinas

We had quite a travel adventure in the Southeast part of the country to celebrate and visit with our loved ones for Thanksgiving. As with most of the country, Thanksgiving trickles right into Christmas, and this was evident even more so this year. Not only are Thanksgiving and Christmas closer together on the calendar, but it was also our only chance to celebrate the holiday with our east coast family and friends.

That’s a lot of festivities to squeeze in, but the region certainly helped out by getting all dressed up for us! Allow us to take you along on our journey, and at the same time, we’ll show you how the Southeast shows off their Yuletide spirit.

After landing in Atlanta, we traveled just north of the city to the little town of Lawrenceville. This was to be just a stopover hotel stay before making our way to the Charlotte area to visit with family. We drove into town in search of dinner; however it turned into much more!

We noticed streets closed down and residents running toward the town square, so we quickly found a parking spot and followed the crowd. To our surprise a Christmas celebration was happening complete with a tree lighting, caroling, parade, and visit from Santa. And to top it all off, the three of us got to try boiled peanuts for the first time. Bergen was a huge fan, but Slaed and I are pretty sure we will stick to the roasted variety.

Next up on our tour of the southeast takes us to North Carolina and the adorable small town of Waxhaw. Waxhaw is just south of Charlotte, and very close to the South Carolina border. My sister and her family will soon call this community home as they are building a house here, so naturally we decided to take time to play, shop, eat, and just explore!

During our visit, we hit up the playground, with remnants of Santa’s visit (in the form of artificial snow) left behind from the previous night, and then started to make our way over their local coffeehouse to warm up. The railroad runs through the center of town and our timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Just as we were ready to cross over the foot bridge, the train payed us a visit! You can probably guess that Bergen (2 years old) was the most excited.

Making our way back down to Georgia, to breakup the mini road trip, we stopped in Columbia, South Carolina. We knew the Riverbanks Zoo would be the perfect spot for Bergen to burn off a little steam. We also did our homework and knew that our admission would be free thanks to the zoo’s reciprocal relationship with our Woodland Park Zoo back home in Seattle.

We were very impressed with everything this small zoo had to offer, and felt that the exhibits were well designed and made for easy viewing. Needless to say, they are decked out for Christmas and we can only imagine how pretty it must look at night with all the lights twinkling, bonfire going, and all their other cheery festivities. We just happened to be walking by when one of the staff members was testing out the snow machine. Made for some fun memories of dancing around; with Bergen wondering why his parents were so giddy!

Our last stop on the Southeast tour was Augusta, Georgia to visit our dear friends who have recently relocated there. Though my hair wasn’t thrilled with the 100% humidity, we were happy to put our coats and hats aside and enjoy balmy temperatures. Augusta has so much natural beauty with pine trees everywhere and hanging moss adorning the oaks. We especially loved visiting the Augusta Canal and learning all about their lock system along the Savannah River.

What really got us into the Christmas spirit though was stopping by the Surrey Center not far from where all the Masters (annual golf tournament) action occurs. The chic women’s clothing store, Soho not only had a Christmas tree made of coke bottles, which we kept Bergen at least 10 feet away from at all times, but the owner also fashioned a tree using just deer antlers. Such a fun way to show off the uniqueness of the town and surrounding area.

Where are you celebrating the season this year? Have you discovered any new towns, cities or communities? We’d love to hear from you!

November 19, 2013

Thankful for Outdoor Families Instagram Contest!

My favorite place to be on social media is Instagram. I love getting to share little snippets of our lives from our outdoor adventures to our travels here in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Even better, I get to see tiny glimpses of what others are up to, find inspiration, camaraderie, and ideas, and stay in touch with family and friends.

Needless to say, I’m thrilled to be hosting an incredibly fun instagram contest with a bunch of my outdoor blogging friends to show and share how grateful we are for families and the outdoors during this *THANKFUL* month of November!

Enter to win the #outdoorfamilies giveaway! Simply share a picture of you and your family doing an outdoor activity on instagram and use the hashtags #outdoorfamilies and #thankfulforfamilies. Contest runs from November 19-26. You can share a photo daily (up to 7 total photos) and winners will be chosen at random and announced on Instagram by each participating blogger on their blogs.

What you can win:

**All prizes with the exception of one (noted) will be open to both US and Canadian residents**

A pair of Oakiwear waders for you child
An Ambler Kid’s Hat
Nikwak Products (Sandal Wash, Freshbase and Polar Proof)
Snowstoppers Nylon Mittens
Spyder Mini Cubby Long Ski Mittens and Bob Skates from Mountain Baby
An Outdoor Wine Glass Set and a pair of Snack Trays from Grasshaven Outdoor
Kowalli Baby Carrier Cover
$150 Gift Certificate to spend at any retailer on the ActiveJunky.com Site
HABA Sand Toys
Bani Bands
Honey Stinger – 2 Boxes (Choc and Van) of the new kids waffle – US ONLY!!
Education Outdoors Board Game
Hero Kit – First Aid or Bike Repair Kit
Ducksday Rain Suit
Easy Rider Chair from Travel Chair
A Children’s Outdoor Book: “Watershed Adventures of a Water Bottle” by Jennifer Chambers
Winner’s choice of one pair of shoes from Hi-Tec

Giveaway entry rules:

Must be a resident of US or Canada

You MUST follow all the blogger participants on Instagram listed below to be eligible to win any of the prizes:
- @mtnmamatales or instagram.com/mtnmamatales
- @adventuretykes or instagram.com/adventuretykes
- @adventurousmoms or http://instagram.com/adventurousmoms
- @katespiller or instagram.com/katespiller
- @jennifer_fontaine or instagram.com/jennifer_fontaine
- @alyssa_kidproject or instagram.com/alyssa_kidproject
- @chasquimom or instagram.com/chasquimom
- @velomomjen or instagram.com/velomomjen
- @kathydaltonslc or instagram.com/kathydaltonslc
- @goadventuremom or instagram.com/goadventuremom
- @meghanjward or instagram.com/meghanjward

All photos must be originals and taken by YOU (a reposted photo will disqualify you!)

All photos must be tagged with BOTH #outdoorfamilies AND #thankfulforfamilies and submitted by 10 pm MST on November 26th.

All winners will be chosen randomly from all submitted entries at the end of the week and announced on each of the blogs after November 26th. Comments will also be left on the winning photos to let you know you won.

Participating Bloggers:

(who worked hard to round up these great prizes!) *Make sure you check out all of these great blogs!*

Adventure Tykes: http://adventuretykes.com
Adventurous Moms: http://adventurousmoms.com
The Adventures in Parenthood Project: http://adventurousparents.com
Chasqui Mom: http://ChasquiMom.com
Go Adventure Mom: http://goadventuremom.com
Mommy Hiker: http://www.mommyhiker.com
The Kid Project: http://kidproject.org
Tales of a Mountain Mama: http://talesofamountainmama.com
Velo Mom: http://Velomom.com
Wild Tales Of: http://wildtalesof.com

See you over on Instagram!

Questions? Don’t hesitate to contact me!

November 18, 2013

An Easy Trash Pick-up Walk: Refocusing our Afternoon Walk to do Some Good

You might already know that we have a late afternoon routine of walking the dog (and ourselves) nearly every day. The reasons (and benefits) are many: exercise, visiting parks and playgrounds for Bergen, catching up on our days and making plans…we even have been known to throw in an errand or two at the post office or grocery store.

These days, depending on time and distance planned, sometimes Bergen walks on his own. However, most of the time, he rides in his stroller, with opportunities to walk & play built in, as we tent to log at least 3 miles on our outings.

When Bergen walks on his own, we can go several blocks at a decent pace, but after a while his speed slows and he’s more interested in interacting with the little things he sees on the grass, sidewalk and properties of our neighbors. He stalls, dilly-dallies, piddles, you name the technique for slowing down (and wasting time), he does it. It’s important to us though that he continues to build his walking stamina and endurance. The last thing we want as active adults is a kid who doesn’t want to walk anywhere.

Yesterday, we tried something new for our afternoon walk. I don’t know about your locale, but as city dwellers (at least in our neighborhood), we tent to get our share of trash that builds up along the sidewalk edges, curbs and intersections. We clean up our block and blocks close by every now and again, but we hadn’t done so in a while, and Bergen had never been a part of it.

So instead of our usual walk, we went on a trash pick-up walk. Bergen and I searched for pieces of trash while Slaed followed close by picking up all that we found and collecting it in a garbage bag. After just a couple of blocks, Bergen got pretty good at spotting garbage on the ground—and with all of the leaves that have fallen, it wasn’t exactly the easiest trash pick-up we’ve done!

A bonus to the while thing was that because pick-up takes time, we were actually going at Bergen’s ideal pace. We were able to focus him on sighting trash, but he also had extra time to explore and do his dawdling–checking out rocks, acorns, flowers, leaves and whatever else he could find. And without the pressure of speed and keeping up, he actually walked a whole lot further than he normally would!

Have you ever picked up trash in your neighborhood or another location? Do you volunteer with your kids? Tell us about it!

More Walking Adventures:

November 14, 2013

Wanna Be Birdwatchers on Skagit Valley, WA’s Padilla Bay Shore Trail

Do you consider yourself a bird expert? Maybe you’re a bird watcher? Interested in trying to spot different species of birds and keep track? Just enjoy looking at birds?

A couple of weeks ago during our quick weekend trip to Skagit Valley, Washington, we learned that in this season of life with our motley crew, we aren’t going to win any awards or even get past the point of just being lucky to encounter a bird.

Wanting to hike, but not wanting to travel far to a trailhead, we decided to take-on the Padilla Bay Shore Trail. The trail runs along the bay (part of the larger Salish Sea) and is just a half mile or so south from our rented cabin at Bayview State Park.

Quick Points about the Trail

Multi-use (pedestrians, bicyclists, even hunters) 2.25 mile dike-top trail equipped with frequent mile markers to track your progress
Combines views of the water and San Juan Islands juxtaposed with busy farms (we watched red potatoes being harvested) all the while being watched in the distance by Mount Baker and the Cascades
Easy, flat trail making it perfect for young hikers (and those carrying young hikers).

Just as we started our hike, we passed a fellow trailmate who asked us if we were out looking for birds. Really that wasn’t our original intention, instead we were just out to enjoy the surroundings and get some exercise, but did we somehow look the part of a bird watcher?

Okay, maybe one of us did have binoculars around our neck, but we never really thought to put ourselves in the “bird watcher” category. Even so, since she brought it up and we realized we were in one of the most popular spots for birding in the state, we thought we’d play the role and give our best effort to see as many winged friends as we could.

We figured we were doing pretty well when we encountered a great blue heron hanging out just on the edge of the adjacent farmland.

Great Blue Heron--Padilla Bay Shore Trail: Skagit Valley, Washington | WildTalesof.com

Turns out this area is said to have one of the largest groupings of great blue herons in the Western United States.

Later on about halfway down the trail where it skirts to the east, we watched several hawks fly over head, but not really sticking around long enough for us to get any good observations of color or markings. Of course we also saw the usual suspects: tons of seagulls and plenty of ducks, and after that first heron sighting, we saw several more…or who knows maybe it was the same one!

After a while though, I came to the conclusion that while we may be blessed with seeing some birds here and there, especially popular ones, we aren’t really in a place to be expert observers.

Why not? Well, for starters our pooch, Norman isn’t exactly welcoming the flyers to flock toward us. I’m thinking he’s more of deterrent and scaring the birds away even if we do come in contact with them. And then there’s this toddler we’ve got hanging by our side. He’s noisy and makes sudden movements. Probably not behavior tips you’d find in the bird watcher’s handbook.

We’re not going to give up though. For now, we’ll stick with being “wanna-be bird watchers” and just be happy with what comes our way. Maybe when Bergen (now 2 years old) is a little older and better able to stay quiet for a period of time and have more controlled movements we’ll step up our game and become a little more serious. Does this actually happen?

More Info to Know:

The Padilla Bay Shore Trail is located in Bayview, Washington. Parking is available at the North (lot on 2nd Street) and South end of the trail with porta-potties at each location. Directions here.
Very stroller friendly
Access is FREE.
Trail is multi-use: bicyclists, pedestrians, and even hunters (October-January).

What’s your level of bird watching expertise & interest? We’d love to know!

November 11, 2013

Rainy Day Adventure + Lunch: Seattle’s Olympic Sculpture Park

Last week we had one of the most wet and blustery days I’ve ever experienced here in Seattle. Instead of hiding away, which was my instinct, I decided to embrace the weather with an adventure downtown.

After hitting up the central library for just a bit in the morning, we were ready for some lunch and Bergen was not quite ready for an immediate nap. He still had plenty of energy to burn. What to do?

My strategic choice of parking allowed us to have to walk through Pike Place Market. And what better fare to warm up (and add a little cheer) on a rainy day than macaroni and cheese and a grilled cheese sandwich from our world famous Beecher’s Handmade Cheese?

With our goods tucked away, we then made the trek to the Olympic Sculpture Park. A break in the rain, though certainly not the wind, gave Bergen the perfect opportunity to wear himself out as he wound up and down the pathways of the park.

I love the contrast of elements that the sculpture park offers: Beautiful large scale works of art mixed with nature and back dropped with a cityscape.

After a while, we pulled up to a bench near Alexander Calder’s Eagle and chowed down.

Like clockwork, just as the last noodle drenched in creamy cheese was consumed, the sprinkles started up again, and before we knew it, a miserable rainy experience was upon us. I tried to explore just a little longer, but the effort was too great and Bergen was losing steam. Time for that nap I talked about earlier!

Thankful that our rain isn’t constant, just frequent, we keep going, keep adventuring.

Do you ever dine outside? Where’s your favorite spot?

Come join the conversation! If you enjoyed this post, you can keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email. We’d also love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!

More Downtown Seattle Adventures:

November 8, 2013

Just 1 Day: Play and Eat in Door County, Wisconsin

After our pit stop in Algoma, Wisconsin, we were on a mission: No more messing around. We needed to see and experience true Door County, Wisconsin (not just the outskirts).

Play

So torn with what to do with such little time (and an anxious toddler), I furiously scanned the guide book, tourism magazines and ideas we’d printed out from research at home. I was draw to–SURPRISE!–another state park. Like Point Beach, this one is on the shores of Lake Michigan, and while I would have loved to change things up and maybe see the Green Bay side of the peninsula, the beaches of Whitefish Dunes State Park were calling my name.

When we arrived, I felt even better as the ranger told us we were about to experience Wisconsin’s best beach.

Having only visited a handful of Wisconsin beaches, we can’t really claim that Whitefish Dunes is the absolute best (since we haven’t seen so many others), but we can attest to it’s beauty and uniqueness.

I was surprised to learn that a section just inside the entrance to the beach area is prone to rip currents. I suppose its again my naiveness of the midwest and the power of a large lake, but I just always associated this phenomenon with oceans and seas. The section was roped off and easily avoidable.

We defaulted to our usual beach walking routine of dipping our toes into the water and collecting treasures. Thanks to some serious sand bars, we could actually walk quite far out into the lake without the water even getting close to our knees.

The water was crystal clear here without a lot of the seaweed debris we were used to seeing at other Lake Michigan beach spots. In one spot, millions of tiny delicate shells swept up towards the beach.

And there’s so much more that we lacked the time to explore. Over 14 miles of hiking trails, a fishing lake, a nature center, and even a special beach just for dogs.

Eat

As we entered Sturgeon Bay on our way to the state park, we thankfully had our lunch spot all scoped out. The Bluefront Cafe on the west side of town is an adorable little eatery serving brunch, lunch and dinner. To us, they offered fancier and more diverse food options compared to what we had typically seen (and thoroughly enjoyed!) in our Wisconsin trip.

I love the set-up of cute tables and cozy booths, and the fact that it was clearly enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. Their selection of Wisconsin micro-brews on tap didn’t hurt either.

Just One Day: Play and Eat in Door County, Wisconsin | WildTalesof.com

Our Picks? The Walleye Sandwich and Fish Tacos

Have you visited Door County, Wisconsin?

Tell us about your experience!

Come join the conversation! If you enjoyed this post, you can keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email. We’d also love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!

More on Wisconsin:

November 4, 2013

Exploring UW’s Husky Stadium and Surviving a Rainy Day Football Game

University of Washington home football games are usually saved for Slaed (dad & husband) to have time away with his buddies. While we don’t have season tickets, he does get to go to a handful of games each season and looks forward to the fun all year.

This season though with Bergen being a little older, and the stadium being newly updated, we wanted to make a point to go as a family. We live fairly close, within just a few miles, so why not take the time to cheer on our Purple and Gold Huskies.

It figures though that when the big day of the game arrived (we strategically chose a 4pm starting game) it was raining. Not just a nice, normal, misty Seattle rain. No. We couldn’t be that lucky. It was raining buckets. Cats and Dogs. Huskies & Wildcats really, since we were playing Arizona. Just pouring.

Of course we had grand ideas of actually walking all the way from our house to the stadium. We didn’t completely abandon that plan though, and instead drove as close as we could get before the no-parking-on-game-day rules were enforced. Then with Bergen in the backpack carrier and umbrellas in hand (and to think we thought we might not need them!) we made the trek, which turned out to be a little less than 2 miles.

Despite the down right miserable conditions, we managed to stay relatively warm and dry and thus have nothing but happy memories of attending Bergen’s first college football game.

We had to be prepared though and I think we made some smart choices, even if you think we might be crazy (or foolish?) to subject ourselves and our toddler to such an experience.

1. Dress Appropriately. Unfortunately we had to take team spirit (and fashion) completely out of the equation, and just dress to stay warm and protected from the rain. Lucky Bergen got to wear his Oakiwear rainsuit, which many adults coveted, with fleece layers underneath and rain boots. Slaed and I both wore rain pants and rain jackets layered with long underwear.

Shoes are also super important to consider because once your feet start to get wet, no matter how prepared you are with your clothing, you’ll be uncomfortable (and unhappy) in no time. With all the walking we had to do this took some extra thought, but Slaed’s goretex hiking shoes and my Bog rainboots worked well.

Specific Gear Recommendations:

Children’s rain suits from Oakiwear
MyMayu Boots, Bogs, and Oakiwear boots for kids
Precip Rain Pants from Marmot
Bog Insulated Rain boots
Goretex Hiking/Trail Shoes from the North Face

2. Don’t Push It. I’m glad we didn’t just abandon our seats all together because getting to watch the marching band and opening excitement of the players running on to the field was thrilling However, since our seats were not covered, we took in the experience of being close to the action for a quarter or so, but then took a break.

3. Warm Food and Drinks. What a difference a nice, hot cup of coffee makes after enduring the rain for a couple of hours. If you’re not into caffeine, there’s bound to be decaf, and if you’re not into coffee, there’s gotta be hot chocolate! We also got to warm up with some pre-game gumbo at our friend’s tailgate. What a treat. Even better, pack your own thermos of warm goodness! We’re never that prepared, but I love the idea.

4. Enjoy the Stadium Away from Your Seats. I love exploring stadiums, ballparks, arenas, etc. The designers put a lot of work into creating these sporting complexes. There’s often art, history, and just fun little touches that make the place unique. Checking out these aspects of the stadium is a great thing to do while you get some respite from the rain.

5. Retreat to the Nosebleeds. Once we warmed up and explored the stadium for a bit, we were ready to continue watching the game we came to see. Luckily, many of our fellow attendees decided not to stick around, and there were plenty of open seats way up high. Though the nosebleeds often get a bad rap, I loved this option. It game us a bird’s eye view of the football action, a view of Lake Washington, and plenty of room to spread out. Oh yeah, and the seats were covered and protected from the rain!

Who are you cheering on this fall? Do you dare attend a game in the rain?

Come join the conversation! You can keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email. We’d also love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!

*Affiliate links used to direct you toward some of our favorite rainy weather clothing and gear options. If you purchase through our links, we receive a small commission. Thanks for taking a look!

More Sports Fun:

October 31, 2013

Hike Henry W. Coe State Park: A Hoppin’ Good Time!

I know lakes and other natural formations can be named for obvious reasons. The Great Salt Lake is salty. Crater lake exists thanks to…well, a crater. And many lakes are named after the nearby town, state or region.

These names make complete sense, but for some reason, when our visit to Henry W. Coe State Park near San Jose, California involved a hike to Frog Lake, I didn’t believe there would actually be real, live frogs involved.

Coe State Park is huge. With over 87,000 acres it’s the largest state park in northern California (and the 2nd largest in the state), so we barely scratched the surface with our morning visit here. We did spend enough time though to realize that the area is incredibly beautiful. What a treat to exit the suburbs and sprawling towns of the bay area and enter a land of stately oak trees, rolling hills, and mountains in the distance.

We started off improvising a bit meandering around to see the monument dedicated to Henry W. Coe by his daughter in his memory. We also found pine cones that were literally the size of Bergen’s head! Soon we got down to business though. We were so curious. Was Frog Lake shaped like a frog? Would there be enormous bull frogs there greeting us? Would we hear the telltale “ribbit”?

The answer wasn’t clear when we first arrived, but as we made our way around the perimeter of the small lake, Slaed started to notice something. Looking ahead at the water’s edge every time we stepped a little closer, hundreds of tiny frogs would hop back into the water! Yup, there really are little hoppers at Frog Lake. Likely thousands of them. You can bet we had lots of fun with this; testing out how the frogs would react to different approaches and speeds. We unfortunately couldn’t get too close to the shore since the mud acted much like quicksand.

Henry W. Coe State Park: Near San Jose, California | WildTalesof.com

Look carefully. Can you see the little popping out of the water?

It was here where Bergen got to ditch the backpack carrier and do some hiking on his own. He gathered sticks and rocks, threw leaves, and made sure to point out any deposits he noticed on the trail. It might be time to get him a tracking book!

Though we were visiting on a weekday, we were surprised at the lack of people at the park. We only ran into one set of fellow hikers, and it makes me wonder why this amazing resource isn’t used more?

Info To Know:

Henry W. Coe State Park is located in Morgan Hill, California (near San Jose):
- 9000 East Dunne Avenue Morgan Hill, CA 95037
- 408-779-2728
Features include plenty of hiking trails, campgrounds, hot springs, mountain biking trails, and fishing.
Visit in spring for amazing wildflower viewing.
Day Use Fees vary between $6-8 depending on the entrance used. Annual passes for all California State Parks are also available.
Strollers not recommended.

Do you visit state parks in your home state or when you travel? Tell us about your favorite spots!

October 28, 2013

Bayview State Park: Simple Setup, Spectacular Sunset

We just had one of those weekends where we didn’t travel very far from home, but still felt like we were truly getting away.

Skagit Valley is just an hour and a half or so north of Seattle. Its most famous claim-to-fame is the Tulip Festival that takes place every spring. The rural area is also spotted with adorably charming small towns, pastoral view after pastoral view, and its situated where one can take in the water to the west and Cascades to the east, including Mount Baker, all in one spot.

In need of a fall getaway, we made the quick trip to see what staying in a state park cabin, with a toddler, might be like.

Bayview State Park (also in the town of Bayview) is located on Padilla Bay with views of the larger town of Anacortes as well as the San Juan Islands. It’s a small state park made up of mostly cabins, campgrounds and RV spots, but it’s quiet, and it has an incredible beach.

You’ll hear much more about our trip, from the food we ate to the hikes and other adventures we got into, but I just love how we started off our weekend.

For one, we were relieved to learn it clearly doesn’t take nearly as long to setup “camp” at a cabin as it does when tents are involved. We also had a better plan: One person works while the other gives full attention to Bergen (2 years old). Then switch. No more thinking we can both set things up and “keep an eye on” the little guy. It just doesn’t work and it’s not worth the time we think we would save.

In what felt like no time, our beds were set, chairs and supplies were out, and food was organized (you’ll see we didn’t need much). And then, we were munching on appetizers, enjoying refreshments, and making our way to witness sunset on the bay.

In addition to rocks, Bergen has now added sticks to his collection habits, so you might imagine he was quite pleased at the selection. He was so content here, just wanting to explore and gather treasure after treasure.

Skagit Valley is also known as an incredible place for bird watchers. Here we had our first of many great blue heron sightings throughout the weekend.

Usually after awhile I’m told to quit it with all the picture taking, but this time, Slaed understood because every time we looked out, the sky had changed, and was showing us something a little different.

Where can YOU get away without traveling too far? Share your favorite destination, even if it’s just down the street!

More from Skagit Valley:

Naptime Road Trips: La Conner, WA

October 18, 2013

Our Midwest Beach Vacation: Exploring Point Beach State Forest in Two Rivers, WI

When you hear “Wisconsin”, what’s the first thing you think about?

Cheese, cows, curds, and beer all seem to be classic answers.

How about the beach though?

Does splashing in the waves, boogie boarding, and walking along the shore come to mind?

It most certainly did not for us, but after attending a family wedding in Madison, we were willing to give the coast of Wisconsin a try. In fact, we turned what could have been a short wedding weekend, into a full week mid-west vacation.

From Madison, we made our way north to the small “beach” town of Two Rivers on Lake Michigan. Normally we choose to stay in town and close to the action of restaurants, cafes, and local shops, and while we weren’t far (just 2 miles), this time a comfortable retreat that was closer to the water was more important to us.

Our Midwest Beach Vacation: Exploring Point Beach State Forest in Two Rivers, WI| WildTalesof.com

Happy to support Wisconsin’s state parks system, we chose Point Beach State Forest to be our first spot of exploration, and minus a break for lunch and Bergen’s (2 years old) nap, we made the most of the entry fee and spent the majority of the day here.

First, we decided on a leisurely (though long) walk along the water with Bergen beginning and ending in the backpack carrier. He also started off with regular clothes, changed into his swimming gear when it became evident that we wouldn’t be shy about the water, and was back in his dry clothes as we made our way home.

We nearly had the beach to ourselves and took our time taking in views of the lighthouse, stopping to investigate the differences in the lake shore verses ocean shore, and giving Bergen plenty of time to throw sand and rocks into the water and chase butterflies.

Our Midwest Beach Vacation: Exploring Point Beach State Forest in Two Rivers, WI| WildTalesof.com

After a while, we saw a blue tent set-up in the distance and made the goal of reaching it for our turn around spot. We planned to then take the forest trail back to get a different perspective of the park.

Our Midwest Beach Vacation: Exploring Point Beach State Forest in Two Rivers, WI| WildTalesof.com

As we approached the group at the blue tent, the people were friendly enough, but they were skeptical. Like us, I think they were enjoying their deserted beach time, and weren’t sure about this family of three encroaching on their fun.

Behind them, we started up the walkway, to find the forest trail that would lead us back to the park entrance. Here we ran into even more people, and discovered that we actually were invading these vacationers space! After following the walkway, we found a set of rustic cabins (available to rent from the state park) and quickly realized we needed to get out of their hair before they started thinking were some sort of weird intruders.

A couple of the campers were nice enough to lead us to the trail and we were on our way. Unfortunately, we didn’t last long. Being the spoiled Pacific Northwesterners that we are, it didn’t occur to us to bring the bug spray (that we packed, but left at the rental) along with us. Before stepping foot into the forest, we didn’t even think we’d need it! Isn’t bug spray just something you slap on at night while enjoying some outside time? Not even close.

Our Midwest Beach Vacation: Exploring Point Beach State Forest in Two Rivers, WI| WildTalesof.com

Can you tell Slaed was high tailing it out of there?

The mosquitoes literally consumed us. And poor Bergen in the backpack carrier was defenseless. He couldn’t even reach down and swat them away. We were back to the beach in a hurry, which is a shame because I was really looking forward to getting to know more of the woodsy parts of Wisconsin that we had heard so much about.

I guess we should have been more prepared. The girls who helped us get to the path originally must of assumed we were smarter, because they made no mention of the pests. All they said was what a great time we’d have hiking!

A much more pleasant return.

After this experience and even more fun later on in our trip, we are a couple of believers in the Midwest beach! Calm water, soft sand, beautiful views… Just stay clear of the forested areas unless you are well-equipped and ready to defend yourself.

These suckers were certainly not the worst pests we’ve encountered, but bad enough. Where have you run into the worst bugs in your travels?

Come join the conversation! We’d love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter! You can also keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email.

More from our Midwest Vacation:

October 15, 2013

Built-in Adventures: Experiencing Fall on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail in Carnation, WA

After a travel adventure in California’s Bay area, yesterday Bergen and I set out on another built-in adventure to pick up our pup, Norman at the boarders. She takes such good care of Norman, treating him like one of her own, that we are okay with driving out to the country to reunite. Besides, it gives us a chance to experience the beauty of Snoqualmie Valley. No matter the season, I treasure the drive out, and I’ve picked up favorite spots to stop and explore along the way.

This visit gave us the perfect opportunity to burn off some energy and take-in all the fall color changes happening here in Western Washington. While we barely scratched the surface of the 31.5 mile Snoqualmie Valley Trail, we covered enough ground to see plenty of gorgeous autumn leaves, a salmon spawning spot, and even caught a glimpse of the October happenings at one of the region’s most beloved farms.

The trail, stretching from Duvall to Rattlesnake Lake near North Bend, has several access points. We entered at Nick Loutsis Park in downtown Carnation, and walked just a half a mile or so (remember we were going at toddler speed) to where the trail crosses over Remlinger Farm.

Stopping at the bridge that took us over the Tolt River provided me with a mix of emotions. For one, I was terrified that Bergen might slip through the opening between the edge of the bridge & railing, and fall. Highly unlikely, I know, but for some reason bridges bring on a new fear for me now that I have an active toddler by my side (or often running away from my side).

Then when I studied the water flowing below us a little more closely, I saw one salmon floating there, dead. When I continued studying the river and it’s banks, I realized there dozens of salmon floating in the water and also stuck along the edges and in between rocks. I was worried. How completely sad.

We moved on, but I later realized, thanks to some informative signage that this is normal. It’s peak spawning season for several species of salmon, so they’ve made their journey back and have now died. The natural order of things.

And another remarkable reminder of this season of change.

What seasonal changes are you experiencing in your world?

Have you checked out our latest giveaway?

October 9, 2013

Kowalli Baby Carrier Cover Giveaway!

I recently posted about the Kowalli Carrier Cover that we just added to our Adventure Gear Arsenal. I’m so happy with this handy tool that keeps both me and Bergen (2 years old) warm while I’m lugging him around in the ergo carrier.

I’m thrilled to announce that the folks at Kowalli would like to giveaway a carrier cover to one our readers! Remember, you can read all about the details of the carrier cover, how it works, and what I love about it in my previous review.

Kowallis can be used with all soft carriers (ergo, moby, beco, etc), and is made for children 0-3 years old. Even if you don’t have a little one at home, what a great gift for your babywearing family and friends!

To Enter the Giveaway

Easy: “Like” Kowalli on facebook, and leave a comment here on the blog letting me know you’ve done so.
Bonus Entries-Your name will be entered again depending on how many bonus entries you submit thus increasing your chances of winning (make sure to tell us in your comment which of these you did or already do!):
- “Like” Wild Tales of… on facebook
- Follow” Wild Tales of… on twitter
- Share this post by tweeting or sharing on your facebook wall or page. Make sure to tag @WildTalesof in your post.

Winner, Winner…

1 Kowalli Carrier Cover (valued at $69) will be given away to one lucky reader! Winner gets to choose from several great color combinations that Kowalli offers. Contest ends and all entries must be received by Friday, October 18, 2013 at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time. Winners will be chosen at random and notified on Monday, October 21, 2013. Giveaway open to U.S. and Canadian residents 18 years or older. After notification, winners have 3 days to connect. Questions? Don’t hesitate to contact me!

Kowalli Carrier Cover Giveaway is now closed. Congrats to the winner!

Many thanks to Kowalli for providing one of the carrier covers for the giveaway. All opinions about the Kowalli Carrier Cover are my own.

October 8, 2013

Adventure Gear: Staying Warm and Dry with Kowalli’s Carrier Cover

While we don’t carry Bergen (now 2 years old) in our soft carriers nearly as much as we did before he was venturing off on his own two feet, believe it or not, I still find myself strapping him into the ergo (on my back) quite a bit. I’ll often bring the carrier along with us for back up in case his legs grow too tired, or in situations where we might want to keep him close and not wandering off or getting himself into trouble.

Recently, we were lucky enough to add a new tool to our babywearing and adventure gear arsenal. The Kowalli is a carrier cover that can be worn right over our ergobaby carrier so as we are out and about, it keeps us warm and protected from all kinds of weather elements. Right off the bat, there are so many things to love about the Kowalli brand:

Kowalli is an American owned and operated small business, and all of their products are designed and manufactured in the USA. Even the materials for their carrier covers, booties & hats are 100% American.
The fleece used for their products is high quality Polartec, which is weather-treated to protect against and repel rain, snow, and wind.
Simple, yet genius design. The carrier cover is “one-size fits all/most” making it easy to share with other babywearing adults, and it’s just so smart! I love how easy it is to bring along and wear to provide extra warmth for me and Bergen.

I’ve had the chance to test out the Kowalli with Bergen on our neighborhood walks and also while cheering on our beloved Seattle Sounders soccer team on a cold & rainy evening. Bergen can walk quite a long way (in toddler terms) on his own and he’s also been learning to use his balance bike, so lately we’ve played around with ditching the stroller and just using the ergo carrier for backup. Now that we’re getting some chillier temperatures, the Kowalli really comes in handy to keep us both warm, often when we are making our way back home after some serious play!

About the Kowalli Carrier Cover

The Kowalli carrier cover is made of weather-treated Polartec fleece, and works with all soft carriers with the child being worn in all positions (front, back, side, facing out, etc). The fleece protects adult and child from cold, wind, rain & snow, and is recommended to be used, in coordination with appropriate layers, in temperatures as low as 15 degrees F (-10 C). Since the carrier cover has a toga-style design, the child being worn can always see out. The drawstring cinches around the top and bottom lock warmth in, and also create a comfortable fit for all wearers.

How the Kowalli Works

Once the child is set in the carrier (front, back or side), slip the Kowalli over your head. So far, I’ve needed help from another adult with this part (since Bergen is on my back), but I think I’ll get the hang of it with more practice!
Place your right arm through the arm hole, and left hand out through the top.
The left side stays open (toga-style) allowing the child to see out.
Cinch the drawstring cords at the top and bottom for a snug fit.
Easiest way to remove the Kowalli is by uncinching & just letting it drop down towards the ground.

What’s to Love?

First and foremost, the Kowalli really keeps me and Bergen warm! I love the simple design, and the fact that we can utilize the carrier cover in fall, winter and spring. When we were testing it out in the park the other day, I was blown away by how much colder I was when I took the cover off to let Bergen run around.
The Kowalli is comfortable and easy to layer with other coats and outer pieces depending on temperature and weather.
Since it’s “one-size fits most”, the carrier cover can be worn by multiple adults. Slaed and I can both use the cover, but just adjust the two elastic cord pieces (top and bottom) to fit.
A small addition, but the built-in pouch on the front of the Kowalli is the perfect hand warmer and something I always wished for in my ergo.
I love all the fun colors that the Kowalli line offers. We actually chose the most popular color combination: “Onyx/Shining Sea”, but there are 4 other awesome color combinations to choose from.

What’s to be desired?

Well…I wish I’d known about this carrier cover two years ago! We still have some “babywearing” life left with Bergen, but since he’s doing so much of his own adventuring, we don’t get to use the carrier (and cover) as much as before.

Our only suggestion might be to create a waterproof version. Living in Seattle, much of our outdoor time can be disrupted with rain, but we tend to press-on as best we can and adjust our outerwear accordingly. The fleece is weather-treated, protecting us from the wet, but a waterproof addition might make the carrier cover even more water resistant.

Interested in winning a Kowalli Carrier Cover of your own? Enter my giveaway!

Please note: The folks at Kowalli generously provided us with a carrier cover for review on the blog. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Year Established: 1957

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Home may be where the heart is, but on the open road lie your five senses, and when you return to your heart, you’ll better see, smell, and hear. -Tsh Oxenreider Notes from a Blue Bike

Sister City: Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Year Established: 1973

Representation in Seattle:

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Year Established: 1977

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What state (or region, province, etc) do you live in? Have you visited any state parks recently? Tell us about your experience!

Have you ever run into less than favorable conditions on an outdoor adventure? What happened?

Are you motivated to visit more state parks this year? Why? Tell us about the state parks near you!

Making Time for Adventure in the Busy Holiday Season

Create a shopping adventure

Have goals for getting your holiday tasks accomplished, but also make fun a priority.

Wake up early

Build-in adventure

Make adventure a reward

How do you make time for adventure and fun during the busy holiday season?

Where are you celebrating the season this year? Have you discovered any new towns, cities or communities? We’d love to hear from you!

What you can win:

Giveaway entry rules:

Participating Bloggers:

See you over on Instagram!

Questions? Don’t hesitate to contact me!

Have you ever picked up trash in your neighborhood or another location? Do you volunteer with your kids? Tell us about it!

Quick Points about the Trail

What’s your level of bird watching expertise & interest? We’d love to know!

Do you ever dine outside? Where’s your favorite spot?

Play

Eat

Have you visited Door County, Wisconsin?

Tell us about your experience!

Who are you cheering on this fall? Do you dare attend a game in the rain?

Do you visit state parks in your home state or when you travel? Tell us about your favorite spots!

Where can YOU get away without traveling too far? Share your favorite destination, even if it’s just down the street!

These suckers were certainly not the worst pests we’ve encountered, but bad enough. Where have you run into the worst bugs in your travels?

What seasonal changes are you experiencing in your world?

Have you checked out our latest giveaway?

To Enter the Giveaway

Winner, Winner…

*Kowalli Carrier Cover Giveaway is now closed. Congrats to the winner!*

About the Kowalli Carrier Cover

How the Kowalli Works

What’s to Love?

What’s to be desired?

Interested in winning a Kowalli Carrier Cover of your own? Enter my giveaway!

Workout with Me!

Kowalli Carrier Cover Giveaway is now closed. Congrats to the winner!