50-State Challenge

California – Free Fallin’

April 7, 2012

I love to introduce adventure sports to others and hear their grateful heart at getting the opportunity to experience something so different than what they are used to. Our days in the Kernville area were very rewarding for me as I got to introduce running waterfalls in a kayak to a friend, Brett Traudt, and […]

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California – The Learning Continues

April 5, 2012

Not wanting to be forced to stay in a hotel again, we spent the first part of the morning returning the brand new tent which was destroyed the night before and going to REI to get a 4 season tent guaranteed to withstand anything. It kind of seems comical thinking about it now, but I […]

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Nevada Beginnings

March 31, 2012

Have you ever thought of some great ideas, things you believed you might be able to help teach others, and then you get slammed with actually walking those very things out in tough situations? As we started our big trip today I told Jodi that I was thinking about writing a blog post on obstacles […]

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Colorado – Rocky Mountain High

February 2, 2012

Since the New Year, we really started digging in and planning the next stage of our trip. We have a few new challenges to deal with, as we will be having a new baby in July. With that in mind, I was seriously looking into attending an event in Colorado with Free Agent Academy (more […]

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Counting the Cost (States East of Arizona)

September 28, 2011

Stage 1: States East of Arizona is complete.  Join us as we look at the facts and count the costs of our 50 state challenge. Stage 1 (States East of Arizona) Stats States Visited (July – 18, August – 14, September – 7, Total – 39) Miles Driven (July – 4807.5, August – 3443.8, September […]

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Arizona – The Last Hurrah

September 25, 2011

As we began our last leg home, Jodi and I started discussing how we might be able to end this stage of our trip on a high note. One of the things the kids have loved the most is all of the swimming we have been able to do. So, we decided to stay two […]

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New Mexico (Part 2) – Underground

September 24, 2011

No trip through New Mexico is complete without a stop at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. We planned our trip so that this stop would be the last planned adventure of our journey for the states east of Arizona. The kids were amazed at the size of the cave as we walked down the 1 ¼ […]

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Texas – Making Lemonade

September 22, 2011

Our first night in Texas was spent in a hotel in Greenville, outside Dallas. When we registered at the hotel, I told the ladies that it was going to rain, but they did not believe me, as they had not seen rain in quite a while. (Go figure!) After the children had gone to sleep, […]

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Arkansas – A Diamond in the Rough

September 21, 2011

All along our trip we have been adding state stickers to our van as we have our adventures. It has been a real treat for the kids! We noticed Arkansas had a picture of a diamond and “The Natural State” printed on it, and at Crater of Diamonds State Park, we discovered why Arkansas is […]

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Louisiana – Life on the Bayou

September 20, 2011

We came to Ferriday, LA looking for a true Louisiana experience and found exactly what we wanted and needed. Lakeview Lodge is a peaceful fishing lodge on Concordia Lake owned by a kind, welcoming family. Arriving at the lodge you enter a completely different world. One that is both picturesque and tranquil. Paul, his wife […]

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