Yosemite and Rock Climbing

Rock Climbing is always looked at as a fun, challenging sport that tests your strength and your decision making. It will make your arms feel weak and your hands cringe. Your legs will be worked out and to stay calm will be the best. So when you go out and climb you are harnessed in and if you fall you will be caught. But why not just free climb? That is where Yosemite comes in. There are many rocks around the park that are a straight vertical climb in which you just use your arms and legs to get up the wall.(They still have ropes but only to catch them) Many people have free climbed here, so are you in?

 

Mauna Kea

This is simply a volcano in Hawaii but that ids not what I am blogging about today. I have wrote a number of blogs on different locations across the USA that all have options for adventure but I always said go and do what you want. Here, I want to introduce you to a new sport where you can do in the USA. It is called volcano boarding. Why not take sand boarding and a volcano and put them together. Take the beauty of a volcano and the thrill of living on the edge and have fun.  

Here is a video of a man boarding in Nicaragua

Boston

Boston is not like others that I have wrote about but if you want to travel the USA you need to go here. So much history is within this city and it is a wonderful, historical place. From the Red Sox's to the marathon, it is a city with so much to offer. If you want to see animals, go to the aquarium. If you want history, go to the harbor. If you want sports, try the Garden. Do not forget to try your accent too!

Inspiration Post

Something that I have learned in college is to love white space. There is something about the emptiness of space around and in-between words and images that makes it so much easier to read and comprehend. White space can be added to a design that has too much information and needs a breath of fresh air.

Inspiration Post

Lines. Nothing more than a whole bunch of dots together but when put in the right spot just amazing. Lines can change any work into an art piece and make it so much easier to read. Lets take a flyer for instance. When you have a whole bunch of words on a page you may not know what goes with what but if you apply lines then you can have direction. I think that is why I like them so much. Direction. It makes life easier.

Inspiration Post- Typography

Taking a ride to my hometown, Cleveland. Not many enjoy the city and I am not a city person myself but I have passed this landmark many of times and it is historical in itself. The giant rubber stamp is a landmark and sign that displays "free". The story is nothing but just a piece of art but it is in my home city and is the worlds largest!

Inspiration Post- Color

You can see that many of my posts have different colors in them but the one that keeps reoccurring is blue. Why blue? Because blue represents refreshment and water. Doing these post's are a refreshment and reminder of my dreams to travel the USA sometime and visit all these wonderful paces. Water is what I love to explore. Frozen or liquid, the beauty in water is one that can be a natural wonder or even a man made dam. Some may suggest that blue represents sadness and grief but I say that the only sadness in these blue colors are the fact that we are reading them over a computer screen and not indulging ourselves within them.

Inspiration post- Design

Design can be a picture on a page or a building in a city. It can be the placement of an object or the way something fits with all other elements. I traveled to Pittsburgh about a month ago and my family and I went into the REI store to check out some gear for my sister. As I walked around this store, it opened my eyes to adventure in another way. They had a rock wall that went two stories inside the store. I stood there and just watched the people climb. That day I made a promise to myself to start getting in shape to be able to get back on the wall.

So how is this design? The way the store was designed was one to open you to the wall as you walked in. The giant glass windows displayed the wall from outside and allowed you to dream and eventually pursue getting to the top. Also, the rock wall is not one you see everyday. It does not have movable rocks you can grab onto, as the whole wall is a rock. It is like you are doing the real thing.

Kenai Fjords

It is too hard to stay away from the beautiful parks of Alaska. The state is filled with so much amazement it is a dream to visit there and to explore.
Kenai Fjords national park is a 3 hour drive from Anchorage in a small, yet scenic town of Seward. Located on a giant ice field, this park has 38 glaciers and has some of the most scenic and beautiful views of all the United States. It is really what you want to do, you can do. Hike, scuba dive, swim, relax, fish or even dog mush!

http://www.kenaifjords.com/experience/gallery/

Acadia National Park

Maine is a state where not many have traveled and not many live. It is a state where the frontier still lies and nature is still prevalent. Yes it has cities but not far from a river or the ocean. Maine is a beautiful state.

Acadia National park provides a great example to the definition of the state. With harbors around, whales deep in the ocean and countless amounts of nature related activities you can do, Acadia has a bit of everything. This park has a climbing school on real rock right next to the ocean, as well as hiking trails, kayaking and boat tours.

http://www.acadiamagic.com/activities.html

New York City

This is not like any other post I will have in this blog but I feel as if it is one place that everyone needs to experience once in their life. New York City has everything from Broadway to Ground Zero to Chinatown to Water Taxis traveling around the Statue of Liberty. It is the city that never sleeps. Where Wall Street is. It is truly amazing. I would like to point out just one part of New York City as the whole city is much to large. 

Ground Zero is a place that is truly historical. It is packed with so much heartbreak and gut wrenching stories that there is never a dry eye. The museum has actual pieces from the twin towers and a room that has all the video recordings of people looking for lost loved ones.

 

Lake Tahoe

Throughout these posts I have listed many different places that are state parks and such but even just simple lakes have hidden beauties in them. I believe that every where you go, you do not need a list of things that are available but you can create your own adventures. Lake Tahoe is just a lake in California. What is beautiful about it is that it has a north and south part. The north you can have all your snowy adventures while the south you can have your water adventures. But in both you can have fun.

Tennis, skiing, hiking, golfing, climbing, swimming and a lot more. There is not much  you can not do here. It is an adventure spot where many people travel to.

http://www.visitinglaketahoe.com/

Kauapea Beach

Imagine this as you are reading this blog: You are driving looking for a spot for complete relaxation. A place where you will be by yourself and not a care in the world. Where the bright blue sky and beating sun meets the grain of the sand and the crashing of the waves. Pure bliss. Kauapea Beach, Hawaii.
This, unlike other posts, is not a park or even a tourist destination, however this is a secret beach where you can snorkel, surf, tan or just simply relax. The beach is known to attract nude beach goers because it is so secluded. Surrounded by lava rock this beach is one of beauty.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kauapea_Beach

Dry Tortugas National Park

Where the beautiful beaches of Florida meets a historical landmark. When you are looking for a relaxing get away but are still looking to learn something this national park is right for you. This was built to protect the island and marine ecosystems as well as to preserve the fort, Fort Jefferson and the submerged cultural resources such as shipwrecks.

Located 70 miles from Key West, this island is only accessible via seaplane (AWESOME!) or ferry. The island has camping on it where you can stay but they have nothing like grocery stores or fuel or any of that. You must pack out all of your trash and stay clean. The island allows for fishing but not water sports or spearfishing.

http://www.nps.gov/drto/index.htm

Rocky Mountain National Park

If you want to forget about everything and simply enjoy life and all the wonders it has to offer come to Rocky Mountain National Park. It has it all. Whether you hike, climb, backpack, horseback ride, four wheel, hunt, bike, raft, kayak, boat, fish or swim this park is for you. With 266,714 acres that includes tundras, forests, mountains and lakes and streams there is bound to be something for any adventure seeker.
If you have ever wanted to see a moose or even an elk, RMNP has both! This park is a one of a kind experience and if you are one to live on the edge and see the wonderful creations of the world come here.

http://rockymountainnationalpark.com/

Sequoia National Park

Trees. You see them everyday and never really think much of them. Green leaves and brown trunks nothing new. Here trees are what they stand for. They are a natural beauty and the reason this park exists. 

At Sequoia National Park, travelers dive into a full forest of giant trees, soaring domes, stone canyons and rivers. The reason most people visit this park is to see one of the largest living things in the world,the Sequoiadendron giganteum or giant sequoias. They are massive, cinnamon colored trees with limbs that soar outwore and are only found on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada range. They are 5,000 to 8,200 tall.

Rock climb, hike, fish, scale mountains or horseback ride. These are all the options you have to explore this beauty of a park.

http://www.visitsequoia.com/

Crater Lake

Welcome to the deepest lake in America. Crater Lake. Oregon's 7 wonders and a sight only you can truly love when you see it in person. Surrounded by cliffs 2,000 feet high, Crater Lake is located in Southern Oregon and open year round. Everything from snow shoeing and skiing to hiking and boat tours, Crater Lake is for anyone, any age.

Most visitors come around July due to mild temperatures however, because the park is elevated 6,500 ft high the conditions can change at anytime. But isn't that a part of the fun? In the winter the park is hit with hard blizzards and some parts of the park are closed. The beauty of this park is something that can not be argued.

http://traveloregon.com/see-do/oregon-heritage/history-heritage/native-american-heritage/crater-lake/

Glacier National Park

What has Montana have to offer? Little Bighorn, Yellowstone and the Rockies? How about a change? Escape into pure white snow, a scenery unlike any other and a wildlife home of many at Glacier National Park. There is so much land here that you will never get bored. Covering 1,013,572 acres of land, Glacier National Park is considered the headwater of the continent. Water runs down a triple divide peak and ends up in the Pacific Ocean, Hudson Bay and Gulf of Mexico.

Bears, wolves, ptarmigan, eagles and sheep are just a few wildlife species you can see here along the vast mountain range. There are around 762 lakes that you can explore, as well as dozens of glaciers and numerous waterfalls. Some national parks are only accessible to those who dedicate trips inside but the Glacier National Park has a highway that cuts through the park making the casual traveler able to see the beauty as well. You don't have to dream of paradise anymore. This is it.

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/national-parks/glacier-national-park/#/mcdonald-lake-canoe-glacier_92691_600x450.jpg

Denali National Park

Next on our trip we travel to Alaska. Not many people have heard of Denali National Park but many have heard of Mt. McKinley. Denali meaning "the high one", is the home of one of the most famous mountains in America. If wildlife, hiking and spectacular views are something you live to see this place is for you. One road weaves around the national park and is only open to traffic for a few miles in. After the road ends you can hike, snow shoe or take bus's around the rest of the park. What makes this park fantastic is that you are not just there for one big thing, as you can explore the whole area by doing multiple activities such as: hiking, backpacking, mountain climbing, fishing, camping, whitewater rafting cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and dogsledding. Green  lawns and snow covered mountains, wildlife around and the ability to see something you may never see again is the highlight to this adventure.

http://www.touropia.com/explore/usa/denali-national-park/

Niagara Falls

What better place to start an online adventure journey then Niagara Falls? Where the Erie drains into the Ontario, Niagara Falls is a vacation location that can appeal to any one any age. Three waterfalls form the massive tourist attraction as well as a busy city and the ability to cross the border and visit Canada. Tourists can take an adventure onto the Maid of the Mist which is a boat that takes you rather close to the falls to see it a different way. If that is too close for you then you can check out the power tower to get a high up view of not only the falls but all around the Niagara area. If waterfalls and good times are up your ally then this is a place for you!

About this Blog

What inspires somebody can be anything. It can be a sport, an event, or someone famous. In my case it is my sister. To travel the USA is an ultimate dream of mine and it all started when my sister, Sammi, hiked the Appalachian Trail just last summer. She came home one day and explained how through her day dream sessions in class she and her boyfriend at the time have decided to plan to hike the trail. She and I have explored different locations around Northeast Ohio but nothing really big. Her planning on hiking the AP trail opened my eyes and mind up on how easy it is for me to trace and hike the whole USA. This blog is focused on traveling the unique areas of the USA specifically the northern states. The crooks of the mountains and the plains of the open fields, this blog I'm creating is the next step I am taking to complete my dream to travel the great of country of America.