The apps

 Dating in 2024 is weird. I didn’t think I would ever need to know that other than hearing things from my students and my friends. But here I am dating in 2024. 

Here is what I have learned

• Within the 12 year age Range I’m willing to consider dating (34-46) People either look Young enough to have been someone I could’ve taught or old enough to be my father. Mostly the latter
• If a man post a group photo as his main photo, he is never the attractive one in that photo 
• People are not putting their best foot forward out here flipping off the camera sticking their tongue out saying lewd things so much of the pool is not an option from the start- People for who they are at face value.
• At least 50% of the profiles are fake or scams. If they’re not willing to meet you within a week or they’re trying to tell you about crypto delete report and walk away. 
• So many people are on this for the ego boost of how many likes they can get and then never engage in conversation.
• At least 80% of the people that aren’t scams that do engage in conversation are wildly inappropriate. 
• Of the remaining about 10% of profiles, there is a significant lack of social skills when meeting in person. 

So let’s do some math 

Let’s say in one month you match with 20 profiles- this would entail looking at well over 100 as most people fit into the I’m not interested category. And I’m sure not everybody’s interested in me.

We take 10 of them out right away scams

Eight more are highly inappropriate or never bothered to message back

This leaves us with two dates one had no social skills

• -Showed up late didn’t pay for my drink didn’t compliment how I looked and didn’t ask me any questions about me that I hadn’t previously asked him about himself

This leaves one successful date.

This is why so many people my age are single. 

Roller Coster of a week

 I have been home for 1 week. It's been a roller coster

1st- Dentist appointment to re-cement crown $250. Go to Court House to finalizing divorce papers - first time seeing my ex in months pleasant conversation leaves me even more sad. Thankful for good friend who had a beer with me after. 

2nd- Cleaning car, cleaning house get food etc. 

3rd- Finally get my mail delivered after 3 days of calling USPS

4th- Friend's Birthday party/ Seafair - fun- however the resulting sunburn from hell that made it painful to move for 2 days not so fun

5th- Car repairs $720 and painful sunburn

6th- Email that divorce was finalized yesterday. Day for being sad while distracting myself with the happiness of Tim Walz. 

7th- 5 Hours at the Social Security Administration office to change my name.  Went out to dinner with Timeleft but tripped and fell on the street before I got to the restaurant skinning my hands, already sunburned leg and injuring my pride. Used dinner as a distraction, but can barely walk now that I'm home. 

Tomorrow I have a dentist appointment but I've run out of dental insurance for the year so that will be NOT FUN but hopefully the baseball game is fun and I manage to go out without injuring myself. 

Getting my name back

 I was born right around the time George H.W. Bush was inaugurated, and my very liberal mother thought if the President could have 4 names, so could her daughter.  

I don't recommend doing that to a child.  My entire childhood and into adulthood there has only been 1 box for a middle initial- but I always had 2. I've had my second middle name mistaken for part of my last name and my first middle name mistaken for part of my first name. So when I got married 7 years ago I dropped the 2nd middle name and my maiden name. 

Almost 7 years to the day of when I went into social security to take my married name I was back in the same office to take my maiden name back. But I didn't take back my 2nd middle name. Nothing in my life is simple so I'm keeping my name simple. 3 names, 4 syllables, nothing complicated other than spending almost 6 hours in the social security office. 

I don't think I'll ever change my name again. Even on the off chance I find someone I want to let back into my life in that way again, I firmly believe I'll keep my name, because I like my name. I like that it's uncommon but simple. I like that I will be the only person with this last name in my district. So I wont get emails that don't belong to me. I like that no one can take it from me.  When you get divorced so much is taken from you. Taking my name back is something I had full control over. 

Gear I LOVE

 I used a lot of different gear this summer. Most of it I was really happy with (Because I did my research in advance of spending money). But I thought I'd share the ones I wont go on the road without. 

I consider myself glamping light. I like to be comfortable and will take heavier or bigger items in order to provide that comfort. 

Sleep System:

Tent 

Kelty Late Start 2 I don't believe in 1 person tents, because even when I camp alone I like space to move so for me a 2 person tent is a 1 person tent. You would have to REALLY like the person your camping with, and have narrow sleeping pads, for this to be a 2 person tent. But for me this summer I loved it for 4 reasons:

1. Set up and Take down are SO easy. I got it down to around 3 minutes including stakes. 
2. Deep Bathtub Floor- I had several Flash Flooding situations on the road trip this summer and I never worried about water getting in my tent. 
3. The stakes it came with are better than the backup ones I bought. 
4.  Packs small- This is NOT a backpacking tent it's 4.5 pounds, but for car camping it so easy to fit anywhere in my car. 

Quilt: 

Puffy Quilt - I did have and use a sleeping bag for much of the trip and I do love mine, but it's not in production any more. This quilt however that my niece got me for Christmas saved the day in so many ways. 

1. Extra warmth on the cold nights
2. A great star gazing blanket either on the ground or wrapped around me
3. It has thumb loops and snaps so you can wear it as a cap without worry 
4. Perfect size for 1 person and packs into almost nothing. This is just going to stay in my car for those cold football games this fall. 

Mattress: 

Deep Sleep Overland Mattress- This was a splurge item for the trip and was worth every penny. I slept great nearly every night once I got it inflated properly. If I had the space I could have slept in my car as this is designed to fit my outback, but for me it made for a great bed each night. Almost as comfortable as what I have a home. I think the electric air pump is essential to getting it to sleep like at home levels. 

I brought my pillow from home, a sheet for on the mattress (Twin XL) and a very thin top quilt that I used when it got really hot. 

Cook Kit: 

Stoves: 

I brought 2 and I'll defend that decision. I had my new 2 burner Eureka! Ignite 2 burner and my old and trusted Jet Boil. They serve very different purposes. The 2-Burner is meant for actually cooking. Rice dishes, pancakes, brats and chicken- etc. Where as the Jet Boil is really good at heating up water- which is good for things like Coffee, Oatmeal and backpacking meals.  On a 35 day trip I was happy to be able to make real meals, that didn't come out of a bag.   However, if I were to do a shorter trip - less than 10 days. I'd only take the jet boil with me to save on space.  They use different types of fuel so it's a lot to pack if you aren't going to get use out of both of them.  

Pots and Pans

GSI Bugaboo Base Set - SMALL This is all I will probably ever need. I have 2 pots and 1 pan, lids and a handle. The Strainer is built into each pots lid. They all stack together and fit perfectly in my camp kitchen bag. The non-stick surface makes clean up so easy too.  I would only take this out if I was taking my 2-burner stove. 

Kitchen Bag:

Kelty Camp Kitchen Organizer Delux Kelty makes 2 options for this bag. I prfer this one because of how it opens and stands on its own when open. I loved that all of my cooking supplies except the 2 burner stove were all in 1 place. This bag fits the following - with room to spare:

Cutting board and 3 knives, Utensils set, 2 Silicone spoons and 1 set of tongs, Salt and Pepper grinder, Thermometer, Bugaboo Set, Jet Boil, Mug, Cup, Plate and Bowl, soap, scraper, water bladder, trash bags, extra food bags, 2 collapsible water bottles, Table Cloth and paper towels. 

Table Cloth

Picnic tables are nasty and having a cover you can easily put on and have it stay on is such a time saver. This fixed the problem of having a clean cooking surface every day: Table Cloth stretches around the table to stays put. I got the 30x72 and it worked in every national park except 1 (Capitol Reef). I would just wipe it down after every meal and pack it back up in my kit. Never leave anything that has touched food out where there are animals. It just invites trouble. 

Cooler:

I used 2 coolers this trip. The Yeti Roadie which is fine and the K2 60L cooler. This thing is a beast. It holds over 80 pounds of ice (no food) and keeps ice for up to 10 days based on my own experiences this summer (5 days in Utah). I cannot pick it up full but the handles make it easy to maneuver inside my car to drain the water out and to lift it onto a trolley to move around when needed. The square shape was also better for me as it allowed me to put the coolers side by side and have access to both. 

Trail Gear:

Back Pack

My pack was the last present I got from my ex, but it's actually a good one. Ultimate Direction Fastpacker 2.0 This is a 20L bag that feels like a 10L. The 2 chest harnesses and the number of pockets mean I can be more conscious about where and how I carry the weight in my bag. The extra zipper makes it really easy to get into mid hike without unpacking the whole bag, while the roll top feature provides extended storage up to 23 L. I used the 2 front strap pockets for my Satellite emergency device and my bear spray, while the 2 back waterbottle pockets typically held 1L water bottles and until Utah the back storage pocket was just for snacks and firstaid. In Utah I started using my water bladder. 

Hydration: 

I have 2 0.5 L bottles that go on the front of the pack, I only used them a handful of times and mostly for having water in my tent when it got hot as one is insulated and would keep it cool overnight. 

Osprey Hydration Bladder I have the 2L version of this product which they don't seem to make anymore. I love mine. It's the perfect size the quick connect hose means I can leave my bite piece and hose line in place and just take out the bladder to refill it. The back panel also helps the bag keep its shape in my pack instead of sinking to the bottom which is a feature I really like.  I wish I would have switched to this sooner because it makes life so easy. I actually use it still during the summer as a way to stay hydrated on the go with the pack system. 

Shoes

Altra Lone Peak 7- Trail Runners I switched to trail runners from traditional hiking boots last year and I am so thankful that I did. First these are way lighter and easier to wear. Second they have a wide toe box that makes them so much more comfortable and third they have Zero heal drop. What this means is that my body is better aligned on longer hikes which makes me not so sore the next day. They also dry really fast even after getting wet which for much of what I was doing was best case scenario. 

If you don't like to be barefoot, or really like padding in your footwear- you will hate these. But for me they meet my needs. 

Clothing

The stand out clothing of this trip all comes from Eddie Bauer and is part of there UPF collections. As I sit here today typing this very sunburned after a day at the beach in Seattle, I know the UPF clothing literally saved my skin this summer. It's light weight and breathable while providing another layer of protection. On this trip I had 2 Guide Long Sleeve Tops and one pair of Rainier Capris (out of production). My Puffer jacket is also Eddie Bauer. 

Road Trip Rankings

 My park rankings 

1. Mesa verde 
2. Yellowstone
3. Capitol Reef
4. Rocky Mountain 
5. Arches
6. Great Basin
7. Teton
8. Sand Dunes
9. Canyon Lands 
10. Black Canyon

Camp Ground Rankings

1. Yellowstone- Canyon Campground
1. Large Sites
2. Clean Restrooms
3. Clean hot showers and Laundry 
4. Centrally Located within the park
2. Capitol Reef- Fruita Campground
1. Centrally Located within the Park
2. Clean Bathrooms But no Showers
3. Horses and Orchards
3. Lizard Creek (Teton)
1. Peaceful setting 
2. very Quiet
3. Great place to see wildlife
4. Not great bathrooms - No showers
4. KOA- Grand Junction
1. Clean Bathrooms with showers
2. Amenities and Wifi
3. Covered picnic area
4. Not designed for Tent Campers
5. Loud 
5. Sand Dunes
1. Very Buggy
2. Loud 
3. Inconsistent bathrooms
6. Mesa Verde
1. Far from the trails and sites of the park
2. Had showers, but they were not clean
7. Rocky Mountain
1. Far from all activities 
2. Bathrooms poorly maintained and no showers
8. Arapaho Valley Campground (outside of Rocky Mountains)
1. The site caters to it's glamping and cabin guests
2. They do have live music many nights which is nice
3. Smallest bar in the state - fun, but pricy 
4. No flushing toilets for campers, No showers 
5. People tried to break into my car 2x 
6. Very small tent site 

Best food inside a NP 

mesa verde fry bread- sold by the local Ute tribes not the national park

Capitol Reef- Gifford house cinnamon roll

Worst food- 

Teton - over priced sometimes spoiled over all poor quality.  

Best maintained (paved) roads- arches and Capitol Reef

Worst maintained roads- Yellowstone 

Ages I recommend your child be before visiting each park and why

Sand dunes- any age it’s a giant sandbox go have fun

Yellowstone and Teton- 5 and up. Many walking paths are 1 mile or less. Several visitors centers with young kid friendly exhibits. Tetons has water activities for kids ages 5 and up.

Mesa Verde 8 and up you know your kid best but they should’ve moved on from learning to read into reading to learn. There’s a lot of information that’s culturally significant at a the mark and you and your child will enjoy it more if the can do some of that exploring independently. Cliff don’t have railings so a slightly more mature child is important for safety.

Utah, Great Basin and Rocky Mountains 10 and up your child needs to be out of the phase where they ask you to carry them when they are tired they need to be able to carry a liter of water in their own backpack as well as snacks for themselves and should be able to walk two or more miles. You will enjoy these parks more if you wait for your kids to be able to enjoy them with you I saw so many parents dragging young children through things that they were not ready for and no one was happy. 

Great basin has tours that are accessible for all ages, but the hikes are at altitude and longer, which is why I gave it 10. They are restarting their crawl cave tour in a couple years and that is going to require children to be 12 and older so that’s something to be aware of if you’re interested in that. 

Black canyon 12 and up. Steep and long trails very little to do other than hike and camp. Minimal guard rails outside of the visitor center for Cliff drop offs. 

Hot Springs -

I went to 3 Hot Springs on this trip. I looked at more, but they were cost prohibitive or to little time to enjoy.  All 3 were very different 

• Symes Hot Springs Hotel- Hot Springs, MT
  
• Most Affordable $15 Day Pass - They only charged me the local fee $10. 
• Walk ups welcome
• 3 Pools
• 97 degree swimming pool - with mineral spring benefits
• a pool that ranged between 100 and 104 when I was there
• A REALLY HOT POOL that is actually tucked away that got up to 108 when I was there. 
• They also have private tubs inside that you can determine your own temp on. I didn't try this but would if I went back. 
• I liked that I could come and go as I pleased they are very much on the honor system- mostly locals or hotel guests. 
• Mystic Hot Springs, Monroe, UT
  
• $25 for a 2-hour window
• Reservation was required 
• No one to check in with had to call to "Check in" No-One on property if you need help
• They say the have 2 20x20 foot pools and 5 Cast iron tubs that hold 2 people- I call BS
• They have 1 20x20 tub, 1 slightly smaller but deeper maybe 15x15 tub and yes they do have 5 cast Irons but there is no way 2 adults are fitting in 1. 
• Not really hot, these were sun warmed tubs, but didn't meet my hot springs fix. 
• The Lodge at Hot Lake Springs, La Grande, OR
  
• Heaven on earth.
• $240 for 1 night in a queen room shared bath
• 5 tubs- each could hold up to 6 people but I pretty much had the place to myself
• Temp ranges from 101-105.5 when I was there. 
• Has a bar/basic bites restaurant on property 
• I soaked 5 times over the 18 hours I was there. 
• I already have plans to go back. 

Road Trip by The Numbers

This summer I set a budget for myself as well as some goals to achieve while on the road. 

Orignal Goal: 7 National Parks. 

Updated Goal: 10 National Parks

Achieved: 10 Nationals Parks- Blog to come on General Park thoughts. 

My estimated budget vs. What I actually Spent

Lodging: 

Budget: $3676

Spent: $3058 - Only because my dad paid for Denver- Thanks Dad

Gas: 

Budget: $1007.06

Spent: $812.06 - Gas is a lot cheaper in the Southwest than it is in the Northwest

Food: 

Budget $1315

Spent: $1150 - This surprised me the most, given I ended up eating out more than I had planned.

Activities/ Souvenirs

Budget: $975

Spent: $728.18 - I had originally planned to go horse back riding but when that Airbnb Canceled so did that activity. 

Overall Budget: Just under $7000

Actual Spent: Just over $6000 including some misc things on the road. - However I did have an unfortunate ambulance ride and visit to the ER- so I'm sure that extra $1000 will be spent soon. I also had a crown pop off and have to be seen by the dentist at home- I've run out of Dental Insurance for this years so that's not going to be fun either. Finally I had some car trouble outside of Boise, was told it was safe to drive home, but that repair is around $600. So over all I will be "Over budget" but this is why I have an emergency fund for every trip.

Between my emergency fund and the $1000 I was under budget I should be okay. 

On this trip I set some walking/hiking goals for myself. Knowing that I had a lot of drive days I set a goal of 250,000 steps/ 100 miles and 250 flights of stairs for June 28th- July 31st. I am pleased to say I met all of those goals, even spending 1 day in a hospital bed, few 5+ hour drive days and 2 migraine days. 

Totals: 

255,367 Steps

103.81 Miles

431 Flights 

My longest mileage day was a day in Denver with my dad: 7/18 7.34 Miles/18337 steps 

My greatest elevation day was in Yellowstone: 7/5 6.15 Miles, 15205 steps, and 99 Flights (actual elevation increase was 1400 ft) 

My highest point was in the Rocky Mountains: 7/15 3.89 Miles, 9649 Steps, 65 flights, topping out at over 12,000 ft. 

My hardest day was at Arches- Devil's Garden 7/23 6.62 Miles, 15417 steps, and 32 Flights. 

My lowest walk day was 7/11- it was a recovery and rest day: 0.32 Miles, 714 steps.

I had planned to send post cards from the road but ended up really enjoying that part of the trip. My niece got 1 postcard for every National Park (10), but in addition I sent out another 40 post cards to people this summer, including family, friends, and colleagues- thank-you to those who asked to be part of the trip; it was fun. 

Mileage- If I'd just gone from point to point the road trip would have come in around 4000 miles, but thats not the way road trips work, or the way National Park exploration works. I came in at 6000 miles for this trip, which is under what I expected, but due to the car trouble at the end, it did change some of my paths, as did staying in a hotel in Moab rather than out at a remote campsite. 

MPG- I averaged 27.3 Miles Per Gallon on this trip.  The car trouble I ran into in Boise does adversely impact my gas mileage for the last 3 days. 

Pounds of Ice: I started this trip with 80 Pounds of ice in my coolers. Over the trip I used an additional: 140 pounds of ice. 

Blog Views: 324 - I hope you have enjoyed following this journey. Thank you to everyone who sent me encouragement along the way. Your are all my cheerleaders! 

Claire