washington | Joseph Lawrence Olbrych

After nearly three weeks on the road from Juneau to Seattle, we are back in the states and with full access to the cyber world. We did our best to document the incredible Canadian landscape we crossed over, the people we met, and the places we stopped at along the way in order to share our experience with friends, family, and whoever else cares to look into our road lives or is interested in the sort of trip we took. We traveled a diverse landscape and found some of the most incredible places we’d ever seen. We don’t have enough hands to count the number of times I said “I like it here.” In a short time, I’ll be starting work in Seattle and Lara will be off to wherever her wanderlust takes her, probably crewing some ship somewhere awesome or paddling rivers wherever. Click on the links below to read about our trip and see some pictures!

2013 was good for me. I met great people, got out of my comfort zone, and shared my travels and passions with the people that matter most. We are more than half way through 2014 now, but after going through the 2013 file in my iPhoto account, I couldn’t help but reminisce. It’s been quite the privilege. With 4 months of 2014 left, we will have to just wait and see if 2014 can top 2013.

Only three days into 2013, and I was off with some of my closest friends for a climbing trip to Cochise Stronghold, Queen Creek, and Red Rocks. Thinking back now, 2013 was jampacked with exploring climbing destinations around the states. Many of my road trips were climbing-centric. I climbed at Penitente Canyon in Colorado’s San Luis Valley, bouldered at Moe’s Valley outside of St. George, Utah, did my first multi-pitch climb–and of all places, Yosemite, climbed at Sharma’s home gym, did 7 pitches of a climb in Mazama, Washington, got my ego put in check at Index and Devil’s Lake, fell in love with Tensleep, didn’t climb enough at Spearfish Canyon in South Dakota, and made a spring break trip to the Red River Gorge in Kentucky. More importantly, I got to share these beautiful places with so many awesome people.

I got to share Moab and Southwest Colorado with mom and grandma, went on tons of road trips–one with Caden, one with Cameron, and one alone. Got an insider’s tour of Austin with Kelly, spent an awesome several days in Cape Cod, spent a long weekend with friends at Duncan’s house on Squam Lake in New Hampshire, spent a ton of time on Earl’s Trails in the Holyoke Range, went on my first multi-day canoe trip–100 miles down the Connecticut River with Mike, and went to a ton of national parks–Badlands, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Crater Lake, Arches, Canyonlands, Mesa Verde, Zion, Sand Dunes, and Devil’s Tower. Woah, can’t believe it.

Thanks everyone who was a part of it all! Here’s to more good times, good friends, and travelin’!