My favorite light weight day pack - REI Flash 18 Pack

I rarely do gear reviews.  
But when I come across something I really like, 
I have to share it with you all. 

It can be hard to find a day pack that is light weight or a quick day hike, or easy to fit in a suit case. A lot of them are bulky and take up way too much room in my carry on suitcase. When I was flying to Puerto Rico and wanted a bag to throw in my suitcase, I could not find anything that was small enough to fit in my carryon, yet big enough to carry what I needed.  

One day, I was getting ready to go on a day hike, and was so unsatisfied with my bag options. My Osprey bag is great, but too big and bulky for an easy day hike. My running camelbak is a good option for size and weight, but doesn't have room to hold anything besides keys and water, and I like to bring snacks, my camera, and some things for Olive. 

Ferguson Canyon Hike - Waterfalls and Overlook

Near the top of Ferguson Canyon, Utah 

I had heard this name once before, but it didn't really stick.  On a Sunday evening after a long day of Spring Cleaning, I decided it was time to get out of the house and take the dog for a Sunday evening hike.  I was getting bored of doing the same close to the city spring hikes, especially here in Utah where there are so many amazing hiking options.  I did a little research on a dog friendly spring hike when I stumbled across Ferguson Canyon.  (side note: a good way to see if a trail is ready is to look it up on instagram!)

First Impressions:  One of my new favorite close to SLC hikes.  Following a creek almost the entire way, and several small waterfalls.  Shaded and green with wild flowers growing along the trail.  Amazing dog option as there is water for them the entire way.  Everything was so green, and the view from the overlook of the valley and into Big Cottonwood Canyon was an added bonus.   The trail reminded me of the Pacific Northwest and is a great workout with its steady steep climb to the overlook. 

Trail in Ferguson Canyon

Top Six Favorite Trips

Today is a funky fun Friday.  
Two things for you today:

First, check out Naomi in Wonderland to read my interview on her blog.  Naomi is the gorgeous girl behind the Belgian travel blog.  She's currently in Australia and her posts are making me weak in the knees (diving and snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef anyone?).  Naomi also has a soft spot for California (we share a deep love for Monterey), and I am proud to say I have even turned her on to visiting Salt Lake City and it got the number 9 on her 10 must see U.S. cities.  Utah Represent

Over on her blog she shares a monthly travel blogger interview series and I was over the moon when she asked me to be involved.  Head on over to her blog to see my interview, and read about the time I walked into a water fountain in Miami.  And then check out today's post where I share six of my favorite trips. 

I thought it was going to be really hard to pick a few of my favorite trips, but I am proud to say these six stood out to me more than most.  Looking back at these trips, I smile at all the awesome memories, disasters, and photos.  These are the six trips that make me stop and think how lucky I am to live this life.  Forward and onward: 

1.  Northern California Road Trip:  This was my first time to California, and there is nothing like seeing California from your car (trust me!).  Having the freedom to drive wherever you want and see so many aspects of the state on your time schedule is key.  We saw so much of Northern California from Lake Tahoe to Napa Valley, Sausalito over the Golden Gate Bridge to San Fransisco, Monterey, and driving the Pacific Coast Highway down to Big Sur.  California is truly a dream with mountains, oceans, and everything in between.  It is a state that has a little bit of everything, and then so many of the special little things.  Vineyards and sealions, I loved dipping my toes in the Pacific under CA's famous bridge.  This was definitely one of my best travel adventures so far and top 3 road trips. 

View of San Francisco from Sausalito 

Mueller Park Trail - Bountiful, Utah

Oh mountain biking.

How we have a love hate relationship. I love being outside, fresh air sunshine dirt trails, and a happy dog chasing my bike behind me. But those first few rides of the season can be tough.  Now that I graduated, I don't spend a whole lot of time on my bike (I used to ride it to school), and with winter just wrapping up, I hadn't spent too much time on my bike on the trails. Matter of fact the last time I sat in my bike seat, was Navajo Rocks in Moab.
 Yep, over a month ago. 

It is a great workout and something I enjoy more and more, with the exception of those first few rides that remind me how out of shape I am.  Not even so much on my legs but man does mountain biking set my lungs on fire. If your legs don't feel like blocks of lead, then your lungs will surely feel like they are burning out of your chest after a few hundred feet (especially here where the air is already thin - sea level fo life). 

Bear Lake and Scenic Byways

Sometimes life can be stressful.  Whether its work, relationships, family or friends, sometimes you just need to get away.  I had been toying with the idea of a few different trips, Portland, Nevada, and Idaho, and last minute decided to do a day trip to the closest one, Idaho.  Sometimes all the stress piles up and I get a feeling of crushing anxiety in this little apartment in the city.  So when life (and a few days of bad weather) has you feeling down, a road trip to somewhere new is in order. 

If you know me, you know I have a love for the water.  And here in Utah, the second most arid state in the country whose landscape involves a lot of desert (and mountains of course), water is hard to come by.  I spend a lot of time googling Utah's lakes and rivers. I have to admit I have seen many of them and they leave a lot to be desired (This New England native loves a good coastline and sandy beach). Let's just say I set my expectations high.