2015 - In our rearview mirror

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.  We hope everyone is surviving the holidays. Though it has been colder than expected, we are really enjoying our time in Lake Tahoe. This New Year's Eve, we took a midday lake cruise on the M.S. Dixie II. While paddling through the icy waters and looking at the jagged landscape, we started talking about our year and came up with a list of superlatives for some of our most and least favorite places and parks we've visited this year. We've done most of our traveling in 2015 and have had some really amazing stops. I'm never sad to see a year end. A new year reminds us that it is exciting to look forward to tomorrow again, to start over, even if you're doing the same exact thing you did yesterday, there's anticipation in the air. And although I love the sentiment of this holiday, I'm definitely not big on the celebration. We are happy to be bringing 2016 in with take-out Thai, Trainwreck (Amy Schumer's movie) and a bottle of champagne (of course). We' may or may not make it to midnight..

Cheers to what once was and what soon will be

Love - B&D

The Best of 2015

Greatest Adventure - Big Bend National Park, Texas

Our crazy backcountry camping trip on the rough dirt road in the untamed desert

Best Hike - Guadalupe Peak, Texas

Loved the view from the highest peak in Texas

Favorite City - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Great art, food and beer

Favorite National Park - Crater Lake, Oregon

Total "wow factor", absolutely stunning

Least Favorite National Park - Pinnacles, California

Not that we didn't like the park, just simply wasn't our favorite

Best Beach - Gulf Shores National Seashore, Pensacola, Florida

Hidden gem with perfect white sand

Most Romantic - Napa Valley, California

We were here for our 4 year anniversary, so I suppose we made it especially romantic

Best Food - New Orleans, Louisiana 

Poor boys, oysters, crawfish, need I say more? 

Wildcard - Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

Unique, beautiful and totally wild

Most Interesting - Mesa Verde National Park Colorado

Mysterious and amazing history and Native American culture

Best Caves - Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

A truly spectacular underworld 

Best Beer - San Diego, California

Hops, hops, hops and more hops

Best Wine - Paso Robles, California

Free tastings for everyone!

Favorite State - Colorado

The terrain, the people, the Rockies, Coors, we couldn't love Colorado more

Least Favorite State - Alabama

Not much to say for 'Bama' but hey this beach looks nice

Best Stop Overall (as in, we could live/own property here)

Brian's pick - Lake Tahoe

Danielle's pick - Ashland, Oregon

With all the amazing places we've been, there is only more to look forward to. Thanks for reading and keeping up with us through our domestic journey. More on Lake Tahoe next year!