This year was a year of epic road trips and adventures for the dogs and I.  Here are a few of my favourite photos from the year:

It all started at the end of February with a drive down to Charleston, South Carolina.  We went looking for ghosts, faced down alligators, and spent some time on the beach.  We started off with a stop at Eternal Flame Falls before gorging on Mexican food (start the journey here).  From there, we took our first ghost tour, spent a day wandering a plantation, and I developed an addiction to the finest coffee beverage ever.

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Eternal Flame, New York
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Beeline for the water (Isle of Palms, South Carolina)
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This looks like an album cover. Beeline for the water (Isle of Palms, South Carolina)
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Gang’s all here. (Magnolia Plantation, South Carolina)
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Magnolia Plantation, South Carolina
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Virginia is apparently for lovers.
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New River Gorge (West Virginia)

As if that wasn’t enough time down south, in May we drove down to New Orleans, Louisiana where we hung out for a few days before we drove the length of the Mississippi River to the headwaters in Minnesota.  Click here to read about our River Run.

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Another album cover. (New York)
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Lonely streets (Savannah, Georgia)
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That’s some peach!
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They seem less than impressed. (Louisiana)
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If looks could kill… (New Orleans, Louisiana)
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Somewhere in Arkansas.
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We came ready to rock (Memphis, Tennessee)
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Taking a break at the top (Illinois)
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Paul Bunyan (Minnesota)
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Pack photo at the headwaters of the Mississippi River (Itasca State Park, Minnesota)

As this was the 150th year of Confederation and Parks Canada had waived the entrance fee for national parks, we made it a mission to drive to as many parks as we could.  Over the course of the year, we were able to visit 25 of 44 national parks.  It was truly humbling to explore so much of a country that I have taken for granted.

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Get the stick! (Georgian Bay National Park, Ontario)
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Is it just me or is she smiling? (Georgian Bay National Park, Ontario)
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Look at all that blue. (Georgian Bay National Park, Ontario)
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Forillon National Park, Quebec
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Forillon National Park, Quebec
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Sleepy puppies
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This picture makes me happy. (Red Point Provincial Park, Prince Edward Island)
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Yes Piper I’m coming. (Red Point Provincial Park, Prince Edward Island)
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Little Miss Snuggles.  She leaned into me as soon as I crouched down (Cape Breton Highlands National Park)
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Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia
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Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia
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We were here. (Rouge National Park, Ontario)
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One of my favourite pictures. (Thunder Bay, Ontario)
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Gladstone, Manitoba
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The never-ending prairie sky
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Great advice.
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Elk Island National Park, Alberta.
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Well this is a first. We’ve never been so far north and we went even farther.
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A really quick photo before they started wandering around. (Alexandra Falls, Northwest Territories)
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The obligatory photo (Jasper National Park, Alberta)
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Either Jasper National Park or Banff National Park, Alberta.
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Peyto Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta
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Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta
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Emerald Lake, Yoho National Park, British Columbia.
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I could have sat here all day. (Mount Revelstoke National Park, British Columbia)
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Dogs and hoodoos (Alberta)
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The fields are dotted with all kinds of abandoned houses (Saskatchewan)
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The boys wanted to follow the trail (Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan)
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Taking photos of someone else taking photos (Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan)
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Lake Superior Provincial Park, Ontario
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There needs to be more of these.
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Perhaps an album cover… (Point Pelee National Park, Ontario)

So what does 2018 have in store?  I have a few ideas for trips and some exciting ideas for future posts.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read about this little ragtag group of road trip warriors.  I am truly lucky to have so many wonderful people to share our stories with.

While I am not a religious person, this Irish blessing speaks to me and always seems be an appropriate way to end the year, especially for travellers:

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

The rains fall soft upon your fields and,

Until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Safe travels from my family to yours,

AdventureDawgs