2018: The Year in Review

Well it’s that time of year again, when we pause and take a few minutes to look back at all of the adventures that we have had this year. I’m not going to lie though: 2018 sucked. There were some highs and there were some lows and then there was one low in particular that really ruined the year for me. So without further ado, join me in waving goodbye to 2018 and slamming the door behind it. Then opening the door to let 2019 in.

We Went to Roswell, New Mexico

I have always wanted to go to Roswell and this was the year that I finally did it. The dogs and I spent an entire day exploring the town and surrounding area. We visited the International UFO Museum and Research Centre then went hiking through Bottomless Lakes State Park and Bitter Lake Wildlife Refuge. It is a surprisingly dog-friendly town so there were plenty of things to do with dogs in Roswell which makes it that much more enjoyable. Any conspiracy theorist or self-admitted nerd has to go at least once. Visiting Roswell was one of the highlights of all the travelling we did this year. Read about our day in Roswell here.

We Drove Parts of Route 66

Driving to Roswell took us along many sections of the iconic Mother Road so whenever we could get off the interstate and explore real America, we did. We found some great food along the way, demolished donuts in St. Louis, saw a big Blue Whale, learned about the Tulsa Race Riots, consumed some of the finest beer ever, visited Billy the Kid (maybe), and found the way to Santa Fe where we saw a miraculous staircase. I fell in love with Palo Duro Canyon which is like a smaller version of the Grand Canyon and we had a blast hiking there. Start the trip from the beginning here.

I Made a Video About the Trip to Roswell

We Travelled the Great Lakes

We ended up dividing our Great Lakes adventure into three legs: Leg 1 was Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, Leg 2 was Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, and finally Leg 3 was all of Lake Superior.

Leg 1: Lake Huron and Lake Michigan

Setting out in May, the temperatures were very pleasant for the vast majority of our road trip around the Great Lakes which allowed the dogs to spend a lot of time outside of the car. We found some new dog parks, Jack had a Baywatch moment running down a beach that left me with a minor stab wound from a stick, I gorged on chocolate and cherry wine (sorry guys), was told I had an accent (say what now?), enjoyed some beer with St. Francis, and discovered the AMAZING Door County in Wisconsin. I also discovered that pasties (the food) is pronounced differently from pasties (the, ahem, wardrobe item). Read about the beginning of our Great Lakes Adventure here.

Leg 2: Lake Erie and Lake Ontario

We left for the second leg of our Great Lakes road trip in the middle of a heat wave at the end of June. I obviously forgot to check a calendar because we were in Ohio for Canada Day. I am a bad Canadian. With the heat wave in full force, we made as many stops to jump in the water that we possibly could and even though it stayed dry, the tent became a sauna so we ended up staying in more hotels than I would have liked. I’ll never forget seeing an air conditioner attached to a tent. We found the Boulevard of 500 Flags in Ohio which is worth visiting (thank you to veterans everywhere), dined on fresh fish, fresh cherries, and discovered that New York State has a limit on the number of dogs in campsites. It was on this leg that Piper had a minor episode of vestibular syndrome but luckily she recovered quickly after we got back home. Click this link to begin the second leg of our drive around the Great Lakes.

Leg 3: Lake Superior

The largest of the Great Lakes, Lake Superior really should have its own trip and luckily that is how it worked out for us, perfect for my favourite off all the Great Lakes. We visited the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum where Leo made a new friend, sampled several local beers, visited a castle that wasn’t a castle, and finally stopped at the Terry Fox Memorial. Go the the start of Leg 3 by clicking here. Or read this post all about tips for planning your own Great Lakes Adventure.

We Went to the West Coast for Beer

No you didn’t miss anything; I haven’t posted this yet as I was saving it for the winter when we don’t do much driving. Consider this a teaser. We went to Vulcan, Dog River, met some blogging friends (Hi Maxx Trails!), and seriously challenged my stomach. Oh and so much beer got shoved into my car, I actually ran out of space. Stay tuned for more about this adventure.

The Worst Day Ever

Even though I knew it was going to happen, Piper’s passing hit me like a ton of bricks. I know that I gave her a good life and there is some comfort in that. Click here for a tribute to the original AdventureDawg.

How has your 2018 been? Are you as glad as I am to get this year into the history books and move on to a fresh slate? Are there any moments that you would like to share? I’d love to read how you feel about the coming new year.

Cheers