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What: #14 Go to a national park that I've never visited

When: June 20th-25th, 2016
Where: Yosemite National Park
Why: My childhood was filled with camping and road trips, spending many vacations admiring the beautiful places and spaces that were preserved for us to visit throughout this nation. Moving in to my adult life, I've tried to keep that up, but with so many of my adventures focusing on international travel, I wasn't dedicating enough time to see some of the parks still left to see in the U.S. This summer, I wanted to finally see the iconic Yosemite National Park, so I started planning the trip almost a year ago.

I lived in California for a few years, so did a few of my friends. My family still gets out to national parks every year. Somehow, neither I nor my friends or family had made it to Yosemite. It's not easy to get to...about 5 hours from the nearest major city or airport, and a pricey flight to get out there. Lodging can fill up very fast for the summer, so planning ahead was really key. We wanted to stay in the park at one of the historic hotels, so that limited our options for lodging.

Summertime is beautiful, and crowded. Early mornings, getting out on the trails, and heading along the Tioga Road were perfect ways to escape the traffic and big groups. So, without further ado, here are a few of the pictures that will never do it justice!

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What: #1 Go to Tashmoo Biergarten in Detroit 

When: August 16th
Where: 511 Woodward, Detroit
Why: My friend Cathy told me about this cool open-air biergarten that pops up around Detroit in the summers called Tashmoo. As a huge fan of Detroit (and not because it's trendy, I've grown up around Detroit and loved the city since childhood), supporting local events like this is always something I enjoy doing. This one was right in the heart of the city during Downtown Detroit Days, in what otherwise is a large vacant building on the main drag (Woodward Avenue). It was a random mix of people in an oddly unused space, but it was set up perfect for a few rousing games of euchre! There was musical accompaniment provided by a great DJ playing classics by such artists as Sir Mix-a-lot and Robin Thicke, and people off the streets coming up to do some impromptu line dancing. Overall, it was another beautiful night to be out in the city, capped off with a bit of food at Lafayette Coney Island. Good times!

Steph and I were feeling good!

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What: #18 See a professional women’s football game

When: June 1st
Where: John Glenn Field

Why: My friend Susie suggested this one for me and I really liked the idea for a few reasons. One, it supports a Detroit-based organization. Two, it supports strong women in non-traditional roles. And three, I miss college football during the spring and summer, so I could still get my fix this way. The team hailing from Detroit, the Detroit Dark Angels, are part of the WFA (Women's Football Association). The team members ranged widely in age, background, and size. At times, I'd forget the players were female, which was cool to realize that they play just like the men; at other times, it was obvious it was a team of women by their interactions with one another on and off the field. The crowd, too, was diverse, including family members and friends, altho I got the impression we might have been the only ones there just to cheer them on without a connection to a particular player. The team plays in Westland, which is quite a ways out from the city of Detroit, so that might be a deterrent to getting a big crowd. They have one more game left for the season, and I wish them the best of luck!

The team logo - on the water jugs - is very cool!