2020 was an incredibly weird year.
Thanks to the global pandemic that will be forever known as covid-19, I spent most of the year NOT flying. The last time I flew was in mid-February, right before the pandemic really took ahold in the U.S. beginning in March.
When I moved to San Francisco earlier this year, I seriously considered selling my car.
I’m so glad that I didn’t.
Although I spent most of the year in California, after our lease ended in May 2020, and with a paid off car, I spent most of the year living a digital nomad-like lifestyle: working my typical 9-5 during the work week, and exploring the outdoors over the weekend.
Here’s where I went in the U.S. in 2020:
Utah
- Saw the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah
- Antelope Island in Great Salt Lake
- Hiked around Bonneville Trail in Salt Lake City
- Visited Park City Utah
- Went to Capitol Reef National Park
- Went to Canyonlands National Park
- Saw the Delicate Arch at Arches National Park
- Went mountain biking around Moab Utah
- Jogging around Cottonwood Creek Trail
Colorado
- Spent a few weeks in Glenwood Springs, Boulder and Denver!
- Drank wine in Paradise in the Colorado River Valley AVA
- Kayaked on the White River near Denver
- Got up super early for a sunrise view at Maroon Bells near Aspen
- Participated in an impromptu rally for Black Lives Matter in Aspen
- Visited Aspen Museum of Art and had delicious beer al fresco
- Hiked to Hanging Lake, outside of Glenwood Springs
- Saw ancient pueblos at Mesa Verde National Park
- Walked around and spent a night in Durango CO
- Almost hit a giant Eagle on our way to Steamboat.
- Walked around and spent a night in Steamboat Springs CO
- Visited Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
- Drove the Million Dollar Highway from Ouray to Durango
- Did a morning hike to Deer Mountain at Rocky Mountain National Park
- Sandboarded at Great Sand Dunes National Park near Alamosa
- Visited Garden of the Gods Park in Colorado Springs
- Went running along Boulder Creek in Boulder
- Jogging around Cherry Creek Trail in Denver
- Visited the Colorado State Museum
- Running / walking along the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs
- Saw the headwaters of the Colorado River, in RMNP!
- Saw the headwaters of the Arkansas River on our way to Alamosa!
- Visited Telluride CO!
Nebraska:
- Went to a scenic stop along the Oregon Trail near Gering
South Dakota:
- Saw buffalo cross the road for the first time at Custer State Park
- Sunset and incredible colors at Badlands National Park
- Finally saw Mt. Rushmore in all its glory
- Visited Crazy Horse Memorial
North Dakota:
- Running along the Red River in Fargo ND
- Walking along the Missouri River near Bismarck, the state capitol
- Visited the State Capitol!
- Had delicious Jewish food at a deli in Fargo
- Discovered Horenbacher’s, a ND grocery chain.
Minnesota:
- Saw a massive Paul Bunyan statue
- Walked along the Lake Superior shorefront in Duluth
- Visited the massive Mall of America
- Walked along the Mississippi River around downtown Minneapolis
- Went to the Hmong Village (felt like Asia!!) in Minneapolis
- Running around Lake Calhoun aka Bde Maka Ska
- Visited the grounds around the Minnesota State Capitol in St Paul
Wisconsin:
- Day trip out to see the Apostle Islands State Park
- Visited Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin
- Had delicious cheese and visited my first cheese-factory: Marieke Gouda
- Almost ran over a black bear.
Michigan:
- Snuck across the border from Wisconsin to cross this state off the list!
- Hiked to a waterfall near the Lake Superior / Wisconsin state border
Iowa:
- Running along the Iowa River in Iowa City
- Having surprisingly good boba in Iowa City / University of Iowa
- Visited the State Capitol building in Des Moines
Missouri:
- Had delicious BBQ in Kansas City at Q39.
Kansas
- Saw the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka
- Survived a crazy wind / rain storm on the drive back from Kansas City to Denver!
Wyoming
- Visited the Wyoming State Museum
- Visited the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody
- Saw the super interesting looking geysers at Yellowstone National Park
- Incredible views of the Rocky Mountains at Grand Teton National Park
- Hiked along Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park
- Spent a weekend in Jackson, WY
Montana:
- Hiked the incredible 14-hour round trip High-Line trail to see glaciers at Glacier National Park
- Took some nice photos around Flathead Lake
- Went running around Missoula
- Spent a week enjoying the pleasant mountain air in Big Sky
- Visited the Montana State Museum in Helena
- Hiked to Ousel Falls, just outside of Big Sky
- Finally had Taco Johns (like a Midwest Taco Bell) in Helena
- Saw the headwaters of the Missouri River!
Idaho:
- Went running along the Boise River in Boise
- Went to the Idaho State Capitol
- Saw the massive Shoshone Falls
Nevada:
- Did a train trip along the Virginia and Truckee Railroad in Virginia City
- Walked around the Nevada State Capitol in Carson City
- Walked around downtown Reno
California:
- Visited some incredible wineries, including Stags Leap, in Napa
- Walked along the Sacramento River and Sundial Bridge in Redding
- Visited Joshua Tree National Park
- Went wine tasting in Lodi
- Visited the California State Museum and State Capitol
- Running around Noe Valley
- Hiking up to Bernal Heights Park, Twin Peaks and in the East Bay
- Visited the Salton Sea in the Imperial Valley
Oregon:
- Visited Crater Lake National Park
- Drove along the Oregon Coast
- Visited another cheese factory, the Tillamook Creamery, in Tillamook
- Day trip to Astoria to visit the Columbia River Maritime Museum
- Spent two weeks living in Portland’s Pearl District
- Running / jogging all around the Pearl District
- Eating voodoo doughnuts in Portland
- Hiking around Eugene
- Visited my dad’s college in Corvallis
- Walked around the University of Oregon in Eugene
- Experienced Oregon Wine Country, visited Stoller Family Estate
- Day trip along the Columbia River Valley to Mt Hood
Washington:
- Experience Washington Wine Country, went to Yakima Valley
- Went back to Woodinville and got drunk at DeLille Cellars
- Rode the Washington Ferry from Edmonds to the Olympic Peninsula
- Hiked Hurricane Ridge, outside Port Angeles
- Hiked in the Hoh Rainforest, outside Forks
- Went to Ruby Beach, my first beach on the Washington Pacific Coast!
- Lived for two weeks outside Seattle in Lynwood, WA
- Visited the Washington State Capitol in Olympia
- Walked around the downtown area in Bremerton
- Re-visited Pikes Place Market in Seattle
Arizona:
- Visited Taliesin West in Scottsdale
- Hiking around Saguaro National Park outside Tucson
New Mexico:
- Stopped for a fantastic scenic view of Las Cruces just off the I-10.
Texas:
- Dipped my feet in the Rio Grande at Big Bend National Park
- Hiked at McKinney Falls State Park on Christmas Day
- Hiked at St Edwards Park on Christmas Eve
- Visited the San Antonio Missions
- Finally went to see The Alamo
- Walked along the RiverWalk in San Antonio
- Hiked around two parks around La Canterra in San Antonio
- Experienced Texas Hill Country Wines at Becker Vineyards
- Walked / hiked around Austin, including RiverPlace Nature Trail
- Had some delicious frozen margaritas at Lake Travis
- Visited Zilker Park / Barton Springs Pool in Austin
- Discovered the local Texas grocery chain: H-E-B.
- Went to the highest peak in El Paso and saw Ciudad Juárez
