Redwoods

Erin and Dave weren't the only ones to explore the Oregon and California coastline. Check out what happens when Megan, Brandon and Kyle dropped down through the Redwood National Forest to enjoy Hwy 1.

Going, going...back, back...to cali, cali

A little tired of the I-5 corridor the Go Love team decided to take an alternate route. Despite the rainy weather, the longer drive was worth it! Here's a few pictures from along the way...

Dave completed his Junior Ranger Program

Erin made a friend...

then Dave rode him.

Dave got the planes ready for a spin...

And when a road sign says "watch for elk"...they aren't messing around!

On a Safari

Staying true to form, Erin and David made another detour, following signs to the Wildlife Safari. Not sure what to expect, they were both blown away by the adventure.

Wildlife Safari is a 600 acre property, containing over 600 animals for your viewing pleasure. They are a non-profit AZA accredited Zoological Park dedicated to conservation and education. But unlike most zoos, the majority of the animals are allowed to roam their corresponding continents as you drive through for an up close and personal look.

They started with a walk around the village. David fell in love with Betsy the llama in the petting zoo, until a near miss when he misinterpreted the meaning behind her pursed lips. Apparently llamas spit and David found out the hard way. Close, real close.

Onward and upward they gave in to the drizzle and surrendered to their vehicle for the self-guided tour. Spotting their first ostriches within 50 feet of the gate to Africa, they heard the lions roaring, encouraging them to keep driving.

Distracted by the size and proximity of the giraffes and camels, the Go Love Adventure Outback plus trailer were herded and surrounded by 3 sneaky emus. There was just so much to see, they were constantly shouting back and forth with arms flailing and pointing figers. "Rhino! Hippo! Yak!" In this who’s who of the animal kingdom, you definitely want to keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times!

The Wildlife Safari is also host to one of the largest Cheetah Breeding Program in the United States and the Western Hemisphere. Since the start of the program in 1973, 161 cheetahs have been born in the park. Devoted to preserving this unique species as well as others, the CORES program was established in 2005.

To see some more of the shenanigans, visit our flickr!

Oh…and no animals were harmed in the making of this blog post.

Old School

Complete with push button transmission and Yakima bike racks, Ric and Karen’s 1964 Dodge Dart was beyond cool. They were about to hit the American River Trail for a relaxing ride, and were full of great advice about where we should go while in town. Not just Sacramento either, they have a daughter in San Francisco and gave us some great rides we should do in the Bay area as well.Thanks for letting us take some pictures while you shopped at REI. Sitting in the driver’s seat for 5 minutes was a thrill. I’m sure it is even better once you leave the parking lot!

Adventure of the Week

Robert traded his 2006 Acura TL straight out for "some real fun". Only a week after the deal was made he was already hitting the water. In his own words, "There is no time to sit still. Break her in early and she will love me for a long time!" Enjoy the adventure Cinnamon Boy, you know we are!

Submit your own photos to goloveadventure@gmail.com! If we select your story for the adventure of the week, you will get free gear from our partners!

Boys will be boys

Most of the time the girls are outnumbered on this team, but overall everyone keeps the tour neat and organized. One "quick" stop off to the storage unit for more supplies proved otherwise...apparently Hurricane Adam came rushing through with little time for clean up. It's all good, but breaking down boxes does work up quite a thirst! Luckily once settled in at the next city, payback includes frosty beverages.

Charge the city by foot

A fitness geek, Erin prefers to check out new cities by foot. Scared off by the cold for the last few weeks, she was long overdue for a good run. The cool but comfortable mornings in "Sac town" were perfect for a run around the neighborhood.

Here are a few shots from along the way.

Renaissance Rose

David and Erin stopped off for lunch in Ashland, OR. It’s a quaint little town close to the California border, but what was originally intended to be a 20 minute break got a little out of control when they discovered the local costume shop, Renaissance Rose.

A local woman apparently made these awesome fish heads and brought them in for sale. But it gets better!Also, in the basement are a plethora of kid costumes. Kids at heart, the petite size did not scare these two away. Try and try again until a Cyclops head fits you!

While there is no photo evidence proving just how MANY different adult tutus they tried on, here is a quick snap shop to give you a hint.

2 fish heads $50
2 pair of flip-up sunglasses $16
1 Bullwinkle hat $8
1 feather boa $12
A bucket of laughs and 3 blushing employees, priceless

Thanks Renaissance Rose!

Check out this cool chair!

While picking up some gear from Keen Footwear, Erin saw this awesome chair made out of bike parts. Jealous!

Surprising Sunsets

Sometimes when cruising along, a glance in the rear view mirror can take your breath away. A few prime examples in Missoula, MT and then on the drive to Spokane, WA.

Getting cold outside

Spokane shocked us with a sharp change in the temperature (24 degrees Saturday morning! Yikes!) but REI manager Krystal stepped right up and gave us a warm greeting complete with hot chocolate, hand warmers and some REI fleece gloves! What a life saver!

I think that was the theme for Spokane: great people with warm hearts. Not to mention the weather perked up for us with beautiful sunshine and blue bird skies all 3 days.

Sunday, we met a family of 4 who just returned from their vacation in Europe. They travelled through 17 countries in 7 weeks! They said Krakow, Poland was one of their favorite stops and Pompeii until they got robbed! So they were back to REI to replace the down sleeping bag that was taken. Straight from their mouths, "it was worth it!"

We would also like to thank Josh, Krystal, Sally and all the wonderful employees of REI Spokane! A special thanks also to Steve who rolled up his sleeves to help roll up our tents! What a team!

Redmond was on fire!

Saturday and Sunday we were in Redmond, WA and the store was packed most of the weekend! We were all impressed by the brave children learning to climb on the large REI climbing wall and were amazed by the energy of all the families that stopped by to chat.

Erin met a man roller blading with his new baby in the Chariot stroller and the same day talked with an REI employee about his adventures down the Pacific Coast by bike. He and his wife have biked almost the entire Hwy 1. Talk about some good exercise!

We also learned there was a great walk Sunday morning, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, as 3 of the participants collapsed into a fit of giggles in our Hubba Hubba tent. Ellie from Michigan tried to convince us it was "clearly a 3 person tent". Maybe with close friends...you never know.

Another man also told the story of his switch to Subaru, "My wife and I would only drive BMWs because we love German cars. Last winter we had to get a loaner car that happened to be the Tribeca. Now we do not, and will not, buy anything but Subaru. They are the BEST!” They are currently driving a Legacy.

Erin K from REI even made a point to come in on her days off just to make sure we were taken care of. Thanks Erin! And thank YOU Redmond for sharing all the wonderful family energy!

Kayaking solo

On a day off in Seattle, David rented a single kayak for $26 (2-4 hrs during the week) at Northwest Outdoor Center.

Exploring via alternative transportation, he paddled all over Lake Union, up towards the city, down by the dock house neighborhoods, and by massive boats.

There were not many people on the water, but that allowed Dave to wander without feeling like he was in the way...or like he was going to get run over. He did sidle up to the Duck Tour boat, which was fun; and had nice conversations with other people on stand up paddle boards.

The grand adventure came to an end when the storm clouds started to thicken. Worth every cent! For more pictures check out our flickr page.

The great return to Tacoma

Our last stop at Tacoma went out with a bang!

We met a young man who had been hiking the Pacific Crest Trail for 4 months! He stated that the Therm-a-rest NeoAir was by far the best investment he made. He said, " It was absolutely the best piece of equipment I purchased for this trip and I would still be on it if I hadn't rolled over with a knife in my pocket! Now I have to patch it."

We also met Joe. Joe is a former military man and currently serves as a Police Officer in Tacoma. Very friendly and extremely gracious, Joe was elated that the new 2010 Outback could accommodate his 6'5" frame. After talking a while we came to find out that Joe is also grateful to another one of our partners, Keen. Turns out Joe was nearly the victim of a shooting, but the Keen toe box was the only thing damaged! The bullet literally grazed his foot and he swears the toe box saved his toes. Keen is sending him a new pair of shoes to thank him for his service!

Do you have a story like Joe's? Send us an email telling your story to goloveadventure@gmail.com with your name and address and we may just send you a Go Love Adventure care package!

First Thursday in the Pearl

Fall has officially arrived and Portland residents celebrated at the last "First Thursday" Gallery Walk of the season. The Go Love Adventure Tour threw a little party with Portland based Keen. We normally hang out in the day light so it was nice to have a change of pace! Not to mention we were able to witness several great disc golf show downs for the cool Keen hats that were being given out. For all the Subaru owners who came by to show us their keys, we handed out PlatyPreserve Wine Preservation Systems for their next camping or backpacking adventure.

We were also fortunate to have Forest Park Conservancy educating everyone about how they can maintain, preserve, protect, and improve this beautiful city park. Showcased in our banners were pictures showing the shocking colors and striking images from the park as the seasons change. Thank you Subaru for contributing an additional $5 for each person that redeemed the test drive vouchers in honor of this great organization!

We had such a fun night and it truly the best kick off to a new month! Thank you to all our sponsors and a special thank you to Michelle of REI for helping us with the street closure, and spreading the word inside the store.