Old Mission Point Beach & Downtown Traverse City

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 3 Comments

Our weekend was going to be perfect: leave the house around 8:30am on Friday, get to Traverse City by lunchtime, have a nice afternoon and evening exploring before heading to the cabin in Evart… but things didn’t go as planned. Juan had to pull an all-nighter for work Thursday night into Friday morning, so he didn’t arrive up north until Saturday morning; it was just Linley and me for the first full day, and we still had a great time ☺️

Our first stop was Old Mission Point Lighthouse, which sits on the tip of a peninsula and provides visitors with amazing views of the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Since it was a Friday afternoon, the beach below wasn’t crowded whatsoever and we essentially enjoyed what was a private shoreline. Linley had fun jumping in and out of the water, and I indulged in a dip or two myself!

After a couple hours on the beach, we decided to head into Traverse City. We hiked the surrounding trails a bit more and I snapped a couple quick photos before getting back into a hot, sandy car.

It was a toasty 88°F on Friday – which made for a good beach day but not necessarily optimal for walking downtown! Linley and I still managed to enjoy a couple hours of exploring prior to arriving at our Airbnb for the evening.

Our cabin was about an hour and a half away from Traverse City, and was the perfect size for the three of us (or the two of us that night!) Linley was a happy camper! I brought four of his favorite toys that he could play with before bedtime ☺️

Photos taken Friday, June 18, 2021

Best devices for photography and videography?

June 12, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 3 Comments

For those of you who have been following my blog for a while, you may recall this amateur “music video” from my time in Iceland:

Videos taken May, 2018

I’m planning a European adventure with one of my best friends this September, but I don’t want to bring my bulky Canon Rebel – no matter how much I still love it. I have basic video editing skills via Camtasia and Vyond, and am hoping to take my videography and editing skills to the next level!

Which ‘smaller’ cameras or devices would you recommend for photography and videography alike? Which video editing software(s) would you recommend aside from Camtasia?

As always, thank you for your advice and for joining me on my journey. I *caved* and recently created a travel Instagram (because I do NOT want a ‘personal’ account again), which you may follow: @adventureinspades

West Side, Best Side!

June 1, 2021May 31, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 3 Comments

If I were to tell you that I had the perfect holiday weekend, I’d be lying to you; seeing happy families – especially parents with their daughters or siblings playing together – hit my heart like a boxer punching their opponent. BUT it did make me smile when I was able to remove myself from my emotions, and I had a pretty great weekend with a dear friend and our pups!

On Saturday, I drove to Kalamazoo (on the west side of Michigan) to visit my friend Cass and their dog Meadow. I would visit them wherever they were located, but the west side of Michigan is quite beautiful and special in more ways than one. The four of us went to the dog park before Cass and I grabbed dinner and drinks at Taco Bob’s downtown.

Sunday was a lazy morning (at least it was by my standards!), and we headed for Saugatuck Dunes State Park for some hiking and beach time. Linley and Meadow enjoyed running through the woods and frolicking on Lake Michigan’s shoreline. As our dogs were smiling and living their best lives, we were too! Watching Linley jump in the waves and attempt to drag large branches out of the water and Meadow’s first time at the Great Lake put huge smiles on our faces. The little boy who kept coming back to pet Meadow and Linley while they were splooting in the sand also made our days! Feeling the sand between my toes, the sun kissing my face and the wind in my curls was the best combination of peaceful and whimsical.

Even though we all could’ve stayed on the beach for the entire day, it was time to explore the downtown area. Saugatuck is a charming beach town that screams quintessential Michigan: local cafés, boutiques and homemade ice cream galore. The best part of our downtown exploration was when the fire truck came by and Linley howled in unison (it was adorable!).

The last stop on our day trip with the fur babies was South Haven, because we had to see the lighthouse and have a little more time on the beach. We walked the pier, enjoyed time playing in the sand and grabbed some ice cream before returning to Kalamazoo.

The pups were tired, so Cass and I dropped them off and met our friend KayLee at One Well Brewery. The three of us used to work together in college, and I’ve been individually close with both of them even though they haven’t really hung out without me. We all relished in past work memories, exchanged profound conversation and shared several laughs! I love them both dearly and being around two of my favorite people meant the world to me. I hope us getting together helped KayLee and Cass feel better about hanging out more often (which I’m sure it did!).

Photos taken on Saturday, May 29 & Sunday, May 30

Memorial Day Memories

May 29, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 3 Comments

For those of us in the United States, Memorial Day weekend can mean a variety of things, even though its main purpose is to celebrate those we lost in service. I strongly disagree with the reasons why we enter into war, but I support those who defend our nation for the right reasons, and heavily reflect on my family members and friends who have served overseas.

With that being said, I’m not only reflecting on my loved ones who have served today; I’m also relishing in past memories with others who I’m not as close with anymore. For some reason, I’ve traveled somewhere on or around Memorial Day weekend in recent years and cannot stop wishing to be back in those places, with those individuals, during those exact moments in life.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (May 2018)

Empire, Michigan (May 2020)

I wish things were different with my loved ones. Maybe things will be better again or maybe they never will be, but either way I can cherish these memories and plan future adventures with friends.

I wish all of you a safe, healthy and fun-filled Memorial Day weekend!

Gorgeous Galápagos Beaches (May 2019)

May 27, 2021May 27, 2021 / Cate Tracey / Leave a comment

My friends who love schedules and itineraries would strongly disagree with me, but I believe the best travel adventures are the ones that are unplanned and spontaneous!

When boarding our flight to Guayaquil two years ago, I never anticipated that our South American honeymoon would end in a trip to the Galápagos Islands. Our time in Ecuador was rocky to say the very least, and without getting into too much detail, I was in desperate need of alone time with my new husband. A four-day stay on San Cristóbal Island was exactly what I/we needed, and the ‘secret’ beaches we discovered were even more enticing.

Whether you’re planning a long-weekend or long-term vacation, try going without an itinerary; you won’t regret it 🙂

National Rescue Dog Day

May 21, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 3 Comments

…was yesterday and I wanted to thank Compass Dog Rescue of Michigan for bringing Linley and me together 🐶

Here are some of my favorite photos of the little guy!

Please contact me for more information on Compass Dog Rescue, or if you have any rescue-related questions 🙂

Another Outdoorsy Day

May 17, 2021May 19, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 5 Comments

Last Saturday was one of the best days I’ve had in a long time. As dramatic as that sounds, I mean it.

What could be better than spending over seven hours in one of your favorite cities with one of your favorite humans? Not much. And on top of that, my friend and I even brought our fur babies along.

Cass and I met at Gallup Park in Ann Arbor a little after 12:00pm, and took Meadow and Linley on a long walk. They were as happy as can be when they reunited (it’s been a couple months since the four of us spent time together) and continued to act excited on the trails. While Linley and Meadow sniffed around and took some potty breaks, Cass and I caught up on all things work and goal-related, and shared some profound words of encouragement.

After spending some time at Gallup Park, we ventured over to Zingerman’s Roadhouse for an outdoor lunch. Aside from some excitement from the pups, they were on their best behavior and the four of us enjoyed sitting outside as we chowed down on some delicious food! Once the wind made it too cold to tolerate, we returned to the car for some more hiking at the Nichols Arboretum.

During quarantine, I discovered the arboretum as a plan B birthday destination. I’ve been there several times now – with and without Linley – but there’s something special about this place that makes it feel brand new every time I’m there. We were hiking in and out of the deep woods for another couple of hours at minimum.

Cass and I both LOVE being on the water and wrapped up our day kayaking on the Huron River. Meadow had never been kayaking before, but she did a great job and I never would’ve guessed it was new for her (Linley, of course, was acting like he owned the river)! We barely made it back to the park for kayak rentals in time, but we loved how our spur of the moment decision paid off. After another two hours well-spent, we returned to shore, returned our kayaks and returned to our cars.

I was tearing up on the way home (as was Cass). We’re both going through a wide variety of changes and turbulence right now, and being able to support each other unconditionally and spend the day bs-ing was something we desperately needed. We always pick right back up where we left off, and we’re already looking forward to our next adventure 🙂

Photos taken on Saturday, May 8, 2021

P.S.: Ann Arbor is so good, that I took Linley kayaking at Argo Park this past weekend!

Weekend in Washington (Part III)

May 1, 2021May 1, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 5 Comments

It breaks my heart to think that an entire month has passed since my Washington trip. I can’t believe how quickly time flies as you’re traveling, and also how fast it slips away once you return home.

My last day with Bethany was full of the great outdoors and my two favorite summertime staples: kayaking and hiking. We grabbed a dynamite breakfast at this cute little 50s diner – where we both ordered some waffles and chai – then headed toward the shoreline to hit the water.

I remember it being a bit windier and chillier than the other days, but being on the water was wonderful. The waves were just right, the sun was shining on our faces, and we even saw some sea lions! Our time together reminded me of other adventures we’ve shared, which I’ll cover in a separate post 🙂

The beautiful thing about Bethany’s and my friendship is that we always pick up right where we left off, no matter the distance or the time that’s elapsed. We were able to connect on such a deep level again in such a short amount of time, and had plenty of laughs along the way! Bethany even got splashed by a huge wave as we explored a tide pool right after this picture was taken…

The remainder of our day was spent eating great food on the water and walking through a beautiful park near Bethany’s place. Unfortunately, she had to move out of her home shortly after moving in due to water damage, but will luckily be back home soon. The park is near her home and it was the perfect way to wrap up our time together. The two of us shared past memories as we bird watched at the nature preserve. We even stoped to smell the flowers along the way ~

As always, our weekend flew by way too fast, but we’re already planning a spooky, fall trip together. Friends like Bethany are hard to come by, and I’m blessed to have her in my life and to call her a best friend ❤️

Happy Earth Day!

April 22, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 3 Comments

…from my beloved pup Linley and me 🙂

Weekend in Washington (Part II)

April 16, 2021April 16, 2021 / Cate Tracey / Leave a comment

Once again, I’ve allowed too much time to pass between posting about my Seattle trip. I really need to carve out some time each week to write and reflect on my travels…

Friday, March 26: Downtown Kirkland

Kirkland, a college town near Seattle, is a must if you want that happy-medium of calmness and the hustle and bustle of downtown. Bethany, her dad and I had quite a hectic Thursday – filled with trying to find food and navigate through an unexpectedly busy crowd, and hiking several miles prior to – so we needed a relaxing afternoon and evening in a new place. Bethany hadn’t visited Kirkland yet, and we really wanted some leisurely walking, eating and drinking in town.

Whenever Bethany and I travel together, we are constantly reminded of our first adventure in Sweden (can’t you tell?!). Seeing the Swedish flag always makes us happy 🙂

After our obligatory selfie, we decided that Thai food was a must. It was a windy, cooler day and yellow curry was at the top of our list. We enjoyed some warm, yummy food and some iced Thai tea (our favorite!) by the water. The best part? All the dogs and ducks we were able to befriend!

The two of us chatted and talked about life. The previous day with her dad was more casual and laid back, but the two of us had to share some personal things with each other. We laughed, cried and hugged as we confided in one another. Our lives have always been strikingly parallel and intertwined somehow, which is one of many reasons I believe we were meant to meet in 2016.

Once we finished our food, conversation and gazing at the animals around us, we had to grab some warm tea and window shop. Our ginger chai lattes were worth the wait and we were able to check out some funky shops before dinner.

We weren’t ready for dinner just yet; the waterfront was far too enjoyable to leave. Bethany and I walked the pier and reminisced about our time along the Kalmar castle five years ago. The sea air instantly brought us back to when we first met, and we cherished the moment as best we could.

The two of us allowed the day to take us along for the ride, without any game plan. Luckily we were craving the same kind of food, so we decided to drive toward home and stop for sushi on the way. Not pictured: the best vegetarian sushi and green tea I’ve ever had. Bethany and I were able to sit outside next to a heater and continue laughing and sharing past memories. I really don’t know what I would do without Bethany, and where I would be without her friendship ❤️

Photos taken Friday, March 26, 2021

Weekend in Washington (Part I)

April 9, 2021April 9, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 3 Comments

I did it again: I had a lovely weekend away with a friend, and didn’t journal once. I tell myself every time I travel that I’ll write down what I did each day before I go to bed, but I was out as soon as I hit the pillow every night (I blame this on working late and adjusting to the three-hour time difference). At least I have memories and photos I can reference…

Bethany is my go-to travel and adventure buddy. We travel remarkably similar: we hate itineraries, we enjoy going where the wind takes us, and we laugh often! Our four nights together flew by as they always do, but we packed quite a bit into our weekend in Washington.

Thursday, March 25: Hiking at Discovery Park & Dinner at Pike Place

The best part about our first full day together? Seeing Bethany’s dad! Steve is the kindest man and is perhaps the best board game strategist I know (and is fully vaccinated!). We started our day with a beautiful hike at Discovery Park in north Seattle. With a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean and the lush greenery surrounding us, it was hard not to have an enjoyable afternoon in each other’s company.

What we loved most about our afternoon hike was the contrasting sunshine peeking through the trees as we approached the beach, but the ominous, eerie feeling we felt on the shoreline. Bethany and I felt this exact same way in Iceland a few years ago, which I will post about at a later date 😊

Soon after the three of us grew tired from our multi-mile hike, we drove into downtown Seattle to relish in the sunshine a bit more. Despite it taking us far too long to find a restaurant I could enjoy (I’m gluten free and vegetarian, which tends to make things difficult…), our dinner was much-needed and well-deserved. Bethany and her dad enjoyed some burgers and fries while I scarfed down the best falafel salad of my life!

Our evening was full of gin and tonics, a few rounds of Rummikub, and we watched the crows migrate and settle in for the night. Who knew watching crows could be so entertaining?!