A morning rainstorm passes by in the distance from a viewpoint on the Door Trail. Badlands National Park had been on my bucket list for the better part of the past 10 years and was so excited to cross this one off on my way to the west coast for work this past summer! When I first arrived in Wall, SD on a Monday in July, I had zero plans for lodging as my campground reservation didn't start until the next day. I was so excited that I hauled it from my sisters in Chicago to ge

I wrote this for another blog back in December of 2022. I still don't know why they didn't use it, and am excited to have my own space to share this story a little over 3 years later. As the year ends, we often find ourselves reflecting on the goals and accomplishments we’ve set for ourselves the year prior while planning for what’s on the agenda for next year. To some, the first things that come to mind are usually career goals, fitness goals, or future investments. To the o