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Welcome to our annual gift guide. Below we’ve listed all the items we discuss in detail on Episode #99 of our Dear Bob and Sue Podcast, which you can listen to on all the major podcast platforms or directly on our podcast website.
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Continue reading “Matt and Karen’s Annual Gift Guide 2022”
In our Mailbag! episodes, we answer questions from listeners about the national parks, ranger-led tours, road trips, hiking, camping, backpacking, gear, relationships, and pretty much whatever anyone wants to ask us. In this episode, we cover these topics:
· How to tell if a trail or road has steep drop-offs before starting your trip, and how to stay calm when you’re afraid of heights in these situations,
· Tips on how to keep track of your bucket list items and where the phrase “wish bucket” came from
· Suggestions on footwear for hiking the Sliding Sands trail in Haleakala National Park
· Where to find accessibility information about trails, sights, and facilities in the national parks, and a few suggestions as to the most accessible parks in the NPS system,
· And more!
A few links we promised to share:
· Where to find info about accessibility in the national parks
· A list of the most and least accessible national parks from the AgingInPlace.org website
· A link to info about the America the Beautiful Access Pass
The best way to support our podcast is to become a member of our Patreon account. Follow this link to check it out.
And don’t forget to check out our new online merch store and www.dirtlander.com.
Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.
Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.
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The fun doesn’t stop at the end of the Cascade Loop Scenic Byway. Our road trip continues, so grab some extra snacks on Whidbey Island and head west with us as we travel to Olympic and Mount Rainier National Parks.
The first stop is Olympic National Park, where you can explore alpine peaks, moss-covered rainforest trails, or rugged beaches along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Better yet, take your time and experience them all.
After Olympic, we’ll drive through Washington’s state capital, Olympia, before heading east to the most majestic active volcano in the lower forty-eight, Mount Rainier. Here you’ll have opportunities to marvel at the historic park buildings near the southwest entrance before winding your way up the park road to Paradise. This mile-high area of the park is laced with spectacular hiking trails, each with stunning, close-up views of Rainier.
The drive continues to other regions of the park that you won’t want to miss, including the equally stunning Sunrise area, where hiking above the tree line will give you full-on views of Mount Rainier from fresh angles.
Here’s a link to the map of the loop that Karen promised Matt would draw.
Our Patreon account is now up and running with bonus content. Follow this link to check it out.
Don’t forget to check out our new online merch store and www.dirtlander.com.
Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.
Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.
To advertise on The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast, email us at mattandkarensmith@gmail.com.
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Ah, the Cascade Loop Scenic Byway. This 440-mile route winds through the heart of Washington State’s Cascade Mountains, revealing an abundance of natural beauty that is truly awe-inspiring. From the shore of Lake Chelan to the rugged peaks of North Cascades National Park, the landscape is both spectacular and diverse.
But the Cascade Loop is more than just a showcase of nature’s wonders. We’ll tell you about charming small towns along the way that offer a glimpse into the region’s rich history and culture. Places like Leavenworth, with its Bavarian architecture, sausages and lively festivals, and Winthrop, with its Old West charm and cowboy spirit. Plus, Matt will take you on a culinary tour of the bakeries along the route and explain the differences between cinnamon rolls and morning buns.
In this episode, part one of our two-part series on the scenic drives through all three national parks in northwest Washington, we discuss the logistics and highlights of the Cascade Loop Scenic Byway.
Here’s a link to the map of the loop that Karen promised Matt would draw.
Our Patreon account is now up and running with bonus content. Follow this link to check it out.
Don’t forget to check out our new online merch store and www.dirtlander.com.
Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.
Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.
To advertise on The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast, email us at mattandkarensmith@gmail.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hey, folks. For anyone who’s listened to Episode 110 or 111 of The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast and is looking for the accompanying map, here it is!
You will need a more detailed map to make final plans for your Cascade Loop Scenic Byway adventure or visit Olympic and Mount Rainier National Parks. But this will give you the lay of the land for general planning purposes for your trip to the Pacific Northwest.
Below is the Washington State Dept. of Transportation map of the Cascade Loop.
In our Mailbag! episodes, we answer questions from listeners about the national parks, ranger-led tours, road trips, hiking, camping, backpacking, gear, relationships, and pretty much whatever anyone wants to ask us. In this episode, we cover these topics:
· Whether Devils Tower is worth the 2-hour drive when visiting the Black Hills,
· Advice on an Alaska bucket-list trip,
· Rules about e-bikes in the national parks,
· Which tour tickets to buy at Carlsbad Caverns,
· Which hotel is best to stay at outside Bryce Canyon National Park,
· And more!
Our Patreon account is now up and running with bonus content. Follow this link to check it out.
Don’t forget to check out our new online merch store and www.dirtlander.com.
Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.
Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.
To advertise on The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast, email us at mattandkarensmith@gmail.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Situated in both North Carolina and Tennessee, this park is a natural wonderland that seems too good to be true. It’s a place where misty mountains rise from the forest floor, and crystal-clear streams cut through verdant valleys. With over 500,000 acres of rugged terrain, it’s easy to get lost in the park’s boundless beauty. In this episode, we discuss our favorite things to see and do when visiting the park and other highlights you’ll want to put on your bucket list. Whether you’re looking for stunning vistas or quiet solitude, the Smokies have it all: spectacular vistas, rushing streams and waterfalls, historic structures, and quiet groves of old-growth forest. It’s no wonder it’s the most visited national park in America.
Here are links where you can find more information related to this episode:
· The Park It Forward program,
· Info about LeConte Lodge and how to make reservations,
· Info about the Blue Ridge Parkway,
· And you can check out Great Smoky Mountains NP’s website here
Our Patreon account is now up and running with bonus content. Follow this link for more information about how to join.
Don’t forget to check out our new online merch store and www.dirtlander.com.
Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.
Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.
To advertise on The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast, email us at mattandkarensmith@gmail.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices