Adventure Stuffs is a group of young professionals who are passionate about traveling and storytelling. We’ve teamed up with them on their 2016 summer road trip around the country to some of the most beautiful destinations. Check out their journey through their eyes and see of their outstanding work that they’ve been sending over to us each week!
Hi there! We are @adventure.stuffs. We started as five friends with a vision for a grand road trip across the country. Fast forward a year later, and this vision is a reality. We embarked from Louisville, Kentucky with 40 days of adventure ahead of us. We’re excited to share some photos and stories with you from our travels through Olympic National Park. Our first experience was disappointment; we encountered a closed road on our way to a trail. Our only other trail option was to Madison falls, so we took it. When we arrived, it was crawling with tourists (who get in the way of our photos) so we climbed 150 feet or so to be surprised by another portion of the waterfall that was very difficult to get to. This is where we found the peace and quiet we needed to enjoy the falls.
Right after we got our fill of the waterfalls, we headed to Hurricane Ridge. By the time we got there it was late enough that nobody else was around. It was so quiet; all you could hear was the wind in the trees. We stumbled across what looked to be an old abandoned ski slope. The remaining buildings were in perfect condition. We kept hiking until the highest point where we just looked at the landscape. Sometimes it’s nice to enjoy the silence – even if there’s someone standing right next to you.
Here’s a candid shot taken while a hawk (or some kind of bird) was circling the ridge. If there’s anything we’ve learned about a road trip, it’s that you better enjoy what you are doing in the moment; because setbacks, (aka frequent car troubles) are right around every corner. Try to take the setbacks as something that’s essential to and adventure experience. Get out there and see the places around you.
After a day spent venturing around Hurricane Ridge, we settled down at a campground called Heart of the Hills. There’s nothing better than finishing the day with campsite-made spaghetti. We had some interesting conversations around the campfire and stared out at the night sky.
Our final destination in our travels through Olympic was La Push. It is a beautiful beach where you can camp as long as you get a permit first. Our expectations were exceeded; this beach is beautiful and should be on anyone’s list of places to camp. We found a little space up against the driftwood that was far enough away from the water to avoid the tide. We gathered what seemed like sopping wet driftwood but it burned great. We sipped cola and cooked dinner over the fire. It’s nice to feel un-tethered from the world; you know, to just take a moment to laugh and eat with good friends.
For those of you that are maybe considering a road trip, or an adventure of any kind, take it from us; it’s worth it. Don’t just do the jaded things and go to the jaded places. Get out there and meet people you never would have otherwise. Accept the car troubles, the arguments and the setbacks as just another good story to tell when you get back. Write a story of experiences.
-Nolan Clough
Photographer/Designer
Here’s some more images that the crew of Adventure Stuffs sent over throughout their travels, so far. To learn more about Adventure Stuffs, please visit their website HEREand follow them on Instagram: @adventure.stuffs. Stay tuned, there’s so much more to come!