My brother pushed me out of the picture at the Oregon Dunes and thinks it’s hilarious; sunset game of bean bag toss at Sierra Trek; Sand Mountain for Thanksgiving

That’s my family’s belief anyway.

Last weekend I was at Meadow Lake, near Truckee, for Sierra Trek. The main attraction for this event is four-wheeling the extremely-challenging Fordyce Trail. I started going to this event when I was still young enough to participate in the kids raffle and now I am plenty old enough to buy a drink at the bar.

Four-wheeling is the reason I am outdoorsy today and I have my family to thank for that. I started riding in our Bronco while I was still in my mother’s womb, then graduated to a car seat, and have progressed all the way to behind the wheel (on easy trails). All the while making memories that last a lifetime. I enjoy having a family that goes on exciting outdoor adventures and I know my parents love that us “kids” still come along.

Sierra Trek isn’t our only outdoor tradition, during the summer we make the long journey to Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. We also brave the cold for Thanksgiving at Sand Mountain in Nevada. Not everyone makes it every year as schedules get more hectic, but it’s important to enjoy time with family and starting an outdoor tradition is a great way to do that.

Your challenge is to start an outdoor tradition or share your current tradition. It doesn’t have to be an epic trip, you can even start small with a seasonal trip to a local park. If you are going on a trip think of activities you can do together – a reasonable hike, camp games, or geocaching.

Get out there,
Trails