Bergs & Beaches

Back from first time parenting purgatory (barely); Odori Park Snow Sculptures, Sapporo Brewery, Mammamia restaurant.

We traverse our final trail of vacation, upstream and to the largest waterfall of the park. We fill our bellies, try a brewery, and joke around in a fact-filled segment to finish off this vacation's podcasts.

First thing in the morning, we feast on pancakes. After a break from the sugar, we head to the Trillium Gap Trail for an easy-going nature walk. Finally, some bickering about our past.

Rise and shine - time for an all-day hike! We recollect our adventures up and down Mt LeConte, including our run-ins with the wildlife.

We wake up fairly early after deciding to ditch our hiking plans (it's cold!). Our backup plan is to go to Pancake Pantry, but we ultimately pivot to a different breakfast spot. We play mini golf before calling it a rest day and heading back to our couch for nap time. Finally, we visit the visitor center for intel.

Drive to Gatlinburg, TN, stopping through Asheville, NC. Pregnant woman appeases her husband's alcohol tasting escapades. We indulge in our first pancake breakfast of the week, take the lift to the Sky bridge, and shine like we're in Stephen King novel.

A whole swath of Bergs and Berg-adjacents enjoy a meal together in honor of the old dog. We ate plenty of meats and steaks and corns and played every bit of cards we could possibly play to finish out our vacation.

We checked out Mt Rushmore and then drove back to Iowa. We inhaled some dust and damaged our hearing at Rapid Speedway.

Our main event hike to the peak of Black Hills National Park (with mom!). We also checked out Little Devil's Tower after Black Elk Peak.

Started journey to the Black Hills, stopping on the Missouri River and in the Badlands. We also got some affordable coffee at Wall Drug. Prairie Dogz

We woke up early to do a long run around Rock Rapids. Afterward, Bea convinced my grandpa to get some yard work done. Finally, my mom and sisters arrived to look at old photos and hit up the Pizza Ranch buffet.

We wake up and "visit" over coffee. Then we get in a swim workout at the city pool before coming home for an Iowa-grown sweet corn lunch. Card games, Uncle Paul, and authentic farm life vibes!

We attempt to lift off, but end up nose diving back down to Earth because of United Airlines incompetence... Eventually we do get to Sioux Falls where we are picked up by grandma and grandpa Berg. We broke some great news as well.

Drove from our Hof hotel through Vik and Selfoss, and arrived back at Thingvellir National Park. Suited up and took a dip in glacier water to snorkel along the Silfra Fissure. Finished the day driving to our final hotel near the airport -- got some last minute Iceland food.

More marriage practices in Iceland (specifically related to bedding), Vatnajokull glacier hiking escapades, Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon -- a coerced breath of fresh air, and seals by Diamond Beach

Drove down to Selfoss for some pylsur (hot dogs) and Swiss Mokka. Then we explored the south beach town of Vik -- we saw real lava! Finished our trip to our next hotel at the foot of the largest glacier in Europe.

Lava Spa, Thingvellir National Park, Sky Lagoon, Downtown Reykjavik. Geothermal pool, tectonic plates, traditional Icelandic ritual, local eats+shopping.

Flying to Iceland, driving in Iceland, and sleeping in Iceland. Getting acclimated with our destination. Key ingredients: planes, cars, Costco, and winter weather. Saw some geysirs and cows, too.

On what we did for Cole's 30th (lots of drinking), and hiking our last ADK peak this week: Giant Mountain. Sep 15 & Sep 16

Happy birthday Cole! An episode not about Cole's birthday, but rather describing Sep12-14 (rest day & hiking). Yesterday events including hiking Mount Esther & Whiteface. Main trail review: would recommend for those who are "die-hard/love doing hills"

Happy birthday Erin! Celebrated with the family and drove straight to Lake Placid, NY for Cole's birthday week. Plan was to relax, and sprinkle some ADK 49 peaks in between. Our review on hiking Mount Marcy.

Road trip to Hallstatt. Hiking to the peak. Lunch by the lagoon. Touring the town. Much later ran to Schönbrunn in Vienna.

day after heavy drinking - outlets, the loft, and dinner

Wachau Wine Valley Bike Tour and District 1 Bar Hopping with the Titos.

Hundertwasser, Belvedere, Klimt, Schonbrunn. Strauss and Mozart Concert.