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I am country girl raised in a log cabin in rural Tennessee. I dreamed of getting out and exploring the world. I am not afraid of the unknown.

My name is Jennifer and I grew up in rural in a log cabin in rural Tennessee. I am a full-time engineer who loves exploring new places. I tend to jump first and worry about the results later. I went out-of-state for University and during University, lived in 3 different US states. After University, I accepted a job in Equatorial Guinea, West Africa. I lived in the UAE for 11 weeks. I am a certifie

d SCUBA diver who has dove on three different continents. I have been hiking the jungles in Colombia, on glaciers in Iceland, and National Parks all over the United States. I have done solo road trips in the UAE, Iceland, and the United States. I am a self-professed National Park Ju**ie and have been to 31 of the 59 US Parks. "I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."~Robert Frost

14/03/2018

Happy Pi Day! Pie is a much-loved dish found around the world. Almost every culture has their own version of pie. Pie can be savory, it can be sweet and it can be everywhere in between. Check out these 14 pies from around the world. Each pie is from a different country and easy access to a recipe for these pies.

https://made-all-the-difference.com/pies-from-around-the-world-3/

Pie is a much-loved dish found around the world. Almost every culture has their own version of pie. Pie can be savory, it can be sweet and it can be everywhere in between. Check out these 14 pies from around the world. Each pie is from a different country and easy access to a recipe for these pies.

12/03/2018

Sick of the Key West nightlife? Looking to do more than drink on Duval Street? Want to explore more of the outdoor adventures opportunities in Key West has to offer? Key West might not be as known for its outdoor adventures but this key is full of opportunities. Check out the 8 best outdoor activities in Key West.

08/03/2018

Looking to explore the US Movement. This explores the women of the movement as well as the historical actions they took to gain the right to vote.

https://made-all-the-difference.com/suffragette-movement-road-trip/

Looking to explore the US Suffragette Movement. This United States's suffragette movement took 80 years to get all women in the United States the right to vote. This road trip explores the women of the movement as well as the historical actions they took to gain the right to vote.

03/03/2018

28/02/2018

Looking to go somewhere fresh for spring break? Check out my list of unique Spring Break destinations. These feature places that aren't typical destinations and not all of them involved a beach. These are more city and outdoor and adventure destinations.

28/02/2018

Are you looking to camp in Petrified Forest National Park? Despite not having any campgrounds, it is possible to camp in the park. All you have to do is hike just over a mile and then you have your pick of campsites. Check out my guide for Painted Desert Camping in Petrified Forest National Park!

25/02/2018

There are 417 units managed by the National Park Service. Sometimes the National Parks System Nomenclature can be rather confusing. I'm a self-professed national park ju**ie who has been at least a quarter of the units. I have broken down the NPS designations in a way to help you better plan your national park visits.

https://made-all-the-difference.com/national-parks-system-nomenclature/

24/02/2018

It’s a great day for Hot Springs National Park. It is no longer the National Park least worthy of national park status. That honor now goes to Gateway Arch National Park. ** I do think Hot Springs should be part of the system just as a national historical site.

National Parks are meant to protect natural features that are worth of extra protection not a monument built in the 20th century. The name should b Gateway Arch National Historical Site.

Gateway Arch Experience Donald J. Trump

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/experience/america/national-parks/2018/02/23/jefferson-national-expansion-memorial-renamed-gateway-arch-national-park/367925002/

Say goodbye to the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, named for Thomas Jefferson before the arch was built.

11/02/2018

Kiruna, Sweden offers a wide range of hotels for a winter getaway. I got to spend a week at SPiS Hotel and Hostel and enjoy their amazingly warm comforters and the epic food at the SPiS restaurant. This hotel was a perfect base for my Swedish Lapland Adventure.

https://made-all-the-difference.com/spis-hotel-and-hostel/

I got to spend a week at SPiS Hotel and Hostel and enjoy their amazingly warm comforters and the epic food at the SPiS restaurant. This hotel was a perfect base for my Swedish Lapland Adventure.

07/02/2018

My thoughts are with the family who just lost a child.

It’s been two years since I did a winter hike on Angels Landing in Zion National Park. I made the decision to stop about 75% of the way to the top. I stopped because I looked at the trail conditions and decided they were to dangerous. About 30-40 people made the decision to keep hiking despite the danger (including the child abuser who did the last half mile with a 5 year old). I have always said that Angels has been my scariest hike in my life. That last mile is dangerous and I hate watching people who are inexperienced or going up with children. This trail isn’t a joke and isn’t for inexperienced hikers. Most of all it isn’t kid friendly.

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2018/02/06/angels-landing-trail-in-zion-national-park-is-closed-after-hiker-dies/

Angel’s Landing Trail is scheduled to be closed from 6 a.m. to noon Tuesday morning after the body of a hiker was discovered on Monday evening.

02/02/2018

It is hard to believe that it has been 3 years since my epic 3-week road winter road trip around Iceland. Iceland exceeded my expectations in every way possible.

https://made-all-the-difference.com/winter-iceland-plan/

A two and a half week on a winter road trip in Iceland. I had a 10 item bucket list and a rental car. I drove the road a step ahead of where I was.

01/02/2018

Looking for an Outdoor Adventure in 2018? Check out these 18 Oceanic Outdoor Adventures from 18 different travel bloggers. These adventures are from all over Oceanic from Australia to New Zealand to Tahiti. These adventures explore the great outdoors of Oceanic.

https://made-all-the-difference.com/18-oceanic-outdoor-adventures/

Looking for an Outdoor Adventure in 2018? Check out these 18 Oceanic Outdoor Adventures from all over the islands of Oceanic.

29/01/2018

How does some of the world's best hiking sound? Check out the 50 best hikes from A Walkaboot. I know my favorite place to hike is on the list

22/01/2018

Looking to head to Iceland? Here is an epic adventure list compiled by Journalist On The Run!

From glacier hiking to snowmobiling, admiring frozen waterfalls to swimming in the Blue Lagoon, here are 40 unique things to do in Iceland win Winter.

21/01/2018

There are many great reasons to learn to drive a manual transmission. Here are 5 epic reasons a traveler to learn.

Driving a Clutch or Manual Transmission is a dying art in the United States. Driving a clutch is a skill every traveler should have.

19/01/2018

Colorado is more than just hiking. It is a state full of hiking, national parks, and adventure. Here is a bucket list full of my favorites.

My ultimate Colorado Bucket List. A complete list of things I want to do while living in Colorado. I want to explore the entire state and have adventures.

18/01/2018

Etsy is the perfect place to find Valentine's Day gifts for the traveler in your life. This list features handmade items a range of prices from $5 to over $200. Each gift is perfect for the travel-obsessed person in your life.

https://made-all-the-difference.com/guide-etsy-valentines-day-gifts-traveler-life/

16/01/2018

Looking for an Outdoor Adventure in 2018? Check out these 18 African Outdoor Adventures from all over Morocco to South Africa from 18 amazing travel bloggers. Let's explore the African great outdoors.

Looking for an Outdoor Adventure in 2018? Check out these 18 African Outdoor Adventures from Morocco to South Africa. Let's explore the African outdoors.

15/01/2018

Given Starbucks is trying to get a foothold in our national park system. Check out how mass tourism is affecting destinations from around the world from Green Global Travel.

https://greenglobaltravel.com/how-mass-tourism-is-destroying-destinations

Developed in the latter half of the 19th century, mass tourism is defined by its cheap prices, package deals, and overwhelming popularity. Unfortunately, this type of travel is gradually destroying many of the destinations travelers love most. We examine what mass tourism is, why it's become so popu...

10/01/2018

Looking for an Outdoor Adventure in 2018? Check out these 18 South and Central America Outdoor Adventures from 18 different travel bloggers. These adventures are from all over South and Central America from Panama to Patagonia. These adventures explore the great outdoors of South and Central America.

Looking for an Outdoor Adventure in 2018? These 18 South and Central America Outdoor Adventures are from all over South and Central America from Panama to Patagonia.

08/01/2018

Yay, let’s add Starbucks cups to the list of trash I regularly pick up while hiking in US National Parks. While it is true that the current cafe in Yosemite National Park already sells coffee but most drink it there. Most people associate Starbucks with coffee to go. Which means they will take their cup of coffee out into the park and then that cup becomes littler or will cause the outdoor trash cans to overflow and not shut properly. Which can lead to wildlife issues with them eating human trash.

Please sign this Change.org petition to help protect our parks.

https://www.change.org/p/stop-starbucks-in-yosemite

Lattes and Half Dome have become a controversial topic.

07/01/2018

If you live in St. Louis, MO or know anyone who does, would you please share this with them.

Dear the person or people who broke into my car.

This is a plea for the return of several items that were stolen from my grey Nissan Versa on January 7, 2018 some time between 10 am and 1 pm from the parking lot at 1st and Lucas.

I am quite sure you are really happy with the stuff you stole from my car between the GoPro, computer and camera lenses. I hope you get good use of the items.

All I ask is, if you would return the passport, SD cards, the ID cards from the wallet and the set of bracelets that are in the backpack (the bracelets has small metal charms with country names on it). There are several SD cards in the camera bag and 1 SD card in the computer. (And if you are really nice, the green REI backpack, it has fond memories for me and lets face it. It is really rattie anyway).

Please turn these items in to the police of give to a store clerk/bus driver with the recommendation that they turn the items into the police. Just say you found a plastic bag (backpack) with them in it. Just drop it off anonymously and I will be forever grateful.

Or contact me ([email protected]) and I will provide you my mailing address. I am serious, I will not ask any questions.

Jennifer

07/01/2018

Live from the top of Gateway Arch

06/01/2018

Looking to see the northern lights? Swedish Lapland is one of the best places to see the lights in the world. Taking a Swedish Lapland Nothern Lights Tour is one of the best ways to view the lights. I took Scandinavian Photoadventures Northern Light Phototour and was treated to an amazing show.

Swedish Lapland is one of the best places to see the Northern Lights. Taking a Swedish Lapland Nothern Lights Tour is one of the best ways to view the lights.

04/01/2018

Looking for an Outdoor Adventure in 2018? Check out these 18 Asian Outdoor Adventures from 18 different travel bloggers. These adventures are from all over Asian from Oman to the Philippines to India.

https://made-all-the-difference.com/18-asia-outdoor-adventures/

Looking for an Outdoor Adventure in 2018? Check out these 18 Asian Outdoor Adventures from all over Asian from Oman to the Philippines to India.

03/01/2018

2017 was a great year for me and travel. I made a huge dent in my national park list and got to explore some amazing places. Check out my year in review.

2017 was a busy travel year for me. It didn't have a lot of international travel but I did spend most of the year exploring the United States and visiting my 49th state. I made epic progress on my national park quest and visited my 45th national park.

01/01/2018

Happy New Years from Ottawa!!!!

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