#the caving trail they booked while we were still at a museum (before we got lost in the forest) and when I said

[lovelyisadora]

so glad today is the last full day of road trip 1 because:

we got lost in a forest

we went caving and the lights went out when they weren’t supposed to and we had to navigate the rest of the way in the dark

the caving trail wasn’t very long but had over 700 stairs. for context I am disabled 🙃

[prettytoxicrevolver]

Finally | Corpse Husband

Requested? For once, yes! LMAO I hope you like it :)

Warnings? Nah

Summary: You and Corpse after being best friend's for years now finally break the distance

Word Count: 1,388

“Come on pick up pick up,” you whisper as you watch your phone ring over and over.

“Hello?” your best friend picks up and you grin widely.

“Corpse!!!” you yell and he flinches but smiles anyway.

“Guess where I am,” you continue.

“I don’t fucking know uh,”

“I’m at the car wash!!” you yell and turn your camera to show him you’re midway through the tunnel that washes your car.

“Okay?” he questions still uncertain as to why you insisted on calling him and telling him you were at the car wash.

“Remember I told you about the last time I was here,” you start, and realization washes over the older boy’s face.

“Oh my fucking god,” he groans and you laugh loudly. “You didn’t know how to put your car in neutral.”

“I figured it out this time!” you cheer loudly.

“I’m proud of you,” he says and you smile.

You realize you’re getting to the end of the tunnel and hold up one finger to Corpse, dropping your phone in the cup holder next to you. You put your car back into drive, cheering as you do so, and pull out of the cave-like building. You grab your phone as you start to exit, propping it up so you can see Corpse once more.

“And you even know how to put it in drive. My best friend is a fucking genius,” he says and you laugh.

“Shut the fuck up,” you joke.

As you drive, you tell Corpse about your day, happy to be seeing and talking to your best friend. You felt like you hadn’t talked to Corpse in ages, but really it had probably been two days since you last facetimed, and an hour since your last text exchange.

You and Corpse had been best friends for ages now, finding each other through the beauty of loving Machine Gun Kelly. You had fallen in love with the older rapper and his music just as Corpse was starting his youtube channel. You had been following numerous fan accounts and found Corpse’s with a decent following and a slowly building YouTube channel.

He had followed you back, and after a few interactions on the timeline and later in direct messages, you two never stopped talking. He trusted you with a face reveal, staking your life on the fact that you would never betray him like that.

Over the years you had only grown closer despite the distance between the two of you. Being across the world from each other sucked but it never really stopped the two of you. You had synced sleep schedules whether it was with you falling into California time or him falling into east coast time. You had tried your best to seem like you were closer than you actually were.

You both for a while were apprehensive to meet, and in general, were a bit too busy. You knew when you met you would want to spend the better part of a week or two together, finally enjoying each other’s company. You both made a million plans whenever you were on the phone, deciding that it was going to take you ages for you to get the things done you wanted to do at either your house or corpse’s.

You lay on the floor of your living room, your class had just ended and you were going to get up and get food but ended up on the carpet, trying to reach something. As you lay there, your phone rings, and you maneuver it out of your back pocket before swiping answer on the call.

Corpse’s face pops up and you smile wide at your best friend, it takes him a second, looking at your background before tilting his head in confusion.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

“I was trying to grab something on the ground and couldn’t reach it so I gave up,” you explain and you both end up cackling together.

“Anyways,” he says making you giggle. “I found out another thing we have to do together when you come here.”

“Wait let me get the list up,” you say switching apps to the note on your phone of the millions of activities that you and Corpse would complete when you would visit him one day in the future.

“We have to go to LACMA,” he says and you type it in the notes before switching back to facetime and giving your best friend a confused look.

“It’s an art museum I’ve always wanted to see. We can go and take pictures and be dramatic about the art,” he explains and you grin.

“Fuck yeah I love it,” you say.

Silence washes over the two of you, both of you having the exact same thought at the same time, thousands of miles away. Why couldn’t you two just be near each other? Your eyes try not to trail to each other, knowing any words might break the other.

“Hey,” he finally says and you look up at your phone again. “Come visit me.”

“Corpse,” you say and he shakes his head, defiance in his voice.

“Visit me. I’m sick of this distance. I miss you and I wanna meet you and hug you and complete the list we’ve been working on for years. Come on,” he says and every word has you more motivated than the one before.

“Are you serious?”

“Deadly. It’s time. Come visit me.”

You and Corpse had started planning the minute you had hung up the phone that night. How long you would stay, getting your time off work, buying the plane tickets, everything. You grew more and more excited as each part of the plan was solidified.

You had only a few days left till you got to see your best friend and your nerves were now at an all-time high. You sat in your room, double-checking that you packed everything and packed it perfectly. Your phone rings, your set ringtone for Corpse playing and you dive onto your bed as you answer it.

“Please tell me you’re not checking your suitcase again,” he says and you smile.

“I’m nervous okay, don’t tell me you’re not nervous,” you respond.

“I’m terrified. What if you’re secretly a murderer that has lured me into complacency after all these years?”

“Ooh that would be a good story,” you say and you both end up laughing.

“See you tomorrow,” he says after a bit.

“I’ll be there.”

Your excitement courses through you the entire ride to the airport, during the plane ride, and skyrockets when you step foot in LAX. You were a wreck, not being able to stop moving as you grabbed your backpack and carry on and bouncing nervously in the middle of the plane, wanting to run out as soon as possible.

You text Corpse, telling him you made it off the plane and he tells you that he’s at baggage claim. It hits you like a ton of bricks, that your best friend was in the same building as you, and that you’d finally be with him after all this time. You’re practically running through the airport, finding the correct escalator, and making your way down.

As the escalator moves slowly down you look around anxiously and there you spot him. Corpse stands not too far from the escalators, a beautiful bouquet of flowers in hand and a messily written but absolutely adorable sign with your name on it. You’re beaming so hard your face hurts and as if he can feel your gaze his eyes lock with yours.

His smile reflects yours, and without thinking, you book it down the escalator. You drop your things, your brain focused on Corpse and getting to him. Corpse drops his stuff too, running to meet you and a laugh escapes you, just as you crash into each other.

Your arms wrap around his shoulders, his grabbing around your waist and you both teeter back and forth in the hug. Part of you wants to pull back, look him in the face and finally see him but nothing, nothing could pull you from his touch. You press your face into his neck, your heart pounding as you breathe in the scent of his cologne, and smile wide.

“Finally,” he whispers into your hair and you giggle.

[jq37]

The Report Card – Fantasy High: The Seven Ep 3

Let’s Split Up and Look for Clues! 

Welcome back to the Seven and the Museum of Adventuring. My previous pronouncement of combat was a little premature but hold tight, we’ll get there. For now, we’re back with Antiope who just saw a glimpse of the Ending of Things (aka, Ending) and is freaking out a bit. She tells the others and they all do various checks to see what they can find out.

Ostentatia casts Commune With City and clocks that there is some kind of abjuration shield magic on the government buildings in town, stopping them from being spied on. She also clocks some lingering undead-ish magic and a weird divination effect on Antiope, specifically on the Aguefort logo of her jacket, like someone scryed on her and just got that she had something to do with Aguefort. At this, Penny reminds her that the only true piece of info they gave Ending when they broke her out is that they were from Aguefort.

Sam with a 19 Insight still feels the connection she and Ant have with Ending because of their spells turned against them in the initial encounter. Yelle does a Perception check (27) and once again doesn’t really get bad, dreadful, menacing vibes. But also, she recognizes that she’s chill with a lot of things most people don’t love. 

Antiope reiterates that she texted Charity that she’s interested in the internship so she can learn more info--even better now that they know the buildings are safe from scrying. Yelle remembers Aguefort’s warning about people watching them and Sam asks Zelda if her “weird boyfriend” (“he’s actually really cool”) is friends with the elven oracle. Zelda says yeah, they’re both friends with Adaine, she can ask about any weird divination stuff. Sam makes sure to specify she should look into TK but NOT Ending, no doubt remembering what happened when she tried to do a spell on her. 

It’s been a big day as Zelda says so they all go to the TGIF-esque Slappy McFinnigans to celebrate (which Sam has problems with--the fact that they’re celebrating I mean, but she’s mainly ignored). They’re quickly kicked out because Katja can’t help herself from trying to brush the mane of their centaur server and they reconvene at the more their speed SlamBurger, where a horse can fully destroy a soda machine to absolutely zero reaction.  Zelda says that Ostentatia was right in that they should all do the quest because it doesn’t close any doors and they have the 2 weeks to figure things out. They all seem a bit more on the same page (though Sam is still pretty frosty towards Ant) and start making plans.

Before they leave, Yelle pulls aside Ant and Sam and says hey, first of all, you two are still linked to Ending from before. Second of all, I know y’all are Going Through It right now and you don’t have to talk about it or make up right away but you need to get your heads in the game and you need to know that you’re both loved and still family. 

Penny, Zelda, Katja, and Ostentatia go back to the museum to try and get more information for their quest. Katja goes to the information desk (horse in tow, of course) and just starts asking information about TK. She’s told that she’s one of the museum’s benefactors and has been missing for years, and hey, do you understand that a museum’s info desk is about where the water fountains and exhibits are, not just random information about the world?

Ostentatia bails her out by calling her over so she can do her plan which is just to walk into the back area like she owns the place. Now, Aguefort students do have a certain level of clearance to be back there and she does have her school ID. But instead of explaining that, she tried to use her Earrings of Diamond Charm to charm the employee she runs into which fails. And then she does a pretty good tag-team lie with Katja about how they NEED to pass a class but that doesn’t fly. Then Ostentatia tries flirting which ALSO doesn’t work. Zelda at this point steps in and just headbuts the dude so they can book it away. I personally would have gone with, “Do you know who we are? We killed the dragon that’s your current main exhibit,” but you know. No backseat adventuring. 

While this is happening, Penny is stealthing like a pro, looking for anything Arcana related. Ostentatia and Katja also did checks (O getting a nat 20) and we’ll go through all their info gathered now. 

Katja basically gets info on TK we kind of already knew. She was a benefactor of the museum. She’s centuries old like Aguefort. She was concerned with consciousness and divinity and specifically how will and divine will manifested, as well as elemental magic.  

Ostentatia gets a lot of info with her Nat 20. She gets a full map to the temple where TK went which is called the Temple of Earth Defiant. The point of the temple is that it’s up in the open air and harsh winds--wind being a symbol of chaos and unpredictability to dwarves--but they still use it as a place to honor their heroes and they rebuild and upkeep it despite the erosion and how hard it is to get there. It’s hallowed from evil and lots of stories about it involve heroes racing there for sanctuary. It was made by dwarves but it’s a pilgrimage site for other primordial beings like goliaths and earth genasi (which is what TK is). There are 3 heroes who have big statues here: Asha Hammerheart (a SUPER dope name I must say), Yvonna of the Sundering Hills , and Kora Ironbrow.

Penny finds that, amongst Kalvaxus’s hoard there were 7 unrecovered artifacts--the Mirrors of the Eidolons (which are the smashed mirrors they found it seems). Eidelons are kind of like the elemental plane version of angels/celestials. They’re primordial (remember Katja saw primordial language on the wall of the dragon cave) and kind of aligned with things like titans and genies. Raw element with no agenda (unlike celestials and demons and such which have a clear alignment which makes up the D&D religious system). It is said by wizards--who look at these things in more of a nuts and bolts way than say clerics who take the fuzzier religions view--that Eidolons are the hands of the gods because gods are beings of spirit--how could they form the physical world. Will of the divine manifested by elemental beings? Sounds right up TK’s alley.

Sam decides she’s desperate enough for information that she calls her mom who she is understandably snippy with. Her mom gives her a contact to talk to when she asks about TK but Sam stonewalls her on show business talk. She tries to play the “mother knows best, you’ll thank me later,” in a kind of Gothel-y way while acting like anything in the past never happened and says Sam is attacking her but when Sam accuses her of neglect, she proves her right by hanging up the phone.

Sam then calls the number and it turns out to be Lola Embers (Fig’s agent) who has been waiting for Sam’s call for ages and wants to talk to her, even though she’s currently chasing her dog across the park. She says she met TK once at a genasi woman networking thing and also says she once saw Charity get into an argument with TK over government funding or not getting a grant or something similar. She then says she’s in a lake trying to get her dog and Sam, being a water genasi who can breathe underwater and also a fundamentally good person even though she’s currently being aggro as hell, goes to the park to help her. Lola assures her that if she’s ready, she’ll help her get new acting gigs and that the world is ready for the new her. 

Yelle meanwhile casts Speak With Plants on some trees near TK’s office and, after a super stoner to stoner conversation, gets a magical footprint trail of where she ran off to when she absconded 12 years ago. 

Antiope (who is in a sports bra because she destroyed her top with the Aguefort logo since that’s what was pinged, revealing in a wild, nat-1 fueled retcon that she got a tramp stamp reading “Leader” in the Red Waste) goes to see Charity to fill out some paperwork, ingratiate herself, and perhaps get some info. Charity has her hot, young, assistant (who Antiope is instantly crushing on) give Ant his shirt (and Charity’s lack of surprise at seeing his 4 horses pulling a chariot tattoo makes the group think they’re def banging). She kind of explains what the Ministry does and Antiope boils it down a bit to snitching on other adventurers. Charity says it’s more of a who watches the watchmen situation and visibly twitches when she has to say the word “snitch”. 

When she takes a second to call Antiope’s dad, she accidentally leaves a tab open on her computer which has TK’s file open (probably up from when the Maidens asked about her earlier). Antiope sneaks a peek and learns that the artifact that TK stole is called the Legendarium Extrodia and it tracks quests. It seems that at some point TK must have had top level access to get her hands on it. It also shows that TK was marked for assassination (which seems like a pretty good reason to get the heck out of dodge). Brennan also says she’s learned enough that she can use the L.E. if she finds it. 

At this point, Yelle tells everyone to come back ASAP so they can follow the magic footsteps. Antiope wants to come but doesn’t want to burn bridges with Charity (or chances with Preston--equally important) so she, at Katja’s suggestion--pretends to have diarrhea and is Nat 20 convincing. Interesting choice for the end of the first meeting with a person you’re crushing on. But Preston is actually pretty supportive as she races out the door as fast as possible.

The Seven follow the footsteps out of Solace and it becomes clear that TK was headed to the dwarven temple Ostentatia learned about. This is a multi-day journey so Cinnamon sings a glorious, magical, horse song and summons mounts for everyone which I will now name because this is obviously the most important part of the episode:

Snowfire - Danielle

Taffodill - Sam

Alagonia - Antiope

Candyheart - Penny

Starforge - Ostentatia 

Strawberry Dancer - Zelda 

Crucial info. 

As they travel, Antiope casts Primeval Awareness and gets that there is something ancient in the mountain. They travel through Pilgrim’s Pass (a village area most travelers to the temple pass through) but find it completely razed to the ground. They investigate. 

With an 18 Survival check, Antiope finds tracks that seem halfway between dog and cat. There are more than 4 legs and it’s hard to tell how old they are because there’s not a lot of rain in the area. They could have been left long ago and been undisturbed. Regardless, these are clearly from monstrosities. On a 26 History Check, Katja knows that this area used to be protected by Blink Dogs (teleporting dogs) but they seem to be all gone now. On a 22 Nature check, Yelle sees a weird feather made out of plant material. It seems like fae stuff but bad vibes. On an 18 Insight check, Sam knows this was a purposeful slaughter.

And on Penny’s 30 Arcana check, oh boy. Penny finds broken common scrawled on the wall in human blood talking about a queen of the mountain who rules the skies. That only the queen may see and none may see themselves. And that the people were told to destroy the seeing glass and did not obey. In from of that message is a bear hide covering something magic. Penny lifts it with reckless abandon and sees tons of mirror shards.

Friendship bracelets! She thinks.

Gotcha bitch, the thing in the mirror says.

Uh-oh.   

Penny calls over her friends to let them knows she may have made a tiny mistake. The group is pretty split between, “Understandable,” and “Girl, WHAT?” In her defense, she did try to cast Friends on the person on the other side of the mirror shards but that’s not enough to stop an entire pack of 50-60 Displacer Beast (magic tentacle cats)/Blink Dog hybrid monstrosities along with the Harpy Queen (voice from the mirror) and her plant feathered harpy minions to start rapidly making their way to their location. 

It is at this point that Ostentatia remembers that abominations and monstrosities cannot step into the temple which means it’s time to RUN. 

And NOW it’s combat time. 

The premise of this fight is that the girls are on their horses, moving towards the center of the temple as fast as they can while fending off the closest enemies. I won’t give an exact play by play but the two highlights are as follows:

Yelle conjures up a bunch of geese with raptor stats (...so normal geese) to swarm the head cat/dog abomination and has to do a truly stunning amount of math for which she is rewarded with SEVENTY POINTS OF DAMAGE. 

Antiope does some insane arrow trickery and gets the Queen Harpy in the wing (which Ostentatia helpfully gets on video so she can show Preston later) and then forces her to take damage as she falls. If not for an extremely lucky Box of Doom nat 20, she may have been down for the count. Antiope still comes away with more than FIFTY points of damage on her though. 

And we end the episode mid-combat! We will catch up on our girls next time!

Superlatives 

Penny: Most Likely to Make Friends During a Hostage Situation 

As a companion to Danielle’s superlative last episode, Penny gets this award for reading or misreading every situation as an opportunity to make friends or make friendship bracelets for the ones she already has. 

Random Thoughts

Did you guys notice that with Katja having Cinnamon and Charity’s assistant being Preston, that’s two of the main pet NPCs from A Crown of Candy?

Antiope’s Reaction to Yelle Saying That Maybe Things Ending Isn’t So Bad: Rail against the dying of the light! Why are you OK with this?

Penny’s Reaction to Yelle Saying That Maybe Things Ending Isn’t So Bad: Entropy is TERRIBLE! Everything needs order!

The greasy cashier’s response to Ostentatia’s flirty, “Come here often?” is “To my job? Honestly no.” Brennan? Chef’s kiss. 

My other fave line this episode is from Sam. “I believe Cinnamon fucks.”

It’s very cute that Penny is like, “I gotta text Riz about this Eidelon stuff!” Not because she wants help. Just so they can geek out together. 

The joke that Brennan didn’t think about the birds is so funny considering all the bird facts in Misfits.

Also re Birds attacking: “They made a movie about this Brennan!” 

Good on Ant for refusing an Aguefort sweatshirt from Charity when offered after the little scrying incident before. Remembering things like this saves lives. 

It has been brought up several times that Ending isn’t necessarily Bad just Ancient and Powerful and I trust Yelle’s vibe check but also, like, a forest fire doesn’t have malice behind it but it can still devastate a city while it clears out dead trees that need to be cleared, you know? Not ready to start wild speculation yet but I am curious. And am similarly curious about the sisters Ending has mentioned. Oh and the parallels of 7 Maidens, 7 mirrors. It’s all there, we just need a little more info. 

Honestly, get you a man who will see you rushing out of a building, loudly claiming to have diarrhea, and instead of being grosses out will just supportively confess his own stomach issues. I wish he was just a little younger cause I want that for Ant. 

I do like that D20 has been playing a little more fast and loose with the RP ep/combat ep format. I think it really helps with story flow. 

In this episode Antiope and Brennan as various non-Zelda NPCs rolled 2 Nat 20s. O rolled one. Ant rolled 1 Nat 1--which was on a self imposed roll to see how she responded to Sephie’s tramp stamp improv. And O may have rolled one for initiative also but I wasn’t sure. 

[rainy-day-gracie]

Falling

hey hey hey !!

this was a Spencer Reid request for Reader to have some kind of past trauma so she pushes Spencer away despite having feelings for him. On a bombing case, she opens up to him.

9/11 disussion, if you are ever in New York city I highly recommend visiting the 9/11 museum. Has lots of artifacts and letters sent from the terrorists, very moving. I visited last summer and was almost in tears.

Fluff and angst, the usual

MASTERLIST

__

“Can you catch it?” I laughed as I threw kernels of popcorn at Reid, him failing at catching them in his mouth. 

“That was definitely your fault, it wasn’t even close,” Reid complained jokingly. I just shrugged, popping a kernel into my mouth and ignoring the way my heart beat when he smiled. 

Nope, my heart is not open for business, I told myself. 

As we were lost in our chuckles, the team and I almost didn’t notice Hotch run from his office to Rossi’s and then down the stairs. 

“Wheels up in 10. We’ll brief on the jet.”

I looked to Reid with furrowed eyebrows. “That’s not good.”

His eyes followed Hotch, who was already headed to the elevators. “No, it is not.”

__

“A bomb just went off in the Forest Brush Elementary school in South Carolina an hour ago. Right now, body count is 24, the number of injuries rising.” Hotch gave us the news with heavy eyes, and the plane was silent. 

“Location is definitely intentional, the unsub probably had a rocky childhood,” I said, not totally sure of what I was saying. Reid noticed my unfocused eyes, but he didn’t say anything. 

Glass windows and foundation shattering. 

“Where was the bomb planted in the school?” Morgan asked Hotch. 

“The unsub didn’t plant it. He kept the bomb in his car and drove it into the school cafeteria before detonating it with a remote. They still haven’t identified the bomber yet.” Hotch said without looking up from his flies. I fought to listen to what they were saying, instead of getting lost in the memories.  

Screams of terror and overwhelming smell of smoke.

“YLN?” A hand nudged my arm gently, and I flinched at the movement. My eyes met Reid’s, and he gave me a questioning look. 

“I’m fine… I just wanna find out who did this.” Reid didn’t buy it, but he didn’t press. 

“Alright, everyone needs to dive into their assignments as soon as we touch ground. Morgan, Prentiss, JJ, Rossi go to the elementary school and help with search and rescue. If there’s any witnesses at all, get them medical help and then do an interview. Reid, YLN and I will go to the police station to meet with families, examine blueprints of the school, and contact the press.” Hotch looked to me, and I shot him a grateful look. The press I can handle. __

After an hour at the police station, I was already exhausted. “The press want a statement from the principal, apparently he ran into the school continuously to save as many kids as he could.”

Reid raised his eyebrows. “Wow, that is really brave. Has the team interviewed him yet?”

I shook my head. “No, he’s still being checked out by medics. I just don’t understand how the press can’t just let the witnesses alone, let them deal with their trauma without a camera shoved in their face.” My words came out bitterly, and Reid noticed. 

“Hey, what’s going on with you? Is everything okay?” For some reason his words only made me angry.

“No, everything is not okay. 24 kids and teachers are dead.” I glared up at him before storming away. 

He caught my arm before I could get far. “YFN... did something happen to you?”

My anger melted away as quickly as it had come, and I pulled on his tie. “Come on,” I said simply, leading us into an empty room. My breath started to come more quickly, and I shut the door fast behind us.

Reid looked at me with kind eyes, and my heart did jumping jacks. “What happened to you? You’ve been different on this case, I’ve never seen you like this.”

I closed my eyes, leaning back against the closed door. “United Airlines, Flight 175.”

His expression changed immediately. “You... were in New York?”

“On September 11th, 2001, I was a 20 year old intern, working in the North Tower of the Global Trade center. I lost a part of myself that day, and that was the day that made me want to join the FBI. To fight people that prey on the innocent.” I gulped, tears biting the edges of my eyes and memories flooding my vision. “When the tower collapsed, I could feel the rubble pressing down on my chest. I should’ve died, but I was coming back from getting coffee so I wasn’t high up when the plane hit.”

Reid tried to pull me into a hug, but I pushed him away. His eyes turned from sympathetic to sad. “I’m sorry, I just-”

“No, it’s not you, I promise. I just don’t...” If I hugged him, my heart wouldn’t be able to keep from falling. Like the towers on that fateful day. “I was engaged to my high school sweetheart... he was going to surprise me with breakfast since I was in a rush that morning, and he was waiting for me when...”

Tears streamed down my face, and when Reid pulled me into a hug, I didn’t resist him this time. “Is that why you push me away?” He whispered into my hair. 

“Yes.”

Both of our phones buzzed, snapping us out of our daze. 

Hotch had sent a text to the team group chat. Need press conference, as many cameras as possible. 

I looked at Reid, having a newfound gratitude for him. “Thanks... for being worried about me.”

He gave a small smile. “I’ll always worry about you. That’s just the way it is.” __

“Earlier today, 29 year old Charlie Calloway drove a black Jeep Cherokee into Forest Brush Elementary, killing 24 people and injuring many more.” I kept my chin high, looking into each and every camera surrounding me. “The FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit is currently working the case around the clock, not resting until we have completed our investigation. With the help of the Charleston Field Office, we have set up a tip line for anyone with information regarding the explosion.” Keep talking, give enough time for the tip line to buzz. “We are here to ensure that nothing like this happens again.”

I rambled for another 10 minutes before Reid from across the room gave me a thumbs up. “Thank you for your time. No questions will be answered for now.”

The team was circling a phone held by Rossi when I reentered the police station. “The unsub called. He had a partner.” Reid murmured in my ear. “The press conference drew him out.”

Rossi glanced briefly at me before turning his attention back to the phone. “What is your goal?” Rossi asked, and there was a brief pause before he spoke again. “Revenge is the oldest motive in the book-” Rossi was cut off, and his gaze landed on me again. “He wants to talk to YFN.”

My heart seemed to beat slowly, too slow. “Um, uh, yeah. Yeah, I’ll talk to him.”

Rossi handed me the phone, quickly talking me through what to do. “Don’t call him a coward, it would set him off on a rampage. Play into his fantasy, act afraid.”

“I am afraid.”

“So show him that. He sees women as lesser, that’s why he got so enraged when he saw you on TV. If we can get him to underestimate you, he’ll slip up and give something away.” Rossi gave me the phone, and Spencer’s warm fingers slipped into my free hand. 

“Who am I speaking to?” I asked, trying not to hyperventilate. 

Police sirens and my eyes stinging with dust. 

“What gave you the right to lie to those reporters?” 

“What do you mean?” My voice shook slightly, and I didn’t try to hide it. 

“‘We are here to ensure that nothing like this happens again,’“ he said in a mocking tone. His voice was slightly out of breath, like he was moving, and the sound of cars said he was on a city street.

“Just doing my job, sir,” I said, squeezing Reid’s hand. 

“Oh yeah? Well so am I.” His voice was on the phone, but it was also close. I looked across the field office at a young man giving me a sick smile. He had on a thick trench coat, and in an instant, he unclenched a fist I didn’t even see. 

The blast seemed to happen in slow motion. The entire team got blown across the office, along with every single law enforcement officer on the first floor. 

My vision went black, and I woke up on a stretcher outside what was left of the building. My head pounded worse than anything I had ever experienced, but I lifted it enough to see the scene with blurry vision. Endless ambulances and police cars, a massive sea of onlookers barely being held back by officers, and my whole team scattered around by different paramedics. 

Except Reid. 

“Reid?” I called out, getting to my feet and stumbling around the pavement. A mass of curly brown hair collapsed on the ground caught my eye from inside the building, flames and rubble surrounding him. “Reid!”

Paramedics tried holding me back from the scene, but somehow I was able to slip out of their grip while running towards the caved in building. 

Dust fell in my eyes and the ceiling creaked, letting me know in my hazy state of mind that the building was about to collapse on top of us. I got to Spencer, who was groaning and crawling as best he could. 

“Hey, hey, Reid, c’mon, time to go,” I hooked my arms around his stomach, lifting him to his knees and unsteadily to his feet. 

“YFN...” he mumbled, his brown eyes becoming focused on my face. Spencer snapped out of his daze. “Time to go.”

We ran out as soon as the ceiling caved in, and the burst of adrenaline wore off instantly. Spencer and I collapsed on the pavement, our chests heaving. 

“YFN... you saved my life.” Spencer looked over at me as paramedics raced toward us. 

“Of course,” I said breathlessly. “I love you.”

“What?” His face was lost in a swarm of paramedics, and I smiled to myself. 

Late that night, we were all silent on the jet ride back. It was concluded that the bombings were over, and everyone wanted to go home anyway. 

I was half asleep in my seat when Spencer sat lazily next to me, neither of us saying anything. 

Spencer was the one who spoke first.

“You are the bravest person I’ve ever met. For you go through what you’ve gone through and still run into collapsing building to save a friend...” 

He trailed off for a moment, probably considering the word ‘friend’. Are we really just friends at this point, after everything we’ve gone through? “I know that you push me away because of what happened to your fiance’, but you can’t keep yourself away from happiness out of fear something might happen to me.” He laced his fingers through mine gently. “I love you, and I’ll wait for when you’re ready. I just want you to be happy.”

A soft smile came to my lips, and I looked over at him next to me. “I love you too, Spencer. But you already know that.”

Spencer chuckled, and I drifted off to sleep on his shoulder. The sound of glass shattering and the smell of smoke left my brain for the first time since that fateful day in New York. 

Spencer lightly pressed a kiss to my forehead, and I fell asleep with a small smile still on my lips. 

TAG LIST:  @squirrellover1967 @yomama-umbridge @tiktokslut @ sknnymnne @pinkdiamond1016 @vixengustin88

[lamiasluck]

Freebird

(This was a fun story from start to finish! Thanks for sticking around til the end!)

Summary: Illinois is finally out of jail! Immediately, he's eager to start adventuring again, and this time he's accompanied by a new adventuring partner. Yancy isn't sure what to expect out of this endeavour, but he's along for the ride.

Characters: Yancy & Illinois

Words: 4349 

Read on AO3!

Chapter One  Chapter Two

-

The day was beautiful. Birds sang their songs with reckless abandon, the sun shone brightly…

And Illinois was housing an established criminal.

Yet, he has never slept better. Waking up in his bed was a dream come true. Putting on basic comfy clothes felt like heaven. There was a pep to his step as he got ready for the day. He was always a morning person, but he never had more energy than today.

In the guest room, Yancy slowly got up and stretched. Clad in a baggy shirt and sweatpants Illinois let him borrow. Prison made him a morning person too, because of routine. However, he had a rough night in the new environment. Even if the bed was something he’d call “one of ‘em fancy, soft beds,'' he had a rocky night. He blamed it on homesickness. The door cracked open and he saw Illinois.

“Oh, you’re up early,” Illinois said. “Sleep well?”

“Yeah, s’alright I guess,” he replied through a yawn.

“Must be weird, huh?” Illinois read his mind like a book. “I’m gonna make us breakfast. You can stay here if you want.”

Yacny swung his legs out of the bed. “Nah, nah, I’m already up. What youse gonna make?”

“Whatever didn’t spoil.” He shrugged. Being away for more than a month must’ve been hell for for his food supply.

When he got to the kitchen he tried to see what he could cook. There weren’t many options, but he could figure something out. “You alright with bacon and eggs?” He asked as Yancy trailed after him.

“I’ll eat anything. Just make it edible.” Yancy sat down by the kitchen aisles and watched Illinois cook. The kitchen was big, everything was. Illinois lived in a fancy house in the middle of nowhere. A house that could only be brought with the riches he collected during his adventures. Awfully big for one person, some might say, but he was out so often he barely noticed.

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that. I’m a natural cook,” he flaunted. “It’ll be better than what they gave us in prison. Anything’s better than that slob…”

“Watch ya mouth,” Yancy warned. “Youse were there for a month, barely got the experience.”

“I think I’ll pass…”

“I didn’t even see ya in solitary.” Yancy shivered at the thought of the punishment. “Would’ve been funny to see a freebird all caged up,” he snickered.

Illinois flicked water at the other. “I already regret bringing you.”

“That’s rude! And ‘ere I thought we’s bonded… let bygones be bygones!”

“Well, I guess that’s true,” Illinois hummed. “I’d much rather hit on you than hit you~” He looked at Yancy briefly to shoot him a wink.

“I - wha…?” Yancy stuttered, staring wide eyed at Illinois as he cooked. Suddenly his throat felt dry and he couldn’t find anything to respond with. After a few moments, Illinois laughed and broke the silence.

“Oh, the jailbird can stop singing? Glad to know.”

“You asshole!” Yancy snapped. Masking his bashfulness with an exaggerated pout, he cast his eyes downward. “Just… what the hell are we’s gonna do anyways? Youse wanted to adventure, yeah?”

“We’ll get to that don’t you worry.” The pan sizzled as Illinois put in the bacon. A knowing smile made its way to his face as he heard the panic in Yancy’s voice. “We’ll enjoy breakfast, then get ready to set off.” He glanced over at him again. “You should wear something different. You can borrow something else from my closet.”

“What’s wrong with my regular clothes?”

“They’re prison clothes. If police come by, we’ll get arrested again,” Illinois sighed. “Just go to my closet, you look about my size anyways. Play dress up and I’ll finish this.” Just for fun, and because he was a little shit, he looked at Yancy again and gave him another wink. “Pick out something pretty~”

“Sh-Shut up!” Yancy stuttered, pushing himself away from the counter and storming off.

Like the rest of the house, Illinois’ closet was fairly big. Lots of the clothes looked practical for adventuring, some were for fancy occasions. As Yancy browsed through the selections, he found an outfit that made him audibly gasp. He didn’t care if it wasn’t the most practical, he needed to wear this one. He looked at himself in the mirror, smoothing out the jacket before making his way back to the kitchen.

“Ay, freebird!” he called out. “Why do youse have this?”

Illinois turned to look at him, blatantly checking him out with an up and down look. He picked out a leather jacket, white shirt, and black pants. “You know, I was expecting you to pick that.”

“Youse didn’t answer my question.”

“I had to ride with a biker gang for one of my missions. The jacket costs a lot so I kept it,” Illinois explained. “You don’t look half bad in it.”

“Damn right,” Yancy boasted. “Haven’t wore something like this in forever. Youse got good taste, I bet I look better than youse in this, though.”

“Well, it’s not really my style.” He plated the food while Yancy sat down again. “I do look good in everything, of course.” His usual outfit worked well for him, in a practical sense and a social sense. Yancy eagerly took the plate of food as he sat down himself. “Bon appetit.”

“So,” Yancy started, talking through mouthfuls of food, “can youse tell me where we goin’ now?”

“With pleasure.”

-

The day was still young when they reached their destination. Not like they could tell, because they had travelled to a cave. Ancient carvings decorated the walls, depicting rituals and unknown cultures.

Yancy let out a low whistle as he looked around. “Ain’t this something?”

“Better than any museum,” Illinois hummed. He lead the charge deeper into the cave, analyzing his surroundings with a careful eye. “Just like how I remember it. Glad to see those brutes that took me away didn’t mess with anything.”

“Yeah, theys only messed wit’ youse,” Yancy laughed. The idea of Illinois being taken away by police amused him greatly. He wished he was there to see it. Now that would have been an adventure.

At first, their path seemed like a straightforward cakewalk. Yancy was about to say how bored he was before Illinois stuck out his arm to stop him.

“Now, for this next part,” Illinois reached in his bag and pulled out a blindfold, “I’m gonna need you to wear this.”

Yancy stared deadpan. “You’re fucking wit’ me, yeah? Youse seriously want pay back for that?”

The blindfold was already being wrapped around his head, he didn’t protest. “Yes and no,” Illinois answered, a smug smile no doubtedly plastered on his face. “You’ve never done this before since you’re always all cooped up, jailbird. So it’s up to me to make sure you stay safe.”

“Youse not gonna kill me?”

“I’d never.” He placed his hands on Yancy’s shoulders and lead him further into the cave. “Just follow my lead.”

The next part of the cave was dangerous. Traps galore. Any wrong move and it’d be game over. Any bit of panic and Illinois would have to bring Yancy back to the jail in a body bag. As much as he disliked the guy ---could he even say that anymore?--- he didn’t deserve a gruesome end. Ignorance was bliss, in this case. Yancy would be better off not knowing what death traps he was walking through.

“I’m going to need you to calm down, okay? Don’t hesitate from this pace. Free your mind from any panic.”

“Youse sound like a motivational speaker,” Yancy snickered. As they continued walking, a spike trap lunged forward just a few inches shy from his chest. “What was that?”

“Nothing, nothing, don’t worry about it.” It wasn’t quiet anymore. The sounds of metal grinding against rock echoed throughout the walls. Arrows sliced through the air inches behind them. Illinois felt Yancy falter at the sounds.

“Illinois… what’s going on?” He didn’t outright stop their pace, but he resisted slightly against Illinois’ push.

A harder push forward made Yancy narrowly miss another spike trap. Illinois’ eyes widen. “I need you to trust me, Yancy. Follow my pace.” His voice was stern, yet calm. An axe appeared from the walls, barely grazing his arm in a single swing. “Think of something else. Distract your mind and let me handle everything.”

Yancy gave a short nod. A soft hum then began to juxtapose the harsh weaponry. He began to hum a familiar tune that everyone in the prison heard at least once.

“I don’t wanna be free~” Yancy started, singing much softer than usual, but who could blame him.

Illinois smiled. Already he felt Yancy loosen up as they continued their walk. “Leave me in luxury~” he continued, voice stronger but unpracticed. The song went against all his values, but damn was it catchy.

By the time they reached the end of the song, they were homefree. Illinois untied the blindfold and gave Yancy a pat on the shoulder.

“Good job, jailbird! You’re a natural,” he praised. Not a single scratch on Yancy and only a little cut on his arm. Could’ve been a perfect run, but not bad.

Yancy blinked once he could see again. He looked back at where they were and paled. “What the fuck?!” He looked back at Illinois with frantic eyes. “We walked through that?!”

“See? This is why you needed the blindfold!”

“How the fuck am I alive?!”

Yancy was only met with a chuckle from the other. Illinois grabbed his arm and began to walk again. “Enough about that! We’re only getting started,” he mused, clearly enjoying his reaction.

“Oh, I’m gonna die, aren’t I?” Yancy asked, breathless. In his disbelieved daze he followed obediently.

“I promised you that I’ll return you safe and sound, didn’t I? I’m not one to break a promise.” While his tone was playful, there was sincerity in his words. Yancy gave another silent nod and they continued further into the cave.

Eventually they stood before a huge chasm blocking their path. Illinois went over to a pile of nearby rocks and rummaged through them, pulling out an odd statue from the rumble.

“This is where I got caught,” he said. “My mission was to return this artifact,” he pointed to the statue, brushing away the dirt, “It’s a wonder how those brutes managed to find me, but I bet someone ratted me out.”

Yancy listened while staring down at the dark abyss. He threw a rock into it. He didn’t hear it hit the bottom.  

“How did they make it through… that?” He gestured towards the death hallway they strolled through.

“Oh, they barely made it. They sent a whole team after me, only two made it out. Gave me enough time to hide the artifact, but not enough time to figure this out,” he explained, gesturing to the chasm.

Yancy shivered when he looked back at the dark abyss. There was no way in hell they could jump over it, so they would have to scale the rocky walls. Surprisingly, Yancy found a path fairly quickly. He recalled scaling a wall like this when escaping the prison.

“1, 2, 3… 1, 2, 3… 1, 2, 3, 4…”

Illinois watched in awe as Yancy got to work. He repeated the mantra quietly as he fearlessly scaled the wall, never faltering once. In no time, he was on the other side.

There was a shine to his eyes as Yancy bounced on the balls of his feet. Probably adrenaline in technical terms, but Illinois always referred to it as “the spark of adventure”. Illinois hooked his thumbs on the loops of his belt, trying to remember the exact steps Yancy took.

“That was easy!” Yancy exclaimed. “Should be alright for youse, yeah? If you can survive all that then you can do this.”

“Yeah…” Illinois swallowed harshly. “Yeah, I’ll be fine,” he reassured himself, putting the artifact in his bag. The elegance Yancy had scaling the wall was nowhere near present in Illinois’ recreation. Nearly every thought in his head was a version of how the hell did he do that? but he tried his best to repeat the mantra Yancy created.

For a minute, everything seemed fine and he was nearly done. Yancy stood close near the edge, carefully watching his footing. Then a rock broke loose under his feet.

“Shit-!” Illinois yelped as he slipped. He didn’t react fast enough to regain his composure, but Yancy reacted fast enough to grab his arm and pull him to stable ground. Yancy pulled him close to his chest with a death grip on his wrist. Much better than death at the bottom of the chasm.

“Youse alright?” Yancy asked, voice laced with concern and fear.

Illinois gave a short nod in return. “I’m alright now.” The two backed away from the edge and regained their breath. “Thanks for saving me. Told you a partner would come in handy for this.”

“To make sure your dumbass doesn’t die, sure.” The both of them laughed, airy with disbelief. At least the rest of their path was peaceful. Great for calming down after nearly dying and watching someone nearly die.

From his bag, Illinois pulled out the artifact again to examine. Yancy grabbed it from his hands before he could realize.

“What’s this thing anyways?” The statue looked to be pure crystal, depicting a long forgotten idol.

“Easy there,” Illinois snickered. “It’s the heart of this place, stole it from a pirate ship that were gonna sell it to make a quick buck, but… well,” he looked around at the walls. Only a careful eye like his could tell how unstable this place was because of its absence, “taking it is dangerous. I’m surprised whatever spirits cursing this place didn’t wreak havoc while I was gone.”

“Oh.” Yancy quickly handed off the statue to Illinois, wiping his hands on his pants. “Didn’t realize.”

A loud laugh echoed as Illinois giggled at Yancy’s reaction. He tossed the statue between his hands and continued to talk casually. “Just another day in the life! I could tell you so many stories, if only we had the time,” he trailed off.

Ahead of them were two pedestals illuminated by a crystal light.

“Looks like the place to return this,” Illinois hummed.

“Which one is it?”

Illinois hooked his thumb in his belt. “That’s a good question.” He pondered to himself, looking at Yancy and the statue. “Why don’t you chose?”

“Me?!” Yancy gasped. “Why do I gotta do it? What if I choose wrong?”

“Come on, what’s an adventure without a little risk? What are you afraid of?”

Yancy stared at him deadpanned. “Dying.”

“Fair point,” Illinois nodded, “But I’m just as blind as you are, jailbird. So let’s take the gamble.”

“Alright…” Yancy scratched the back of his neck as his examined the pedestals. He pointed at the one on the left. “Do that one.”

None of them breathed as Illinois placed that statue slowly. “You know, I would’ve picked that one too.”

“So did I pick right?”

“I think so-” His thoughts were interrupted by a loud thud. Then, by the sound of a boulder rolling towards them. They looked at the dark hallway in front of them with wide eyes. He looked back at Yancy. “Run.”

They didn’t dare to look back, running a full sprint. A boulder big enough to barely fit within the cave’s walls was fast approaching. Fully intent on crushing them for their mistake. Yancy was swearing like a sailor as he ran. Illinois’ mind was racing just as quickly as he was running.

“Wait, Illinois!” He realized something grave. “The hole! We can’t fuckin’ pass that!” In the distance, they saw the chasm, just as intimidating as before.

If it was possible, Illinois’ eyes widened more. He looked desperately for any solutions. Then he saw it.

He grabbed Yancy’s arm and shoved him in a small crevice broken in the wall. While a tight fit, he managed to squeeze himself in too. Now chest to chest, they watched the boulder pass the mouth of the hole in suffocating silence. There was a loud thud following as it fell into the chasm. As if the boulder was going to magically get out of the chasm, they kept their gazes at the crevice’s opening for a bit longer. With how close their were, they could feel the heavy rise and fall of their chests.

“Are you alright?” Illinois asked.

At first, Yancy only replied with an under the breath “Holy fuck…” Afterwards, he did his best to clear his throat and nodded. “Yeah, I’m alright now.”

He turned to look at Yancy, only to realize how claustrophobic of a space they were in. They were nearly nose to nose, and both were too aware of that fact. “Oh. Hey there,” he said awkwardly. A small smile made its way to the adventurer’s lips, a smile he usually shined after barely dodging certain death. “Let’s get out of here.” He squeezed his way out of the hole and offered a hand to Yancy.

Yancy brushed off the dirt on him. He was a bit scuffed, being slammed into a tight corner and all, but overall he was alive and well. Though being up close and personal with his friend ---could he call him that?--- was… an experience. “Damn, youse gonna kiss me or something? Way too close, freebird.”

“What? You’d rather kiss the boulder? I saved your life.”

“Guess we’re even then.” Yancy fidgeted. “So... what now?”

“We should head back and put that statue in the right place this time.” Illinois nodded, shaking off the dirt on his hat. “Doubt the spirits are satisfied, after all.”

The trek back to the pedestals was quiet. What could they say after nearly being crushed to death? When they got back, the statue stood untouched where Illinois left it.

“I swear if I gotta run like that again…” Yancy mumbled under his breath while Illinois picked it up.

“Don’t worry,” Illinois reassured, placing it on the other pedestal. “There usually isn’t a second boulder.”

For a moment, nothing happened. The hairs on the back of their necks stood up in anticipation.

From behind them, the walls cracked open with an ugly sound on rock against rock. Their attention snapped towards the sound. Yancy jumped, ready to run again, but Illinois held him back. The new passage revealed a staircase leading to the surface.

Illinois’ shoulders slumped. “What, no reward? Lame.”

“Lame?!” Yancy gasped, staring at Illinois like he was crazy. “Christ, I think I’ve had enough adventure for today. I wanna get the hell outta here.”

“Alright, alright…” Illinois gave a lopsided smile, clearly tired. He took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair with a heavy sigh. “But you have to admit, that was pretty fun, wasn’t it?”

Yancy was already walking towards the staircase. He thought to himself for a moment. Yeah, he almost died multiple times, but goddamn was that a thrill. He legs wanted to give out at any moment, his heart pumped and made his ears ring, and he was scuffed and dirty as all hell. Yet, he has never felt more alive.

“Y’know what? Yeah, youse right! Must be fun to do that all the time, yeah?”

Illinois gave him a pat on the shoulder. The two of them began to walk out of the cave. “You have no idea.”

-

Maybe he was getting used to the bed, maybe he was so tired that he could sleep on anything, but Yancy slept like a baby when they got back to Illinois’ house. During the next day, they both slept well into the afternoon.

Illinois was the first to wake up. He made oatmeal for the two of them and waited for Yancy. Despite the sun shining, the day felt somber for him. For once he found an adventure partner that didn’t die on the first trap, and he was going to leave him. Just like all the rest. All he could do was accept it at this point. Yancy had his own responsibilities and his own life, it’d be cruel for Illinois to keep him from that.

“Mornin’, freebird,” Yancy greeted as he walked in the kitchen. He put on the leather jacket again after he woke up.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Illinois snickered at Yancy’s tired state. Rather than his usual slicked back hair, he had a messy bedhead. “You really like that jacket, hm? What, did you sleep in it?”

Yancy shrugged. “Might as well wear it now. Not like I can again.”

“That’s true.” Illinois picked at his bowl then looked Yancy in the eyes. “So you’re still going back?” he asked, tone disappointed.

Somehow, Yancy didn’t falter under his gaze. He nodded. “Didn’t even say goodbye to the others, y’know? It was fun while it lasted, though. This was nice.”

“I’m glad you thought so. You were a natural yesterday so, lemme give you something.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a flip phone. “I’m not going to stop you from leaving, but if you ever want some fresh air just give me a call. I’ll be more than happy to let you out of your cage for a bit, jailbird.”

The phone was slid over to Yancy, who grabbed it in surprise. “Woah… Thank youse!” He let out an airy laugh. “I’ll be sure to call youse! Hopefully I can hide this when I get back.”

“Just do your best, I’d love another adventure with you,” he said, sincere. Then, he flashed a smile as he thought of something. “And if it helps when you get back, maybe say I kidnapped you or something. So you won’t get punished.”

“Oh yeah? Like I’m your lil’ damsel in distress? Hold on.” Yancy cleared his throat and faked an exaggerated hurt expression. “Oh, w-warden-!” he gasped and did his best to quiver his lip, “It was so scary, youse have no idea! He was such a brute a-and I couldn’t stop him! Heavens know I tried…”

Illinois threw his head back in laughter. “Dear god…”

Yancy broke his facade slightly to snicker, only to return to his dramatic state. “He’s was out for blood I tells ya! He’s held me hostage for fun and was all like,” Yancy then proceeded to do the worst impression of Illinois’ voice, “That’ll teach them to lock me up! You’ll never escape me~”

It sounded like an oversexualized villian that was played by someone who clearly couldn’t get rid of their accent. Illinois laughed even harder, voice going up a pitch in volume.

“Is that what I sound like to you?! I’m insulted!” He snorted.

Yancy gripped the table for support, joining in on the laughter. “Well, yeah! I sound just like youse!”

“You better pray that that performance gets you out of trouble, you asshole!” Illinois wheezed, trying to catch his breath. He covered his mouth to hide a sudden mischievous smile. “Youse better watch ya mouth.” He tried his best to do that raspy accent that Yancy had, but failed horribly.

Yancy visibly cringed as he giggled. “Never do that again.”

“Right back at ya,” he continued to talk like a West Side Story reject, snickering.

A couple more hours passed with the two of them talking their heads off. Lots of stories of adventures from Illinois, and lots of stories of prison from Yancy. Though eventually, Yancy began to get ready to leave. He changed back to his prison clothes and gave back the jacket to Illinois.

“If you ever come back here,” Illinois started, hanging up the jacket, “This jacket and I will be waiting with a warm welcome.”

“Aw~” Yancy gave a bashful smile, scratching the back of his neck while looking down. He let out a heavy sigh and looked back at Illinois. “C’mere, freebird!”

Next thing Illinois knew, he was being pulled into a tight hug. He returned the gesture and hugged back just as tight. They lingered for a moment, the realization that they’d actually miss each other set in. Who would have thought?

“I’ll be sure to take youse up on that offer.” Yancy pulled back and gave him a heart pat on the shoulder. “Youse not gettin’ rid of me that easily, ya hear?”

“I would hope not.”

Yancy sighed and stepped back. He made his way out the front door. The car keys he stole still in his possession, so at least he had a way back. Illinois stood by the door frame, ignoring the ache in his chest as he watched him walk away.

His mind still raced with things to talk about, but they could wait. He furrowed his brows as he saw the car, turning back to Illinois one more time. “And uh, Illinois?”

“Yes?”

He swallowed his pride and muttered his next sentence, abnormally quiet, but Illinois could hear it loud and clear. “Youse pretty alright.”

Illinois huffed and rolled his eyes. “When I’m not annoying as hell?”

“Nah, I think it builds character.” He shrugged. “Youse a good man.”

Illinois felt his heart ache more at that comment, actually taken aback. “Yancy…” he gave an airy chuckle, shaking his head with a small smile. “You’re a good man, too. I’m glad I met you.”

It looked like Yancy had more to say, but decided against it. His throat tightened more as he stepped closer to the car. He cast one more look back at Illinois. “Stay safe, okay freebird?”

“Likewise, jailbird. Take care of yourself,”

Yancy nodded and finally got in the car. Illinois watched him drive away, offering one last wave goodbye.

He shut the door behind him, now alone in his quiet house. He was a free man at least, but what now? He had lost many, many partners in his time, but this one struck a chord. Well, Yancy did have his number, so he could call at any time. He hoped that he was serious about keeping in touch.

[brynandchristopher]

Island hopping round 2!

Hello! 

It’s been 2 weeks since we last updated and a lot has happened. Last we updated we had just finished our 2nd Great Walk and were heading down the southwest coast to Wellington on the North Island. 

When we arrived in Wellington we were a bit surprised to find how developed and industrial it seemed. There were some low-key skyscrapers, a huge port harbor, and quite a bit of hustle and bustle. Outside of Auckland, New Zealand is very sleepy and quaint so it was a just a bit shocking to be back in a real city. Cities can be cool though! We walked along the seaside wharf and admired the harbor as well as visited the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum. The museum is argued to be the coolest in all of NZ, and being the only museum we’ve been to, we will have to agree. It was indeed super cool and we were enthralled to explore the nature exhibit that explained and demonstrated the unique wildlife and geophysical phenomena present along these volcanic islands isolated out in the ocean. We drove down to the southern most point of the north island to stay the night before our ferry ride the next day. Where we stayed happened to be a marine reserve that boasted an incredible amount of biodiversity. It also advertised marked snorkeling trails in the water - I have a snorkeling set with me from our time in Asia so the next morning before our ferry I decided to brave the water and dive in. I saw a couple of girls the day before snorkeling the route wearing wetsuits but I figured I would be fine without one. The water here is pretty cold but we take a quick dip most days. I was very wrong - it is very difficult to swim long distances in really cold water while breathing through a tube. Unfortunately I had to get out of the water real quick and all I really saw was some cool seaweed but, it was pretty funny for Bryn to watch me flounder.

Later that afternoon we were off to take our ferry to the south island. We got there early and after driving our car up into the giant Bluebridge Ferry we got a lovely window seat and began the 3.5 hour trip across the Cook Strait. The last hour of the trip was incredible. We climbed up to the top of the ferry to watch as our hulking hull glided through steep glacially carved fjords. We disembarked and drove an hour or so to a campground out in the woods where we regrouped and spent the night. 

The next day we drove down the coast and made our way to a town called Nelson. Our plan was to get to Nelson, pick up some more butane gas canisters for our stove and keep driving. We ended up staying for 2.5 days. Nelson was a really hip, fun town with lots of cool organic food shops, local artisan stores, 3 farmers market every week and a freedom-campers service hub with free hot showers! The service hub had just opened up and a a news reporter was taking videos and asked to interview us. We ended up on national news here in New Zealand! If only for a few seconds. (https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/nelson-charity-appalled-efforts-host-freedom-campers-instead-homeless) We did some shopping and our first night there we went to a movie at the local theatre, which also happened to be an Italian restaurant but that’s beside the point. We saw 1917 and it was thrilling. Going out to the movies is something we both enjoy a lot and reminds us of home so we had a great time, especially since we snuck in our own popcorn and candy to save some money. :) The next day we went to the local beach called Tahunanui and spent the day walking around and basking in the sun. We have a data plan for our phone(s) but it is somewhat limited so we can’t download a whole lot of stuff - however our provider has these free wifi-hubs where we can get some extra data and download movies to watch in the van. On the hub was a poster for a music festival that night in Tahunanui so instead of leaving we decided to stay another night and check it out. We made our dinner on the beach and found the very small outdoor stage. It was definitely a local family affair with lots of kids running around, local musicians and food vendors, and silly games like limbo and egg tosses between each act. The music was nothing to write home about but all in all It was really fun and we got some boysenberry ice cream.

We were going to try and do a short backpacking trip before our next Great Walk but the weather was amazing and we were feeling the beach, so we decided instead to head up and around the northeastern coast called Golden Bay and check out the highly acclaimed beaches. As we drove up the coast we stopped at the Te Waikoropupu Springs, the largest freshwater spring in the southern hemisphere! We walked 20 or so minutes out to a walkway over the springs where we were able to look down into the clearest water I have ever seen. It has an underwater visibility of nearly 200 feet! It is a sacred place to the local Maori tribe so we were unable to swim but it was still really amazing! And we found a place to swim a ways downriver that was allowed so it all worked out :) We spent one night part way up the bay and chilled on a small beach adjacent to a lot of rare and endangered bird species. We camped near to there and the next day drove all the way up to the northern tip of the south island. There is a famous beach there that we wanted to check out so we got up early and walked the mile or so out to the beach. Wharariki beach was definitely the coolest beach I have ever been to. We had to cross an expanse of massive sand dunes just to get out to the main beach which was probably around 2 miles end to end with huge hills, tons of caves, tidal pools littered with baby seals, and natural archways out in the water and up on the beach. We spent a while just chilling reading our books but the walked the length of the beach gawking at the seal pups and spelunking into the dark beach caves. There was a one that seemed particularly smelly and I had quite a fright as a nearly walked into a sleeping seal hiding in the shadows. We spent 8 or so hours out there and treated ourselves to an ice cream at the very remote and tiny cafe near the parking lot. We drove back down the bay and stayed in the woods outside the town of Motueka.

The next day we drove into Motueka and did some much needed laundry and shopped for our upcoming Great Walk. We mooched some wifi from the KFC parking lot and talked to our parents and then spent the night at the beach in Motueka. We have developed a bit of a tradition of what we eat before and after our Great Walks, and we made rice and dahl that night and went to bed early to rest up. We woke up early and drove to the town of Marahau where we dropped off our car and took a water taxi to the top of Abel Tasman National Park to begin our 3rd Great Walk - The Abel Tasman Coastal Track. 

We expected our water taxi to just be a a quick transport up the coast but we were happily surprised to find out it was bit more a tour. We were blessed by the tides and had the pleasure of exploring tidal lagoons and seeing some cool wildlife and beaches while our captain told us about the history of the park. We got dropped off in Totaranui where we started the trek. We planned the trip a bit differently that most people do the track and went north on an inland track up Gibbs Hill and then back towards the coast up and around to Mutton Cove. It was a very steep hill and we were feeling the burn after ~9 miles. This first day was by far the hardest elevation wise. We had a lovely campsite right on the beach and were nearly alone which was awesome. We had a dinner of instant rice and quinoa and then instant pasta which we used to much water to make - it was my first time having alfredo soup and it wasn’t all that bad! 

The next day we got up early and headed down the coast winding up and down small hills through the rainforest that hugs the beaches. We made it back to Totaranui and after a quick lunch of trail mix and granola bars, kept heading down the beach to our campsite at Waiharekeke beach. It was a short day of ~6 miles and so we got there in the early afternoon. This was by design so we could avail ourselves to the famous golden sand beaches of the park and bask in the hot sun. We read our books alone on the nearly mile long beach for hours, swimming in the crystal clear turquoise water frequently to cool down. Abel Tasman National Park is known for it color contrasts. The water has vibrant shades of blue, turquoise, and teal and all of the beaches are a rich golden color from the granite cliff-sides and every beach butts right up to the rainforest. We were loving our life in paradise. We had some couscous and lentils and played cards before heading to bed as the sound of the waves crashing against the cliffs lulled us to sleep. 

The next day we slept in and there was a bit of an unexpected morning drizzle so we snuggled up in the tent and let it pass. We were in no rush this morning because shortly after our camp was the Awaroa Inlet, which had to be crossed 2 hours before or after low tide. Low-tide being 4:09 in the afternoon we had to wait quite a while to start the bulk of our walk. We took off our boots and rolled up our shorts and crossed through the knee/thigh deep tidal streams that were running out - there was a nice little station to rinse off feet and put our boots back on before heading out to hike 8 more miles at 3:30 in the afternoon. We trudged on quickly up and down some pretty big hills with some incredible views of the sea. We were a bit weary hiking later in the day but we listened to an audiobook as we walked and still had a nice time. We made it to Bark Bay at 7:30 and set up camp and jumped in the ocean to clean ourselves off. By the time we were cooking our dinner everyone else had gone to bed. We had some more rice and quinoa, and pasta mixed with instant peas, not so soupy this time. :) 

The next day we were quite tired. We only had around 7 miles to got but it seemed to drag on and both of us were getting a bit sore. We considered cutting the trip a night short and hiking out the final 6 miles that day but that would’ve sucked and I am very glad we didn’t. Around halfway we did a little side trip to Cleopatra’s Pool, a series of natural pools and waterfalls - it reminded us a bit of the rock slides along the Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire. We had planned to swim but were dissuaded by the 50 or so day trippers already at the pool. Really cool natural places lose a bit of their luster when you have to fight for space in them. We shared a granola bar as we admired the falls and headed back to the track. After some moaning and groaning we finally reached the cutoff to our campsite and descended down a precipitous few hundred feet to Observation Beach where we spent our final night. This was our favorite campsite of the trip, it was a cool little cove looking out at Adele Island with a family of Oyster Catcher birds and chicks right nearby. There were a couple of families at the beach who lived nearby to the park and had taken their boats in. We were very envious of their variable array of potato chips and cookies, coolers full of wine and beer, and fresh fruits. We chatted them up a bit and got a little bit of trail magic - one of them ended up offering us a bottle of wine and a couple beers as the night went on and it was one of their kids birthdays and we got a slice of birthday cake. It was a perfect night to cap off our adventure and were super appreciative of the luxuries on the trail. 

We woke up for sunrise on our final day and were treated to a beaut. We made our fourth and final breakfast of oatmeal mixed with dried apricots and trail mix, had our tea and set off before 8 o’clock. This was the easiest section of the entire trail and we did the ~6 miles in just over 2 hours, hustling ready to be done. We made it back to Sweetie and were very glad to see her. We had stashed some reward treats in the van and dug-in. We drove back to Motueka for the weekend farmers market and restocked on vegetables and at the recommendation of our booze/cake friends, got a loaf of sourdough bread from Rodrigo’s bread stand. We drove back down the coast and back to Nelson for the free hot shower to scrub the sweat and dirt off of ourselves. After our shower we got the other half of our Great Walk food tradition, post-walk pizza. We got a small veggie and a small cheese and were a bit bloated after eating them both in about 5 minutes flat. We went to the grocery store for some needed staple items and drove a few hours south down the coast to Westport where we stayed the night on the beach. It’s always a pleasure to sleep in our comfy van bed after the sleeping mats for days on end and we slept in. We spent the morning today unpacking our bags and organizing the van, as well as doing some much needed cleaning of our kitchen. We are hanging out in the Westport library and are going to head farther south here in a little while. Not really sure what we are going to do the next few days but totally cool with that, we will figure it out as we go.

Hoping you are all enjoying yourselves. We love and miss you all. <3

Our very best,

Christopher and Bryn

[180abroad]

Day 69: Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

The number-one sight that I wanted to visit in Portsmouth was the Historic Naval Dockyard--home to a spectacular collection of British warships dating from the Napoleonic wars through World War I. (There's also a medieval warship from the Tudor period, but it is in a separate museum that requires its own, very expensive, ticket.)

I’ve been fascinated by naval history since watching the movie Master and Commander and reading the fantastic novel series by Patrick O’Brian that inspired it. So this was probably the most kid-in-a-candy-shop that Jessica had seen me be during the whole trip so far. She very kindly indulged my technical explanations and corrections--like how we were seeing ships, not boats.

We started our visit with the HMS Warrior--a Victorian-era ship and one of the first ironclads ever built. We got to go aboard and see almost everything inside.

By the late 1800s, explosive cannon shells had rendered wooden ships obsolete. An arms race between Britain and France resulted in the rapid development of iron-armored and iron-hulled ships that could withstand the more destructive naval weapons of the day. Launched in 1860, the Warrior’s armor was utterly impenetrable by any ship of its time--enemy vessels would have no choice but to flee if they met in battle. It was built to discourage an attack from French emperor Napoleon III, and it worked. The Warrior never had to fire a single shot in anger.

But progress didn’t stop with the Warrior, and within ten years it was already obsolete. Newer cannons were now able to pierce its armor, and its awkward sail-and-steam-engine combo design had been superseded by improved engine-only ships. It was decommissioned and relegated to one ignoble task after another, taking on such glamorous names as Vernon III and Oil Fuel Hulk C77.

But these dirty jobs proved to be the Warrior’s salvation. While most other ironclad ships were eventually scrapped or scuttled, Warrior survived long enough to become a valuable antique. And after an extensive restoration project in the 1980s, it was unveiled in the Naval Dockyard as a permanent historical exhibit.

The Warrior is a fascinating example of technological transition. It is a fully rigged three-masted frigate--and also a steamship. It has a modern-looking metal hull, but instead of turrets, it has an old-fashioned gun deck lined with cannons.

And instead of a quarterdeck, it has a bridge--literally. Officers would stand on bridges spanning over the width of the top deck, where they could observe and give orders more effectively on such a large ship.

Being more familiar with the Napoleonic-era ships from two generations earlier, I found it cool to see the mix of things I was familiar with and the things that were different. Breech-loading and rifled cannons, for one, were a mainstay of the Victorian fleet but unknown in Nelson’s time.

It was also amusing to see how the officers insisted on living and dining like gentlemen, no matter how out of place such trappings are aboard a cramped warship.

Next, we saw the centerpiece of the Dockyard--the HMS Victory.

The Victory was Admiral Lord Nelson’s flagship during the Battle of Trafalgar, a spectacular British victory that broke the back of Napoleon’s fleet--but at the cost of Nelson’s life.

The tour starts on the quarterdeck, where Nelson and most of his officers were killed by enemy snipers during the battle. A brass plaque marks the exact spot on the deck where he was hit.

The tour included a clever audioguide that you point and shoot at little target boxes to activate different chapters of the guide. It takes you both geographically through the ship and chronologically through the Battle of Trafalgar. We started with the quarterdeck, poop deck, and captain’s cabins, where we heard about their functions as well as the weeks leading up to the battle.

From the poop deck, we we were able to catch a glimpse of the current Royal Navy flagship--the newly commissioned aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.

We made our way down the steep stairways through the ship’s three gun decks. As we descended, the guns got bigger, the ceilings got lower, and the battle loomed nearer. On the lowest and darkest gun deck, the battle roared out in epic, brutal fashion.

On this deck, there is a line of cannons demonstrating each stage of loading and firiring them.

On the upper gun deck, we also saw Lord Nelson’s cabin. As an admiral, Nelson commanded his fleet, but he wasn’t the captain any one ship, not even the Victory. So, he had his own Admiral’s Cabin below-decks. Unlike everyone else, Nelson insisted on sleeping in a bed rather than a hammock. It meant a lot of seasickness and bad nights of sleep, but it also allowed the fiercely independent Nelson to get himself in and out of bed despite missing one arm.

Descending past the third gun deck, we were now under the water line. It was dark, hot, and the ceiling was less than five feet high. This is where the injured were brought to be healed or die. (Those who died instantly above-decks were simply thrown overboard as the battle raged.)

A member of the museum staff was sitting at a table laid with period-appropriate surgeon’s gear for performing amputations. The knives and saws were appropriately bloody, and there was even a prop amputated foot in a tin bucket nearby.

We continued on, seeing the spot where Lord Nelson died after several painful hours. As some consolation for his pain, he lived long enough to hear of his great victory before he passed. The spot where he lay is now marked with a simple lantern on the floor and a laurel garland embellishment on the bulkhead.

Tour ended with a walk through the ship’s hold and the magazine, where the ship’s gunpowder was stored. We saw how lanterns in the magazine were kept in a sealed glass chamber to prevent fire, and the only metal allowed to be used in the magazine was copper, since copper doesn’t spark. They even had to take special risks to rat-proof the magazine to prevent rats from trailing gunpowder outside where it might be ignited unintentionally.

Seeing the Victory was every bit as incredible as I had hoped. Not only is it from the Napoleonic era covered in the Master and Commander books, it is one of the most important ships in all of naval history. As Rick Steves puts it, the Victory isn’t a museum; it’s a cathedral. Needless to say, it didn’t need to pull any fancy stunts to avoid the scrap heap. It was never even decommissioned, making it the oldest officially active warship in the world.

The last ship we visited was the HMS M.33--a World War I monitor-style gunship. There’s not much to see in this small ship, but it is interesting for its historical significance. It is the only still-surviving ship from the disastrous Gallipoli invasion, where nearly two hundred thousand British and French troops were killed or injured in battle--and tens of thousands more fell sick and needed to be evacuated.

Amidst this chaos, the M.33 was one beacon of hope. It never suffered serious damage or a single casualty, earning it the reputation of being a lucky ship.

On board, we got to see a short movie covering the Gallipoli campaign and M.33′s role in it.

Like the Warrior, M.33 was spared from the scrapheap by being assigned to a series of dreary, dirty jobs until it was rediscovered as a historical artifact worthy of preservation.

The funky black-and-white paint job is an example of “dazzle” camouflage. The odd lines and angles was supposed to make it more difficult for enemy observers to measure from a distance how the ship was moving. Its effectiveness was never definitively proven, and with the development of radar and other more advanced detection methods in World War II, dazzle camouflage quickly went out of fashion.

We finished our visit with a quick tour of the dockyard’s museum, which houses a whole wing dedicated to the personal and professional life of Lord Nelson.

We learned about the long list of injuries Nelson suffered in the line of duty. Not only did he lose his arm in the Battle of Tenerife, he was also blinded in one eye in another battle, and in yet another battle he suffered a head injury that gave him terrible headaches for the rest of his life. He also suffered from chronic seasickness, recurring bouts of crippling malaria, and so many lost teeth from scurvy that part of his face caved in.

Nelson famously proclaimed himself slain after receiving his fatal wound at Trafalgar, but we learned that this was not quite so prophetic as it sounded--Nelson declared himself slain nearly every time he was wounded in battle.

We also learned how, despite being a self-proclaimed devout Christian, he openly maintained an affair with a married woman while also married himself. He even lived in the same house as his mistress and her husband for a considerable time while the affair lasted.

Nelson’s relationship with his mistress resulted in an illegitimate daughter. Oddly, the daughter would later claim that Nelson was her father, but that her mother wasn’t her mother.

While Jessica isn’t quite as into ships and naval history as I am, she did enjoy learning about Lord Nelson. He’s one of those historical figures whose name you hear about, but you don’t really know much about him unless you’re into that part of history. She was particularly amused to learn that this great naval hero was 5′4″ tall and prone to seasickness--just like her.

She also told me that--now that she knows just how into naval stuff I am--she’s more excited than ever to show me the maritime museum in Liverpool when we visited later in the trip. 

The museum holds much more than Nelson memorabilia--and there are plenty of other ships and exhibits to see in the Historic Dockyard--but by this point it was getting late in the afternoon. We were rapidly running out of gas, and the exhibits were starting to close down anyway. So we decided to take our leave while we were still enjoying ourselves.

One other interesting thing we saw at the dockyard was a small kiosk where you can look up the history of your family name. It turns out that there are tons of these around the UK, but it was a fun experience nonetheless.

I already knew the history of my mom’s English family name, but we learned a bit about Jessica’s family name. It is Spanish, which we knew, but what we didn’t know is that it is pre-Roman. Meaning that it’s probably Celtic in origin.

On a whim, I asked about my dad’s and Jessica’s mom’s family name. It isn’t common, and we’ve never been able to learn very much about it. Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t in the database. But surprisingly, the woman working the kiosk was surprised it wasn’t in the database. Apparently, it is a fairly common family name around Portsmouth, but not elsewhere in the UK. Which--combined with some other things we worked out--might mean we are descended from Normans who came over with William the Conqueror.

And of course we watched Master and Commander before going to bed when we got back home.

Next Post: Arundel (Our First British Castle!)

Last Post: Farewell, France. Hello Britain!

[mrrolandtfranco]

15 Most Romantic Cabin Getaways According To Travelers

Secluded cabin rental for two? Step right this way for tried and tested romantic destinations where love is most definitely in the air.

Romantic Cabin Getaways Loved By Travelers

Reviews tell us a lot about the kind of vacations a destination is good for. So when we were looking for some of the best places for romantic cabin getaways, we checked what travelers had to say. At FlipKey (part of the TripAdvisor family), we used a special algorithm to analyze every single TripAdvisor review, identifying which locations across America had the highest percentage of reviews mentioning romance. What’s left are some of the top romantic cabin getaways that travelers rave about—each boasting secluded cabin rentals available to book on FlipKey. No matter the season, these inviting destinations make excellent retreats for couples in need of some time away together.

There’s no doubt that a cabin makes a pretty romantic setting, whether it’s nestled high up in the mountains or perched on a cliff by the sea. When you book a secluded cabin rental with FlipKey, you get the whole property and its amenities to yourselves, so you can take your morning coffee on a private porch, in a scenic garden, or tucked up in bed with a jaw-dropping view.

Here are 15 traveler favorites for romantic cabin getaways, from red-rocked desert towns to pretty lakeside villages.

Jenner, California

A couple of hours’ drive away from the throng of San Francisco on a rugged stretch of Cali coast is where you’ll find lovely Jenner. This coastal village is ripe for seal-spotting, beach-combing, and uninterrupted ocean-gazing, and it’s one of the quieter spots featured in this list. Peace at last.

See all FlipKey rentals in Jenner!

Saugatuck, Michigan

“This home exceeded our high expectations. First, the view took my breath away; it never got old. The elevation and combination of door walls, windows and screened porch off the back and side of the home provide a treehouse atmosphere, while cozy woodwork and furnishings convey warmth. We spent many hours sitting in the screen porch enjoying the sounds of birds and crickets chirping.” — FlipKey Reviewer

On the shores of Lake Michigan stands the small town of Saugatuck. Leave your stresses at the door of your rental—it’s time to relax. You can chill out on Oval Beach, hike across Saugatuck Dunes State Park, or browse the little art galleries in town. Alternatively, you could simply go from cabin to beach to cabin every day, making the most of your time out together.

See all FlipKey rentals in Saugatuck!

Logan, Ohio

Here’s another beautifully quiet place to hole up in a secluded cabin hideaway. When you’re ready to venture out, try a gentle forest walk in Lake Logan State Park or go boating on a lake full of catfish. At nearby Hocking Hills State Park, don’t miss the atmospheric Rock House, Ash Cave, and Cedar Falls.

See all FlipKey rentals in Logan!

Hood River, Oregon

“The house is perfect for a family or a couple looking for a centrally located place to stay with gorgeous views of the Gorge. It’s comfy and walking distance to eateries and local grocery stores. Can’t really ask for more than that. Nicely equipped for our needs along with a garage spot and laundry. We’re already looking at dates for a summer visit so we can enjoy the deck and a wonderful glass of wine.” — FlipKey Reviewer

Hood River ticks all the boxes for romantic cabin getaways, with the scenic Columbia River flowing by, plenty of hiking trails for long walks, and picnic stops for undisturbed lunches for two. There are also plenty of good places to eat here, with farm-fresh food lending a truly local touch.

See all FlipKey rentals in Hood River!

Manitou Springs, Colorado

People used to come to Manitou Springs to drink the naturally carbonated mineral water, thought to have healing powers. You can still taste it today, but if you’re here for romance, you’ll probably want to chug along taking in the views from the Pikes Peak Cog Railway. Here, the highest cog train in the world will take you up through a romantic landscape of rocky terrain and pine forest, finishing with gorgeous views over the Great Plains. Don’t miss the amazing Manitou Cliff Dwellings, preserved Anasazi homes full of artifacts to explore.

See all FlipKey rentals in Manitou Springs!

Big Sur, California

Not many people, plenty of space, and uninterrupted Pacific views. Sounds pretty romantic to us. Just book your private cabin and you’re all set for the couple’s trip of a lifetime. Driving the coastal road along this breathtaking stretch of California is up there with our all-time favorite activities—do make a stop to snap the famous Bixby Bridge in all its glory.

See all FlipKey rentals in Big Sur!

Aspen, Colorado

“Very gracious family home. We had a wonderful time. This home had everything for amenities.” — FlipKey Reviewer

It’s easy to see why so many couples choose Aspen for their romantic cabin getaways. Take a horse and carriage ride, ascend the mountain on the Silver Queen Gondola for awe-inspiring views, or book your places on the Aspen Cooking School’s culinary course for couples. We’re sure your first visit won’t be your last.

See all FlipKey rentals in Aspen!

Mendocino, California

Discover the towering Redwoods, ocean views, and Victorian seaside homes of pretty Mendocino. There are beaches and walking paths to wander at Mendocino Headlands State Park, plus some charming villages to visit in the surrounding area. Just up the road is Fort Bragg, with its glistening Glass Beach and the Skunk Train chugging gently through the forest.

See all FlipKey rentals in Mendocino!

Dahlonega, Georgia

This is gold-rush territory, so you may want to start your visit at the fascinating Dahlonega Gold Museum, before wading into the river to pan for some of the sparkly stuff yourselves. After that, explore the pleasant historic center, which welcomes you in for romantic wanderings among its 19th-century structures.

See all FlipKey rentals in Dahlonega!

Luray, Virginia

“We love it. The yard is huge with 2 types of grills and a fire pit. The view is phenomenal. The interior is beautiful. The owner is very nice and easy to work with.” — FlipKey Reviewer

This is the cabin capital of Virginia, so you’re in the right place for a romantic cabin retreat. Luray is set in the spectacular Shenandoah Valley, so you can set off to fish and hike in Shenandoah National Park or paddle on the river. A visit to the atmospheric Luray Caverns is a must, with its lofty caverns and huge natural rock formations, all beautifully lit for visitors.

See all FlipKey rentals in Luray!

Blowing Rock, North Carolina

This area is rich in cozy cabins with glorious views. From spelunking to spa days, there’s plenty to keep couples entertained. Be sure to motor along the Blue Ridge Parkway with the top down for the ultimate romantic drive. Stop off along the way at the curious Blowing Rock itself, which directs the mountain winds upwards.

See all FlipKey rentals in Blowing Rock!

Stowe, Vermont

The mountain resort of Stowe is stunning throughout the seasons, whether you’re here to ski, leaf-peep, or simply escape the daily grind. This is one for the outdoorsy types, so peel yourselves out of your secluded cabin rental and get involved in the season’s activities. Finish up the day with an intimate meal, accompanied by remarkable alpine views, at the Austrian-style Cliff House Restaurant.

See all FlipKey rentals in Stowe!

Lake George, New York

The lake is the focal point of romantic cabin getaways in Lake George, so be sure to board a traditional steamboat for a daytime tour of the shore, or, even better, a romantic dinner cruise when the sun goes down. Take a drive or hike up Prospect Mountain for unbeatable views of the surrounding area, or set off to the Natural Stone Bridge and Caves to see the largest marble cave in the east.

See all FlipKey rentals in Lake George!

Leavenworth, Washington

Leavenworth is utterly charming all year round, with its Bavarian character and warm welcome. Enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides through town in the spring, sleigh rides through the snow in the winter, and wine-tasting sessions whatever the weather. Simply heaven.

See all FlipKey rentals in Leavenworth!

Sedona, Arizona

“We had everything we needed here for a comfy stay and we loved the location just minutes from Bell Rock trail and convenient to attractions, food and whatever you want to do in Sedona. The beds were comfy, the home was stocked with pots and pans and dishes, coffee and tea, plenty of towels, bedding and wifi.” — FlipKey Reviewer

Ok, ok, you won’t actually find a wealth of cabin rentals here in sunny Sedona. But this place scored way too highly on the travelers’ romance scale to be left out of this list. Whatever kind of rental you choose, expect a scenic desert town bordered with pine forests and imposing red rock. You can enjoy this striking landscape on a jeep tour, or head out just the two of you to catch some sun and slip down the natural water slide at Slide Rock State Park.

See all FlipKey rentals in Sedona!

The post 15 Most Romantic Cabin Getaways According To Travelers appeared first on The FlipKey Blog.

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[janerchambers88]

15 Most Romantic Cabin Getaways According To Travelers

Secluded cabin rental for two? Step right this way for tried and tested romantic destinations where love is most definitely in the air.

Romantic Cabin Getaways Loved By Travelers

Reviews tell us a lot about the kind of vacations a destination is good for. So when we were looking for some of the best places for romantic cabin getaways, we checked what travelers had to say. At FlipKey (part of the TripAdvisor family), we used a special algorithm to analyze every single TripAdvisor review, identifying which locations across America had the highest percentage of reviews mentioning romance. What’s left are some of the top romantic cabin getaways that travelers rave about—each boasting secluded cabin rentals available to book on FlipKey. No matter the season, these inviting destinations make excellent retreats for couples in need of some time away together.

There’s no doubt that a cabin makes a pretty romantic setting, whether it’s nestled high up in the mountains or perched on a cliff by the sea. When you book a secluded cabin rental with FlipKey, you get the whole property and its amenities to yourselves, so you can take your morning coffee on a private porch, in a scenic garden, or tucked up in bed with a jaw-dropping view.

Here are 15 traveler favorites for romantic cabin getaways, from red-rocked desert towns to pretty lakeside villages.

Jenner, California

A couple of hours’ drive away from the throng of San Francisco on a rugged stretch of Cali coast is where you’ll find lovely Jenner. This coastal village is ripe for seal-spotting, beach-combing, and uninterrupted ocean-gazing, and it’s one of the quieter spots featured in this list. Peace at last.

See all FlipKey rentals in Jenner!

Saugatuck, Michigan

“This home exceeded our high expectations. First, the view took my breath away; it never got old. The elevation and combination of door walls, windows and screened porch off the back and side of the home provide a treehouse atmosphere, while cozy woodwork and furnishings convey warmth. We spent many hours sitting in the screen porch enjoying the sounds of birds and crickets chirping.” — FlipKey Reviewer

On the shores of Lake Michigan stands the small town of Saugatuck. Leave your stresses at the door of your rental—it’s time to relax. You can chill out on Oval Beach, hike across Saugatuck Dunes State Park, or browse the little art galleries in town. Alternatively, you could simply go from cabin to beach to cabin every day, making the most of your time out together.

See all FlipKey rentals in Saugatuck!

Logan, Ohio

Here’s another beautifully quiet place to hole up in a secluded cabin hideaway. When you’re ready to venture out, try a gentle forest walk in Lake Logan State Park or go boating on a lake full of catfish. At nearby Hocking Hills State Park, don’t miss the atmospheric Rock House, Ash Cave, and Cedar Falls.

See all FlipKey rentals in Logan!

Hood River, Oregon

“The house is perfect for a family or a couple looking for a centrally located place to stay with gorgeous views of the Gorge. It’s comfy and walking distance to eateries and local grocery stores. Can’t really ask for more than that. Nicely equipped for our needs along with a garage spot and laundry. We’re already looking at dates for a summer visit so we can enjoy the deck and a wonderful glass of wine.” — FlipKey Reviewer

Hood River ticks all the boxes for romantic cabin getaways, with the scenic Columbia River flowing by, plenty of hiking trails for long walks, and picnic stops for undisturbed lunches for two. There are also plenty of good places to eat here, with farm-fresh food lending a truly local touch.

See all FlipKey rentals in Hood River!

Manitou Springs, Colorado

People used to come to Manitou Springs to drink the naturally carbonated mineral water, thought to have healing powers. You can still taste it today, but if you’re here for romance, you’ll probably want to chug along taking in the views from the Pikes Peak Cog Railway. Here, the highest cog train in the world will take you up through a romantic landscape of rocky terrain and pine forest, finishing with gorgeous views over the Great Plains. Don’t miss the amazing Manitou Cliff Dwellings, preserved Anasazi homes full of artifacts to explore.

See all FlipKey rentals in Manitou Springs!

Big Sur, California

Not many people, plenty of space, and uninterrupted Pacific views. Sounds pretty romantic to us. Just book your private cabin and you’re all set for the couple’s trip of a lifetime. Driving the coastal road along this breathtaking stretch of California is up there with our all-time favorite activities—do make a stop to snap the famous Bixby Bridge in all its glory.

See all FlipKey rentals in Big Sur!

Aspen, Colorado

“Very gracious family home. We had a wonderful time. This home had everything for amenities.” — FlipKey Reviewer

It’s easy to see why so many couples choose Aspen for their romantic cabin getaways. Take a horse and carriage ride, ascend the mountain on the Silver Queen Gondola for awe-inspiring views, or book your places on the Aspen Cooking School’s culinary course for couples. We’re sure your first visit won’t be your last.

See all FlipKey rentals in Aspen!

Mendocino, California

Discover the towering Redwoods, ocean views, and Victorian seaside homes of pretty Mendocino. There are beaches and walking paths to wander at Mendocino Headlands State Park, plus some charming villages to visit in the surrounding area. Just up the road is Fort Bragg, with its glistening Glass Beach and the Skunk Train chugging gently through the forest.

See all FlipKey rentals in Mendocino!

Dahlonega, Georgia

This is gold-rush territory, so you may want to start your visit at the fascinating Dahlonega Gold Museum, before wading into the river to pan for some of the sparkly stuff yourselves. After that, explore the pleasant historic center, which welcomes you in for romantic wanderings among its 19th-century structures.

See all FlipKey rentals in Dahlonega!

Luray, Virginia

“We love it. The yard is huge with 2 types of grills and a fire pit. The view is phenomenal. The interior is beautiful. The owner is very nice and easy to work with.” — FlipKey Reviewer

This is the cabin capital of Virginia, so you’re in the right place for a romantic cabin retreat. Luray is set in the spectacular Shenandoah Valley, so you can set off to fish and hike in Shenandoah National Park or paddle on the river. A visit to the atmospheric Luray Caverns is a must, with its lofty caverns and huge natural rock formations, all beautifully lit for visitors.

See all FlipKey rentals in Luray!

Blowing Rock, North Carolina

This area is rich in cozy cabins with glorious views. From spelunking to spa days, there’s plenty to keep couples entertained. Be sure to motor along the Blue Ridge Parkway with the top down for the ultimate romantic drive. Stop off along the way at the curious Blowing Rock itself, which directs the mountain winds upwards.

See all FlipKey rentals in Blowing Rock!

Stowe, Vermont

The mountain resort of Stowe is stunning throughout the seasons, whether you’re here to ski, leaf-peep, or simply escape the daily grind. This is one for the outdoorsy types, so peel yourselves out of your secluded cabin rental and get involved in the season’s activities. Finish up the day with an intimate meal, accompanied by remarkable alpine views, at the Austrian-style Cliff House Restaurant.

See all FlipKey rentals in Stowe!

Lake George, New York

The lake is the focal point of romantic cabin getaways in Lake George, so be sure to board a traditional steamboat for a daytime tour of the shore, or, even better, a romantic dinner cruise when the sun goes down. Take a drive or hike up Prospect Mountain for unbeatable views of the surrounding area, or set off to the Natural Stone Bridge and Caves to see the largest marble cave in the east.

See all FlipKey rentals in Lake George!

Leavenworth, Washington

Leavenworth is utterly charming all year round, with its Bavarian character and warm welcome. Enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides through town in the spring, sleigh rides through the snow in the winter, and wine-tasting sessions whatever the weather. Simply heaven.

See all FlipKey rentals in Leavenworth!

Sedona, Arizona

“We had everything we needed here for a comfy stay and we loved the location just minutes from Bell Rock trail and convenient to attractions, food and whatever you want to do in Sedona. The beds were comfy, the home was stocked with pots and pans and dishes, coffee and tea, plenty of towels, bedding and wifi.” — FlipKey Reviewer

Ok, ok, you won’t actually find a wealth of cabin rentals here in sunny Sedona. But this place scored way too highly on the travelers’ romance scale to be left out of this list. Whatever kind of rental you choose, expect a scenic desert town bordered with pine forests and imposing red rock. You can enjoy this striking landscape on a jeep tour, or head out just the two of you to catch some sun and slip down the natural water slide at Slide Rock State Park.

See all FlipKey rentals in Sedona!

The post 15 Most Romantic Cabin Getaways According To Travelers appeared first on The FlipKey Blog.

[kevingbakeruk]

15 Most Romantic Cabin Getaways According To Travelers

Secluded cabin rental for two? Step right this way for tried and tested romantic destinations where love is most definitely in the air.

Romantic Cabin Getaways Loved By Travelers

Reviews tell us a lot about the kind of vacations a destination is good for. So when we were looking for some of the best places for romantic cabin getaways, we checked what travelers had to say. At FlipKey (part of the TripAdvisor family), we used a special algorithm to analyze every single TripAdvisor review, identifying which locations across America had the highest percentage of reviews mentioning romance. What’s left are some of the top romantic cabin getaways that travelers rave about—each boasting secluded cabin rentals available to book on FlipKey. No matter the season, these inviting destinations make excellent retreats for couples in need of some time away together.

There’s no doubt that a cabin makes a pretty romantic setting, whether it’s nestled high up in the mountains or perched on a cliff by the sea. When you book a secluded cabin rental with FlipKey, you get the whole property and its amenities to yourselves, so you can take your morning coffee on a private porch, in a scenic garden, or tucked up in bed with a jaw-dropping view.

Here are 15 traveler favorites for romantic cabin getaways, from red-rocked desert towns to pretty lakeside villages.

Jenner, California

A couple of hours’ drive away from the throng of San Francisco on a rugged stretch of Cali coast is where you’ll find lovely Jenner. This coastal village is ripe for seal-spotting, beach-combing, and uninterrupted ocean-gazing, and it’s one of the quieter spots featured in this list. Peace at last.

See all FlipKey rentals in Jenner!

Saugatuck, Michigan

“This home exceeded our high expectations. First, the view took my breath away; it never got old. The elevation and combination of door walls, windows and screened porch off the back and side of the home provide a treehouse atmosphere, while cozy woodwork and furnishings convey warmth. We spent many hours sitting in the screen porch enjoying the sounds of birds and crickets chirping.” — FlipKey Reviewer

On the shores of Lake Michigan stands the small town of Saugatuck. Leave your stresses at the door of your rental—it’s time to relax. You can chill out on Oval Beach, hike across Saugatuck Dunes State Park, or browse the little art galleries in town. Alternatively, you could simply go from cabin to beach to cabin every day, making the most of your time out together.

See all FlipKey rentals in Saugatuck!

Logan, Ohio

Here’s another beautifully quiet place to hole up in a secluded cabin hideaway. When you’re ready to venture out, try a gentle forest walk in Lake Logan State Park or go boating on a lake full of catfish. At nearby Hocking Hills State Park, don’t miss the atmospheric Rock House, Ash Cave, and Cedar Falls.

See all FlipKey rentals in Logan!

Hood River, Oregon

“The house is perfect for a family or a couple looking for a centrally located place to stay with gorgeous views of the Gorge. It’s comfy and walking distance to eateries and local grocery stores. Can’t really ask for more than that. Nicely equipped for our needs along with a garage spot and laundry. We’re already looking at dates for a summer visit so we can enjoy the deck and a wonderful glass of wine.” — FlipKey Reviewer

Hood River ticks all the boxes for romantic cabin getaways, with the scenic Columbia River flowing by, plenty of hiking trails for long walks, and picnic stops for undisturbed lunches for two. There are also plenty of good places to eat here, with farm-fresh food lending a truly local touch.

See all FlipKey rentals in Hood River!

Manitou Springs, Colorado

People used to come to Manitou Springs to drink the naturally carbonated mineral water, thought to have healing powers. You can still taste it today, but if you’re here for romance, you’ll probably want to chug along taking in the views from the Pikes Peak Cog Railway. Here, the highest cog train in the world will take you up through a romantic landscape of rocky terrain and pine forest, finishing with gorgeous views over the Great Plains. Don’t miss the amazing Manitou Cliff Dwellings, preserved Anasazi homes full of artifacts to explore.

See all FlipKey rentals in Manitou Springs!

Big Sur, California

Not many people, plenty of space, and uninterrupted Pacific views. Sounds pretty romantic to us. Just book your private cabin and you’re all set for the couple’s trip of a lifetime. Driving the coastal road along this breathtaking stretch of California is up there with our all-time favorite activities—do make a stop to snap the famous Bixby Bridge in all its glory.

See all FlipKey rentals in Big Sur!

Aspen, Colorado

“Very gracious family home. We had a wonderful time. This home had everything for amenities.” — FlipKey Reviewer

It’s easy to see why so many couples choose Aspen for their romantic cabin getaways. Take a horse and carriage ride, ascend the mountain on the Silver Queen Gondola for awe-inspiring views, or book your places on the Aspen Cooking School’s culinary course for couples. We’re sure your first visit won’t be your last.

See all FlipKey rentals in Aspen!

Mendocino, California

Discover the towering Redwoods, ocean views, and Victorian seaside homes of pretty Mendocino. There are beaches and walking paths to wander at Mendocino Headlands State Park, plus some charming villages to visit in the surrounding area. Just up the road is Fort Bragg, with its glistening Glass Beach and the Skunk Train chugging gently through the forest.

See all FlipKey rentals in Mendocino!

Dahlonega, Georgia

This is gold-rush territory, so you may want to start your visit at the fascinating Dahlonega Gold Museum, before wading into the river to pan for some of the sparkly stuff yourselves. After that, explore the pleasant historic center, which welcomes you in for romantic wanderings among its 19th-century structures.

See all FlipKey rentals in Dahlonega!

Luray, Virginia

“We love it. The yard is huge with 2 types of grills and a fire pit. The view is phenomenal. The interior is beautiful. The owner is very nice and easy to work with.” — FlipKey Reviewer

This is the cabin capital of Virginia, so you’re in the right place for a romantic cabin retreat. Luray is set in the spectacular Shenandoah Valley, so you can set off to fish and hike in Shenandoah National Park or paddle on the river. A visit to the atmospheric Luray Caverns is a must, with its lofty caverns and huge natural rock formations, all beautifully lit for visitors.

See all FlipKey rentals in Luray!

Blowing Rock, North Carolina

This area is rich in cozy cabins with glorious views. From spelunking to spa days, there’s plenty to keep couples entertained. Be sure to motor along the Blue Ridge Parkway with the top down for the ultimate romantic drive. Stop off along the way at the curious Blowing Rock itself, which directs the mountain winds upwards.

See all FlipKey rentals in Blowing Rock!

Stowe, Vermont

The mountain resort of Stowe is stunning throughout the seasons, whether you’re here to ski, leaf-peep, or simply escape the daily grind. This is one for the outdoorsy types, so peel yourselves out of your secluded cabin rental and get involved in the season’s activities. Finish up the day with an intimate meal, accompanied by remarkable alpine views, at the Austrian-style Cliff House Restaurant.

See all FlipKey rentals in Stowe!

Lake George, New York

The lake is the focal point of romantic cabin getaways in Lake George, so be sure to board a traditional steamboat for a daytime tour of the shore, or, even better, a romantic dinner cruise when the sun goes down. Take a drive or hike up Prospect Mountain for unbeatable views of the surrounding area, or set off to the Natural Stone Bridge and Caves to see the largest marble cave in the east.

See all FlipKey rentals in Lake George!

Leavenworth, Washington

Leavenworth is utterly charming all year round, with its Bavarian character and warm welcome. Enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides through town in the spring, sleigh rides through the snow in the winter, and wine-tasting sessions whatever the weather. Simply heaven.

See all FlipKey rentals in Leavenworth!

Sedona, Arizona

“We had everything we needed here for a comfy stay and we loved the location just minutes from Bell Rock trail and convenient to attractions, food and whatever you want to do in Sedona. The beds were comfy, the home was stocked with pots and pans and dishes, coffee and tea, plenty of towels, bedding and wifi.” — FlipKey Reviewer

Ok, ok, you won’t actually find a wealth of cabin rentals here in sunny Sedona. But this place scored way too highly on the travelers’ romance scale to be left out of this list. Whatever kind of rental you choose, expect a scenic desert town bordered with pine forests and imposing red rock. You can enjoy this striking landscape on a jeep tour, or head out just the two of you to catch some sun and slip down the natural water slide at Slide Rock State Park.

See all FlipKey rentals in Sedona!

The post 15 Most Romantic Cabin Getaways According To Travelers appeared first on The FlipKey Blog.

from Tips For Traveling https://www.flipkey.com/blog/2017/12/04/romantic-cabin-getaways-secluded-rentals/

[totesmccoats]

Saga #48

We catch up with Ghus, Squire, Upsher, and Doff as they starve on Quietus, waiting for the protagonists to return with supplies. Things are desperate enough for Upsher to consider eating Friendo, and so Ghus decides to take Squire hunting for a Dreadnaught – an invisible apex-predator that only Squire can see; well, he can see it’s innards.

Ghus, with his trusty “chopper,” leads Squire, armed with a bow, on his first hunt into the woods; and Squire asks him about his connection to Friendo and if he’s ever had to kill a person before. But, before things can get too deep, the duo are attacked by the Dreadnaught, which is only seen by Squire as a brain and eyes on top a pile of guts and veins. The creature breaks Ghus’ chopper, meaning Squire has to make the kill-shot. He looks into the Dreadnaught’s eyes…and he can’t do it.

As the two go home the next morning, empty handed, they notice smoke from their camp, and are in for quite a surprise.

I think this might be the first time that BKV and Staples end the arc with a palette cleanser, or at least not, you know, Kalima. Nobody dies; there are no sudden cliffhangers; everything is just kinda, nice. And Staples killed it with the Dreadnaught design, a pile of innards ambling around like some sort of gorilla is creepy as heck. It also appears that there’s been another brief time-skip in this issue, so next arc should fill us in on that. But we know of one very important development – fidget spinners exist in Saga now.

  Amazing Spider-Man #790

Peter and Harry have gone around the world, liquidating Parker Industry assets and apologizing to everyone the closing of the company hurts. They finish Pete’s apology tour by selling their most prized asset, the Baxter Building. But, tired of all the crap he’s getting as Peter, he decides to escape for a while as Spider-Man, taking pictures with his once-again fans, playing skip-rope with some girls, helping little old ladies with groceries, that sorta thing.

But, he’s got to bite this bullet eventually. Unfortunately, Pete’s not the only one mad he has to sell the Baxter Building. Johnny Storm is steamed about his old home going up for sale. And Pete, tired of not being cut any slack, boils over and decides that if Johnny wants a fight, he’s got one.Additionally, Clayton Cole – Clash – wants ownership of all of his work he did for PI, and is willing to steal it back. And his henchmen have plans of their own.

Christos Gage knocks out another issue as the series’ pinch-script writer, filling this book with sharp quips and just enough dialogue to keep the issue moving at a great pace, including the top-half of a spread long montage of Spidey goofing off. Immonen, Gracia, and von Grawbadger continue their run as one of the best art teams on superhero books today, with a distinct cinematic approach; and von Grawbadger in particular does some spectacular work with the Human Torch and how he acts as essentially a second sun, making everything around him seem that much blacker in comparison.

  Black Panther #166

Klaw has found a way to enhance his abilities by using Reverbium, and plans to ascend to godhood through Vibranium. He reveals himself as the voice in the ear of Wakanda’s previous threats over the run of the series so far, uniting Stane, Faustus, and Zenzi under his cause; and convincing the people of Azania that he is their new god.

The motivation behind Klaw’s latest efforts: the memory of his sister, who was lobotomized after having been beaten by their father and because she heard voices – voices that Klaw had always believed were real as well.

I got a really strong B:TAS Mr. Freeze sense from this issue, most likely because it’s the story of a scientist who was irreversibly transformed into a non-human by the product of their own research, and is motivated by the loss of a woman they loved. And being that Klaw is made up of semi-solid-sonics, it would even make sense that his voice would have the same reverb effect as Mr. Freeze. Well, the issue was fun to read with that voice in my head, in any case.

Unfortunately, the art in this issue just doesn’t stand out, mostly because so much of it takes place in gray hallways in Alaska. Klaw is still just a fun character to look at, because frankly he looks ridiculous; one of the worst-aged silver age character designs in my opinion, with his dumb satellite dish hand and featureless red and purple mannequin body.

  Batgirl #16

In flashback, Barbara and Dick drop in on some hackers that Ainsley used to work with, who tell them that they kicked her out of their group for designing nanobot-based drugs for the Mad Hatter. They find Ainsley shortly after and tail her to what ends up being an addicts-anonymous meeting, where they find out that she didn’t know she was designing drugs, and is a recovering addict herself. And after learning all this heavy information, Babs and Dick release some of their own emotional tension.

In the present, Batgirl and Nightwing follow the trail of bodies to a rehab clinic that Ainsley once checked into, but find it already under attack by the Red Queen’s tripped-out henchmen. Luckily, Babs remembers a way to hack the nano-drugs into making their victims docile. And afterwards, digging through the hospital records, they make three unfortunate discoveries: 1. Ainsley died of an overdose, homeless and alone; 2. She has a sister, now with the proper motivation and tools to become the Red Queen; and 3. They just let her slip through their fingers.

As with the earlier issues in the arc, the main draw for me is seeing the evolution in Dick and Barbara’s relationship, both as crimefighters, and as a couple. While there are a couple of quick fight scenes in the issue, Dick/Babs get a lot more mileage in their cases by simply sitting down with people and talking to them. Also by breaking HIPAA and digging through medical records, but hey – who hasn’t done that once or twice?

Wildgoose does a lot with smaller details in their pencils; things like younger Barbara kicking her legs as she sits with Dick on the edge of a building, or the anime-girl posters in the hackers’ apartment. And I’m really enjoying Lopes’ colors on this book, giving everything the impression of softer lighting – moreso in the flashbacks of course, giving a more washed-out effect to those scenes – while still saturating the primary and secondary reds, blues, purples and greens in the duo’s costumes enough to make them pop.

  Wonder Woman #33

Whoever it was that came up with Kid-Darkseid, Johns, Snyder, or Robinson; give them a medal. Kid-Darkseid is hilarious and I love him. I hope he doesn’t grow up too fast – they always do though, don’t they?

This issue is entirely from Grail’s perspective, as she goes around the world, killing the the Greek Gods to provide the energy to grow her baby Darkseid big and strong. But a mother worries: will he be evil enough? Feared enough? That’s not a joke, that’s in Grail’s narration in the book, and it’s darkly hilarious that even when you’re trying to raise the worst kid in the multiverse, you have parental fears that you’re gonna somehow screw up. Kinda reminds me of raising dark chao in SA2.

It’s also interesting for this story to fill in what exactly all these demi-gods have been doing with their immortality on Earth, which is overall, not much. Perseus became a Wall Street bro; others became librarians, fishermen, bears…like, just normal bears. Wonder Woman is the only one who it seems decided to do something good with her powers; likely because she was raised by the Amazons with a strong sense of moral justice.

  Nightwing: The New Order #3

Kate Kane gives orders to the Crusaders not to engage with the captured Dick Grayson in the slightest. One of them disobeys, asking if he’d at least like a glass of water, and Dick takes his opening to escape capture and begin looking for Jake. He goes to one of his oldest allies, Tim Drake, who hacks into the government files to find that they’re bringing Jake to a stasis facility in Central City. But before he heads there, Dick goes to Gotham to gear up. Thankfully, he doesn’t have to break into the Bat-cave, with it having been turned into a Batman museum shortly after Bruce died; but there are still sub-basements that only members of the family have access too. He grabs his old Nightwing gear and rides to Central City before being stopped by one old friend, and saved by a couple more. Congratulations. If you placed your bets on this story going Minority Report, collect your no-prize up front. Come to think of it, old-Dick even kinda looks like a taller Tom Cruise. The issue has the same pacing as that style of action movie, too; cutting from location to location; moving from action beat to exposition beat and ending on an action beat. The story has seemed to stray from the initial “Nightwing, but if fascist” angle, but that may be for the best. And it’s still there in softer strokes. The Bat-Cave museum, for one, is a genius bit of world-building; but smaller even, is that Tim reminds Dick that he was right to set the world on this path, despite what’s happening to his son. The desire to preserve order, any order, is a powerful one, despite the harm it could bring to even family members. The same applies to Kate’s reaction to Alfred’s death. It’s a personal loss, but not worth rocking the boat over. Plus a lighter touch really is just more fun, especially with a character like Nightwing, who was never as dark as other members of the Bat-family. McCarthy’s layouts continue to be awesome at conveying movement across the page. He uses non-traditional panel layouts, non-rectangular shapes, and overlappingoverlapping to match an action director’s camera motions: pans, zooms, cuts, etc.There are almost no gutters in the issue, as panels bleed into the next, making the issue feel fast and kinetickinetic.

Comic Reviews for 10/25/17 Saga #48 We catch up with Ghus, Squire, Upsher, and Doff as they starve on Quietus, waiting for the protagonists to return with supplies.

[eclectictrek]

SWCP 2017 Day 6: Porthcurno to Penzance

Cat ‘n Mousehole

That’s pronounced like “Mowzle”, and may either be derived from a Cornish word Moeshayle (“Mouth of the river of young women”?) or may come from the name of a nearby sea cave, the Mouse Hole.

But that’s well later, mid-afternoon. I think I had the conventional Full English Breakfast at the Sea View, but I didn’t make a note of it. I was distracted by the stress of having lost my beautiful Sony a6000 camera! I packed before breakfast (as usual, after the embarrassment of not being ready for the Luggage Transfer in St. Ives). And as I put the last things away save for what went in my pack, I realized the camera was nowhere to be seen!  I dashed downstairs and out the door, remembering that I had been sitting out there for a while as I waited for the inn owner. Maybe I set it down, and forgot to pick it up? It wasn’t there now.

I went in and asked the owner if anyone had found it and turned it in, but no. Then I spotted it, in the foyer across from my boots. She had asked me to leave them there to avoid tracking mud in, and I had apparently put the camera case down and forgotten it. Better inside than out, at least.

So I was on the trail around 10 as usual for me, and backtracked on roads to the Minack Theater rather than going straight down to the harbor and meeting the trail there. This was partly to keep true to “walking the whole path”, but also to see the famous open-air theater, with its spectacular cliff-side setting. I’d seen images of the theater as a notable landmark along the SWCP, and I was looking forward to seeing it first hand and learning about it. Sculpted into the cliff with the sea behind the multi-level stage, it has a feeling of Greek amphitheaters, but more of an Art Deco style to the details. The seating is grassy ledges with stone facing. A pleasant museum tells how the theater was the passion and (in its early form) personal product of Rowena Cade, who offered her garden by the sea for a local production of The Tempest. Over the following years she continued to expand and improve the theater, and now some 80,000 people a year see productions here, with even more paying as I did to visit it outside of a show. I would love to see The Tempest here, with waves crashing in the background! I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Ralph Fiennes as Prospero in London a few years ago, and more recently I saw a local production in Texas, performed in a replica of Stonehenge. Rowena Cade’s sister, by the way, was a writer of dystopian fiction, some published under the name Murray Constantine, and her own married name Kay Burdekin.

Then off on the trail. The day was overcast and dreary again, and raining off and on for the morning. The distant cliffs were lost in the low clouds, and sometimes the fog closed in such that I could only see a short distance of trail ahead of me.  I had spent about an hour looking around the Minack, and so it was a little after 11 when I descended behind Porthcurno cove (I should just say Porth Curno) and climbed the other side; another pillbox from WWII overlooked the beach. Then a few minutes later I was walking behind the ramparts of the Treryn Dinas Iron Age cliff fortress. I didn’t walk back into the site, and so missed the chance for a close look at the famous Logan (rocking) rock at the top of the ridge. It doesn’t rock as easily as it did in its original placement. In 1824 a Royal Navy lieutenant managed to actually dislodge it, with a crew of helpers. Local landowners were sufficiently displeased that the Navy was obliged to have him restore it more-or-less to its original location. I got a couple of pictures from a distance, but the stone itself is lost in the fog.

The next valley brought me to Penberth Cove and the picturesque village of Penberth. The trail crosses the stream on large stepping stones, although there is also a massive flat stone bridge closer to the fish landing slipway. A sign warns dog owners to please use the stepping stones. About noon, and a mile further on, I saw ahead a wooden footbridge, and a small waterfall at the back of Porthguarnon Cove. Oddly, the footbridge I saw was not over the stream that fed the waterfall. This was obvious to me looking back at the pictures, but I didn’t note it at the time, or remember how the path crossed the second stream.

A few minutes further, looking along the eastern side of the cove, I stopped again to take photos and some video of the waves crashing against the rocks below; yes, I did a lot of this, but it was one of the major joys of this trail for me, even without a heavy blow to generate spectacular waves. The trail above the cliffs through here went through gorse and other low shrubs, speckled with wildflowers. In other places I faced bogs and stepping stones, and another boulder scramble. Then the area above St. Loy Cove has a tropical feel with lush plants and a fern-lined stream, crossed by a large stone serving as a bridge. Below there, the stream spilled into a pebble beach, and I watched a spaniel playing in the water. After this, the trail followed the back of a stony beach for a while, before going back to stepping stones and bogs.

After a stretch where the trail was cut deep into the soil among rocks a few score feet above the sea, I stopped about 2:20 for lunch at Lamorna Cove, and had a crab salad sandwich. Then the trail went through (and later followed behind) a series of small fields that had once been used for bulbs such as daffodils, and now had some odd and lost-looking conifers. In places the path was arched-over by shrubs and trees, gothic-looking in the fog. By 4:30 I was following small lanes, but still crowded by greenery, reaching the aforementioned Mousehole by 5. I’ve seen quite a few dogs along the trail, and taken pictures of a couple just today, so when I saw this one (see photo at top) in front of a sign with “Mouse” clear (and the rest hidden), I couldn’t resist. The town was very attractive, and had the largest working harbor I’d seen since Newquay.

Mousehole, by the way, has a December 23 festival to celebrate a legendary event. The story goes that winter gales had kept the fishing fleet in harbor until the community was near starvation. Tom Bawcock braved the gales to bring home a large catch and saved the town. Part of the celebration involves a procession through the town carrying a great “Starry Gazey” fish pie commemorating his feat and the feast it supplied. Fish heads poke up through the crust of the pie, gazing at the stars… A modern retelling of the story as a children’s book,

From here, the walk to Penzance was relatively short and followed urban roads, although the even more major harbor of Newlyn (home of the largest remaining commercial fishing fleet in Cornwall) was a significant sight. I stopped to meet a very distinguished looking Bassett Hound near that harbor. I also paid my respects to a sculpture memorial to fishermen lost at sea, then passed a series of small gardens below the road, with truly remarkable scarecrows and other decorations. Then I stopped again at the memorial for the Penlee Lifeboat, lost in 1981 while trying to rescue the coast ship Union Star.

Around 6 pm my friend Rob Read phoned me, having just reached Penzance to join me for the remainder of the hike. I had about another half hour to go, but I could see the town ahead of me by this point. Penzance, by the way, was a major personal landmark to me as well as the halfway point for this hike; this was the one place I had been in Cornwall before starting the Coast Path. Kat and I had come here with my sister and her husband, when we came to visit during their European sojourn, and we had come back once on another vacation soon after. We had visited Mount St. Michael both times, and I wouldn’t mind doing that again, but instead Rob and I had booked a personal archeological tour for the 18th. We would go ahead and hike another day tomorrow and bus back to Penzance, as I had been reluctant to book the tour for the first day after Rob arrived for fear of travel delays. I reached the Glencree House by 6:30 to be greeted by him, and we walked further into the ton to the Turk’s Head where I had a delicious seafood pie, but sadly lacking in fish heads.

So Porthcurno to Penzance, 11.5 miles officially and around 2,000 feet up and down; 13 miles by my GPS, but I knew I had backtracked quite a bit to start the day. Overcast and foggy the whole day, but not much rain after the first hour. Although we had ended up planning to hike tomorrow, I was in need of a laundry, and this was the only place (until the end at Falmouth) where I would be staying 2 nights. Our host at Glencree House steered me to a nearby laundry where I could drop off a bag of clothes before hitting the trail in the morning, and then pick them up the next morning at a small fee over what it would have cost me to do them myself. Excellent!

[scottymcgeesterwrites]

My First Time in Los Angeles

This past April, I visited California for the very first time with my girlfriend, Em. It was also her first time there - in short - it was our first time venturing OUT WEST beyond Pennsylvania.

Vacations have always been somewhat of a bum rap for me.

I only ever spent vacations with my parents, and as the years went by and the money became short, we went on fewer and fewer vacations. But even when I went on vacation, my strained relationship with them made the time drag by ever so slowly, especially through their arguments, and I often found myself saying, “God, I need a vacation. Oh, wait.”

Our trip was really a double feature - 4 days in Los Angeles and 3 days in San Francisco. We each had friends from college we wanted to visit, whom we hadn’t seen in years.

The first thing I had in mind was to visit film locations. There was the Griffith’s Observatory, featured in Rebel without a Cause and La La Land. The Bradbury Building at 304 South Broadway, where Blade Runner was filmed. Pacific Park, where Bean was filmed. The Bronson Cave Trail in Griffith’s Park, where the original 1960′s Batcave was filmed. And about 30 miles north of L.A. are some unassuming rock formations in Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park where Captain James T. Kirk battled a Gorn in the Star Trek episode Arena.

                       (Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean in 1997′s Bean)

Unfortunately, from my list I only got to see the Griffith’s Observatory and Pacific Park, but that didn’t mean my time in Los Angels wasn’t what I wanted. Oh, far more than that. My friend Carlos could practically make money as a tour-guide. He live a couple towns over but was familiar with Los Angeles, its subway system, its atmosphere. He took us to the Los Angeles City Hall, where we could see nearly everything, even the Griffith’s Observatory in the distance.

Pictures made possible by my lovable Nikon P510. The zoom on it is amazing and has been the envy of all my friends (penis envy - zoom envy). 

We even stumbled upon an enlightening talk on affordable housing development. While we wandered around Los Angeles City Hall, we noticed many nicely-dressed people gathering. Even though we felt out of place - post-graduate 20-somethings haggard from walking in the sun all day long - nobody gave us weird looks. We slipped into the crowd inside the main hall and listened to a talk some guy gave about why people in Los Angeles hate poor people.

Seriously.

For those of you unfamiliar with the homeless problem, Los Angeles has a huge one. It’s notorious for having the most homeless people, Skid Row in particular. Carlos told me that it’s nothing to be afraid of though - it’s just smelly and disgusting - and the homeless people only fight among themselves if they ever fight.

Part of the reason for Los Angeles’ dragging homeless issue is that nobody wants affordable housing to be built in their backyards and neighborhoods. They believe in this stigma that homeless people bring violence, drugs and crime. In reality, they need mental aide and a place to live. But people keep voting no. And so the homeless continue to fill the streets.

Well.

Fuck.

While my memories of L.A. are grounded, I remember feeling as if I wasn’t really there, and yet active at the same time. An engaging observer. I felt it most when Carlos, Em and I sifted through the crowd of the affordable housing presentation. Nobody bat an eye at us despite us dressed so differently. I felt like I was in an episode of Doctor Who where The Doctor takes his companions to witness some fantastic historical event and few people are paying attention to them.

After that, Carlos took us to Little Tokyo, where I gushed with nerdiness at finding trading cards from JRPGs like Tales of Symphonia and Tales of Xilia.

Carlos is an interesting individual - unconventional but very fun. Many people back in college thought he was too crazy but I could deal with crazy. He had an idea to buy 32 oz. bottles of Asahi beer and hide them in these funny, wool socks he bought. He drank with Em and as our shopping progressed, Carlos became Carlos to the third power. He binged on shopping for anime, and his favorite is Eureka Seven.

“Dude,” he said aloud, holding the special edition box set. “I love this. It’s a great romance. Oh, man, I’m a sucker for romances like this. This boy, the main character right, he’s young and full of semen. You know what I mean?”

That day was probably the best time I ever had on a vacation. My parents were a practically non-existent thought somewhere in the back of my head. I didn’t have two pairs of eyes judging me. I could be myself, experience a new place the way I wanted.

Los Angeles Nightlife (and meeting a celebrity)

Em’s friend told us a couple places where we could have a good time. Well, the place we hung out one night was appropriately called Good Times at Davey Wayne’s. We waited in line in some alleyway with this annoying jagoff of a bouncer who literally looked like Jared Leto. Maybe he was Jared Leto now that I think about it. I don’t know. He really looked like Jared Leto - he had the white Jesus thing going on. Maybe he was a nice guy, I thought, until he was completely enamored with this one girl who cut in line. She flirted with him for five seconds and he let her in.

The one thing that struck me immediately upon entering Good Times at Davey Wayne’s was not the hipster, 70′s theme, but the fact that people were actually dancing. Like really dancing. Not the grinding shit East Coasters do everywhere, nor the awkward wedding dances where old people try to be hip. It was seriously the best time I ever had clubbing.

When I prepared for Los Angeles, I bought a small green notebook. I’m very anal about my notebooks. Each notebook is color-coded based on the topic. This slim green notebook is reserved for autographs. I chose green because it’s the color of envy, which is usually how you feel about celebrities.

I imagined at first that running into even mildly famous people would be a frequent occurrence in Los Angeles. But right before we left for L.A., I read someone’s post about how it’s not at all like that. Regardless, I brought the book with me.

When we were at Good Times at Davey Wayne’s, my ears caught a particular voice that struck me. I knew I heard that voice somewhere. I honed in on it and saw this blond girl and her friends. I immediately recognized the famous YouTuber Meghan McCarthy.

I told Em about it but I wasn’t 100% sure. Yet Meghan has a distinctive voice she’s known for and I was sure about the voice. Em approached her anyway and lo and behold - she was Meghan McCarthy. 

So I got my very first celebrity autograph!

And I was also an idiot for not remembering to take a picture. To be fair, our phones were in a constant state of dying during our vacation from all the picture-taking. I almost didn’t get any pictures of the Griffith’s Observatory. Both our phones AND my camera died. I got really bummed out - but then - I remembered I was carrying my Nintendo 3DS! It takes low-res pictures but - hey - better than nothing.

The Getty

On my last day I visited my old friend Seb - whom I hadn’t seen since my college graduation of ‘12. He already has a wife and a son. The guy’s already living it. He was my college pal since Day 1 of freshman year. We were DJs together for WMNJ at Drew University. Well, he was a DJ, I was really a talk show host. We had always meant to hang out together but life drew us apart.

Seb is an artist. As such, he took us to The Getty - quite possibly the most expansive, beautiful art museum I’ve ever been to. It’s also free (well, except for parking but still). The Getty is nestled up in a mountain, so you take a tram car ride up there.

So overall, what’s L.A. like?

Miami, but on steroids.

And with the movie theme going on.

I’ve been to Miami many times. It’s hot. There are homeless people. Driving sucks. And there are palm trees everywhere.

The driving is atrocious.

People who live there also have this strange aversion to the subway system, which I actually found affordable, easy to use and fast. I guess it’s just overshadowed now by Uber. Another reason why the subway could be overshadowed is that it takes you to mostly touristy areas.

There’s also weed everywhere and nobody cares. Nobody ever cared even when it was illegal. It’s now legal but legislation is taking its jolly old time to figure out how to regulate it and sell it, etc. So you can’t find a store to walk in and get some weed. Still, there are “marijuana doctors” at nearly every corner of every street.

Hollywood Blvd. is equivalent to NYC’s Times Square. Once you start seeing chain restaurants and street performers, you know it’s touristy.

Pacific Park is further away in Santa Monica, next to Venice Beach. If you are from New Jersey or at least familiar with the Jersey Shore, think of Venice Beach as Seaside Heights but on steroids.

(Almost anything in L.A. can be summed up as ‘Like X but on steroids’ - ESPECIALLY the movie theaters. I really wanted to see a movie in the Chinese Theater but we didn’t have the time.)

Pacific Park - to be brutally honest - was not as exciting as Em and I thought it’d be. It’s a tiny little amusement park. The roller coaster is so short that they let you ride twice. While everyone else around us beamed with excitement, we were really spoiled East Coasters having experienced Six Flags with fucking death-defying drops in Nitro, and even the Jersey Shore with all its piers clogged with amusements. Pacific Park is the only amusement park on the West Coast. The reason being, well, earthquakes and erosion.

We could never seem to get a general consensus on how frequent earthquakes occurred. One Uber driver told us once a week, another said once a month, some passerby told us once every couple months. People blatantly contradicted each other - especially since one person said they hadn’t had a major earthquake in decades while another said the last major earthquake was in 2014. People contradicted each other on what public transportation was like. The food. The stores.

But they never contradicted what it was like about each other. Everybody in L.A. is truly trying to be somebody, and I could tell right away when that girl cut us and had Mr. Jared Leto Lookalike flirt with her by asking him to take her phone out of her back pocket. I overheard it all the time when people talked about their comedy acts and meetings with friends to get this film shoot down.

And while I was annoyed by that instance, it’s a far cry from the overall good vibe. Strangers are friendly. Nobody is suspicious of you for anything. There are dozens of “Love trumps hate” signs and the like. When I took a picture of Em in from of Pacific Park, two strangers wanted to get in the picture, which resulted in an amusing progression of photos.

Where did you stay?

An AirBnB. I actually feel horrible because I still haven’t left a review for our hosts, now that I reminded myself.

AirBnB is basically Uber for hotels. It’s getting really famous now. We got a really sweet cheap deal for the time we spent there.

I’ll actually shout out to them - we stayed at the Chaplin Room at Limelight Manor, hosted by Joan & Luis.

It was our first time using AirBnB. Joan’s parents apparently take care of the place. They were sweet and helpful. We were apprehensive at first because we weren’t sure what we could use and what we couldn’t use. Em assumed everything was owned by Joan and Luis. I thought otherwise. The sign clearly says “Put your name on whatever you don’t want other people to use.” There were unmarked bottles of wine. So I drank one. Logical.

We never saw the hosts, only Joan’s parents, who took care of the place like the maids of a hotel would.

The guests at the AirBnB tended to keep to themselves, just like a regular hotel. At first I was weirded out because I always heard people scurry here and there but when I left the room nobody was around.

BONUS ROUND:

On our way to California during the plane ride, Em and I saw these very strange lights as we neared Las Vegas.

Bio-dome? Science facility? Area 51? Aliens?

If anyone knows - feel free to share.

Ciao.

[wanderbitesbybobbie]

Explore Sagada: A Love-Hate Relationship

On Choosing Sagada as a Destination

Where do broken hearts go? Where do you find yourself when you are lost? I do not understand why my fellow travelers would instantly say Sagada. For some reason, I only found myself in the middle of trekking with sore muscles and exhausted legs. Soul-searching? Yeah, I felt my soul partly leaving my body out of fatigue. LOL. I am an ocean advocate and a self-proclaimed mermaid. But for the love of the Philippines, I chose to go North to go trekking and explore up there. I find mountaineering and trekking intimidating. It’s not for everyone. Though, it’s not my first time to trek, speaking by experience, I still find it quite overwhelming. It was an after-storm during the time we went up. I firmly consider that I would be able to help the locals of Sagada to rise up again after they were hardly hit by the typhoon through tourism. So, that was my deciding point. We’re going up to Mountain Province. Some roads were still under repair and undergoing clearing operations. But Dear Bobbie, don’t worry. THE LORD IS WITH US. I kept telling myself. Now this is the part where my love-hate relationship with Sagada begins.

A part of the trail to Bomod-Ok Falls

The “Dislike” Part First before the Good Ones

I AM NOT A BIG FAN OF SUPER COLD SEASON. Being the researcher that I am, I know that it is chilly there. I have experienced snow in Australia and Korea, but it’s a different kind of “cold” up there. The moment I stepped out of the van, I started sneezing like a wet cat. I kept asking myself, do I lack a layer of clothing on me? Did I not prepare enough? The sudden change of climate made me literally sick. I wasn’t so sure if I under-estimated the weather.

IT’S A VERY LONG AND TEDIOUS TRAVERSE.  Our group of 7 vans left Manila at 9:00 PM. We arrived at the Banaue Arch (our first stop) at about 8:00 AM. That was 11 hours of tiresome land-travel. This is not advisable if you tend to be car-sick during long travels.

LANDSLIDES AND ROUGH ROADS. There was a moment when our van passed by a recent land slide by the side of the road. A small rock fell on the van’s roof and I knew it came from some higher ground. Though roads in the North are fairly smoother than roads in the South, it becomes a different story once you enter CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region). Roads are long and winding, and muddy, and rocky, and… God knows what.

Smooth part of the long trek to Bomod-Ok Falls.

YOU HAVE TO BE FIT FOR TREKKING. Which I am definitely not. I spent my days working, and eating, and reviewing restaurants before my trip. With zero exercise and zero sleep, yeah, I braved Sagada trekking. If you plan on going to Sagada to trek, be prepared!

ONLY 1 ATM IN THE AREA. What was I thinking? This is Mountain Province. How could you possibly bring the machines with so much efficiency? It’s a struggle for vans and buses. What more trucks to bring the machines up? Thus, the expensive bank charge. Make sure to bring sufficient cash. Next ATM is about 4 hours away by van (LOL. Kidding! But half-meant.)

PUVs ARE VERY LIMITED TO NONE. During our first day, I slept in the room throughout the day. I was not feeling well and it felt like my head’s gonna explode. I even missed spelunking. So when I woke up at around 6:00 PM, I was definitely hungry. We went out to look for a place to dine in. Only to realize that there were no tricycles or even jeep around the place. No public utility vehicle at all, except for buses bound to Manila. You literally have to walk to your destination (no matter how near or far).

What I Absolutely Loved (Let’s not make it sound like I’m Ranting. LOL.)

Passing by Banaue Rice Terraces on the way to Mountain Province.

THE SCENERY. We started traveling at night so all I can see throughout the window was darkness and the headlights from the vehicles that we come across. But, it was quite a view when morning came, as the lush greenery of Mountain Province welcomed us through the bumpy ride.

Every bit of Sagada’s history is inside this place.

THE CULTURE. We got the chance to hear about the province’s culture during a talk inside Ganduyan Museum. Learning about how the province grew from a laid-back primitive land to a tourism spot is such an exceptional experience.

I survived a whole day of trekking, and now I’m finally here. The famous Hanging Coffins.

EVERY SPOT IS WORTH IT. Trekking to the beautiful Bomod-Ok Falls takes about 2 and a half hours from main jump-off point and about 2 hours back. Also, it will take you about 45 minutes of daunting trek to the Hanging Coffins from the Eco Valley Entrance. It was muddy, slippery, tiring, and life-threatening, but each spot was worth the sweat.

Team Sagada

DINING IS AN ACTIVITY ITSELF. If you are into peace and serenity, then Sagada is the place for you. Though restaurants are not strategically located beside each other, each dining place has its own specialty. Check out Log Cabin for posh Western Cuisine (review on this on a separate post). Also try Masferre for pastries and breads and the famous Yoghurt House to try Sagada’s finest desserts and authentic Yoghurt. Lemon Pie House is also a pride of Sagada together with Sagada Brew. But then again, dining is always better with good company. Saying hi to all the new friends I’ve met during this trip.

IT WILL TEACH YOU AN EXTREME LESSON ON PATIENCE. Whether it’s the long ride, or the tiresome treks, or the freezing water pouring from your shower, you have to endure. Good things don’t come easily. It takes time to achieve what’s worthy. Amazing things happen to those who are patient. Keep calm and carry on.

THE FRIENDLY PEOPLE. For I do believe that the very pride of a destination is its own people. It’s the kind of place where you still feel secure though you are already lost. It’s not that scary to ask for directions when in Sagada.

DIY Top-Loaders

TOP-LOADING SAGADA STYLE. It was definitely a one-of-a-kind experience to be riding on top of a jeepney’s roof while traveling from the mountains to downtown. It’s nothing for the adrenaline junkies who went to Sagada for a lesser strenuous trek. But for a person of the sea such as myself, IT WAS ACTION.

SAGADA ITINERARY

Day 0 – 9:00 AM Leave Manila, Mc Donald’s Centris

Day 1: Rice Terraces and Spelunking

8:00 AM Banaue Arch Arrival

9:00 AM Breakfast at Banaue

9:30 AM Banaue Rice Terraces View Point

10:00 AM Arrival at Clairence Inn

Our home for 3 days.

  11:30 – 12:00 NN Lunch

1:30 PM to 5:30 PM  Sumaguing Cave Spelunking

4.5 Difficulty Level on a Scale of 5 according to my friends. (It might be different if you are physically fit and well-practiced for caving and spelunking.)

7:00 PM Dinner at Yoghurt House

Day 2: Sagada Trek

7:00 AM Breakfast at Clairence Inn

8:00 AM Pick-Up from Hotel to Jump-Off Trail to Bomod-Ok

8:30 AM Start of Trek to Bomod-Ok

Bomod-Ok Falls

11:00 AM Bomod-Ok Falls (30 minutes Swim, if you dare.)

11:30 AM Trek back to Jump-Off

1:30 PM Late Lunch (Chicken Inasal, Sagada Style)

2:00 PM Sagada Weaving

3:00 PM Eco Valley, Trek to Hanging Coffins

3:45 Hanging Coffins

5:00 Back at Eco Valley Entrance

6:00 PM Ganduyan Museum (History of Sagada)

7:00 PM Pasalubong Center

8:00 PM Dinner at Log Cabin

Day 3: Last Day

Sea of Clouds at Kiltepan Peak

4:00 AM Pick up to Kiltepan

5:45 AM Mt. Kiltepan Peak, Sunrise Watching

7:00 AM Top-Loading downtown

8:00 AM Breakfast at Clairence

9:00 AM Free Time

10:00 AM Orange Picking

11:00 AM Travel Back to La Trinidad

Stop-Over at Mt. View Cafe for a nice view of Benguet and for Cheese Bars. Yeah, they’re crowding for that.

  You have to try these babies!

1:30 PM Benguet- Philippine Highway Highest Point

3:30 PM Arrival at La Trinidad Strawberry Farm

Go for the strawberry ice cream!

  P100/pack La Trinidad Strawberries

  Satellite Market where you can shop for goods that can only be found at La Trinidad.

5:00-6:30 PM Stop-Over, Super Late Lunch and Early Dinner at La Trinidad

7:00 PM Travel down to Manila

11:30 PM Arrival at Manila

Some Tips For Your Trip To Sagada:

Do not under estimate the chilly climate. Sagada doesn’t care if you’ve gone through snow in the Alps. I tell you, it’s a different kind of “cold”.

It’s best to go on Summer Season. I went up November so hello rainy downpours. Hello slippery trails.

Bring your trekking shoes/sandals. (PLEASE DO NOT WEAR FLIPFLOPS ON TREKS TO AVOID INJURIES.)

Buff-up before your trip. (Which I did not do and I sincerely regret. When in Sagada, it’s leg-day errday.)

Bring a neck-pillow to make you comfortable during the long land-travel.

Bring cup noodles and instant coffee. These stuff are expensive in Sagada. Some accommodations give hot water for free.

Book your accommodation downtown. Again, there are no public utility vehicles and some accommodations are really far from town. To maximize your time and stay, you can stroll downtown during free time.

Do not bring unnecessary items when spelunking and trekking. Make yourself as light as possible.

Try to sleep when you can. Sagada Activities are no joke! You need as much energy as possible.

ENJOY YOUR ADVENTURE. WAG MAG-REKLAMO! GINUSTO MO YAN!

I urge you to experience Sagada

It may be a love-hate relationship between me and Mountain Province, but at the end of the day, I will still choose to travel to Sagada. It’s not just a destination, it’s an experience.

If you want to visit Sagada please do let me know.

Check-out my travel video during my trip to Sagada here.

HAPPY TRAVELS!

XOXO,

          Explore Sagada: A Love-Hate Relationship was originally published on WanderBitesByBobbie