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Passions and Places

A travel + outdoors blog

Destinations
- Africa
  - Zambia
- Asia
  - Cambodia
  - India
  - Indonesia
  - Laos
  - Malaysia
  - Singapore
  - Thailand
  - Vietnam
- Europe
  - Iceland
  - Portugal
- North America
  - Canada
  - Alabama
  - Arizona
  - Connecticut
  - Louisiana
  - Maine
  - Massachusetts
  - Mississippi
  - Montana
  - New Hampshire
  - Rhode Island
  - Vermont
  - Wyoming
Activities
- Camping
- Cycling
- Hiking
- Kayaking
- Motorcycling
- Scuba Diving
- Skiing
- Yoga
Planning
Travel Styles
Responsible Travel

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Hi! We're Jen and Ryan, an American couple on a journey to travel the world while working from the road. We're passionate about outdoors adventure, ethical travel, and healthy living. Passions and Places is a space for us to share our stories and tips with you, but most importantly, we hope to inspire you to seek your own adventure.

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Top Posts

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Where are we now?

passionsandplaces

A couple with a passion for travel. Often outdoors or off the beaten path. Hoping to inspire you to seek your own adventure. 🇺🇸 Currently in the U.S.

It doesn’t get much better than a camping trip w

It doesn’t get much better than a camping trip with these hammock views. ⛺️🌲👌🏼

Riding motorbikes is a super common way to get aro

Riding motorbikes is a super common way to get around in Southeast Asia - but between the roads, the traffic, and the poorly maintained bikes, it’s not an easy (or terribly safe) place to learn how to drive one. 🏍️ Oh, and most travelers do it illegally (which can invalidate your travel insurance if you happen to get in an accident 😳). Fortunately for us, Ryan’s been riding since high school.

We always try to take a few motorcycle trips when we come back to Montana during the summer. And after two months of isolating here in the cold, it’s finally nice enough! 🌞

Wednesday was the warmest day we’ve had so far,

Wednesday was the warmest day we’ve had so far, which was the perfect excuse to spend the afternoon on the river.

Now, did we go kayaking at a spot we’d never been before, on a river where the current was way too strong to get anywhere? Maybe... 🙈 But it was still more than worth it to be outside, on the water and in the sun, especially after these past couple months. 🌞

After what feels like a lifetime of being on lockd

After what feels like a lifetime of being on lockdown, today’s the last day of the full stay-at-home order here in Montana.
That’s exciting, but is it wise? We don’t know.

Not surprisingly, our state has the lowest rate of infection per capita and the second-lowest number of cases after Alaska. There’s been around 450 infections and 14 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. More than 75% of people who’ve been sick have already recovered, and only 11 patients are currently hospitalized.
All that to say - if there’s any place where reopening could be safe, it’s probably here. Loosening restrictions should be fairly low risk in Montana, and hopefully other states at higher risk will be able to learn from whatever happens here.

What’s reopening going to look like?
Retail businesses, spas/salons, and places of worship are reopening tomorrow and Monday, but are supposed to maintain social distancing and limited capacity. Schools are still closed, restaurants and bars are still take-out only, and gatherings of more than 10 people are still prohibited. People in vulnerable groups are encouraged to continue to staying at home.

We don’t plan to leave Great Falls until the state has been fully open for at least a couple weeks. For now, we’ll probably largely continue doing what we’ve been doing, especially since Jen’s parents are over 65 - limiting trips to stores, trying to maintain 6 feet of distance when we’re out, and keeping up our incessant handwashing.
And here’s hoping the curve stays flat. 🤞🏼

Ski resorts can’t operate right now, but you bet

Ski resorts can’t operate right now, but you better believe that people in Montana are still finding ways to hit the slopes. ⛷️ How? Most ski areas are on public land - and that means there’s nothing (other than the fact that it sounds insanely hard 😳) to stop you from hiking up to the top of the mountain and then skiing down.

So Ryan headed up to Showdown last week, and found a quiet mountain just waiting for adventure. ⛰️ The hour-long snowshoe hike up the hill was admittedly a pretty big endeavor, considering the actual skiing portion lasted about five minutes. But hey, where there’s a will, there’s a way. Or maybe think of it less as a ski trip and more as a winter hike that has a fun way to come back down at the end.

A few disclaimers in case you’re considering this ‼️ Do not do this if you aren’t an experienced skier. Only go to ski areas you’re already familiar with. Avoid any place that’s prone to avalanches. Check the conditions before you go. Take a buddy. Stick to easy runs. Bring everything you’ll need with you (gear, water, snacks).

In addition to all the new online pastimes we’ve

In addition to all the new online pastimes we’ve developed lately (livestream yoga! video chats! digital courses!), we’re trying to make sure we spend time out of the house and away from our computers, too - while following all the rules, of course! And so we’ve taken more than a few scenic drives in the past couple weeks. Usually we just get in the car and go, without a plan or a route, and we pretty much always end up someplace peaceful and gorgeous - like here, along the Missouri River near Fort Benton.

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