new years/anniversary in pcola🤍 new years/anniversary in pcola🤍
5 years ago under the night sky we said “I do” 5 years ago under the night sky we said “I do” to forever. happy anniversary @mdhadel !
cozy patio hangout (obsessed with these oversized cozy patio hangout (obsessed with these oversized chairs from ikea!!)📙🍂
October 2020 in Mississippi 🍂✨🎃 http://lik October 2020 in Mississippi 🍂✨🎃 http://liketk.it/301h2 #liketkit @liketoknow.it
wish there was a Jeep emoji 🥺 wish there was a Jeep emoji 🥺
happy 30th(!) birthday to my love @mdhadel 🤩🎂 with each year that goes by you get more handsome, more wise, and better in every way (altho the mustache is questionable). I love you!!! #dirtythirty #gettingold #justkidding #kinda
home sweet home in Mississippi! we closed on our h home sweet home in Mississippi! we closed on our house last week that we bought 2,000 miles away in San Diego via FaceTime. major thanks to my angel parents @barnabypie & @ranger.steele who drove down from Ohio at a moments notice to check out this house for us in person before we made an offer. we love it so much and are so excited to get settled! #visitorswelcome #mississippivacation #notsandiegobutitwilldo
WE’RE MOVING!! 🚚 After 3 years in sunny San D WE’RE MOVING!! 🚚 After 3 years in sunny San Diego, we’re moving back to Mississippi. Back to the deep south, humidity, and gas station BBQ. Michael and I first lived in Mississippi as newlyweds when he was in flight school. This time around he’ll be an instructor and we’ll be able to put some roots down as we’ll be there for at least 3 years. Now we’ve just gotta pack up and hit the road. We’re moving ourselves this time around (full DITY move) and the pandemic is def adding extra flavor to the whole experience. Here we goooo! #ditymove #pandemicmove #gitrdone
one last time exploring mount laguna! one of our f one last time exploring mount laguna! one of our fav places in San Diego county 🥾🤎
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California, Outdoors, Outfits, Travel · July 8, 2018

A day in Mount Laguna

Y’all know that whenever we move to a new location we try to really immerse ourselves in the town/community/state…you get the drift. Currently we have a big list of things we want to see or do that are within just a couple hours drive of San Diego — a perfect day trip situation.

Just 50 minutes outside of San Diego (or closer, depending where you live) there is a magical forest called Mount Laguna. And I call it magical because it’s the total opposite of San Diego. There’s cooler temperatures, big towering trees, grassy pastures filled with cattle, and a (very small) lake or two. Wow. I love it.

So a couple weeks ago Michael, Shadow, and myself all hopped into the Jeep and headed out to Mount Laguna. Of course, on the way there we stopped at Vons for some very necessary picnic essentials.

As the drive stretched on I couldn’t help but breathe a HUGE sigh of relief as soon as I saw the first set of pine trees. I could literally feel myself relaxing as the view outside the Jeep window turned from crowded and chaotic suburban bliss to the winding, steep mountains.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE San Diego. I’m grateful to live here — for the 3 or so years that we’ll be here. But the traffic, over-crowded parking lots and neighborhoods, and frantic energy of living in such a congested area starts to wear on you a bit. Especially coming from the overly-friendly Midwest, a land where not only do people let you merge — but they do so with a smile on their face.

Anyways. Mount Laguna takes you away from all that. As soon as I saw the first “beware of cattle on the road” sign I knew we were in for a real treat.

We stopped at the visitor’s center to get a map and ask about dog-friendly trails. The volunteer working there was SO NICE. Very midwesterny.

With the friendly volunteer’s help, we picked a cute trail nearby that would be perfect for Shadow. I swear to God we do everything for our dog. Move to San Diego and live in the city in a nice condo? NOPE. We bought a house in the suburbs so my angel could have a backyard. LOL.

We drove on a dirt road to get to the trailhead which Michael just loved. My poor husband used to have a bona-fide rock crawler Jeep but sold it a couple years ago. Now my stock AF Wrangler is all he has to work with!!! Soon Michael, I promise we will build the dream Jeep.

Oh my gosh guys SORRY this post is so all over the place. Long story short, the hike was awesome. It was a cool meadow hike — if you go to the Mount Laguna geotag on Instagram you’ll probably see it. It’s the big meadow and a lot of people do photoshoots there.

Three miles flew by. It was very serene and quiet. We hardly saw anyone so we went to a small pine clearing and let Shadow off leash. She loved it.

We then drove around the park a bit. It’s very fun to explore. We found an insanely idyllic picnic spot that overlooks the anza-borrego desert (it’s right next door, really) and had the most ideal afternoon. German Shepherd at our feet, fancy cheese spread, and literal trail mix. Wow.

All good things have to come to an end though. We lazily made our way out of the park and even found a fun little “off-roading” trail that we ventured on for a bit.

IN CONCLUSION: mount laguna is awesome. a reallyyyy nice breath of fresh air (pun definitely intended) and I can’t wait to go back!

If you’ve been to Mount Laguna, LMK! Talk to y’all later. Xx.

In: California, Outdoors, Outfits, Travel · Tagged: california outdoors, german shepherd, hiking, mount laguna

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Comments

  1. Susan Steele says

    July 9, 2018 at 9:10 pm

    Sounds like such a breath of fresh air!

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      July 19, 2018 at 5:51 am

      it was amazing 🙂

      Reply

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Hi! I'm a midwestern girl living in San Diego with my husband + German Shepherd, Shadow. I believe clothes are always a personal statement, books are life, and coffee is best served ICED. Don't be a stranger, please say hello!

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new years/anniversary in pcola🤍 new years/anniversary in pcola🤍
5 years ago under the night sky we said “I do” 5 years ago under the night sky we said “I do” to forever. happy anniversary @mdhadel !
cozy patio hangout (obsessed with these oversized cozy patio hangout (obsessed with these oversized chairs from ikea!!)📙🍂
October 2020 in Mississippi 🍂✨🎃 http://lik October 2020 in Mississippi 🍂✨🎃 http://liketk.it/301h2 #liketkit @liketoknow.it
wish there was a Jeep emoji 🥺 wish there was a Jeep emoji 🥺
happy 30th(!) birthday to my love @mdhadel 🤩🎂 with each year that goes by you get more handsome, more wise, and better in every way (altho the mustache is questionable). I love you!!! #dirtythirty #gettingold #justkidding #kinda
home sweet home in Mississippi! we closed on our h home sweet home in Mississippi! we closed on our house last week that we bought 2,000 miles away in San Diego via FaceTime. major thanks to my angel parents @barnabypie & @ranger.steele who drove down from Ohio at a moments notice to check out this house for us in person before we made an offer. we love it so much and are so excited to get settled! #visitorswelcome #mississippivacation #notsandiegobutitwilldo
WE’RE MOVING!! 🚚 After 3 years in sunny San D WE’RE MOVING!! 🚚 After 3 years in sunny San Diego, we’re moving back to Mississippi. Back to the deep south, humidity, and gas station BBQ. Michael and I first lived in Mississippi as newlyweds when he was in flight school. This time around he’ll be an instructor and we’ll be able to put some roots down as we’ll be there for at least 3 years. Now we’ve just gotta pack up and hit the road. We’re moving ourselves this time around (full DITY move) and the pandemic is def adding extra flavor to the whole experience. Here we goooo! #ditymove #pandemicmove #gitrdone
one last time exploring mount laguna! one of our f one last time exploring mount laguna! one of our fav places in San Diego county 🥾🤎
got the full set of pics from Michael’s homecomi got the full set of pics from Michael’s homecoming — love them so much! 🤍 thank you @rachael_mariephotography ! As Michael’s time here is coming to an end, I’m really glad we could get these pics with the C2 #flynavy
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