When you embark upon a 5 month road trip, “vacation” can be a tough commodity to come by with hotels being our homes and restaurants being our kitchens…

Luckily a Montanan paradise awaited our hotel-weary selves that allowed us to kick back and relax in a tent for a few days to rejuvenate. Mother Nature could not have been a better hostess as she gave us the scenic getaway at Glacier National Park.

Watch as the crew goes into the wild and Gary, or “Gare-Bear Grylls” as we call him, gives us our own episode of Man vs. Wild when he meets a surprise visitor near our campground!

Natalie

Anyone out there ever wondered while sitting in your geography class learning about the Dakotas if (a) they actually existed or is the United States map playing a joke on you and (b) what on earth is there really to do up there?

Well you are not alone. South Dakota took me by surprise to say the least! Jess, Ben, Gary and I got a little of that Lewis and Clark spirit in us and decided to explore all of what this great state had to offer!

Enjoy these “SoDak moments!”

Natalie 

Alright friends, raise your hand if you like state fairs…

Anyone? C’mon, you know that one time of year when you mix funnel cake, pig racing and lumberjack logrolling together makes for a combination worthy of every virtual hand up!

And speaking of hands in the air, you do NOT want to miss our very own Jessica Henry waving her hands in the air like she just doesn’t care as she is chosen from a crowd to be a pig racing cheerleader for “Lady Hog-ga.” It just doesn’t get any better than this folks…

So sit back, relax and enjoy this Nebraska State Fair spectacle brought to you by the aha tour crew.

FCFL (Funnel Cake For Life),

Natalie

I am quite proud of my Norwegian heritage, the 1/8th of it I can claim.

And since I can remember, I have been infatuated with all things Norway. The vikings, the fjords, the Nordic Track… and now, after meeting Kari-Jo, I also have a place in my heart for Norwegian natives living in Fargo.

Here’s a peek inside our Mutual of Omaha studio as Kari-Jo teaches Jess and I to sing a verse of the Norwegian national anthem. 

After this video, you might think Jess and I should be the next contestants on Norway’s Got Talent.

Natalie

Any readers out there ever seen the movie Cool Runnings?

Please say yes. Life is just not complete without being inspired by that Jamaican bobsled team. And while in Duluth, we discovered exactly what there is to love about the sport of bobsledding…

We got the chance to ride Minnesota’s Alpine Coaster and decided to count this as our preliminary training for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Though we didn’t really have an ice track to glide down during practice, we realized those Jamaican bobsledders didn’t have one either and look how well it turned out for those guys!

Going for the gold,

Natalie

Did you ever pan for gold as a child? I did. A lot. And I felt like I had won the lottery every time I stumbled across a golden flake…

I experienced this similar victorious feeling upon visiting Davenport, IA. The Midwestern diamond in the rough overflowed with gems of people doing extraordinary things.

From one of the world’s quirkiest vintage clothing stores to a remarkably cool restaurant owner to a music producing genius who helped us create our first crew rap in his studio, Davenport proved to be a tour stop gold mine.

Thanks guys! I’d pan for Davenport any day,

Natalie

Nothing quite says “summer time” like a surrey ride on a sunny day in Duluth, Minnesota!

Care to join us as we stroll around the lovely Lake Superior? C’mon. You do NOT want to miss Gary’s pedaling skills in action! The man can tow an Airstream with his eyes closed, but surreys are an entirely new form of transit for this guy…

Enjoy the jaunt!

-Natalie

I don’t care what the doctors tell you… The Wisconsinites of Green Bay bleed green and yellow. 

It took about 2 minutes of entering Titletown before I realized just how much this city eats, sleeps and breathes Packer football. And when you’ve got some of the best talent in the nation on your side, I can’t say I blame it.

As we drove to Lambeau Field to catch a practice, I could not believe my eyes. Football season didn’t kickoff for another month and cars were everywhere, tailgaters were grilling in full force and the fans were glued to the fence captivated by every move of their beloved boys. 

We chanted several rounds of “Go Pack Go!” before making our way to Curly’s and cheered cheese curds in the name of Green Bay. This community’s adoration for their team proved to be so infectious that I just may need to go to the doctor soon. I’m starting to get a little of that green and yellow running through my veins…

Go Pack Go!

Natalie

Well… No one ever told me Wisconsin had fairies.

Having never stepped foot inside the state, I mentally prepared myself for it with only visions of cheese curds and Packers fans dancing in my head. Fairies somehow never made it to the picture… Much less fairies on stilts.

After meeting this lovely mythical creature on the streets of Madison and receiving a “fairy blessing” by her magical wand, I knew that good things were in store for ol’ Wisconsin. 

Her charm clearly worked as we spotted a DOUBLE RAINBOW on the way to dinner that night! What did we find at the end of it you ask? A pot of gold… golden cheese curds that is. Jackpot.

I should really hang out with tall fairies more often,

Natalie

After Laura dazzled me with her fierce flair for vintage apparel in the Airstream, I could not help but follow my newfound fashion icon to the space where she makes the magic happen, Trash Can Annie. This world-renown vintage clothing store nestled in the heart of Davenport ranks right up there at the top of my favorite-places-I’ve-seen-all-tour list. Watch as this garb guru transforms our daily wear into vintage extraordinaire!

Here’s to hoping that with the help of Trash Can Annie’s fashion makeover, this crew won’t be caught dead on “What Not to Wear,”

Natalie