Instagram story viewer> @_the.allykat_> Posts

Ally 🌀

@_the.allykat_

1.8K

followers

3309

following

📍Florida
• Full-time VW Westy traveler
• Yoga teacher | Permaculturist | Herbalist
• Professional cuss word slinger
• Raised two wild & free spirits

POSTS STORIES REELS

What a fun couple of days! We spent time in Half Moon Bay with Brad’s grade school buddy Andy and his wife, who graciously took us on a tour of San Francisco.

We packed a lot in! Started with savory crepes at High Grounds, took in those incredible city views from the top of Twin Peaks, stopped by Jerry Garcia’s old house, and wandered down Haight & Ashbury Street. You could almost feel the spirit of the Summer of Love still lingering there, even though those days are long gone. Rode around in a self driving car called Zoox. Which was wild! We enjoyed wine tucked away in the snug at the Irish Bank, explored Chinatown and had some seriously incredible food, and even got to enjoy a train ride underneath the city.

So many fun little adventures, but honestly, one of my favorite parts was watching Brad and Andy together. These two hadn’t seen each other in 40 years! There was so much catching up, laughing, and reminiscing. It was just so much fun to watch an old friendship come back to life.

A reminder that good friends, good food, a little exploring, and making new memories are some of life’s best gifts. by @_the.allykat_

Somewhere along the coast we took one hell of a detour.

After navigating a sketchy mountain road full of switchbacks and potholes to find our overnight spot that I found on iOverlander overlooking an incredible black sand beach in Lost Coast, we hit the road early this morning.

A couple hours into our mountain trek, we stopped at the tiny Honeydew General Store for snacks and a potty break. Clearly this place didn’t see many out-of-towners. That’s where we met Bob, a 70 year old local rancher who walked in with his dog and struck up a conversation.

What started as small talk turned into an unexpected history lesson about the Mattole and Sinkyone people who called this land home long before settlers arrived, and the massacres committed against them.

Bob shared how his own kids taught him about the atrocities his ancestors committed, and how that changed his understanding of the land he’d called home his entire life. This tough old rancher got choked up telling us about it.

His words stuck with me…”To know better is to be better.”

And to top it off, this old fella tells us he’s been growing weed on that mountain for 52 years, went to jail in 1993 over seven dead pot plants, and now runs one of the area’s largest cannabis farms with 150 employees. Only in California!

But what stayed with me was his willingness to confront an uncomfortable past, listen, learn, and grow.

We can’t change what happened before us, but we can choose what we do with the truth once we know it.

Ignorance isn’t bliss. by @_the.allykat_

Found the secret garden.

📍Fern Canyon, California by @_the.allykat_

Standing amongst our 2,300 year old elders was otherwordly.

📍Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, California by @_the.allykat_

Well, shit. We made it. by @_the.allykat_

Just an East Coast girl having a bit of a West Coast moment.

Not gonna lie, I get what the hype is all about now. And my mind is fucking blown. by @_the.allykat_

If this life on the road is teaching me anything,
it’s that home isn’t always a place you stay.
Sometimes it’s a sunset shared,
a familiar face tucked between two people you love,
a week that passes too quickly,
and the feeling of being right where you’re supposed to be for a little while.

We gather these little pieces of life as we go.
People,
places,
laughter,
sunsets.
Tuck them into our pockets
and carry them along for the ride.

Next up, California. by @_the.allykat_

Watching the earth change colors, textures, and moods as we wander through this beautiful, wild place.

Warm Springs, Oregon 📍 by @_the.allykat_

Stay weird Portland. by @_the.allykat_

Chasing waterfalls with these beautiful souls. by @_the.allykat_

Y’all made this birthday girl feel so loved.

Thank you for every birthday message, phone call, and coffee molla. Each one meant more to me than you probably realize, and I felt surrounded by love throughout the day.

And I got to celebrate doing exactly what makes my heart happy. by @_the.allykat_

49 trips around the sun.

We’re taught as women to fear aging, to fight it, hide it, and mourn the years passing. But I think getting older is an absolute privilege. And the older I get, the more I feel like myself. Less concerned with who I’m supposed to be and more in love with who I actually am.

This past year has taken me through changing landscapes, both outside and within. I’ve collected miles, memories, and friends scattered across the country. I’ve learned to adapt, let go, and find beauty in the unknown.

If you’d like to buy me a birthday coffee, my Venmo is @allison-barrett-13. by @_the.allykat_