Traveler Tuesday – Amy and Pete of Just Go Travel Studios

I met Amy and Pete of Just Go Travel Studios online when we collaborated on a post for White Sands National Monument, I quickly learned we had one giant thing in common, a love for National Parks. As I read through their responses to my Traveler Tuesday questions, I found myself nodding along most of the way!

Let’s meet Amy and Pete!

[1] When and how did you become a traveler?
PETE: My parents used to take my family on road trips as a kid, and I have fond memories of going to new places together. As a parent, we did a couple of small trips as a family, but the first big trip was in 2013 when we went to Yosemite, Lassen Volcanic, Crater Lake and Olympic National Parks. After about a day in Yosemite, we were sold!

AMY: As a child, most of my summers were spent camping on Ossipee Lake in Freedom, NH. We didn’t have much money so didn’t often stray far from New England. It wasn’t until Pete and I began traveling with our children that the travel bug bit. After our first big trip through CA, OR and WA, I couldn’t stop thinking about where we were headed next!

[2] What kind of traveler do you define yourself as?
PETE: We don’t “rough it” when we travel as we typically stay in lodges or inns when we travel, but we definitely like to have the bulk of our time spent outdoors on the hiking trail when traveling.

AMY: I am a want to ‘pack it all in’ kind of traveler. I’d rather wake up early and stay out until the sun goes down, so I don’t miss a thing. Of course, the kids don’t always love this sort of travel pace! You’ll only find us relaxing by the pool if we are taking a mid-day break from hiking on a hot day or washing laundry at the hotel!

[3] Which country do you come from/call home?
PETE and AMY: USA

[4] What do you crave from home when you are traveling?
PETE and AMY: The biggest thing we miss when we are gone is our dog, Winston. He’s part of the family, but due to our schedule and where we travel, he typically can’t join us. When we’re home, he goes with us on all our hiking adventures!

[5] Tell us about your blog
PETE and AMY: Our business started in late 2016 with creating custom, vintage-style travel posters from photos submitted to us by our customers. Based on customer demand, we expanded to offering National Park itineraries. It wasn’t until about six months after we started our business that we dabbled with blogging, and now we do our best to have at least one blog post each week. Our blog focuses on our experiences in National Park Sites across the United States and Canada. While this may expand further in the future, we have plenty of content to write about for quite some time!

[6] What do you love most about traveling?
PETE: I love being out with our family without the worries of life back at home. I have a full-time job outside of Just Go Travel Studios. So, being able to just concentrate on having fun and building memories as a family is what I love most and what I miss when we’re not traveling.

AMY: I love exploring new places and hiking in amazing landscapes–whether it be to a mountain summit, glacial lake or desert canyon. And, I especially love sharing all of that with my family!

[7] What do you dislike about traveling?
PETE: I’m not a huge fan of taking time to do laundry while traveling. What a waste of time!

AMY: I hate the end. Flying or driving home and unpacking are my least favorite.

[8] How do you prepare for a trip?
PETE and AMY: We have our trips mentally planned at least a year out. We then tend to map out our route and then book stays before we really dig into what we’re going to do in an area. Once we figure out what we’re going to do, we then finalize / adjust our reservations as needed and then get ready to plan our next trip!

[9] You have won the lottery, now tell us where you want to live.
PETE: This changes over time, but as of now it would be Montana or Wyoming. If I had to pick one spot, it would be Kalispell, MT. It is in an absolutely beautiful area and so close to Glacier National Park.

AMY: Pretty much the same as what Pete said…we are constantly traveling to new places and changing our minds about where else we would live. Montana, Wyoming, Oregon? Who knows?! I do know that I really love the sky and would love a place with a westerly view for watching storms roll in and sunsets.

[10] Travel essentials – 3 things you always travel with.
PETE: 1) My wife (Amy). Traveling and experiencing new areas without her just isn’t the same. 2) I also love my Smartwool socks. Since I’ve found those my feet have been a lot happier! 3) Camera-I love to take good pictures so we can remember our trip for a long time!

AMY: 1) Pete because he is my better half and always makes me laugh. He is also my driver since my head is usually on a swivel when roundtripping! 2) My iPhone. While Pete usually takes some photos with our Canon, I am busy taking loads of candid shots while hiking with my iPhone. 3) My Paperwhite Kindle since I always read before bedtime.

[11] What is your favorite article of clothing?
PETE: No question, my hiking boots. Whenever I put them on, I’m mentally transformed into a different state of mind-one of relaxation and exploration.

AMY: Comfortable hiking shoes—either my Salomon Speedcross sneakers or my Vasque Talus hiking boots.

[12] Your single most treasured personal possession.
PETE and AMY: Photos from our trips. We both love to look back at them and remember the great times we’ve had as a family.

[13] Do you have a piece of advice for bloggers starting out?
PETE and AMY: Oh boy, where do I start? If I had to narrow it down, I’d say patience and persistence. You have to be patient in this business, as it takes much longer than you want to grow your traffic. From day 1 you want to see an immediate boom, but it takes time. However, you need to be persistent. People will come and you will grow an audience, but it takes relentless work and dedication to make it happen and be successful. Everyone who is doing well in blogging has done so through ups and downs and flat-out hard work.

[14] What are three other blogs that inspire you?
PETE and AMY: Photo Jeepers, Park Chasers, and Earth Trekkers

[15] Your favorite travel resource on the web?
PETE: I love the National Park Service website. I pour through their information and tend to read it over and over again before our trips.

AMY: Trip Advisor is also a favorite of mine since recent reviews often reveal helpful up-to-date information about a specific area or hike.

Amy and Pete's Lightning Round of Favorites

Airport: PETE: The airport of my final destination. AMY: I like Pete’s answer! Ha! I do enjoy flying into and out of Long Beach (CA) with the open-air terminal. I hate being cooped up in an airport since I like being outside best. So, this airport is my favorite so far!
Mode of Transportation: PETE: Hiking. AMY: Travelling by foot—hiking or snowshoeing. I like being able to get beyond crowded road-side attractions and overlooks to enjoy a place in solitude.
Window or aisle: PETE: Window. I like to put my head against the wall and rest. AMY: Window if I get that choice, but one of our three kids usually grabs that seat! I love to look out the window especially when flying to a new location.
City: PETE: Medora, ND AMY: Do I really have to pick just one??? Springdale, UT, Sedona, AZ, Bar Harbor, ME—all great towns.
Country: PETE: United States. I’ve been to a lot of places in the world, and to me, there is nothing like the United States. AMY: I have to say the US just because I am not a world traveler yet, and it IS pretty great here. Amazing national and state parks and SO many diverse landscapes!
Travel Gear: PETE: Vasque Hiking Boots AMY: My Osprey Talon pack—LOVE it!
Travel snack: PETE: Peanut butter and chocolate chip sandwich overlooking a ledge AMY: Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew KIND bar
Book: PETE: Red Storm Rising (by Tom Clancy) AMY: The Help (by Kathryn Stockett)
Movie: PETE: Hot Shots AMY: Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark
Song: PETE: The Road Less Traveled (by George Strait) AMY: Anywhere With You (by Jake Owen) We play this song every time we are on a road trip, so it always makes me smile when I hear it.
Quote: PETE: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena…who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” -Theodore Roosevelt

AMY: “May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.” –Edward Abbey

Thanks Amy and Pete!

You can keep up with Amy and Pete on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and of course on their blog. Wherever you catch them, I am sure you will enjoy their travel adventures!

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