Happy Summer! Whew, we have reached the halfway point. The past three months have absolutely flown by for Brian and me! Our feet hit the ground in more ways than one, taking us from our adventure in Japan to exploring hiking trails and kicking off new projects and future travels. Q2 2025 was more or less a continuation of last quarter’s ‘startup season.’
We’ve spent our time navigating a number of different ventures. Several of our 52 Experiences are more than just one-time events; they involve steady progress and intention. And so we’ve been juggling a flurry of fun (and sometimes challenging) activities alongside our daily routines. It’s funny how quickly time seems to pass when there’s so much going on.
Q2 2025
On April 1st, Brian and I anxiously boarded what would be our longest flight to date. After 17 hours of travel, we landed in Tokyo, Japan. It was a heck of a way to start off Q2 2025! After getting our steps in all over the countryside and city streets, we returned home and kept the momentum going all throughout the last few months. We’ve been making some serious headway on our goal of hiking 100 miles, though there’s still plenty of ground to cover before we hit that target!
In the meantime, we also kept ourselves moving and exploring different cities, house projects, and our local community. Here are the experiences we enjoyed this past quarter:
Travel
1. Catch the beauty of blooming cherry blossoms
Our last-minute plans for Japan all fell into place pretty perfectly. Honestly, I give Brian and myself major props for throwing together an itinerary a few weeks before our departure date. It took a decent bit of energy before and after the trip, but we managed to plan it without much stress and still come in under budget!
I’m jazzed we kept our spending in check, especially since we traveled to Japan at the height of cherry blossom season! This time of year is beautiful for visiting the country, though it can be pricey. We knew we’d see some blooming cherry blossoms on our trip, but we had no idea that we’d be lucky enough to be surrounded by them in almost every city we visited! We might not have intentionally planned our itinerary around cherry blossom season, but our spontaneous timing couldn’t have worked out better.
2. Explore a new mountain range
Renting a car made a huge difference in how we experienced Japan. We ventured off on our own, cruising the highways and curved roads of the Japanese Alps. Specifically, we drove and trekked through parts of the Central and Southern Alps. The hikes were incredible, and our experiences got us excited for upcoming mountain adventures. Lookin’ at you, Glacier National Park!
3. Hop on a train
Boy, did we ever! Brian and I seriously appreciated the state and efficiency of the Japanese transit system. Not only are the local trains a dream, but we absolutely loved how comfortable and speedy the bullet trains proved to be. Clean, reliable, and quick, Japan’s trains moved us all throughout the country, from Tokyo and Yokohama to Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima.
Entertainment
4. Enjoy an immersive theater performance
Brian and I caught an immersive, interactive burlesque comedy show at one of our favorite improv theaters. T’was a wild ride! The premise is a murder mystery set during a tropical island wedding, with attendees playing the role of wedding guests. The show begins even before guests enter the theater!
Performers welcome you into the lobby, which was turned into the “marina” where guests are prepped to board the ship to the island. We were even assigned our own boarding group and underwent a safety briefing. Cast members did such an incredible job inviting us in and making us feel as though we were truly a part of the wedding weekend!
Once we “arrived” at the island, we were free to mix and mingle, as well as interact with all of the pre-wedding festivities. These included welcome drinks, a photo op, and even a tarot card reading. After all of the boarding groups arrived, the show began, and we were drawn into a magical world of silly and salacious fun.
Health
5. Start off a morning with a sunrise hike
Our sunrise hike was a 7-mile stroll up and around a mountain. Brian and I initially had the trail to ourselves, but it got busy fairly quickly. We began our hike just as the moon was fading. Unfortunately, daybreak was clouded by heavy fog, which created a cool, moody ambiance as we trekked through the woods.
Though this sunrise hike was different from the one on the Big Island (particularly since the sunrise view was lacking), it still provided an incredible workout on an awesome trail. Rocky terrain, forested paths, and steep inclines made for a rewarding early-morning challenge!
Home
6. Refresh our carport ceiling
Silly me thought that our refresh would consist of a simple pressure-wash and coat of paint. Ha! We have beadboard panels attached to our ceiling. First, we needed to secure the panels that were beginning to sag, followed by a gentle clean around the perimeter of the ceiling. Then, we caulked the perimeter to ensure everything was sealed properly before pressure-washing. Once we thoroughly cleaned and pressure-washed the ceiling, we waited a few days for it to completely dry out.
With everything now dry, we rolled on a coat of Kilz primer and then applied two coats of paint for a nice, fresh finish. We even updated the light fixture—mainly because we broke the original one. Oops! All in all, it took a couple of weeks to complete. Now, instead of a dingy, tired-looking ceiling, we have a brightly renewed one!
Before:
After:
Community
7. Attend an open mic night to support local talent
Brian and I have grown to really appreciate where we live. We’re close to the city and yet surrounded by nature, neighbors, and great local events. We attended two different open mic nights less than 5 minutes from our house. One was hosted in our kind of place—a low-key dive bar! It was a night of all kinds of jam sessions full of laid-back rhythms and easy vibes.
The other event we attended was a poetry open mic at a local bookstore. This felt like a bit of a throwback to poetry slams I’d attended in college. I really enjoyed hearing the diverse expressions of creativity, from spoken word and storytelling to jam sessions and original pieces. I think we’re going to pop into open mics more often; there’s something special about supporting artists who are finding their voice. Honestly, it’s pretty wicked to realize that John Mayer got his start at open mic nights less than 10 miles from us.
Q2 2025 Wrap-Up
Can you believe we’re halfway through the year already? Where does the time go? I hope that you’ve been navigating the last three months with good energy and ease. Looking back at the whirlwind of this last quarter, we feel grateful for the adventures that have kept us on our toes, as we’ve achieved a handful of experiences and are currently in the process of completing others. It’s been a busy ride, but we’re excited for what’s next.
As summer settles in, Brian and I are looking forward to soaking up longer days both on and off the trails. Fingers crossed that we’re through with the daily rain we’ve been having; we are itchin’ for some solid sunshine and vitamin D! Here’s to making the most of the summer season as we balance ongoing ventures and take on new projects. We hope you also find time to enjoy the sunshine and cross some adventures off your list this summer!
What are your summer goals? Whether it’s travel, local events, or projects at home, we’d love to hear what’s on your list!
