The Dirty Dash!

Both wearing Lululemon and Converse Sneakers

On Saturday we attended a super rad 5k race called The Dirty Dash!  This was our first time ever doing something like this before!  We were covered in mud, and it was awesome!

 ABOUT:

The Dirty Dash is a fun run through mud! There is a 5k, 10k option and a cute kids piglet plunge.  You will get dirty, but you sure will have fun!  There is no shortage of fun obstacles to go through.  Every mile marker there is a water station with cups of water.  

At the event there is water stations with spouts that you can rinse off after your dash.  For $6 they have a place where you can get power washed off with hot water or take a hot water wash off.  They also have a bag check and changing area if you want to bring a change of clothes.  I think it might cost to check your bag, but it could be a great option if you have somewhere to be after the event, or you don't want to drive home in wet clothes.

COST:

The earlier you buy tickets for the event, the better.  Not only are ticket prices better, but you get to pick what wave time you want before the slots get full.  Sadly there is only one more run left this year in Boise Idaho, but if you go use code "BANG20" at check out for 20% off your purchase!  Early registration is $35.  The later you book, the more expensive it gets, up until $70 for purchase of day of tickets.  The piglet plunge is $20.

LOCATION:

This event travels to cities, so make sure to check out the website to see when its coming to a city near you!  I am not sure when they post the event calendar for 2017 but when I see that updated, I will make sure to update this section.

WHAT TO WEAR:

This is always a personal choice!  There were many people dressed up in costumes, many groups wearing matching tshirts, we just went went work out clothes.  We wore Converse Sneakers and they worked out great.  A running shoe probably would of been better but we were worried about the perforated holes in the fabric getting mud stuck in them.   I wore pant leggings and was glad because I almost ended up wearing shorts.  There were lots of gals in shorts and they did great, but I was glad I didn't have to worry about pulling my shorts down, or jumping over things, so I felt I was able to just run in the mud and have a good time!

WHAT TO BRING:

-Towels: Bring towels to keep in the car so when you get back to it you can lay them on the seats to keep them clean.  You most likely will have rinsed off at the event, but you will be wet if you didn't change.
-Waterproof Phone Case- You will be having lots of fun, so you will want to have your phone handy to take photos.  There are photographers on site that are capturing all the action so if you want to be hands free you can look up your pictures after the race and purchase them there too!
-Plastic bag to put your car keys and money in.  We shared a fanny pack to put our phones in, keys and money in.
-Sunglasses: For Jake he doesn't mind not having them, but I love having sunglasses on a sunny day.  Its also nice to have them so when mud splashes it doesn't go directly into your eye!

TIPS:
-Keep your jewelry in safe keeping while doing the Dirty Dash.  Things can get loose you don't want to loose a ring or watch in the mud!
-Have fun! Don't be scared to get some mud on your face and get dirty!

WHEN YOU GET HOME:

-Hose off again if you didn't change on site!  You will find mud all over :)

-Take a shower, then a hot bath.  Make sure to add essential oils or something that smells good to your bath so you can get rid of the dirt smell!

-Make sure to rinse your clothes and shoes, and throw them in the wash!  We washed all our clothes/shoes right when we got home and they all came out good as new!

If you want to see the obstacles, some fun in the mud or our favorite parts about the race, make sure to check out our vlog here!

Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you have a wonderful week!

Pink Oceans DO Exist!

HIS LOOK

Blazer: Topman |  Shirt: 7Diamonds | Jeans: All Saints | Shoes: Palladium Boots

HER LOOK

Sunglasses: Le Specs | Jacket: BlankNYC | Dress: Eliza J (on sale!) | Boots: Hunter

Isn't this pink water beyond cool?! I didn't color correct any of these photos because I loved them raw just how they were!  I still can't get over how pink the water was!  When we were out exploring, we felt like we were on another planet or in a cool sci-fi movie.  I need to find out what makes the water so pink, but I think the combo of the storm rolling in, and the white salt intensified the color even more!  If you ever get a chance to visit here, DO IT!  It is beyond magical and feels like a slice of heaven in the middle of nowhere!

ABOUT THE SPIRAL JETTY:

The Spiral Jetty is an art piece out in nature.  It was designed by Robert Smithson and completed in 1970.  The spiral is made up of black basalt rocks, is 1,500 feet log and 15 feet wide winding counterclockwise off the shore of the water.  Depending on the water level the spiral can be covered by water, or exposed.  If you care how you will see it, make sure to check the water levels before you go on google maps!

LOCATION: 

The Spiral Jetty is located about 45 miles outside Brigham City, in Utah at Rozel Point on the Northeastern shore of the Great Salt Lake.  It is right next to the Golden Spike National Monument! If you have extra time, or have all day to explore, make sure to go check out that historic site too!  It is $7 per car and I heard they have restrooms there! We were just driving through the area and got to the Spiral Jetty late in afternoon so sadly we didn't make it over to the Golden Spike!  To go to the Spiral Jetty there is no charge.

You can find step by step driving instructions HERE.  Make sure to screen shot these directions to your phone or pay attention following the signs because your phone GPS internet will most likely cut out. Ours did!

We you arrive to the Spiral Jetty, there is a small parking lot.  You will be driving a good 25 miles on a bumpy dirt road.  If you have a 4 wheel drive car, we would recommend taking that.  A small car would probably do just fine if you drive slow and the weather is good, but 4 wheel drive can be really helpful!

COST:

None!  How cool is that?! It does not cost anything except your car miles, gas and time :)

TIPS:

-Pack treats, food and water.  We always make sure to have some sort of food with us when we are out and about because you never know when you will get hungry and need something to eat.  There is also nothing close to grab a quick bite to eat or go through a drive through.  If you want a meal, the closet places to eat are 45 miles away!

-Have a full tank of gas.  Once you are out there, there is no place to get gas.  The last place to get gas is in Corinne so make sure to fill up there!

-Dress accordingly!  We knew we would be playing in the water so we made sure to bring shoes that could be thrown in the wash or just wipe off!  You can go swimming in the water so bring your swimsuit if you know you will want to jump in some magical pink water! (It's not always this vibrant pink but should have some pink hues.  The storm rolling in helped make the water look brighter.)

-If you need to go to the restroom before or after your visit to the Spiral Jetty, make sure to go at the Golden Spike National Historic Site Visitors Center.  They do not charge to go to the visitor center and use restrooms.  They have a sign to that says last call to use restrooms.

-If you plan on playing in the water, or walking in it, bring a spare pair of shoes!  You don't want to have to drive home or to wherever you are going with super stiff clothes and shoes after they dry.  Plus it will get your car super dirty! It is really salty, and by really salty.... its intense!  Jakes pants looked like they were stone washed after playing in the water, but all the salt rinsed out just great in the wash.  We brought garbage bags and just tossed our shoes in them, and wore spare shoes to drive home in.

-It can get super windy so bring a jacket, especially if you plan on spending time by the water!  It can get chilly!

When we left, Jake snapped a picture of the sunset and a rain drop fell on the camera lens.  When we looked at the camera and saw this was the picture from it, we both thought it was pretty rad :)  If you want to see more the Spiral Jetty, or how pink the water really was, heres our VLOG from the day!

Solider Hollow Sheep Dog Championship and Festival

HER LOOK

Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Shirt: Banana Republic | Skirt: Ann Taylor | Purse: Patricia Chang | Lipstick: Mac- Politely Pink | Shoes: Sperry | Hat: Similar

HIS LOOK

Shirt: Jcrew | Belt: Jcrew | Shorts: Jcrew | Shoes: Converse

OK, lets get real.... the SHEEP DOG FESTIVAL IS MY FAVORITE!  I look forward to this event every year, and we always have to make a trip out to go!  Watching the cute dogs run around and gather the sheep is so cute!  If you have ever seen the movie BABE, its just like that!  If you want to see some cute dogs and animal shows, make sure to check out our vlog from the day here :)  If you ever want to go for yourself, here is some info below.

ABOUT:

The Solider Hollow Sheep Dog Championships and Festival is just what the name says it is!  There are cute dogs and their trainers rounding up sheep, K9 jumping shows, Dog Jumping Competition, Food Trucks, Exotic Animal Encounters, Booths to shop, games to play, and much more!  There is really something for anyone of all ages!  We can't wait to someday take our kiddos here!

WHERE: 

Solider Hollow in Midway, Utah.

WHEN: 

Every year at the beginning of September around Labor Day!  Which works great with it being a holiday weekend so you can go on an adventure :)

COST: 

Adults $16.99,  Kids $9.99.  If you check out their website they tell you how to get a $2 discount or if you want to get a family pass or multi day pass, etc.  You can buy tickets online or buy them the day of.  It's nice if you can get them in advance so you can pick up your tickets at will call and go straight into the event!  We love when we can eliminate time waiting in lines, and spend that time in the event exploring!

SCHEDULE:

Each year the sheep dog festival has an awesome schedule.  Make sure to download it on your phone or screen shot a picture of the schedule for the day/days you will be at the event.  Phone service/internet can be spotty on the mountain, so if the schedule is open on your phone its nice to have the schedule on backup in your photos so you can make sure you don't miss the events you want to see!  You can also buy schedules when you get to the event!

MAKE A GAME PLAN:

There is no shortage of activities to do or see when at this Festival!  If you wanted you could spend all day trying all the diffrent food trucks, going to the diffrent animal shows, watching the dogs herd sheep, etc.  Check out the events schedule before hand and see what will be going on.  Luckily, events are repeated a few times through out the day so if there is two events going on at the same time, you can get both in during sometime in the day.  Each event will always be unique though since there are cute animals involved!

WHAT TO BRING:

There are plenty of seating and places to sit at all the events but if you want, you can bring a blanket or camping chairs to use to watch the Sheep Dogs.  There is a large area that is for camping chairs that are right up front to the show.  We have never brought chairs since we like to wander around and check out all the events, but if we were to go for a few days to the event we would bring chairs for sure so we could have a little cozy campout area to sit and watch the dogs all day!  

If you want they have allowed visitors to bring food and drinks, but going to the food trucks is so fun and part of the experience in our opinion!  There are always lots of vendors with all types of treats and eats that are super tasty!

Have you ever been to a sheep dog festival before?!  What did you think?! Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you have a fantastic day!

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

HIS LOOK

Tank Top: Brixton | Shorts: Lululemon | Shoes: Palladium Boots

HER LOOK

Hat: Brixton | Sunglasses: Celine | Jumpsuit: Lululemon | Shoes: Palladium Boots

Lipstick: Mac- Heroine 

We recently got to explore Timpanogos Cave National Monument!  We have been wanting to visit here for quite some time, and were so happy we finally made it!  We have tried to go a few times before but every time it was sold out!  We started to see signs of fall while we were up in the mountains and it made us so excited!

LOCATION:

Timpanogos Cave National Monument is located in the Wasatch Mountains in Northern Utah in the Uinta-Wasatch-Catche National Forest.  If you are just visiting the caves, let them know at the front entrance.  They do not charge visitors a park fee for visiting the caves.  If you want to plan a trip, here are some directions for when you get into the general area.  We took the scenic route recommended and loved it!  We already started to see some signs of fall happening with leaves changing colors!

WHEN ARE THE CAVES OPEN:

Generally the caves are open from May to September each year.  The caves are open from sunrise to sunset with diffrent time slot tickets available.

WHERE TO GET TICKETS:

If you ever get to visit Timpanogos Cave National Monument, make sure to get tickets in advance, especially if it is a weekend or holiday! Tickets can be purchased up to 30 days in advance.  The National Park only lets a certain amount of people each day visit the cave and is often sold out!  16 people is the biggest a group can be per time slot.  We picked up our tickets on site a week in advance but I know you can call the park and order them too.  It is better to get tickets in advance so you don't have to worry about tickets selling out and missing out on a cave adventure.  Adult tickets are $8.00, Juniors $6.00 and Kids $4.00.   For more info or the number to call to get tickets, the visit the website here.

HOW TO GET TO THE CAVE:

First you start off at the visitors center and pick up your tickets!  Even if you get your tickets in advance the tickets will be held at the check out desk till the day of your hike/tour.  Then you walk out the doors and follow the signs to the cave.  A guide will be at the start to tell you about the trail, safety, check tickets, etc.

Then you get to start on your hike.  The hike is 1.5 miles up. It might be a little tuff for a little child to hike up, but with the help of an adult could get up there :)  The trail is paved, and makes for a smooth hike but steep in several areas.  Because its steep in quite a few areas, make sure to wear socks so your shoes don't rub!  Along the path way there are several benches and large rocks that you can sit and take a break if needed.

WHAT TO BRING:

32 ounces of water is recommend, as well as a light jacket.  We carried backpacks that had our water in it, some tasty snacks, and a light jacket!  When you get to the cave you are not allowed to eat or drink in it so make sure to eat your snacks before if you get hungry!  After you exit the cave, there are some nice benches in the shade you can also sit and enjoy your treats at.

WHEN YOU GET TO THE CAVE:

When you get to the top of the hike, there is a National Parks Guide there that will take you and the others on your time slot into the cave on a tour.  We ended up getting to the top of the cave 30 mins before our time slot, and the group before us only had 14 people there, so we got to tag along with them and get in early.  The guides really tried to be accommodating which was really great!  Make sure to have your tickets handy when you get to the top because you will need it to get into your cave tour!

ABOUT THE CAVE:
On the tour you will get to see 3 caves areas.  The caves are connected by man made tunnels and are fun to walk through!  There are stairs on some, ducking in other areas, that make it a fun adventure! The cave was discovered by a man named Martin Hansen.  He saw cougar footprints on the ground and followed the prints into the cave! That was one brave man!  He was up in the area chopping wood! Once again..he is one brave man!

Over time the caves were lost and found again and again.  In 1922 the site was maintained by the U.S Forest Service and in 1933 the National Park Service took over management.  The cave is full of limestone in very cool formations!

We had the coolest tour guide who was super fun to listen to and told us some fun stories about the cave, diffrent people that rediscovered it, etc.  She even sang us a song she made up about a camel in the lime stone ;)

If you want to see the caves in more detail, hear about some of our cave stories, or hear the camel song, link to our vlog here!

Lantern Fest SLC 2016

On Saturday we got to attend Lantern Fest in Salt Lake City.  We had such a fun time going to the event, we wanted to share our experience with you all on our blog!

Lantern Fest had a fun festival atmosphere where you could bring food, blankets, camping chairs and all hang out around a fire!  Jake and I went by ourselves but we were able to meet so many fun new friends around the camp fire.  There were 510 fire pit spots set up so there was lots of room to spread out, walk around and have some fun!  At the event was live music, photo booths, food trucks and lots of fun things for kids/adults to do and see.  This event was perfect for large groups or just on your own as well.

With the tickets came a lantern and a cute little smore's box.  Inside was a lighter, marker, instructions for lanterns and smore's supplies of course! (enough for 4 smore's per person)!  Before it got dark out, we were able to color on our lanterns and make them our own.  That made it even more fun for when we saw them go up in the sky!

When it got dark, they showed everyone how to light the lanterns, and then off the lanterns went!  Jake and I were both not skilled in the lantern lighting department! haha I didn't wait for my lantern to get enough air in it and my lantern ran into a ton of camping chairs!  I chased after it though and tried again and it went up in the sky!  It was worth the wait ;)

We made a video from our adventures!  Come join us for a true "Tangled" moment and let us know what you think!

If you want to have a magical moment yourselves, Lantern Fest was super awesome and gave us a discount code to share with you all if you want to go to a city near you to light off your own lantern!  Just use code "BANG20" at check out for 20% off your entire order!

Blossoms at the Utah State Capitol

HIS LOOK

Jacket: Penfield

Shirt: Jcrew (similar)

Jeans: All Saints

Shoes: Palladium Boots

HER LOOK

Jacket: Joules Clothing

Jeans: DSTLD

Boots: Joules Clothing

HAPPY APRIL!

Spring is in the air!!! I can't believe we are already seeing blossoms in full bloom!  We woke up to snow and as the day went on it turned into rain.  I was so excited about it because I just got this fun striped rain coat and boots from Joules Clothing that I have been wanting to wear!  I love getting rain clothes and one of my favorite places to shop for cute rain gear is from Joules!

Today Joules is offering all Kelsey Bang readers is offering $20 off an order over $100!  If you have ever wanted some cute rain boots with puppy dogs on them or a fun color, nows your chance! Use code KELSEY20 at check out :)  Code ends 4/11/16.

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a lovely week :)  P.S. if you want to see some fun Disney World adventures, make sure to stop by our Instagram and Snapchat this week for some Disney overload!

Temple Square Christmas Lights + VLOG

HIS LOOK

Jacket: Jcrew

Scarf: Nordstrom

Shirt: Jcrew

Jeans: All Saints

Boots: Johnston and Murphy

Beanie: Neff Headwear

HER LOOK

Coat: Kate Spade

Earmuffs: Anthropologie (similar)

Shirt: Ann Taylor

Jeans: Citizens of Humanity (also here)

Shoes: Dune London

When we stayed at The Grand America Hotel, we took a quick ride on the Trax over to downtown Temple Square in Salt Lake City.  We had so much fun walking around and seeing all the lights!  It sure was crowded, and very cold, but it made for a wonderful time!  The best part about it all was staying at The Grand and so we didn't have to worry about parking downtown on a Saturday night!

Here is a little 2 minute video from our Christmas Light Adventures :)