Talley Your Adventure – The Blog

Adventure Awaits!

At Talley Your Adventure, we don’t just plan luxury and culturally rich travel experiences—we live and breathe them. Our blog, travelingtalleys.blog, is where we share the real stories behind our adventures: kayaking alongside glaciers in Alaska, exploring temples in Japan, chasing waterfalls in Iceland, and wandering through storybook towns in Germany. If it’s unforgettable, chances are we’ve done it—or we’re planning it next. Impact-Site-Verification: 8a69d429-4a55-4b53-b8f6-72c437661af5

Nicolette brings deep experience in travel and heritage. With a Master’s in Public History, she’s worked as a Supervisory Park Ranger, Revenue Manager, and Program Analyst across multiple national parks for over a decade. Her career has taken her from managing interpretive boat tours in Alaska’s wild backcountry to overseeing large-scale visitor service projects with million-dollar budgets. And yes—she’s also a licensed 100-Ton Inland Master Boat Captain who’s led cultural and ecological tours from riverboats to remote beaches.

Clinton’s travel roots run just as deep. He’s worked in logistics and operations for the National Park Service and was a key member of the hospitality team aboard National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions. From managing guest services on remote international voyages to coordinating facility software systems stateside, he knows what it takes to deliver seamless, high-end travel experiences—even in the most unpredictable places.

Together, we created Talley Your Adventure to bring our experience, passion, and attention to detail to your travel planning. Whether it’s a fully curated group trip or a personalized vacation built just for you, we combine expert-level service with insider know-how—so you can focus on the magic of the journey.

Want us to help you on your next adventure? Head over to www.talleyyouradventure.com!

@talleyyouradventure_dv
Sakura Blooms – Inuyama, Japan

  • Introducing #AdventurePup Kiraly Talley!

    When Clinton and I moved from Little Rock to Baltimore we had more of a larger home situation to start the conversation about getting another dog. After searching the local shelters, kennels, ads, etc we found our beautiful princess Kiraly. She was about two months old sleeping away the day without a care in the world for the people or other dogs around her. It was so cute waking her up to see if she wanted to play with us, which of course she did! We instantly loved her and knew that she was ready to go home. We bundled her up and drove her back to the city and introduced her to her new brother, Kyzer. Kyzer was such a sweet boy welcoming her into the house. In that instant the Talley family unit was officially complete!

    Kiraly is almost the exact opposite of Kyzer. She is much more caution, doesn’t quite like making friends with everyone instantaneously, and very much so loves her tennis ball (so don’t take it away from her for long!) But when you get her outside, she is a completely different girl! She adores chasing after her big brother and loves being out in the middle of nowhere exploring. There are many poisonous animals in the desert so we’ve started a regiment where we keep the dogs moving – no sniffing too long in a bush in the desert! Kiraly is not as interested in sniffing as Kyzer is, her favorite thing is running back and forth between all of us and giving kisses whenever possible. We take a lot of precautions with the dogs, though, and take a lot of time trying to be as educated as possible about the landscapes we visit. Here in the desert it is very dry, there are less places for shade, and many conveniences are located hours if not days away. When we pack for a weekend camping trip we pack a gallon water per person/animal and always pack about a days worth of food extra just in case.

    Mostly we try and take as many breaks as we can with the dogs so they can have a little snack or at least a cup of water. We try not to give them too much water as we hike through the day, but we also remain conscious of the fact that they can’t really tell us when they are exhausted so we need to really pay attention to them. One of the best times is when the four of us are hiking outside! Kiraly loves to run ahead of everyone, run back and bark at Kyzer (as if to say “I won!”) and then run back up the hill/across a crazy ditch/into a creek/etc. One of the funniest situations was the Wiregrass Wash hike. 12 miles round trip. Kiraly was ahead of the pack until the last few miles. Just like the rabbit and the turtle, Kyzer had kept true and stead the whole time. Kiraly of course made fun of him the entire time for being last…until he suddenly found his second wind after steadily plodding along for 9 miles. It was Kyzer who started going back and forth “making fun” of Kiraly as she was tired. Don’t worry – we helped her out when we could. Little Kiki made it back successfully.

    When we first got Kiraly we went camping out in West Virginia and had a great time in the woods. She followed whatever Kyzer did, which was adorable, and snuggled up at night when we went to bed. We always set a perimeter around our campsite so that they know the boundaries once it starts to get dark. Nothing is worse than getting into a great conversation, looking around and not seeing your dog. Well behaved dogs are essential to trips that involve the outdoors. We’ve trained our dogs so that they do not leave the immediate area once it starts to get dark. When we go to bed we have a separate area of the tent. We got a bigger tent which is a lot of room for two humans and two large dogs, but once it starts to get dark and quiet those dogs just want to cuddle up with you so you lose the room anyway! Having two dogs may be a handful, but we love it each and every day! Kiraly is the last piece of our family’s puzzle. It’s already been three wonderful years with both of the dogs and each day is another fun experience!

  • #FindYourPark @Washita Battlefield National Historic Site

    When Clinton and I headed west to Page we mainly stuck to I40 so that we could make time and have an easy drive. We did head out to National Park during out trip so that we could learn more about the landscape and to experience a different perspective of history. One of these trips led us to Washita Battlefield National Historic Site.

    Washita Battlefield protects the sit where the Battle of Washita occurred – or more importantly, a small peaceful villiage of Souther Cheyenne of Cheif Black Kettle. Early in the morning on November 27, 1868 the village was attacked by the 7th US Cavalry under Lt. Col. George Custer.

    Historically, pioneers and Native Americans consistently collided on the Great Plains during the decades before and after the Civil War. In 1864, four years before the Battle of Washita, troops under the command of Col. J.M. Chivington attacked the destroyed Chief Black Kettle and Chief White Antelope at Sand Creek. Black Kettle’s band had flown an American Flag and a white flag and considered themselves at peace. In response to this massacre, a federal Peace Commission was created. Indian Territory was established in present day Oklahoma and US policy forced Native Americans across the country to relocate to these reservations. In October 1867, the Peace Commission assigned the Cheyenne a reservation in the new Indian Territory.

    Native American raids across the plain terrified the settlers. The soldiers mounted campaigns to meet the resistance of forced settlements. Black Kettle and Arapaho Chief Big Mouth went to General William Hazen in Fort Cobb November 1868 to ask for shelter an protection. Their request was refused. Disheartened, Black Kettle still believed that he was safe and refused to move his encampment further downriver closer to the other larger encampments who were also wintering. The massacre began early the next day, with Chief Black Kettle and his wife among those killed.

    It is so important to visit places like this to get a full 360 view of topics in history, even if they are painful. We were able to take some time and watch the introduction video in the Visitor Center. Afterwards there was a question on the board: Would you go to war? After reading the history, watching the video, and hearing the testimonies it was a powerful statement. Answering it may differ depending on your perspective of course, but it was a great and unobtrusive way of explaining a horrific part of American history. We were unfortunately unable to walk onto the battlefield because dogs were not allowed and we did not want to leave them that long in the car, but if you get the time when visiting it is recommended! Watch the video and drive a little through the surrounding grasslands to get a true understanding of this great area.

  • #TalleyYourAdventure #TravelTips Dress smartly and enjoy the view!

    Little Rock, Arkansas

    Depending on the situation your clothes can play a big part in your day. Uniforms are common, but what I mean is more what you personally decide to wear on a day that you plan to hike or #GetOutdoors. Comfortably is key, but make sure it is smart!

    Alaska is a cold environment, even in summer. But did you know that the mosquitoes are so thick and prevelent in the summer that it is hard to even breath in remote areas? When we worked in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge we experienced these high levels of mosquitoes and dressed appropriately. We even had screened masks so that we didn’t breath them in during our hikes – I am not kidding.

    You’d think dressing in light clothes when visitin the desert is smart, but don’t be fooled. The sun is a killer in more ways than one. Not only could you burn your skin, but you could become easily dehydrated without proper clothing. Wear clothes with a protective sun screen layer. These types of clothes are usually light weight to begin with, and have the additional bonus of protecting your skin from the sun. Wearing a hat with a brim or a headband can help keep your face from burning and keep your internal temperature level. Don’t forget to wear socks and make sure they are the correct thickness.

    As you continue to #TalleyYourAdventure we hope that these #TravelTips help you! Feedback is always appreciated. Keep tuned in to this website and follow us for more up to date information on our travels!