A day in the life of Dineo Dowd is packed with adventure. There’s always a trail to discover, a new park to explore.
So it’s hard to believe that just a year ago, she was regretting her move to Wisconsin.
Dineo was born and raised in South Africa and met her husband Bryce in Utah. After baby Armani came along, the pair decided to move closer to Bryce’s family in Racine. They settled in Sun Prairie last January.
And Dineo hated it. It was cold and dark. She missed the mountains and her friends. But she forced herself to do something about it.
“I decided to get outside and explore all that Wisconsin has to offer,” she says.
In Utah, Dineo was involved with Hike It Baby, an organization that gets families out into nature. She became a branch ambassador in Wisconsin, with the hope of meeting and motivating other families who share her passion for the outdoors.
Dineo also started a website, Wisconsin Adventure Family, to share experiences and tips with other adventure-seeking families. And she set goals for herself — such as visiting a different state park each month — and booked camping trips for the year ahead.
It wasn’t always easy. The first time she went hiking with Armani, who’s now three and a half, she brought way too much equipment. But she learned from other parents and discovered what worked for her and Armani.
“Hike It Baby came right at the right time,” she says. “They showed me this is what moms do — they get out with their kids and make it work.”
Dineo began bringing a frame pack so she can carry Armani on her back. It’s good exercise for her, and she loves having her daughter close. The two enjoy hiking with others, or simply by themselves.
“When it’s just me and her, we talk,” she says. “We notice the birds and can identify them now.”
In this first year, Dineo has visited twenty-seven of Wisconsin’s sixty-six state parks, but her top pick isn’t far from home.
“My favorite so far is Devil’s Lake,” she says. “I like the elevation, I like climbing the boulders, I like the beach. It’s beautiful all year long.”
A day at Parfrey’s Glen with Armani inspired Dineo to write a book. Adventure Day follows a young girl who loves exploring the outdoors.
Beyond the book, Dineo appreciates what all this time in nature is teaching her daughter.
“I’m trying to raise her outside,” she says. “Every day, she’s like, ‘Where are we going?’”
And Dineo recommends parents pave the way for adventure by not letting things like weather keep them inside. “Don’t say to your kids it’s too cold out,” she says. “When it’s raining, get your rain coats and say, let’s play with the rain.”
It’s advice that has helped Dineo find her way, and her place, in Wisconsin.
“Before I knew it, the year was gone,” she says. “I hated it in January, but I’m happy. Every day is different.”