'If the Earth were a single state, Istanbul would be its capital.' – Napoleon Bonaparte Day two of Istanbul was something I had been waiting a lifetime to do...visit the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia! Now, my day on the Asian side of the city and sunset Bosporous Cruise was amazing but I was so … Continue reading A European Summer: Istanbul (Day 2)
'If one had but a single glance to give the world, one should gaze on Istanbul.'– Alphonse de Lamartine I am not sure of when Istanbul, Turkiye became the number one place I wanted to visit but it has for years and years. I have spoken about wanting to go or that this summer is … Continue reading A European Summer: Istanbul (Day 1)
'Tonight, I’m a rock ‘n’ roll star.'-Noel Gallagher I am a massive Oasis fan and the moment they announced they were finally reuniting after 15 years (and thinking it was never going to happen), I was going to go. While there were rumors they would come to North America, when the U.K. dates were announced … Continue reading A European Summer: London (2025)
'In rare privileged moments, we enter [a whale's] world, and then only briefly and shallowly, to watch through the murk or to eavesdrop.'-Diane Ackerman I have spoken of my love of the ocean and whales so going whale watching again in Iceland was a must. Bonus, I was going in July and not January. It … Continue reading A European Summer: Whale Watching, Iceland (2025)
'And maybe we are all tourists in this underwater world—snorkels are our temporary visas, allowing us to visit this mysterious country for brief slices of time.'-Dallas Woodburn I will be honest, the first time I was in Iceland, I had no idea that snorkeling was an option. I also probably still would not have done … Continue reading A European Summer: Silfra, Iceland
'I can see my rainbow calling me through the misty breeze of my waterfall.' – Jimi Hendrix The first time I visited Iceland, I did everything I really wanted except for going to the Diamond Beach. It was cold, dark, and I had a jam packed schedule. I truly had the best trip but knew leaving I … Continue reading A European Summer: South Coast of Iceland
'I still don’t know why, exactly, but I do think people can have a spiritual connection to landscape, and I certainly did in Iceland.' – Hannah Kent I took a redeye from Pittsburgh and landed very early in the morning in Reykjavik. I booked a discount bus ticket via Get Your Guide and did not notice … Continue reading A European Summer: Reykjavik, Iceland (2025)
'The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.' – Saint Augustine For my summer travel plans, I knew I needed to be in London for Oasis and outside of that, I could do anything. My original plan was to road trip around the Faroe Islands for a week, … Continue reading A European Summer: Planning
'Above all birds, the hummingbird gives me that feeling of the mystery and the wonder of life. Such a vibrant little body, such color, and wings that beat faster than thought. I felt as if I could watch the whole of life if I could hold a hummingbird in my hand once.'- Gladys Taber My last … Continue reading Adventures in Ecuador: The Cloud Forest
'It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves'-Sir Edmund Hillary One of the main reasons I decided to add a few days in Quito onto my trip is I wanted to visit Cotopaxi. Terra Sur not only made it happen but exceeded what I could have imagined. While I am sure there are lots … Continue reading Adventures in Ecuador: Cotopaxi National Park
'Just let go – and fall like a little waterfall.'-Bob Ross When I was planning out my trip, I decided I wanted to stay in Quito for a couple days to check out some things around the area. The flight back from the Galapagos was quite easy, much better than going to the Galapagos, ha! … Continue reading Adventures in Ecuador: Baños
'It is hard to be miserable in the company of penguins. It’s hard not to feel happy in their presence.'-Charles Bergman It was my last day in the Galapagos and Christian at Terra Sur had given me another free day. He did include a variety of things to do on Santa Cruz Island but I … Continue reading Adventures in Ecuador: Isabela, Galapagos Islands
'You will love the ocean. It makes you feel small, but not in a bad way. Small because you realize you’re part of something bigger'. –Lauren Myracle The aim of the Galapagos trip was to spend as much time in the water as possible! Terra Sur arranged this day trip out to Seymour Island, right … Continue reading Adventures in Ecuador: Seymour, Galapagos Islands
'...so simple, a beginning [of] endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.'-Charles Darwin On my second fully day in the Galapagos, I had a completely free day (Terra Sur actually scheduled two but I went rogue on the second as you'll see). My hotel, Coloma, was right near the … Continue reading Adventures in Ecuador: Exploring Puerto Ayora, Galapagos Islands
‘The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul.’ –Robert Wyland On my first full day in the Galapagos, Terra Sur Travels arranged for a trip to Santa Fe Island! It was a day on the water and three different snorkeling sessions. I will say, I was a tad … Continue reading Adventures in Ecuador: Santa Fe Island, Galapagos
“Tortoises can tell you more about the road than hares.” —Khalil Gibran When I began building my trip, Terra Sur's Angelica told me to try to arrive as early as possible so I could stop at El Chato Ranch to see the famed giant tortoises in the wild. Once I got off the ferry on Santa … Continue reading Adventures in Ecuador: Giant Tortoises of the Galapagos
'The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.'- St. Augustine I have been obsessed with ocean since I was a kid. We used to go to Sea World or the Pacific Ocean and I would just be in awe. I had calendars and stuffed animals, dreaming of one day … Continue reading Adventures in Ecuador: Preparing for the Galapagos Islands and Quito
'From the time the Joshua tree was a tiny sapling, it had been so beaten down by the whipping wind that, rather than trying to grow skyward, it had grown in the direction that the wind pushed it. It existed now in a permanent state of windblowness, leaning over so far that it seemed ready … Continue reading Winter Adventures: Joshua Tree National Park
'Nothing is forever anymore'-Sarah Jarosz I was lucky to grow up in Lake Arrowhead, California-a tiny mountain town about an hour from Los Angeles. Growing up, it felt suffocating because the bright lights of LA were so close and we were so small but, upon reflection, I am grateful for my childhood there. I still … Continue reading Winter Adventures: Lake Arrowhead
'I am pretty fearless. You know why? Because I don’t handle fear very well; I’m not a good terrified person.'-Stevie Nicks When I was trying to think of what I wanted to do over winter break, as I am always going somewhere lol, the initial plan was to head east to see my dad, best … Continue reading Winter Adventures: Arizona
'What an immense impression Paris made upon me. It is the most extraordinary place in the world!'-Charles Dickens While I figured out how to get to Northern England, I did not have a clear idea on how to get back. Since I used points on the flight to London, I had to get a one … Continue reading A Parisian Adventure
'I live for now, not for what happens after I die.'-Liam Gallagher When I originally planned my milestone birthday trip to Europe last winter, I had originally planned on going to Northern England. My dad is from the area and I wanted to check it out. Then, Liam Gallagher announced he was going on tour … Continue reading Adventures in England: Manchester
'So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it / You've got no reason to be afraid / You're on your own, kid / Yeah you can face this'-Taylor Swift If you're thinking wasn't Kelly just in England, yes, yes I was. Prior to my winter holiday trip, I spontaneously bought a ticket … Continue reading Adventures in England: Liverpool
'Life is too short to be anything other than happy.'-Buddy Holly After a VERY busy few months, I finally had a weekend day off to hit a trail. In West Texas, my season for hiking is very short. I am surrounded by a desert landscape so hiking much of the year within a 12 hour … Continue reading Adventures in Texas: Big Spring State Park
'My Mama always said you've got to put the past behind you before you can move on.'-Forrest Gump No trip across the southwest would be complete without a stop at one of my all time favorite places, Monument Valley! Coming from Moab it isn't far but I miscounted my days and had a free evening. … Continue reading The Great Summer Road Trip (2024): Monument Valley
'What draws us into the desert is the search for something intimate in the remote.'-Edward Abbey While Jackson Hole was fun, I was over the cold. When planning the trip, I know I was going to go north one way and south another. The other took me straight through one of my most favorite places, … Continue reading The Great Summer Road Trip: Moab, Utah (2024)
'Life is your art. An open, aware heart is your camera. A oneness with your world is your film. Your bright eyes and easy smile is your museum.'-Ansel Adams When planning my summer road trip 2.0, I knew I had to go to Grand Tetons National Park. I knew it was beautiful, I love national … Continue reading The Great Summer Road Trip (2024): Wyoming
'You can always find me where the skies are blue.'-The Lumineers When summer arrives, it is time to hit the road! The Great Summer Road Trip of 2024 is not at all like the trip I had originally planned and fully booked. See, I was supposed to be driving the West Coast, seeing friends in … Continue reading The Great Summer Road Trip (2024): Colorado
'Wherever you go and whatever you do, may the luck of the Irish be there with you.'-Irish Proverb Since I decided to go to Northern Ireland on this trip, Ireland was a no brainer for the last stop of my two week winter holiday! I visited when I was in middle school but hadn't been … Continue reading Holiday Adventures: Dublin
'Winter is Coming.'-Eddard Stark, Game of Thrones Once I made my plans to go to Northern Ireland, I started figuring out what to do there. I used Get Your Guide to see all that was available to do and when I saw the Giants Causeway/Game of Thrones Tour, I knew it was the one for … Continue reading Holiday Adventures: Northern Ireland
'Believe that a further shore is reachable from here.'-Seamus Heaney I have always wanted to visit Northern Ireland. Part of it is because I am a proud Irish American (my grandparents were immigrants) but also because you used to not be able to go. I visited Ireland when I was in seventh grade, it was … Continue reading Holiday Adventures: Belfast, Northern Ireland
'Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.' —Ginny Weasley I originally wasn't going to go to Scotland, my plan was to visit Liverpool/Manchester. Due to Liam Gallagher announcing a 30th Anniversary Tour of Oasis' Definitely Maybe for the summer, I altered my plans (that blog will be up later this year). I decided change up … Continue reading Holiday Adventures: Edinburgh
'London opens to you like a novel itself… It is divided into chapters, the chapters into scenes, the scenes into sentences; it opens to you like a series of rooms, doors and passages. Mayfair to Piccadilly to Soho to the Strand.'-Anna Quindlen. Outside of where I grew up, the place that feels most like home … Continue reading Holiday Adventures: London
'Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.'-Dalai Lama I knew when I was planning my holiday trip that I wanted to do a fun day trip from Paris. As I've said, I have been really fortunate to have traveled across Paris and throughout France. So I googled good day trips from Paris. While … Continue reading Holiday Adventures: Luxembourg
'By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be.'- Mark Victore Hansen I have been very fortunate to visit France on multiple occasions. I have been to Paris five times, spent a two weeks in the South of France, and walked … Continue reading Holiday Adventures: Mont Saint-Michel
'I guess it goes to show that you just never know where life will take you. You search for answers. You wonder what it all means. You stumble, and you soar. And, if you’re lucky, you make it to Paris for a while.'-Amy Thomas I had a milestone birthday in 2023, so I decide the … Continue reading Holiday Adventures: Paris
'Be thankful for everything that happens in your life; it’s all an experience.'-Roy Bennett For Thanksgiving, the ocean was calling. Since I now live in West Texas and not the Pacific Northwest, the Gulf Coast was my option. Texas is large and my only experiences on the Gulf Coast have been in Galveston, which is … Continue reading Adventures in Texas: Padre Island National Seashore
'Bluegrass has brought more people together and made more friends than any music in the world.'-Earl Scruggs I love Nashville (and country music) so when B, my little brother, said bluegrass artists for Pinecastle Records, Brandi Colt and Andrew Crawford (under Colt and Crawford), were doing a songwriters showcase at the Bluebird Cafe I said … Continue reading Summer Road Trip: Nashville, Tennessee
'Sometimes the most scenic roads in life are the detours you didn’t mean to make.'- Angela Blount The great summer road trip is something I have grown up doing and fully embraced as an adult. In my previous post, I mentioned my brother had a cool opportunity in Nashville so I decided to hit the … Continue reading The Great Summer Road Trip (2023)
'Life is to be lived, not controlled; and humanity is won by continuing to play in face of certain defeat.'-Ralph Ellison Due to my brother's awesome job, I was invited to do something VERY cool in Nashville this past June. So being me, I decided to do a big road trip to Nashville via Oklahoma. … Continue reading Summer Road Trip: Oklahoma
'In New Orleans, culture doesn’t come down from on high, it bubbles up from the streets.' — Ellis Marsalis If you have been a long time follower/reader, this will come as no surprise, but I can be kind of spontaneous and just hit the road to see/do/experience something cool. Well, my trip to New Orleans … Continue reading Dispatches from the Road: 24 Hours in New Orleans
‘Don’t underestimate the things that I will do’-Adele The entire reason for this Christmas Road Trip was seeing Adele at Caesar's Palace for Christmas! I was lucky enough to snag a ticket with the general sale for Christmas Eve and what better way to celebrate the holiday season then with one of the greatest vocalists! … Continue reading Adventures in the American West: 36 Hours in Las Vegas
'Life is a great adventure, accept it in such a spirit.'-Theodore Roosevelt When I knew for certain I was seeing Adele in Las Vegas for Christmas, I began planning the rest of my road trip. Since it was December and only about 90 minutes away, I knew I had to try to go to Death … Continue reading Adventures in the American West: Death Valley National Park
'The desert's an old dream of the sea.'-Holly Ringland Once again, for my winter break, I hit the road and headed west. The impetus of this trip is seen Adele(!!!!!) in Las Vegas so I decided to hit a few spots that were old and new to me! First up, I took a slight detour … Continue reading Adventures in the American West: Lower Antelope Canyon (2022)
'...Something that should not exist in relation to human beings. Something that is as remote as the galaxy, incomprehensible as a nightmare, and beautiful in spite of everything.'-Ansel Adams As I have mentioned in a few posts, I love a cave, which is ironic as I am scared of the dark but something about underground worlds … Continue reading Adventures in the Southwest: Carlsbad Cavern National Park
'Life is like water, if you block one side, it takes another turn to continue its journey.' – Unknown While I was able to get camp spots in Banff, I neglected to realize that you needed to have shuttle reservations to access Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. Due to crowds and limited parking at either … Continue reading Adventures in Canada: Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
'In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.' – Aristotle The Icefields Parkway is widely considered one of the most beautiful roads in the world. It runs between the towns of Banff and Jasper and cuts through their respective national parks. It offers stunning views of the Canadian Rockies, glaciers, and glacial … Continue reading Adventures in Canada: The Icefields Parkway
'Life changes in the instant. The ordinary instant.'-Joan Didion I have usually used this Joan Didion quote in reference to grief and living a life in the before and after. A before and after I have had for nearly 30 years. But this year, it took on a deeper resonance and one filled with joy … Continue reading A Life Changing Year
“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.” – John Muir I had decided to visit Jasper and Banff National Parks (Canada and country 26!) in the spring before I had even thought about leaving Spokane. Then I got an amazing opportunity and accepted a job in West Texas. I kid you … Continue reading Adventures in Canada: Jasper and Banff National Parks
'(Forrest Gump) What's my destiny, Mama?' '(Mama) You're gonnna have to figure that out yourself.' Near my campsite of Many Glacier, was Saint Mary Lake. I actually went twice, once for the sunset and again for a boat tour the following day. It may have been my favorite part of my three days at Glacier … Continue reading Adventures in Glacier: Saint Mary Lake
'The Montana sunset lay between the mountains like a giant bruise from which darkened arteries spread across a poisoned sky.' – F. Scott Fitzgerald In order to get a campsite at Glacier National Park, you need to be ready the moment reservations open. I had googled 'what is the best campground at Glacier?' and the … Continue reading Adventures in Glacier: Many Glacier
'It seems to me Montana is a great splash of grandeur. The scale is huge but not overpowering. The land is rich with grass and color, and the mountains are the kind I would create if mountains were ever put on my agenda.'-John Steinbeck Glacier National Park is widely viewed as on of the most … Continue reading Adventures in Glacier: Glacier National Park
'Though the road's been rocky it sure feels good to me.'-Bob Marley I have been very far behind on all thing The Next Great Adventure and for good reason...a major life change...again, ha! I have been an adjunct professor for ten years and have moved states and regions over that period. I always applied for … Continue reading Dispatches from the Road: I Moved…Again!
'I encourage everybody to hop on Google and type in ‘national park’ in whatever state they live in and see the beauty that lies in their own backyard. It’s that simple.'-Jordan Fisher I used my campsite at Kalaloch Beach as the jumping off point to explore Olympic National Park and it is huge! I only … Continue reading Adventures in Washington: Olympic National Park
'The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination, and brings eternal joy to the soul.'-Robert Wyland After a great first night car camping at Cape Disappointment, I headed a few hours north to Olympic National Park's Kalaloch Beach! There are two beaches available to camp at Olympic, Kalaloch and South Beach. The latter is only … Continue reading Adventures in Washington: Kalaloch Beach
'Dance with the waves, move with the sea, let the rhythm of the water set your soul free.'-Christie Anne Martine With the arrival of spring, I decided to hit the road and car camp for the first time. My plan was to go during my term break, celebrate a bit before the grind of the … Continue reading Adventures in Washington: Cape Disappointment
'There will never be a photograph of the Grand Canyon that can adequately describe its depth, breadth, and true beauty.' –Stefanie Payne The Grand Canyon has a very special place in my heart. I don't remember the first time I visited but the photograph from that day is my favorite picture. It is me and … Continue reading Adventures in the American West: Grand Canyon National Park
'Please, for the good of your soul, travel west.'-Daniel J. Rice Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is massive. It encompasses much of Lake Powell and the areas around Page, Arizona. It is famous for several things, Horseshoe Bend and the Rainbow Bridge. The former I visited twice and the latter can only be accessed via … Continue reading Adventures in the American West: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
'I would rather have 30 minutes of "wonderful" than a lifetime of nothing special.'-Julia Roberts To be completely honest, I'm not entirely sure why Horseshoe Bend became a top place to come and visit. Perhaps it is the uptick in popularity with Antelope Canyon and Page, Arizona as a whole but it is not a … Continue reading Adventures in the American West: Horseshoe Bend (2021)
'Be still and the earth will speak to you'-Navajo Proverb When scoping out things to do in Page, I knew I wanted to check out Horseshoe Bend and came across a tour to the Secret Canyon. Horseshoe Bend Tours combined both locations and I truly had no idea what to expect as Horseshoe Bend is … Continue reading Adventures in the American West: The Secret Canyon
'I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.' – Rosalia de Castro When I was planning my holiday road trip, I had never heard of Cathedral Canyon. As I scoped various tour companies for Upper Antelope Canyon, Antelope Slot Canyon Tours … Continue reading Adventures in the American West: Cathedral Canyon
'We still do not know one thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us.' —Albert Einstein Ordinarily, my posts go in order of things I did on any given trip but, this week, I made an exception. My last post was about my very early morning at Lower Antelope Canyon so it … Continue reading Adventures in the American West: Upper Antelope Canyon
'The Purpose of life is to live it, to taste it, to experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences.'-Eleanor Roosevelt The impetuous for my entire trip was the to hike Antelope Canyon. If you make a similar choice, there is a lot of planning that needs … Continue reading Adventures in the American West: Lower Antelope Canyon (2021)
'Mama always said dying was a part of life. I sure wish it wasn't.'-Forrest Gump One of the reasons I was so keen on coming to Monument Valley was my deep love of the film Forrest Gump. It is my favorite film and by a significant margin. In my opinion, it is the perfect movie. … Continue reading Adventures in the American West: Forrest Gump Point
'So this is where God put the West.'-John Wayne To say that I loved Monument Valley would be an understatement. While I only spent one day at Monument Valley proper, I visited a total of three times! I was really excited about visiting for many reasons. Forrest Gump is my favorite film and the landscape … Continue reading Adventures in the American West: Monument Valley
'For West is where we all plan to go some day...It is where you go to grow up with the country. It is where you go to spend your old age. Or it is just where you go. It was just where I went.'-Robert Penn Warren I cannot pinpoint when visiting the Four Corners was … Continue reading Adventures in the American West: The Four Corners
'The landscape of the American West has to be seen to be believed and has to be believed to be seen.' - N. Scott Momaday Due to Covid, I have spent the last two Christmas' at home...alone. So this year I was determined to hit the road. As I saw my dad in October and … Continue reading Adventures in the American West: Seen to be Believed
'I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.'-D. Bowie I can honestly say that where 2021 has ended is beyond anything I could have imagined. In January, I was going through a hard time. Covid had made things uncertain, I missed my family, live anything, and trying to … Continue reading A Year in Review: Life Changes
'And now I'm glad I didn't know/The way it all would end, the way it all would go/Our lives are better left to chance/I could have missed the pain/But I'd have had to miss the dance'-Garth Brooks (Lyrics by Tony Arata) I wanted to do a lot of things on my first real visit to … Continue reading Adventures in Nashville: The Bluebird Cafe
'Follow your heart. That’s what I do. Compassion is something I have a lot of, because I’ve been through a lot of pain in my life. Anybody who has suffered a lot of pain has a lot of compassion.'-Johnny Cash Since I had Saturday to myself, I packed in as much as I possibly could. … Continue reading Adventures in Nashville: The History
'I get the same feeling walking into the Opry House as I do when I see one of my heroes.' — Blake Shelton That I was going to a show at the Grand Ole Opry was something that took a moment to grasp. As a kid, I remember watching CMT and TNN and seeing commercials for … Continue reading Adventures in Nashville: The Grand Ole Opry
'Sometimes its tough traveling around/But who I wanna be still seems so far away/But I know I'm gonna get there someday...'-Dierks Bentley (this is my favorite Dierks song) I love country music and have since I was quite small. Growing up high in the mountains near Los Angeles, in the early 90s, I remember getting … Continue reading Adventures in Nashville: The Mother Church
'Once you find that inspiration, you shouldn't be afraid to follow it. Because anything is possible.'-Dave Grohl I apologize about the very long delay in posting the conclusion of my Adventures in the Pacific Northwest trip! I finally moved into my new place in Spokane and immediately left for Nashville, Tennessee-truly one of the greatest … Continue reading Adventures in the Pacific Northwest: Seattle
'Of all the fire mountains which like beacons, once blazed along the Pacific Coast, Mount Rainier is the noblest.'-John Muir After our morning at Mount St. Helens, B and I planned on meeting up again at Mount Rainier National Park, about two and a half hours away. We would not meet each other, ha! I … Continue reading Adventures in the Pacific Northwest: Mount Rainier National Park
'At the same time, there's something magnificent about volcanoes; they created the atmosphere that we need for breathing.'-Werner Herzog If you have read my blog, you will know that I have a fascination with volcanoes. This dates back to when I was quite small and watched a National Geographic video on the 'Ring of Fire' … Continue reading Adventures in the Pacific Northwest: Mount St. Helens
'The ocean is a central image. It is the symbolism of a great journey.'-Enya The next leg of the B and my trip was to drive the Oregon Coast and for his sake, I hoped the weather cooperated! B really wanted to see Face Rock in Bandon. We had a couple of options from Ashland, … Continue reading Adventures in the Pacific Northwest: The Oregon Coast
'I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was.'-Ransom Riggs B and I talked a lot about what we planned to do when he got here. I knew I wanted to show him my favorite spots...Smith Rock and The … Continue reading Adventures in the Pacific Northwest: Central Oregon
‘I have learned that to be with those I like is enough.’― Walt Whitman I am incredibly grateful to have a family that I not only love but like a lot. I remember the first session with my therapist, she asked who I considered myself to be closest to and that did not necessary have … Continue reading Adventures in the Pacific Northwest: Dispatches from the Road
'Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.'-J.K. Rowling Life is a funny thing, you make plans and are content but then something happens and everything changes in an instant. In a single moment, you receive word about the perfect opportunity for a fresh start, a new adventure and you simply … Continue reading Dispatches from the Road: Life Changes
'The desert, when the sun comes up...I couldn't tell where heaven stopped and the Earth began.'-Tom Hanks One of the hidden gems of Central and Eastern Oregon is the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. That an area like this exists is remarkable! The (free) park is actually three locations, Sheep Rock, Painted Hills, and … Continue reading Adventures in Oregon: John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
'Don't go through life, grow through life.' - Eric Butterworth If you had told me in January, as I was learning to embrace my new town while mending a broken heart, that that would be the high point of normalcy, I would have laughed because, well, look around. But I (and we) made it! This … Continue reading A Year in Review: Life in the Time of Corona
'I am furiously happy. It’s not a cure for mental illness … it’s a weapon, designed to counter it. It’s a way to take back some of the joy that’s robbed from you when you’re crazy.'-Jenny Lawson As I mentioned at the start of my Adventures in Utah series, I was in desperate need to … Continue reading Adventures in Utah: Salt Lake City
'Land really is the best art.' —Andy Warhol After an evening in Moab, I hit my last 'Mighty Five,' Arches National Park early in the morning! Arches is considered the gateway to the Mighty Five and it was supposed to be mine but it was my final stop (due to Covid restrictions at Zion). It … Continue reading Adventures in Utah: Arches National Park (2020)
'Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.' —Rachel Carson Of the all the 'Mighty Five,' Canyonlands was my favorite. Located outside of Moab, it is usually paired with Arches National Park. I went in the afternoon and it was quite crowded! You … Continue reading Adventures in Utah: Canyonlands National Park (2020)
'Capitol Reed is filled with geology that takes shape, color, and dimension to a level beyond comprehension.'-Stefanie Payne My third 'Mighty Five' is the hidden gem of the lot, Capital Reef National Park. It is the least visited, mostly because it is out of the way. As I mentioned in my previous post, SR-12 connects … Continue reading Adventures in Utah: Capital Reef National Park
'The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.'-Sir Richard Burton When I was talking to my brother about my trip, he said that I had to take this road he had heard about that was supposedly the most beautiful road in the United States. A quick google search led … Continue reading Adventures in Utah: State Route 12
'Nature is the art of God.' – Dante Alighieri After my morning at Cedar Breaks National Monument, I headed to Bryce Canyon National Park, my second 'Mighty Five.' Actually, I picked up SR-12 which starts just before Bryce but all of that will be in my next post (and trust me when I say there is … Continue reading Adventures in Utah: Bryce Canyon National Park
'The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man.'-Unknown Much like my decision to visit Great Basin National Park, I stumbled upon Cedar Breaks National Monument by looking at a map and seeing what was cool! Cedar Breaks is about 40 minutes from Zion and just a slight … Continue reading Adventures in Utah: Cedar Breaks National Monument
'No matter the risks we take, we always consider the end to be too soon, even though in life, more than anything else, quality should be more important than quantity.'–Alex Honnold Zion National Park was the first stop of my quest to visit the Mighty 5 and, boy, did it not disappoint! A few things … Continue reading Adventures in Utah: Zion National Park
'Afoot and lighthearted I take to the open road, healthy, free, the world before me.'–Walt Whitman Originally, I was planning on starting in Moab and working east. Since I had to go to Zion first, I looked at the new route to see if there was anything to explore and there was...Great Basin National Park! … Continue reading Dispatches from the Road: Great Basin National Park
“There’s a whole world out there, right outside your window. You’d be a fool to miss it.” ― Charlotte Eriksson As I've written about, this year has been hard. I knew for my mental health, I needed to get out of town and hit the road. I'm incredibly fortunate that Bend has nearly no cases of COVID, … Continue reading Dispatches from the Road: Southern Utah
'You only need one ray of light to chase all the shadows away.'-Fredrik Backman Things I have learned this summer...summer in Bend lasts about three weeks and during those weeks, it hovers around a hundred degrees. It's a Catch-22 because I've discovered that I need more weeks of it being warm but that it allows … Continue reading Adventures in Oregon: Mirror Lake
‘You’ll learn, as you get older, that rules are made to be broken. Be bold enough to live life on your terms, and never, ever apologize for it. Go against the grain, refuse to conform, take the road less traveled instead of the well-beaten path. Laugh in the face of adversity, and leap before you … Continue reading Adventures in Oregon: One Year in Bend
'Roads were made for journeys, not destinations.'-Confucius Sometimes, you just need to get into your car and drive. I was feeling overwhelmed and needed to get out of my head and out of Bend. As I've said before, my favorite place to do this is the Pacific Coast...so I went. I worked Saturday morning and … Continue reading Dispatches from the Road: The Northern Oregon Coast