'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
'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
'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: Scenic 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
'Crater Lake is the greatest asset to southern Oregon. It is worth traveling hundreds of miles to see. I thought that I had gazed upon everything beautiful in nature as I have spent many years traveling thousands of miles to view the beauty spots of the earth, but I have reached the climax. Never again … Continue reading Adventures in Oregon: Crater Lake National Park
'Nature loves courage. You make the commitment and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles. Dream the impossible dream and the world will not grind you under, it will lift you up. This is the trick. This is what all these teachers and philosophers who really counted, who really touched the alchemical … Continue reading Adventures in Oregon: Tumalo Falls
‘In the presence of nature, a wild delight runs through the man, in spite of real sorrows.’ –Ralph Waldo Emerson 2020 has been a lot...on all levels! But I have had a lot of personal growth. Once Bend and Central Oregon starting reopening, I was so glad to be able to explore and clear my … Continue reading Adventures in Oregon: La Pine State Park
'Because the greatest part of a road trip isn’t arriving at your destination. It’s all the wild stuff that happens along the way.'— Emma Chase Bend is slowly starting to open and not just because of corona. My new town is at about 4,000 feet elevation and surround by mountains that are 10,000 feet plus. Due … Continue reading Adventures in Oregon: Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway
“There is a hidden message in every waterfall. It says, if you are flexible, falling will not hurt you!”-Mehmet Murat ildan Central Oregon is slowly starting to open again and I have taken full advantage! I have spent the warm days wandering local trails. I have followed all guidelines and have stayed close to home … Continue reading Adventures in Oregon: Cline Falls
'I like it when a flower or a little tuft of grass grows through a crack in the concrete. It's so fuckin' heroic.'-George Carlin I have had a strange obsession with volcanos for most of my life. I am not entirely sure where it started...perhaps multiple rewatches of National Geographic documentaries on the Ring of … Continue reading Adventures in Oregon: Newberry Volcano
“That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.” – Jhumpa Lahiri I have spoken of my love of reading and my deep love of Harry Potter so I'm going to share some favorite books and some I have recently read. It sounds really cliche but you can go anywhere via … Continue reading Dispatches from my Couch: Books!
'The only thing I knew how to do was to keep on keeping on.'-Bob Dylan Well, it has been an interesting couple of weeks. It's been hard and relaxing. I have baked a lot!!! I have so much free time. I have read a lot of books-I highly recommend Dear Edward and the new Jane … Continue reading Dispatches from my Couch: Bend in the Time of Corona
'In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they're still beautiful.'-Alice Walker I love to be outside and there are few places better to do this than Oregon. Bend is a nature lover's paradise. The temperatures are starting to rise and the sun. Spring is … Continue reading Adventures in Oregon: Deschutes River Trail
'Sometimes the most scenic roads in life are the detours you didn't mean to take.'-Angela Blount I had the best weekend and it wasn't the weekend I had originally intended. It just goes to show that if you live furiously, life can take some amazing turns. See, I had originally intended to spend the weekend … Continue reading Adventures in Oregon: Exploring Bend
'Shoot for the moon, even if you fail, you'll land among the stars'-Cecelia Ahern I have officially been in Bend (and my apartment) for six months. What a whirlwind it has been! It started a bit rocky, seemed to get better, fell apart around my birthday and into the holidays, and I am now starting … Continue reading Adventures in Oregon: Six Months (!!!)
“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” – Lewis Carroll
I really love Norman! 'The only person you need to be better than is the person you were yesterday.'-Jenny Lawson The end of the year is always a time for reflection and 2019, I can honestly say, was the greatest year of my life. I began the year in Iceland and concluded it in Oregon. … Continue reading Year in Review: FURIOUSLY HAPPY Movement in Action
‘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 When I moved to Oregon, I had hoped to spend the weekend before my birthday in Philadelphia. Friends were getting married and my best friends just had a baby. … Continue reading Dispatches from the Road: The Oregon Coast
'Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.'-Lao Tzu When I was home for Christmas, my dad asked me if I would ever move back to Greenville, SC. I told him not a … Continue reading Dispatches From the Road: Oregon Trail
'It’s about taking those moments when things are fine and making them amazing, because those moments are what make us who we are, and they’re the same moments we take into battle with us'-Jenny Lawson I still cannot believe that I flew across the globe, by myself, and spent two of the most glorious weeks … Continue reading Adventures Down Under: Be Brave and Live Furiously
'The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul.'-Wyland I have come to the end of the road Down Under so it seems appropriate that the last thing I did was spend the day on the Ocean Road! Much like the Pacific Coast Highway, of which this is very reminiscent, the … Continue reading Adventures Down Under: The Great Ocean Road
'Our task must be to free ourselves... by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and it's beauty.'-Albert Einstein Melbourne, Australia was my final stop! I actually did not spend any time in the city other than to sleep, so I cannot speak to the city itself. … Continue reading Adventures Down Under: The Outskirts of Melbourne
'The ocean is everything I want to be. Beautiful, mysterious, wild, and free.'-Unknown I have loved the ocean for as long as I can remember. Going to Sea World was a highlight of my childhood summers. I have watched every documentary about the deepest parts of the ocean. I love listening to the waves crash … Continue reading Adventures Down Under: The Great Barrier Reef
The Next Great Adventure 