I am notoriously late to the end of year reflection game plus February 1st has always been my New Year’s Day observed anyhow. By February 1st the New Year is in full swing and most people already forgot about their resolution weeks ago so February seems like a perfect time to reflect on the past…
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2017 Euro-Adventure Stop 5 – Isle of Skye, Scotland
While spending a week in Scotland, I kept getting whopped over the head with these eerie senses of deja vu. Either I had spent too much time looking through photos of these places or there is some sort of collective memory stored in my blood. Scotland was like coming home! The day before arrive in…
Giving Tuesday: Putting Money Where Your Heart Is!
“Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul.” ~Edward Abbey Having a hard time with the current administration’s full-on assault on the environment? I know I am. It is hard not to feel overwhelmed at times, but there are many organizations out there fighting the good fight each and every day and I’ve decided…
2017 Euro-Adventure Stop 2 – Val Gardena, Italy
I had been staring at photos of the Val Gardena area for the past year, so to be there felt absolutely surreal. My first two trips to the Dolomites centered around exploring Cortina, Alta Badia, and Tre Cime de Laverado, but HOLY WOW, who knew the real jewel was Val Gardena?!? Day 1 Val Gardena…
The Great American Eclipse – Lander, Wyoming Style
That’s a long way to go for 60 seconds everyone said, well it was line one zillion seconds of AMAZEMENT we said! I couldn’t believe the amount of people vocally raining down on my Eclipse parade. Warning of gasoline shortages, empty Supermarket shelves, apocalypse style traffic, and well the chance of clouds! Neil deGrasse Tyson…
Kayaking Lake Powell: A Motor-less Glen Canyon Reconnaissance
Just what I need, another hobby. My friend Wheels read about this 85-mile kayak trip across Lake Powell Brendan Leonard and crew took in winter a few years back. She’s been wanting to head out on a similar trip and I, having zero experience in a sea kayak, was her willing partner. Last year’s attempt was…
REI Placing Women Front and Center in the Outdoors
This post is sponsored by REI, but thoughts and opinions are my own. Rock a Boat. Start a Fire. Be a Force of Nature. Well the boat was certainly rocking. White-knuckling the paddle, I tried to ride the waves rather than fight, but they seemed to be coming from every direction. The waves were bouncing…
Best 2016 Stoke!
I’m always a little late to the end of year reflection game. The holidays are busy, busy and I always travel back home to Wisconsin to ring in the New Year with family. This year I spent Christmas week pathetic and whiny in bed with a death cold fuming about (along with the rest of…
The Half Bear 100: Thoughts on My First Hundred Mile Attempt
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. ~W.H. Murray A certain someone in my life…
My Cortina Trail 2016 Race Report
As I made the final turn onto the cobblestone path that led to the Cortina Town Center, Juan from Espagna ran up from behind me, grabbed my hand and started sprinting at 400 meter pace dragging me screaming, laughing, and flailing all the way to the finish line. Thirty miles, 9,000 feet of climbing, about…