Name: Steph

Age: old soul, young at heart (37)

Likes: dark chocolate, mountains, fanny packs, and the smell of books

Dislikes: raw onions and apathy

A pilgrim is one who makes a journey, often a long and difficult one, to a special place for specific reasons. In June 2016, I embarked on a quest to visit every national park within the contiguous United States. Within these special places, I saw oceans, forests, deserts, rivers, and mountains. I hiked, rock-climbed, swam, snowshoed, paddled, and fell in love with the natural world. I lived in a teardrop trailer, affectionately name Clarence, as I put well over 25,000 miles on my little Honda Civic. Throughout this journey, I shared my stories, blogging about all of the wonders that I saw and experienced. An incredible group of faithful readers followed my travels, living vicariously through the pictures and vivid written descriptions I posted.

As I stepped foot into the last park – number 47 – I realized that I didn’t want this voyage to end. I needed it to continue. That was when I made the decision that no matter where I was, I would deliberately seek out the natural world and intentionally pursue those special outdoor places. I expanded my ambitions to include regional parks, schoolyards, and other countries. I still seek to share my discoveries with others, particularly the younger generation. Outdoor learning is near and dear to my heart; as a full-time educator I relish the opportunity to take students out-of-doors to connect with nature.

There is so much to see and experience in this beautiful world of ours. Just because I wander, does not mean I am lost. On the contrary, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” (John Muir)