Spaces & Places
Living in the foothills of Appalachia affords some pretty incredible opportunities for outdoor recreation.
It’s a mountain-lovers paradise.
On a whim last weekend, I joined a group of semi-new friends on trip up in latitude and in elevation to watch the sunset. I was literally along for the ride – no idea where exactly we … Read more
Spaces & Places
New state = new adventures.
As someone who continuously seeks out natural spaces and wild places, visiting parks in my new home state is high on the priority list. I now live in the foothills of Appalachia, just a short drive away from gorgeous mountains, gobs of waterfalls, and acres of protected, forested land.
In … Read more
Spaces & Places
This past spring, I had my first experience with a West Virginia via ferrata, and it was truly one of my most memorable adventures to date. After I had purchased my plane ticket to Scotland and planned out my European itinerary, via ferratas were one of the prioritized possible activities I researched.
Italian … Read more
Spaces & Places
I sat in the very back of the white van as we slowly made our way up, up, and up, taking the switch-back curves at a steady pace as the valley below slowly disappeared. I was with five other travelers who represented a variety of demographics – gender, geography, and age. The one thing we … Read more
Spaces & Places
As someone who is prefers mountains and forests to highways and sky scrapers, I tend to avoid cities when I travel, often escaping sprawling metropolises in favor of smaller outdoorsy areas.
Yet western Europe has always been a place I wanted to visit, particularly some of the well-known cities that I have only experienced through … Read more
Spaces & Places
Oh Scotland. *sigh*.
A place of magic, mystery, and rugged landscapes that captivates the imagination.
Scotland – particularly the Highlands – has been on my travel bucket list for a few years, and rose to the top after my visit to Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia. I wanted to experience the lush green hills, … Read more
47 Parks
As I planned a spring road trip down into the Carolinas, I scoped out some potential places to hike and/or … Read more
Spaces & Places
In a modern age with technology at our fingertips, old-school skills like compass navigation seem like an antiquated pastime. I must confess that I overly rely on AllTrails GPS during my backcountry hikes, especially ones that involve a significant number of trail intersections. In fact, I can honestly say that I’ve never felt the need … Read more
Spaces & Places
Seneca has long been my happy place – one of my favorite weekend getaways for traditional rock climbing. With winter temps still chasing us into March, I knew that it wasn’t quite the time yet to be on the sharp end of a rope 20 feet up from my last gear placement. I considered other … Read more
Spaces & Places
In Northern Virginia, the blissful season of summer often turns into heavy, hot days that leave me feeling limp from the heat as I scurry inside to escape its oppressiveness. I had only been back in town for a few weeks since my Portugal trip, and I was already starting to miss the cooler temps … Read more