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Spaces & Places

Treetop Adventure

  • March 23, 2022

When I was in Panama, the majority of my time was spent sailing around islands or exploring the shoreline along a gorgeous beach. Yet there was a big space in my heart for the rainforest. Those cooler, higher elevations with a consistent misty cover beckoned to me as I road the public bus miles upon … Read more

Spaces & Places

Bambuda Castle

  • December 19, 2021

From the moment my Panama adventure began, I connected with fellow travelers who, like me, were navigating a vacation within the framework of Covid. It added a new layer of bonding to the typical solo adventurer connection that I had previously experienced.

Inevitably, when I met new people making their way around Panama, a string … Read more

Spaces & Places

Bocas del Toro Island Adventures

  • December 8, 2021December 19, 2021

With winter temperatures moving in and a chance of snow in the air, my summer Panama adventures seem like a distant memory. Typically, I write voraciously after a summer trip in an attempt to solidify each event, person, and place in my impressions. This year, however, grad school work got the best of me, and … Read more

Spaces & Places

Gualaca River Canyon

  • September 12, 2021

After getting settled at Lost and Found hostel, I was ready to consider what adventures I might pursue over the course of my two-day stay.

In a purely serendipitous moment, I met two other hostel guests from Italy who were interested in going to a nearby canyon the following afternoon.

“What kind of canyon?” I … Read more

Spaces & Places

Lost and Found Hostel

  • August 30, 2021

Finding a nice place to sleep on a tight budget can always be a gamble.

In previous travels I’ve ended up in some really crummy lodgings, but I’ve also lucked out and landed at some surprisingly remarkable abodes.

Going into my Panama trip, I had heard talk of this place called The Lost and Found … Read more

Spaces & Places

Sailing the San Blas Islands: Part II

  • August 18, 2021August 30, 2021

Spending five days on remote islands was a phenomenal experience. No two islands were the same, and I came to appreciate the diversity of nature that each new place had to offer.

Here is a collection of some of my favorite middle-of-paradise activities.

1. Hermit Crab Races

My face was less than an inch from … Read more

Spaces & Places

Sailing the San Blas Islands: Part I

  • August 14, 2021August 15, 2021

Some of my best travel moments have been impromptu decisions that have left me breathless in wonder and joy. Choosing to sail the San Blas islands in Panama was a spur-of-the-moment decision; the details were finally nailed down only a day before I was whisked away from Tocumen airport to a nearby marina.

I Travel … Read more

Spaces & Places

Panamanian Pastimes

  • August 9, 2021August 9, 2021

Typically I get the travel bug in January. I start researching, planning, and dreaming of summer escapes during the dreary winter months that seem to go on endlessly. You’ll recall that my epic Croatia-cation was mapped out during my snow-bound days armed with hot coffee and lots of time to think about travel.

Although I … Read more

Spaces & Places

Courage ≠ Absence of Fear

  • April 19, 2021April 19, 2021

Every so often I get scared rock climbing.

Yeah, it doesn’t happen as frequently as my dear mother would like, but I do experience fear, especially when I’m climbing outdoors.

A few weeks ago, this experience was quite acute.

My buddy and I were tackling a 5.7, a not-so-difficult climb outdoors that shouldn’t have caused … Read more

Spaces & Places

Dragon’s Tooth Hike

  • April 11, 2021April 12, 2021

The weather was unseasonably warm, typical of March which tends to show off its extreme ranges depending on the particular mood of the wind and the sun. I hadn’t laced up my hiking boots so tightly in quite some time. The past few months had involved staying local, yearning for more sunlight, and spending dreary … Read more

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Spaces & Places

Visiting all of America’s national parks was just the beginning! My exploration of natural spaces and wild places continues as my journey expands to areas around the world. Read about my travels near and far and the nature-based wonders I discover.

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About Me

About Me

National park expert. Nature enthusiast. Outdoor educator. These are the chronicles of my travels and discoveries around the country and throughout the world.

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