Spaces & Places
Some adventures are measured in miles, like my epic 6-day wilderness trek on Rae Lakes Loop last June (~ 58 miles).
Other adventures are gentler on the body and measured more in moments, such as my puppy’s first backpacking trip.
With my pack snug on my back and my 8-month-old Yorkie-Poo bouncing at my heels, … 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
Spaces & Places
My left foot gradually started to slide down the slick embankment, so I made a quick shuffle and hopped onto a rock in the middle of the mucky path.
Only it wasn’t a rock.
It was a rock-shaped clump of mud.
I sighed internally as I watched my foot squelch into the mire, resigning myself … Read more
Spaces & Places
Depending on where you live in the world, the term backpack has a variety of definitions. Although commonly used as a noun (at least in North America), backpack can also be a verb meaning “to travel or hike carrying one’s belongings in a backpack.” In other words, backpacking involves multi-day trips with all the necessary … Read more
47 Parks
Up, up, up.
Hand over hand, one foot in front of the other.
I took a break to wipe my face, hoping to prevent the sunscreen I had just applied from going into my eyes. The sun was hot, but the strong breeze blowing from the north side made me feel less like a pastry … Read more
47 Parks
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity” – John Muir
There’s a reason Yosemite is such a well-known national park: its mountains are unequivocal and its waterfalls are unparalleled. Furthermore, during the country’s most important camping trip, … Read more
47 Parks
By the middle of June, Virginia’s humidity levels typically reach legendary proportions. This year was no different: sweat doesn’t evaporate, plants hang limply, and dishes washed by hand take days to try.
A slight exaggeration? Perhaps.
But it was during this mid-June slump in which I envisioned the hot, moist summer stretching out lazily before … Read more
Spaces & Places
I hefted my pack up onto my shoulders, tightening the straps and cinching the waist loop. It was heavy, but still less weight than I’m accustomed to carrying while trad climbing. Inside this relatively small pack, I had managed to cram a sleeping bag, bed pad, inflatable pillow, tarp, sweater, and a small assortment of … Read more