The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. ~ Nelson Mandela Fear is no fun. And learning to ski or ride for the first time, or leveling up to new a challenge, can bring it up. It doesn’t matter that a run is an easy green; if it’s new for you, …
30 facts about my life, mistakes, and triumphs
Warning: This is a personal post, if you’re not into that kind of stuff, pick one of my adventure inspired posts to read instead, I won’t be offended. “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” ― E.E. Cummings It strikes me as odd that anyone would want to interview me. Yet, I’ve given two this …
Does life balance mean giving up my passion?
Life can’t ever really defeat a writer who is in love with writing, for life itself is a writer’s lover until death – fascinating, cruel, lavish, warm, cold, treacherous, constant. ~Edna Ferber, A Kind of Magic, 1963 I’m dealing with a personal struggle. Sometimes a commitment to caring for ourselves means important things fall through the cracks. This month I’ve …
Finding a clear view: Butler Fork to Mount Raymond
It is not the eye that understands, but the mind. ~ African proverb A rocky knife-edge rose up ahead of me like the spine of a large monster. Okay, I’m being a little dramatic because I really don’t like heights. I stood there alone, wondering if this really was the trail to Mount Raymond. “Seriously, what the….?” I muttered under …
7 signs you’re obsessed with hiking
The first clue I had a problem was that, after two months, I hadn’t unpacked any boxes because I was waiting for a rainy day – not fully comprehending I had moved to a desert. Then there was the issue that I had no social life. After moving to Salt Lake City I noticed that, now that I had a …
Solo expression: Challenge Buttress
Rarely do we get to express ourselves as purely as we’d like to but when it does happen, it’s truly a thing of beauty! Recently, many things have been put into an intricate perspective for me and I am continually learning how grow with them. It seems all too often we get trapped in a negative space when others aren’t …
Blogger seeks a balanced life and finds a new destination
The world can not be discovered by a journey of miles, no matter how long, but only by a spiritual journey…very arduous and humbling and joyful, by which we arrive at the ground at our feet, and learn to be home. ~ Wendell Berry Is your life so busy it’s out of balance? Harder question, do you really want a …
Gratitude on the Triple Falls Trail, Oregon
The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind. ~ Albert Einstein A self-indulgent whim hit me and I hit purchase on a flight to Portland, Oregon. Thoughts of cooler temps and a visit to Columbia Sportswear’s headquarters filled my head. I’d seen photos of hikes in the Columbia River Gorge area and it looked surreal. On …
Climbing: From personal challenge to a way of life
This post is written by my dear friend, Brandon Aegerter, who relays how climbing grew from a personal challenge into a lifestyle. Look for more climbing posts from him in the future as well, so please give him a warm welcome with a comment below! Go beyond boundaries today: Life begins at the end of your comfort zone! I must …
Photo escape and quote: Contemplating risk
Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure… than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. ~ Theodore Roosevelt I’ve been giving this quote a lot of thought lately because I had a …