It just got real… I wasn’t sure when the right time would be to make this announcement. But when I loaded all of my trail maps and hiking guides into a box and scheduled a POD for delivery to my driveway late next month, it seemed like a good time to share that I’m moving. And it’s no small move …
Learning to ski: Dress for success on the slopes
No one learns well when distracted by shivering and numb fingers. Clothes can make a difference between enjoying the experience and being miserable. This post is a companion article to my Learning to Ski post published a couple of weeks ago. Frankly, the original post got too long so I had to chop this section out. However, clothing is a …
Photos of the day: Three bloggers kayaking the Wekiwa
For the past week, I’ve completely slacked on blog posts. First I had a few typical “life” events crop up, and now I’m stricken with an upper respiratory bug that has the unexpected side effect of making me forget how to spel. So today, I’m going to keep things simple and share a few photos from a recent kayaking trip …
Orlando Wetlands Park: Trails, wildlife, and wastewater treatment
The first time I hiked at the Orlando Wetlands Park it didn’t fully sink in that the area was actually a 1,220-acre wastewater treatment project. I mean, it’s absolutely gorgeous and full of wildlife. This visit, I grew more curious as I noticed culverts directing water flow from section to section. In another area, I saw what looked like a …
Snowshoeing the North Fork of Idaho’s Snake River
This post is both an account of our snowshoe trek along the North Fork of the Snake River and a preliminary review of Easton Mountain Products’ Woman’s Hike snowshoes. Falling face first into the snow, I guess I could have benefited from a pair of poles. Instead, I laughed it off and struggled to get my snowshoe-clad feet back under …
Learning to ski: Three days of fun at Brighton’s Snow Sports School
I do not participate in any sport with ambulances at the bottom of the hill. ~Erma Bombeck This quote pretty much sums up why I avoided learning to ski until well into my 40s. Eventually I ran out of stupid things to do to my body, and I needed something to do in the winter, so it was time to …
Photo of the day: Log crossing in the Desolation Wilderness
While I’ve had fun this winter playing in the snowy mountains of Utah, I can’t help but look forward to summer hikes in the Sierra Nevada mountains as well. The wildflowers and lakes, the mosquitoes…well I could pass on those. Regardless, we already have a few trips planned for summer and I’m looking forward to them. Photos like this one, …
Coffee Craving: The Rose Estb in Salt Lake City
Frosty morning air made me walk a little faster toward The Rose Estb (I’m following their lead by abbreviating Establishment), a coffee spot I’d been hearing about for months. I was so chilled and under-caffeinated I started imagining the flavor of what I hoped would be a primo cup of java from a block away. The Rose Estb is located …
My new adventure: Learning snow sports
I enjoy all four seasons. I spend spring and summer hiking in northern latitudes, during the fall I’m camping and caving further south, and I fill my winters with hiking and kayaking in Florida. What I’ve been missing are snow sports. It’s no surprise that I’ve never spent time in snow. Raised on a boat in the South Pacific and …
Florida’s landscape in black and white
After 25 years of hiking in Florida, I’ve developed an appreciation for the small details in the landscape, which others may miss. Florida’s landscape is often nothing but a sea of green and to the untrained eye. However, one of the things I love most about Florida’s landscape is how the light plays through the trees, reflects off the water …