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On Ferry Thoughts

     On the dawn of my thirty-second birthday, I am so grateful. I sit here at a table, on an early morning ferry out of the San Juans, sipping hot coffee and watching a morning fog lift and stretch itself away from this chain of mystical wooded isles. I am currently in awe of the moments of my life that have brought me here. A life well-lived to the fullest, yet not even halfway over, I eagerly consider where I might be another thirty-two years from now.        Why has my thirty-second birthday become such a marker for me? Given me such pause in the string of birthdays before that? For most, the thirtieth birthday is the one to fear, the day that receives tears and anxious rumblings about how the twenties were wasted on youth, how our years of usefulness to society are dwindling away like grains of sand in some secret, hidden hourglass. But for me, this year’s celebration brings a marked time of change to my life; the end of relationships, the start of a new relationship with myse
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On Solo Travel

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Well, I've just finished up a stint of intense traveling. In the past six weeks or so I've got to Africa, driven 3,000 miles across the US, and done a whirlwind tour of Dublin, London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and Munich. It's been an amazing experience with a lot of lessons learned, that's for sure. I had plenty of time to consider traveling as I sat on planes, in trains, and in taxi cabs, more specifically solo travel. While I was running around, I noticed very few solo travelers abroad. Is it that few people choose to adventure on their own, or was it simply that solo travelers tend to blend in much better than boisterous groups of families or friends? The few singles I noticed stood out; they carried giant backpacks, pausing on street corners to consider maps or glance at their phone for guidance. I had the opportunity to discuss the differences of solo vs. group travel with a friend while sipping a beer in Germany, and we came to the agreement that both experien
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In Which Life Has Changed

It's been a long time since my last blog post. ... Isn't that what every blogger says though? They apologize, they offer a reason, an excuse, and then they attempt to charge forward past their mistakes, promising more updates, more content if you'll only keep reading. Luckily if you're following this you already know I've accepted that I'm not that kind of blogger, because I never promised regular updates in the first place. Read this or not, I'll write just the same. I've found that I only have so many "writing" points in me on a daily basis. Very rarely can I write for hours on end, typing away until my hands ache and I notice it's dark outside. More often I write until I feel like I've gotten it out of my system, like it's a craving to be filled until the mood strikes me again. Sometimes I use my points up on journaling, sometimes on little writing projects or submissions for various publications. Sometimes I start a stor
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That Adventure Itch

So first, welcome to any new readers who may have found me from She-Explores latest podcast. Welcome welcome welcome! I hope you'll enjoy reading through this site. A word of warning. If you're looking for a blog that's updated every day... This is not it. I'm very much a "write when the feeling strikes me" type of girl, and sometimes it doesn't strike me for awhile (See the space between this post and my last).  But, if you're ok with random updates with a side of fun, stick around! Ok, on to the post...       So I have the urge for adventure again. Does anyone else get this? It always comes in cycles for me. I have an adventure, I come back exhausted, dirty, and usually hungry. I spend some time recovering, processing my journey. Then I experience a lull, a time where I'm not really thinking about my past adventure or planning for a new one. Then, one day, usually over a cup of hot coffee, I feel it. The itch. Maybe less an itch, actually, and
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Where an Adventure is a Misadventure

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Has anyone else hiked Torry Ridge to Mills Creek in the George Washington National Forest? Because I have. Majestic mid-trail pose.  And it's the first hike I did not enjoy almost every minute of.  This is what you looks like when you didn't bring a bug net when you really, really should have. Maybe this is part of growing and learning as a hiker. This was my first backpacking experience where I wasn't in a nicely groomed, well labeled state or national park. This was, hands-down, the rockiest hike I've ever been on. My ankles hate me right now,  I had read reviews, so I knew it would be rocky, but reading that a hike is rocky, and then hiking over rocks for miles and miles, are two very different things. Some of the trail was really nice! Not pictured: Every bug on the planet.  I ended up hot, tired, and cranky due to the difficult terrain and constant assault of bugs. By the time I made it to the campsite all I wanted was a shower
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Shenandoah Life

Hello all! So I've completed my SECOND solo backpacking trip, and I have to say, the second one went much, much smoother than the first. If nothing else, I have a much better handle on how to efficiently pack my pack this time around. Also I got better at water crossings, which helped. Also I wasn't shaking-out-of-my-boots terrified at every single noise the forest could produce. Here are the details: Trails: I parked at Bootens Gap, took the AT to Laurel Prong, then to Fork Mountain, then to Staunton River Trail, then on to Jones Mountain Trail. Campsite: I camped right past Bear Church Rock (which produced the best views of the whole trip), in an obviously previously utilized area. Mileage: Strava says I did 11.7 the first day, and 5.8 the second. I did take an optional walk down the the Jones Mountain Cabin on day 1, which added .6 to my total. Pros: Beautiful scenery. The woods were full of sweeping valleys of ferns, the trees were gorgeous, and much of the hike w
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Aret Baseware Review

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So tragedy has struck, guys and gals. I was packing up my Osprey Tempest 40 last week, and noticed something seemed... Off. Take a look. One of these straps is not like the other! It appears that my load strap and my handle were sewn in the wrong spots. Sad day! Luckily Osprey has great customer service, so I'm packing the bag (Ha!) and sending it off to them to see if they can repair it. If not, they'll replace it, although I'm a little sad for two reasons. 1) I had just gotten it nice and dirty so I didn't look like a trail newbie anymore 2) They don't make this color scheme for the Tempest 40 anymore and while I pretend  that colors don't matter on my gear, I really liked it. I'll keep you all updated on how it goes, I'm always interested to see how the customer service is for outdoor gear companies. So far so good with these guys, an actual person responded to me, explained the process thoroughly and had a UPS shipping label send to my email
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