And I Would Hike 500 More

When I started tracking my unique hikes a few years ago, Trotsky and I took 107 weeks to do 100 of them. This time, we really put ourselves to the task and crushed the goal in 91 weeks. And that's despite a six-month period when we did almost none. I reached a kind of hiking … Continue reading And I Would Hike 500 More →

Time to Move On

For more than a decade, I tried to leave Colorado. When I arrived in August 2008, I planned to get my graduate degree and immediately head back overseas to work in international development. Yet somehow, that never happened. Jobs, romantic relationships, friends, the writing community, athletic aspirations, and financial goals all conspired against my inner … Continue reading Time to Move On →

Why I’m Quitting AirBnB

When I bought my townhouse last year, I intentionally bought a place with two bedrooms plus an office so I could have my dedicated workspace but also a guest room. I wanted the guest room for family and friends, and I figured that when it wasn't getting used, I could put it on AirBnB. Why … Continue reading Why I’m Quitting AirBnB →

Wild, Wild West, How I Love You

Although I've been saying I want to move back to the east coast for about five years now, and although I now have a full time remote job that enables me to pack up and move back tomorrow if I want to, I'm quite glad to have been in Colorado through the Covid-19 shutdowns. And … Continue reading Wild, Wild West, How I Love You →

The Vacation Non-Race

Last week, I returned from a much needed vacation to Glacier National Park. This was supposed to be our annual girls' trip to run a half marathon with Vacation Races, but, unsurprisingly, the race was canceled. We sat tight for awhile, watching to see what would happen with the state and park. On June 1, … Continue reading The Vacation Non-Race →

The Sound of Sound

I've never thought of ambient sound as something that some of us get to choose and some don't. I've never thought much at all about the sounds around me. I grew up in a house with four kids and an endless rotation of babies. The television was always on. I went to public school with … Continue reading The Sound of Sound →

Yankee Imperialism and the Classic Car

Two weeks ago, I took a mid-winter trip to Cuba. At first, nothing I saw struck me as that different from what I’ve seen in other Latin American countries. It all seemed familiar and easy. But soon enough, the differences became apparent. Entire aisles in the grocery store filled with a single product because it's … Continue reading Yankee Imperialism and the Classic Car →

The 14,000 Foot Summits of 2019

Despite the late start to 14er season this year, due to the massive amounts of snow over the winter, my friends and I managed to get in just as many peaks as in other years. Dedication to the cause! Not that I ever plan to hike them all—Class 4s with full climbing gear are definitely … Continue reading The 14,000 Foot Summits of 2019 →

What I Did On My End of Summer Vacation

Saturday: Spent seven hours in the car Sunday: Went grocery shopping Monday: Called into an all-hands at my full time job Tuesday: Did half an hour of work for a freelance client Wednesday: Got my oil changed Thursday: Groomed the dog Friday: Woke up to a 6:30 AM alarm Saturday: Cleaned up the house Sunday: … Continue reading What I Did On My End of Summer Vacation →

Flora Versus Fauna

On March 3 this year, I was one of the featured storytellers at the Truth Be Told season finale, featuring all the first and second place winners from 2018. I didn't win in the finale, but I told a damn fine story. I hope you think so too! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l70k1uOmfUc And if my story didn't convince … Continue reading Flora Versus Fauna →