Short story on western Pennsylvania’s 70 mile Laurel Highlands Trail about an unexpected route to happiness and contentment…
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John Muir Trail: Days 1-5 Lyell Canyon to Reds Meadow
Summer 2022 John Muir Trail. First leg of our SOBO JMT hike: Tuolumne Meadows to Reds Meado. Highlights: Lyell Canyon, Donahue Pass, Maries Lakes, Thousand Islands & Garnet Lakes, Mts. Lyell, Banner & Ritter, Shadow Lake, Devils Postpile, and Reds Meadow.
John Muir Trail: Days 6-9 Reds Meadow to Vermilion Valley Resort (VVR)
Summer 2022 John Muir Trail. 2nd leg of our SOBO JMT hike: Reds Meadow to Vermillion Valley Resort. Highlights: Duck Creek, Purple Lake, Virginia Lake, Tully Hole, Squaw Lake, Silver Pass, Lake Thomas Edison, and Vermillion Valley Resort (VVR).
John Muir Trail: Days 10-15 VVR to Golden Staircase
Summer 2022 John Muir Trail. Third MONSOON leg of our SOBO JMT hike: Vermillion Valley Resort to turn-around on the Golden Staircase. Highlights: Bear Creek, Selden Pass, Sallie Keyes, Muir Trail Ranch (MTR), Kings Canyon, Evolution Creek, Evolution Lake, Muir Pass, Le Conte Canyon, Golden Staircase.
John Muir Trail: Days 16-18 Bishop and Independence
Summer 2022 John Muir Trail. 4th leg of our SOBO JMT hike, actually off the trail in the Bishop area of the Sierras. Highlights: Bishop Pass, Long Lake, Parcher’s, Willow Creek Campground, Tyee Trail, and hitchhiking.
John Muir Trail: Days 19-24 Kearsarge Pass to Mt. Whitney Portal
Summer 2022 John Muir Trail. Last leg of our SOBO JMT hike: Onion Valley trailhead (Independence) to Mt. Whitney summit and portal. Highlights: Kearsarge Pass, Forrester Pass, Bighorn Plateau, Crabtree Meadow, Guitar Lake, Mt. Whitney, Lone Pine Lake, Trail Camp, Outpost Camp.
JMT Pre-Hike: Day Trips to Yosemite from Mammoth Lakes, California
Our wilderness permit had us starting in Tuolumne Meadows, rather than Happy Isles, so we explored Yosemite a bit before our through-hike of the John Muir Trail (JMT). This post covers: Cathedral Lakes, Yosemite Valley, and Dog Lake - short hikes to determine if Caffrey could actually start the JMT with us on his sprained ankle.
14K Peak Bagging in Colorado to Acclimate for the John Muir Trail
Craving some altitude after pandemic confinement, we drove our van cross-country to Breckenridge, Colorado, living for 5 weeks at 10,000+ feet in preparation for a summer through-hike of the John Muir (JMT) Trail in California. Acclimating in Colorado, we discovered the joy of 14k peak bagging…
Aspen's Maroon Bells to Crested Butte Trail: Gear Test for the John Muir Trail
Just 10 miles outside of Aspen, Colorado, is a special place called the Maroon Bells. After enjoying the thrill of 13k and 14k peak climbs in the Mosquito, Tenmile, and Sawatch Ranges of the Colorado Rockies, we needed to test our gear — and our mettle — on a longer multi-day hike. The Aspen to Crested Butte Trail was the perfect destination for our first over-nighter.
Most Beautiful Colorado Hike: Ice Lakes in San Juan Mountains
This post details some of our favorite hikes near Silverton in the San Juan Mountains (Ice Lakes and Highland Mary) and near Breckenridge in the Rocky Mountain Tenmile Range (Mohawk Lakes, McCullough Gulch, Blue Lakes trails and Hoosier Pass). These are all day hikes between 10,000-12,500 feet encompassing glacial lakes, waterfalls, vast wildflower meadows, and snow fields lingering into July.
Guide to Minimalism: How to Downsize From a House to a Backpack
Are you considering a move to minimalism? Understand that you are not just disposing of random objects. You are, in fact, eliminating tangible indicators of the person who you wanted others to believe you are (read that twice). What will you do with a blank slate?
Hiking Is Zen
Hiking is simple, structured, quiet. I step into nature to calm the mind, soothe the soul, and find a little zen. This post is dedicated to anyone who thinks that hiking is just a hot, tiresome walk without a point. For me, hiking is a walking meditation that calms the monkey-mind and draws me into the present moment.
Roadtrip! Chasing Waterfalls Across Virginia
Do you love waterfalls? How about a week long road trip through southern Virginia? We spent 6 nights camping and hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway and in Washington and Jefferson National Forests. This post details our driving, camping, and hiking itinerary — centered around seven major waterfalls — to inspire your next Virginia road trip.
Long Read: The Root of America's Healthcare Problem Is Cartel Pricing by Monopolies
Our current health care system is not working for Americans. Pricing is irrational and quality is poor. That’s because healthcare in America has been hijacked by conglomerate monopolies that control pricing like cartels. In this post, I discuss the reasons our health care costs so much.
Discover Acadia National Park in Maine, USA
Acadia makes up for its small size by offering visitors an unparalleled breadth of experiences for any age in near-perfect weather. Hiking, biking, running, kayaking, whale-watching, and lobster eating…what’s not to love??
Eastern Traverse in Acadia National Park: Fall in Love with Hiking Again
For the jaded hiker weary of monotonous walks through unchanging woods, the Eastern Traverse puts the spark back into trekking. This hike is memorable for the diversity of landscapes and terrain you will encounter over an 11-mile stretch of Acadia National Park in Maine.
London...Paris...Franklin, Pennsylvania (a History Lesson)
Hard to believe, but Franklin — a tiny town in western Pennsylvania — was the epicenter of international events on multiple occasions throughout history. French and British monarchies fought over this territory in the 1700s. Then the oil boom in the 1800s began here, forever changing history. This post gives visitors a quick history lesson…
Tourist Guide to My Hometown in Franklin, Pennsylvania
A stroll through Franklin in Venango County, just north of Pittsburgh, PA is a leap back to an era when men wore top hats and women bustled about in ruffled skirts. It’s a place for outdoor lovers, shop-a-holics, antique collectors, and foodies. Please indulge me, as a I show you some of my hometown’s highlights. Franklin will steal your heart!
Arizona: Phoenix Hot Air Balloon Ride
You know it's on your bucket list! When in Phoenix, a hot air balloon ride over the Sonoran Desert is a terrific way to learn about the desert
Arizona: Sedona
It is impossible to leave Sedona with anything resembling stress after several days in the calming embrace of brick-red and sandy-white cliffs, enormous puffy clouds lazily drifting across the deep blue sky, and the pine scent of ever-green trees! Aerial footage (drone video)...