a former gymnast with a neverending case of wanderlust
I've hiked in Glacier Gorge in the summer. I've also hiked in Glacier Gorge in the winter. A lot, in fact. Winter in Glacier Gorge is one of my favorite things in Rocky. And while I've published posts on Sky Pond in summer and Sky Pond in winter and Black Lake in summer and Black… Continue reading Rocky Mountain National Park: winter hiking in Glacier Gorge
Looking back, I realize I always took for granted that I grew up just 90 minutes from Yellowstone. For me, having a national park so close to home was just normal. Then I spent six years living in Connecticut, where the nearest “mountains” weren’t really mountains and the nearest national park was a full day’s… Continue reading A guide to visiting Rocky Mountain National Park
When I pulled up rental car listings while planning our trip to Phoenix, I was surprised to see that the least expensive options were electric cars. When I mentioned this to Pat – who is very excited to own an electric car someday – he immediately suggested we give it a try. While I was… Continue reading Lessons learned: renting an electric car in Phoenix
Although ‘volcano’ and ‘Arizona’ aren’t two words that seem like they should go in the same sentence, in fact it’s a very appropriate combination. Most of central Arizona is volcanic in origin, including the Superstition Mountains, which formed about 20 million years ago when three supervolcanoes deposited a 1000 foot (305 m) thick layer of… Continue reading Hiking in Arizona’s Superstition Mountains – Siphon Draw Trail to the Flatiron
I first heard about the Superstition Mountains years ago. I don’t even remember exactly when or where, but the photos I saw were imprinted in my mind from that moment on. So when we planned our trip to Phoenix, this was a non-negotiable addition to the agenda. The Superstition Mountains lie within the Tonto National… Continue reading A day in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest
I kind of dropped the ball last year on planning our Thanksgiving trip. Actually, that’s not entirely true. I had an entire itinerary put together back in May, but by that point we knew Pat would be starting a new job in August and we didn’t know what his vacation schedule would be, so I… Continue reading Four Days in Phoenix, Arizona
When I mentioned my plans for 2024 back at the end of December, painful inflammation in my big toe and carpal tunnel in both wrists were definitely not on the list. Alas, that's a summary of my year so far, and orthotics and wrist braces have become a part of my daily attire. As a… Continue reading Life and blog update
From 1952 to 1994, Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant was home to manufacturing facilities for both nuclear and non-nuclear weapons, including triggers manufactured from the highly radioactive elements uranium and plutonium. After a series of issues (the plant was actually raided by the FBI in 1989 after claims of environmental crimes) followed by permanent ceasing… Continue reading Colorado Destinations: Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge
In 1907, the US Forest Service – which was a brand new agency at the time – planned to build seven lookouts along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains from Wyoming to New Mexico. Only four of these lookouts were ever actually built; one on Medicine Bow Peak in Wyoming, and three in Colorado… Continue reading Colorado Day Hikes: Devil’s Head Lookout
Back in 2020, I created a post to share some of my favorite sunrise and sunset photos. While all the photos in that post are still among the best sunrises and sunsets I've captured on camera, three years have passed since then and I've accumulated numerous additional wonderful sunrise and sunset photos. And so, given… Continue reading Colorado sunrises and sunsets
Handstands Around the World 