Here you will find an archived weblog of my food, travel, and creative pursuits which I kept from 2010-2016. Please note both that the travel information contained here may outdated and that these logs were created on a prior version of this website and may not yet be optimized for the current version. If you’re looking for specific content, use the search field below! <3
The Harmony Trail was an unexpected short hike which made an excellent addition to our unexpected day at the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. At just under two miles round trip it's a relatively easy hike down to to the edge of Spirit Lake. The history of what happened to Spirit Lake during the 1980 eruption is simply fascinating and of all the points of interest in the park - this one captures my mind the most.
Read MoreIt seems like I've either been on the road or involved in something as all consuming as moving since February. Time has just whirled by and our weeklong getaway to Hawaii's Garden Isle seems like far more than seven months ago. Despite the time and the rather soggy weather we encountered, Kauai unexpectedly became one of those special places to me. The north shore town of Hanalei Bay ranks up there with Encinitas, California and Kaiteriteri, New Zealand as one of those places I've visited and immediately felt right at home.
Read MoreAside from the epic Tongariro Alpine Crossing in New Zealand, the Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail ranks as one of my favorite hikes to have completed in less than perfect weather. While sunny days are always lovely, there's just something special about walking the coastline on a windy and rainy day. The Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail runs four miles one way (eight miles round trip) along varying coastline past many points of historical and geological interest. You won't need any special equipment for this hike - there's nothing particularly technical and a number of options for varying the route depending on your preferences.
Read MoreWe almost turned back before finding Joffre Lakes Provincial Park and I couldn't be happier we didn't let our lack of a map or GPS keep us from this beautiful place. At just about an hours drive north of Whistler, through some rather rural country, the hike past the three lakes may be one of my favorite trails yet.
Read MoreI can't even begin to imagine how many blog posts have been written about hiking the Kalalau Trail. In fact, when I was querying the web for tips on hiking in Kauai, all links seemed to lead back to this trail. Clearly, it's considered "the" hike to take on Kauai's Garden Isle. No doubt, the hike has it's fair share of attributes; filled with beautiful views, lush plant life, and isn't too challenging at just four miles round trip.
Read MoreBefore moving to Seattle was a glimmer in our eyes, we took a week-long road trip around the Pacific Northwest and did some exploring in Olympic National Park. While there are many spectacular spots to go, for me it was hard to top Hurricane Ridge and the trails that leave from it.
Read MoreThe day I originally planned to be hiking along this slightly snowy trail from the Echo Lakes Trailhead was the day I slipped on ice in a parking lot while trying to go buy some earrings. After a couple hours in urgent care and an evening of icing and pain medication - I thought the possibility of attempting this route was lost. The experience taught me never to go shopping instead of hiking.
Read MoreThe day after our sixteen hour drive from Seattle to South Lake Tahoe, we were rather eager to get out and stretch our legs but not eager enough to get up early in the morning. So we did our best to find a short nearby hike which we hoped would be suitable for both our pup and our friend's english bulldog. We settled on a two mile round trip hike to Cascade Falls leading out of the Bayview Campground, directly across the highway from scenic Emerald Bay.
Read MoreAt 1,310 square kilometers, Yoho National Park is the smallest of the four connected national parks in the Canadian Rockies (the three others being Banff, Jasper, and Kootenay). One of the advantages to it's relatively smaller size is the close proximity between trailheads.
Read MoreThe Abel Tasman Coast Track, one of New Zealand's Great Walks, covers a 54.4 kilometer track between Marahau and Wainui in Abel Tasman National Park complete with epic beach views, estuary crossings, and suspension bridges. On our last trip to New Zealand we opted to lighten our load by not bringing camping gear, leaving us only able to hike day length portions of the Great Walks.
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