Holy shit… I'm a mom. … I never thought I would ever say those words. Since becoming a mom, I've been adapting to a new "normal." I've been surprised at how simple this has felt in some ways, as I've gotten used to my daily routine. On the other hand, I've also been surprised at how challenging this has been in other ways: resigning from my job, getting used to the loneliness (yet never being alone) that goes along with…
Two weeks ago, I got to take my first vacation since I started my new job (which I love, by the way). IT. WAS. EPIC. I didn’t realize how bad I needed a few days off! Brian and I just celebrated our 9th anniversary. Rather than getting stuff for each other, we try to go and DO something together. Our relationship is rooted in the old adage, “The couple that plays together, stays together,” so it’s important to us to…
I recently read a wonderful Op Ed, called “Will you do it later, Or will you do it now?” In this post, author Carolyn Highland compared making tough life decisions to waking up in your tent in the middle of the night and having to pee. This, hilariously, really struck a chord with me. I can’t tell you how many nights I’ve woken up in my tent and dreaded leaving the warmth and comfort of my sleeping bag, put on…
I recently got to join Brian and his family on their sometimes-annual pilgrimage to Moab, UT. Brian’s been riding motorcycles with his dad and brother since he was about 5 years old. Moab is sort of a meet-in-the-middle destination, with his parents heading up from Arizona and his brother’s family/friends heading in from Idaho. Moab is just a short 4-hour drive for us from Summit County, but we might as well be visiting Mars for all the similarities it has…
A while ago, I wrote about “Wilderness Jackwads” and how crazy they make me. So I figured I should address the idea of Leave No Trace… What is Leave No Trace? Leave No Trace is an ethical code of conduct for anyone exploring the wilderness or really doing any outdoor activities. Leave No Trace is also a non-profit that was founded as part of a conservation educational program by multiple government agencies in the early 90s. Why should you care…
Let’s face it: No matter how much you love backpacking or camping, sleeping on the hard ground is, well, hard. Really hard. It was way easier when I was younger and a full-time outdoor junkie. These days, I’m a 30-something, post-baby, weekend-warrior. Between a husband who snores and a 1-year-old who thinks it’s time to party at 2am, I barely sleep through the night in my own bed, much less in my tent. Add in my curvy hips, digging into…
This past weekend, I finally got back outside for a little overnight backpacking trip with Brian and Scotty dog. The last year was a little crazy for us with work, travel and moving to CO, so we haven’t been backpacking since an amazing long weekend trip in 2013. That year, we spent 4 days backpacking the southern and western slopes of Mt Adams in Washington. We didn’t see a single soul the entire trip, until the last 1/4 mile of…