We are explorers, wanderers, travelers, nomads. We strive to project the authenticity of places we visit through honest words and visuals. Enjoy!
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.
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…
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Ulsan is just north of Busan on South Korea’s east coast. This lovely town on the banks of the grand Taehwa River is typically off the typical tourist radar, yet has so much to offer for outdoor enthusiasts!
From Seoul, a high-speed train criss-crossing the country to Busan in the southeast takes only 2.5 hours. Yes, it’s possible to build sandcastles and dip your toes in the East Sea by lunch time when traveling from Seoul! Read about the local beaches…
Namhae Island in Hallyeohaesang National Park sits among a sea of 76 other islands scattered off the southern coast of South Korea. See terraced rice paddies, village street art and turtle ships (the world’s first iron-clad war ships).
With dramatic seascapes, secret gardens, and pebble beaches, Geoje Island in Hallyeohaesang National Park is just 40 minutes west of Busan. Visit Oe Garden Park, Hakdong Pebble Beach and the cliffs at Heageumgang…
The hike to the summit of Suraksan is fun, with some crazy steep slopes and interesting rock formations. Expect hand-over-hand cables at the top, stair climbs, and sweeping views.
Just two hours south of Seoul by bus, the eight scenic views of Gyeryongsan National Park await your discovery. Gyeryong Mountain has been held sacred for over a thousand years and its claim to fame is…
There are many routes to the summit of Bukhansan’s highest peak, Baegundae. This route begins at the Bamgol entrance on the western side of the park. It is tough, wild, and extremely picturesque…
Section 8 is the most scenic stage of the Seoul Dulle Gil, with terrific views of South Korea’s tallest mountains, including Bukhansan and Dobongsan. You will also pass by the April 19th National Cemetery, a moving and expansive memorial, and traipse through Korea’s “Beverly Hills”.
On the Seoul Dulle Gil, the steepest part of Stage 7 is the climb to the watchtowers on Bongsan Mountain. The majority of the trail is flat, especially from Gayang Bridge through the World Cup Stadium park…
Section 6 of the Seoul Dulle Gil is pancake flat. The entire section takes you along Anyang-cheon (“cheon” means “stream”), which features an explosion of color throughout the year with seasonal wildflowers, cherry trees, tall grasses, and rape fields.
Section 5 of the Seoul Dulle Gil is one of my favorite sections. It’s chock full of cool stuff to see: Seoul National University, Samseongsan Catholic Sanctuary, the “Tiger” temple (Hoapsa), Gwaneumsa Temple, and Nakseongdae Shrine. Add on a day hike to Gwanaksan’s highest peak, Yeonjudae!
Section 4 of the Seoul Dulle Gil manages to wind through a lot of wooded area south of the Han River, known as the “Gangnam Greenway”. You can almost pretend you aren’t in the city anymore.
