The NEW way to support Deb’s work, check out her Etsy Shop!
Category: Adventure
Finding calm lakeside, enjoying the view from the top, and the joy of solo camping
Travel blog: Lakeside camping, hiking, and enjoying the view from the top of Big Pocono
PA State Parks: Summer Edition
My recommitment to the Pennsylvania State Park Challenge I’d set for myself at the beginning of the year led me to book a camping trip for the FOURTH time at Hickory Run State Park.
Winter Hiking by the creek
I arrived at Canoe Creek State Park just in time to watch a short but steady snowstorm from the comfort of my warm car. As the snowflakes slowed, I found a fun trail to travel up and down hills for a bit to get back on track with my plan for hiking. In addition to…
Travel Journal – Celebrating New Year’s Eve in St. Petersburg, Florida
Finding myself near the end of the year, I’ve reached AND exceeded that goal, and for that – I rewarded myself with this amazing trip to St. Petersburg, Florida to finish the year and start 2022 with a new perspective – physically, emotionally, and mentally.
2021 Travel Tales – The “Beach Year”
Today is the second to last day of 2021 and I’m sitting in my hotel room in St. Petersburg, Florida overlooking a beautiful pool within a garden of palm trees (my favorite), and in the distance, I can see Tampa Bay. After pivoting to building an online business in 2020 and now becoming a full-time…
Fall Foliage, Camping, and Hiking at Raymond B Winter State Park
A crisp, fall afternoon of hiking followed by roasted marshmallows over a campfire is my ideal fall weekend, which I was lucky to enjoy recently at Raymond B Winter State Park. I drove up late on Friday evening (November 5th) and set up my tent to a walk-in site. Surrounded by the forest and a few other campers, I had an enjoyable time listening to podcasts and audiobooks while stargazing.
Fall Foliage at the PA Grand Canyon & State Park Camping!
Fall is my favorite time of the year to explore hiking trails in hopes to capture some amazing colors. The Pennsylvania Grand Canyon has been on my bucket list for a while and I’m so thankful that I made it there right as the leaves were turning.
Morning walks followed by afternoon swimming
This past weekend I strolled down shaded trails to discover beautiful landscapes, to hear the beautiful sounds of the forest, and to enjoy photographing nature. After my walk I cooled off by taking to the beach! All of this and more I experienced just one hour away from Harrisburg. On my continued mission to visit 52 Pennsylvania State Parks in 2021 I was able to add two more to the list.
Keep cool ;) Summer Hiking Adventures!~
The heat of summer has arrived and I’m seeking places with a place to cool down right now! In my pursuit of hiking at 52 Pennsylvania State Parks in 2021 I am focused on parks that have a lake, or stream to dip my toes into during or after a hike – AND hiking earlier!~
Cocoa Beach Adventures!
After almost eight months I finally got on a plane and took a trip down to Cocoa Beach, Florida for my birthday and to enjoy visiting beaches, seeing rockets, and checking out the many fabulous places to eat and drink in town.
PA State Park Challenge, New additions
A few weeks ago I announced the 52 Pennsylvania State Park 2021 Challenge in which I plan to hike in up to 52 state parks this year. I’m happy to update the tally after visiting a few more parks over the past few weeks. Colonel Denning State Park, Susquehannock State Park, and Samuel S Lewis…
Epic West Coast Road Trip, Part 8
On this final journal of this Epic West Coast Road Trip, I share with you my gratitude for this entire experience, and my ability to see that I’m privileged to have taken this adventure. If you’ve been following along, I’d shared last (in part 7) that after driving up the coast from Monterey to San Francisco, all the way up to Glass Beach, and then inland to Nice, California, we then headed to Sacramento, our final destination before flying back to Pennsylvania.
Epic West Coast Road Trip, Part 5
“The mountains are calling and I must go.”- John Muir Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park We entered Sequoia National Forest early mid-afternoon after departing Joshua Tree NP and making a quick stop at Kelso Dunes in the Mojave Desert. My boyfriend and I had discussed the best way to enter the park and I…
Epic West Coast Road Trip, Part 3
This was my first adventure on a boat in the ocean off the coast on a ship that sailed far off into the wide expanse with only water in view. Although I didn’t see a whale, I was delighted to see dolphins swimming right under and in front of our ship.
Gratitude for the Journey
Today is my 40th Birthday. I had plans of going on a hike with friends, celebrating at a The Millworks (my favorite local restaurant/gallery/brewery) and then checking out some improv at my favorite spot for comedy, the Harrisburg Improv Theatre. But finding myself indoors these days due to the COVID-19 Pandemic means I need to…
Leaping is worth the risk
“We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal, and then leap in the dark to our success.” ― Henry David Thoreau It’s leap day today and I found myself wondering how I’d spend this extra day. Time seems so short, and I’ve found myself busier than ever trying to be productive, yet enjoy life….
Top 10 Books of 2019
“What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do.”- Tim Ferris At the beginning of the year, I set out to read many, many books. Then life happened. What I’ve learned is that I’d rather admit that I’m a slow reader. The books I’ve read this year have motivated me to…
4 Sedona Stops: Hiking, lunch, and shopping all in an afternoon
Arizona is a fascinating place with such a wide variety of activities, art galleries, hiking, and shopping. On my recent trip, I stopped into Sedona for just a few hours. Within that time I found myself strolling in downtown sampling olive oils, trying on palazzo pants, and finding my way into the local camera shop to…
The Grand Canyon’s South Rim
Standing on the edge of a cliff, at 7,000+ feet and looking a mile into the Grand Canyon, at the iconic geologic landscape and resources ranging from 1,840 to 270 million years old offers visitors feelings of awe. As the Colorado River rushes through the park, a six million year evolution eroding the canyon to…
5 Reasons to visit the Grand Canyon North Rim
The Grand Canyon National Park is a stunning and majestic place that should be on everyone’s bucket list to visit in their lifetime. Over 5 Million people come from all over the world to see the vast gorge, but only 10 percent make it to the North Rim, which is over 8,000 feet in elevation….
Walking in the Petrified Forest
“This life is yours. Take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well. Take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly. Take the power to walk in the forest and be a part of nature. Take the power to control your own life. No…
Albuquerque adventures offer awareness
“Don’t ‘I wonder’ through life. Just make it happen.” ― Alex Banayan, The Third Door Finding myself in New Mexico for two days, I was excited to explore the area and discover some of the unique cultures, see vast landscapes, and discover new places. This year I’ve taken a lot of action in my life. I’ve made…
New Mexico Travel Adventures: Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
“Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?” — Erin Hanson Stepping off the jetway after the plane landed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I was excited to be traveling again. When I learned about the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, that the event was the same week as when I was planning to travel to Arizona with…
Reflecting on the Lancaster Balloon Festival offers perspectives for Gratitude
“I’d be smiling and chatting away, and my mind would be floating around somewhere else, like a balloon with a broken string.” ― Haruki Murakami, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle Lancaster is known for its Pennsylvania Dutch foods and the Amish population to most of the country but it also is home to the annual Lancaster Hot-Air…
Being Present on a Peaceful Trail Ride
At the beginning of this year, on January 1st, I went on a trail hike with my friend Adrienne. We talked about the goals we had for the year and what things we wanted to try. Among the many activities I had hoped to do, horseback riding was one. I’ve never been horseback riding and…
Climbing Mount Sniktau
“He who climbs upon the highest mountains laughs at all tragedies, real or imaginary.” ― Friedrich Neitszche There’s a moment when I was climbing Mt. Sniktau while visiting Colorado in July, that I realized that I’m capable of more than I think. As my best friend and I hiked up, there were so many times we…
Colorado Travels: Standing off with bison
It’s been a few weeks since I’ve returned from my trip to Colorado and the Rocky Mountains but I’m just getting around to writing about the experiences and wanted to share the story of the time I fearlessly approached a bison and survived. My best friend Christina arrived later than expected in Colorado on Sunday, July…
Travel. Hike. Click. Write. 