I had the blessed opportunity to take a week off from doom-scrolling and posting to the internet last week. We spent the time off grid, out of range of the mobile towers, exploring Olympic, Mt. Rainier, and North Cascades National Parks, and all the various State and National Forests that surround them (Olympic, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie,…Read more A Week In Washington With “Bones” – Campervan Adventures Across Three National Parks (Intro)
travel
Myrtle Point (Sept 14, 2025)
Today I'm recapping a short (2 mile) perimeter walk at Myrtle Point Park, in southern Maryland, highlighting some later summer/fall flora and calm river views. Late summer has been great for getting outdoors in the mid-Atlantic. Even before Labor Day, the temps were cool and the air was dry. We've seen a few days back…Read more Myrtle Point (Sept 14, 2025)
Lakes and Caverns (Hershey, PA)
Earlier in the week I wrote about one aspect of a Labor Day weekend camping trip near Hershey, PA, focusing on the butterflies at Hershey Gardens. Today I wanted to touch on the rest of the trip. We were camped at Gifford Pinchot State Park, a lovely park with lots of amenities situated around Pinchot…Read more Lakes and Caverns (Hershey, PA)
Butterflies!
While we were technically camping last weekend in southern Pennsylvania, we treated our little travel trailer as a home base for day tripping in and around the Hershey, PA area. One of our stops was Hershey Gardens, perched up on a hilltop across the main road from Hersheypark, where we could see (and hear the…Read more Butterflies!
Calvert Cliffs, MD (Sept 1, 2025)
This past week has been absolutely gorgeous through the Mid-Atlantic. An early glimpse of fall, the temps have been low, the humidity non-existent. There's a hint of a chill in the air, and certain trees seem to suddenly have gotten the cue to start changing color (though, this is almost certainly more due to water…Read more Calvert Cliffs, MD (Sept 1, 2025)
Small Wild Spaces: Greenwell State Park, MD
I've been limited in my ability to do "big" trips lately (probably since backpacking in the Smokies), but have been doing a lot of exploration that's fairly local. Greenwell is an interesting little State Park in Southern Maryland, an old farm that has been (largely) allowed to return to a natural state, but also serves…Read more Small Wild Spaces: Greenwell State Park, MD
Better Camping Through Hyper-Organization
I'm kind of a slob. I don't have a complete disregard for order and cleanliness, but my life - both at home and work - does tend to accumulate a bit of clutter. It's a symptom of trying to have too many hobbies or too many things going on at the same time. Ideas and…Read more Better Camping Through Hyper-Organization
Micro-Adventure and Seizing Opportunity
I got the chance this weekend to take a short, random night out, and took advantage. I live in an area that is far away from any commercial air service, and yet I had an obligation to take a very early flight Saturday morning - 5:30 am from an airport 2 hours from home. Rather…Read more Micro-Adventure and Seizing Opportunity
Chattanooga, TN: A New National Park City
On April 3, 2025, Chattanooga, Tennessee was recognized by the National Park City Foundation as the first National Park City in the United States. But if you're like me, you probably didn't hear about this, and probably don't know what it means - so let's dive in. What is a National Park City? The National…Read more Chattanooga, TN: A New National Park City
Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy Center
Today I'm going to prioritize the "Flying" part of my persona - it's been extremely hot this week (over 100 deg F for 4 consecutive days), the humidity is up, it's just not comfortable. So in lieu of an outdoor trip the family and I decided to go visit the Udvar-Hazy Center, an extension of…Read more Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy Center
Public Lands Are A Public Good
Mountains aren't less steep if you have a higher income. Rain doesn't preferentially fall on those with certain ethnic backgrounds. A higher level of education does not correlate to ability to hike more miles in a day. Time spent in the outdoors is time spent exploring the core of what it means to be a…Read more Public Lands Are A Public Good
Lower Your Expectations
I'm going to jump right to the conclusion here - if you want to have a better time outdoors (or perhaps, really anywhere), learn to enjoy the easy trips and take things as they come. Not everything has to be an epic journey. I have long been guilty of looking for bigger, better, longer hikes,…Read more Lower Your Expectations
Navigating Unpredictable Weather on Hiking Trips
We focus on the challenges of elevation, distance, the unconquerable mountain peak - but weather can be an overlooked antagonist on backcountry trips.
Paddling: Mattaponi River, VA
Several years ago, I started paddling sections of the Mattaponi River one of the two primary tributaries of the York River (the other being the Pamunkey), in eastern Virginia. It's a beautiful, narrow stream with low but steady current despite only a slight downhill gradient, and its rural watershed transports a paddler into what feels…Read more Paddling: Mattaponi River, VA
Technology In The Backcountry
For many of us - certainly myself - getting out into the backcountry is an escape from the modern, connected world we live in. As a matter of fact, when I first started writing this blog in 2016, back before the first of several society-shaking events that have occurred since then, my goal was ostensibly…Read more Technology In The Backcountry
Flying Squirrel Outdoors 