Mountain goats on the McCullough Gulch Trail hike in Colorado
Something always stands between me and the goats. I haul all my stupid, heavy photography gear on my back for miles into thinning air, hoping I'll spot their white fur against the rocky ridges. Then, every time I see them, something terrible happens that keeps me from them. I nearly crap my pants on Grays,...
Paradise Valley, Montana: A Cabin at the Foot of Emigrant Peak
This story is continued from Western Kitsch: The Black Hills of South Dakota. After our gripping adventure rerouting several hours out of our way from the Black Hills, we pushed on to Billings and then Livingston. Just 30 miles from our final destination, the snow began to fall. In my tiny Prius, we slowed to...
Western Kitsch: The Black Hills, South Dakota
We daydreamed about visiting Badlands area for years. We were drawn by the mystique of its wide open spaces, curious about its strange, striated western landscape. We were eager to discover its legendary herds of bison. In April, we finally set forth on our great Northern road trip with the dog in tow. 50mph winds...
Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge
I have been setting my sights on day trip destinations near Kansas City. I'm seeking places to branch out and shoot landscape and wildlife photography. I visited Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge in northwest Missouri, about 90 minutes drive north of the city. Loess Bluffs is a birdwatchers' favorite thanks to its terrain of wetlands...
Four Seasons of Loose Park Photography in Kansas City, MO
One landscape photographer pro-tip I received was to choose a place near your home that you can return to again and again, at all times of the year, at all times of day, for photography practice. It teaches you how to look at a place from so many angles and in so many circumstances with...
Hiking Huron Peak 14er in Colorado
Fear has been a consistent companion in my life. At age 10, I negotiated my way out of the deep end of the pool during swim lessons at day camp. I was later than all my friends to take the training wheels off my bicycle. My lifelong friend Molly remembered me as an anxious kid...
The 50-Miler That Wasn’t: Indiana’s Knobstone Trail
I set two simple outdoor fitness goals this year - hike and summit at least one 14,000-foot peak, and segment hike a 50-miler. I tend to go west for mountains, so I decided to try east for my 50-miler. I researched extensively, and narrowed a list of 16 trails in the continental U.S. with at...
White Sands National Park, New Mexico
The last time I saw White Sands was more than two decades ago, when it was still a national monument. My younger brother and I spent several of our summers living in New Mexico with our mom. One of the highlights was some of the road trips we took to all different parts of the...
Shiras Moose Sighting in Golden Gate Canyon State Park
On the way into Blackhawk, Colorado, where I was staying at a beautiful little cabin in the woods as a home base for my exploration of Rocky Mountain National Park, I passed numerous signs for Golden Gate Canyon State Park. I made a mental note to return during my stay. My friend and colleague, Belinda,...
How to Spend a Long Weekend in San Diego
I found myself back in San Diego, California for the second spring in a row for a conference. Last year, my sister-in-law and her three kids were living in Coronado while her husband was out to sea. This year, I'm flying solo in San Diego with a day or so to kill on either side...
Dog-Friendly Minneapolis Road Trip!
Part of my beagle's bucket list was to take a short road trip. We chose Minneapolis because it is a short enough drive (about 6.5 hours - stop at the approximate midpoint in Des Moines for Zombie Burger) to do by myself from Kansas City, the weather is unbelievable in the summertime, and the city is...
19 Unforgettable Dog Bucket List Ideas From Ford & Otto
Ford's Story My 12-year-old beagle, Ford, has malignant canine lymphoma. Sitting in my car in my driveway after hanging up with the veterinarian, I wept. Ford is my love, my heart. I wasn't ready for this devastating prognosis. The day I found out Ford had cancer was the day I graduated from my two-year Masters degree...