For as long as I remember, the thought of time slipping away like sand through my fingers has always unsettled me. On a trip across the world, it can be even harder to stay present in the moment without getting caught up in where you are heading next or how quickly the days are passing. … Continue reading Lessons from the Strait of Magellan
Tag: nature
Arriving in Argentina & Turning 30
We had a big drive to get to El Chaltén, Argentina, a young town that was only just founded in 1985 during border disputes in the mountains it was nestled beneath. After three hours in the car and our first border crossing (which was completed entirely in Spanish), we reached a crossroads: continue on the … Continue reading Arriving in Argentina & Turning 30
Patagonia: Navigating Our Trip of a Lifetime
January 3, 2025 Our plane touched down more than 6,000 miles away from home, and the thrill of wanderlust was already fire in my veins. I looked out the window at the treeless landscape, a rugged expanse of wind and ocean waves. Hundreds of miles away, granite peaks & spires loomed over glacial lakes, arid … Continue reading Patagonia: Navigating Our Trip of a Lifetime
Stepping into the Rainforest in Costa Rica
I never wanted to visit the tropics. Throughout my life, the threat of heat, humidity, and who-knows-how-many venomous snakes, spiders, and insects lurking in the foliage were all reason enough to keep my wanderlust-filled heart far away from any equatorial rainforests. Even as a child, I imagined poison dart frogs leaping from the trees to … Continue reading Stepping into the Rainforest in Costa Rica
Embracing the True Meaning of Adventure at Solstice
I recently found a photo of John and I during our winter in Aspen—I had shared it on Facebook at the time. In the photo, we are standing on our new (to us) cross country skis on the Forest Service road we lived along, a steep forested mountainside behind us, leaning into each other and … Continue reading Embracing the True Meaning of Adventure at Solstice
Sanctuary in the Southwest: Mounds View Grassland
John & I set off on our two-day journey on Friday morning, packed and ready for the longest bike ride either of us had ever done. Our destination: Mounds View Grassland, a property owned and managed by The Prairie Enthusiasts that was sure to have specialist grassland bird species I would have a hard time finding by bike in Madison. Still, it was 35 miles away.
Biking for Birds in a Green Big Year
Green birding relies on human-powered transportation, making it carbon neutral. The only rule is each birding trip must start and end from a home base, usually your place of residence.