Half-Day Hike at Devil’s Tower

The middle of nowhere perfectly describes the location of Devil’s Tower in Wyoming – and there is nothing wrong with nowhere. Rising from the earth suddenly, Devil’s Tower becomes visible from miles away as you drive into the Park. There isn’t much else on the horizon – a few ranches or farms, a handful of

Driving the Pass into the Sky: Trail Ridge Road

A 48-mile mountain pass through Rocky Mountain National Park, Trail Ridge Road is as scenic as it is high. Weaving above treeline for eleven miles and through vast tundra, the road seems like it is paved into the sky like the final scene of Grease. Big sweeping curves give way to views of the Rocky

Zion to Park City: Evergreen in Utah

My desk chair and I are currently in an argument. Its squeaky wheels and my bouncing knee fight for attention. I sit on the floor, my emails stack up. I rock in my chair, my back screams. I peek out the window, my mind races off elsewhere. Problem: I’m not good at sitting still. Luckily

The Final Leap – Jumping Covered Bridges

It’s the end of an era – the big hurrah-hurrah, doors shut, sparklers last glowing flame goes out to one of my favorite adventures since I started this blog. It has taken 1.5 years, seven seasons, around 300 miles, and who-knows how many calories to complete, yet this weekend, my roommate Sarah and I landed

Oregon Winter Trees

It was a beautiful, winter today in Oregon so my roommate and I went on a day drive through the Coastal mountain range just west of Eugene. This photo is taken in the Whittaker Recreation Area off of Highway 126 along the road toward Kentucky Falls.

Tasting Wine Older than Me: 1974 Stag’s Leap, 1977 Grgich Hills, 1976 Chateau Montelena

Lifting our glasses for a toast, my heart pounded as the rich, red liquid – 14 years my elder – awaited its fateful tasting high in the air. Cameras flashed to catch the 1974 Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon’s historic opening both for its age and story, while I fidgeted with excitement and salivated for a

Buick Tweet House Road Trip: King Estate

What do you get when you invite four social media enthusiasts together for a wine road trip? – a tweeting good time. Joining the journey south, I met the #BuickTweetHouse group for dinner Tuesday night in Eugene at King Estate. Packing in some serious social media power, the crew rolled in a tad late but

Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway, Day 3

Another restless night sleep as if my brain couldn’t stop pedaling through the night and then we attacked the third and final day of our Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway adventure. After two days of 40+ mile rides, my legs were no longer tired, my arms no longer sore, and my brain on overdrive – yet

Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway Day 2, Part 1: Albany

The best part about staying at a bed and breakfast, especially when on a biking trip, is most definitely the breakfast and at Pfeiffer Cottage our growling morning stomachs were tastily answered. The second day of our Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway trip started out leisurely as we prepared our gear, gathered our belongings and made

Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway Day 1

“The most difficult step of the journey is the first.” ~unknown. I started getting that gurgly feeling in my stomach more than 24 hours before the early a.m. departure. As if I didn’t remember between three-hour long training rides and frantic, last-minute gear shopping, my body had to remind me of what I was about