The Great American Solar Eclipse fell on a very important date to me: my six year anniversary with Charlie. We learned of this well over a year in advance. Our initial plan had been the Tetons but after adopting our rescue mutt, Lily, we wanted to share the adventure with her. We wanted to find…
Chasing Sunrise: Week Three & Four
When Thanksgiving arrives, my usual concerns include which stretchy pants are appropriate and how we will fit a visit to everyone in over the course of a four day weekend. This year, we planned well ahead so visits were finalized at the beginning of November and I opted for jeans and indulging in less this…
Chasing Sunrise: Week Two
The key to Damn Early Days is getting a solid bedtime ritual in place and not letting yourself party too hard on the weekends. On the Saturday before week two began, we celebrated my grandmother’s 80th birthday. We do not do anything small so naturally, there was a big party. Almost everyone came in from out…
Chasing Sunrise: Week One
When committing to wake up damn early for twenty-one days, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect or even if I would make it through the first week. I signed up because Chasing Sunrise is something I have wanted to participate in for most of this year and, with this session being in November, I…
Camping at Oregon Inlet: Cape Hatteras National Seashore
October is the perfect time of year to go camping in the Outer Banks. The crowds clear out after Labor Day weekend so there isn’t any traffic but there are still enough people on the islands so most of the shops are still open. The humidity is gone so the sky looks significantly crisper but…
Origin Story: Where I Began
My first ever camping experience was the first night of a fourteen day backpacking adventure on the Appalachian Trail. The cliché says, “go big or go home” and something in me took this very literally. I had no experience to suggest that I would enjoy this excursion or camping or even hiking for days on…
Breathing Wild Air 