Tag: adventure
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Semana de España Part 2: Climbing in El Chorro
I got the bug. Not an ailment, but an obsession with rock climbing. When Maggie and I first started looking at this trip to Spain, we were trying to decide what to do. Suddenly I remembered that Spain is a world renowned destination for rock climbing. A quick internet search yielded a solid climbing area…
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Big Days with the Boys – Mt. Massive, Jicarita, and Bandelier
I’m not going to lie, Maggie’s knee injury was a major bummer. More so for her than me, but it put a damper on all the things we love doing together outside. I had big dreams for summer 2024, which largely disintegrated along with Maggie’s ACL. I stayed by Maggie’s side as much as possible,…
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From the PCT to NM – The Pecos Wilderness and Beyond
On our first day of the Pacific Crest Trail, Maggie and I briefly met another couple, Bennett and Gina. We ended up leap-frogging each other all the way to Crater Lake, hanging out together in a handful of trail towns, and building a budding friendship. They even hosted us in Chicago when Maggie and I…
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Learning to Climb Clean – El Rito, NM
If you’ve read some of my posts, you have probably come to understand that I quite enjoy hiking and running in the mountains. Spending five months on the PCT, doing nothing but hiking, was incredible and I loved every day of it. That said, the trail itself is kind of boring, rarely exceeding a grade…
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Rim to Rim to Rim – The Grand Canyon
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2026: Significant flash flooding in Bright Angel Canyon destroyed bridges which make R2R2R possible. See this NPS news release. Also, the Dragon Bravo fire of 2025 destroyed much of the forest and infrastructure on the North Rim. Check the NPS Grand Canyon website for the current status of closures before making plans to…
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Archeological Eclipse – A Reunion of Wayward Adventurers
Maggie was making her way from Montana down to New Mexico, there were a few places on her route we wanted to explore. The timing happened to be perfect for catching the annular solar eclipse that was passing over New Mexico! 11 October 2023 Maggie and I made plans to meet up in Mesa Verde…
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So Long and Thanks for all the Adventures, Salida
I could see my time in Colorado coming to a close. I had received a job offer to return to Los Alamos National Lab. I tried to avoid this possibility, but it was a job I knew I could do which came with benefits and a good salary. After six months of job searching, I…
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Old Stompin’ Grounds, New Adventures – New Mexico
Maggie and I explored a good portion of New Mexico in the three years we lived there. Even so, it is thrilling to look at a map and find there is yet more to do. Fired up by the recent backpacking trip in Montana, I felt compelled to get out and explore new places in…
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A Glacial Confluence – Glacier National Park
I was hoping to have a job by July or August, but despite my job hunting efforts, I was still drifting through the summer. Maggie and I talked on the phone almost every night. As it became clear that my job prospects were still months out, Maggie convinced me to fly up to Montana for…
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A Brief Stint as a River Rat (Featuring Motion Pictures!)
I don’t exclusively climb mountains. As skiing is to winter, rafting is to summer. How cool is it that you get to float on the very water you skied on?! While I don’t actively seek out water sports, I have a few friends that have worked as raft guides. When an invite comes my way,…