Tag: national

April 14, 2019 – San Francisco, California

“On belay.” I confirm with Tara to ensure that she has set up the belay. “Belay on,” she responds. She works at a climbing gym in the city and offered to treat my cousin Kelsey and I to …

October 12, 2018 – Yankee Hill, California

A stark contrast from one host to the next. Certainly not in a bad way; this host is the “homestead” type with a father (Jacob), mother (Rachel), and two daughters (Alora and Natoma). Here, they focus on herbalism, …

July 25, 2018 – Mammoth Lakes, California

…And in the blink of an eye, our time is up. But we made every minute count. This year’s “cousin trip” locales included: -Downtown San Francisco -Sequoia National Park -Tioga Road (Avoiding Yosemite Valley due to fire closures) …

May 13, 2018 – Yosemite National Park, California

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom… I think to myself as I jam my left foot into the crack. At least I talked to her the other day. With no cell service at the farm, and certainly none in this …

September 27, 2016 – Port Townsend, Washington

Well, this is one way to spend a vacation. Cleaning dead rats out of a basement doesn’t exactly meet my ideals of a good time, but when you visit a fellow traveler at their host’s place… It hasn’t …

August 25, 2016 – Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

“And that… is a brief history of my colon.” My cousin Molly always had a way with words. She’s driving my other cousins (Kelsey, Reese) and I from Yellowstone National Park to the Grand Tetons whilst entertaining us …

July 31, 2016 – Hungry Horse, Montana

A timeline of the most remarkable July of my life: July 4th – Miri and I walk around Hungry Horse and observe hundreds of people lighting off their own fireworks in the center of town. The celebration lasts …

May 1, 2016 – Hungry Horse, Montana

The landscape of this state is nothing short of magnificent. I’m on my way to host number six. Heading west out of Helena, I-90 takes me through Missoula (with a pit stop in the ghost town of Garnet). …