I arrived at the Grand Canyon South Rim at 10pm & found the Backcountry Office to read up on all the new shuttle restrictions. My trek had to start at 6am. I got my day bag ready & spotted a shooting star in the beautiful sea of lights above & knew this day ahead was going to be extra special. 🤩 

For my birthday, I typically try to find a physical & mental challenge that will test me to my core. 🥳 16.5 miles approx 9-10 hrs – South Kaibab rim trail down to the floor of the canyon at Phantom Ranch & then back up the Bright Angel trail to the rim. (As a reference, it would be like climbing the Eiffel Tower almost 9x). Typically a 2 day trek but doable for those crazy enough in 1 very long day. 

After trying to sleep in the car for a few hours, I got in the shuttle line at a chilly 36 degrees at 5:25am & was #15 in the line of 40+. The bus only serves 15 so I skated by, not that I wasn’t nervous enough!

The 3 hr trek to the bottom of the canyon was truly breathtaking & inspiring around every bend…not much can compare to sunrise from this vantage point & the freedom of being on the trail. 

As I crossed over the Bright Angel suspension bridge aiming to start the long, grueling haul back up the canyon, I had an overwhelming twinge of pride. I stopped dead in my tracks & knew this was the spot. All the planning, preparation & sacrifices to get here was a beautiful journey that I made happen. No excuses. No matter how many detours & obstacles, I powered through to make my dream a reality. But the hardest part was still to come – everything worthwhile is uphill & the canyon was approaching heat in the mid-90s still in mid-Oct. Was I going to rest or accept the next formidable challenge?

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After trekking to Mt. Everest Base Camp over 14 days, I purposely planned a week in Bali after to recover. Why not, since I was already on the opposite side of the world and needed time to just chill out with no pressure, no plan, no expectations – just living one of those dreams I never truly believed would happen. Bali baby!!!

On day 25 & last full day of my adventure vacation overseas. I skipped diving to take on the challenge of finding Klingking beach. It was so freeing to explore the island via moped, a rock in’ playlist & find this unbelievably, beautiful T-REX shaped beach from the cliff tops above.

Only a handful of tourists braved the steep stairs down to the midway viewpoint & then it got real dicy, like straight out of a “what not to do on a vaca list” in Nusa Penida Island off the coast of Bali. Jagged rocks & handrails led an 85% straight drop down the cliff side to this picturesque beach out of a fairytale. Fear. Exhilaration. Risk. Excitement. All these emotions battling & of course I had to emerse myself in this big feat.

After 35 mins dripping with sweat from terror & sheer exertion, I stepped onto sand & won the mental & physical battle. This slice of paradise was surreal & I gleefully jumped into the pounding waves like a school girl. I even had the foresight to pack a picnic lunch to enjoy as my reward (and of course delay the inevitable scramble back up). I knew immediately this was the spot where a piece of my heart would live forever.

There were only about 30 brave souls who shared my joy at the bottom & also wanted to bottle up this site of PEACEFUL PERFECTION. So everyone that actually makes it to this beach now have a heart at the exit stairway to embrace & slow down time to reflect on it’s magical ambiance. #bada$$ #peacefulperfection #bali2019 #fearless #klingkingbeach #liveyourdream

“Take every chance you get in life because some things only happen once.” – Karen Gibbs

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My dream is to travel & explore as many unique destinations while I have the energy to do so. Some are main stream but many off the beaten path and take some effort to reach. And in this one, crazy life I fully intend to reach beyond that which is normal and seize the opportunity to do the extraordinary.

Nature and exploration bring me an indescribable joy. Why don’t we all seek out more experiences that speak to our heart and make us yearn for more?

Five months ago I set out on a journey to disconnect and refocus. A wide open slate.

The fun details:

• 94 days
• 18 states
• 23 national parks
• 45 national monuments
• 140 stops
• 486 miles hiked
• 9,911 miles driven

From the history of Mt Rushmore to the cliff tops of Yosemite NP to the snowy ledges at Mt Rainer NP to the red rock canyons in Sedona to the suspension bridge over the Grand Canyon floor to the stunning natural bridges in Arches NP to the mind blowing caves in Carlsbad Caverns NP….. there are so many stories to be told and gems to immerse in that I’m addicted to the great unknown.

I rarely do self videos but I was so in my element on my last, crazy 10 mile trek in the Sedona cliffs that I realized this adventure was even more impactful that I had even imagined it would be.

#beatrailblazer #inspire #yolo #tripofalifetime #liveyourdream #findyourwhy

In order to achieve and attain the life of your dreams, you need to have a clear destination in mind. A path that you can follow, and if you stick to it, will take you to your goal.

Removing exterior distractions that will slow you down is a must if you wish to level up your life.

Believe in yourself.

Be ruthless in your pursuit of success. No matter what.

I use fear to strike. To go against common beliefs. To look right into it and not back down. To be a part of something bigger than yourself.

To the what if’s?

It took years to turn this corner and fight against natural insecurities. To build self confidence. To be empowered to control your own destiny.

Face those fears.

I love a good project. Something to stick your teeth into & tap into your own creativity. To combine two of my fav forms of expression – motivational quotes & travel pictures – was ridiculously addictive.

On an overnight layover in Portland, Oregon, I found a cozy corner and dug in. I had tons of quotes saved but narrowed that down to 35 and overlayed them onto my awesome adventure trip photos at some of the most iconic places in the US National Parks. I read numerous articles with beautiful photos but I wanted to reflect on my own pictures and, at least for a moment, be transported back to that amazing adventure.

Enjoy a snap shot of my life & the little things that bring me joy.

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Good friends always bring me back to center. No matter the distance or the time since the last visit, it is an instant comfort.

My circle is small and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My ride or die. An intangible bond that can’t be broken.

They help you gain back what you have lost…….

• Your glow
• Your goofiness
• Your belief in self
• Familiar stories & memories laughing until the wee hours of the morning

Shout out to my tribe.

The first items I pack when the next adventure is on the horizon is my jewelry. I’m not a big fan of personal ornaments anymore, so typically keep it simple in everyday life. However, I can’t leave home without my treasured & sentimental items from previous life changing trips. And they only come out on these special occasions….. my own internal motivation.

A ring from Everest signifies pure grit.

I have a very hazy memory of about 5 days in the middle of the trek to base camp in December 2019, as I’ve tried to black it out of existence. We determined that I got food poisoning at the highest Irish pub in the world….. 3 days still left to get to the top & I literally couldn’t think of anything but one foot in front of the other for 10 hrs per day. To put it in perspective, I typically have great thinking days along my many treks into the vast wilderness. I relish them. But all I could stomach was apple juice & garlic soup for 9 days, and most of the time those didn’t even stay down. There is nothing more demoralizing than being an hour back from the group, having to excuse yourself to do your business on the side of the trail constantly & not even having the energy to carry your own 10 lbs. day bag. (See my video from a precious blog from the moment we reached base camp)

A necklace from Peru represents courage.

I was a little out of my element on that first adventure trip outside the US but I knew this was something I had to try. It was a bonding experience with my little brother, whom shared my passion for wilderness travel. And less risky with a strong companion. After 4 days camping on our way to the iconic city in the clouds, we left at 530am trekking with our head lamps to reach the Sun Gate at sunrise. The fog prevented us from our first glimpse so we kept pushing forward to the next viewpoint and our moment to revel in this world wonder. I’ll never forget it. That rush of excitement & accomplishment. I was hooked.

A bracelet from Mt Kilimanjaro shows inner strength.

Kili was my first huge traveling hurdle. Deciding to conquer this summit by myself with the support of a group of similar minded travelers all the way in Africa was one of my biggest decisions I’ve ever made. I trained relentlessly. Failure was not an option. For an introvert, this was a huge leap in breaking through my own internal struggle of yearning to live outside my comfort zone. It was a whirlwind and extremely challenging…… adapting to the severe changes in weather multiple times daily during our hikes, rarely sleeping on rocky grounds in temps below freezing wearing all your clothes, living off of granola bars I had brought since I couldn’t stomach many of the questionable meat options available and sucking it up to walk over 40k steps every day on very rough terrain. Exhaustion in every since of the word. 4 days up and 2 days down. I’ll never forget summit day (I detailed those 6 hours in another recent blog). Being above the clouds is priceless and a moment etched in my mind forever.

These are my “why”. I feel I have endless potential and resilience due to these over the top adrenaline junkie experiences.

And just saying……I’ll never be able to eat garlic soup or apple juice again. Ever. 🧄 🥣 🍎 🧃

The hardest part of a trek is just starting. The uncertainty of a new trail, uneven terrain, starting the battle uphill, finding a sustainable pace, studying the route ahead & finding your stride.

Finally easing into a satisfying routine, my preference is the 3-5 mile trail length. It allows me to tackle a few trails in a day and more variety.

It is so alluring to seek out the remoteness, isolation and peaceful quiet of the trail. No competing priorities. No meaningless drama. Time to think and let your mind wander. Disconnecting from the heaviness of the outside world has become a welcome refuge for me. It has the ability to heal, calm & refocus my core the way that few other things can.

Occasionally I will stop in the middle of nowhere just to take a deep breath of fresh air & do a 360……that moment always makes me smile and, more importantly, appreciate the natural resources that have been bestowed upon us.

You are reminded of the power of nature…… the potential to inspire, teach us resilience, transform with the every season & just find the beauty in the simple things in life.

I’ll keep going back to these roots and exposing others as well. Come join me….. the experiences on the trail are priceless!

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Every morning that we are fortunate to awaken is a blessing. The sun rises like clockwork to start yet another day in history.

A new year – 12 new chapters & 365 opportunities. So what is different about this one? It’s just another day in life. Or is it?

I always carve out a quiet hour or two on the first day of the year to dig deep and ask my heart what I really, really want. Knowing what I desire gives me the patience, resilience & determination to never settle and stay laser focused. I do the work now so I have a road map for the upcoming year. Detours are expected and not feared, but the end goal remains clear.

Never look back – where are you going next?