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!
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.
415am wake up call to trek 3290 steps straight up with only our headlamps to light the way. Heavy fog cleared just in time for sunrise to reveal a masterpiece. Above the clouds we were treated with a glorious view of the whole Annapurna mountain range & it took my breath away.
And…..to think we weren’t even supposed to be here due to our original goal & dream was to conquer Mt Everest. 10 travelers total – 1 US, 2 Canada, 1 Denmark, 1 Australia, 2 Cayman Islands, 1 South Africa, 1 Russia & 1 Korea. But after 4 days delayed & no flights in or out of Lukla (the most dangerous airport in the world due to the short runway between mountains) there were 2,000 travelers stranded, so we made the heartbreaking decision to change routes.
I believe things happen for a reason & we are blessed to have been given this gift. EMBRACE THE JOURNEY & face any detour, planned or not, as it will take you to amazing places – Annapurna Base Camp trek was magical!!!
I’m starting to embrace my story. For years I didn’t want to let my guard down or be vulnerable. I had to protect my tough as nails exterior. But if we don’t share and learn from others, then we limit our impact we can leave on this world.
Even my running gloves have a story. I believe I’ve had them for nearly 10 years now. Been through a couple hundred miles of cold-weather running, riding the SAG bike behind every runDisney race, trekking thru the glorious Swiss Alps, camping all over the country & most recently on my journey to the top of the world…. Mt. Everest base camp.
Trying to pack lightly, these were my only gloves for when nights got extra cold. A couple days into our 10 hour day tricks, I reach into my pockets and the gloves are nowhere to be found. We stopped frequently for water and breaks, so I must have left them behind on one of the many walls we encountered along the way. So disappointing, but there is no looking back.
2 more days goes by, and we’re winding down at our next teahouse to spend the night. We settle down to watch a movie and get warm while sipping on hot chocolate. I’m not very observant, however, I see a porter wearing my gloves (because they have a very distinctive NIKE neon yellow swoosh on the sides). Now everything along the trail is up for grabs if it’s been left. So I had no expectations even though I was sad. But through a wonderful guide, he gave back my gloves. A simple gesture, but to me these gloves meant so much more.
Everyone and everything has a story. Some days are beautiful, while others test you to your core. Every day is a new opportunity. Grasp it. Embrace every minute. Every story is unique and worth telling.
Sleeping in my clothes & jumping up at 4am to be the first in line to see sunrise peek over the top of the Angkor Wat temple deep in the Cambodia jungle near Siem Reap. The orange and yellow hues slowly crept up & the mosquitos startedtheir chant. It was mesmerizing. Larger than life.
The biggest temple in the world covers 401 square miles with 50 temples. A magical place of wonder & mystery of centuries long ago. My playground for the day was climbing and exploring this ancient labyrinth.
To reach the top of the sacred temple, you must wait in line to climb the 50+ steep steps where only 100 people are permitted at a time. Along the first courtyard on the left, I hung a heart to serve as a reminder to embrace the journey as the hardest paths will lead to the most beautiful inspirations.
Be anything but ordinary! #extraordinary #embracethejourney
The topic of cruising is typically a love or hate relationship. I personally can’t get enough. Of course I am biased, as there is no easier getaway for a Florida east coast resident. At our backdoor, we have these massive floating cities that can transport us to an island paradise over just a long weekend if need be. Or much longer if you desire. Plus not having to factor in the hassle of flying or worrying about excessive luggage, it is a no brainer. Add in that you only unpack once and the biggest convenience is that while you sleep, you get transported to a new port of call ready for exploration.
So when I looked back, I couldn’t believe that I have experienced 31 cruises to date. Really??!! Before you judge and think that I don’t have my priorities straight, I was lucky. Working at Disney for 15 years during the golden era of the cruise ships being launched, we could board for $35 per night last minute & I took advantage of it! Can you think of any other vacation that you would spend anywhere close to that? If you do, let me know because I’d be on that train tomorrow.
Plus working high profile events that could last weeks & being on call 24/7, I needed the release & complete disconnect from reality. From extensively travelling the Caribbean islands, to wading amongst the floating icebergs in Alaska, traversing the big Atlantic via a transatlantic trek, exploring the grand history of the Mediterranean & intro to Europe, sailing the majestic Panama Canal or just enjoying my fav hammock on earth at the remote island of Castaway Cay, cruises can transport you to otherworldly places with minimal stress or planning. (I get asked all the time what my fav location was & I think Panama Canal has a slight edge)
From 3 days to 14 days, my fav length is a 10 day excursion. It takes me a few days to actually relax & get into vaca mode. Plus I need a few days to stay up really late to stargaze on the top deck, which always means that sleeping in is a must. You have to make time for all the first run movies, see all the broadway type shows, chill in every pool, order a drink of the day daily, finish a good book or two, enjoy the competition on the shuffleboard deck, find the discipline to run the deck, explore a few land excursions or roaming around new towns…..the list is endless.
Post COVID, cruising will look very different and many people will be skeptical. I for one can’t wait…..for the deals & for the chance to escape once again!
I’ll never forget that night. Getting ready to summit. 7 travelers from all over the world with one goal.
We tried to nap around 8pm but your mind is racing. You are exhausted from 4 full days of trekking up to 12 hours per day at staggering elevations. Sleep is a luxury but desperately needed. You wear all your clothes at night trying to stay warm in temps reaching -20°F. You are adequately fed with rice, beans, porridge, noodles and popcorn. We were tested nightly for oxygen and heart rates.
The group has to be ready to leave at 12am sharp. I had 7 layers of clothing on my top & 4 layers on my legs (I was a little warm but couldn’t take any chances). Our water bottles were filled with boiling water (by the time you reach the summit they are almost frozen again). I put in my right pocket unwrapped lifesavers my mom had given me. In my left ear, I put in my headphone to play an upbeat music playlist I made prior to arrival. These were my 2 game changers that ultimately gave me that edge to power through.
I was #2 in line. Your only focus was to watch the persons’ ankles in front of you. One foot in front of the other for 5 straight hours. Pole pole (slow slow).
Occasionally you would look up and just see light trails traversing up a dark mountain in zig zag patterns from a few other groups. Thank goodness we couldn’t see those ledges because we later learned the drop offs were scary as hell.
We stopped briefly around 3am for some hot chocolate. The best I’ve ever had. But we had to resume moving quickly to reach the summit at sunrise.
It was so challenging. I remember one guy was falling asleep every few steps, which was one of the signs of oxygen deprivation. He was heartbreakingly turned around to head back to our base camp. Another was running out of water only 2 hours from summit and had to concede. 3 other females had to end their journey due to deep coughs and altitude sickness. So that left my tent-mate and myself with 1 porter to attack the final push. We had made a pact on night #1 that we were going to conquer this together at all costs.
I remember about 30 mins from Stella Point, the picture spot that signifies you are only 1 hour from summiting. That was the only time I seriously thought about quitting. It was a low point where all my insides were screaming. Legs were jello. Every piece of you is frozen and stiff. Your internal thoughts screwing with your sanity. But the moment passed, thankfully.
Stella point is that sign you needed to power through and that “you got this”. At this point, we start walking through snow and see this massive glacier guiding us on the left side. Twilight is breaking through and I get an extra pep in my step because it is going to happen. I start crying uncontrollably while continuing forward. My smile hurts because it is so big and can’t be controlled.
Summit is a blur of only 30 mins due to extreme cold and making it back to base camp with time to descend safely, but I’ll never forget seeing that sunrise above the clouds. Pure joy. Ethereal beauty. Mission accomplished. ✅ 🤯
May 9, 2013 is significant for 3 reasons:
My Disney hiring anniversary
My brother Scott making it home from a deployment
Summiting Kili
Sliding down the scree for the 2 descent days are another story…… 😱
UPDATE: I recently found some of my long lost pics, so included those below for some extra views into the rugged landscape involved in this monumental feat!
I have mixed emotions today. One of the greatest accomplishments of my life but also a very painful day. My travel obsession has euphoric highs and crushing lows. A sweet refuge for the soul as I reminisce.
I have only shared this video with seven people to date – my Titusville Y leadership team & parents. It is very raw and unlike me to show vulnerability, but I figured it was time to share this moment.
This was one of my biggest lessons in rising up during adversity and humbling myself to forces out of my control. Every obstacle can be overcome with an extra abundance of persistence and an unwavering heart.
“Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think. More talented than you know. And capable of more than you can imagine.” – Roy T Bennett
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