Last stop on my US National Park tour was a big one….. Yosemite.

Driving in through the south entrance at 7:15am and peering through Tunnel View, the first sight is the monstrous El Captain looming straight ahead. It smacks you in the face. Right away you know this valley is special.

It’s hard to choose which trails to conquer but they all lead up towards the towering peaks. My combo of choice was the popular Mist & John Muir trails leading to 2 iconic waterfalls – Vernal & Nevada. I thoroughly enjoyed my 10 miles here and looking up at Half Dome I know I have to return. It is another 6 miles to the peak but closed during winter months, as the cables that make the trek possible for the last .5 mile push are already gone. Someday……

Upon my return to the valley, I tally up 6 more miles by seeing Lower Yosemite Falls (which is dry currently but still picturesque), Cook’s Meadow Loop & the base of El Cap.

Besides a couple granola bars on the trail, I hadn’t eaten much else of substance all day because I wanted to squeeze in as many hikes as possible prior to the early sunsets now with daylight savings. So I packed up my “go to” meal of tuna on tortilla wraps plus Pringle’s and figured I would have time to eat while watching a few late day climbers attacking El Cap.

The short .4 mile trip seemed easy enough and I still had twilight to get back to the car. Standing at the base of this giant just made you think. I laid down just so I could look up without craning my neck. Just wow.

Needless to say, daylight was fading quickly so I decided it would be best to start heading back even though my tummy was still growling. (It still amazes me that I don’t weigh like 100 lbs). I’m making good time then I stop dead in my tracks and see 3 sets of beady eyes staring at me from about 25 yards. Ummm….. the bear spray I bought is sitting in my niece’s room near San Diego because I can’t take it on the plane home. I am fortunate they were all babies and just playing, as they kept on moving on their original path.

Crisis #1 averted.

So I continue back to my car with a little extra pep in my step. Then…… I see big brother bear staring at me in the middle of the path. He is walking slowly towards me at the trail crossroads, so I continue walking toward my car route. My heart almost lept out of my body. What do I have that I can use to defend myself? A big rock maybe? I didn’t have any granola bars left to throw at him.

But I tried to play it cool and started walking a little faster and turning my head every 5 secs to see where my new friend was. Luckily, he was moving slower than my pace and as soon as I hit a bend in the trail and he was out of my sight……I ran like hell back to the car!!!

Crisis #2 also averted.

My last thought……. what if I had opened that tuna package??!!??

There is just something special about Zion National Park. It’s a feeling. A zone. It’s Utah’s most visited NP for a reason. Most places in this world I would be happy to see just once, but my much awaited return to Zion consumed me for years.

Early October I knew would be the perfect mix of chilly mornings & scorching day hiking. Just the way I like it. The key was to figure out the new post COVID shuttle ticket game and get early starts. I had 2 days allotted in my packed itinerary and I was going to capitalize. And I purposely waited for weekdays to explore & have some reprieve from the swarms of tourists. The timing did help but this year many people had the same idea that I did for an extended roadtrip to return to some type of normalcy.

I arrived in the town of Springdale to scope out my plan on a Sunday night. Since lodging close by was way out of my price range, I found a cozy spot to car camp for my 2 nights & go unnoticed, while still feeling safe with phone reception, street lighting & next door to some amazing local treats. (If you want to know my hideout, pm me)

I was at the Zion visitor center by 7am each day since it fills up ridiculously early & you don’t want to extend your long hiking days by hoofing it from town too. The shuttle was seamless & I was beaming ear to ear once I stepped onto the trail for 2.5 miles gaining 1488’ in elevation. And I had almost forgotten that only a mere .3 mile on the sandy, flat trail leading to the behemoth climb ahead, I fell flat on my face. Yep. For no reason. My left shin is bleeding and not even a rock in my path. WTF? Only me. Nevertheless, I resumed.

The switchbacks were tough but easily doable with a slow & steady pace. Half the hikers had masks on during the tight corners & most were friendly and encouraging. The path to Scouts Lookout flew by & I was so happy just trudging along in this picturesque playground. Most people took a pit stop to enjoy the views but I had a higher goal in mind. The chain ropes leading to Angels Landing had just opened the week prior & I was very fortunate to have this opportunity to fulfill a dream.

I left my hiking poles in the bushes & reached for the precarious chains to take me to the “top of the world” while there was a break in the crowds. Two way traffic doesn’t work so well on the cliff of a mountain. For once, I focused on one foot in front of the other with precision and care. No mess ups on this route. Sweat on my brow beaded up quickly from both the temperature & sheer fear. Exhilarating to say the least. Encouragements were given & received freely, while we slowly scoured over rocks & conquered our fears head on.

That last step upon reaching the summit was surreal. Truly a feat for the highlight reel. Baby steps along the ledge led to a flat rock where I could simply sit for an hour to enjoy the serenity, feel the fresh breeze, basque in the magnificent views & dig into my lunch of hummus & crackers.

The trek back down I felt like I was walking on the clouds. Light as a feather. Refreshed in every sense of the word…..and I almost turned around to conquer it again!

#onceinalifetime #dreamsdocometrue #earnedit #sayyestoadventure

Do you ever wish you could unpack all your stuff that has added up over the years? SO MUCH STUFF…..

The freedom I feel on the road is so refreshing. Many of my friends know I can rock 1 bookbag for a week trip & not even think twice about it. Simplicity is more important to me than ever before. All the extra weight is drowning at times, so I consciously choose to lighten my load.

In Dec 2019, I learned the hard way to just go with the flow. We’ve all been screwed with lost luggage on a trip or two & mine was after trekking to Mt Everest base camp. I meticulously packed my winter, dirty clothes in vacuum seal bags because I was treating myself to a week of recovery on the beautiful beaches of Bali (since I was already on that side of the world). After delays & being slightly delirious from a severe bout of food poisoning, my Bali 3am arrival was scarred with me standing alone in the airport terminal without any of my possessions. After a 5 min panic attack, a wave of calmness swept over me and it was a major turning point in my perspective. If we only have this 1 imperfect life, then why am I crying? I’m in paradise with a week to recover by exploring pristine waterfalls, snacking at beachfront bats, laying on the beach at night & listening to the waves, enjoying massages from my bungalow, riding ferries over crystal blue waters, renting a moped to traverse the island, and on and on. Plus I told the airline you can keep my raunchy hiking clothes bag for a week until I come back for my return flight. Winning, right??

So I set off with 1 day bag (seriously just 5 lbs) & had the most memorable week. It was scorching hot & ridiculous humidity (and I’m from Florida so I have a true comparison) in Dec on the other half of the equator, so I was thankful to wear as little clothes as possible. I was light & nimble on my moped slashing through the jungle curves on Nusa Penida Island and hopping between a few different treehouses was seamless. My possessions included:

• Phone
• Headphones
• Wallet
• Kindle
• Cameras
• Mini tripod
• Hat
• Travel pillow
• Hiking boots
• Flip flops
• 2 pairs of shorts
• 2 tank tops
• 2 long sleeve shirts
• 1 hoodie
• 2 pairs of undergarments
• A few toiletries
• A few snacks

So needless to say, my return to my Florida life was culture shock. Instead of getting sucked into the grind, I started to simplify all parts of my life, as possessions just had less meaning & importance to me. I typically go into a mini depression when returning from any epic trip. It’s fairly common & I still to this day haven’t figured out a way to avoid it. But enjoying the simple things is usually a good start.

Minimalism is living with what you need & that looks different to everyone. What does it mean to you?

I get asked quite often how I find out about all these crazy places and unique experiences to dive into. Then actually find the energy & courage to complete them?

Just like my sister in law who genuinely loves to cook & create delicious masterpieces in the kitchen, my passion is researching worldwide locations that spark adventure & then formulating a master itinerary to turn those dreams into reality. It is a huge game to me and for hours on end I can follow leads. I have no intention of just seeing them on paper or “liking” a picture….. in my mind, I’m visualizing the end goal on how to get there. No excuses. Over the past few years, I have really become more of a recluse because I love daydreaming of exotic places and piecing together itineraries. Choose to come with me or don’t, my path is clearly defined & in motion.

When you have stepped foot on the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro & powered thru 9 days of food poisoning to conquer Mt Everest Base Camp, there isn’t much that can stop this Elliott train. Can you imagine what is next??!!

Aren’t we all artists?

Every decision , mistake, movement, outfit, word, smile, social media post, friendship…..pieces of art, that when things work together, evolve into your own artwork & make up your own story.

Isn’t living our life the greatest artwork we could ever make?

We shouldn’t compare ourselves to each other. Each life is individual and different…..making us each so wonderfully unique.

What is your story?

Time is our most precious asset.

It is finite.

Once it’s gone, it will never come back.

Think about that….. you have 1 chance to make things right. One opportunity to make a first impression. Will you do the right thing when no one is looking? Do you trust your gut in making an important decision? How adverse to risk are you? How much are you willing to gamble? Will you go for it when faced with a life changing fork in the road?

We do not have an endless supply, so use your time wisely, with thought, care, confidence & intention. Are you in true alignment with who you are and what you deeply desire in life?

Don’t wait for everything in the outer world to be perfect before you act, choose to act now and trust yourself completely. Embrace the truth of impermanence. Are you ready?

#onelife #risktaker #allin #makeithappen #progressnotperfection #makeitcount #neversettle #embracetheunknown #courage

I’ve been asked repeatedly how much I spent on my 2020 once in a lifetime US Western road trip. So let’s dive in!

Now I must note that I’m very low maintenance and actually do find a thrill in just making due with whatever supplies are stocked in the van. The new me……going with the flow, not stressing over the little things and making anything work.

Check it out:

• 34 days
• $3779.15 = $111 per day
• Transportation 61% = $67.55 per day (obviously this is most of the expense as I got a bigger mini van to be able to sleep in at $1342, $400 car drop fee at a different end location in Vegas, $102 flight to Denver & $452 gas)
• Accommodations 18% = $19.74 per day (I car camped every other night typically & my dad did split the cost for the 1st 10 days)
• Food 9% = $10.49 per day (not a foodie so I loaded up at Walmart with snacks/drinks & with so much hiking I was mostly just interested in rehydrating & the NPs had refillable water spouts)
• Entertainment 7.5% = $8.29 per day (the NP annual pass was a game changer at $80 total so this was mostly the state park fees) – the pass also worked at all national monuments which I added a bunch of last minute
• Miscellaneous 4.5% = $5.08 per day (mostly souvenirs which were minimal since I’m limited on baggage space & also included a tire fix lol)

A few notes to consider:

I really wanted to rent an RV but it was very cost prohibitive (especially solo) when you factored in the rental at minimum $100 per nt, gas would have easily doubled, additional 50 cents per mile due whenever exceeding 150 miles per day, plus higher camp site dues. Also RVing is extremely popular in our current state (with international travel almost nonexistent), so vehicle availability is also a factor. Most parks were still very busy & in hindsight, I’m glad I didn’t have to fight for bigger parking spots.

Splitting the cost for the hotels or RV can be a huge win with trip companions. I didn’t know how much time I would spend in each park so I compared 2 apps for best last minute (same day) pricing – Hotel Tonight & Hotels.com. Both limited contact for onsite checkin, as everything was paid upon confirmation.

I’m still a novice but it was absolutely fascinating to research that you can camp for FREE on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) lands out west. Yes it is a thing. You will find campers piled into every side, dirt road. Do your research & your accommodations cost could be significantly lower if you semi-rough it occasionally.

I also thoroughly enjoyed camping at state parks, as most where inexpensive $10-20 per night & most had showers. I lucked out on a few being first come first serve & last minute cancellations but I would recommend reserving online prior. Almost every campsite now has an online component.

I was pleasantly surprised that my crazy idea to buy a cheap twin air mattress was actually VERY comfortable (that is until it sprung a leak & duct tape didn’t even work). Add in earplugs, an eye mask, flashlight, travel pillow, fleece blanket, bear spray/mace & a good kindle book…..zzzzzzzz.

Feel free to ask me anything. I did use the app called trip wallet, as it helped me break down all my expenses. I would love to share my learnings, as I too had help with from fellow travelers along the way. What are you waiting for? 🧳 🗺 🚙

A tear slid down my cheek atop the Zion Canyon overlook rock that I was perched on for a calm sunset over the valley below. A euphoric high that I vaguely remember from 12 years ago on my first visit but it is refreshingly new from a different vantage point. A sliver of time that I so deeply don’t want to end. A deeper appreciation & love of nature than I’ve ever felt.

On the flip side, I try to push the lowest of lows deeper inside to a place that I rarely visit. We all have those not so proud moments and mistakes that we should never make again. BUT behind this tough exterior, I still fight with my own demons and wrestle with finding my own power to always fight to rise up. It is in me. It is in you. Reach deep. I’m worth it. You are worth it.

I try to live with no regrets and power forward so…….

Be brave.

Have courage.

Love life.

Reconnect with your own confidence, resilience, strength & unshakeable grit – that is winning 🙌

#thrive #noregrets #onedayordayone

Waiting atop Inspiration Point at Bryce National Park for sunrise on a brisk October morning, I hear a giddy squeal as a group of tourists make their way up the pathway. One of the ladies can’t contain her excitement and squeals again shouting “no way” & “oh my”. Everyone around starts to smile & laugh at her overwhelming joy in seeing the hoodoos radiate from the sun for the first time. Then it’s crazy….. a mix of strangers from all over the country, I presume, we all start to whoop & holler too!

Never forget the joy in the little things and I hope you “whoop & hollar” when you see or feel something that truly inspires you!