We’ve all done it….. begging people to let us creep to the front of the plane even though we paid for the cheap seats in the back. Then make the mad dash through an unknown terminal, weaving through the other travel happy tourists and try to hopelessly beg the gate agents to let you squeeze on your connection so you aren’t stranded somewhere obscure to start your trip off on a sour note.

The anticipation of day 1 is always a rollercoaster in itself. Now add in the rampant delays that have become more the norm than the exception, unfortunately, and you have the perfect recipe for undue anxiety.

A quick week escape in September is typically my last reprieve before crazy event season, so I’m overly zealous. Begging a friend to drop me at the airport, I arrive a few hours early due to her schedule needs. No problem. So I try to go standby on an earlier flight & stave off more stress on my already tight connection on a Thursday late night in the always crazy Newark hub. I’m #9 on a long laundry list. Then a northeast ground stoppage starts the domino effect. Due to the delay, everyone is jockeying and I miraculously move up to #2 BUT of course, everyone checks in.

So I’m back on as originally planned. Well, we naturally get delayed too. So my brain goes into proactive mode, since my layover was only originally 1 hour & 5 mins anyways PLUS the kicker is that my connection direct to the coveted Azores was the only 1 for the next 2 days. So I feverishly scour my trusted google flights site and get moved to row 8 near the front of the plane. The game begins….

I had avoided the extra 3 hrs to Europe and thought I was an absolutely brilliant planner. Jokes on me of course…. So do I now transfer via the closest airport in Lisbon? Or is it cheaper thru Paris? Or is it less time to fly thru London? After being disappointed that I would have to find a quiet, clean corner in the Newark airport for the night, I miraculously found an 11:59pm direct line to Lisbon. SCORE!

So I conspired with the awesome attendants as we closed in on our arrival how to navigate the gates. Should I beeline for my original flight or cut my loss to hit up the alternate plane that still had first class seats? BUT all was squashed when I found out our gate was still occupied.

Not even 3 mins later, I get the alert that my original connection is delayed 10 mins due to a refueling issue. OMG!! As we creep in, we get another refuel 10 min reprieve & 3 of us in the same predicament decide to run for it.

The plane started cheering for us, calls were made ahead and we take off in a sprint as soon as the cabin doors eject. A supposed 4 minute jaunt is excruciating, as my usual 2 carryon book bags are an extra 40 lbs weighing me down. Wish I had trained just a wee bit harder!

Regardless, our worst fears are realized when we roll up (completely dripping & gasping for air) to a closed gate. We are dumbfounded and rightfully disappointed. Five minutes later, as I finally am regulating back to a normal heart beat & with the plane still sitting at the gate (plus begging the staffer to make an exception), we got on that plane!!

Crisis averted…. and the plane was only half full so we got our own rows, immediately changed clothes, watched 2 movies and 4.5 hours later landed on the small (emphasis on tiny) airstrip in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Welcome to the Azores & a week of R&R! Well for me, that means a lot of hiking, adventure and maybe even some beach time tacked on the back end to recover.

So I had 10 hours to explore the capital city of Ponta Delgada prior to my 8:40pm puddle jumper to my final destination of Madeira island. Of course, there is another delay so I arrive at 1am and am FINALLY ready for this new adventure to begin!

Always down for a “hell yeah” moment? Then we can be friends.

I definitely don’t live on the safe side of the mountain and, more often than not, am the problem. But….. I also know my limits and have no regrets. None.

Being a walking contradiction, I thrive on the seemingly impossible feats. The ones just outside the comfort zone that push every button in my psyche. I love the safety of routine and structure, but equally get jazzed over the spontaneity and risk of a new adventure. It’s a constant struggle.

Every trip is a new chapter just waiting to be written. Take a walk along the edge of a cliff or go spelunking deep into a lava tube and you will understand the undeniable lure of the adventure life….. a crazy addiction that captivates one’s core and is impossible to curb.

Bring on a new year of checking off those ridiculous bucket list quests!!

Cheaper than therapy…..

It’s been 2 years since our last girls summer getaway, so we are severely overdue for a new adventure. Within driving distance for everyone but me (because I’m the most mobile & up for anywhere), we pin Gatlinburg on the map & take off for the quiet TN mountains.

I scour for quaint but bougey cabins just outside of town. A hot tub & porch with a view are a “must have” for this group. There is just something about sitting on the porch in the cool mountain breeze with a cocktail in hand & surrounded by some of your favorite people to reminisce over the last 30 years of friendship!

Night one our tradition is making our very own charcuterie board with a colorful array of veggies, fruits, crackers, nuts and anything else that we were craving during the grocery run. The hot tub is fired up and we laugh the night away until the wee hours of the morning.

I was super stoked the girls were up for a couple of short waterfall hikes in Great Smoky Mountain National Park to stretch our legs and enjoy the mild summer temps. Tourists crammed into Gatlinburg in droves, so we stuck to the outskirts in Pigeon Forge for local farm fresh meals and scouring the outlet malls for deals. We even checked off a bucket list item in braving one of the many alpine coasters, despite our other zip line excursion being cancelled due to severe thunderstorms.

The peace & serenity around the cabin was just what my soul needed, including several sightings of local black bears (including 3 babies scaling a tree to stay safely away from us peepers). We even sported a few cleansing face masks for extra rejuvenation.

We ended our weekend at a highly rated tavern “The Local Goat” and a subsequent visit to the outlets. After exchanging our inevitable goodbyes, I fortunately got to enjoy one extra night in the cabin and thoroughly enjoyed finishing some work on the balcony listening to the gentle pitter patter of another rain storm.

And we vowed to go big for all of our 50th birthdays in 2024…… girls all-inclusive trip to Jamaica!

If you are not only courageous but lucky enough to find your way to the remote, southwest Texas backcountry, savor it.

Twenty miles down a rocky, unpaved road that leads to the US/Mexico border, it is so freeing to keep the windows down & radio blasting on a late March weekend getaway. The road dead ends at the underwhelming Rio Grande river, where a trailhead awaits to transport you to the literal edge of our country.

Fork in the road…. wade across the shoulder deep water 30 yards or hike up the side of the cliff? I opted for the later and enjoyed yet another memorable rock scramble to get further into the high walled canyon. The relatively easy 1.6 mile trail weaved along the green tinted water, illuminating numerous kayaks floating along this popular gateway and creating a serene, yet awe inspiring landscape.

I enjoyed lunch overlooking the Mexico cliffs and really took some time to appreciate this hidden gem that most people don’t have the luxury, time or patience to ever see. It was truly a beautiful blessing!

College athletics rivalries are filled with vicious energy and excitement. So when you have a personal connection to the game, it can be downright crazy!

So I jumped at the chance to see my fav boys in blue take on the Hurricanes. Roadtrip time!

I joined the Johnson clan for an epic pre-game tailgate party in late October and proudly marched into the Hard Rock Stadium with the rowdy fan base behind the Duke benches.

As the son of my college roommate, Brandon #30 was their sophomore starting defensive nickel/slot corner and he truly had a breakout game. He rushed for a few sacks and even caught an interception to run back for a touchdown. And I incredibly just happened to be filming the whole thing, including his celebratory sideline run. A truly priceless moment that I could capture for his devoted parents and, I’ll admit, brought tears to my eyes.

We kept moving seats closer to the benches, as they started running up the score with an incredible and unpredictable win. What a glorious 45-21 victory and epic run that the Duke football team & first year head coach Mike Elko would go on in the 2022 season, including an eventual berth & win in the Military Bowl!

What a great weekend to celebrate life & college sports with my extended family!

A tiny remote cabin for a long weekend getaway is always my idea of a good time. Can we be friends?!?!

Embrace the quiet….. but this was next level.

After an extra long day exploring the vastness of Big Bend, my 51st National Park, I was more than ready to find my own little casita somewhere between the only two towns (I use that word loosely) on this baron highway. And without cell reception, I had to go “old school” and rely on my hand written directions of between mile marker 55 and the big green building.

Being that southwest Texas is a celebrated dark sky area (minimal light pollution & perfect for stargazing), I took a gamble that the one, barely visible, small gravel driveway was for me. Jackpot! A small Piedra Poco sign on the metal fence was dummy locked, so I pulled up to my 10×10 hut. OMG!

I’m sooooo glad that this was a solo trip because I could already hear my friends bitching my ears off. BUT for me, it was exactly what I needed to refresh and be inspired completely off the grid. With only a bunk bed, microwave, desk, chair, coffee maker, fire pit and Wi-Fi, it was 100% my idea of an adventure.

The outhouse was literally a “poo” bucket, but I absolutely loved the rugged outdoor shower. How can it get better than bathing under millions of stars? And I swear the water was actually quite warm for about 10 mins before the heater would crank off. I’m super fortunate that the temps only dipped into the 40s so it was bearable (compared to below freezing the week prior to my arrival).

And for four glorious nights, I would hike all day to exhaustion, witness unparalleled sunsets silhouetted by the mountains and pull into my haven late evening with a big smile. And I should mention I never saw an actual grocery store for the entire extended weekend, so I lived on my stash of granola bars, oatmeal and ramen noodles. Plus one lunch at the lone gas station within 60 miles, that also just happened to make delicious personal pizzas!

And I have to admit, my mind started racing at the thought of me being alone in literally the middle of nowhere. Every slight sound made my heart palpitate a little faster…. crazy mind games going on!

After freezing night #1 and not having enough room in my only bookbag to pack a blanket, I figured out how to fire up the space heater and set it on 90 degrees the rest of the way. (Again, I couldn’t have gotten away with the overly toasty vibe with anyone else).

Plus, I’m notorious for loving to sleep in but I jumped up at every chance to take in the epic sunrises from my own fire pit. That glow was mesmerizing!

Overall, this was an unforgettable adventure even out of my extra wide comfort zone and I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything! Minimalism at its best.

I knew this experience had the potential to be transformational, but I had no idea how emotional I would become meeting this truly bada$$ group of 19 young, female sports/business professionals.

Over my 25 years in the business world, I’ve attended my fair share of leadership classes and seminars with the high hopes of conquering the world immediately following. Some were reaffirming in my quest to carve out my niche and others fell flat.

Something just felt different this time.

Even the title of our cohort is inspiring…. Women Worth Following! After quite frankly submitting an application at the 11th hour, I had high hopes of being worthy enough to join this group of nationwide candidates and immersing myself fully into a year of self-improvement to ultimately pay it forward.

After only 1 introductory zoom call, we all excitedly carved out 3 days in early October to converge together in the quaint town of Traverse City, MI with open minds…. ready for anything!

What if you could be totally vulnerable without the immediate threat of someone using your words or actions against you? What if you could quietly just absorb the intangible good vibes in the room and completely focus inward for once? What if….

Due to limited (affordable) flight options in the fall off-season, I had to arrive a day and a half early with plenty of remote work to keep me busy and plans to squeeze in a few hikes during prime leaf changing season (oh how I miss it!).

Our fearless leaders, Ryan and Amanda, graciously opened up their country home to me and it quickly became a safe haven. Even though a light rain hovered for most of the week, we took advantage of a few reprieves to opt outside and were excited to revisit the serenity of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore trails.

Renting 3 lovely lakeside cottages, all the ladies started arriving and hit it off immediately. How often do you get to focus on your own development with no outside world distractions and truly be around like-minded individuals? Finding a tribe isn’t talked about often but essential in taking your career journey to the next level.

A professional chef serves up an UNREAL welcome dinner and we cozy up by the crackling fireplace to dive into our first challenge together. And our unbreakable circle forms….

As a natural introvert, it’s always extremely unnerving to be open with complete strangers from the onset but, nonetheless, I embrace it.

For 2 full days, we listen to the most amazing stories of grit and passion. Not only do we have to unpack some of our most resilient professional triumphs, but have to dig even deeper to expose our most dreaded traumas. Any self deprecating thoughts are quickly squashed. A long-standing goal of mine is to become a more dynamic & polished speaker, and I literally get thrown into the deep end without a life preserver from the onset. Holy sh$&!

We laughed a lot!

We/I cried even more.

I talked (which is a feat in itself) until I was almost hoarse.

We jumped in the arctic cold lake at midnight, baked my fav pumpkin cookies, partook in an early pure barre group class, soaked in the hot tub under a sea of stars, feasted on more amazing cuisine, broke into small groups for numerous discovery sessions and enjoyed every last second. Sleep is overrated!

Our time together expires in a flash and we are unanimously sad to leave this refreshing retreat. So I tried to bottle up all the positive energy to help me power through my crazy season ahead, looking forward to our monthly zoom sessions and knowing we will return again to the Michigan shores in just a short 7 months.

How will we each evolve? What nuggets will we weave into our daily lives? What learnings will we impart on others? I truly can’t wait to celebrate everyone’s wins….

I will be eternally grateful for this opportunity to level up and even more excited to be on a lifelong journey with these fabulous ladies.

Remember the name…..WWF.

I’ll find any excuse to visit my five beautiful nieces & nephews. Full of spice & boundless energy, these miracles are living proof that good things come in small packages.

I inevitably get roped into a celebratory jump on the trampoline or being shown the new additions to each of their rooms, but my favorite memory is always the joyful first hug. The embrace that erases all the lost months between visits is like a shot of sweet sunshine.

And organized chaos ensues.

I thoroughly enjoy making dinners, reading before bed, going for a bike ride, watching the same Blippy show on garbage trucks for the 10th time, playing with cars in the potted plant dirt, coloring, carving pumpkins, ice skating, bogey boarding in the waves, watching Paw Patrol, learning about roadblocks, pushing the swings, and on and on…. sign me up for anything and everything!

I try to grab each for a little one-on-one time and hopefully ease the burden of everyday life just a little bit on their devoted parents. But, inevitably, time expires in a flash and I’m again wiping the tears from my eyes as I blow kisses and wave goodbye. And I just hope the memories stay close until I can squeeze in another long weekend visit!

Why Ohio?

A short, 3-day weekend excursion in mid-May, prior to the summer rush, took me to my 52nd of 63 US National Parks in Cuyahoga, Oh. Nothing I enjoy more that an excuse to spend my time off hiking in the backcountry.

Despite my unexpected flight change from 7am to 7pm, touching down during a fierce downpour, slipping into my accommodations at the ungodly 1am hour to less than mediocre reviews, nothing could contain my excitement in getting lost in the unknown territory ahead.

Over the next 48 hours, I logged 29 glorious miles and had the perfect weekend of solitude. I love hitting numerous 2-5 mile trails, so that I can maximize my day with lots of different terrains. There were a plethora of waterfalls to explore and around every bend my smile grew wider. The Ledges Trail was epic, a bouldering playground with countless crevices leading to stunning moss covered hidden labyrinths.

Based off of rave reviews, I also made the 3 hour drive to the amazing Hocking Hills State Park and it didn’t disappoint. My short beginner trek turned into a 7.5 mile marathon of trails because I was having too much fun. Besides a few mishaps involving deep mud, I reveled in ridiculously fun caves, cliffs and more cascading falls. Definitely my idea of a perfect day!

And en route back to the Cleveland airport, I even carved out time to visit my 101st National Monument (James A. Garfield home) and a classic holiday movie set in A Christmas Story. Score!

So with an additional 69K steps logged on my Garmin watch, I successfully jump started my summer of weekend trips and am so thankful to have explored this underrated part of our country.

Opt outside…. you won’t regret it!

The wonders of nature at it’s best!

Slot canyons are prevalent in the rugged southwest US, but I’ve also seen some very impressive versions in the desolate Badlands of South Dakota & the deep southern Georgia backcountry.

These crazy crevices that are sliced out of rock faces by Mother Nature’s yearly flash floods, post waking up from it’s winter slumber, are the dramatic proof of the sheer power of H2O.

The striking layers of color are downright polarizing & beg you to go deeper into the mysterious labyrinth. I truly get inspired.

Some of my favs to date:

• AZ – Buckskin Gulch to Wire Pass
• UT – Peekaboo
• UT – Red Hollow
• UT – Kanarraville falls
• TX – Window Trail
• GA – Providence Canyon

Go out and purposefully get lost in a remote canyon. I promise you won’t regret it.

“Nature is the purest portal to inner peace” – Angie Weiland Crosby