I’m the queen of weekend escapes. When I can find $11 flight deals, there is no limit to where I will end up. This was the year I make another dent in my quest to hike in every national park, as Big Bend hits my ticker #51 of 63 total.

This vast skyline as far as the eye can see is that extreme adventure that only the true enthusiast will go out of their way to actually experience. It’s a truly a shame, really. Being a healthy 6 hour drive from the closest international airport, it’s a brutal path just to even get to that all too well known national park welcome sign.

BUT, it is so very worth it!

There is so much peace & insight that can be gained from this rugged backcountry. Actually, there are 4 different visitor centers due to its sheer footprint. Only 1 gas station is within 60 miles & the one sit down diner is located inside it. Besides the two campgrounds within its borders that typically fill up 6 months prior, you will succumb to either primitive campimg or finding a tiny cabin to rent 20 mins away on the outskirts. Minus the threat of any light pollution, this internationally recognized Dark Sky Park makes for some of the absolute best stargazing I have ever witnessed! Multiple galaxies are plainly in this view of the Milky Way.

And I’m admittedly a sunset snob, so it takes a powerful day’s ending to really impress me. The short Window trail overlook appeared to nicely highlight a wonderful valley below upon my late arrival to the center of this park. But little did I know, the heavens would light up like a lollipop unexpectedly during twilight & my mind was seriously blown once again. Definitely a top 5 sunset in my lifetime! And literally every night thereafter, the mountains silhouette dramatically framed the horizon in every shade of the rainbow imaginable. Ranking up with Hawaii, Arizona & Santorini, the sunsets in southwest Texas were over the top mesmerizing!

Most would just see a baron wasteland, but I see stories seeping out of the earth’s crust around every bend. It’s like it is begging for our fellow citizens to venture a little further from their comfort zones & opt outside to experience this remote wonder.

Embrace the quiet!

Let’s do this!

I rarely jump at the chance to return to any location, but I’m counting down the minutes to jump on a flight to Phoenix in early April. And I’m equally excited to bring a dear friend along for her first hiking excursion EVER & can’t wait to see her reaction on seeing the stunning red rocks of Sedona & the dramatic cliffs of the Grand Canyon.

My only marching orders…. “take me somewhere & blow my mind”. I got ya!

After an hour delay getting out of Orlando, we thoroughly enjoyed our upgrade to row 1 aisle seats & both tried to snooze as I had planned a jammed packed 4 days ahead. To make things extra interesting, the quirky flight attendant announced to the entire plane that it was her birthday. Plus the icing on the cake (literally) was a cute ~8yr old boy came up from the back of the plane to share his snacks with her & give her a big hug. OMG!! And this was her first celebration in 20 years where she hadn’t worked, so it was definitely a new beginning.

We made it to the red rock region just in time for our first impression…. sunset over Cathedral Rock!

Then up at 4:15am to beeline to the south rim of the Grand Canyon for a birthday morning BIG surprise! The majesty and sheer size never gets old….. EVER!

We had barely escaped the previous week’s rare snowstorm, which made for some unplanned obstacles hindering us from tackling the Flagstaff lava cave & trekking along Oak Creek (due to abnormally high melt-off). BUT, the beauty of Sedona is the seemingly endless array of moderate trails that are layered throughout the entire valley.

We switched gears to take on multiple, 3-5 mile hikes daily & couldn’t have been happier. A few of the “go to” treks like Montezuma National Monument, Devil’s Bridge, Cathedral Rock, Boynton Canyon, Coffee Pot, Sugarloaf, Raven Caves, Airport Mesa & Fay Canyon were mixed in with some newbies to get the heart pumping. Finally, I found the detour to the mind blowing Subway Cave too.

After sprinkling in some non-hiking visits to a few artist markets, stupa peace park, downtown shops, Chapel of the Holy Cross, local cantinas for some tex-mex and relaxing poolside, we toasted back at our sprawling resort grounds to a fabulous weekend!

Then, we both made a promise to make this pilgrimage a yearly priority. Southern Utah & Northern Arizona are just that powerful, as they have this tantalizing vibe & appeal that just sucks you right in.

Sedona is inevitably a rejuvenation of the mind, soul & body all wrapped into a beautiful, one-of-a-kind experience that you will be dreaming of returning to!

I’m definitely spoiled and addicted to the adventure life. My travel vernacular continues to broaden with every trip that I add to my world resume.

I prefer a fast paced, rugged venture out in nature (which isn’t for everyone). To truly get lost and experience the little nuisances in a foreign country, is the perfect excuse to get out of your comfort zone and let go of all those preconceived biases.

There is beauty to behold around every corner, if you just open your mind to the unimaginable and really take it all in. I consciously work to be present in the moment.

When exploring in the US, I typically do all my own research and bookings. But when exploring overseas, I don’t want to stress over all the details so I prefer traveling as a solo adventurer within a small group atmosphere. I meet fellow like-minded explorers from all over the world and it, more often than not, is a wonderful overall experience. I have even connected with numerous of these new friends over the years and there is nothing like trip reminiscing.

Over the past 13 years, I’ve tried to knock off many of the hard core treks and all were epic. Truly life changing.

In chronological order:

Inca Discovery – Machu Picchu, Peru

Costa Rica Hike, Bike & Raft

Mt Kilimanjaro summit – Tanzania, Africa

Ecuador Multi-sport – raft, bike, hike

Swiss Alps Monte Blanc trek

Trek to the Lost City – Columbia, South America

Tortugaro retreat – Costa Rica

Iceland Northern Lights Circle

Iguazu Falls – Brazil & Argentina

The W Trek – Patagonia, Chile

Jordan Multi-sport – Petra, Wadi Rum, Dead Sea

Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal

Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand

Mt. Everest base camp – Lukla, Nepal

Best of Egypt

Hiking Crete, Greece

Absolute Turkey

Trolltunga – Bergen, Norway

New Zealand North Island – Multisport

New Zealand South Island – Multisport

Madeira, Portugal trekking

Antarctica Discovery

Where to next? Trust me, I have 2 big trips each year mapped out through 2028 already!!!

I love the vibes in early March. College basketball brings an excitement (in my opinion) like no other.

The “win or go home” mentality is contagious and so very addictive. I typically will frequent the Duke campus once a year to relive my college days and revel in a game in the legendary Cameron Indoor Stadium. The opponent doesn’t matter, as I become a “crazie” for the day just content in cheering on my favorite team in royal blue.

For the first time in 20 years, I couldn’t find a way to squeeze in a home game so I jumped at the opportunity to fly back to my second home in NC for the ACC conference tourney. Literally 48 hours prior to departure, I booked the flight & called my college teammates that I was coming to crash their weekend. There was no guarantee that Duke would win their round of 32 game, but the odds were in my favor. Worst case, I got to spend time with some of my favorite people in this world for 30+ years.

So Friday night I drove the easy 1.5 hrs on I-40 straight to Greensboro, and enjoy pre-game touring the ACC Hall of Fame & getting ideas at the Fan Fest. Gates open and I beeline to my seat in the lower bowl that I surprisingly splurged on (10 rows up behind the basket). And my luck…. No one in the seats immediately surrounding me for the win!

Duke comes out of the opening tip strong against the #1 seed Miami and takes them down! It was the heavy dose of being at a men’s college basketball arena that I had been missing all season trying to catch games on my phone half a world away in New Zealand (16 hours ahead).

Immediately, I bought 3 tickets in nosebleed for the next night’s championship battle for Alanda and Wayne to join the “crazies” for a night. We scored a streetside free parking space and schemed the entire first half on how to make our way to the lower bowl.

The second half was a pure delight, as the blue devils dominated to clinch the ACC tournament championship & punch their ticket to the “dance”. We hung around for all the festivities, including the net cutting and player interviews from the second row.

It was a magical run and nothing beats being there to get caught up in all the hype & thrill that only college basketball playoffs can provide.

I absolutely love four day weekends!

Typically I can find any excuse to take off on a whim for a road trip and I had my sights on the rugged desert of southwest Texas. After an easy 3 hour direct flight to Austin, I headed out into the unknown with a 5+ hour drive bound for the small town of Marathon. I originally predicted an 11:30pm arrival and wouldn’t you know it, I pulled into BFE on the dot!

But my sometimes not so rational thinking almost derailed night #1…..

My lead foot absolutely took advantage of the 80mph speed limit. With a killer music playlist set on random and the windows down, I thoroughly enjoyed the solitude and escape into another world as time sped by (literally).

I had heard once outside the Austin city limits to get used to the nothingness. After passing by the town of Ozona (which I oddly got to thinking about global warming) with only a quarter tank of gas that I probably should have errored on the side of caution for one of the first times in my life. But since I’m solo on this trip, I didn’t bat an eyelash at pushing the limits.

So while one of my goals on this trip was to eliminate the stress and drama of everyday life, I made the cardinal mistake of road tripping! As the gas gauge continues to decline down to 9 miles remaining, I begin sweating through my only long sleeve shirt and pants I had packed because the next town (which is generously stated) is still 21 miles away. OMG.

There is one exit off of I-10 that I begrudgingly took, as the two supposed gas stations here are nowhere in sight. It is pitch black. I pull up to one and don’t even try to get out because it is locked up. I then drive .25 miles to a shack that I can barely make out in the dark and pull up to the gas pumps. With no expectation, I try my credit card and it miraculously works! So… I guess in the desert pumps are always on!

Quick side note – the damn car speedometer was stuck in km/h, so I had to keep my converter calculator open the entire weekend. After trying for an hour to resolve the issue, I just finally chalked it up to another GDC moment and sucked it up!

With that crisis averted, I finally pull into my beehive parking. Yep, I booked an Airbnb built entirely by recycled parts themed as a hive. The 50 sq ft structure was my home for a quick nights rest.

The shower house was next door and shared with another rental. All the necessities were available and I was ready to embrace my minimalist weekend ahead.

After a actually very restful sleep, I made the easy one hour drive to visit my 51st National Park at Big Bend. And thus began 3 days of hiking and exploration to my hearts content!

So my message… be sure to fully embrace all the highs and inevitable lows along your journey… and hopefully be able to laugh about them in the future!

The travel itch is always screaming in my head early January. After my crazy fall work schedule, I’m always more than ready to escape on a wild adventure.

It could be a beach getaway or a mountain retreat or a family gathering or a backcountry adventure, but always a welcome solace from the rat race. I gain strength and mental fortitude on a new quest, plus the added bonus of just slowing down to enjoy life.

I will typically try to find some alone time along the journey to put my year’s new goals in writing and formulate a plan to make them all come to life.

Some days I just tune out all the noise and turn up the music to sing along at an obnoxious (and off tune) level. It’s amazing how many song lyrics are actually stored in my brain and taking up so much valuable memory space.

And I truly do savor the reprieve of making no decisions and having no one report to me. If I had only made the time for more peace and silence as a young adult, I might not have been such a stress ball in my 30s. Nonetheless, I am making up for that now ten-fold!

So while others are hunkering down in winter, I am racing to the closest airport to take off on a new journey into the unknown to wake up my adventurous soul.

Is 2024 my year to conquer the elusive 7th continent? A place so remote and extreme less than .5% of people on this earth have explored its vastness.

Being a person of extremes, I can’t wait to experience this rugged haven. My first test is finding my way to the southernmost tip of South America to the port town of Ushuaia. And not far behind that is staving off the inevitable nauseousness passing through the dangerous & unpredictable Drake Passage. Just drug me up now!

From seal kayaking to tent camping to penguin spotting to whale watching to the CRAZY polar plunge, I want to do it all.

Nonetheless, I’m steadfast in my quest to visit my 7th and final continent in my 50th year on this planet. A big milestone that I want to celebrate. Go big or go home, right?

I scour websites and articles in preparation, while seeking out any deals to make this massive dream a reality. The season is short, typically only November – March, so I have a very small window to lock it in around all of my holiday-based events.

Do you have that one dream that you just can’t let go? Yep, this is mine….. t-minus 6 months!!!

What’s the odds that my inaugural visit to the continent of Oceania occurred during the heaviest rains EVER recorded? And my last minute gamble of ditching my trusted raincoat definitely backfired. So I’m the sucker that had to raid the local gas station to buy a new $100 purple slicker.

Yep, Auckland specifically had widespread flooding that we miraculously avoided due to being thrust into the remote outback for 2 days at a sweet haven called Blue Duck Station. No news, cell reception or Wi-Fi. Completely isolated from the world and I ate it up.

We made a big loop over our first week in the North Island, and little did we know that the airport was shut down for 2 days prior to our scheduled departure to explore the southern island. Fortunately, we escaped with minimal impact to our itinerary, as only our exploration day in the infamous Waitomo Caves was cancelled.

But…..

After a fabulous two weeks enjoying the likes of Mt. Cook, Abel Tasman National Park, Milford Sound, Franz Joseph and Queenstown, we also get word of a massive cyclone (aka hurricane that rotates in the opposite direction) churning in the Southern Hemisphere. WTF?!?

Coined the biggest in this century to threaten the islands, my flights home were severely in jeopardy. And after being granted three weeks off for this once in a lifetime extended vacation, I certainly didn’t need any excuse to be detained.

My fellow travelers and I frantically tried to bump up our exit flights forward without much luck, so we took the chance on being able to escape prior to this catastrophe. I know all too well the storm drill and brace myself for the potential delays. My first short leg is right into the heartbeat of the impending storm from Christchurch to Auckland. No issue.

Then I have the painful 5 hour layover (not so) patiently pacing until the boarding call echoes over the loud speaker. But it gets better…..

Going through security for the first time, I got the text my flight has just been cancelled. Here we go. I try to call the 800 number they provided, and it is disconnected. Then I fumble through the online chat feature while having to navigate the free Wi-Fi zones in the international airport. The agent/bot says he can’t do anything and doesn’t see where it has been cancelled. Plus the online booking says the next flights available to rebook are for two days later. Oh crap.

Ticketing doesn’t open for 50 mins, so a few American passengers in the same predicament wait in confusion as we know the incoming plane had already landed and it was barely drizzling outside.

Low and behold, the Dallas office over 7400 miles away had mistakenly cancelled the route and the agents assured us that we were still a go. So back through security I go with my two go-to carryon book bags with a big smile on my face.

Without incident, we board and push back early to squeeze out with minimal turbulence to blue skies over the vast Pacific Ocean. The 13.5 hour direct flight to Dallas flew by (pun intended) since half the passengers missed the plane and despite the fact I didn’t sleep a wink. But we aren’t done just yet…..

We get stuck on the runway in Texas with a flat tire! But this time, I’m downright exhausted having to prop my eyes open with the last few ounces of energy I can muster. Somehow, we touch down in sunny FL just 7 mins after my original departure on the same day. The 18 hour time difference ahead is still hard to grasp, as I’m hoping the inherent jet lag stays at bay.

Feels so good to be home sweet home!

When you get asked to name your favorite flicks, do you have an answer?

I’m a big movie buff and will frequent our local theatre on a last minute whim. I can make it door to door in 4 mins flat. (Mental note: always live near a theatre.) Sucker for a good rom com, I’m notorious for catching the late night show and being the only soul entranced by the big screen.

Below is my list of go-to hits, and maybe a few that weren’t so popular. If they happen to be on TV, I just have to watch! Even at the office, I have one of these always on repeat with the volume low just to bring a smile to my face.

But nonetheless, I have kept the movie stub from every show I’ve sat through since I had my first job at the movie theatre concession stand in the mid 90s in order to make money every summer through my college years.

• Sweet Home Alabama
• The Guardian
• Sound of Music
• Notting Hill
• American President
• Les Miserables
• Count of Monte Cristo
• Coyote Ugly
• Rockstar
• Remember the Titans
• Beaches
• Backdraft
• Friends with Benefits
• This Means War
• The Wedding Planner
• Pretty Woman
• Top Gun
• Face Off
• Footloose
• Shawshank Redemption
• Hoosiers
• Love and basketball
• Planes
• Cocktail
• Dirty Dancing
• Ladder 49

Any surprises? I’m ready to make my case.

I have over 1000 sunset pictures saved on my phone and it never gets old. Usually once a week I get the overwhelming urge to make the easy 3 mile trek over the Max Brewer Bridge to the Parrish Park boat docks to enjoy a slow down and be amazed by nature’s end of day light display.

With a drink in hand, snack in my pocket and headphones in my ears, this simple pleasure is always a highlight of my week.

The dynamic hues are always different but equally as mesmerizing and never disappoint. And rarely do I find many other souls even hanging around to witness this natural miracle. Why not?!

Each sunset is unique and a moment in time we will never get back…. and my mind starts to wander…..

What are you doing to make this world a better place?

What is important to you?

What do you want to be remembered for?