This is my mother-in-law Pam… She kinda blew my mind when she said she wanted to celebrate her 70th birthday with a trip to Costa Rica. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the idea. But I also wondered if it would feel a bit outside the box for my husband’s family – some of whom haven’t … More COSTA RICA: #familyvacation edition
Columbus, Ohio (my hometown) is crazy for the Ohio State Buckeyes. There could be amazing events going on in the world (Cancer cured! France changes its name to Greece! A 50 foot koala is discovered!) and the local, leading news would still be some Buckeye-related feature. Even though I think its a bit over the … More VEGAS TO LA: Rose Bowl Roadtrip
A few years ago, I was working at the REI mothership in Washington. Mondays would be filled with badass weekend recaps of mountain biking, kayaking, climbing some mountains, etc. Me…I was content with my day hikes – that is until my friend, Diana invited me on my first backpacking trip. We did some planning to … More OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK: Revisiting my First Backpacking Adventure
I love, love, love planning for a new trip. I’ll pour over websites & magazines researching hikes, sights, lodging & food options. This also includes researching the weather – by obsessively checking my weather apps 5 million times the week of our trip. Our long weekend trip to the Smokies was no exception and I … More SMOKY MOUNTAINS: Just Say Yes
Here are some things I love: My brother, Jack – the funniest, most creative person I know. Check out his blog to see what I mean. Traveling – anywhere. National parks. Running so I can put all sorts of deliciousness in my face. Donuts, breakfast sandwiches, beer, carbs, carbs, carbs. Weirdo lists & goals so … More CHARLESTON: Race the 50 States #volpivictory edition
The very first time we visited Hawaii, we went to Maui. It called us with all of its touristy sites – the Road to Hana, Haleakala National Park and its lovely resorts. We went in February – probably combining the Presidents’ Day holiday and Valentine’s Day – really romantic. What we learned then is February is … More MAUI: Whale-a-palooza
In planning our trip to Hawaii, I knew this might also be our chance to medal in the Aloha State. I’m one of those people who runs to stay fit and races for the swag. The races started locally, then my cousin & I started doing half marathons in other cities. Eventually I got more … More O’AHU: Race the 50 States #aloha edition
Twenty years ago, I got hitched. To this dude: The day we got married, Eric yelled “I DO!’ so loudly everyone laughed. God I love him so much. Usually we celebrate our anniversaries with a card or a high five (woohoo – another year!). This year’s anniversary is a big one so we’re heading to … More BAY AREA: Beyond the Golden Gate
This trip starts with my niece. Anna’s the middle of 3 and maybe because of that, she’s a really interesting twelve year old. Example 1: she’s obsessed with the NHL – specifically the Columbus Blue Jackets. She knows all of the players, watches funny YouTube hockey videos and is saving her pennies to buy a … More CHICAGO: 48 Hours with Anna Banana
I ran many of my first half marathons with my cousin, Monkey. Here’s how the races typically went: Pick a random new city to explore (Philly, Louisville, South Bend, Nashville) Look up places to stuff our face, drink beer & find random photo ops (think: posing with a wax Colonel Sanders at a Kentucky visitor center) … More ST. LOUIS: Race the 50 States #monkey edition
fox & compass 