The Things I Wish I Had Known “What is that thing?” “Oh, that? It’s just a little sea otter, nothing too crazy.” “Wow, I had no idea. I’m from Pennsylvania, we don’t have those there.” “That’s ok, I’m from Minnesota,…
Read More
Moose Country
The Story Behind The Photo All my research had pointed to the Gunflint Trail. “There is no mileage in photographing a bear with a long lens—it has been done before—it is hackneyed pulp.” David Yarrow After meeting David in Chicago,…
Read More
Your Dreams May Take Longer Than You Think
But They’re Worth Holding On To I have always been a dreamer. A big picture, can-do person who yearns for adventure and unique conversation starters. “Oh, I see you have a castle?” Yup, building a castle is on that list.…
Read More
I Wasn’t the Hero or Mother They Wanted, but I Was the One They Needed
The story, behind the photo. “This is not what we trained for.” Mornings consisted of a.m. Ballet or Western Civilization classes. Afternoons were voice lessons, show choir, and nights of rehearsals or work-study shifts in the theatre. Rounding out the…
Read More
This is How YOU Can Take Climate Change By The Horns
Ten Actionable Actions Here’s where I struggle. What can I, a single person, do about Climate Change? I am going to give you a few, outside-the-box ideas, that can have an immediate impact. Plant a tree. I want to quote…
Read More
The Street Kitties of Lebanon
A tale of kings and queens, cushions and streets. When the rush of day and traffic fades away, the raucous sound of traffic jams and near misses transitions into a new auditory treat. Sweet Night Sounds To Sleep To Shadows emerge…
Read More
In Order to Make Frugal Maple Syrup, You Will Need One Of These
A DIY maple syrup evaporator, to help you make sweet, sweet tree juice. And will it bring the taste of spring to your own table? I’m getting serious about syrup making. Like real serious. A cuppella’ buckets of sap and…
Read More
March Update: MN State Parks
March is…an interesting time to be outside in Minnesota State Parks.
Read More
The Minnesota State Parks Passport and Hiking Club Programs Project
Gotta Catch ‘Em All What Am I Doing? I have a photography/adventure project involving all of the Minnesota State Parks and Recreation Areas. Let’s catch you up. Lake Louise State Park played host to large groups of rambunctious pre-teens for…
Read More
Tettegouche State Park – Winter
In winter it is as if you get a fresh start every time it snows. A new story can be told, a narrative reworked if you didn’t like the way it came out the first time.
Read More
Gooseberry Falls State Park – Winter
The paths around Gooseberry Falls State Park were quiet though well-trafficked. With heavy snow falling, my tracks disappeared behind me. Not uncomfortable, it was just below freezing and I was fine with a single pair of socks. That’s a good thermometer.
Read More
Split Rock Lighthouse State Park – Winter
On this frigid day in January, I awoke in my vehicle not far from Split Rock State Park. It was dark as I poked my head out from my den of sleeping bags and blankets. There were two valid reasons for such a great darkness. One, was the fact that it was still predawn and all ambient light was low. The second, was that my car was covered with a thick layer of snow.
Read More
Jay Cooke State Park – Winter
I’m going to go ahead on record and just say that any adventure that begins…
A: Outdoors
B: On snowshoes
C: Under the first Wolf Moon of a new decade
…is going to be a good one.
Read More
SHT ‘Part Three’ – Hiking A Fall Section
Alternate Titles The Secret Loves Of Color She had just left me, parting ways to make our miles and heading in opposite directions. Instead of making an early, timely start, we conspired with sunrise for a photoshoot. Stepping out of…
Read More
Finding Friends Along The Superior Hiking Trail
What is the nicotine of travel that no one ever talks about?
Read More
How To: Get A Date On Valentine’s Day
If It’s This Easy, Why Wouldn’t You? This article is intended for all those who are hyper-adventurous, a little crazy, and have no idea where they might be on any particular holiday. So much so that you may even forget…
Read More
Ten Ways To Improve Your Wildlife Photography
Trust Me On This…It Can Get Better What it boils down to here is knowing what you hope to achieve and what your intention is. If you simply want to prove that you saw a certain type of wildlife and…
Read More
9 Days of SHT ‘Part Two’
‘Part Two’ (We’re picking up where we left off, our adventurer trekking not only through the northern wilderness but also his troubled past. Ok not that troubled but it sounds dramatic right?) Four years ago the first .2 miles tuckered…
Read More
9 Days of SHT ‘Part One’
A Harrowing Tale of Walking “So this is how it’s gonna be?!?” I thought to myself. I was no more than a few blocks from my starting point and had picked up what I thought was an auspicious find. That…
Read More
2018 – A Year In Review
Blowing By Quickly As always, the start of the next year leaves me scratching my head as to what happened to the previous one. Well here’s a post that will outline some (I know, just some) of what happened and…
Read More
Beginner’s Bike Tour – Part One
Before I wow you with bike tour tales, I’m gonna hit you with some backstory. Kapish? Back, that, story for me, back that story for me… In 2009 I got my first job out of college. I was a janitor…
Read More
Is Lebanon Heaven For Camping?
It Just Might Be I was on my second trip to the land of Lebanon. To answer your question, as is also asked by every single Lebanese; my brother and sister-in-law live here. Not only is it a unique and…
Read More
What You Need To Know To Climb Mount Meru
You’re heading to Tanzania and you’ve heard of Mount Kilimanjaro. However, did you know there was another option? Just a stone’s throw away is Mount Meru…and you might just find it’s a better fit for you. Mount Meru Facts 70…
Read More
99 Spur Trail Solutions For Everything
There can be many, varied roadblocks when you start to think about yourself and traveling in the same context. Some walls are put up by others. Some you’ve put up yourself without realizing it. At the end of the…
Read MoreHow To: Get A Date On Valentine’s Day
If It’s This Easy, Why Wouldn’t You? This article is intended for all those who are hyper-adventurous, a little crazy, and have no idea where they might be on any particular holiday. So much so that you may even forget…
Read More
Bike Tour – Part Two
A Canadian Start Talking about big ideas is easy. I do that a lot. Getting started is the tough part. I began this bike tour slowly, attending an evening workshop on bike touring, researched gear, took a couple of longer…
Read More
How To See Minnesota In 30 Hours
Why would anyone even want to do that? Minnesota is huge, it is the 12th largest state. It is approximately 360 miles wide and 407 miles tall. In order to see it all in just over a day…
Read More
Things You Can Do With Free Time
How do you afford to travel, how do you get there, and how do you pick where to go? My secret has ultimately been to…
Read More
Mille Lacs Kathio
Sometimes I will have a free day sneak up on me and I just won’t know what to do with it. They are rare and usually a surprise via cancellation or change-of-plans. However, a few weeks ago, I found myself with a…
Read More
My Little Garden
You hear that sound of hard, dry dirt on a steel shovel. Try to imagine the feeling of black soil working its way under your fingertips. Your hand gently spreads the earth over the precious seeds. It will harbor them…
Read More