Staying Safe During Home Workouts
I've been working out regularly since I was 21. While a lot of my exercising has been done...
Hiking vs. Walking: What’s Better?
You'll often read that walking is one of the best forms of exercise out there. It's easy, for one...
How to Like Working Out (Yes, It’s Possible)
Since I'm an active person, many people assume I like working out, and that this has always been...
Traveling the Historic Natchez Trace
Meriwether Lewis died here. Aaron Burr did not, but two-and-a-half years after slaying Alexander Hamilton in a duel, he surrendered here. And thousands of Native Americans collectively left their mark when they trekked across this Southern locale during their forced...
Bay View Is A Magical Winter Locale
I first heard of Bay View a decade ago, when my family was in northwestern Michigan to ski at Boyne Mountain. A National Historic Landmark neighborhood on the shores of Little Traverse Bay, Bay View began life in 1875 as a Methodist summer camp for revivals and...
Exploring Cave Point in Door County
Despite living in Wisconsin for several decades, I'd never heard of Cave Point until recently. This tiny county park sits in southeastern Door County in the state's narrow, jagged thumb. Cave Point is unique in that part of it lies within the much larger Whitefish...
Biking the Treacherous North Yungas Road
I never plan to bike down North Yungas Road in Bolivia. I'm not even sure I...
Winter Hiking at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Nearly 100 miles (160.9 km) of trail unspool through Pictured Rocks, snugged against Lake Superior's southern shore in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, or U.P. The paths, which include 42 miles (67.6 km) of the North Country Trail, showcase the lakeshore's colorful...
Snowshoeing Horicon Marsh by Candlelight
Wisconsin's Horicon Marsh is one of the largest freshwater cattail marshes in the nation. Some 300 bird species have been spotted here, and the marsh is a popular migration pit stop for 250,000 of our feathered friends. Every January, the marsh hosts a candlelight...
Lake Michigan: My Long-Time Love
Disclosure: This entry contains affiliate links (among regular links) to products I own and like, or which I think you might like. This means that, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. This is a reflection on Lake...
Skiing and Snowshoeing at ABR
Many people say ABR is a funny name for a ski resort. I suppose that's true. ABR stands for Active Backwoods Retreat. And despite its unusual acronym name, USA Today readers rated it the fourth-best cross-country ski resort in the nation in 2019. That's pretty high...
Exploring Big Bend National Park
I didn't know much about Big Bend National Park until a recent travel writing conference took me to El Paso, Texas. As always, I wanted to squeeze in some prime hiking, if possible. What I discovered is that if I drove about 90 minutes north, I could hike at White...
Explore White Sands National Park
White Sands National Park got its prestigious national park designation in December 2019. From 1933 to 2019, it was a national monument. When I visited White Sands, I had a blast hiking around the park. But the most enjoyable experience by far was watching the sun set...
Become Part of The Nutcracker Story
The Nutcracker is one of America's endearing holiday traditions. An 1892 two-act ballet, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky penned its famous musical score. And the libretto, which is the text of an opera, was adapted from "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King," a story by E.T.A....
Explore Málaga, One of Spain’s Most Popular Cities
I've visited Spain many times before, but never made it to Málaga. That's probably because on my second trip to the country, I fell in love with hiking the Vía de la Plata, or VDLP. The VDLP Camino is one of five main pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela,...
Hiking El Caminito del Rey, Once the World’s Most Dangerous Trek
When I first learned about El Caminito del Rey, I was incredibly intrigued. For this hiking path in southern Spain consists of narrow boardwalk attached to the sides of cliffs in many spots. Yikes! When I saw photos, it looked terrifying. Well, if you're afraid of...
