With the rolling green hills and overcrowded freeways now behind me, I found myself driving in the early morning hours along an empty two-lane highway with the sun barely peaking over the distant mountains. The landscape was vast, like that of the moon, and I had packed up my tent only hours earlier. More »

My time in Ouray grew to a close more quickly than I expected. When I had set off on this leg of my trip I knew time might be an issue, as my traveling companion had to be back to his life by a certain date. Finding myself enamored with the Rocky Mountains I realized I could have stayed longer, and explored more. For the first time I was feeling the pressures of ... More »

Bound for the majestic San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado, all I could focus on was the destination. This is completely against the motto that I've clung to ever since my the infamous Albuquerque meltdown – it's the journey, not the destination. I had long dreamed of Colorado but for some reason had never made it into the land of towering 14ers and ... More »

Heart in my throat, I grasped for anything I could. Bark crumbled in my hands and branches cracked as I attempted to hold on; I was running out of options as my feet continued to slip on loose rock and dirt. Too afraid to look behind me, I focused on Doug who was up ahead bushwhacking his way through the steep wash. We had lost the poorly marked footpath and we were now ... More »

After several nights of sleeping on the freezing ground, drinking icy water and shivering to sleep, we decided to head toward the bright lights and busy streets of Albuquerque. Having spent our final morning exploring the mystical depths of the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, I felt a pang of sadness when I thought of leaving the wilderness behind for the city. If ... More »

The car was packed, dog loaded and tentative plans mapped out yet the reality of my newfound vagabond lifestyle had still not sunk in. Headed for Phoenix, I was making a brief stop to pick up Doug, my partner in adventure for the next couple of weeks. As I pulled up to the front door, nerves sank in. Not only was I headed into the unknown and open road, but I was about to ... More »