There is something special in the emotional unfolding of settling into a new place that I find invigorating and tantalizing. There is something in the sensational, wide-eyed nature of delving into the unknown and the unfamiliar. There is something in the mental transition from feeling lost in a foreign land to feeling the comfort and... Continue Reading →
A Sequoia Adventure: The Captivating Forest of Dreams
Some places I wander into in nature captivate my soul in special ways, not just for their beauty and grandeur, but because they whisper into my very being and offer me something that we all need a heavy dose of from time to time, humility. Sequoia National Park was that special place that I recently... Continue Reading →
Facing Mortality and Finding Inspiration in a Ghost Town [photos]
Living along Route 66, you find yourself stumbling upon a wealth of unusual places that bewilder and inflame the imagination. Some of these places seem lost in time, where shells of legends can be heard echoing through the forgotten thistles of a vast expanse of space. You wander upon the strange, the bleak, the gimmicky,... Continue Reading →
Humphrey’s Peak: A Test of the Body, Mind, and Spirit [photos]
Humphrey’s Peak has been teasing me ever since I moved to Flagstaff, AZ a couple of months ago. I knew at one point I was going to set out to climb the mighty peak, it was just a matter of when. I have fallen in love with the area since I have been here. Flagstaff... Continue Reading →
Death Valley: Getting Wondrously Lost in the Desolation [photos]
Part of the allure of discovering new places for me is putting myself in environments that are utterly strange and hostile to my normal way of life. I think putting myself in the desolation of deserts and other forms of inhospitable landscapes gives me a unique perspective into not only the diversity of our world... Continue Reading →
My Angel’s Landing Hike: Where Danger and Marvel Collide [photos]
There are moments in nature that test your courage, condense your reality into your most immediate surroundings, and ensnare you in a world of blissful wonder all at the same time. This is how I felt this past weekend hiking Angel’s Landing trail in Zion National Park in Southern Utah. Zion is a canyon oasis... Continue Reading →
Taming the Wavering Mind: Thoughts from Bryce Canyon [photos]
I recently started talking to a therapist about my anxiety and fears through an app called Talkspace. As a side note before we get into things, Talkspace is an app that will find you a licensed therapist best suited to your situation. You can communicate with them through text, audio and video clips, and even... Continue Reading →
Trip to the Grand Canyon: A World of Spectacle and Serenity [Photos]
I live in Flagstaff, AZ now so I had to make my way to the Grand Canyon at some point, being that it is only an hour away. I had heard people talking about it in the past and they always seemed to say the same thing, “It’s indescribable. It’s beyond words.” I half-heartedly took... Continue Reading →
My Colorado Adventure: Reconnecting with Nature and Myself [Photos]
Sometimes life presents you with curveballs and you have to just lean into it and go. I got a wild hair and started travel nursing about nine months ago after the opportunity seemed to present itself and I have loved it. I only have one week left living in the enchanted state of Colorado for... Continue Reading →
Reverence in a Delicate and Beautiful Oasis [Photos]
Natural beauty and quiet reflection can combine in a way that opens up all the channels of our minds and allows us to take in the world for what it truly is, a delicate, fragile paradise. It is like stepping out of the cave for the first time and opening one’s eyes to the vastness,... Continue Reading →