The best part of my (mostly) daily walks is getting outside. When I go out for a walk I am outside of my small office, which sometimes feels confining, and into a much larger, open expanse. Clouds, a breeze, trees, and sidewalks often feel more welcoming than my desk! Without walls and a roof, my walks themselves become the containers for my experience, finite in time and infinite in possibility. I imagine them like the Mason jars my mom and gramma used to make jam...they get

Before you set out on your longer backpacking adventure, find a place to try out all your gear before you are too far out in the backcountry to change anything! Recently, I went on an overnight with a friend new to backpacking to test out her gear and see what adjustments she might want to make before she heads out with her daughter in the High Sierra. Afterwards, we enjoyed the view from the Shake Shack! On a gear test hike you are gauging a few things, but most especially h

And how I had to learn some patience. Three and a half months after my total hip replacement surgery I found myself at the General Store in Kennedy Meadows, CA, a resupply place along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in the High Sierra mountain range in California. My first backpacking trip post-hip replacement surgery. While most everyone we met along the trail were headed to their next stop along the PCT, my husband I were hiking five miles and calling it a day. I was a little

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What every hiker needs on the trail! Basics vs. Essentials—what’s the difference? When you think of what’s essential for a hike you might think good shoes and a daypack. Those are some of the basics for being comfortable on the trail along with clothing and socks that wick moisture. In addition to the basics for a good experience, the essentials are meant to keep you safe in the outdoors.  What in the past was a list of 10 specific items to bring along, the list of the 10

The Silver Lake stairs are known for their brightly painted steps! Step back in time as you explore the staircases that were created when streetcars took people to and from work. The stairs in Silver Lake were built to help commuters navigate the hilly neighborhood in this area northeast of the Los Angeles city center as they made their way to catch the streetcars to downtown. Many of the stairs are open to the public and are regularly maintained by neighbors, keeping their b

I hiked the dunes in Death Valley in early May—what an amazing place! While I was on the sand, I couldn't help but notice the passage of time as the wind swept up the particles so that footprints faded in minutes.   And across the vista was a mountain range that grew over eons, a combination of volcanic and seismic activity. Quick change.   Slow change. Both were evident. I know for me and for an awful lot of people I work with in coaching conversations, we prefer the quick c

One of my clients told me they heard somewhere about recognizing that when you say “no” to something, you then make room to say “yes” to...

Last year around this time, I started calling some of the fun things I was doing my "pretend spring break," partly because it made it...

This is the time of year that those of us in the outdoor industry affectionately call the shoulder season. Usually crowds are less but weather for outdoor adventures is still good—before snowfall in the High Sierra, for example.  Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to go out and enjoy the wonders of nature very much lately. For me this has been, and continues to be, the hip season. I got a hip replacement at the end of June. I’m so grateful I finally did that, especially now t

Here is a snippet from a coaching session I had recently (my own, so I will share freely!). I had a session with a peer coach with whom I...

When I told my dad I was walking at the beach again he asked me, “Are you doing a mini Camino or are you looking for ice cream?” I...

You might wonder at first glance what badassery and pilgrimage have in common. Let me tell you about a conversation I had with my sister...

I’ve arrived home. That was the intent of my DIY Pilgrimage to begin with—I wanted to walk from home to home. It was to mark the...

It seems weeks ago that I left on my DIY pilgrimage. But I’ve only been gone a handful of days. There have been a number of things I’ve...

My journey started this morning with a train and a bus. When I got off the bus, I decided to walk the extra miles and forgo the next bus...

I began planning my pilgrimage with the intent to avoid the military base because I didn’t want to think about it. I wanted to avoid. And...

When I initially put together the itinerary for my DIY Pilgrimage I decided to skip walking through the military base that is situated in...

As I begin to pack for my pilgrimage, I realize already that I have too much stuff. My body won't like it if my backpack is too heavy....

I am in search of beauty daily. Or the quirky. Or surprising. Or heartwarming. I was inspired by poet Ross Gay and his Book of Delights....