In my 30s, I trained in search and rescue and got my Wilderness First Responder certificate, the industry standard for professional guides and trip leaders. I was motivated to do this because I loved the outdoor backcountry and had already gotten seriously lost once in Superior National Forest, Minnesota. That scared me enough that I […]
When I went on this last camping trip, I rented a 2014 Jeep Wrangler because the last time I took my car up these mountain roads, I popped off a lower door panel. I had no idea how much fun I would have driving the Jeep. On the highways, being up higher than most and
In the picture above my canine companion, Kaya, is drinking from a mountain stream on our recent trip up into the Adirondacks of upstate New York. I took a jeep up into the hinterlands, getting as far as Lyon Mountain, just 22 miles south of the Canadian border. I rented a 2014 Jeep Wrangler (4×4,
Wilderness with Kaya Read More »
When you read this, Kaya, my canine companion, and I are deep off the grid in the Great Northeast for a week of Nature. No connectivity. Forest, river, sky, trees, dirt… magic all around. Kaya is being fitted for Sita’s dog pack above. That’s a week ago when I wrote this. Sita and I appear
Here I am holding jalapenos fresh from the garden. Behind me are a mass of marigolds and a wall of cherry tomatoes picked clean for the time being, but more to come. I love jalapenos! They are my perfect heat for so many recipes, including those that call for them raw. Marigolds remind me of
The Fruits of Our Labor Read More »
My son, Gabe, took me to two climbing gyms last week. I was pleasantly surprised at what a great workout it provided. It’s amazing to learn which muscles it draws on, most discernable by the soreness that develops over the following days. But, to be fair, that’s true with any new physical activity. I think
As I write this, I am traveling with my son, Gabe. He’s 24. This tradition started when he was three and has been missed only a few times for extenuating circumstances. This year is a transition as he starts graduate school in the fall studying sociology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. I lived
Ritual & Spontaneity Read More »
My birthday was Saturday, July 9, which was also the 154th anniversary of the 14th amendment to the US Constitution. There’s an interesting story about its ratification. The 14th Amendment overturned the infamous 1857 Dred Scott decision, which said (a) Black men were not citizens and did not have the rights of citizens, and (b)
Our new dog, Kaya, is a timid soul. She experienced some sort of trauma before we rescued her and does not display any form of aggression toward people. I have seen her sit on our living room couch and watch calmly as strangers entered our home. But, fireworks and thunder are another story. To those
My wife and I walked with our dog, Kaya, in one of the city parks here in Bethesda, Maryland, when we had a chance to see two deer eating close to the trail. They were obviously used to people as they took a moment to look directly at us and then kept feeding on the
