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A public lands gratitude practice

Our national parks and public lands have played an oversized role in my life happiness. Many (perhaps even most?) of my best memories stem from trips to these treasured places. One of the best ways to remember these cherished moments is to relive them regularly—so I’ve begun posting photos from those trips in one long … Read more

tailgating group

A short weekend at the Vegas Bowl

It was the only bowl game that we would be able to attend this season, given our other travel commitments. And it ended up being the one that ASU was invited to. We got the official word that ASU’s bowl game would be in Las Vegas while we were on the other side of the … Read more

Best reasons to #OptOutside on public lands this Black Friday

This is a short draft written for #NatureWritingChallenge, a weekly exercise to spend an hour writing about a specific topic about the outdoors, then participating in a twitter chat with the other participants. This week’s topic is the title of this post; though as it turned out, this post is less about #optoutside on Black … Read more

5 surprising things to carry hiking in the desert

If you’re relatively new to desert hiking, you may be a bit surprised at these five items you’ll routinely see on the trail. Umbrella I bet you’d see more umbrellas hiking in sunny weather on desert trails than when it’s raining. That’s because umbrellas are a great way to provide some portable shade during your hike. They notably make … Read more

How to get your phone ready for your trip

The big trip you’ve waited for all year is nearly here. You finished the big work project just in time so you can relax and unplug while you’re gone. You’ve dialed in the itinerary so you don’t miss out on anything important. You’ve even cajoled your friend into feeding your cat. Now it’s time to get your phone ready. … Read more