by Paty | Aug 3, 2025 | France, Italy, Switzerland, Tour du Mont Blanc
After breaking my elbow while trail running in Colorado Springs in June, I was certain my dream trip around Mont Blanc was off the table for 2025. My elbow would need 8-10 weeks to heal, and there was zero chance my orthopedist was going to give me the thumbs-up to...
by Paty | Aug 2, 2025 | Oregon High Points, West Coast
Oregon County HP: #22 Difficulty: ⭐️⭐️ (on a scale of 5) Summit Elevation: 3,703 feet Mountain Range: Oregon Coast Range Ancestral Lands: Nehalem; Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla; Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde;...
by Paty | Aug 1, 2025 | France, Italy, Switzerland, Tour du Mont Blanc
Have you ever dreamt of somewhere that you desperately wanted to visit, but kept putting off the trip? This was my situation with the Tour du Mont Blanc (or TMB) – the 105-mile route around Mont Blanc in France, Italy, and Switzerland. I had a list of reasons...
by Paty | Jun 1, 2025 | Camino Primitivo, Gear, Spain
I hiked the Camino Primitivo immediately after my Italian Via Francigena pilgrimage in Spring 2025. In fact, I flew directly from Rome to Oviedo and began my fifth Camino route with almost all the same gear that I used in Italy. There were a few minor changes between...
by Paty | May 26, 2025 | Italy, Via Francigena
In February, I publicly announced my plans to walk 400+ kilometers on the Via Francigena. Soon afterward, several friends began referring to this upcoming trek as my “Italian Camino.” I can see their point of view. This new pilgrimage resembled my other...