by Paty | May 1, 2019 | Appalachian Trail, Trail Journals
Today was my last day before I officially start my Appalachian Trail thru-hike. It was filled with lots of running around finishing last minute things. Like going to the dentist (no cavities, thank goodness). And mailing resupply boxes to a few locations along the...
by Paty | May 1, 2019 | Appalachian Trail, Trail Journals
On the flight back to the US from Costa Rica yesterday, it finally hit me. I’m going to be on the Appalachian Trail in another two days!! And that’s when the anxiety started creeping in. Dozens of fears and worries immediately flooded my brain. I’m...
by Paty | Apr 28, 2019 | Costa Rica, The Great Outdoors
During our long drive to the town of La Fortuna, we had to battle insanely slow roads as they curved through the mountains and around Lake Arenal. The drive seemed endless, and I battled motion sickness much of the ride. Then as we approached the final six kilometers...
by Paty | Apr 27, 2019 | Costa Rica, Places & Events
This Easter, we found ourselves in Costa Rica. Far away from pastel-colored eggs, foil wrapped chocolates, or baskets of goodies from the Easter Bunny. But this absence didn’t mean we were giving up on our chocolate fix. Instead, I booked us three tickets for...
by Paty | Apr 25, 2019 | Costa Rica, Day Hikes
On April 22nd, we celebrated Earth Day by taking a hike in Costa Rica near Arenal Volcano. In 1968, this volcano erupted without warning for three days straight, and dramatically changed the surrounding landscape. Hiking Arenal As soon as we saw Arenal Volcano looming...
by Paty | Apr 24, 2019 | Costa Rica, The Great Outdoors
Costa Rica is an outdoor adventurer’s paradise. Tucked between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, Costa Rica has long coastlines and some truly beautiful beaches for surfing, snorkeling, or windsurfing. Yet, the country also has a diverse interior, filled...
by Paty | Apr 22, 2019 | Day Hikes, The South
When I booked our campsite at Table Rock State Park, I didn’t know much about it. I just knew it was in upstate South Carolina, within easy driving distance of Sassafras Mountain (which was still on our highpoint bucket list and beckoning for a visit). Spending...
by Paty | Apr 17, 2019 | Appalachian Trail, Trail Journals
I was looking at GoogleMaps, and trying to figure out the best route between our campground near Lake Lanier up to Georgia’s high point at Brasstown Bald. Our earlier attempt to summit this peak last November was cut short by a patch of bad weather. That’s...
by Paty | Apr 16, 2019 | The South, US High Points
Order of Visit: High Point #11 Date Visited: April 16, 2019 Route Taken: Drive up to Bunker Tower parking lot. Type of Terrain: Parking lot is immediately adjacent to to the observation tower. Elevation: 2,405 feet Ancestral Lands: Muscogee /...
by Paty | Apr 15, 2019 | The South, US High Points
Order of Visit: High Point #10 Date Visited: April 15, 2019 Route Taken: Drive to Visitor Center parking lot and hiked up the Summit Trail to the observation tower (1.2 miles round-trip). Type of Terrain: The Summit Trail is steep, but paved. Those...
