Travelogue of Travel Writing & Photos

Latest Trips

Portorož, Piran & Lipica: Experiencing the Istrian Peninsula & Karst Region of Slovenia

Posted on May 31, 2024June 10, 2024By Heather

Strolling along the boardwalk from the elegant Grand Hotel Bernardin in Portorož, the Adriatic coast seemed calm with clear water and gently lapping waves. Minutes … Continue ReadingPortorož, Piran & Lipica: Experiencing the Istrian Peninsula & Karst Region of Slovenia

Abroad Short Stops

Springtime in Lower Town, Zagreb in Croatia

Posted on May 26, 2024June 10, 2024By Heather

The air smells rich with the aromas of homemade cheeses, fresh pastas and pastries. Red-striped umbrellas shelter row upon row of wooden stalls and tables … Continue ReadingSpringtime in Lower Town, Zagreb in Croatia

Abroad Adventure Travel Hiking

Experience Wonders of Wildlife and the Ancient Maya in Yucatán, Mexico

Posted on February 19, 2024December 5, 2024By Heather

Witnessing Chichén Itzá, Wonder of the World Exploring ruins at Zona arqueológica de Coba Observing Spider Monkeys at Punta Laguna Snorkeling with stingrays and sea … Continue ReadingExperience Wonders of Wildlife and the Ancient Maya in Yucatán, Mexico

Domestic Short Stops

San Diego Zoo Animal Portraits

Posted on January 1, 2024May 26, 2024By Heather

The year my dad made us “Friends of the Zoo” at our local Kansas City Zoo was one of the most memorable of my childhood. I recall frequent … Continue ReadingSan Diego Zoo Animal Portraits

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Photography from O’ahu, Hawaii in September

Posted on December 23, 2023December 23, 2023By Heather

Family and work travel can be unproductive for many photographers. Fast-paced itineraries and going with the flow of a group make it tougher to spend … Continue ReadingPhotography from O’ahu, Hawaii in September

Domestic

Animal Portraits from GloWild at the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium

Posted on November 4, 2023November 13, 2023By Heather

When the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium announced their GloWild event would return, I jumped at the chance to get tickets for this year’s “Around … Continue ReadingAnimal Portraits from GloWild at the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium

Domestic Short Stops

San Diego Up Close

Posted on October 23, 2023October 25, 2024By Heather

I had already written an extensive post about recommendations for visiting San Diego, but since then, I have frequently returned to visit family and speak … Continue ReadingSan Diego Up Close

Domestic

Morning views in Gulf Shores, Alabama

Posted on September 17, 2023December 23, 2023By Heather

Admittedly, I underestimated coastal Alabama as an outdoor travel destination. But when the Outdoor Writers Association of America hosted our annual conference at Gulf State … Continue ReadingMorning views in Gulf Shores, Alabama

Adventure Travel Dog-Friendly Domestic Hiking

Mountain goats on the McCullough Gulch Trail hike in Colorado

Posted on September 12, 2023October 24, 2024By Heather

Something always stands between me and the goats. I haul all my stupid, heavy photography gear on my back for miles into thinning air, hoping … Continue ReadingMountain goats on the McCullough Gulch Trail hike in Colorado

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

River reconnection: backpacking the North Fork Skokomish River Trail in Olympic National Park

Posted on August 23, 2023October 24, 2024By Heather

Why would any sane, rational human being leave the comfort of their home with air conditioning and plumbing, strap 40 pounds of gear onto their … Continue ReadingRiver reconnection: backpacking the North Fork Skokomish River Trail in Olympic National Park

Domestic

Skåne, Sweden is for the birds.

Posted on June 28, 2023November 12, 2024By Heather

Tap photos to view full-size. Photos best viewed full-size on desktop computers. I recently traveled to Sweden for a speaking engagement in Stockholm, and added … Continue ReadingSkåne, Sweden is for the birds.

Abroad

Spring Comes to the Netherlands: Exploring Scenic Landscapes Outside Amsterdam

Posted on May 18, 2023May 29, 2023By Heather

My trip to the Netherlands began and ended in its busy capital, Amsterdam. I spent days walking the assortment of brick, cobblestone and asphalt along … Continue ReadingSpring Comes to the Netherlands: Exploring Scenic Landscapes Outside Amsterdam

Abroad

Barbados: A Tale of Two Coasts

Posted on February 9, 2023January 15, 2024By Heather

A fan pushes warm, humid air around the room. The first hint of hazy morning light seeps through slatted wooden blinds, the bright blue curtains … Continue ReadingBarbados: A Tale of Two Coasts

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Peru Creek: Crapping in a Bag & Other Stories

Posted on January 2, 2023October 24, 2024By Heather

This is a story about defeat, joy, and grief. It is full of adventure and misadventure, with a touch of prescience. Twists and turns. Bathroom humor. Summit season 2022 was unsuccessful, but mountain season was a hit. Buckle up; it’s a ride. … Read More >Peru Creek: Crapping in a Bag & Other Stories

Domestic Travel Tips

Voyageurs National Park in Northern Minnesota

Posted on August 8, 2022June 9, 2024By Heather

It appears that 2022 is the year I visit national parks experiencing extraordinary flooding events. In the spring, massive flooding washed out vast parts of … Continue ReadingVoyageurs National Park in Northern Minnesota

Dog-Friendly Domestic

Paradise Valley, Montana: A Cabin at the Foot of Emigrant Peak

Posted on June 25, 2022June 25, 2022By Heather

This story is continued from Western Kitsch: The Black Hills of South Dakota. After our gripping adventure rerouting several hours out of our way from … Continue ReadingParadise Valley, Montana: A Cabin at the Foot of Emigrant Peak

Domestic

1% of 1% of Yellowstone National Park

Posted on May 29, 2022August 25, 2023By Heather

June 15, 2022 – Yellowstone National Park Update: I published this story just two weeks before record-breaking floods occurred at Yellowstone National Park, causing widespread … Continue Reading1% of 1% of Yellowstone National Park

Domestic Hiking

Western Kitsch: The Black Hills, South Dakota

Posted on May 21, 2022August 25, 2023By Heather

We daydreamed about visiting Badlands area for years. We were drawn by the mystique of its wide open spaces, curious about its strange, striated western … Continue ReadingWestern Kitsch: The Black Hills, South Dakota

Domestic Hiking

Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge

Posted on March 20, 2022September 10, 2023By Heather

I have been setting my sights on day trip destinations near Kansas City. I’m seeking places to branch out and shoot landscape and wildlife photography. … Continue ReadingLoess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge

Domestic

Four Seasons of Loose Park Photography in Kansas City, MO

Posted on February 2, 2022August 25, 2023By Heather

One landscape photographer pro-tip I received was to choose a place near your home that you can return to again and again, at all times … Continue ReadingFour Seasons of Loose Park Photography in Kansas City, MO

Abroad

Working for Democracy and Peace in Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Posted on January 5, 2022March 18, 2022By Heather

This Thanksgiving I served as an international election observer in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. I entered the Central American country hoping to support democracy and see Honduras … Continue ReadingWorking for Democracy and Peace in Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Domestic

50 Miles on the Flint Hills Nature Trail

Posted on November 22, 2021August 25, 2023By Heather

My two fitness goals this year were to summit another 14,000-foot peak and do a 50-mile hike in four days. I completed Huron Peak in … Continue Reading50 Miles on the Flint Hills Nature Trail

Domestic Hiking

Photography from Snoqualmie Falls, Washington

Posted on November 20, 2021August 25, 2023By Heather

The Pacific Northwest continues to be one of my favorite parts of the country. On a recent work trip to Seattle, Washington, one of our … Continue ReadingPhotography from Snoqualmie Falls, Washington

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Hiking Huron Peak 14er in Colorado

Posted on August 31, 2021August 8, 2023By Heather

Fear has been a consistent companion in my life. At age 10, I negotiated my way out of the deep end of the pool during … Continue ReadingHiking Huron Peak 14er in Colorado

Domestic Short Stops

Sunrise at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland

Posted on July 24, 2021May 26, 2024By Heather

I recently had the opportunity to return to Annapolis, Maryland to visit family, and we awoke early to visit the United States Naval Academy yard … Continue ReadingSunrise at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland

Dog-Friendly Domestic Hiking

The 50-Miler That Wasn’t: Indiana’s Knobstone Trail

Posted on June 26, 2021August 25, 2023By Heather

I set two simple outdoor fitness goals this year – hike and summit at least one 14,000-foot peak, and segment hike a 50-miler. I tend … Continue ReadingThe 50-Miler That Wasn’t: Indiana’s Knobstone Trail

Domestic Hiking

The Sonoran Desert & Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Posted on May 13, 2021August 25, 2023By Heather

The types of cactus and landscape change as we approach Arizona from New Mexico. The saguaros sparse at first, appearing only occasionally among other cactus … Continue ReadingThe Sonoran Desert & Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Dog-Friendly Domestic

White Sands National Park, New Mexico

Posted on April 20, 2021August 25, 2023By Heather

The last time I saw White Sands was more than two decades ago, when it was still a national monument. My younger brother and I … Continue ReadingWhite Sands National Park, New Mexico

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Bryce Canyon National Park

Posted on January 12, 2021August 25, 2023By Heather

Bryce Canyon in southern Utah is the last of the four national parks I visited on this road trip. (Prior parks: Capitol Reef National Park … Continue ReadingBryce Canyon National Park

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Capitol Reef National Park

Posted on December 19, 2020August 25, 2023By Heather

Capitol Reef National Park was the major destination on my 3-week long national parks road trip. I dedicated the whole day to slow, quiet hiking … Continue ReadingCapitol Reef National Park