In my mind, Chang Mai was going to be a sleepy, historic town, but we arrived to a bustling city! And since we chose to stay in a condo near the university on Nimmanhaemin Road (or Nimman Road), we were right in the thick of it. The entire experience was so different than what I had imagined, and isn’t that the point?

It was our first day waking up in Chang Mai and out the picture window of the condo I could see the mountain we were about to hike up. The view of the actual temple we were hiking to was obscured by the other half of the condo building, but out on the street we looked up and saw the glinting gold structures. They looked so tiny and far away it was almost impossible to believe we were just going to walk there.

For my first time in the city, and with only a couple of days to dedicate, I decided to stay in old city Bangkok so that I would have immediate access to the historic sites. I know from prior travels that I can sometimes get overwhelmed when I’m in a new place and instantly have to figure out transportation to get anywhere. So it was wonderful to be able to simply walk out the door and come back for a mid-day break.  

Something I heard a lot before going to Thailand was how ‘cheap’ it is to travel there. And it’s true that you can get whole meals for less than a dollar and even stay in some guest houses for less than $5 a night. But let’s consider the whole picture. The ability to travel to a foreign country is a luxury no matter how you slice it…

Michigan is such a beautiful state! I find myself returning again and again for the incredible landscape and each time my Michigan bucket list grows longer rather than shorter.

A few years ago, I started to realize that I love winter in a way that most people do not. While bitter cold and dark days aren't exactly the height of joy, there is a peaceful magic in it that I deeply appreciate.  I notice it especially when I return home on a cold, crisp night. Standing at my back door in the dark, fumbling for keys, I will suddenly remember to look up and enjoy the night sky and the stars spread out above.

Monday, July 27, 2020
​I hurry to keep up with my trail angel, Flicker, as she leads me in from the parking lot to the Western Terminus. I don't want her to think I'm a slow poke, but I'm nearly in shock trying to take in the landscape. White pines tower on exposed cliffs over a swirling chocolate river. There are strange holes in the ground around me, filled with water and greened over with algae.

Friday, July 10th, 2020 (2:30AM)
I am awake because Matt is up and saying he doesn’t feel good. That he is nauseated. A pang of nausea hits me in the gut, too, and now my whole body wracks once with anxiety.

During the summer of 2020, I biked the 62 miles of bike path that runs along the Illinois side of the Mississippi River from Rock Island to Savanna known as the Great River Trail. I completed my journey over a series of trips beginning Memorial Day weekend and ending Fourth of July weekend.