About me

The Missouri Ozark Trail:

The Ozark Mountains extend from Missouri, through Arkansas and into Oklahoma. They are the most extensive highlands between the Rockies

Winter Hike in Brown

With over 1.3 million visitors annually, Brown County State Park in southcentral Indiana rivals many of the national parks in

Winter Hike at Yellowwood

Seeing that it was going to be a clear cold morning, I headed over to Yellowwood Lake, located in Brown

Three Trail Cooking Methods

Wouldn’t we all love to have a fully prepared meal with several varieties of fresh foods after a long day

Trail-Worthy Curried Chicken with

Research shows that curry powder has health benefits as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Even if it didn’t, this dish

Campsite Chicken Pot Pie

If you have a little time in camp to make a more complete meal, this comfort food will go down

Backpacker’s Goulash

This hearty and tasty meal disappears quickly at camp. The spices are flavorful, but not hot, so it is pleasing

Coyote Gulch: Things to

Before my hike to Coyote Gulch in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument area in Utah, I had read many

Backpacking Buddies: How a

Whether you have just a slight fancy or a burning passion for a walk in the woods, it’s nice to

Hiking The Appalachian Trail

Despite rain and occasional thunderstorms, our week-long hiking trip on the Appalachian Trail in the Shenandoah Valley area was greatly

Three Best Cookie Recipes

  I've made many different cookies over the years, but I come back to these three family favorites again and

Calming Your Wanderlust Part

Whether you are feeling restless while waiting for your next big trip or looking to get out of the house

A Year of Hiking

2015 -- What an outstanding year for backpacking and hiking. This photo gallery has highlights from these very enjoyable and beautiful

Things to Know If

A group of eight Central Indiana Wilderness Club members got along really well on a recent hike on Section III

Eight Magnificent Days Hiking

A vacation to Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada is an unforgettable experience. Include a little time in adjacent Yoho

A Sunday Drive in

Driving on the back roads of northeast Brown County, Indiana we came upon many lovely and interesting things. (more…)

A Local’s Guide to

Although I love to travel, I have a wonderful place to call home.   My husband and I live in Brown

Autumn Comfort Food: Meatloaf

According to Food Network meatloaf is the most popular recipe search on their site in the fall.  Even before I

Shepherd’s Pie with my

I've gone through pounds of McCormick's Grill Mates Seasoning: Montreal Chicken, and not just for grilling.  In fact hardly ever

Shepherd’s Pie for the

Shepherd's Pie is one of my family's favorite meals.  This dehydrated trail version is a great vegetarian adaptation for a backpacking

My First (But Not

I almost didn’t get to go on this trip to southern Utah, and it still feels like it may have

Five Books I Won’t

Reading as much as I do, it's easy to forget some of the less impressionable books.  These books have staying

Brunswick Stew for Backpacking

On September 17, 2015 I co-led a trip to the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina with a group of 8

Banff and Canadian Rockies

  Our Canadian Rockies experience included many of the classic tourist attractions, but also trips into the back country and