Shared links
It’s hard to disagree with the opening sentences of Nicholas Kristoff’s piece Forget the Yacht. The Best Travel Is on Foot, Through Wilderness:
Some think that the best thing about America is its wealth, technology and modernity. Others point to its Democratic institutions. But I’m with the writer Wallace Stegner that America’s “best idea” is our spectacular inheritance of public lands — purple mountain majesties — amounting to about 40 percent of our nation. As Stegner said of our national parks: “Absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best.”
My buddy Mikah’s short film “Canyon Chorus” is playing at the Flagstaff Film Festival in September, and he’ll be there to speak live, too. You can also watch it on his website.
A Sense of Belonging. A lovely little post by @alexskunz@mas.to on how he’s rooted himself to San Diego County.
I’ve “grown roots” here also through the connection with the landscape, the chaparral ecosystem, and its plants.
These are the people who think the best things that have happened over the last fifteen years have come out of Silicon Valley, even though virtually all of those things are not profitable and have come with major downsides.
Reflections from the past
Backcountry badassery, or an immersive experience?
This has been one of the most cited posts on my website since I published it in 2017. And the older I’ve gotten, the more I find myself focusing more on the journey and less about the outcome. If you’ve ever asked me about how long it takes to complete a specific trail, you’ve probably gotten a shortened version of this post.
#outdoors #hiking #backpacking #trailrunning #NationalParks
Brr.fyi provided an interesting glimpse into life in Antarctica. #Junited2024
If you’re interested in travel journaling, here are a bunch of notes I’ve written on the topic. #travel #journaling
My buddy Mikah made a poignant, short film about coming out and being yourself, filmed during a rafting trip with his mentor and three other gay friends. It’s worth a watch.
slow.fyi is a handy little microsite that you can insert into a message when you don’t want the recipient to feel pressured to quickly respond. Perfect for commenting via email on personal blog posts!
#Junited2024
Another post that’s suddenly popular each summer is my guide to Travel Camping: how to fly and camp in a rental car. We’ve changed out a lot of the gear we bring when doing this, so it’s due for a big upgrade.
Every summer, this guide to how to make ice last longer in your cooler is one of my most visited posts. We’ve upgraded a few things since I wrote this in 2017, but the general principles all remain the same.
#camping #roadtrip
Every time I hear someone mention colonizing Mars, I think of this (rocking) song. Keep the cc lyrics on, and listen to it twice for the best experience.
And here we are, the red planet Craters cross the skyline A sleep sack in a bivouac And a Kerouac sense of time Oh, and we think about the old days Of green grass, sky and red wine Should’ve known, so fragile Avoided this one-way flight
Wait, so Brigham Young used to distill whiskey? Huh. 🥃🐸
Here’s a map of the Chandler Public Art Tour, which shows the location of murals and other public art throughout #Chandler #Arizona
Just added this to the various slash pages I already have on my website:
Here are a bunch of ways to get old school Google search results—you know, just the ten blue links.
Frommers tests then ranks the 10 Best (and Worst) Airfare Search Sites for 2024. Spoiler: the top aggregator spot goes to Momondo.
At Long Last, An E-Bike Battery Recycling Program: HungryForBatteries.org. Check the website for local drop-off locations and how to participate. #biketooter #ebikes #ebike