Hiking, web development, best practices, and general awesomeness
Sunlight filtered softly through the tall pine trees as I eyed up my three kids. We had spent the last few months preparing for this moment, testing our limitations and gear, and I still wasn't sure if we were ready for this particular adventure. Day-long hikes and car camping were one thing -- an…
The last year has lasted an eternity. COVID-19 has impacted, well, the entire world, and my family wasn't spared. I don't mean to complain - we are blessed and privileged and are able to react to the uncertainty - there is just no question that every event in the last twelve-to-thirteen months has…
This summer I haven't had much free time to pursue my usual passion of solo hiking and backpacking. Instead, my weekends have been full of Mountain Rescue and parenting. Sure, the kids and I go hiking together, it's just not the same as the epic twenty-plus mile death marches that I prefer. Anyways,…
Arizona's 2019 winter was, to say the least, enjoyable. There were a number of days that showered the Phoenix valley and sprinkled white snow in the higher elevations. After one such wet event I decided to take the kids for a hike - not an epic snow hike, like our adventure in the Mazatzals, but…
My free time during 2018 was overtaken by Mountain Rescue and family. Which isn't all that bad, nor was it that unexpected, just means that some of the hobbies I used to enjoy and some of the goals I set for the year did not survive through December. And, to be honest, looking into 2019 probably…
With uncomfortable summer temperatures in the Phoenix valley, Katie and I decided to take advantage of a long-standing invite from some of her relatives up in Show Low, a small town that sits above the Mogollon Rim and is surrounded by pine trees and mild temperatures. The drive was a small…
In the ever-present struggle to find a reasonable hike for my boys there was one option that was simultaneously filled with potential and unknowns: Coon Bluff. This small hill sits near the confluence of Salt and Verde River and is in an area known for wild horses. It also has few official trails,…
Coffee is something that has embedded itself into most of my routines, as it has most red-blooded Americans. It started in college with cream-and-sugar concoctions that the thought of makes my stomach churn and has since changed into a purer enjoyment of plain black brews. Nowadays it's a standard,…
My goals for last year got massively derailed. I did not hike the Grand Canyon, take my boys backpacking, or do any significant work on my website. Two events forced me to pivot: the creation of the Mazatzal Project and joining up with a local search and rescue group. So, I suppose that 2017 was…
Being part of a search and rescue group is something that I've been thinking about over the last few years. There are a lot of reasons why it makes sense, why I think volunteering for a group would be a good fit, though I think it all comes down to how difficult I found Arizona hiking to be. Chris…