Picking the right trail shoe is probably the most important gear decision you’ll need to make for a Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. It’s pretty easy to work with things like an ill sized pack, an uncomfortable hat, or a heavy pair of trekking poles. If you get your shoe pick wrong, you could be forced to battle blisters, foot fatigue, and possibly injuries that would force you off of the trail. In this post, I’m going to break down what I look for in an optimal Camino trail shoe based on my experience on the Camino Frances, Camino Portuguese, Camino Ingles, John Muir Trail, Tour du Mont Blanc ..read more

Happy New Year! Buen Camino! And happy planning for all aspiring pilgrims in 2024. As a three time pilgrim with walks on the Frances, Portuguese, and Ingles, I’m always excited for the Pilgrim’s Office of Santiago to release their end of the year statistics report to see how The Way is changing. There are some eye-opening statistics this year that are sure to shape and mold the decisions of pilgrim planners gearing up for a walk in 2024. In this blog post, I’ll dive into my five main takeaways. 1. The United States Now Accounts for the Second Largest Group of Pilgrims The 2023 pilgrim data bri ..read more

After finishing with my main goal of 2023 by running the Grand Canyon from Rim to Rim to Rim, I needed a break from trail running and spent quite a bit more time on my bike. I always viewed cycling as a recovery activity for running, but as I logged more miles, I starting feeling like I really wanted try my hand at a gravel race for 2024. Like many, I’ve sat in awe by riders at Unbound, Belgian Waffle Ride, SBT Gravel, and many other top tier races. That interest had me searching for local races I could do without the expense of travel and the logistics of bike transport. The week I began my r ..read more

Living in Southern California, I get to spend a lot of time exploring the beautiful state and national parks of the American Southwest. Grand Canyon National Park is one of those places I return to time and time again. On a recent visit with my family for spring break, I stood on the south rim of the Grand Canyon and felt compelled to run from the south rim to the north rim and back. This wasn’t just an aimless hunch, as I had completed a Rim to Rim and a Rim to Rim to Rim in two days. I had never done a Rim to Rim to Rim (R3) in a single day though, and new in my heart that this was the year ..read more

The final leg of our Balkan summer adventure had us based out of Dubrovnik for a week. Our trip up to this point was nothing short of phenomenal, with visits to Zagreb, Lake Bled, Plitvice Lakes, Split, and Hvar. Like many, my fascination with Dubrovnik started with Game of Thrones, and only intensified as I continued with my research. Nestled along the stunning Adriatic coast, Dubrovnik stands as a living testament to centuries of captivating history. From its medieval origins as the Republic of Ragusa to its resilient spirit during the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s, this enchanting city has ..read more

Our summer roadtrip of the Balkans was off to a great start with visits to Zagreb, Lake Bled, Ljubljana, and Plitvice Lakes. As we transitioned into the middle stretch of our trip, we were excited to be leaving the cool and drizzly weather of the north for the warm and humid coastal climate of Split. The history and culture of Split is rich with character, telling stories that date back to its founding as a Greek colony in the 3rd century BCE. In 305 BCE, Split became the site of emperor Diocletian’s palace, which is were we began our self guided walking tour on our first day. Our self guid ..read more

After enjoying a few days in Zagreb with day trips to Lake Bled and Ljubljana, we made our way south towards the city of Split. We got an early start from Zagreb so that we could optimize our time visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park on the drive down. I took the advice of many bloggers and booked our entrance tickets weeks in advance to ensure we could enter the park early and avoid the long summer lines at the ticket gate. Upon arrival, I was really glad I did because we were able to cruise right into the park and start our hike. With nearly 300 sq-km of park and 16 lakes, there is a lot t ..read more

Back in the winter of 2020, I had planned and booked a summer trip to Croatia that never happened due to Covid. Like many that had to cancel travel plans, I took it hard and wondered if we’d ever be able to travel again. Fortunately, international travel opened back up in the summer of 2022 and we enjoyed a mostly outdoor trip walking the Camino Ingles. After walking the Camino Ingles, I had my sights set back on Croatia, and started planning early for a summer 2023 roadtrip. After a few months of planning and lots of excitement, we finally made our trip to Croatia and the Balkans a reality ..read more

The La Sportiva Akasha is back for version 2.0 with minor updates that will have fans of v1 happy. In a world of soft midsoles, super shoes, and carbon plates, does an old school mountain shoe like the Akasha still deserve a place on the shoe rack? La Sportiva has released an updated version of their popular Akasha mountain running shoe with version two. Designed for challenging and technical terrain, the Akasha II aims to deliver top level performance and comfort to demanding hikers and trail runners. I’ve been testing the Akasha II for almost a year now and have a mixed bag of feelings for t ..read more

Arizona is a land of natural beauty, history, and culture. It’s a perfect destination for those seeking adventure, relaxation, and unforgettable memories. My family and I recently took a road trip through Arizona during my son’s spring break, and we were mesmerized by the stunning landscapes, fascinating history, and warm hospitality. In previous Arizona visits, I’ve trekked down to Havasupai Falls and hiked the Grand Canyon from Rim to Rim. This trip was much more relaxed and much less physically demanding, but included a lot of driving as we visited the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Monumen ..read more