The Ascent

Hello, Adventurers! Isn't there just something magical about being outdoors? It fills my soul with pure joy! The fresh air, the exercise, the sounds, the scents, the feeling of freedom—I adore it all! And with that spirit of adventure, I never pass up an opportunity to try something new. And that's precisely where our journey leads us this time! We find ourselves in the Poconos (Pennsylvania, US) for my daughter's very first Dance Nationals! This year marked her debut in competitive dance, and witnessing her growth as a dancer and young woman over these twelve months has been nothing short of incredible. She danced her heart out, and I couldn't be prouder. One of her performances even won the National Title and took fourth place overall across all age groups! My heart swells with pride! Now, let's dive into the outdoor adventure! The week flew by, and the plans changed a few times, but it was finally settled that I would hike Mount Tammany o

Greetings, Adventurers! As you might have noticed, since my layoff, I've been doing an excellent job of staying busy. Week after week, I find myself venturing out of the house or even out of the state! However, this week, although back from my adventures in New Hampshire, California, and Vegas, I'm not ready to rest just yet. Instead, I'm preparing to head to the Poconos for my daughter's Dance Nationals! But before that, what should I do? I'll be honest; I was a bit apprehensive about packing up, driving three hours, hiking for 5+ hours, and then attempting to drive back home. So, the idea of conquering another 4,000-footer seemed a bit daunting. Instead, I chose to do something I've wanted to do for a while—hike Wachusett Mountain . While Wachusett might not be as big, scary, or challenging as the hikes I've done in NH, it's always been in my backyard (I spent most of my life in Central Massachusetts), and yet, I've never hiked it! So, this weekend

Greetings, my dear friends, We have returned from our California adventure, but there's no time to rest for the weary! This weekend marks our first family camping trip, and we are heading to Crawford Notch Campground with the kids, each bringing a friend. I hope you'll wish us luck! But this trip also presents an opportunity for me to cross off another 4,000-footer from my list. The plan? Well, the plan is to head up the night before the family and conquer Mount Pierce via the Crawford Path . If you haven't heard of the Crawford Path, I highly recommend looking it up. It is renowned as the oldest continually maintained hiking trail that traverses multiple mountain peaks, ultimately culminating at Mount Washington. However, on this occasion, I won't be undertaking the entire 9-mile trail. Instead, my journey will lead me to the summit of Mount Pierce, standing proudly at 4,310 feet. This particular route is considered one of the easier options, covering appr

Greetings, Adventurers! Where in the world is the Adventuring TeddyBear? Well, this time, I'm not in New Hampshire! I'm currently in Palm Springs, California, visiting family. This opportunity arose unexpectedly, and I'm thrilled that I seized it! Prior to this, I had only been to the West Coast once for job training. But on this trip, I got to explore various attractions, such as the Griffith Observatory , the Walk of Fame , the Grove Marketplace, Palm Springs, and Santa Monica . And even more exciting was the chance to venture outdoors and witness the wonders of Joshua Tree National Park and Mount San Jacinto. Joshua Tree National Park What an incredible experience Joshua Tree National Park turned out to be! My partner and I had always dreamt of visiting the national parks, but it seemed like a distant goal with two kids at home. However, I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to spend a day here while visiting family. I was so pumped that I had practically t