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I always liked hiking but never truly 'got' it. Then I went to the Southwest and zen'd out on some desert-y trails (Seven Falls in Tucson for those keeping track at home). Here, during January, you can experience every season in the span of an hour while observing roadrunners in their natural habitat. It's eerily silent and, when it's all said and done, you're hungry enough to eat 10 plates of enchiladas.
Jan 23, 2024
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Lol I think it’s clear here how obsessed I am with this region. I’m particularly a fan of Flagstaff, AZ and northern New Mexico, but I also really like Tucson.
Seems like the perfect place to spend this length of time in since I could imagine the isolation, distance from international airports, and politics of the surrounding areas would get trying longterm. But for this length of time, you’ll have all the hikes in the world, amazing food, art scenes, and the healing power of the desert!
Mar 22, 2024
The southwest is my home and I didn’t learn to fully appreciate its unique beauty and culture for what it is until I left.
The wide open skies and horizons that seem to go on forever and the sunsets that come with that are breathtaking. The sparseness of the landscape is soothing to the spirit; the lack of humidity is wonderful for the lungs. The rock formations are insane. If you’re the kind of person who loves sunlight you’re in luck. And few things are better than the smell and splendor of desert rain.
Some areas like where I grew up can be incredibly isolated geographically and culturally from other parts of the US, where the nearest large (American) city is three to eight hours‘ driving distance away, surrounded with nothing but empty desert.
I would say the southwest starts in Marfa, Texas (highly recommend) and extends into SoCal, with the furthest north parts being in lower Utah and Colorado. New Mexico and El Paso have some of the best Mexican food in the country. The national and state parks are gorgeous. I don’t claim Arizona, especially since it’s become infested with Californians. Every city I have visited in Arizona has been the worst place I’ve ever been.
The environment and climate are hostile to human plant and animal life in a lot of ways (including urban planning in most major cities in the area) and the people can be suspicious of strangers and outsiders, brusque and unfriendly. The legacy of centuries of colonization, occupation, gunslinging outlaws, and war casts an inescapably dark feeling over the land. I admire the southwest because it’s an area where everything and everyone must fight to exist; it fosters resilience and self sufficiency like nothing else.
Sep 20, 2024
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If I got nothing going on and it's nice out in the summer or early/mid fall, there's a pretty good chance I'm going on a hike.
It feels good to get tf away from a lot of the noise and bs, and to instead touch grass, take in nature, and be present with your surroundings as well as yourself. I love solo hikes but I also enjoy going with a close friend or two for some company.
And ofc I enjoy the exercise and challenge/accomplishment! It's pretty sick when you're doing a loop trail and you look back mid-hike to be like "damn I did all that!" The endorphins are flowing, I feel good, and nothing hits like a nice meal and a beer after a hike.
I'm also biased having lived close to the White Mountains my whole life lol
Apr 22, 2024
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You can learn a lot playing tennis with old guys. That's how I came to appreciate the versatility of the fist bump, a gesture that transcends age, class, and NTRP rating. Don't know how to greet a co-worker IRL? Spot a micro-celebrity but don't want to be weird about it? Skip side hugs and just say no to a limp bro shake. Opt for the bump.
Jan 23, 2024
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There are few things as beautiful as a perfect pour of Guinness—and recently, I discovered that there are few things funnier than an absolutely awful pour. Enter: @shitlondonguinness, chronicling the many pubs that don't pass muster. Oh, lads...
Jan 22, 2024
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There was a time when dessert innovations just made sense (Dippin' Dots be damned). Some people view frozen custard as ice cream's plain midwestern cousin, but it packs a real punch—dense and rich with a heavy mouthfeel, it's an ultra-dairy antidote for the alt milk era. You can even turn it upside down without consequence.
Jan 23, 2024