Roanoke County, tucked down in the folds of Virginia’s Blue Ridge, is my home. For the first twenty years of my life I traveled very little. The ancient green mountains of the Virginias and the Carolinas were all I knew. There I fell in love with narrow rivers, muddy trails, kudzu choked hollers, and tree frog nights. Not until I graduated college, and decided to pursue a language certification in Germany, did I find out that the whole world was right outside my door.

Until then, I simply hadn’t noticed. And regardless of my assiduous study of fantasy novels, I did not heed the great wizard Gandalf when he told Frodo “You step into the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no telling where you might be swept off to.” I stepped out into the proverbial road of the wider world and I did not keep my feet. I have been getting swept off ever since. The last decade of my life has been spent traveling around in pursuit of beautiful bike rides, flowy trail runs, sunsets, espresso shots, train rides, mountain peaks, local crags, used bookstores, chats with eccentric strangers, economy tickets to wherever, gear swaps, the tastiest sparkling waters, and mass amounts of quality time in the outdoors with friends. I am currently transitioning from a seasonal lifestyle that facilitated my wanderlust into life as a carpenter. Ask me about it!

Favorite Vacation destination:

Highway 395. So many of my favorite haunts are here! Endless alpine adventures and so many good memories.

What’s your favorite hike:

Tinker Cliffs in Roanoke, VA. Part of the Appalachian trail’s “Triple Crown.” Very nostalgic for me. Great views of my home, bucolic farm scenes, and close to my grandparent’s house.

What’s your favorite bike ride:

Tyrolian in North Shore Lake Tahoe. Awesome downhill with the most intuitive jump features I’ve ever ridden.

Favorite movie:

No Country for Old Men

Favorite book:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling

Favorite Song:

Keep your Hands to Yourself by The Georgia Satellites

When did you first catch the travel bug:

I flew to Germany right after graduating college. By the time I got from the airport to our hostel I was hooked.

Hobbies:

Running, reading, writing, carpentry, biking, ball sports, racket sports, board games, road tripping, mechanical tinkering, learning new skills, downhill skiing, backcountry skiing, cross country skiing, listening.