At times, it's so gorgeous, I kind of tear up a little. 

The last few years, I've been getting more and more into mountain biking. The Bay Area is an incredible place for it. There are dozens of gorgeous beginner and intermediate trails, from Arastradero Preserve in Palo Alto/Los Altos to​ Fremont Older in Saratoga/Cupertino.

​But when I have the time (it takes about 30-40 minutes to get there from Palo Alto, vs. 5-10 to get to Arastradero), I love biking Russian Ridge -- the closer to sunset, the better. 

I hate stereotypes about women as much as anyone else... but here's one that's actually true:

Almost everyone who participates in teen travel tours, service trips, and summer abroad programs​... is a girl.

I travel alone. A lot. It's super fun. It's never lonely. You're free to do whatever you want without worrying about other people's fears or physical limitations.

People say it must be "empowering" to travel alone as a woman. But, honestly, I've always found it way more empowering to backpack alone with my dog.

In Roatan’s Best Dive Shop For Experienced Scuba Divers, I discussed the realization that Roatan is NOT Bonaire. Though the shore diving is much more limited than I'd expected, I still had an time in Roatan.

I have a somewhat untested hypothesis to share:

If you want to catch more Dungeness crabs this crabbing season, don't use bait that's been in your freezer for a year. But fresh(er) bait.

​(And if you need a step-by-step guide to help you get started crabbing, click here.)

It's commonly believed that there are no more miracles. 

This is completely incorrect. I have personally witnessed not one, but two, miracles. 

Guys. While driving around Palo Alto this week, I saw FOURTEEN naked ladies!

It was glorious.

I just returned from the most wonderful little weekend in Calistoga -- despite the October 2017 wildfires, I saw zero scorched earth. Instead, I saw.... mustard flowers!

​Well... maybe not ALWAYS.

Last night was a rough night for basketball. Not only did Gordon Hayward suffer a horrific leg injury... but three (three!) of the guys I like playing with were unavailable for pickup, because it was "date night."

​What are the odds, right?

But it got me thinking, "How come I've never done date night before?"​