9 years. 5 legislative sessions. 100s of grant proposals. 28,000 miles of streams and rivers to speak up for. Dozens of floats, monitoring days, and presentations. Thousands of meetings, laughs, successes, snafus, late nights, and learning moments. That’s just a sliver of what working for clean water means to me. Today […]
Since tomorrow is my last day at Trout Unlimited, it seems fitting that I handed over the title to our 1994 Dodge Dakota pickup this morning. Trout Unlimited bought the truck for $1 back in 2009 and, because of its stamina and sheer willpower, we dubbed it the “Red Rider” […]
Ok, I’m going to pause for a moment to be a bit vain. I don’t usually succumb to girly habits, but occasionally I obsess about something somewhat silly like a dress or shoes or jewelry. Today, it’s my hair. I’m scheduled for my thrice-annual haircut tomorrow morning, and can’t decide if I […]
We just spent 2 days in a cabin in the middle of the mountains where Montana meets Idaho with our good friends, Pedro and Janaina. Jana’s mama from Brazil came, too (and rocked her first-ever snowshoe experience!), along with their 9-month-old, Clarice. We skied in the sun, ate good food, […]
Friends, family, loved ones and internet browsers: can you help us stock our library for the next year or so? I’m a voracious reader, and about to have some serious time to consume lots of written words while floating the seas. Rob, too. Unfortunately, I feel lost and adrift while […]
What I’m most looking forward to when we get there (and by “there,” I mean latitudes south of Montana and places more salty than not). Remembering my dreams again. Mangos and avocados. Watching the stars and sun move across the sky. Counting birds and dolphins. Bioluminescence. Time to meditate. Humidity. […]
Are you ready for Part 2 of the Travel Prep Mini-Series? We sure are! This entry is much more fun, since it means we’re getting closer to a final packing list and farther from those nagging logistical details of leaving our life behind. (In case you missed Part 1, click here […]
So many people have asked me how I feel about my sister leaving for an indefinite period of time. I try to come up with a sufficiently meaningful answer, but it seems to fall short every time. Because frankly, I’m trying not to think about it. I took a walk […]
We leave one month from tomorrow. Whoa. As the departure date approaches, the main question we hear (aside from “are you getting excited?!”) is “where, exactly, are you guys going?” Here’s the answer: On March 26th, we fly from Missoula, Montana to Cabo San Lucas in Baja California. We’re hoping […]
The tears just keep on rolling. I could blame it on the full moon or hormones, both of which are certainly affecting my mood. But I’d be lying if I didn’t give credit to the fact I’m just plain sad to say goodbye to my loved ones. I cry when […]
Two weeks ago, I shook my booty in a last hoorah onstage for Missoula’s signature (and super awesome) Off the Rack fundraiser event. The purpose: raise money for our local Blue Mountain Clinic and raise awareness about sexual choice and diversity. The unifying theme: costumes made of condoms. My friend […]
We’re flying home from Philly tonight. As this dark and quiet plane starts to settle down toward Montana, my thoughts are full of family left behind. It struck me during this visit how different we seem to the rest of Rob’s family (and maybe to lots of other friends and family, […]
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I’m sitting in the grungy hallway of a junior high school in the suburbs of Philadelphia. The buzzing fluorescent lights highlight the 1970s avocado-green tiles, and illuminate Rob and his brother, Brent, playing volleyball in the gym a few yards ahead of me. We’re visiting Rob’s family for a week […]
My boss, Karen, likes to say that Missoula, Montana is the center of the universe. It’s certainly been the center of our universe this past decade, as we live and breathe the mountains, rivers and people that make this Rocky Mountain town so magical. We’ve also lived with the not-so-magical […]
“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.” – Edward Abbey. by: Cassidy Randall (M.U.P. Files contributor) I am shaped by sun and desert. I wonder that snow has found its way into my bones, […]
A fellow Montanan — and friend of our friends — Tyler Bradt is about to set sail across the Pacific on a similar voyage to our own. Only difference is that he has a boat already, while we’re crewing on other people’s boats. Oh, and also the fact that he […]
Last week, I had coffee with my friend, Kim. She and her family are planning to take a year off to sail soon (go, Kim!), and I talked her ear off about how to prepare. Kim madly scribbled down notes as I rattled off websites, resources and advice about the […]
Note: The M.U.P Files are a new community corner of On the Horizon Line. Look for stories from our friends and family related to expanding their hometown horizons. Let us know if you want to contribute! Why “The M.U.P Files”? Because these dispatches from the desks of our loved ones will be […]
Remember our recent foray into homesteading? Here’s a short video clip that showcases a few highlights:: 1) Kipp and Christine’s adorable 8-week-old puppy, Penny. 2) A not-very-good but fun-to-play rendition of our group’s version of “Wagon Wheel” (aka the “Freebird” of our generation), which is redeemed by Brad’s fiddle playing. […]
Sometimes, all you need to rejuvenate is quality time with close friends. Rob, Cass and I drove 7 hours from Missoula to the Columbia Gorge to spend a long weekend with friends in Mosier (pronounced Moe-sure for real, or MOE-zee-eh, if you like to add in a fake French accent […]
I don’t run, usually. Occasionally, though, tension builds up in my body and pushes toward my throat. Right about when it’s starting to choke me, I put on some shoes and start running. It’s rare. Maybe 3-4 times a year. Today was one of those occasions. About 2pm at the […]
Lately, we’ve been asked often by our friends and family: “Why are you going to crew on someone else’s sailboat instead of just buying your own?” (Check out our Panama Canal post to read more about who we’re crewing with across the Pacific Ocean.) Great question. Here are several answers. […]
I just checked my credit card statement, and had to take several deep breaths. Once I was sure I wouldn’t hyperventilate, I opened my eyes again to look at the carnage: Amazon, Apple, Expedia … repeat. Whoa. How naive I was, thinking we’d just stuff a backpack with some bathing suits […]
This month marks the 14th anniversary of my first yoga class. A couple of years after that first “Intro to Yoga” course in college, I found my niche in a vinyasa class in Ocean Beach, San Diego. It taught me to breathe through stress, and that it was ok to […]