Adventure at Any Age

Adventure at Any Age Adventure at Any Age explores hiking, travel, wellness, longevity, and living fully through movement, nature, and new experiences.
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Inspiring others to stay active, healthy, curious, and adventurous — wherever they are in life.

If these beliefs resonate with you, you’ll probably enjoy following along, whether for hiking, travel or just staying bo...
08/11/2026

If these beliefs resonate with you, you’ll probably enjoy following along, whether for hiking, travel or just staying bold and adventurous as we get older.

If they don’t, that’s OK too.

Life’s too short to pretend to be someone you’re not.

I’d love to hear what makes you YOU. 👇

08/06/2026

If you’ve already watched my video comparing trail runners and hiking boots, this is the next decision you’ll need to make: lightweight or midweight hiking boots?

Classic full-leather boots are incredibly durable, but for most hikers, they’re no longer my first choice.

For three-season hiking, I am in love with lightweight hiking boots. They’re comfortable right out of the box, super light, reduce fatigue on long hikes, and provide plenty of support for most trails.

When winter arrives, though, everything changes.

Snow, ice, traction devices, and snowshoes put much greater demands on your footwear. That’s when I switch to midweight hiking boots for the extra warmth, support, and stability.

The “best” boot isn’t about the brand—it’s about matching your footwear to your feet and the conditions you’ll actually be hiking in.

What do you wear most often?

Some of life’s most important lessons are never spoken.My grandfather was a man of very few words. He grew up in a one-r...
08/04/2026

Some of life’s most important lessons are never spoken.

My grandfather was a man of very few words. He grew up in a one-room cabin in the Colorado mountains and spent part of his life as a hunting and fishing guide. In the city he was quiet. In the mountains, he became quieter still.

One memory has stayed with me for more than fifty years.

One afternoon, my grandfather and his four sons, including my dad, spent the day fishing the tiny trout streams near our family cabin. The fish weren’t for sport. They were going to be our dinner.

As the day wore on, my dad and my uncles returned one by one with only a few small trout, or none at all. I remember wondering what Grandma was going to cook instead.

Then my grandfather appeared, walking slowly down the dirt road toward the cabin. Without saying a word, he held up a long string of trout, more than enough to feed our entire family.

As a child, I thought the lesson was about fishing.

It wasn’t.

It took me decades, and thousands of miles on trails around the world, to understand what he had really been teaching me.

I wrote about that afternoon, and the lesson that has stayed with me ever since, in my newest Substack essay, More Fish Than Words.

If you’ve ever felt that the outdoors has something to teach us, something deeper than reaching the next summit, I hope you’ll enjoy this one.

🔗 Link in the comments.

There was never one moment that made me who I am.It happened slowly.A childhood spent between the city and a remote Colo...
08/04/2026

There was never one moment that made me who I am.

It happened slowly.

A childhood spent between the city and a remote Colorado homestead. A grandfather who taught by example more than by words. A stepfather who handed me my first pair of hiking boots. Countless trails. Countless conversations. Countless ordinary moments that, over time, became the way I see the world.

Looking back, I realize these aren’t just lessons about hiking.

They’re lessons about paying attention. About belonging. About moving through the world with curiosity and respect.

Those ideas eventually became Adventure at Any Age.

If you’re new here, welcome. I’m glad you’re here.

I’d love to get to know you, too.
What’s one experience that shaped who you are today?

07/31/2026

The hiking world seems to have fallen in love with trail runners…and for good reason.

They’re lightweight, comfortable, and they’re a fantastic choice for many hikes.

But I think we’ve started treating them as the default choice for everyone, and I’m not convinced that’s the right answer.

After hiking on four continents, I’ve come to believe that choosing footwear isn’t about following trends. It’s about matching your footwear to the terrain, the conditions, and the level of protection you want.

For me, that usually means a lightweight hiking boot. Not because I think trail runners are “bad.” But because I don’t think they are the right answer every time. And if I have to pick just one, I’m going with a light weight hiking boot.

I want to feel comfortable even if I’m on rocky trails, overgrown paths, wet brush, loose terrain, and remote hikes where the consequences of an injury are higher. In those situations, I’m willing to carry a few extra ounces in exchange for more protection.

My philosophy is simple:

Choose the lightest footwear that gives you the protection your hike—and your age—demand.

I’m curious where you land on this.

🥾 Team hiking boots?

👟 Team trail runners?

Or do you use both depending on the adventure?

Let’s hear your reasoning in the comments. I have a feeling this one is going to spark some debate. 😄

What does travel give us that tourism never can?I've come to believe that the most meaningful parts of a journey are rar...
07/28/2026

What does travel give us that tourism never can?

I've come to believe that the most meaningful parts of a journey are rarely the ones we plan. They're the moments when someone opens the door to their everyday life and, for a little while, invites us in.

This photograph takes me back to one of those moments.

Fifteen years ago, my husband and I traveled to Atauro Island, a tiny island off the coast of Timor-Leste in Southeast Asia. At the time, there was just one eco-lodge on the island, run by a local family. We arrived by an old speedboat, bounced across the sea, and left behind most of the comforts we take for granted. I don't remember there being electricity, and there certainly wasn't air conditioning. It was hot. Really hot.

But it was also one of those rare places that makes you feel privileged simply to be there.

Timor-Leste sits in the heart of the Coral Triangle, with some of the most spectacular snorkeling and diving we’ve ever experienced. We could walk straight off the beach into vibrant coral reefs, and we swam through currents near an underwater rift so deep that submarines reportedly passed through it.

And yet...

When I think about Atauro Island today, I don't picture the reef.

I picture story time.

The family's children adopted me for that afternoon and I found myself sitting on the porch reading A Particular Cow while they crowded around, laughing at the pictures and turning the pages before I was ready.

That quiet afternoon has stayed with me far longer than anything I saw underwater.

It reminds me that the greatest gift of travel isn't collecting beautiful places. It's connecting with the people who call those places home.

That's what this week's essay is about. The difference between tourism and travel, and why, after my many years of exploring the world, I think the moments that change us most are usually the ones that never appear on an itinerary.

I'd love to hear about a place where you stopped feeling like a tourist and started feeling, even briefly, like you belonged.

A link to the full story is in the comments 👇

After 70,000+ hikers watched my mobility reel, many of you asked for the complete routine. Here it is. ⛰️A few months ag...
07/26/2026

After 70,000+ hikers watched my mobility reel, many of you asked for the complete routine. Here it is. ⛰️

A few months ago, I rolled my ankle while crossing a stream after an incredible day of waterfall hiking in Sri Lanka. The injury wasn’t caused by poor mobility. It could have happened to anyone.

But recovering from it caused me to really look hard at how I can make my body more resilient for the next adventure.

This carousel is the result.

💚 Mobility keeps your joints moving with strength and control through a healthy range of motion.

💚 Balance & stability help you stay upright when the trail throws you rocks, roots, and uneven terrain.

💚 Stretching helps restore movement, reduce stiffness, and prepare your body for the next hike.

I’ve been hiking for over 40 years, and one thing I’ve learned is this:

You can’t avoid every injury. But you can build a body that’s better prepared to handle the trail.

Save this post for your next training day, and send it to a hiking buddy who wants to keep hiking for decades to come.

❤️ If this helped you, let me know in the comments—which exercise are you going to add to your routine first?

07/23/2026

If you don’t do any other mobility exercises this week for hiking… do these three. ⛰️

After my recent foot and ankle injury, I went looking for the mobility exercises that give hikers the biggest return. These are the three I keep coming back to.

1️⃣ World’s Greatest Stretch + Deep Squat
One of the best full-body mobility exercises you can do. It improves mobility through your hips, ankles, calves, hamstrings, and thoracic spine. Adding a deep squat helps restore ankle mobility and makes climbing and descending feel smoother.

2️⃣ Clock Taps
This builds ankle stability, balance, and proprioception—your body’s awareness of where it is in space. That’s exactly what helps you stay upright on rocky, uneven trails.

3️⃣ Single-Leg Reach
Strengthens your glutes, hamstrings, core, and the small stabilizing muscles around your ankle while improving balance and hip stability. It’s one of the most functional exercises for hiking.

Mobility isn’t about becoming more flexible. It’s about moving better, hiking stronger, and reducing your risk of injury.

Which one are you going to try first?

I used to think healthy aging was mostly about taking care of our bodies.I still believe that's important. But lately I'...
07/21/2026

I used to think healthy aging was mostly about taking care of our bodies.

I still believe that's important. But lately I've been wondering if there's another kind of fitness that matters just as much.

Curiosity.

My 89-year-old friend Helen recently reminded me of that, and it inspired this week's essay.

If you've ever wondered what really keeps people young at heart, I think you'll enjoy this one.

👇 Link in the comments.

Who's the most curious older person you've ever known, and what did they teach you?

PS - This photo was taken on top of Piddurangala Rock in Sri Lanka, watching the jungle wake up.

07/17/2026

If you’re looking for a hike that feels more like an adventure than a workout, put Mt. Wilson on your list.

This trail is 15 miles round trip with 4,400 feet of elevation gain, so yes… it’s rated hard. But somehow, it never really feels that way.

Why? Because there’s something fun waiting around every corner.

☕ Stop at historic Sturtevant Camp for coffee and a break in colorful lawn chairs.
🌲 Swing beneath the trees before tackling the final climb.
🔭 Explore the world-famous Mt. Wilson Observatory at the summit.
🌌 Visit the astronomy museum.
🥪 And reward yourself with lunch or a hot drink at the café before heading back down.

It’s like a hike and a field trip rolled into one—and before you know it, you’ve climbed a mountain.

Would you hike this one?

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