Mind the Switchback

 A switchback is a zig-zagging section of a road used to tackle a steep slope. Switchbacks are the reason why, when we lived in Guatemala, distance on a map gave no indication as to how long travel would take, because what appears to be 15 miles on a map can double, triple, quadruple in zig-zagging up one side of a mountain and back down the other.  Switchbacks are also frequently found on trails, and while it may be tempting to forgo the switchback and cut corners to a more direct route - DON'T DO IT! Switchbacks are important for preventing erosion! Cutting switchbacks can harm the trail and the ecosystem. It can result in those closed off sections you encounter on a trail that are trying to be repaired. According to this information from the Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky , switchback cutting is prohibited by law there. So I'll give you good reasons to mind the switchback - cutting may be illegal and it's definitely a jerk move.  But guess who didn't know a

My writing used to be more music-focused, until Covid took the music away - temporarily.  I went to a LOT of shows and spent a lot of time writing about live music events. I had just worked up the nerve to start concert photography when Covid came down upon us like the ultimate party pooper of the century. Black Lips at the Duck Room on March 10th was to be my first photography gig. Unfortunately, the guest list didn't work out and I was still timid enough that I took the small obstacle as an opportunity to completely chicken out. "Op! Wasn't meant to be! Guess I'll have to try again another time!!" Little did I know there wouldn't be another time for a long time. Two days later, the Melted Musical Festival we were supposed to attend in Columbus, Ohio got cancelled. The photo above is the closest I can get to concert photography at the moment - a picture of my TV streaming OSees live at Big Sur, which Ryan surprised me with as an early Christmas gift. I love t

And what a terrific problem to have!!  We found this beauty in Southern Illinois on a magical, not-another-human-in-sight trail. Ryan spotted it from a good distance, glowing on the end of a fallen tree. Thankfully, I had just gifted him a proper specimen collecting bag from Fungi Perfecti , so we had a proper place to store it while we finished our hike! The bag is nice because the netted design and hoop around the bottom helps ensure the 3 key qualities for mushroom storage: dry, cool, and air flow.  We kept the mushroom (along with some oysters we found further on) in my hatchback overnight, as the weather was in the 30-50F degrees range. We set it on the scale and realized what a beautiful and weighty specimen we had collected, and immediately set to googling recipes.   Thing is, most recipes call for a half to a full pound - at most - of Lion's Mane. We had 3+ to manage! And neither of us had ever eaten Lion's Mane, only heard how incredible it tasted. So add a t

Christmas weekend brought us some beautiful weather. Mid-50s and sunny! But also the Sunday after Christmas, the middle of holiday break season, when it seemed lots of folks would be interested in some outdoors time. So, we looked for a reasonably difficult but not-too-time consuming hike with low traffic, and this fit the bill.  I'd read the Trail of Tears sections in Illinois, while of immense historical significance, made for largely uneventful hiking. This trail wasn't exactly loaded with features, but the slope was plenty eventful. Aside from a few flat stretches running along the top of a ridge, the hike was a constant climb or descent, which packs a lot of activity into a 3-mile hike. This out-and-back trail turned around at an amazing view of the Mississippi River, which I bet is most enjoyable in the winter. We sat and had sandwiches, watched gulls float along the shore, listened to the wind in the trees, and tried out our new binoculars til we could read the numb