Author Archives: Jessica

Desolation Wilderness Backpacking with Trail Mavens

Posted on by under California, Hiking, United States
Mt. Tellac

Mt. Tellac

I tromped my way through the backcountry in the Wicklow Mountains, in Western Ireland, desperately trying to keep up the quick pace of my fellow hikers, who seemed to be skipping easily across the weed-laden, muddy grounds of the valley floor. I was mostly trying not to get stuck in mud, which when hiking in Ireland is omnipresent. While they all carried on easy conversations at a 5-6km/hour hiking pace, I nodded and smiled, hoping my temporary distraction wouldn’t result in my falling over, or sliding down the embankment. One of the group leaders yelled back “careful now, last week your woman* got her leg stuck in the mud up to her mid-thigh! We had a hell of a time getting her boot back!”

Excellent. Continue reading →

Ten-Year High School Reunion

Posted on by under United States, Washington
Best Friends Since the 90's

Best Friends Since the 90’s

Back at my childhood home my best-friend from growing up (Cyndi) and I flip through our old yearbooks. We’re trying to figure out who someone (who we deemed “pink shirt guy”) was. We didn’t remember him. Which was odd because Pullman is small. Our graduating class was 200, everyone at least knew who everyone else was. We finally found him, turns out he’s in a different class. Which, makes sense, as the organizers of the event decided it would be a “social class” of 2005 reunion. Whatever that means. But this is typical of PHS class of 2005-we, as a class, were not fans of rules or expectations. We were, collectively an odd bunch.

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An American Summer: San Francisco and New York

Posted on by under California, New York, United States

GG B

I have a lot to catch up on. Mid June we left Dublin for San Francisco, and all of a sudden August is around the corner. A lot has happened, in particular-and likely the highlight of my summer-a backpacking trip with a fabulous Women’s only company called Trail Mavens. But that deserves it’s own post. As does my 10-year High School reunion this past weekend. Which was weird, and wonderful, and mostly surreal.  Continue reading →

Hiking Wicklow Mountains

Posted on by under Dublin, Europe, Hiking, Ireland

Views over Glendalough

Months ago, after returning to Dublin from Morocco I joined a hiking group. This weekend I finally went on my first hike. I’ve only been back from the Camino ten days, but have been itching to get back on the trail. So, I dove in, choosing to join a 20km higher difficulty hike around Wicklow, an area I’d been but had never hiked. But I figured, 20km was nothing, even with a near 1,000m elevation gain, right? Saturday brought a cool, clear day during a week of bizarre and mercurial weather. A welcome change, and a good thing too, as this hike would wind up being hard enough without the often present inclement weather.  Continue reading →