Adventures:

I love to be outside. I especially enjoy hiking and backpacking, but when city-bound I also love to bike, swim, or run. After growing up in Houston, I can really appreciate how many great opportunities Austin affords for being outside. There are dozens of hiking trails within the city limits, as well as some great parks for running or biking. Below is a list of some of my favorite trails in the city, along with a great website for finding more hikes. Scroll down the page for some thoughts and links about biking and backpacking, and check out the Trip Gallery to the right for photos and journals from some of my most exciting adventures. Enjoy!

My Favorite Austin Hikes:

• St. Edwards Park
• Bull Creek
• Barton Creek Greenbelt
• McKinney Roughs

You can find these and a lot of other great hikes at www.austinexplorer.com

Thoughts on Backpacking

Backpacking is awesome. Perhaps its just that I like to hike, and to camp, and backpacking puts those two together. Or maybe it's that backpacking gives you an excuse to buy a bunch of really cool (and overpriced) gear. Or perhaps it's that defiant feeling you get carrying everything you need on your back, as if you've actually succeeded in fulfilling the elusive ideal of self-sufficiency. Whatever it is, I love it.

I was lucky enough to get to lead a two week trek through Philmont Scout Ranch in 2001 (view a map of Philmont), and in Spring of 2005 I spent four days out in Big Bend National Park. I've also visited Palo Duro Canyon, though I didn't do any backpacking there. My other excursions haven't taken me very far from Austin, but there are some terrific trails and parks close to home.

You can check out my gear list if you're curious about what I usually carry. The trip gallery to the right has more details about my various adventures, backpacking or otherwise.