I’ve always loved road trips. There’s something about the way the world slowly unfolds as you’re driving. Just when I think I’ll die of boredom traveling I-70 across Kansas from Missouri to Colorado, I realize that the cloud bank on the horizon is actually the Rockies. It comes clearer into focus with each passing mile and the air cools as we climb in elevation. That sense of discovery only happens on the ground. It’s never been the same when I’ve stepped on a plane in Springfield, MO and disembarked in Denver or elsewhere. I’ve always found that to be a bit disorienting.

This summer, my daughter Sarah and I are taking an extended road trip to the Pacific Northwest. We’re going to discover new places, explore National Parks we’ve never visited, and experience West Coast culture. We plan to be outside a lot and hope to put our hiking boots to good use. Thus the name of this blog. I’ve enjoyed thirty-plus years in municipal government, working in both the economic development and planning fields. Thirty-plus years in high heels! It’s time to let my tendons stretch a little and spend a few weeks in hiking boots.