adventure
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Part 3: One Step at a Time — The Final Miles (October 4–6, 2026) After six days on the Camino, we were getting closer to Santiago de Compostela. We had already walked more miles than I ever imagined, met people from all over the world, and experienced moments I knew I’d never forget. But we… Read more
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Part 1: The Journey Begins (September 28–30, 2026) I’m not quite sure where to start or how to put into words the last 16 days of my life. Less than a year ago, walking the Camino de Santiago was just an idea in my head. Something I thought would be an incredible experience, but wasn’t… Read more
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A year ago, as I was putting together my 50 By 50 Bucket List, my friend Viki told me about a lake swim she had done with her family called Krossin’ Keuka. It’s a .67-mile swim across Keuka Lake that raises money for Keuka Comfort Care Home, a nonprofit hospice care home in western New York.… Read more
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This weekend, I checked off the 16th item from my bucket list: visiting the Golden Retriever Farm in Vermont. We had originally planned the trip to Vermont to see Sarah perform in her final Dance Force recital and decided to add this experience as a side adventure. A gathering of goldens is called a happy—and after… Read more
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For nearly 28 years, I’ve called the Washington, D.C. area home—and somehow, unbelievably, I had never gone downtown to see the cherry blossoms in bloom. Not once. Despite living within 20 miles of the Tidal Basin, I always had an excuse. And let’s be honest—cherry blossom season is notoriously chaotic. The traffic, the crowds, the… Read more
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For most of my adult life, I’ve been utterly captivated by the aurora borealis. The idea of standing beneath those dancing lights filled me with a kind of childlike excitement. Last year, during a JMU football game of all places, we heard the Northern Lights were visible as far south as Virginia. I immediately made… Read more
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Since we were already down in Harrisonburg for the JMU game, we figured—why not check a fun one off my bucket list? #13: Visit a Buc-ee’s. ✔️ For those unfamiliar, Buc-ee’s isn’t just a gas station—it’s a full-blown cultural experience. Founded in Texas back in 1982, Buc-ee’s is like if a convenience store, bakery, sweet… Read more
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This list is a mix of big dreams, little adventures, and meaningful moments I want to experience before I turn 50. Some of these have been on my mind for years, and others came to me as I thought about how I really want to spend the next 489 days. It’s not about perfection—it’s about… Read more
