I’m Exhausted, You’re Jealous, and My Laundry is Never Getting Done
I’d love to tell you I’ve been “reflecting” or “practicing mindfulness” lately, but the truth is I’ve just been a vagabond with a passport and a death wish for my bank account. My 2025 was less of a “calendar year” and more of a high-speed chase across three continents.
I am officially so far behind on my travel blogging that 2025 is practically vintage history at this point. Because my brain is as scrambled as an airport breakfast, I’ll be tackling these posts in reverse chronological order. We’re starting with the fresh 2026 Japan powder-fest and working our way back to the beginning of my 2025 mid-life-crisis-on-wheels.
Here is the “highlight” reel of the chaos I’m currently sorting through:
Nagano 
Cross Country near Cypress Mountain 
Cross Country Sun Peaks 
Greg Skiing Revelstoke 
TMB-La Fouly 
TMB-Trient 
Zermatt-Matterhorn 
St. Moritz-Corvatsch 
Greg meeting friends while biking in Lusanne 
Biking around Lake Geneva 
Biking down Canal du Midi 
After Camping on the CDA Rails to Trails 
Lake Chelan Biking 
Archaia Messini in Greece 
Mycenae-Greece 
Togakushi Criss Country Skiing through Ancient Cedars and Shrines 
Myoko- Lottee Aria Resort
1. Japan Alps (The 2026 Kick-off)
Three weeks of “Japow.” I’ll be honest: North America has some explaining to do. After experiencing the culinary majesty and the space-age, heated-seat glory of Japanese bathrooms, returning to a standard Western stall felt like moving back into a cave. I’m not sure if I’m here for the skiing or the bidets anymore.
2. The “Chasing Snow” Odyssey
A frantic blur through Revelstoke, Sun Peaks, Cypress, Snoqualmie, Crystal, Mt. Bachelor, Hoodoo, Rossland, Lake Louise, and Banff. I’ll be reviewing both downhill and cross-country options, plus where to eat. Fair warning: After Japan, my “food suggestions” for the PNW and Canada mostly consist of me crying into a $22 lukewarm burger and mourning the lack of quality ramen. USA and Canada have a lot of work to do to meet the Japan Alps standard of “civilized living.”
3. Greece: Ruins and Olive Oil
A full month of touring. I’ll give you the rundown on the best ruins and the most charmingly run-down villages. I’ve realized I am now 85% olive oil by volume. If you need a review of which ancient rock is the best rock, I’ve got you covered.
4. Tour de Mont Blanc (The “Knee-Capper”)
We didn’t bike this one; we hiked it. Or rather, we subjected our patellas to a specialized form of torture. Highlight? Experiencing rain, snow, sleet, and hail all in a single 24-hour window. If you enjoy downhill knee pain and existential dread, this post is for you.
5. European Waterways: The Swiss “Flat” Lie
- Lake Geneva: You’d think a lake perimeter would be, you know, level. The Swiss disagree. They love taking you off-track and straight up ridges and “mini” mountains just to ensure your legs never stop screaming.
- Canal du Midi: A lovely ride, provided you can actually find the trail. Stay tuned for the mystery of the “Disappearing Path.”
6. Stateside Scenery: Smoke and Soaked Tents
- Lake Chelan & The Cascades Bike Club: This club is not for the faint of heart. They take great pleasure in routing you up steep canyons while forest fires actively try to smoke you out like a stubborn ham.
- Coeur d’Alene Rails to Trails: Our foray into bike camping! It was supposed to be majestic. Instead, we spent our first night huddled in the pouring rain, questioning every life choice that led us to sleeping on the ground in a deluge. Turns out, “adventure” is just a fancy word for “being wet and miserable in a scenic location.”
Why am I back here?
I’ll admit, I got lazy and pivoted to the “instant gratification” of Instagram and Facebook Reels. But then a few of my devoted fans (bless your hearts) pointed out that social media is where good content goes to die—buried by an algorithm or lost in a feed within 24 hours. They said it was a shame that my “unique perspective” (read: snarky complaining) would disappear into the digital void.
So, I’m back to blogging. Because you deserve more than a 15-second clip of me falling in the snow—you deserve the full, long-form story of how I got there.
Stay tuned while I sift through several thousand photos. Or don’t. I’ll probably be halfway to the next trailhead by the time I hit “publish” anyway. You will want to hear all about my food reviews in Japan-so stay tuned….
Encouraging the Minimalist Life 
