Hello everyone! How is everyone this fine June afternoon? I hope you are enjoying summer break with pool parties , BBq’s, graduations and fun on the beach. With so many activities, summer can be a blast and a time for relaxation. I choose to spend my free time in the sweltering hot sun of the Las Vegas desert. Why on Earth would you do that and voluntarily? My son asks me the same question lol. The truth is, I love hiking! I love adventure and the outdoors.

A very good friend of mine and I started serious hiking about 3 years ago. We deceided we wanted to explore the outdoors and go to places traveled by few. We started hiking in the local mountains around the valley and oh my was that a challenge! When you are out of shape , it’s a lot of work! We really enjoyed it, so we pushed through the trecherous climbs up the mountain trails and endured. After about our 6th completed trail ( and feeling rather accomplished) we decided we wanted to expand our horizons. We started looking for trails outside the city.

I found a great app called AllTrails, which is great for hiking, kayaking ,walking or running. You just type in your desired locations and tons of trails pop up for you to explore. We started going to central Nevada, Arizona and some places in California. Every place had its own unique beauty and experience. My favorite trails to hike are definetly in the desert though. The view is so expansive and the detail of the landscape is breathtaking. Witnessing the past where a river ran through the mountain side, to see old abandoned mines or mining ghost towns, is incredibly inviting for me. I love to see the history of how people lived and how things once were.

This week, my friend and I went to a little gem in the Arizona desert called Willow beach. Willow beach sits along the Colorado River and is a great place to visit for swimming, picnicking, jet skiing, boating, fishing and kayaking. It also boasts a nice campground and a fish hatchery. We were looking for a hiking trail that morning , but decided to give kayaking a go. Neither one of us had ever been, so we wanted to try and it was a blast! It may seem a little daunting at first, but once you get into the rhythm of things, it becomes much easier. We kayaked up the river, baout 1 1/2 miles, to a little spot called Emerald Cove, it was breathtaking! The water was clear with brillant green shimmer, like an emerald! A truly peaceful and tranquil place to visit.

So what are your summer plans? Have anything to share? I would love to hear from you! If you live in the Las Vegas area and have never been to Willow Beach, check it out! If you aren’t from around these parts, let me know some beautiful places where you are from. I love to travel the countryside and the world. I have seen many beautiful places in my lifetime. I would love to keep that “journei” going. Happy travels!