Although I have been heading out to southwestern Montana every winter to ski for more than a decade, and most of my family has relocated there, my summer visits are rarer. And therefore very special.

It is ironic that in February 2021, when the world was in the midst of its lockdown I finally became a member of the famed Explorer’s Club. But a thrill at any time to join the esteemed ranks!

In a time when we all feel more than a little trapped it has been wonderful to join Reach the World as a Traveler, supporting their mission to give youths access to global possibility and global empathy. Revisiting the cycling ride across Botswana through their eyes has been hilarious and I believe deeply in RTW’s goal of enabling young people to find their adventurer within.

As someone who defines herself as a traveler and whose life is built around this pursuit, 2020 knocked me for a loop. First an artist’s residency in an Irish cottage set upon a windy cliff was postponed to 2022, and many months of international shoots evaporated in a matter of days. In the scheme of things, I knew I was lucky.

Back in June 2019 when Jen and Roz and I were returning from the Buddhuist and Hindu pilgrimage site of Muktinath, high in the Mustang, we came upon one of the many traffic stops on the new road which is still very much under construction (and very sketchy.) But instead of finding ourselves stuck, we stumbled upon an amazing impromptu dance party.

I am just back from Nepal, and starting to process an amazing month, and thousands of photographs, taken across the beautiful and ancient country. I am not sure what I expected as this was a particularly seat of the pants trip, in spite of months of planning (more on that soon.) Every plan it seemed had to be reworked, leading to better outcomes than anything we could have imagined. In some ways thats what makes an adventure.

When I arrived in Livingstone, Zambia to join African Spokes, Jen Gurecki gleefully warned that I should be prepared to be “the most disgusting version of myself.” An organizer and veteran of the 70 day trip, riding from Nairobi to Cape Town, she was on to something.

After the African Spokes crew departed to the south of Windhoek to traverse Namibia's gravel roads on their way to South Africa I headed to Hohewarte Guest Farm for a few days, to slow down from the perpetual motion and reflect before I headed stateside.

I did not realize that this former Colonial Police Station and Post Office located on thousands of hectares of land at 1400meters above sea level would in itself be such a special experience.

Camping outside for 2 weeks, we got into a routine, and the midst of wildlife, all a big part of being in Zambia, Botswana and Namibia.

Chobe National Park in Botswana is famed for its abundant wildlife, best seen from a water safari, and is an amazing region where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe all come together along the mighty Zambezi River - the only intersection of four countries in the world.  This is one of many areas I hope to return to, and travel west across the Caprivi region of Namibia.

Days were measured in kilometers traveled, and wildlife spotted, and the butt pain meter. But most exciting was this day, and the 14 elephant day, including many babies, almost white from the salt pans.  When we passed most they raised their trunks in unison, trying to figure out what we were, bicycles not being very familiar.  For this reason we rode in packs when in elephant territory.

I have arrived in Livingston Zambia a few days before I am set to join Leg 4 of the 6 Leg cycling expedition called African Spokes.  The trip runs half the length of Africa, from Nairobi Kenya to Cape Town South Africa, crossing through 7 countries and over 6500 km in 68 days of riding on a range of road conditions you might expect in, well Africa.  Participants from around the world are joining in a leg or 2, and 6 hardly souls are riding the full 3 months.  I was still training indoors while the snow fell outside my home in Boston when the first group of riders set out towards the Masai Steppes in March, and the group will arrive in Cape Town in late May. 

My father and I arrived at Portillo Hotel on a Saturday in July amid full blown arrivals and departures chaos in the chalet style hotel lobby which felt more reminiscent of summer camp than anything we had ever seen at a ski resort.