Hey Campfire Embers! I hope 2025 was an amazing year for you and your crew. Madeline and I have been debating kicking off the year with 75 Hard. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s a stupid challenge that involves two 45-minute workouts a day (one outside…in January 😬), following an eating plan, reading 10 pages of non-fiction daily, no alcohol, and a few other “character-building” rules. Will we do the full thing? Probably not. Will we attempt some kind of modified, less-insane version? Very...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hey Campfire Embers! Hey friend, I hope you’re winning in life right now. And if you’re reading this? You are winning. Period. We’re the lucky ones. Fortunate to be born in the USA. Fortunate to have options, freedom, and the ability to chase adventure. And this Christmas season, Sara and I have been sitting in that gratitude a little longer than usual. We hosted Christmas at our house this year — and here’s the win I didn’t see coming. Our basement is officially “gameafied.” Board games,...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hey Campfire Embers! I wrapped up my annual “12 Days of Running” challenge last week. Day one starts at one mile, day two is two miles, and so on… all the way to twelve. It’s fun, it’s festive, it’s tradition — and this year we had two snowy runs tossed into the mix. Our final twelve-miler? Running on snow was magical… until it wasn’t. My feet disagreed. My knees disagreed. Even the snow seemed to turn on me halfway through. 😅 But honestly, isn’t that just life? A hike is fun… until it’s not....
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hey Campfire Embers! We’re rolling into December with a couple of big family wins that honestly felt better than the second slice of Thanksgiving pie. First up—Jack is officially in wrestling season mode, and the kid came out swinging. Four bouts on Sunday. In the first one he dominated right out of the gate and kept that momentum all the way through all four rounds. Watching him flip that internal switch from “nervous” to “let’s go” was awesome. 🔥 Quick Hits 🏅 Jack crushed his first...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Hey Campfire Embers! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! We kicked ours off with a Turkey Trot, spent the day with family, and capped the weekend with an 11-mile hike at Mammoth Cave that was so boring I never even pulled out my camera. (If you want the trails actually worth hiking there, here's our list.) Quick hits this week: → What brown water really means (and when to panic) → The water filters worth upgrading → Two AI hacks we're using for ACT/school prep → One RV gift that actually gets...
3 months ago • 3 min read
🚐 Thanksgiving Miles, Teen Years, and RV Prep for Spring Hey Campfire Embers! Last weekend I logged nearly nine hours in the truck with Madeline as we headed to North Carolina for Nike Cross Country regionals. When your kids are little, you get all their time. You’re their first friend, their first audience, their whole world. Then the teen years hit, and suddenly you’re sharing them with friends, school, sports, and whatever universe TikTok decides to open that day. So getting two full days...
3 months ago • 3 min read
A simple lesson from the track that changed how I approach RV travel planning Hey Campfire Embers! 🏃♀️ Madeline’s Race and the RV Planning Problem Madeline ran a two mile time trial last week on a track. Strange setup for cross country, and her target was 13:50. She trained hard, hits that time in practice, and still landed just shy. With one coach overseeing thirty runners, it’s almost impossible to get the guidance she needs. Watching it unfold reminded me how RV trip planning used to feel....
4 months ago • 1 min read
From long runs to Alaska trip plans, here’s what’s fueling us this week Hey Campfire Embers! Happy Veterans Day! To all the members and retired members of the military, thank you for your service! 🎙 My New Secret Weapon for Capturing Brilliant Ideas This might surprise you—but I’m obsessed with fitness. From running to triathlons to hiking, I love pushing the limits. For years, I’d have brilliant ideas during a 15-mile run… and then poof—gone the second I stopped. Like my brain just hit the...
4 months ago • 2 min read
Planning, hiking, and learning with a little AI help Hey Campfire Embers! Last week, one of our embers (hi Chris 👋) asked a question that made me pause: “How many people actually reach out after reading the newsletter?” I had to admit — not very many. 😅 But Chris had a great suggestion: “Why not give people a reason to engage?” So here’s what we’re doing — and yes, there’s a little incentive. 🔥 Community Giveaway:If you’re planning a trip anytime in the next 12 months, hit reply and tell us...
4 months ago • 2 min read