in transit
Visual journal of Dec 2025. Back in March, just three months into Abby and I’s Brisbane-Tahoe long-distance journey, I took a leap. I guess applying and being granted an Australia Visa isn’t much of a leap in the moment. That is, until the weeks pass – a silly two weeks together in Indo of scuba, surf, and ‘trail running’, and another 2 weeks stateside in September made that leap become oh so real. On Dec 1 I moved out of Tahoe, leaving behind a rich, adoring community, and familiar terrain to explore the world Down Under with my partner. The following visuals are some of my favorite moments through December as we embark upon a new chapter.
Cheers
departing the Sierra, we couldn’t miss an opportunity to earn a few turns - sand boarding Death Valley National Park (middle), a taco stand in Lone Pine outside Whitney –the best of our entire trip– (left), Lee Vining outdoor mecca Woah Nellie Deli closed for the season (right)
Zabriskie Point (left and right) overlook shots midday before a playful trail run through the grain. Thank you Sierra Trail Run guide book for the recommendation.
Our meander to Minneapolis brought us to Flagstaff, another integral community in the trail running scene. However, we were greeted with snow. We took refuge with a day running the trails of Sedona, a bit south and lower elevation. Our next stop was the Grand Canyon. Fearful the steeply shaded north facing trails out of Kaibab were out for the season, we visited Pizzicletta as word on the street was their pizza was as divine as the trail wisdom from the employed pipeline of NAU running athletes (highly recommend). Abby and I enjoyed the most scenic leg-day descending and ascending Bright Angel trail.
Pics left to right: GCNP from South Rim, sunset supermoon rise above the Canyon, GCNP from South Rim.
Stuart being Stuart (left), Abby at Gooseneck State Park (middle), I would never quit running… (right)
Our time on the road cultivated so much childlike play, days of the week faded away and movie locations, trails, and the most scenic spots to see the stars and make coffee were our guiding lights. On our way north from Arizona, spent a frosty night outside Monument Valley to see the famous Mittens at sunrise and experience the Navajo taco, detoured into Gooseneck State Park to make cowboy coffee and enjoy the view (bottom right), and act out classic scenes from Forrest Gump (imagery from location in left and top right). Moab provided the comforting milestone of intercepting two of Abby’s dearest pals - Saydee and Tessa - who were on a Heart Song adventures backpacking trip. After a couple days in Moab, including an epic of a canyon trail run, and an easy touristy morning in Arches, we were onto Grand Junction, and our last leg of the roadtrip.
The last of our southern detour brought us to Grand Junction, Colorado to stay with some family friends. We indulged in a shower and a bed, chatted climbing stories, shared opinions on Bloody Mary mixes, and career pursuits of the healthcare flavor. Next on the itinerary was early Christmas in Minneapolis with my family, and a week of the holidays on the east coast. A looming storm in the Rockies prompted us to expedite our stay in western CO. A loaded up Subaru Outback lovingly named Ingrid (proxy payload test) at 6am over Vail Pass in storm conditions surely supplements any necessary caffeine to keep vigilance. We rested in Frisco and deliberated our options with Loveland pass ahead. We drew two Tarot cards from the cafe which determined our fate. Miraculously surviving the descent into Denver the plains of eastern Colorado and Nebraska welcomed us with beyond pesky winds - annoyance boarding dangerous.
We pulled into my family’s driveway and embraced what would be the rest of our December: love, comfort, and family.
Cheers.
Tarot cards (1) tune out the noise, when confronted with uncertainty, trust your intuition, listen to your gut (2) you are empowered to manifest your desired strengths