Hey guys, my name is Kristen, the author of Yonderlust Ramblings, and I am a full time blogger, writer, mother, wife, sister, daughter, aunt, Texan, cheese-aholic, and grammar nerd, but I am also an active travel chaser! Are you looking for more from your vacations?  A different kind of vacation? Active travel is the answer!

I am a huge proponent of “runcations”, “hike-cations”, “cycle-cations”, “high-pointing” or any kind of goal-inspired active travel! There is no feeling quite like crossing that marathon finish line, or summiting that tallest peak, or cycling that century ride, or hiking that backcountry trail! The possibilities for this kind of travel are rewarding and endless, and I hope to share some of the best ways to set active travel goals, conquer them, and explore the world all at the same time, with your own two feet!

So what exactly is active travel?

Active travel is not your traditional vacation.  It’s the marriage of hard work and exploration. With active travel experiences, your travels will take on a whole new direction and meaning, and give you that sense of personal growth and accomplishment that we all thrive on.  So what does that look like?

The summit of the Guadalupe Peak hike
The summit of the Guadalupe Peak hike in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas

 

Active travel is the concept of traveling to attain a goal or challenge, such as running a marathon in a new place, backpacking an unfamiliar trail, summiting a 14’er, cycling a century ride, stair climbing a tower run, or any other form of destination race or achievement.  With active travel, the journey to your destination takes on a new meaning, as it is not just the destination, but the culmination of training, pushing, persistence, and motivating yourself to accomplish that goal you have set before you.  Taking on a new destination with your own two feet is guaranteed to more intimately acquaint you and connect you to that place, as well as leave you with a sense of growth that no other type of vacation can give you.

What does active travel look like for me?  

I have run half marathons and marathons in the double digits now across the world, including in National Parks, major cities, the Great Wall of China, even the Arctic Circle!  I have hiked state highpoints across the country in my quest to make it to all 50 state high points in the United States, even getting lost on King’s Peak in Utah for a night! I have tower run skyscrapers in Dallas, kayaked local lakes in my home state of Texas, and trained for century and half century cycling races!  I have learned from each active travel experience I have pursued, and continue to enjoy chasing new active travel goals!  My mother once told me that travel is the best education, and I firmly believe that!  That being the case, the pursuit of active travel goals is a never ending source of education for me!

So you are interested in active travel, but are not sure where to start?  You are in the right place, and my goal is to provide you with the answers and resources to tackle your own active travel goals!

 

Want to tackle some of the hardest hikes in the U.S.?  Straight from someone who has hiked them MULTIPLE times?  I have in depth guides for you!

 

Want to cross the finish line of your first Half Marathon or Marathon?  I have customized training plans and training calendars that have over a decade of proven success!

 

New to Hiking?  Everything you need is here, from gear checklists to safety tips to training exercises to the best snacks to in depth trail reports on some of the most intriguing hiking trails across the globe!

 

Where can you go to start Cycling?  I have simple, straightforward guides to becoming comfortable and familiar with cycling, as well as training guides that you can use when you are ready to tackle your first big race!

 

Whether you are a runner, hiker, cyclist, highpointer, or anything in between, you will find the resources you need for training, gear and equipment, itineraries, and active travel destinations!

Yonderlust Ramblings is your all in one stop to take you from an ordinary vacation to an active travel experience where you conquer yourself, your goals, and your bucket list!

Your journey starts here…..

So, what will your next step look like?

 

A runcation on the Greenland ice sheet
A runcation on the Arctic Ice Sheet in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland