Journal
Essays and trail journals by Leah LaRocco.
April 5, 2017
Back around Thanksgiving when I was visiting family and half the people there were sick, I managed to catch a cold. A cold that turned into a sinus infection, that turned into an ear infection, that turned into sudden hearing loss, that turned into one of the most painful illnesses Read More
September 28, 2016
There are too many incredible places in this world to see, too many incredible places in our country to see. And I don't just want to see them, I want to experience them. This year marks the centennial of the National Park Service and what a happy birthday it's been. Read More
July 12, 2016
I grew up camping in Vermont. While other kids in school were going to Disney World, we would pack up the car and head up to the Green Mountains where we stored a little camper in a place called Camping On The Battenkill. My memories of this place are of Read More
June 17, 2016
This past weekend a good friend from college and I headed out to the Smokies to hike on some of the mountains known for their flame azaleas and rhododendrons. The second weekend of June this year seemed to be a bit early for the flame azaleas, but we lucked out Read More
April 8, 2016
Today I saw a turkey running full speed up a grassy hill, head waving haphazardly back and forth like he was being chased. It was a hysterical moment in my morning and I found myself laughing loudly between NPR segments. I'm convinced he was just happy it's spring. As I Read More
March 15, 2016
As the weather warms up and I'm starting to sweat on my daily walks, I keep thinking back to a month ago when Rob and I headed to the Smokies again for some more winter hiking. Hiking in the winter has some serious advantages. There are less people, the views Read More
February 8, 2016
The weekend after Snowpocalypse 2016, we had sunshiny days in the 60s, so Rob and I headed to Sparta, TN for a 9 mile round trip hike to Virgin Falls. This is one of the state's most visited natural areas, so I wanted to go there before it got crowded. Read More
January 24, 2016
I've been thinking a lot lately about choices. Today I woke up, puttered around the kitchen for a while, read a book, started to take a nap, and finally forced myself to get out of bed and leave the house. We've had snow here in Nashville which has been a Read More
November 30, 2015
Coming back to real life after vacation is such a drag, like a shoot me, I wish I had some moonshine right now kind of drag. But muddle through we mustuntil the next vacationwhich is on Thursday, thank God, or I would have to find something high to jump off Read More
November 28, 2015
You guys, I’m in Gatlinburg, the armpit of Tennessee, also known as the Vegas of the South, also known as the grossest place on earth, also known as the white trash capitol of the world, also known as air-brushed t-shirt heaven…shoot me. The thing is, people actually come here to Read More
October 26, 2015
"I really think that being in nature is a basic human need that we have. It gives us perspective because, when you walk into the woods, or walk through the desert or sit by a river, you realize that you're only one thing in the great order of things.I know Read More
October 23, 2015
Today I am relishing the fact that my neighbors seem to be out of town. At approximately 9:52 every morning, a horde of screaming children takes to their backyard and makes the amount of noise a small troop of Vikings would make on an impromptu pillage. They do this until Read More