Journal
Essays and trail journals by Leah LaRocco.
April 22, 2018
Flying across an ocean in coach class is the pits, but this is what average people do when they head to Scotland. When we landed in Edinburgh we made a beeline for the rental car place and were told we were getting a “free upgrade,” which always means they don’t Read More
March 5, 2018
After an exciting day in Joshua Tree National Park, my cousin and I were dying to see what other secrets this area held. A not too distant drive proved we were in for some more desert treats. Not to be confused with dessert. BIG MORONGO CANYON PRESERVE The views in Big Read More
March 4, 2018
I am awestruck by the varied landscapes on this planet. There is so much to see, so many places to experience, so much land to set foot upon. I've been to the desert in Arizona, but even the desert has its own character in different places. Having never been to Read More
December 1, 2017
I've always wanted to visit Savannah. Without knowing anything about the city, what drew me there was the image of Spanish moss hanging lazily from the twisted limbs of live oak trees. I can't remember the first time I saw a picture of the famous drive at Wormsloe Plantation, but Read More
September 20, 2017
STOWE PINNACLE TRAIL Today was so full of goodness I have no idea how to sum it up. It started out with a big breakfast at McCarthy’s in town, then we headed to the Stowe Pinnacle Trail. A friend had recommended this as an easy 3.3 mile out and back Read More
September 19, 2017
Tonight as I sit here writing, trying to relive this trip in all it's loveliness, I am missing Vermont more than ever. There is simply no way for me to adequately describe the love I have for that state. It is the place that gave me a taste for adventure, Read More
July 12, 2017
The use of seasons as an analogy for what we experience in life is a weary one, worn out from centuries of use by humanity to describe the phases of our lives that ebb and flow. Relationships, families, jobs, the paths we travel on all have seasons. The most dramatic Read More
July 7, 2017
If someone had told me I would go to Yosemite twice in the span of a year, I would have thought them overly optimistic. But thank goodness for friends who love to travel because last September, I went with Alicia and we scouted the place out. Along for the ride 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
August 12, 2016
Years ago one of my girlfriends introduced me to the glass artwork of Dale Chihuly via some grainy photos on her phone and I was hooked forever. Then he brought his magic to the Cheekwood Botanical Garden in Nashville and I haunted that place every chance I got just to 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
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