Author: Anastasia Allison

05 Jul

Posted at 21:12h in Inspired Adventure

“You were once wild here. Don’t let them tame you.” — Isadora Duncan I am so eternally grateful that I know what it is like to feel "stuck" in my life.  At the time, I hated it.  I was miserable, unfulfilled and sleep-walking through life on autopilot.  I made decisions based on what I thought I, "should do".  I didn't listen to my heart.  I recoiled in fear at the slightest tinge of discomfort and growth.  I retreated to "stucked-ness", even though every cell in my body was...

05 Jul

Posted at 01:49h in Nutrition

I am a complete and utter coffee snob.  I am the person who travels with a French press, because I refuse to drink, "sub par" coffee. What am I drinking right now??  Currently, I'm sipping on J5 Emperor's Espresso Blend. J5 Coffee is THE MOST ADORABLE little coffee shop in Leavenworth, Washington.  It is owned locally by a husband and wife, who also roast their own coffee.  My husband and I found this spot on our last trip to the east side of the mountains, and it...

03 Jul

Posted at 17:40h in Nutrition

“You better cut the pizza in four pieces, because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.” — Yogi Berra Packing for an overnight trip can be intimidating.  When I first started backpacking, I was a compulsive over-estimator of how much food I actually needed to bring.  I packed my food out of fear, and I was usually dismayed when I returned to the trailhead carrying an extra 2-3lbs of food that I didn't need. After nearly two decades of climbing and hiking and backpacking, I'd like to think that...

30 Jun

Posted at 21:54h in Gear

Confession:  I used to think that trekking poles were for old people.  I incorrectly assumed that the only reason that people needed poles for hiking was to compensate for their lack of fitness and ability.  I thought of them as, "crutches for the weak".  I saw myself as the ideal specimen of hiker:  the speed of a gazelle, with the stability and surefootedness of a mountain goat - surely I didn't need the help of overpriced carbon-fiber sticks. I was wrong. So, so wrong. My very first backpacking...

23 Jun

Posted at 19:12h in Profiles

“And thou shalt in thy daughter see, This picture, once, resembled thee. ” — Ambrose Philips I run an adventure-inspired group on Facebook, and one of the things I like to do is to feature one member in the group each week.  I genuinely believe in the power of community, and I cannot imagine a more positive, supportive community than a group of wilderness-loving adventurers.  My mom happens to be a member of this group, and this past week, I asked her to be the featured member.  I honestly...

18 May

Posted at 22:17h in Inspired Adventure

“I think I will be able to, in the end, rise above the clouds and climb the stairs to Heaven, and I will look down on my beautiful life. ” — Yayoi Kusama Every single climb that you will ever complete in your life is fueled by the most powerful substance known on this planet.  No, I'm not talking about the three extra-strength 5-hour energy bottles that you just drank in an effort to give yourself 15 hours of continuous energy (it doesn't work, by the way).  The...

25 Mar

Posted at 21:30h in My Adventures

“The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast and you miss all you are traveling for.” — Louis L’Amour Author's note:  I had the incredible opportunity to travel to the country of Bhutan in 2012.  On that trip, I completed the Laya/Gasa trek - a 138 mile trek through some of the most pristine and remote areas of the Himalayas.  This story was originally written for my previous blog, but the adventure bears a re-sharing.   Speechless.  It's not a word that...

21 Mar

Posted at 00:14h in Nutrition

“Carbohydrates from the Latin, carbo which means “yummy” and hydrates which means “cinnamon bun,” are not something I can eliminate or even drastically cut back on. ” — Celia Rivenbark For those of you who have followed my blog for some time, you know that I have struggled with significant health issues for many years - dominated by horrible fatigue and an inability to build lean muscle.  Over the past few years, I have "evolved" my nutrition significantly - I am constantly "upgrading" my own personal quest for...

04 Mar

Posted at 19:14h in Tactical Tips

“It’s easier to resist at the beginning than at the end.” — Leonardo da Vinci Taking action can be really difficult, especially when getting started feels completely overwhelming.  When I started this blog many years ago based on the concept of, "Toward the mountain top inch by inch", I didn't quite realize that it was this exact issue that I was really tapping into. How many times have you had an idea to do something and then, very quickly, you talked yourself out of it?  Your brain convinced...