“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” ~ John Muir. 

As we move through life from one experience to the next, experiences within us and experiences from without both impact our present condition. Some experiences evoke positive feelings, while others negative, with a continuous scale and intensity between them. As opportunities present themselves to try something new, to push yourself into unfamiliar territory one must decide to continue within the current bounds, which is sometimes the best option, or to step out and re-create ourselves. When I made the space to embrace new opportunities not long after I finished high school, I was sent onto a new trajectory that, even with all the changes over the past 20 years and being moved around the world, is grounded around spending as much time outside as possible. The above quote by John Muir embodies the importance of routine exploration, through activities both big and small that feed the mind and body and promote well being.

Growing up in Colorado, USA, Danny spent much of his life skiing, hiking, climbing, and biking through the mountains and deserts of the western United States.

After moving to Wisconsin for doctoral studies, trail running, lake kayaking and canoeing, and cross country skiing became the new recreational priorities, adapting to the new, yet also stunning landscapes. It was here that Danny and Debra adopted their dog Rupee, who has been fully integrated into all aspects of their recreation.

Now living in Israel, the opportunities for trail running and camping among beautiful desert wadi’s and Mediterranean scrublands feel endless. Rupee has become older, but she is always up for an adventure, while the more recent dog addition to our family, Oz, has also joined the pack, giving Rupee some of her own responsibilities to help teach Oz the ways of dogging.