OffBeat Pathfinder Basecamp

Summer storm rolled in fast—got soaked on the trail but the sunset after was worth every squishy step.

I rode my bike into Boonville in the pouring rain. Got drenched, dried off at the casino (won $6, lost my last ounce of dignity). The bartender at the wine bar gave me a pep talk about “finding joy in the little things.” Pro tip: Boonville’s best souvenir is a riverside sunrise and a sugar hangover ...

Came to visit friends in Highlands, left wishing I lived there. Got caught in a downpour hiking to Glen Falls, ended up taking shelter under a bridge with a family from Florida and a dog named Waffles.


Heard live bluegrass at the Ugly Dog—if you leave without hearing “Wagon Wheel” twice, you ...

Camped out in Alabama Hills last fall, woke up to the rocks all glowing orange like a campfire. I left my tent open and had sand in my socks for a week. Stars out there go full galaxy-brain at night. Didn’t see no aliens, but a coyote tried to steal my chips.

If you ever want to feel like you’ve wandered onto another planet, Arches National Park delivers. Over 2,000 natural stone arches, fiery sunsets, and enough red rock to fill a painter’s palette. Last April, I hiked Delicate Arch for sunrise and watched the landscape go from sleepy purple to blazing ...