Jeff Hester

It was our third day on the Tour du Mont Blanc.

Three and a half months ago, Joan and I landed in France with two dogs, two carts full of suitcases, and a dream of what the next chapter would look like.

Daily writing prompt What’s a quote that perfectly describes your outlook on life?

This is a question we’ve been asked many times, including this comment from one of the travelers on our Iceland trip last year (and repeat Six-Pack of Peaks challenger) Amy, who wrote: I’d love to hear more about why/how you chose France vs Spain, Portuga…

In 21 days, we will be en route to Dijon, France—our new home base for the next chapter of our adventures.

A hearty, smoky pasta with chorizo, bacon, mushrooms, and a rich carbonara sauce with a kick of chili.

We’ve been sitting on this one for a while.

Just a brief update.

In a few weeks, I’ll be traveling to Tanzania.

I returned this weekend from a six-day backpacking trip in the Sawtooth Mountains, and I was curious how it stacked up against the energy miles I calculated for my upcoming Mount Kilimanjaro climb in January 2026.

In January 2026, I’ll be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Five years ago in October of 2016, I flew from Seoul, South Korea (where I lived for a year) to Salt Lake City.

Many people know that I’ve done a bit of hiking and backpacking through the years.

You’ve seen the challenge.

In my last post, I talked a bit about the history of BigBlueBall.com.