Hiking up to Burgruine Lichteneck Castle, above Kenzingen, Germany

Hey Everybody! 2012 has found me in Germany with my brother, sister and brother-in-law, exploring castle ruins, soaking in hot springs, biking cobblestone streets and dancing in the rain under sky-wide fireworks.

In 2011, I spent the winter on the coast of Maine, copiloted an impromptu winter road trip from Pennsylvania to California, soloed a spring drive from Maine to New Mexico, summered in an Airstream next to a geologic wonder, spent most summer weekends hiking in the Colorado Rockies, took two more solo road trips from New Mexico to California, went to Las Vegas on a whim for the National Bull Riding Championships, moved back out to the Earthship for a third winter and flew across a continent and an ocean to spend Christmas and New Years with my family in Germany.

In June, after years of scoffing at the blogosphere, I finally started the Blonde Coyote and it has proven a great creative outlet for me. I’ve always sought to combine travel writing with photography and the blog format is a near perfect venue.

Writing is meant to be read and each day, several hundred people visit the Blonde Coyote. I know that’s not a lot on the scale of the World Wide Web, but I’ve always believed in the importance and power of individuals and triple digit visitor statistics never cease to amaze me.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everybody who has taken the time to read and comment on my posts! You guys are awesome. I hope that you’ve all been inspired to see more of the World.

In honor of an awesome 2011, here are links to my five most popular posts:

1. Rodeo Americana

Jeans & Chaps, Boots & Spurs

2. Bobcat!

Yosemite Bobcat

3. Pow! Wow!

Men's Fancy Feather Dancers

4. My All-time Top 5 Favorite Hikes

Zion Valley from Angels Landing

5. Life in an Earthship

The Blonde Coyote Guarding the Gate to the Earthship

So far on my 2012 calendar, I have a few more days in Germany, a trip to Switzerland, a birthday backpacking trip to the Grand Canyon, at least 4 more months at the Earthship in New Mexico and a summer in either Colorado, Wyoming or on the road to Alaska (or maybe all three?).

My resolution this year is, as always, to see more of the World and in 2012, I’ll be taking you all with me via the Blonde Coyote. So stay tuned! Frohes neues Jahr! 🙂