Bloggers can earn money by joining the referral program — Microsoft is testing a new Creator Program and looking for more bloggers. Participation in the beta test is limited and by approval only. They’ve been working with a small group of bloggers to help them streamline and fine-tune the platform and processes. …

12 highlights from a year of solo travel — One year of solo travel has seen me through many states, including Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Louisiana, Georgia and South Carolina, and Mexico. 1. WHAT I’VE LEARNED ABOUT TRAVELING What I’ve realized about this last year of traveling is that not only are the places new, but I am a…

“Warrior, why are you here?” — The echo of the words, spoken by a shaman in the temazcal linger. I hear them still at random moments. I think of them when I am alone and wondering about my purpose and I suspect that to be their intention. …

Solitary stillness and wide-open landscapes were liked best, except for a cluster of bees — Each year on Instagram, users share their top 9 most liked photos, and these are mine, plus a bonus that should’ve made the list. They’re all travel photos from my year traveling solo across the United States. …

Solo trekking through the desert — On my way to Death Valley, there were palm trees and then Joshua Trees. After that, there was nothing except desert sage covered in dust, making everything a monotone beige. Then there wasn’t even that. One can’t help but think of the famous Christian biblical passage when driving into Death…

Sadly, there are fewer each year. — Redwoods are the closest thing to immortal that we have on this Earth. On my road trip from Oregon and along the California Coast, I made frequent stops to hike along the many redwood groves and absorb the energy these immortal trees give off. I’d heard of Redwood National Park…

One Woman’s Solo Road Trip — I’m from the Midwest, but Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Oregon have been my home for the last six months. I’ve been traveling solo, living out of rented places and camping in my van on weekends. They used to say I was crazy; now they say I’m…

I spent five weeks this summer visiting these wildly crowded parks. This is what it was like — What surprised me the most were that the parks I expected to like the most, I liked least. While parks I’d never heard of turned out to be the best. This isn’t a review, just my impression of the parks as someone who likes to hike, enjoy the solitude of…

Now, what am I supposed to do? I mean, I don’t have a farm or 1,000 pounds of alfalfa. I don’t even know how to create fiber. — I found Zion Alpaca on Airbnb and, of course, learning I could play with alpacas, mini donkeys, baby doll sheep, goats, silky chickens, and highland cows, I booked my adventure immediately. Now I’m in love with alpacas and what am I supposed to do about it? I mean, I don’t…