An estimated 50 million people visit Chicago annually. Precious few of them see the rest of Illinois, however, and they���re missing out. While the, anyone who loves the outdoors will be amazed by what lies beyond the purview of the L. With 64 state parks, 289,000 acres of protected national forest, and seven unique scenic byways, Illinois is brimming with opportunities for outdoor recreation���if you know where to look. Ready to see for yourself? Here���s a rundown of must-visit places to play outside in every corner of Illinois.

Chicago and Beyond

Northern Illinois

You don���t have to venture far outside of the city to experience nature at its finest. Just a 90-minute泭 drive southwest of Chicago, North Utica is the perfect launchpad for exploring parks along the Illinois River. Hike ���s 13 miles of trails that wind along the river, past bluffs, and through 18 canyons. In spring and early summer, rainfall brings ephemeral waterfalls to life throughout the park. Downriver at , take the adrenaline up a notch on nine miles of . After a day of adventures, retire to a luxury tent at , a one-of-a-kind boutique campground with all the trappings. Access to outdoor equipment, seasonal chef-inspired meals for breakfast and dinner, plus gourmet s���mores every night are all included in your stay.

If water activities are high on your adventure list, head north to . As one of the larger state parks in northern Illinois, this recreation area is home to two lakes, with plenty of options for on-the-water fun. Rent kayaks, paddleboards, and boats on-site.

Land of Lincoln

Central Illinois

Want to get a taste of Illinois culture? Set out on a classic Route 66 trip but with an adventurous twist. Ditch the car to travel by road bike on the Illinois Route 66 Trail. Made up of mostly rural roads, with some city paths and gravel trails, the 301-mile journey follows the historic Route 66 (now Highway 55) from Chicago to St. Louis���connecting cyclists to quaint towns, historic points of interest, and quirky roadside attractions along America���s most famous roadway.

Visit the Presidential Museum and other historic sites related to Abraham Lincoln. Eat at and enjoy. Then, stop off at a (yes, you can bike in) for a relaxing evening before continuing your journey.

Great Rivers Country

Western Illinois

Head west to explore . Located near the convergence of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, this 8,000-acre park is the largest in the state, which means there���s plenty of room for adventure. The park���s limestone rock formations offer something for all types of climbers, with a mix of sport and trad routes, plus bouldering problems.

For a more low-key adventure, try the . This 20-mile paved path runs along the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway from the state park to the nearby town of Alton. Along the route, you���ll pedal past limestone cliffs with unparalleled views of the mighty Mississippi River.

Trails to 窪蹋勛圖厙

Southern Illinois

At the southern end of the state, the provides seemingly endless access to nature. Here, six distinct ecological regions converge, fostering astounding diversity in plant and wildlife. From wetlands and lush canyons to dense oak and hickory forests and rocky ridges, the varied terrain is the ultimate playground. Fish for nearly 150 native species found in the forest���s rivers and lakes. At nearby, the second-largest lake in the state, 19,000 freshwater acres provide ample space for speedboats and jet skis.

Hikers can enjoy a variety of trails that traverse the forest. Take in views of Garden of the Gods���one of the most famous geological formations in southern Illinois���on the quarter-mile Observation Trail. For even more rock action, check out nearby and state parks, both named for the unique rock formations found there. Looking for more of a challenge? Plan a multiday trip to hike the 157-mile River to River Trail, which travels from the Mississippi River to the Ohio River through some of the most remote parts of the Shawnee National Forest.

The Illinois Office of Tourism leads tourism industry efforts to inspire visitation to and within Illinois, resulting in significant economic impact and quality-of-life benefits for all Illinois residents. We are committed to making Illinois a model of inclusivity and celebration of diversity. To learn more, visit .

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Monday, April 8, 2024, will be an epic day, when a total eclipse passes over North America. The moon will completely block out the sun, turning day to night across a wide swath of the United States from Texas to Maine. All of us in the nation, wherever we���re located, will experience at least a partial eclipse. If you���re in Southern California, the moon will blot out about half of the sun; in Washington State, about 30 percent; and in the mountains of North Carolina, roughly 80 percent.

Total Solar Eclipse 2024: The Path of Totality

If you���re situated directly beneath the celestial event, in the path of totality���which diagonals from Northern Mexico into Texas, up through to Maine, and out over Canada���you���ll get the full experience. See the here (use link to download NASA���s interactive map).

���A total eclipse is other-worldly,��� says Tyler Nordgren, an astronomer and Dark Sky Ambassador for the National Park Service. ���The sky will get dark, colors in the landscape will change. During totality, you���ll go from daytime to night, the brightest stars turn out, and the sun turns into a black hole in space. The heavens literally align above you.���

An annular eclipse passed over the western United States last October, and in 2017 some of us got to experience a total eclipse (my kids and I watched from a beach in South Carolina), but this impending eclipse will be even more dramatic, promising twice as large an area of totality as in 2017, because the moon is closer to earth and will cast a larger shadow.

Nordgren���s advice for choosing a spot to watch? ���Go some place you actually want to visit, because if you get clouded out, you���re somewhere cool.

���Even with socked-in skies,��� he adds, ���you���ll notice things getting darker, and then it will be dark as night. You���ll experience a truly bizarre day.���

We���ve picked seven badass places with fun things to do to make the most of your viewing opportunity. Just don’t forget your protective eyewear.

How to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in 窪蹋勛圖厙-Worthy Ways

1. From a Ski Resort: Jay Peak, Vermont

For a party, look no further than Jay Peak and their , which will feature live music from Pink Talking Fish as they perform the Pink Floyd album Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety. You can expect about four minutes of total darkness during the peak of the event. The lifts will be running before the eclipse starts at 2 P.M., but will stop for the duration of the event. Scenic tram rides to the top of the mountain are booked solid, but to avoid crowds anyways, catch one of the last chairs and ski to a quiet spot on the mountain.

Jay isn���t the only resort stoked on the eclipse. Saddleback Mountain, in Maine, will roll its end-of-the-season festivities straight into a that day. Whiteface in upstate New York, also Stowe, Sugarbush, and Mad River in Vermont, and Loon and Cannon Mountains in New Hampshire are all planning watch parties, too.

2.泭泭 From a Canoe: Buffalo National River, Arkansas

The Buffalo National River���the first ever designated in America���flows freely across the state of Arkansas for 135 miles, and the majority will be within the path of totality. You can expect roughly 3:30 minutes of total darkness within the park. The Buffalo National River is also a designated International Dark Sky Park, where in the days leading up to the eclipse rangers and astronomy experts will lead various interpretive night-sky programs with the chance to view constellations through telescopes.

For the event, we suggest you ditch the crowds by heading into the backcountry via canoe. The Upper Buffalo is the most scenic area of the river, with 200-500-foot bluffs rising directly from the water. The paddle is generally mellow, but some class I rapids keep things interesting. You can choose from a 10-mile day trip from the Ponca put-in to Kyles Landing, or do an overnight or multi-day, pulling off at gravel sandbars to set up . Or go crazy and try to knock out the entire 135 miles in a 10-day trip. Backcountry camping permits are free, and the has rentals (from $75 a day).

3. From Among Ancient Earthworks: Mounds State Park, Indiana

isn���t the most adventurous state park���it���s only 290 acres and most of the trails are crushed gravel and boardwalks���but it���s a cultural hotspot protecting 10 awe-inspiring earthworks along the White River built by the pre-Columbian Adena and Hopewell cultures. Historians believe that the largest of the mounds, the Great Mound, dates back to around 160 B.C. and that the mounds were used for community gatherings, religious ceremonies, and, yes, viewing astronomical alignments.

Savor that history by showing up to witness 3:42 seconds of total darkness as the eclipse passes over the park in the afternoon. You can watch from beside the Great Mound or by one of the other earthworks, or hike trail #5, a 2.5-mile loop that weaves around the park, past various mounds and along the banks of the White River. Bring your fishing gear, or grab what you need from nearby , and be prepared to cast, as the trail accesses the river in several points; the White is known for its smallmouth bass fishing.

4. From a National Forest: Garden of the Gods, Illinois

The whole 289,000-acre Shawnee National Forest sits within the path of totality, but the most dramatic spot for viewing has to be , a swath of sandstone outcroppings and cliffs that may be 320 million years old, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The .25-mile Observation Trail wanders through the heart of the Garden of the Gods outcroppings and to the top of tall bluffs with long-range views of the Shawnee Hills. These bluffs make a perfect perch for viewing the eclipse, which will hover over the area for 3:27 minutes of total darkness.

Pharaoh Campground has 12 first-come, first-served sites ($10 a night), but you better show up a few days early to snag a site before everyone else does. If you want more solitude, wander into Garden of the Gods Wilderness via the , which forms a 1.6-mile lollipop loop through a pine forest with bluff-top overlooks, caves, and rock formations.

5. From a Tube: Garner State Park, Texas

Not only did a chunk of Texas experience the path of totality during the annular eclipse in October but the state will score it again. Moreover, among all the U.S. states in April���s eclipse path, this one has the for prime viewing. Weather data from the last 28 years predicts just a 30 percent chance of cloud cover.

, in Texas Hill Country, sits in the path of totality and will experience 4:30 minutes of complete darkness. The park itself protects 1,774 acres of hills, forest, and bluffs as well as 2.9 miles of the aptly named Frio River. (Yes, that means ���cold���.) You���ll find plenty of trails to hike, but the real gem of this park is tubing the Frio as it winds around the campgrounds and below the tan sandstone cliffs (the rents tubes for $10 each, per day). Tubing the stretch through the park takes a few hours, with a number of small rapids and the occasional swimming hole. Put in by noon (totality will start at 1:30 P.M.) and take your time.

6. From an Olympic Site: Adirondack Park, New York

At six million acres, upstate New York���s Adirondack Park is the largest publicly protected landscape in the lower 48. And most of that park will be within the path of totality. While the region is typically cloudy in April, on Nordgren���s advice, we���re sending you here as a beautiful, adventurous place, whatever the weather. You can see the eclipse from a variety of vantage points inside the park, and Lake Placid is hosting a watch party at the Olympic Center. They���re opening the speed-skating oval with views of the famous Olympic ski jumps and the Adirondacks��� High Peaks Wilderness Area. (An earlier version of this article suggested a mountain hike, but area groups are asking visitors to avoid the backcountry out of caution over potential winter conditions in April and given that mud season can lead to ecological damage from hiking. See other options

7. From a Surfboard:泭Mazatlan, Mexico

The moon will cast a shadow over Mexico and the eastern edge of Canada as well as the U.S. While the chances of clear skies lessen as the eclipse moves north and into Canada, Mexico in early April presents the best chance for clear skies along the entire path of totality, with an 80 percent chance of sun during the day of the eclipse. But keep in mind the U.S. government has issued a for Mazatlan because of the presence of drug cartels in the area. It���s the same level of advisory (more information here) that the government has issued for Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta, and Baja.

Check out Mazatlan, a colonial-era beach town north of the popular Puerto Vallarta that is actually the first location in North America where you can view the total eclipse. It���s a legitimate surf destination with beaches facing multiple directions, picking up solid swells year round. Rucos, north of town, offers reliable surf spread across four miles of beach, though you���ll need a 4×4 vehicle to reach it. Or, to keep things simple, walk from Mazatlan���s Centro Historico, a revamped historic district in the heart of town, to Playa Olas Altas to surf a beginner-friendly beach break. has lessons (from $50 a person) and rentals ($25 per day).

Now that we’ve given you the best places to see the solar eclipse in 2024, plot out your adventure and make the most of this celestial event. The next total eclipse won���t cross the lower 48 for 20 years.

Graham Averill is 窪蹋勛圖厙 magazine���s national parks columnist. He can never remember the names of the constellations in the sky, but loves a good eclipse and has fond memories of the 2017 event, which he watched with his family during a beach vacation.泭

For more by Graham Averill:

The 6 Most Adventurous Train Trips in North America

The 10 Best Backpacking Trails in Our National Parks

The Worst National Park Reviews of the Year

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If you haven���t discovered at least a dozen hidden gems in your backyard and hometown since the start of the pandemic, you���ve been doing it all wrong. But don���t worry, there���s still time to build that list. For those of us living in cities, there are plenty of weekend-long detours that will make you feel as if you���ve escaped the grind, without having to had to travel very far at all.

If You���re in Seattle or Portland泭

Go to Sisters, Oregon. The泭泭(from $125), three hours from Portland or five from Seattle, has everything you want in a quick summer getaway: a lake with kayaks, canoes, and SUPs on loan, a bar serving up lakefront cocktails, mountain bike trails nearby in泭, and musicians playing music around the campfire most nights. Stay in one of 11 newly restored lodge rooms or 16 rustic cabins on Suttle Lake.

If You���re in San Francisco or Los Angeles泭

Go to Mammoth Lakes, California.泭It���s a six-hour drive from San Francisco, or泭five hours from Los Angeles. 泭is staying open for skiing through Memorial Day; then the resort offers lift-accessed mountain biking, hiking trails, and scenic gondola rides. Need a camping rig?泭泭has rental campervans you can pick up in L.A. or San Francisco. Or check in to the泭泭(from $169), which has independent chalets.

If You���re in Boston or New York泭

Go to North Adams, Massachusetts. A泭three-hour drive west of Boston and a 3.5-hour haul from New York City,泭the northern Berkshires in the spring is a good place to be: the summer crowds haven���t arrived yet and hiking on a stretch of the Appalachian Trail is good to go. For birdwatchers, you���ll find plenty of action at the Audubon Society���s in Lenox, which has seven miles of hiking trails. Stay at , 1.5 miles from downtown North Adams, which has 100 lakeside and wooded sites for RVs, campers, and tents (from $25). Pick up barbecue and a growler of craft beer at in town.

If You���re in 插喧梭硃紳喧硃泭

Go to Ellijay, Georgia. Less than two hours from Atlanta, this is a mountain biker���s dream spot, but there���s泭plenty to do here���from hiking to fly-fishing through泭���if you don���t ride泭bikes. Stay in a cabin or park your van or RV at泭泭(from $70 per person) and you���ll have miles of singletrack and gravel riding from your door.

If You���re in Chicago

Go to , Illinois.泭Its waterfalls and wildflowers come alive in the springtime, and the park���s campground and lodge see relatively fewer crowds. Hike into the sandstone canyons or scenic bluffs via 13 miles of marked trails or fish for white bass and walleye in the Illinois River. Less than two hours by car from Chicago, the park has a sprawling (from $25) and a (from $120), built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

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���Tis the season for tangerine-tinted maples and oaks. Here���s where to get your leaf peeping on across the U.S.

Aspen, Colorado

The town of Aspen, Colorado, got its泭name泭for a reason. Endless stands of the namesake trees泭line the mountains that surround town. And they all turn yellow in the fall. Take in the foliage on foot on the Hunter Creek trail, easily accessible from downtown. You���ll wind along the Hunter Creek Valley with eventual views of the Maroon Bells. Or mountain bike the Tom Blake trail from Snowmass Ski Area for a flowy, mellow ride through a sea of trees.泭

Northeast Kingdom, Vermont

Vermont is leaf peeper central this time of year, so escape the camera-toting crowds by heading far north to the Northeast Kingdom, where leaves explode in full fall colors泭between late September and late October (check the 泭to time your visit with the peak of the colors). Score a secluded cabin at 泭in Westmore, then scope the changing leaves 泭on the nearby Clyde River.

Whitefish, Montana

You���ll catch the golden hues of maple, aspen, elm, and western larch trees around the mountain town of Whitefish, Montana, from mid September to late October. For the best viewing, hit up the 26-mile-long Whitefish Trail, which has multiple trailheads around the valley and is open to hiking, running, and mountain biking.泭

North Conway, New Hampshire

Take a scenic drive through the White Mountains of northern New Hampshire on the 34-mile Kancamagus Highway from Lincoln to Conway, a designated National Scenic Byway and a spectacular (albeit popular) spot for admiring the foliage. The road has a handful of national forest campgrounds if you feel like staying the night, but not much else,泭so fill up on gas and snacks beforehand.泭

Park City, Utah

Miles of trails wind through groves of tinted maple and aspen trees in Park City, Utah, at this time of year. For the best leaf peeping while mountain biking, try Jenni���s Trail, which begins at the base of Park City and zigzags up the mountain through sherbert-colored泭clusters. You���ll hit the Mountain Trail, which covers over 20 miles through aspen and conifer groves. Or check out the downhill mountain biking in the Canyons Village Bike Park for more sights of splendor.泭

Asheville, North Carolina

Head to the Pisgah Forest, a half hour outside of Asheville, North Carolina, for endless mountain bike trails and radiant autumn hues. Mid-October is primetime. Hike around Graveyard Fields for bright red and yellow leaves and tumbling waterfalls. Or ride your bike up the Cedar Rock trail and down Big Rock Trail in DuPont State Forest just after sunrise or at sunset for a hazy glow. From the top of the granite dome, you���ll be rewarded with 360-degree views. Afterward, stop for a bike tune-up and a pint of local ale at the Hub and Pisgah Tavern, a bike shop with a built-in bar.

Bar Harbor, Maine

Maine���s Acadia National Park comes alive each autumn, once the summer crowds bail and the trees turn a dark crimson. Make your base at the coastal town of Bar Harbor and take in the leaves via the 120 miles of hiking trails within the park (we like the Great Head Trail, which is short but has stellar views). Or take a whole new perspective with a scenic aerial tour in an open cockpit biplane (泭offers flights starting at $75 per person).

Galena, Illinois

Head to Galena, Illinois, three hours from Chicago, in mid to late October to catch this charming Midwestern town���s fall foliage at its finest. You can watch the sunset over the Mississippi River, take a stroll up Horseshoe Mound for a view across the state lines into neighboring Iowa and Wisconsin, or visit President Ulysses S. Grant���s home, with panoramic views of cornfields and canopies of golden trees.泭

The Catskills, New York

The best way to see the fall colors in New York���s Catskills region is to drive the meandering along the Delaware River. You���ll drive 61 miles from Hancock to Grand Gorge through covered bridges, historical sites, and quaint villages filled with country stores, diners, and antique shops. Along the way, stretch your legs and soak in the colors in Catskill Forest Preserve.泭

Yosemite, California

Mid-summer, you���ll have to battle throngs of tourists in California���s Yosemite National Park. But by October, you���ll have campsites and trails all to yourself. Plus, that���s when the fall colors are at their prime. , a 16-mile round-trip excursion with 4,800 feet of elevation gain and steep, metal cables on the final ascent to the dome. You���ll catch glimpses of fall colors at Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls en route and panoramic views of the entire Yosemite Valley.泭

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No matter which metropolis you’re fleeing, we’ve got you covered. These 16 driving-distance excursions range from little-known east coast beaches to endless west coast singletrack���and all points in between.

Escape from: New York City

Hit an Uncrowded Beach
Skip the four-hour traffic jams in the Hamptons in favor of泭���s vineyards, farmers��� markets, and peaceful villages, like Orient.泭泭is the perfect jumping-off spot to swim, fish, or SUP.泭泭rents kayaks and offers sunset and full-moon tours (rentals from $35). Stop by Orient Country Store to pick up egg and cheese sandwiches for breakfast and a slice of brown-butter spice cake for later. Base out of the five-bedroom泭, where the owner can set up bike rentals and suggest routes that pass the region���s best wineries (from $245).

Climb On
Some of the East Coast���s greatest rock climbing is less than two hours north of Manhattan, in the Shawangunk Mountains���better known as the Gunks. There are hundreds of routes up here, ranging from cruisey to experts-only multipitch 5.12���s. The classic climb in the area, High Exposure, is rated an easy 5.6 but is two pitches and sheer enough to earn its name. You���ll need trad gear in the Gunks; hire a guide at the泭泭in New Paltz if you���ve got any doubts about your rack (from $200 for a half-day). All climbers need a pass from the泭, the nonprofit that administers the area ($10). After a day on the rocks, refuel with a sausage plate down the road at泭. Then crash in New Paltz, a hippie-ish town with a strong climbing and culinary scene. Swing by Mudd Puddle in the morning for bagels and coffee, then come back in the evening to score a table at the Huguenot, which sources nearly all its ingredients from nearby . Stay at the historic泭, a castle-like 19th-century retreat with disc golf, paddleboarding on Lake Mohonk, and an award-winning spa to pamper your pumped-out muscles (from $350).

Escape from: Atlanta

Ditch the Mainland
勞梗棗娶眶勳硃���s is the wildest beach on the East Coast. The only way to get there is a 45-minute ferry, and most of the island is protected wilderness. Put another way: there are more gators and feral horses than people. Campsites can泭and should泭be up to six months in advance. Once you���ve established your base, explore the island���s endless beaches and the miles of hiking trails winding through maritime forests, marshlands, and massive dunes. The Carnegie family summered on Cumberland, and泭on the island���s southern end, the ruins of one of their massive mansions, Dungeness, is a great spot to take in the sunset over the surrounding marsh. The closest you���ll come to living like a Carnegie today is a night at the . It occupies a mansion built by the family in 1900 and is the only lodging available on the island (from $425). Dinner is a formal affair (jackets required) and always features fresh-caught seafood.

Explore Small-Town Appalachia
Everyone has heard of Asheville, but there are plenty of other towns, like , that are closer to both Atlanta and some of the South���s most rugged and worthwhile destinations. Base yourself at the 泭(from $96), an Alpine-style B&B just minutes from the entrance of . The inn���s on-site store, the Chalet Stube, is a must-stop for picnic supplies like German beers, artisanal cheeses, and landjaeger, a Swiss hunter���s jerky. Loads of adventure options can be booked through the nearby . Plan a weekend when the Cheoah River is running, so you can get your fill of Class IV and V water. Then grab your mountain bike and hit the Tsali recreation area: a 35-minute drive west of Sylva, just outside Bryson City, this four-loop trail system includes some of the best terrain in the Southeast.

Escape from: Chicago

Lounge Lakeside
A bit more than three hours from Chicago, Montague, Michigan, sits between Lake Michigan and nearly a million acres of public land filled with lakes and streams. Get out there by booking a trip with and fly-fish for trout in the White River just upstream from town (from $250). On the Lake Michigan side, camp at one of ���s 67 sites, which are surrounded by swimming beaches. Climb to the top of a dune for the best sunset views of the lake and Little Flower Creek. For plusher lakefront digs, stay at the 23-room (from $160). The 22-mile paved begins right near the inn���s doorstep. You���ll pass cherry and apple orchards���and the world���s largest weather vane, which stands 48 feet tall and weighs 4,300 pounds. The village of New Era marks the halfway point, the perfect spot to break for homemade ice cream at ���s trailside shop.

Embrace Summer Break
You���ll get a whole new impression of Madison, Wisconsin, in the summer, when the hoardes of University of Wisconsin kids are away. (from $189) sits across the street from the Badgers��� , and each of its 48 rooms has a kitchenette stocked with local spirits like gin from . Downtown is loaded with excellent restaurants. Be sure to book ahead for a seat at , a James Beard Award nominee offering creative fare like cold-smoked bluefish with grapefruit, popped amaranth, and chia. For less refined must-try specialties, head to the for beer-battered cheese curds. Madison, down the road from Trek���s headquarters, is a deservedly famous cycling destination. For an easy cruise, rent a set of wheels at (from $30) and pedal the 17-mile . For something a little rowdier, drive east of town to ���s miles of singletrack.

Escape from: Boston

Eat, Paddle, Sail
A two-hour drive north of Boston, Portland, Maine, sits on the shores of windy, lighthouse-studded Casco Bay. It���s the perfect place for a sail, so rent a 21-foot racing boat from and zip around the bay���s rocky islands ($75 for a half-day). Back on shore, find something good to eat. This won���t be hard, since Portland is becoming a first-class dining destination at light speed. serves super-fresh shellfish, plus craft cocktails and local brews like Maine Beer Co.���s Peeper ale. has become one of the buzziest restaurants in America, thanks to dishes like sea urchin crudo and crab and waffles. When you can���t finish another bite, hop on the ferry for the 17-minute journey to Peaks Island ($8). Then take a three-hour trip with and paddle up another appetite while exploring the cliffs of the bay���s outer islands (from $65).

Hike the Whites
The aren���t the highest in the East, but they���re doubtless the most rugged. So take them on, and make , New Hampshire, the staging ground for your expedition. Just 2.5 hours from Boston, it���s the quintessential tiny New England town, dotted with antique shops and B&Bs like the five-room , formerly a sea captain���s home (from $125). Miles of hiking trails are accessible from the inn���s front door, and the trail to local high point Mount Chocorua is just down the road. Pinkham Notch, the start of many routes up Mount Washington, is less than an hour away. Back in town, swing by the . The multi-use space houses a print shop, a coffee shop, and a mercantile that sells artisanal cheese, penny candy, craft beer, and random Americana.

Escape from: San Francisco

Drink and Spin
About as low-key as it gets in wine country, Guerneville is down the road from world-class wineries, plus kayaking, hiking, and cycling. Pitch a tent at the family-run , just two miles from Westside Road, which is lined with some of the Russian River Valley���s best vineyards (from $35). Many pro cyclists train on Sonoma County���s empty, winding roads in winter. rents everything from tandems to Specialized Tarmacs and can suggest the best routes for your ability (rentals from $38 per day). The 42-mile Geysers Road Loop is a local favorite, marked by steep climbs and remote thermal springs.

Mountain-Bike NorCal
The center of the mountain-biking universe used to be right outside the city, in Marin County, but restrictive land management put an end to all that. Now Santa Cruz heads up the Northern California mountain-bike scene. You���ll find everything from easy beachside doubletrack to gnarly trails winding through redwoods just a 75-minute drive south along scenic Highway 1. has a fleet of Specialized mountain bikes to demo for a day (from $75). For an intermediate ride, hit the 11-mile out-and-back Skyline to Sea Trail in Big Basin Redwoods State Park���California���s oldest. For a bit more gnar, head to the in Aptos Village. The Braille and Ridge Trails offer gobs of elevation change and big man-made drops. Recover at the (from $200). This retro-chic hotel boasts a killer location overlooking the Pacific. In the evening, head to the Westside neighborhood for tastings from tiny wineries at , a pint of seasonal ale at the organic , or duck meatballs and flatbread at the .

Escape from: Los Angeles

Seek the Heat
Joshua Tree National Park in winter is a fine trip. But in summer, when temps soar and crowds vanish? That���s an adventurous choice. Go for a climb with in the evening, when the heat quickly dissipates, and take in the sunset from the top of the crag (from $75). The coolest stay is at ��� ten-acre compound, which offers knotty pine cabins, a lodge, and an Airstream trailer (from $62). At 4,600 feet, it���s usually 15 degrees less sweltering than the surrounding area, and there���s a pool for a cooling dip. The ranch once attracted Hollywood celebs like Roy Rogers; today the stars are still the draw, and they���re best viewed from the giant observation deck.

Chill Out
There are endless options for yoga and meditation in . But it���s not all om and downward dog: the town���s location at the southern end of Los Padres National Forest means nearly two million acres of trails and climbs, so take a hike or book a rock-climbing excursion with . The town���s hippie feel got a recent jolt of cool, courtesy of newcomers like the (from $89). This stylishly renovated motel has become the coolest hangout in town, with requisite touches like poolside shuffleboard. Head to for vegetarian Mexican food. Then go five miles up to , a nonprofit spiritual center set amid 32 acres of gardens. Time your visit to catch sunset, what locals refer to as Ojai���s pink moment, when the valley takes on a warm glow.

Escape from: Seattle泭

Go Remote
Just two hours from the city, North Cascades National Park is pure wilderness at its best: massive glaciers, rugged mountains, and a classic stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail. There are dozens of backcountry campsites accessible by boat and foot; permits are available at the park���s ranger stations. For a bit more comfort, book a stay at 泭(from $175), where the 15 cabins are built on log floats. There���s no road access, so guests can either hike in via the Ross Dam trail or take the Diablo Lake ferry ($10). Be sure to stock up on food to cook with the resort���s propane grills, as the lodge doesn���t serve meals. Some of the North Cascades��� most dramatic hikes are in the Ross Lake area, including six-mile Big Beaver, accessible from the resort. It���s hard to find a more peaceful place to fish for cutthroat, and the resort can provide gear and guidance.

Whale Watch
Puget Sound is full of spots where you can sea kayak and spot orcas. But a little farther north, the 172 islands that make up the San Juan Islands have the Goldilocks just-right distance from the city. Without a road link, the crowds are more manageable, and go figure, it���s sunnier and warmer than Vancouver. You can get there by the Washington State ferry system, but a seaplane from downtown is faster and much more Instagram-ready. Both 泭and have regularly scheduled flights, which average $315 round-trip. A at on Orcas Island will only cost you $25 per night and gets you a lake view. Home to 2,410-foot Mount Constitution, the islands��� highest point, the park offers more than 38 miles of hiking trails and a panoramic perspective of Washington���s peaks. Don���t miss the pizza at in Eastsound.

Escape from: Washington, D.C.泭泭

Bring Your Paddle
Skip the Jersey Shore���style development to the north for the peninsula���s wilder section. Set up camp in Chesapeake-facing , for sailing, paddling, and all the blue crab you can eat. Just two blocks from the public beach, the 22-room (from $150) includes six loft-style rooms with eat-in kitchens. Anglers should book a trip with ��� captain Neil Lessard, who knows Virginia���s inshore waters and where the red drum hide ($650). Day-trip over to Assateague Island National Seashore, home to more than 37 miles of beaches���and the island���s famed wild ponies. Rent a sea kayak from in Chincoteague and get up close as they wade through the marshes on the bay side of the island (from $39). Back on shore, sample some of the region���s best barbecue at . The ribs, slow-smoked with three different types of wood, are a must.

Climb and Ride
Skip the summer crowds at Shenandoah National Park and head just a little farther to West Virginia���s , where mountain biking is legal and you���ll find some of the best rock climbing east of the Mississippi. Stay at 泭(from $159), where digs on the banks of a private trout stream are definitely not rustic. , the oldest climbing school in the Mid-Atlantic, developed a beginner course at Seneca Rocks to hone your skills ($325 for two days). Those with more experience can test themselves on the area���s huge variety of trad pitches. Serious mountain bikers should hit the trails around Spruce Knob. At 4,863 feet, the Knob is West Virginia���s tallest peak, as well as the terminus of the highly technical, 15.2-mile Huckleberry Trail.

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President Obama on February 24 vetoed the Keystone pipeline proposal, a move which doesn���t close the book on the pipeline but concludes a six-year chapter of political posturing.

Debate over the $7 billion, 1,700-mile proposed project, which stretches from the tar sands mines of northern Alberta south through the Great Plains to refineries on the Gulf Coast, has raged for six years now. Along the way, it has become a line in the sand for environmentalists who staunchly oppose the pipeline and a nonnegotiable demand for supporters who claim it will finally end our dependence on Middle Eastern oil. As the proposal has crept through multiple State Department review processes, Native American land and treaty rights��� disputes, and major court battles in Texas and Nebraska, the petroleum industry has complained that Keystone is now the most debated pipeline in history. They say it���s time to build.

Republicans in Congress泭argue that Keystone XL is a much-needed infrastructure project that will provide tens of thousands of jobs and keep gas prices low. Obama that he disagrees and has ridiculed Republicans for citing the State Department���s assessment that Keystone XL would create roughly 42,000 jobs, pointing out that TransCanada, the company that would oversee the project, projected those jobs would last less than a year. After that, just 35 permanent jobs would remain. As for claims about gas prices or the larger economy, the president has been blunt. ���It���s good for the Canadian oil industry,��� he , ���but it���s not even going to be a nominal benefit to U.S. consumers.���

Despite Obama���s veto threat, the House of Representatives on January 9, with 29 Democrats voting in favor. On泭January 29, the legislation passed the Senate on a 62-36 vote���still five shy of the 67 needed to override a presidential veto.

Now we can expect intense horse-trading in the effort to muster the remaining votes. But New York Senator Chuck Schumer that the Democratic caucus can sustain Obama's veto.泭If they do, it will be up to Obama alone to decide whether to reject Keystone XL outright or to approve it as part of a larger energy package. For those hoping for a definitive statement about which way he���s leaning, Obama was frustratingly vague during his January 20 . He touted the fact that the United States is now the top producer of wind energy, but he also praised our place as the leading producer of oil and gas. Economic growth in the new century will require wholesale rebuilding of our infrastructure, he said. ���So let���s set our sights higher than a single oil pipeline. Let���s pass a bipartisan infrastructure plan that could create more than 30 times as many jobs per year and make this country stronger for decades to come.���

What shape such a plan might take���and what part Keystone XL will play���will be the subject of furious debate in the coming months.

Ted Genoways () is the author of The Chain: Farm, Factory, and the Fate of Our Food, as well as a contributing writer for Mother Jones and editor-at-large of onEarth Magazine. He wrote about Alberta's tar sands in the December 2014 issue of 窪蹋勛圖厙.

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Early in January, a team of researchers from University College London . It took the most important fact about global warming���that the world���s fossil fuel companies have already located five times more carbon than scientists say we can burn without overheating the planet���and added a new layer of detail, exploring precisely which deposits should be left untouched. High on the list is Canada���s vast tar sands, which the authors said should be tapped for only a ���negligible��� amount of oil going forward if we are serious about dealing with climate change.

The paper came as vindication, as the long fight over the Keystone pipeline finally seems to be drawing to a close. The fight started with brave resistance from First Nations people in Alberta and ranchers in Nebraska, but it went global in 2011 when former NOAA climatologist James Hansen, the planet���s premier climate scientist, published a paper showing for the first time that a vast pool of carbon lay beneath the tar sands. Pump it all, he said, and it would be . Despite that warning, everyone thought Keystone was a done deal. In fact, a poll of ���energy and environment insiders���泭in October 2011 found that 91 percent expected that TransCanada would receive its presidential permit in short order.

That the company hasn���t been awarded a permit is a triumph of organizing: Keystone has drawn more Americans into the streets than any environmental issue in a generation, produced more comments to the government than any infrastructure project in history, and spawned more arrests than just about any cause for many years.

If President Obama does the right thing, it will be the first time in history that a world leader has said, ���Here's a big project I'm not going to approve because of the climate.��� As the Nature article makes clear, this carbon deposit must remain substantially untapped if we���re to have a prayer of holding temperature increases to two degrees Celsius���the internationally recognized red line for climate. It���s not the only carbon pool we must leave alone. There are also the coalfields of Wyoming and Australia, the fracking zones of California and Poland, and the deep-sea deposits off Brazil and the Arctic. But Canada���s tar sands are a good place to start.

Author Bill McKibben () teaches at Middlebury College in Vermont and founded . In 2014 he was awarded the , sometimes called the “alternative Nobel,” in the Swedish Parliament.

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Global warming is one of the world���s most important policy challenges, but blocking the Keystone pipeline is not an effective way to address it. Government interference in what should be a purely commercial decision about building the pipeline is likely to harm the environment over the long haul, and it won���t make a meaningful dent in the market for oil.

Regardless of whether Keystone is built, market forces can���t be ignored: If it makes economic sense to produce oil from a particular shale-oil resource, that oil will inevitably make its way to the pump. The main effect of blocking Keystone wouldn���t be to keep this carbon in the ground or to reduce emissions. Instead, blocking it would mean that oil will be transported on rail cars, which are much riskier than a pipeline. In recent years, several oil-train derailments and spills have harmed local communities around North America.

Sure, rail cars are more expensive, and that extra cost could theoretically hinder the production of shale oil, but it���s more likely that the extra costs will cause only a hiccup. Regardless of transport method, the economics of shale will likely set the price at whatever level is needed to pump new supplies while rendering only minimal effects on the actual volumes pumped.

Whether a slightly higher oil price will lead to lower emissions is hard to pin down. On the one hand, more expensive oil encourages efficiency. But on the other, slightly higher oil prices will have little direct impact on the fuels that matter most for warming emissions���coal, gas, nuclear and renewables used for electricity.

Outright refusal to approve Keystone would also give away some leverage the United States might have on Canada, a country that, today, . Canadian officials have signaled that they would do more to form a cohesive climate strategy in exchange for U.S. approval of the cherished pipeline. Getting serious about climate change requires getting serious about strategy and about using leverage where it exists.

The use of simple slogans is good for rallying people to the streets and donors for election campaigns. But on Keystone the simple slogans lead to exactly the wrong environmental policy.

is a professor at UC San Diego's School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, and the director of the . He is also the author of .

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On the spectrometer of thrills, winter driving lies somewhere between utilitarian necessity and white-knuckle extreme sport. But now that gas is affordable and holiday lights are twinkling from the East Coast to L.A., it���s time to hit the open road and give the ultimate test to your car���s pimped-out winter extras���heated steering wheel and front seats, windshield wiper de-icers, snow tires and all-wheel drive to name some. Once you���ve got your car dressed for the season, drive on with confidence through these eight winter wonderlands.

Alaska: Northern Exposure

Anchorage to Talkeetna
Distance: 226 miles, round trip
Time: 3-5 days

This 226-mile, out and back will make you feel like an Ice Road Trucker. An hour north of Anchorage on the Glenn Highway, stop off in the Mat-Su Valley to Nordic ski on the 10K trail system , in the middle of 8,060-acre Government Peak Recreation Area. At mile 98.7 on the George Parks Highway, turn right on the Talkeetna Spur Road. Talkeetna is a town of 1,329 tough souls sitting in the shadow of Denali and is the real-life model for . There, ditch the aslphalt for some air with a fixed wing flight around the snowy peaks. Go at sunset and catch the alpenglow on Denali. Bed down at . The owner, Trish Costello, bakes famously large and gooey cinnamon rolls.

Oregon: Christmas Tree Capital of the World

Portland to Mount Hood to Oregon City to Portland
Distance:137 miles, round trip
Time: 3-4 days

Let it roll through the ���Christmas Tree Capital of the World.��� From Portland, take the泭泭1.5 hours on I-84 and U.S. 26 to泭. Explore Mount Hood���s 3,690 vertical feet of terrain on top of an 11,245-foot volcano and warm up with hot cocoa around one of three massive fireplaces in the lodge. Top off the day with a sleigh ride through the snowy, historic streets of泭泭before holing up in a king-size fireplace suite back at the lodge. On the way back to Portland, loop through Oregon City on Oregon 99E to get your holiday fill along the ������ where you���ll find thousands of sparkling lights, music, and bonfires.

New York City & Pennsylvania: Norman Rockwell Countryside

Manhattan to Bradford
Distance: 348 miles, one way
Time: 7 days

Shop your way through Williamsburg, SoHo, and Fifth Avenue, , then exit onto I-80 to drive 348 miles northwest through Norman Rockwell countryside before stopping in Ellicottville, for a few runs at , the largest private ski resort in North America. Warm up with hot chocolate under the town���s three-story Christmas tree, then turn south on U.S. 219 bordering the evergreen forests of Allegany State Park to the , which has its own ice-skating pond, sledding hill, cross-country ski trail network, and secret ice fishing spots stocked with walleye. No need to worry about catching a chill. The lodge has 43 fireplaces.

New Mexico & Colorado: Soak and Ski

Santa Fe to Wolf Creek Ski Area泭
Distance: 152 miles, one way
Time: 3-4 days

It will be hard to extract yourself from the silver coin margaritas, green chile stew, festive farolitos, and wafts of burning pi簽on pine drifting through Santa Fe, but the early-season skiing at , which gets an average dump of 430 inches of snow per year, is worth it. Book a room down the mountain in Pagosa Springs at the 29-room LEED-certified , which allows 24-hour access to 23 , one of which spews out of the earth at 114-degrees. The winter wonderland you���ll find along U.S. 84 on this 152-mile drive is classic Southwest, varying from the flat-topped peak of 9,862-foot , in Georgia O���Keefe���s old stomping grounds near Abiquiu, to the jagged white San Juans.

Vermont & New Hampshire: White Mountain National Forest

Burlington to Jackson
Distance: 142 miles, one way
Time: 3-5 days

If Santa Claus lived in the Lower 48, he���d probably set up shop up in , an idyllic winter burg in the midst of the White Mountains with red covered bridges and 154k of cross-country ski trails. To fuel the journey, start in Burlington, Vermont, with a cup of La Golondrina Colombia at , then drive 142 miles due east on I-89 to Montpelier and U.S. 2 and 302 through White Mountain National Forest. Stop off at to bomb a few downhill runs before heading to the to balance your chakras at the spa, fuel up with pan-seared salmon in Champagne sauce, and bed down in a barn room before hitting the xc trails.

Nevada & Utah: New Year���s Eve in Zion

Las Vegas to Zion National Park
Distance: 244 miles, one way
Time: 7-10 days

Watch the Bellagio fountains and catch La Reve at the in Las Vegas before bombing 244 miles northeast on I-15 through the dry desert to the high cliffs of and spooky hoodoos of . Time it with the New Year and join REI on a that includes trekking across a forested plateau and taking a New Year���s Eve hike up Walter���s Wiggles, a series of 21 steep switchbacks to Scout Lookout in Zion. Stay at a private ranch and ring in the New Year right���that is, if you still have any energy left.

Texas: The Stars at Night, Are Big and Bright

Texas Hill Country
Distance: 345 miles, spoked
Time: 4 days

This is a 345-mile, spoked wagon-wheel of a road trip that follows the ������ through some quaint 'burbs in Texas Hill Country. The hub, Johnson City, is President Lyndon B. Johnson���s birthplace strung up with one million lights over the holidays. There likely won���t be white fluff here, but 58 miles northwest of Johnson City is泭, a garden of granite domes and boulders with more than three dozen crack, roof, chimney, and other climbs ranging in difficulty from 5.0 to 5.11. Almost 12 miles east of Johnson City is泭, with the seven-mile Wolf Mountain hiking trail that wraps around Tobacco and Wolf Mountains. Stay at the泭that sits on 1,000 acres and has 50-mile views.

Minnesota & Wisconsin: Ice Caves

Duluth to Hayward
Distance: 240 miles, round trip
Time: 3-5 days

Get an early start for this roughly a 240-mile loop that starts in Duluth and immediately crosses into Wisconsin on state route 13 for a visit to the otherworldly ice caves of the lining the Bayfield Peninsula on Lake Superior. If the ice is solid, hike into a surreal world of icicles and whorled frozen drama. Stay at the in Bayfield before heading south on U.S. 63 to Hayward and the best Nordic skiing in the country along the 107k . Return to Duluth for the dazzle of , a massive and free million-light Christmas extravaganza on the shore of Lake Superior.

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Journalist Benoit Denizet-Lewis judges people by whether they love dogs. He has, however, struggled to accept that dogs can love people back. Compelled to understand the canine-human bond, Denizet-Lewis and his yellow Labrador, Casey, jumped in an RV and drove around the country to meet various dogs and their humans. The result? : A funny and insightful survey of the highs and lows of dog life.

窪蹋勛圖厙 caught up with Denizet-Lewis to hear him reflect on the journey, the novel, and the state of his relationship with Casey.

OUTSIDE: What were you most interested in regarding the state of America���s relationship with its dogs?
DENIZET-LEWIS: I have been a dog lover my whole life, and I was interested in the different kinds of relationships that people have with their dogs. For example, the relationship a homeless person in Seattle has with his dog; is that relationship different from that of a rancher in Colorado who relies on his border collies to move cattle? Is that different from a debutante in L.A. who scoots her dog around in a baby stroller?

Also, I was interested in exploring the incredible variety of roles that dogs play in American life. I mean, they help our cops, they fight our wars, they help our sick get better, they help our injured live their lives and get around, they help lonely people living by themselves feel some connection to something.泭

You’ve always worried that Casey doesn’t really like you. Why’d you think an RV trip might help you deal with that?泭
I wondered whether I was the right fit for my dog. I worried that I wasn’t giving my dog everything that he deserved or should have for a happy life. I wanted to get on the road and have almost four months devoted entirely to getting to know my dog in a real way.

How did Casey come into your life?
I’m 39 now, and Casey’s 11. When I was 28, I wanted a dog, but I really didn’t know anything about dogs. I was living in the city at the time, and I saw this ad in the paper for puppies for sale at a house in the suburbs. I later realized that Casey was very likely a puppy mill dog; I’d read in the paper that some dogs got sick at the house. Thankfully,泭Casey turned out to be fine.泭

You spent time rescuing strays and touring animal shelters. Did that make you take a critical look at what it means to buy versus adopt pets?泭
Yes. I saw so many stray dogs roaming every corner of this country; I would never buy a dog again. I���m not one of those people who���s going to make people feel guilty if they choose to get a purebred dog. But personally, I urge my friends to go to shelters, to rescue dogs off shelter kill lists, to volunteer at shelters. It was just astonishing to me how many stray dogs there are languishing in shelters.泭

Where was the problem of stray or unwanted dogs most visible?
I spent a few days in East St. Louis, Missouri, which is the most dangerous neighborhood in America. I spent a few days on this trip rescuing dogs with dog rescuer Randy Grim in a ghetto there. Seeing these dogs injured and roaming in these forgotten, core parts of our country … I saw the same thing on Indian reservations.泭

For people dealing with extraordinary poverty and hardship, taking care of dogs is not high on the list of priorities. And so you have hundreds of thousands of dogs that just roam, and very few of them live past four or five because they die of preventable illnesses.

What���s something about these dogs��� lives that surprised you?
Randy, the dog rescuer in East St. Louis, talked about how he won���t rescue some dogs because he’s convinced they’re happier living out with their pack than they would be in a home. We have a lot of misconceptions around what dogs need and what dogs want. People might see a homeless person and his or her dog and call Animal Control and say, ���Oh, that poor dog is living on the street.��� Well, I found that homeless dogs are actually some of the most well-adjusted and happiest around, as long as they can get medical care. They are pretty much always outside, and always with their owner. What better life for a dog?泭

You adopted a rescue mid-trip. What was that like?泭
I���ve never felt more alive than when I���m rescuing a dog. I even joked with Randy that I wanted to quit my job as a writer and just rescue dogs with him. There’s such an amazing feeling of helping a dog that’s injured or badly neglected.泭

The dogs we found included skinny pit bulls that weren’t getting fed. When we found them, they came up to us and were just the sweetest things; they desperately wanted a new chance at life. I also rescued dogs that had been beaten or injured and dogs that had been involved in dog fighting. We saw so many, but you can’t rescue all of them. That���s the hardest part.泭

How did you and Randy decide which dogs to save?泭
Randy has to figure out if he has space in the shelter, if he’ll be able to find a foster home, if he has enough vets to deal with these dogs. He ends up having to make these really difficult decisions. You look at these dogs and you say ���Okay, do I take this one because it’ll only survive a few more weeks if I don’t find him again…���泭You almost have to try to read their minds.

I didn���t intend to rescue a dog from an Indian reservation. I just pulled over for gas and a Milky Way. There was this pack of four strays, one of which stayed close to me and really seemed like she belonged there the least. It was difficult to leave the other three behind, but it was a risk even to take the one. She was very timid at first, but she turned out to be just an amazing dog. I named her Rezzy���not very original, I know, but continues the tradition of naming rescue dogs by where you found them. There are a lot of dogs called Freeway.

After learning about all the reasons it’s tough to be an American dog, did you feel that maybe you weren���t screwing up Casey���s life?
Yes, I think that���s true. But I even struggled when I picked up Rezzy. Part of me was like, who am I to just come in here and decide that this dog is unhappy? Does this dog even want to go in an RV with me for the next three months, or is she part of this pack?泭

I don’t necessarily believe that any dog that’s living outside in a pack is miserable. But I do know the stats on these dogs: they tend not to live long. I found out later when I took Rezzy to the vet that she had a pyometra, which would have been fatal in about two weeks. So it was fortunate.

What made you think Casey didn���t love you?
Casey is really good at looking, well, sort of miserable. He’s really good at sighing. He likes to sigh a lot if he’s not being walked or fed or played with. And he gets more excited sometimes about seeing my friends than he does about seeing me. He���s also not a very physical dog in the sense that, while he likes roughhousing, he’s not the dog that’s gonna cuddle up against you in bed.

For a lot of people, a dog is the one being in life that is happy to be with you, right? I mean, that’s why dogs are so popular��� they don���t talk back, and they stick around. That said, it was interesting to see that I certainly wasn���t the only one whose dog brought out insecurities���although I was the only one who worried about not giving my dog the best life possible.

Did you meet anyone whose approach to dogs didn���t make any sense to you?
I was fascinated by several women I met who claimed that the quality of their love for their dog was the same as the quality of their love for human children. I would ask: ���Well what if your human child died? Would that be the same as if your dog died?��� and they insisted that, yes, it would be. As much as I love my dog, I know that I would mourn a family member or human friend differently than I would a dog.

What about people who don’t, or can’t, have that close relationship with their dog?
I was interested in people who have dogs that are supposed to work���on farms, as sled dogs. These are dogs that cannot be spoiled as much. A lot of humans really struggle with keeping that boundary.

In theory a working dog is happiest when it has a very clear job. These dogs know they���re not house dogs and don’t need constant human connection or attention, but people still struggle with that. They’re like, ���Yeah, I sneak ’em food when I���m not supposed to,��� or ���I let ’em sleep in the bed sometimes.���

We love dogs at 窪蹋勛圖厙, especially when we’re exercising with them. Can you tell us about about your and Casey’s collective fitness exploits along the way?
We were constantly in nature, hiking along the Appalachian Trail and in Colorado. We also went dock jumping. Casey was not a natural at that at all. I had to cannonball into the water hoping that I would show him that it was safe, but he was scared by the drop into the pool. I also did yoga on the beach with my dog���something called Doga.泭

How healthy is our relationship with dogs in this country?泭
On one hand, we spoil our dogs and treat them like family members. On the other hand, hundreds of thousands of dogs are returned to shelters every day, dumped, given up on, mistreated, neglected. So I wanted the book to be realistic about that and not just be a story about how wonderful our dogs are, and how great their lives are, because that’s not true for every dog.

If I meet someone and they love dogs, I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt and just assume from the beginning that they’re a kind, nice, generous person. And then, you know, people can still prove you wrong. There are some people who love dogs that aren’t pleasant to other humans.

How did your relationship with Casey change because of the road trip?
Let���s put it this way: I’m aware now that it’s not Casey’s job to care for my emotional needs. As I start to sense myself projecting onto him, or being sad that he���s not a certain way, I catch myself and I rarely feel bad about it anymore.

So now, in the time we have left���he’s 11 and starting to slow down���my goal is just to appreciate him for the funny, goofy, friendly dog that he is and not put any more expectations on him. Some days he wants to cuddle, other days he doesn���t, and you know, that’s fine.

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