The Intrepid Introvert

I’ve had “do a mountain-bike clinic” on my list of intrepid activity ideas from the start of this project. Learning some cross-country trail riding sounds like a fun change of pace and a nice departure from my usual road-cycling experience, and Steamboat seemed the perfect place to try it out. This is a story of how I got more adventure than I'd bargained for.

Sep 7

Sep 7 Week 24: Hiking Trails and Tackling Mountains [Score +14]

Activities, Travel

My brother and I love to hike when I visit him in Steamboat Springs, CO. We plan our weekends around breakfasts and what trail we’re going to tackle. Usually, he takes me for a warmup hike before we tackle the steeper terrain. This time, we dove right in. Weekend 1, Part 1: The Devil’s Causeway and Hahns Peak.

Aug 31

Aug 31 Week 24: Yoga in the Mountains of Colorado [Score +24]

I just got home from my latest trip to Steamboat Springs, Colorado—a 12-day adventure—and have lots of photos and stories to share. Starting with Day 1, I checked two items off my want-to-do list: a yoga festival and an AcroYoga class.

Aug 26
Aug 26 Week 23: Ladies Who Brunch [Score +14]

When did brunch become such an event? I’ve always found late morning to be an awkward time for a meal, especially when I’m being too type-A and overthinking it. Yes, one can overthink brunch. But even when I'm overthinking it, I can still enjoy it, especially when Copilot Mylee comes along on a gor-geous Saturday in Indianapolis.

Aug 6

Aug 6 Week 22: Summer Concerts and Social Intrepidity [Score +22]

I love this time of year for 5,379 reasons, one of which is the opportunity to simply pick from a list of a dozen things I might want to do—especially outside—on any given day. So this week’s post is a combo: two fun activities, one more personally intrepid than the other.

Aug 2

Aug 2 Week 19: Nicaraguan Vacation

I spent my final few days in Nicaragua acting the part of a woman on vacation: exploring colonial cities, taking boat tours, floating in crater lakes, and sipping fresh juices. But Nicaragua's reality was never far away.

Jul 24

Jul 24 Week 21: An Afternoon at a Museum [Score +2]

I’ve visited the Eiteljorg a number of times over the years for the museum’s special exhibits: Ansel Adams. Georgia O’Keefe. And, this past Saturday, for “Dogs: Faithful and True.”

Jul 21

Jul 21 Week 18: Two Uncomfortable Nights in Matagalpa

I felt I had some advantages on my trip to Nicaragua since I was friends with our leader. But separating from the group had its disadvantages, as well, which I learned quickly on our two nights in the city of Matagalpa.

Jul 17

Jul 17 Week 20: Festival Season Has Arrived [Score +12]

While I continue working on turning my full experience in Nicaragua into written words to share with you, I still have to stick to my Intrepid Introvert mission: to get out of my routine in one new way each week. This past Saturday, I braved the traffic of thoroughfares for the benefit of some exercise and easy bike parking when I made it to Brownsburg’s annual Festival of the Arts.

Jul 16

Jul 16 Week 17: Three Schools. Three Days. One Tired (But Happy) Introvert.

Over the course of three days, our Alianza Advocates volunteer group visited three different schools in the campo on four occasions. One school was held in a standard building provided by the Nicaraguan Ministry of Education. One was a new facility built by the Project Alianza team. One was a private building provided by the farm owner himself for the kids living on his farm.

Jul 9

Jul 9 Week 17: Three Slices of Life in Nicaragua

The campo. The bustling, working-class city. The colonial tourist destination. Over the course of my one week in Nicaragua, I spent time in each of these representative areas of the country. The result? I had both relaxing and uncomfortable moments but came away with a greater appreciation and understanding of the realities of Nicaraguan life than I would have if left to my own devices.

Jul 3

Jul 3 Week 16: An Intrepid Expedition: Nicaragua [Score +62]

I enjoy traveling and exploring new places, but I generally keep it on the conservative side of the adventurous scale. So when I decided to go to Nicaragua this summer, my friends’ and family’s jaws dropped open, eyebrows shot up, and “What?!” was the first word out of their mouths.

Jul 3

Jul 3 Setting the Scene: Nicaragua

Activities, Travel

Rather than try to fill my stories with informational background, I’ll instead share some interesting and helpful information here to use as a resource. Ready to learn about Nicaragua?

Jun 19

Jun 19 Week 15: A Fun and Colorful Indy Pride Parade [Score +11]