Does anyone think it’s strange that the Girl From Arizona doesn’t write about Arizona? Outside of climbing, I don’t write about my adopted state. I figure there are other blogs that do a much better job of that. Still, all the things I seek out when I travel are suddenly popping up in my backyard. Phoenix is becoming both an established beer city AND a coffee town. While beer events are plentiful, coffee shops are also jumping into the mix with a number of activities that are helping everyone understand just what it is that makes the local culture so great. Seed to Cup August 13 – 15 I’m...

I’ve navigated strange lands before using instinct to roam streets without maps and deciphering directions in foreign tongues. But I never thought I’d be such a fish out of water as I was on a long summer weekend south of the Mason-Dixon line. Thankfully, Twitter and some good ole’ fashioned southern hospitality led me to the doors of all I needed: food, beer and coffee. Moon River Brewing Even though there is a giant bridge that drops out of North Carolina into Savannah, Georgia, I completely missed it and ended up driving through the seedy underbelly of this pictorial town. So much for those...

Or How to Take the Train from Nice to Finale Traveling for me has always been a balance of letting go of my Type A tendencies to over plan and opening myself up to the unexpected things that happen when you move on the fly. While I’ve gotten better about arriving in towns without a place to stay, know the basics of city planning to find my way around without a map, and have ridden enough trains and busses to have a feel for schedules, every now and then I’m reminded that these are things I’ve learned over time. One quiet Sunday in Finale, it was by chance that I logged onto the social networks...

This weekend, a directionally challenged friend visited me in Finale and was kind enough to take on the challenge of getting from airport, to train station, to Finale on her own. To help, I purchased a ticket for her in advance and gave her step-by-step instructions. She made it without problems and said the photos and checklist were essential. So for those of you worried that you can’t find your way around in another country, have hope. If my friend can do it, so can you. Here is what you need to take the train in Italy. These instructions reference Milan’s main train station, but will translate...

These past weeks I have corrected an almost unthinkable error. After more than a month in Finale, I finally made it out for a climb. Actually, I’ve jumped right in, climbing six out of 10 days. In those days, I’ve been in some of Finale’s less-visited sectors, classic walls, and even road tripped to the other side of the Ligurian region. In true climber fashion, I found myself paired with a friend of a friend. The only thing we knew about each other was that we both loved to climb, and that he spoke no English. While I do believe there is a universal language of climbing – a spirit and...