Wandering on Purpose with Skye

20/05/2026

03/05/2026

Watching the excitement build in Tampa's Downtown for game 7 of the Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Montreal Canadians NHL playoff series! I have a divided heart. As a Canadian, I'd love to see a Canadian team win. But, I'm also a Lightning fan, so...

01/05/2026

100 miles. Done. 🚶‍♀️
I set out this month to walk 100 miles to support the American Cancer Society.

Today, I finished—saving the final miles for May 1 so I could cross the finish line with my husband.

These final miles are for the people still in the fight.
I have two close family members facing cancer right now—one with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and one with lung cancer. Their stories aren’t mine to tell, but we witness their struggle. We try to stay strong for them, hide our fears, offer encouragement, and walk alongside them in whatever way we can.

It’s especially hard when there’s distance between us—when we can’t be there in person, can’t sit beside them, can’t help in the ways we wish we could. So we do what we can from where we are.

It’s easy to feel helpless in the face of something like this. But I’ve come to realize that showing up—however we can—matters. Whether it’s offering support, being present, or doing something like this challenge, it’s a way of standing alongside the people we love.

For me, this was one way to do that.

A special thank you to my husband, who walked so many of these miles with me and was there for the final steps to the finish.

If you’ve been following along, thank you—it truly means more than you know.

If you’d like to support the cause, there’s still time: https://www.facebook.com/donate/905440795457133

28/04/2026

I’m coming to the end of my 100 mile walk to raise money for the American Cancer Society this April with $74 left to meet my fundraising goal. These last miles have me thinking a lot about the reasons why I undertook this mission.

Day 28 of my 100-mile April challenge 🚶‍♀️
Miles today: 4.19; Miles yesterday: 3.2
Total miles: 89.91 / 100

Today I was thinking of my friend Zoe in high school. Her dad died from cancer, and she carried it with such quiet strength, always admiring her “dear old dad” as he fought his cancer with grace and love.

I also think of my close friend now, missing her mom as she finds her way through being both a mom and a grandma. Missing that loving and supportive shoulder to lean on.

And then there’s Danny and Donna.

Danny was a long-time friend and Eric’s work partner for a while. More recently, we watched him battle throat cancer and COPD with everything he had.

Donna was our crazy, loving, infuriating number-one-Steeler-fan friend who passed just last month from lung cancer. Finding her—and everything that came with that—was part of what pushed me to take on this challenge.

Those are just a few. Sometimes this walk feels like a small way to push back. To do something. To make even a small difference in a world that can feel so out of control.

Walking today with all of them on my mind.

Every mile still supports the work of the American Cancer Society and the families facing cancer.

If you’d like to follow along or support the cause, you can visit my fundraiser here:https://www.facebook.com/donate/905440795457133/

21/04/2026

“Sustainable travel” gets talked about a lot—especially around Earth Day. But what if we could leave a destination better than when we arrived?

While researching a USA TODAY 10Best article on volunteer tourism, I spent a lot of time thinking about travel that gives back. The kind that goes beyond seeing a place and actually helps restore it.

After the article was published, I had the chance to experience that idea firsthand in Aruba. I spent time at a donkey rescue and joined a beach cleanup, small, hands-on efforts that are part of something much bigger happening on the island.

Since then, has introduced a Volunteer Time Off (VTO) program, making it even easier for visitors to take part in conservation efforts, from wildlife care to marine and coastal restoration.

What stands out to me is that this isn’t just one program or one property. It’s an entire destination working to make responsible travel something you can actually participate in.

If you’d like to read the article, I’ll share that that link, along with a link to Aruba’s VTO program in the comments.

19/04/2026

I’m walking 100 miles this month in honor of loved ones we’ve lost to cancer. Today is day 19 of my 100-mile April challenge 🚶‍♀️
Miles today: 4.44
Total miles: 63.02 / 100

Today’s miles are for my grandma. She was a real lady—graceful, poised, and strong (although not above having a little fun 😉).

During World War II, she worked as a telephone operator and used part of every paycheck to buy pieces of her china set—one at a time. There are photos of her from those years, glamorous in ball gowns at formal military dinners, always perfectly put together.

But my favorite memories are quieter. Sitting side by side at the piano, playing and singing for hours. That’s where I knew her best.

She had a sweet tooth and always kept a candy dish nearby—usually filled with licorice allsorts and bridge mix (neither of which I appreciated at the time). I have that dish now. I also have her china.

I once saw a photo of her at 14 and was struck by how much we looked alike.

I remember visiting her in the hospital after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The look in her eyes stayed with me—it was the look of someone who already understood what was coming.

The last time I saw her, she was at the hairdresser, having her hair set. A lady to the very end.

Walking today with her on my mind 💛

If you’d like to follow along or support the cause: https://www.facebook.com/donate/905440795457133/

14/04/2026

Most people don’t realize you can still walk into a working cigar factory in Tampa.

But you can. In fact, the J.C. Newman Cigar Company operates the last large cigar factory still producing ci**rs in the United States — and the last remaining factory in Ybor City, a district that once housed more than 100. At its peak in the early 20th century, Tampa produced over 500 million hand-rolled ci**rs a year, earning its name as the cigar capital of the world.

Yesterday marked the 140th anniversary of the first hand-rolled cigar in Tampa. If you missed the festivities (since they were on a Monday), you can still experience the story with a tour of El Reloj Cigar Factory. It’s a fascinating look inside a working factory where you can feel the history and smell the to***co. While some ci**rs are still rolled by hand, others are made using antique machines that have been in operation for decades.

They’re also hosting their annual Founder’s Day celebration on April 25 (11am–3pm), with free tours, live music, local food vendors and even a Cuban sandwich eating challenge.

Definitely worth a visit whether you're a local looking to explore your own city or visiting from out of town.

11/04/2026

Day 10 of my 100-mile April challenge 🚶‍♀️

Miles today: 4.19
Total miles: 38.40 / 100

Closing in on the halfway mark, and feeling grateful for every mile.

After a 4.38-mile walk around the neighborhood yesterday, today we hit the trails again exploring a nearby equestrian and hiking path. I'm amazed at how many beautiful places I'm discovering within a 10-minute drive of home.

Today's trail was gorgeous but a little rough in spots — wet areas, tall grass, and uneven ground to navigate. It reminded me that even on the harder stretches, I'm still out here by choice. Many people fighting cancer don't get that choice.

Grateful for my husband who keeps me motivated and walks beside me for these miles.

Every step helps support the work of the American Cancer Society and the families facing cancer.

If you'd like to follow the journey, I'm posting regular updates on my fundraiser page: https://www.facebook.com/donate/905440795457133/

06/04/2026

I’m walking 100 miles this month for the American Cancer Society, and one of the reasons starts with my grandpa.

He was one of those rare people who could fit into almost any setting. Put him in a checked flannel shirt with a fishing rod and he was the great outdoorsman. Put him in a tux at a wedding and he became Mr. Suave, twirling the ladies around the ballroom. Put him in a suit on the sales floor and he was an astute businessman.

But more than anything, he was fun.

Our family gatherings were legendary. My grandparents lived on an acreage and we had huge parties with the whole extended family. We also loved to camp, and some of my favorite memories are riding copilot in the RV singing Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” (his favorite song) on the way to some wilderness campground.

I also remember waltzing with him at my cousin’s wedding — while stepping all over his feet — and bouncing around in the front seat of his pickup while we hauled water long before seatbelts were a thing. He even made chores fun.

During WWII he worked as an airplane mechanic in Scotland. Later he and my grandma raised five kids, around a dozen grandchildren, and more great-grandchildren than I can count. Before he got sick, they spent about ten years traveling across the U.S. and Canada in their RV.

When he was diagnosed, we were devastated. We watched him slowly decline — losing his appetite first for food, and eventually for life.

My last memory is visiting him in the hospital to say goodbye. But by then he was already gone, lost in a drug-induced haze in his final hours.

His loss was profound. He had been the glue that held our big family together, and while my grandma tried valiantly to keep everyone connected, it was never quite the same.

This April I’m walking 100 miles to raise money for the American Cancer Society in honor of the people we’ve lost and the families still fighting.

So far I’ve walked 18.53 miles, and I’ll be sharing updates along the way.

If you’d like to support the cause or follow along, you can visit my fundraiser here:
https://www.facebook.com/donate/905440795457133/

Thank you to everyone who has already donated.

03/04/2026

One of the fun parts of my work with USA TODAY 10Best is helping nominate incredible travel experiences from around the country. This time, I got to help shape the lineup for the Thrills ’n’ Wheels Readers’ Choice Awards — a category packed with rides, attractions, and adventures that deliver a serious rush. 🎢🏎️

Now it’s up to readers to decide the winners.

You can vote once a day through April 27, and I’d love to see which experiences rise to the top.

Take a look at the nominees and cast your vote here:
https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/


Photo courtesy of Daytona International Speedway

31/03/2026

April is going to look a little different for me this year.

I’ve decided to walk 100 miles this month as part of a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Along the way, I’ll be sharing small reflections from the road — the things you notice when you slow down and move through the world one step at a time.

If you’d like to follow the journey (or support the cause), I’ve shared the fundraiser link below.

https://www.facebook.com/donate/905440795457133/