Have lived in Escalante since 2009 with my husband, Drew, and son, John. Moved here after living almost 30 years in Cambridge and Boston, MA. I travel to the east frequently for work and I also work on national projects related to endangered species conservation.

We live in an old house that we're still in the process of renovating, but we're close to finishing. We love the quiet, the space, and this wonderful community. Still, we often miss the city life, and since our daughter lives in Boston, we have a place to stay there several times a year.

We do have animals, a dog and a cat, but they are not attention seekers and don't tend to get in the way of those who are either uncomfortable or have less than severe allergies in terms of being around pets.

Our son, John, is in his mid-20s and has cerebral palsy, and he's our constant, and totally wonderful, companion. He walks with assistance, doesn't speak but understands everything that's said, and he loves people and adventure -- his all-time favorite thing is traveling.

Our house is small, so all we can offer is our living room couch and floor for sleeping. We have a huge yard with some great old trees, and privacy is not an issue.

Culturally, we were raised Mormon but are no longer members, although we respect our friends and family members who retain their beliefs.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

We love meeting fellow travelers, especially in this out-of-the way but exquisite place. I'm a bit of a loner by nature, but I do take great pleasure in "discovering" good people from around the country and globe. My husband, Drew, and son, John, are more gregarious than I, and even if I'm out of town they love hosting couchsurfers!

Interests

I enjoy reading, working, walking, exploring, traveling, gardening, and cooking (sometimes!). I used to run marathons but am now sidelined (I hope temporarily) with a chronic knee injury. So instead of running them, I'm now the race director for the Escalante Canyons marathon, which we initiated four years ago. Check out escalantecanyonsmarathon.com!

• animals
• pets
• cats
• dogs
• cooking
• marathon
• running
• walking
• gardening
• reading
• traveling
• backpacking

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Leonard Cohen, blues, jazz, rock, and GOOD country
Movies: No movie theater here, so I'd have to go back several years for a favorite movie -- maybe later
Books -- mysteries, good fiction, and, when I have the energy, good literature; although I'm not much of a non-fiction reader, my husband makes up for it by devouring history, biographies, and environmental topics

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Went backpacking in Canyonlands National Park, solo except for my dog, Chuck, and got caught in a flash flood.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, China, Costa Rica, Finland, France, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russian Federation