Uprooted, an eco/travel blog

Durham’s tobacco fields are disappearing under miles of roads, but its Southern manners and natural beauty hold strong.

(1) …Our narrator arrives.
I’ve always wanted to visit Arkansas. Maybe it’s just the name. Maybe it’s the backcountry, down-home Americana imagery associated with that part of the world. Probably it has a lot to do with the Ozarks, that oddly-named bed of mountains promising lush greenery, clapboard shacks, crawdads and moonshine. Whatever the reason, once [...]

It’s beautiful in Austin: Texas hill country, with low rolling treebanks as far as the eye can see. The Colorado River rambles through the middle of town, and scores of springs bring forth cool water even in the hottest months. You can hear great music wherever you go, and there’s art on every corner. But [...]

Last night a huge storm rolled through Austin.

According to the neighbors who were out on the porch watching the weather with me, storms like this aren’t out of the ordinary. I’m like, really? Lighting and thunder every couple of seconds, funnel clouds, quarter-sized hailstones, and two inches of rain in half an hour— that’s normal?
But [...]

Let’s get one thing straight: I’m spoiled, having grown up in California. There, springtime means flowers, sunshine, cute little rainclouds, maybe some fog. Here, it’s… well it’s exciting.
My first night at Zephyros Farm, I set up my tent as usual, and went to bed early like a good farmworker. It was quiet and breezy as [...]

This summer’s dust storms in Utah were so fierce, their red, dusty winds reached as far as the Rockies.

When you’re a voluntourist, buying the wrong boots can land you in some very uncomfortable spots.

Boulder, Colorado: Denver’s uppity well-off neighbor. It’s prettier, hillier, more educated and liberal. The air is cleaner, the people are whiter, and they all wear outdoor-recreation jackets with tasteful little logos on them. The University of Colorado’s main campus is here, and students cruise through the town on bikes, play Ultimate Frisbee in the park [...]