Press release: Indianapolis, IN | June 15, 2026 Indiana’s 24 state parks are immensely popular, hosting more than 12 million visitors each year according to the latest figures released by the Department of Natural Resources. Surveys reveal that hiking is visitors’ favorite activity, ranked No. 1 by 70 percent of respondents. Yet despite the popularity of this activity, there has never been a guidebook dedicated to the nearly 200 hiking trails that crisscross the park properties. Fortunately, that information gap has been filled with an all-new book, Hike Indiana State Parks, written by Indianapolis author Don Gulbrandsen and published by RiverRock Publications. Packed with photographs, maps and loads of useful information, this volume is sure to find a welcome place on the bookshelf—on in the daypack—of everyone who enjoys visiting the Hoosier State’s best outdoor resource. Gulbrandsen first conceived the idea for the book back in 2018, but work commitments delayed the project until early 2025. Starting in March of that year, he made nearly weekly trips to revisit all the parks. By October, he had been to every park at least once, hiked hundreds of miles and snapped thousands of photos. Writing as he traveled, Gulbrandsen recorded his impressions, describing and ranking on a five-star scale every trail in every park and compiling the most comprehensive guide ever written about Indiana state park hiking. As he visited and researched the parks, Gulbrandsen soon realized that his book needed to be about a lot more than just hiking. All 24 parks are nature havens, filled with recreational resources and have great stories to tell. For example, he discovered that three parks once contained coal mines, two had amusement parks and one forested property was saved from logging with help from the owners of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gulbrandsen knew his book had to share this history, to tell hikers about the amazing people and events that led to each park’s founding. I worked to create a useful hiking guide, but I also wanted this to be an entertaining book “By reading about the history and my personal experiences in the parks, I think people are going to develop a greater affection for the properties. And that’s my goal—to encourage people to visit the parks, appreciate their beauty and history and do what they can to support and protect them," Gulbrandsen explains. Hike Indiana State Parks is available wherever you buy books, including bookstores and online retailers. You can also learn more and order directly from Don Gulbrandsen’s website: :riverrockpublications.com UNPLUG Magazine UNPLUG Magazine

Perched high above the forest just outside Nashville, Indiana, Mountaintop Treehouse blends handcrafted design, quiet woods and front-row sunrise views into the coolest weekend escape. BY Fia Brower, July 11, 2026 OFF-GRID STAYS Photo credit, HILLS O' BROWN VACATION RENTALS There's something about sleeping in a treehouse that never stops being cool. Maybe it's because it brings back childhood memories of backyard forts. Or maybe it's because waking up surrounded by treetops just beats another hotel parking lot view. Either way, Mountaintop Treehouse, tucked into the hills outside Nashville, Indiana, delivers. Just about an hour south of Indianapolis, hidden among the hardwood forests outside Nashville, Indiana, this handcrafted retreat feels less like a vacation rental and more like the kind of place you dream up when you were a kid. The first thing you'll notice is all the wood. Vaulted ceilings, exposed beams and huge windows make the space feel bigger than you'd expect. It has that cozy cabin vibe without feeling dark or cramped. Then there's the view. One of the favorite spots is the cedar dining nook tucked beside the windows. Breakfast hits differently there. The only distractions are birds hopping between branches and the occasional deer wandering through the woods below. And let's not forget the private sunken hot tub. After spending the day hiking Brown County State Park or wandering around downtown Nashville, sinking into warm water while looking out across the forest just feels like the right move. As the sun dropped behind the hills, everything slows down. The birds get quieter. The stars come out. Nobody checks the time. That's pretty rare these days. One thing you won't expect is how little you'll want to actually do anything. Normally, weekend trips turn into packed schedules, find the best coffee shop, hit every trail, stop at every overlook before heading home. This isn't that. You'll found yourselves hanging around the treehouse longer than planned because...why leave? Coffee turns into another cup of coffee. Books stay open for hours. The deck becomes the best seat in the house. Sometimes the best part of a trip isn't checking things off a list. It's having absolutely nowhere you need to be. That said, if you do decide to venture out, Brown County makes it easy. Brown County State Park is just a short drive away and has miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. If you're chasing overlooks, you'll find plenty. If you're visiting in October, you're basically walking through Indiana's best fall colors. Downtown Nashville is worth exploring, too. It's full of local shops, coffee spots, art galleries and restaurants that somehow still feel authentic instead of touristy. Grab lunch, wander around for a bit, then head back to the woods before everyone else has the same idea. The best thing about Mountaintop Treehouse isn't that it's fancy. It's that it helps you slow down. You start noticing things you normally miss. The wind moving through the trees. Morning fog rolling across the valley. The way the light changes as the sun works its way through the forest. You don't realize how noisy everyday life is until it suddenly isn't. Every season would be worth coming back for. Spring brings fresh green leaves and cool mornings with coffee on the deck. Summer is made for late-night hot tub sessions and sleeping with the windows cracked open. Fall is exactly what you'd expect in Brown County, ridges covered in orange, red and gold. And winter? We'd happily watch snow fall from inside with a blanket and a mug of something warm. Treehouses aren't just for kids anymore. They're for people who need a weekend that doesn't revolve around schedules, screens or traffic. Mountaintop Treehouse reminds you that sometimes the best getaway isn't about going farther. It's just about getting outside. And honestly? We'd book it again without thinking twice. Itinerary Brown County's most popular outdoor attractions, including: Brown County State Park : Indiana's largest state park, known for hiking, mountain biking, scenic overlooks and fall colors. Yellowwood State Forest : Offers hiking, fishing, kayaking and a quieter experience than the state park. Lake Monroe : About a 30-minute drive away, with boating, kayaking, swimming and fishing. Nashville : The arts-focused town with locally owned shops, galleries, restaurants, wineries and coffee shops. For more information or to plan your treehouse adventure, visit HILLS O' BROWN VACATION RENTALS or click their logo below. UNPLUG Magazine

From cozy cabins with hot tubs to luxury retreats overlooking the Smokies, these unforgettable stays turn a weekend getaway into the adventure itself. BY Matt Blankenship, July 11, 2026 MOUNTAIN ESCAPES Photo credit, Modern Mountain Retreat There’s a certain point when a regular hotel room just doesn’t cut it anymore. Maybe it’s the view outside the window (or lack of one). Maybe it’s the feeling that every destination starts to look the same once you step inside. A bed, a desk, a tiny coffee maker and a view of the parking lot. For travelers looking for something different, the place you stay has become part of the adventure. That’s where unique stays come in. Across the country, travelers are trading traditional accommodations for treehouses, desert retreats, cabins tucked into the woods and mountain homes where the view becomes the main attraction. These places aren’t just somewhere to sleep after a day outside, they’re part of the reason you take the trip in the first place. Deep in the mountains of Tennessee, Gatlinburg has become one of those destinations where the overnight experience can be just as memorable as the adventures waiting outside your door. Surrounded by the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg offers easy access to hiking trails, scenic drives, wildlife viewing and some of the most recognizable mountain landscapes in the country. But after a long day exploring, there’s something special about returning to a place that feels like your own private escape. Here are a few stays that prove the right place to rest can completely change a getaway. Country Bears Getaway For travelers bringing the whole crew, Country Bears Getaway by American Patriot Getaways offers the kind of space that makes everyone want to stay a little longer. Located in Gatlinburg, this spacious three-bedroom, three-bathroom holiday home combines the comfort of a mountain lodge with the amenities of a private retreat. Instead of heading back to a small hotel room after exploring the Smokies, guests return to a place designed for slow mornings, shared meals and relaxing evenings. Inside, the home has everything you need for a comfortable mountain stay, including a cozy living room with a fireplace, a dining area for gathering after a day outdoors and plenty of room to spread out. Because the best mountain trips usually happen outside, the outdoor amenities are where this stay really shines. Guests can enjoy a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, a private hot tub and an outdoor seating area perfect for enjoying the fresh mountain air. Whether you’re starting the morning with coffee outside or ending the day soaking under the stars, the outdoor space gives you another reason to spend more time outside. And the location makes it easy to experience some of Gatlinburg’s most popular attractions. The home is just a short drive from destinations like Dolly Parton’s Stampede, Dollywood and Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. But the biggest draw is the nearby access to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where miles of trails, waterfalls and scenic overlooks are waiting. It’s the kind of home base that lets you do as much—or as little—as you want. Spend the day hiking. Come back for a swim. End the night around the fire. Repeat. Pinnacle View Lodge Some stays are memorable because of what’s inside. Others are unforgettable because of what’s outside your window. Pinnacle View Lodge by Stony Brook Cabins falls into the second category. Perched in the mountains near Gatlinburg, this spacious lodge is designed for travelers who want a little extra room, a little more privacy and a view worth waking up early for. The three-bedroom, three-bathroom home offers comfortable mountain living with modern amenities, including a fully equipped kitchen, air conditioning, a dining area and plenty of space to relax after a day exploring. But the real highlight is the scenery. Mountain views surround the property, creating the kind of backdrop that makes even simple moments feel special. Morning coffee becomes an event. Sunset becomes something you actually stop to watch. And after spending the day hiking or exploring nearby attractions, the hot tub is the perfect place to unwind. Because a mountain getaway isn’t complete without a place to relax when your legs are tired. The lodge also provides free WiFi and private parking, making it easy to settle in for a longer stay. Nearby, visitors can explore some of Gatlinburg’s top attractions, including Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s Stampede and the area’s many hiking trails. Whether your idea of adventure is a full day outside or simply sitting on a deck overlooking the mountains, Pinnacle View Lodge delivers the kind of escape that reminds you why people keep coming back to the Smokies. Modern Mountain Retreat For those who want a mountain getaway with a more modern feel, Modern Mountain Retreat offers a different take on the classic cabin experience. This five-bedroom, three-bathroom Gatlinburg retreat is built for groups, families and anyone who believes vacation should include plenty of space to relax. The property features a terrace, hot tub and spa and wellness amenities, creating a stay that feels less like a rental and more like a private mountain retreat. Inside, guests will find a fully equipped kitchen, fireplace, barbecue area, washing machine and comfortable living spaces designed for longer stays. It has all the details that make a trip easier, without losing the feeling that you’re somewhere special. The terrace is the perfect place to slow down, whether you’re enjoying breakfast outdoors, sharing stories after a day of exploring or simply taking in the surrounding scenery. And when you’re ready to venture out, Gatlinburg’s attractions are close by. Local favorites like Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s Stampede and The Grand Majestic Theater are all within driving distance. Of course, the biggest attraction remains the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. With more than 800 miles of trails, historic sites and some of the most beautiful scenery in the Southeast, the park offers endless ways to explore. The Stay Becomes the Adventure The best trips usually aren’t remembered because of where you slept. They’re remembered because of how a place made you feel. The quiet morning coffee overlooking the mountains. The late-night conversations around a fire. The hot tub after a long day on the trail. The moment you realize you don’t need a packed schedule because the place you’re staying is already part of the experience. That’s what makes one-of-a-kind stays worth seeking out. They turn a regular weekend away into something more. In Gatlinburg, the adventure doesn’t end when you leave the trail. It continues when you return to a mountain home surrounded by trees, fresh air and views that make you want to stay just one more night. Because sometimes the best part of exploring somewhere new is having a place that makes you never want to leave. For more information on these mountain getaways or to book your adventure, visit Bookings.com or click the logo below to be taken to their website.

Wrapped in mirrored glass on the edge of Joshua Tree National Park, California's Invisible House blurs the line between architecture and the wild. BY Ara G., July 10, 2026 WEEKEND GETAWAY Photo credit, The Invisible House Some places are built to stand out. The Invisible House was built to disappear. Set on 90 private acres bordering Joshua Tree National Park, this mirrored retreat blends so seamlessly into the California desert that you can drive right past it without realizing it's there. Depending on the light, the surrounding mountains, blue sky and desert floor reflect perfectly off the home's glass exterior, making it look more like an optical illusion than a vacation rental. It's one of those places that makes you stop, look twice and wonder how it's even real. Designed by film producer Chris Hanley and architect Tomas Osinski, who has collaborated with famed architect Frank Gehry, the home pushes the idea of outdoor living in a completely different direction. Rather than separating you from the landscape, the architecture is designed to make you feel like you're living inside it. From nearly every room, the desert becomes the view. Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors stretch across the home, filling the minimalist interior with natural light and creating uninterrupted views of Joshua Tree's rugged landscape. As the sun moves across the sky, the scenery changes with it. Morning light paints the rocks in soft gold. Midday brings sharp shadows across the desert floor. At sunset, the mountains glow in shades of orange and pink before giving way to one of Southern California's most spectacular night skies. It never gets old. The house itself is just as impressive. Spanning more than 5,000 square feet, the open-concept layout feels both luxurious and surprisingly calming. Clean lines, polished concrete floors and modern furnishings keep the focus where it belongs, on the landscape outside. Even the chef's kitchen was designed with the view in mind. Whether you're making breakfast before a hike or cooking dinner after a day exploring the desert, you're never far from those panoramic windows. Of course, the feature everyone talks about is the pool. Stretching 100 feet across the property, the swimming pool almost seems to disappear into the desert, mirroring the sky above and creating an effect that's as photogenic as it is relaxing. Floating in the water while looking out toward the mountains feels less like staying at a vacation rental and more like stepping onto the set of a futuristic movie. Then there's the shower. Yes, the transparent shower. Positioned to make the most of the surrounding scenery, it's one of those design choices that sounds unusual until you realize you're completely surrounded by private desert. Suddenly, showering with views of Joshua Tree's rocky landscape doesn't seem strange at all. It feels oddly freeing. While the design is undeniably modern, the home was also built with sustainability in mind. Advanced building materials and energy-efficient technology help keep its environmental footprint remarkably low, proving that luxury and responsible design don't have to be opposites. But as incredible as the house is, the real reason to visit is everything waiting beyond the glass walls. Joshua Tree National Park sits just outside the property, offering hundreds of miles of hiking trails, iconic rock formations and some of the best stargazing in the country. Whether you're scrambling over giant granite boulders, wandering among the park's namesake Joshua trees or simply taking a scenic drive through the desert, it's easy to spend days exploring without seeing it all. Rock climbers from around the world travel here to tackle the park's legendary climbing routes, while photographers chase the changing light that makes Joshua Tree one of California's most recognizable landscapes. Even if adventure isn't on your itinerary, the desert has a way of slowing everything down. You start noticing things you normally overlook. The silence. The wind moving through the creosote bushes. The way shadows stretch across the sand as the afternoon fades into evening. It's a different kind of quiet than you'll find in the mountains or beside a lake. It's bigger somehow, and it has a way of making everything else seem a little less important. That's exactly what makes the Invisible House such a perfect fit for the landscape around it. Instead of competing with nature, it reflects it, literally. It's a place where architecture becomes part of the experience, not the distraction. You could spend the morning hiking Joshua Tree's rugged trails, cool off with a swim overlooking the desert, cook dinner as the sun slips behind the mountains and finish the night watching thousands of stars appear overhead. No television required. In a world where so many accommodations try to outdo each other with over-the-top amenities, the Invisible House takes a different approach. It lets the desert do the talking. And honestly, that's more than enough. For more information or to book your stay, visit The Invisible House or click to the logo below. UNPLUG Magazine

From unexpected sunsets to hard-earned summits, the parks have a way of changing you when you least expect it. BY Kay Esposito, July 18, 2026 NATIONAL PARK LESSONS Yosemite National Park | Photo credit, Ruby Tawess You don’t really understand a national park until you’re standing in one. Photos can flatten it. Videos miss the total scale. Then you’re there, and it feels bigger than anything you’ve stepped into in a long time. Everything stretches out farther than you expected, and for a second you’re just there with it, no overthinking, no trying to keep up. It doesn’t try to impress you, which is probably why it does. That’s kind of the whole thing with America’s national parks. Places like Yosemite National Park, Big Bend National Park and Grand Canyon National Park aren’t just “pretty views.” They’re reality checks. More like a reset you didn’t realize you needed. For Ruby Tawess, that reset didn’t come all at once. It built slowly, step by step, mile by mile, usually when things weren’t going how she planned. I think being outside, at its core, doesn’t often go to plan, whether that’s trail closures, wildlife encounters or weather. The learning happens when you adapt to the conditions you’re given. She remembers one night at the Grand Canyon. The goal was simple: hike down the South Kaibab Trail, catch sunset, get the shot. Easy. Except it wasn’t. Storm clouds rolled in, snow started falling and the light flattened everything into this dull gray blur. Not exactly the dreamy canyon moment you see all over your feed. “It seemed like our plan to photograph the canyon at sunset was going to be a total bust,” Ruby says. A lot of people turned around. Fair enough. It was cold, visibility was gone and nothing about it screamed “worth it.” But Ruby kept going. Then the switch happened. About an hour in, Ruby says the clouds started to lift. They hovered over the canyon rim like they were placed there on purpose, catching the last light. Gold, orange, pink, yellow. Colors that didn’t feel real. Yosemite National Park | Photo credit, Ruby Tawess “To this day, I don’t think I’ve seen a more unique and stunning sunset. Mother Nature taught me it’s always worth going, because some of the most amazing things in the world only happen when you’re not planning or expecting them.” That sunset was never part of Ruby’s plan, and that’s exactly why it mattered. National parks rarely stick to your itinerary, and that’s part of the magic. The most memorable moments tend to show up right when you’re open to whatever comes next. Ruby learned that in Grand Teton National Park on a hike to Delta Lake. At the time, she was brand new to all of this, fresh from a tiny town in New Jersey, no real hiking experience and taking on a nearly nine-mile hike with over 2,000 feet of elevation gain in brand new boots. Grand Teton National Park | Photo credit, Ruby Tawess Blisters hit early. Every step started to feel like a bad decision stacking on top of the last one. But she kept going. Slowly, painfully, stubbornly. When she finally reached the lake, it wasn’t just about the view. It felt earned in a way that’s hard to explain unless you’ve been there. Not earned like a reward. More like proof. Proof that Ruby can still figure it out. That’s a big reason this hike will always be so special to me. It’s where I started out, so it’s wild to hike it now and look back on how much time I’ve spent in these parks, and how much they’ve shaped me. That feeling shows up in quieter ways too. Not every moment is a big climb or a dramatic sunset. Sometimes it’s just standing still. At Tunnel View in Yosemite, Ruby spent nearly two hours just taking it in. Not hiking, not shooting, not moving, just sitting with it. “When I first visited the park, we spent time staring out across the majesty of the valley, picking out tiny details, hikes we wanted to explore, and waterfalls we wanted to sit under,” she says. “The longer you look at a place of that scale while being still, the more you realize how much you can miss if you move too quickly or don’t pay close attention. It’s now become the first place I go anytime I return to Yosemite.” And then there are moments that make you feel small in the best way. Glacier Point did that for Ruby. “I have spent a total of 40 days and nights in Yosemite National Park, and I am confident that I will never be able to fully wrap my head around the scale of the valley view from Glacier Point,” she says. “Being able to see the awe-inspiring panorama of the valley, the many, many hikes I’ve done in the mountains, and the sheer number of mountain layers that lie beyond the iconic peaks of Half Dome and El Capitan is an experience that I cannot recommend enough.” Glacier National Park | Photo credit, Ruby Tawess Not every lesson out there is peaceful, though. Some of them are uncomfortable. Early on, Ruby dealt with self-doubt. Wondering if she belonged there, if she could handle long hikes, if she was capable. “During my earliest experiences hiking in Grand Teton National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park, the biggest hurdle was not physical, it was self-doubt,” Ruby says. “Long hikes in the wilderness felt so foreign at the time. It is easy to compare yourself to more experienced people when you are starting out, so that is something I hope to help others move past.” And sometimes, the smartest move is turning around. There was a hike in the Tetons, deep into Cascade Canyon, one Ruby had wanted to complete for years. Everything was lining up until it was not. Halfway in, a moose stepped onto the trail and stayed there, with no interest in moving. “I think it is so important to remember that these rugged landscapes can be out of your control,” Ruby says. “I spent years dreaming of hiking all the way up Cascade Canyon in Grand Teton National Park. We took the shuttle across Jenny Lake, reached the trailhead, and started into the heart of the Tetons. The views are incredible and offer a perspective you do not get from road overlooks. About halfway in, a young moose took over the trail. It just shows that nature does not always follow your plan. I will always remember that beautiful moose.” Glacier National Park | Photo credit, Ruby Tawess Some of the national park moments that stay with Ruby the longest are not the dramatic ones. Like the first time she brought her mom to Yosemite. No big hike, no extreme conditions, just watching her experience it for the first time and sharing that moment. That kind of moment does not need a caption. "I didn’t grow up in a scenic area,” she says. “As a little girl who fell in love with outdoor spaces through books, movies, and computer screens, I genuinely never thought I would be able to explore our national parks myself. So being able to realize that dream, then share it with my mom, watch her eyes light up and cry happy tears, is something that will stay with me long after my days of summiting mountains.” Over time, the parks became more than places to visit for Ruby. They became a place to reset when life gets messy. “Being alone in the wilderness gives me the perfect opportunity to reflect,” she says. “Reflection is such a powerful tool. It has not only helped me fall further in love with our natural spaces, but also accept and love parts of myself I did not before. I cannot recommend getting outside enough if you want to truly get to know yourself better.” Canyonlands National Park | Photo credit, Ruby Tawess For her, that is what resetting looks like. Not the longest hike. Not the perfect photo. Not the most extreme version of the experience. Some days it is waking up at 2 a.m. to catch the first light at a viewpoint you have been chasing. Other days it is sitting by a river doing nothing and being fine with that. The parks don’t try to define it for you. You show up, however you are, and that counts. Everything else is extra. Instagram: @rubytawess | follow Ruby’s adventures across America’s national parks and beyond. All photography by Ruby T. (@rubytawess).

The border-to-border calendar year that united two hikers on separate journeys in a remarkable finish across 10,000 miles. BY Sydney Williams, July 12, 2026 HIKING Photo credit, Slide Madison “Peg Leg” and Philip “Slide” didn’t plan to meet. They didn’t share a starting point, a schedule or even a conversation at the beginning of their hikes. For most of last year, they didn’t know each other at all. What they shared, without realizing it, was a goal big enough to swallow a calendar year. Both set out to complete the border-to-border calendar-year Triple Crown, linking the Continental Divide Trail, Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail with their own routes and timing. Each moved independently, chasing miles across seasons, terrain shifts and long stretches of solitude. By midyear, somewhere in the churn of trail towns and secondhand updates, they learned of each other. "We realized our mileage lined up almost perfectly, so it made sense to finish it together. It turned into this shared push to 10,000. Having someone there made the hard days a lot more manageable," says Slide. They followed each other loosely from afar, trading progress through word of mouth and occasional online check-ins. It wasn’t until August, on the Pacific Crest Trail, that they finally crossed paths. Northbound met southbound. Two hikers deep into a year most people wouldn’t attempt once, let alone twice. They shared a meal. Compared notes. Then they kept moving. Madison had completed her border-to-border calendar year in November, becoming the first woman to do it. Philip still had miles to finish. Their routes diverged again, but the overlap stuck. By the time the year began to close out, both found themselves staring at the same unexpected number. Ten thousand miles. Photo credit, Slide “It wasn’t even the original goal,” Philip said. “It was way down the list. But once you’re close enough to see it, it’s hard not to go for it. My first goal was just to do a calendar year, around 8,000 miles. There was so much unknown for me. As I got closer, I was looking at my mileage and knew I could get to 10,000 miles. It’s a way to blow my own mind.” Madison had already finished her primary objective. She could have stepped off trail. Instead, she doubled back to Florida, where Philip was wrapping his route. She had already hiked that section once. This time, she returned for one reason. “To see how far we could push it,” she said. “We had already gone so far. Would there really be another time in my life when I could do this? I wanted to see what I could do if I used every minute of the year.” Photo credit, Madison Blagden They met again in Florida with their mile counts nearly identical. Madison was ahead by about 60 miles. Close enough that, if they matched pace, they could hit 10,000 together. So they did. What followed was 44 days of high-mileage hiking across the Florida Trail and beyond, adding loops, side trails and repeated sections to stretch their total. The math required it. The trail alone wasn’t long enough. They averaged 37.5 miles a day. No zero days. No room for error. You wake up at 5 or 5:30, start hiking right away, and you just go. Eat while you’re walking. Maybe stop at a gas station for 15 minutes. Then keep moving. Days ran 15 hours or more. Nights were short and functional. The rhythm stayed the same whether it rained, cleared or pressed heat back up from the ground. Florida offered a different kind of challenge. Flat terrain meant no variation. No climbs to shift muscle use. No descents to break the pattern. Just the same stride, over and over, across pavement, sand and long, exposed stretches. Photo credit, Slide “You’re using the exact same motion all day,” Philip said. “It beats you up in a different way. Your feet feel it more than anything.” They moved through the Everglades, across road walks and into sections most hikers skip. With mileage as the goal, detours became part of the plan. A side trail to a lake. A loop to extend the day. Miles were miles. "You end up seeing places people don’t normally take the time to see ," says Madison They also saw very few people. December is off-season for the Florida Trail. The usual wave of hikers arrives later. The isolation didn’t bother them. By then, both had spent most of the year hiking alone. What changed in Florida was not the solitude, but the presence of someone who understood exactly what the day demanded. “There were times we didn’t have to say anything,” Philip said. “You just know what the other person is dealing with.” That shared understanding made the pace manageable. Maybe even enjoyable. “I wouldn’t have had any fun doing it alone,” he said. “With someone else, it actually was fun.” Photo credit, Slide Their days were simple. Wake. Pack. Walk. Eat. Walk. Repeat. Conversation came and went. Sometimes they talked for hours. Sometimes they moved in silence, each locked into their own rhythm. Gear was not a focus. Both came into the year with systems already dialed in from previous long-distance hikes. Packs stayed mostly consistent. Adjustments were seasonal. Snow gear came and went. Pack sizes shifted. Shoes did not last. A dozen pairs, at least. Maybe more. At that mileage, shoes break down fast. Cushion fades. Structure collapses. Wet conditions speed it up. A pair might last 300 miles, maybe 800 on a good run. Either way, replacement becomes routine. The physical toll was constant but predictable. Soreness. Fatigue. Occasional illness. Madison pushed through a stretch of feeling sick. Neither had the option to take a full day off. The timeline wouldn’t allow it. That mindset carried through the entire year. Motivation shifted over time. Early goals gave way to something less defined, more internal. “The more you put into it, the more attached you get,” Philip said. “It kind of grows on its own.” Stopping became harder, not easier. Not because it wasn’t tempting, but because the cost of stopping increased. Every mile not walked today had to be made up later. “The less you do, the more you have to do,” he said. Photo credit, Madison Blagden By the final stretch, the goal wasn’t just the number. It was finishing what they had already built. They reached Key West on Dec. 31. Ten thousand miles, more or less in step. There was no dramatic finish. No sudden shift. “It was like any other day,” Philip said. “We hiked, ate and went to bed.” Both described the ending as anticlimactic. Not disappointing, just difficult to compress into a single moment. A year like that doesn’t resolve neatly. “You’ve been living it the whole time,” Madison said. What stood out more was who met them there. Two hikers, just starting their own calendar-year attempt, arrived the night before. The next morning, Madison and Philip watched them step onto the trail, beginning the same process they had just finished. “That was probably the coolest part,” Philip said. The contrast was sharp. One pair exhausted, ready to stop. The other just beginning, facing a full year of unknowns. Madison and Philip didn’t linger long. Rest came quickly, but not dramatically. No days of sleeping. Just the absence of an alarm and the absence of 38 miles waiting. Looking back, both struggle to fully explain what the year felt like. Even among other thru-hikers, the scale is hard to grasp. “It’s just so many miles,” Philip said. What remains clearer is the stretch they shared. Forty-four days. Fifteen-hour pushes. A pace that would have felt brutal alone, but became something else together. Not easier, exactly. Just better. That part stays. Not the number. Not even the routes. But the memory of moving in sync, covering ground most people never will, and knowing, without explanation, that the person next to you understands exactly what it took to get there. Photo credit, Madison Blagden To follow Madison’s journey, visit Instagram @madisonblagden

We tested the 2026 summer gear so you know exactly what’s worth packing before you head outside. July 18, 2026 SUMMER GEAR CHUK Outdoor Kitchen I Photo credit, John Belanger Camp cooking shouldn’t mean digging through bins in the dark, wondering where the spatula went. It folds out into a solid, stand-alone cooking station with dedicated drawers and shelving built around your gear. No wasted space, no guesswork- just a clean, organized system that keeps your vehicle and your campsite dialed in. Setup is fast. Breakdown is faster. Everything has a place and stays there. Whether you’re cooking for two at a quiet desert pullout or feeding a crew after a long day on the trail, CHUK brings order to camp and lets you get back to the fire where you belong. Website: chukoutdoors.com Rugged Road 65 Cooler Rugged Road 65 Cooler I Photo credit, John Belanger Most serious coolers are built like tanks, and carry like them too. The Rugged Road 65 changes that. Weighing in at just 13 pounds- less than half the weight of comparable coolers, it delivers serious performance without the burden, holding ice for days in real-world conditions. It fits 65 twelve-ounce cans plus ice, and the exterior features a proprietary coating originally developed for military-grade applications, proven tough where it counts. It floats upright to keep contents dry and accessible, the reversible lid doubles as a cutting board and cup holder station, and a lifetime warranty backs it all. This is the cooler you reach for when the terrain is demanding and your back already has enough to carry. Website: ruggedroadoutdoors.com Animus Works Cooler and Lunch Setup The Animus I Photo credit, John Belanger This one stands out for pure versatility- built for camping, but just as at home with anglers and hunters who need every inch of space to earn its keep. The Animus is a true 5-in-1 system, combining an insulated cooler with dedicated storage for food and water, gear compartments, a sealed dry drawer, and a reinforced seat rated to 350 pounds, all in a compact, upright design that saves space where it matters most. Rod holders and tools mount directly to the unit, valuables stay protected in the dry drawer, and cold water is always within reach, with a raised spigot for better access. This rig easily provides 48+ hour ice retention backed by commercial-grade insulation; it delivers where it counts. We recommend it for both camping and fishing, especially when space is limited and your setup needs to be dialed in from the moment you drop the tailgate. Website: animusworks.com I The Disc-O-Bed Cot System Disco-O-Bed I Photo credit, John Belanger If you’ve ever spent a night in a sleeping bag on uneven ground, the Disc-O-Bed is a clear upgrade. The military-grade cot system converts from bunk beds to two singles or a bench without tools and in minutes. Its powder-coated steel frame supports up to 500 pounds per bunk, while the tensioned sleeping surface is designed to reduce sag and eliminate the need for a center support bar. Whether set up in a backcountry wall tent or a family campsite after a long drive, the Disc-O-Bed is designed for repeated use in outdoor environments. Website: discobed.com Keep an eye out for UNPLUG Magazine's upcoming 2026 Fall Gear Guide, where our team puts the season's latest outdoor gear to the test—bringing you honest reviews, real-world performance, and the essentials you'll want on your next adventure hike.

The Hancock Flat 50 hits 10 years in Indiana. Late August in Hancock County feels like a held breath before fall—cornfields standing tall, heat still clinging to the pavement and long county roads running straight enough to disappear. BY Kay Esposito, July 10, 2026 UPCOMING EVENTS Last year's Hancock Flat 50 I Photo credit, Hancock County Late August in Hancock County feels like a held breath before fall, cornfields standing tall, heat still clinging to the pavement and long county roads running straight enough to disappear. Then, for a few hours on a Saturday morning, the quiet breaks. Tires hum. Chains click. A loose ribbon of cyclists stretches across the landscape, moving together and apart at the same time. That’s the rhythm of the Hancock Flat 50, which marks its 10th anniversary this year in Greenfield. What started as a modest community ride has grown into one of central Indiana’s most magnetic cycling events. It isn’t a race in the traditional sense. It’s something looser, where 1,200 riders clip in for their own reasons and end up, for a while, moving as one. Back in 2016, the ride launched with just over 100 cyclists. It was part of a push by Hancock Health to get people outside and moving. There were two routes then, just like now, 25 miles or 50 miles—and a simple idea behind it: keep it open to everyone. Ten years later, not much about that idea has changed other than the number of attendees. “We’ve grown to about 1,200 riders,” says Mitch Doran, owner of Family Bike Chain and one of the original supporters. “But it’s always stayed a fun, family-friendly event for all skill levels.” That’s the thing people keep coming back to. It doesn’t matter if you show up in full kit or on a bike that’s been sitting in your garage since 2012. You line up, you ride and you figure it out as you go. John Rihm has been doing exactly that for years. Last year's Hancock Flat 50 I Photo credit, Hancock County “I enjoyed riding, and it gave me a chance to get out on roads I normally don’t ride,” he says. “And to get to know other bikers.” Rihm is 73 heading into this year’s ride. He still pedals regularly, still shows up, still treats the event less like a competition and more like a checkpoint in a much bigger routine. “The camaraderie is what keeps me coming back,” he says. “And the challenge to keep riding as I get older.” That tone runs through the entire event. Yes, there’s chip timing. No, there are no awards. You can check your stats later if you want. Most riders don’t seem too pressed about it. “It’s not a race,” says Teri Gottschalk, community outreach coordinator and one of the people behind the scenes. “We call it a ride for a reason.” The weekend starts before the pedals even turn. “Flat 50 Friday” has become its own thing, with packet pickup, live music, a corn hole tournament and a steady flow of riders drifting through downtown Greenfield. By Saturday morning, it’s all business. Or at least as close to business as this ride gets. Last year's Hancock Flat 50 I Photo credit, Hancock County The start line sits in the middle of downtown. Riders roll out at 8 a.m., both distances together, before splitting off into their routes through the county. This year’s course is new, adjusted around construction and rerouted enough that even the regulars won’t be able to run it on memory. Gottschalk calls it the “not so flat” Flat 50 this time around. There’s a little more elevation tucked into the southern section, just enough to keep people honest. Still, Hancock County delivers what it promises. Long stretches of open road, farmland on both sides, the occasional surprise like a buffalo farm or a cluster of spectators set up in lawn chairs. Ron Pritzke remembers when the ride was just an idea tied to a bigger goal. He still rides the 25-mile route, adjusting his mileage a bit in the weeks leading up. Nothing extreme. The group energy does most of the work. The pack carries you along for a while. You don’t have to overthink it That energy is real. Twelve hundred riders rolling out together creates its own momentum. You settle into a pace, find a wheel to follow, drift into conversation, then back into your own head. Repeat for a few hours. And it’s not just about one day. Over the past decade, proceeds from the event have been funneled back into the county. Trail systems, safety signage, park projects, even cycling programs in local schools have all seen support. It’s part ride, part reinvestment. For first-timers, the advice is simple. “Just sign up and try it,” Doran says. “You don’t need a high-end bike. Just bring what you’ve got and a helmet.” Rihm agrees, with one caveat. “Understand the event,” he says. “If you’re new, try the 25-mile first. See what you can do.” Or just show up and ride until you can’t. There’s no real wrong way to do it. At the finish line, things slow down. Riders roll back into town, legs shot, jerseys damp and head straight for food trucks, drinks and whatever shade they can find. A local beer from Wooden Bear Brewing Co. hits a little different after 50 miles. Same goes for a slice of pizza or other food options from local restaurants set up in the “Living Alley.” “It’s my favorite part,” Pritzke says. “Finishing and just relaxing.” Ten years in, the Flat 50 hasn’t tried to become something bigger than it is. It’s just gotten better at being exactly what it started as. A ride. A community. And a reason to keep pedaling. To learn more about the upcoming Flat 50, click the image above.

Hannah and Hunter of @packthebus trace America’s most iconic highway, one stop at a time BY Kay Esposito, June 16, 2026 ROAD TRIP Photo credit I @packthebus There is a stretch of road in America where time does not really move forward so much as it lingers, frozen in place, where you can still feel the history in everything along it. Neon signs flicker. Diners feel unchanged on purpose. Vintage gas stations sit like they have been there forever. And the iconic U.S. Route 66, first established in 1926, still carries every traveler who has ever passed through it. For Hannah and Hunter of @packthebus, that road became something more than a drive. It became a month-long journey connecting Illinois to California, stitched together by roadside stops, unexpected people and the kind of moments you cannot plan for. The two have known each other almost their entire lives, though not in the way people assume. "We went to the same middle school and high school, so we grew up in the same neighborhood," Hannah says. "We didn't actually meet until college. It's kind of funny, we were orbiting each other for years and didn't even know it." They even show up in each other's old photos without realizing it, background faces at school events, parallel lives that did not fully connect until later. The timing of their meeting would end up shaping much of what came next. Pack the Bus started in a downtown San Diego apartment. Life had become routine in ways they did not expect. Rent, work and days spent indoors had replaced the adventures they imagined. Photo credit I @packthebus "We were living in a downtown apartment with no real sunlight," Hunter says. "At first it felt fine because we thought we'd always be out doing things in the city, but once everything slowed down, we realized how much time we were actually spending inside." The contrast between what life looked like and how it felt became harder to ignore. "I had this car I loved, but I wasn't using it anymore because we didn't have anywhere to go," Hunter says. "That's when we started thinking maybe we should be doing something that actually gets us outside again." A camping trip changed everything. "We had never really camped together as adults, so we asked a friend to take us out and show us the ropes. That first trip honestly changed everything for us. We came back completely hooked." Not long after, they found a Volkswagen bus. It was never intended to become a full-time lifestyle. "At the time it was just supposed to be something fun, a project, a weekend thing," they say. "We didn't buy it thinking this would become our life." Photo credit I @packthebus But it did. Weekend getaways turned into longer adventures, to Big Bear, Mammoth and beyond. Eventually, returning home became the hardest part. "Every time we came back, we had the same feeling. We didn't want to go back to normal life. It kept happening over and over until we finally asked, 'Why are we going back at all?'" In 2022, they stopped asking. They gave up their lease, transitioned to working remotely and set out with a loose goal of visiting every national park in the United States. During their first year alone, they explored 22 national parks. Route 66 came later, almost by accident. "We had just finished an East Coast loop and realized we would be passing through Chicago on the way back to California," Hunter says. "It felt like the perfect chance to take Route 66 instead of just driving straight home." They spent nearly a month following the historic highway from Illinois to California, traveling slowly enough to appreciate how dramatically the country changes along the way. "I think it was less about getting from one end to the other and more about everything in between," Hunter says. "The landscape changes so much. You start in the Midwest, and by the time you hit the West, it feels like a completely different country." Photo credit I @packthebus For Hannah, the slower pace was the best part. "I love stopping. I love museums, stamps, roadside attractions—all of it," she says. "There were days where we barely drove 60 miles because we kept stopping for something random. A sign, a diner, a museum we'd never heard of. That's kind of the point of Route 66. It pulls you off the main path constantly." Some of the trip's most memorable moments came from those unplanned detours. "We stopped at this neon sign display in Illinois, and the next day we randomly met someone whose family had been making those signs for generations," Hannah says. "He ended up inviting us into his shop and walking us through everything. That would not have happened if we hadn't stopped in the first place." Another unexpected recommendation led them to Abraham Lincoln's Tomb in Springfield, Illinois. Photo credit I @packthebus "That same local told us about Abraham Lincoln's Tomb," Hunter says. "It wasn't on our list at all, but we ended up going, and it was one of the most powerful stops of the whole trip." Farther west, in Tucumcari, New Mexico, the Blue Swallow Motel became one of the highlights of the journey. "It still has the original neon sign and even rotary phones in the rooms," Hannah says. "It feels like stepping into a completely different time. You can tell it's been preserved with so much care." Not everything about traveling Route 66 came easily. Without air conditioning in their vintage Volkswagen bus, planning around the weather became essential. "The biggest challenge was definitely the weather," they say. "We don't have air conditioning in the van, so we had to be really intentional about when we traveled through certain areas. In New Mexico, we actually missed a blizzard by one day. If we'd been any later, we would have been stuck for days." Still, they never viewed the journey as something to simply get through. Instead, Route 66 became something to experience. Their advice for anyone considering the drive is simple. "Don't over plan it. Learn a little history before you go, but leave space for the random stuff. That's where the best parts happen." Photo credit I @packthebus And if you're hoping to drive the entire route, don't rush it. "At least two weeks. But honestly, if you only have a few days, just pick a section and really sit in it. The western part is great for landscapes, but Illinois has a lot of the deeper history." One of Hannah's favorite stops remains the Route 66 Hall of Fame Museum in Pontiac, Illinois. That's where I got my first stamp. After that, I just started collecting them everywhere we went. Gas stations, diners, small museums, anywhere that had something worth stopping for. By the end of the journey, Route 66 had become more than a historic highway. It became a reminder that the best adventures rarely happen on a schedule. The Mother Road doesn't ask travelers to race from one end to the other. It invites them to slow down, wander into forgotten towns, strike up conversations with strangers and pull over whenever something catches their eye. For Hannah and Hunter, that ended up being the whole point. To help others experience the route, the couple created a comprehensive Route 66 travel map filled with their favorite stops, recommendations and hidden gems discovered along the way. As Route 66 approaches its 100th anniversary in 2026, they hope more travelers will take the time to experience America's most iconic highway for themselves. To learn more about Hannah and Hunter's journey, follow @packthebus on Instagram. Their Route 66 guide is available by commenting "guide" on one of their Route 66 posts, where you'll receive a link to start planning your own adventure. Photography by Hannah and Hunter of @packthebus.

How one 48-year-old finally conquered Yosemite's most legendary trail and discovered his limits were never where he thought they were. BY Kay Esposito, June 16, 2026 HALF DOME Photo credit I Johnathan Rockwood There are hikes… and then there’s Half Dome. You know the one. That insane granite beast in Yosemite that looks like it was carved by gods who were bored and mildly unhinged. Yeah. That one. For Johnathan Rockwood, it wasn’t just "on the bucket list." It had been sitting in the back of his mind for years, quietly waiting like a challenge he wasn’t quite ready to accept. “As I’ve become a more experienced hiker, Half Dome has always loomed large as one of the most iconic hikes in the United States, but I think I doubted my ability to conquer such an intimidating hike,” he says. Until one random Sunday. He’s scrolling, probably half awake, half dreaming, reading about the mileage, the elevation gain, the cables that look more like something you'd find on a construction site than inside a national park. Then he does something simple that changes everything. He texts his older brother. I want to hike Half Dome. And just like that, the idea stops being an idea. The Guy Who Already Knew Suffering… Just Not This Version of It Johnathan isn’t new to hard things. A former Navy pilot, he spent several years stationed on Oahu, where hiking every weekend quickly became part of life. Since then, he’s completed the Rim-to-Rim hike, climbed multiple mountain summits and spent years chasing increasingly difficult trails. But Half Dome? That’s the hike people talk about like, "Yeah... I survived that." “This would be a new personal record in terms of elevation gain in one day. Half Dome is a 14–16 mile round-trip hike with nearly 5,000 feet of elevation gain.” When the permit system finally comes through, it feels like winning the lottery. August 23 is officially locked in. Johnathan heads to Yosemite with his brother Nate, who has completed Half Dome before, his sister-in-law Tara and their friends Christian and Janine. “Hiking in a group added so much to the experience,” Johnathan says. “There were moments where we were all in pain, but keeping a constant conversation going kept our minds off of any discomforts we were feeling.” 3:45 A.M. Energy The alarm goes off long before sunrise. Breakfast burritos. Headlamps. Sleep deprivation. Peak excitement energy. They begin climbing in the dark. The Mist Trail arrives first with its endless granite stairs that somehow feel personally offended by your existence. Then comes Vernal Fall. Then Nevada Fall. By now, everyone’s legs know exactly what they signed up for. Sub Dome Said: Not Today As they make their way toward Sub Dome, rumors start floating down the trail. “As we were making our way to Sub Dome, several hikers on their way down told us that the cables were closed due to weather. I refused to believe them, and we kept hiking.” Then reality shows up wearing a ranger uniform. Closed. The group waits. They rest. They snack. They stare at the sky. Eventually, the weather shifts. “We pushed forward. I remember really feeling my leg muscles during the climb up Sub Dome. Some hikers believe this is the hardest part of the trail. Once we reached the base of Half Dome, we saw that it was deserted, no one was on the cables. Once we reached the cable portion, there were several people at the base, keeping an eye on the weather, trying to decide what to do.” The Cables: Where It Stops Being Hiking This is the part everyone talks about. The cables. About 400 vertical feet of pure upper-body regret. “The cables are by far the most physically demanding portion,” Johnathan says. “I remember gripping the cables and immediately feeling my triceps start to burn. My heart rate was elevated, and I couldn’t catch my breath.” Photo credit I Johnathan Rockwood You pull. Step. Pull. Step. There’s no shortcut. No easy way down. Just granite, steel and one decision after another. Mentally, everything else disappears. No phone. No conversation. No distractions. Just you and the mountain. One pull. One step. One more. Until suddenly... You’re there. Summit Energy Johnathan reaches the summit ahead of the rest of his group, accompanied by two fellow hikers. For a brief moment, they have the top of Half Dome entirely to themselves. He later admits the experience stirred emotions he wasn’t expecting. Because how do you even process standing on top of something that felt impossible only a few hours earlier? “I took it all in and just felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. Standing on top of Half Dome, 8,839 feet above sea level, you feel like you’re on top of the world.” Yosemite Had One More Surprise Because Yosemite weather doesn’t really care about your personal achievement arc, thunderclouds roll in fast. Lightning begins flashing in the distance. The celebration ends. They head down. Quickly. The descent turns into soaked clothes, aching knees, heavy legs and that very real "Okay... I am officially done now" feeling. Fourteen hours after leaving the trailhead, they finally return. “This was the first time I started really feeling emotionally and physically exhausted. I wanted to be done. We stopped several times on the way down to hydrate.” The Part That Stayed With Him It wasn’t just the summit. It wasn’t even just the cables. It was everything stacked together. The uncertainty. The changing weather. The group. The conversations. The decisions. The moments where quitting seemed easier than continuing. Somewhere along that climb, something shifted. “This hike changed how I see my limits. At 48, I proved to myself that I’m capable of more than I thought. This is a tremendous physical accomplishment for me, however, it also greatly increased my appreciation for Yosemite and the beauty of nature.” And the view from the top? “Worth every single step I questioned on the way up.” Follow Johnathan Rockwood: @johnathan_explores