Steamboat Springs, Colorado is one of the best places to visit, live, and explore. Especially for someone with Multiple Sclerosis. It’s perfect in the summer, dry air with no humidity and plenty to do. Easy walks and hikes, biking, fishing, sightseeing and great restaurants and bars.

When it’s time to reset, escape the hustle, or forget my chronic illness, I make the drive here with fly-rod in hand. This is a private ranch I have access to any time I feel the need to make the short drive. It feels a world away and is where I feel most free and most confident.

In the last few years, #multiplesclerosis has made it more difficult to maneuver the banks, wade the river and tie flies to my line. It is very hard to tie fishing tippet onto a small fly when your hands and fingers have little to no sensation and are tingling. However, with the countless hours I have on the river, it does make it an easier task than someone else with the same symptoms.

Some words of advice: Get outside while you can, do what makes you happy, soak up every last second of the places where you are most at peace and full of life. Don’t quit. Don’t focus on your MS, but focus on what you can do and what makes you happy. For 2 years, all I thought about was my diagnosis and new life. I wasted too much time focusing on something I have no control over. All I can focus on now is my physical, mental and spiritual health.

Recent MRI’s revealed new lesions on my brain and spine, only to remind me that time is promised to no one. This jump-started my desire to share information with others and to get out more and document the adventures.

I highly recommend summers in @steamboatcolorado or skiing the champagne powder at @steamboatresort or supporting your local fly shops and guide services such as @steamboatflyfisher , @yampavalleyanglers, and @straightline_sports. Note: these are Instagram handles.

As always, support MS through The National MS Society.