I started Notes from the Road in 1999 in my early twenties, and today it is one of the longest-lasting travel blogs on the web.

Back then, as a reader of travel writing classics, the prospects of turning travel writing into a multi-media experience was new and exciting. and I've been able to watch as travel blogging has developed over time. There are many exciting places to read good travel writing online these days, but the travel industry has also left a sour mark on this niche, as travel bloggers are lured to accepting money in exchange for writing good reviews of hotels and destinations.

At Notes from the Road, I try to stay grounded in my original vision for what travel blogging can be: independent, visual, personal. Travel writing has never been about hotels and reviews. It is, and always has been, about ideas, people and faraway places.

I keep a list of animal and plant life lists in this section of the site. These lists help me learn taxonomy, which in turn becomes a powerful tool to learn habitat and geography and to sharpen my skills as a travel photographer. You can find my bird life list and butterfly life list well maintained with photos and identifications. I am also making a list for dragonflies, reptiles, amphibians and spiders.

In this section, I also keep a list of best Grateful Dead jams and best Phish jams for travel.