Striving to Help Others Live Bigger
From writing about my adventures on trail or road trip, to paranormal events that stretch the limits of reality, to horror stories that won’t let you sleep — I create content for curious people who’d rather live a long, perpetually curious, interesting life than a safe one.
The Story
I grew up in the mountains of North Idaho, where being resourceful wasn’t a personality trait — it was survival. I earned a degree in Human Biology, moved to the Seattle area, bought a house, started a family, and did what you’re supposed to do. I dug into the grind.
Life flashed by.
By my late 40s, I’d hit the wall. My career was draining me. Despite my best efforts, my marriage was struggling. Then came the event that put a crack in my old reality.
My friend Kevin, who I had known since high school — a guy who always wanted to be adventurous, but never did — dropped dead of a heart attack at 45. It was a reality check, a hard one.
Then, my wife of 23 years decided that married life was too hard.
That was the moment everything shifted. Not gradually. All at once.
When the dust settled, I was living alone, with the family cat that the ex-wife didn’t want, in a small apartment, wondering what was next.
That is when I committed to living the life I wanted.
That’s where all of this comes from.
What I’m Building
10ToesTravel.com Pacific Northwest trail guides, gear reviews, and hiking resources for people who’d rather be outside. I cover trails across Washington and Oregon, test gear with a “cry once, buy once” philosophy, and write about staying trail-ready as you get older — because your body is the most important piece of gear you own.
ParaRational.com Cryptid sightings. UFO encounters. Paranormal phenomena. Investigated with curiosity, not sensationalism. I dig into eyewitness accounts, historical cases, and the genuinely strange things happening in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Plus a weekly newsletter for people who want to keep up with the weird.
Silas Darkwood — YouTube Atmospheric horror narrations. Classic tales and original stories, produced for late-night listening. If you like falling asleep to something that might give you nightmares, this is your channel.
Chris Cliff — Author Paranormal thrillers. The Alex Kane series blends real-world investigation with the kind of things most people pretend don’t exist. Available wherever books are sold.
TheDudeCooks.com Real food for real people. No fuss, no pretension — just solid recipes and cooking content from someone who believes food should taste good and not take all day.
The Common Thread
Every project I build comes back to the same idea: life is too short to be boring. Whether I’m writing about a trail in the Cascades, investigating a Bigfoot sighting, narrating a horror story at 2 AM, or developing a thriller plot — I’m doing work that matters to me, for people who are curious about the world.
I didn’t build any of this because a business plan told me to. I built it because I walked away from a life that was killing me and decided to make things that are worth making.
Get In Touch
Whether you’re a podcast host looking for a guest, a brand looking for a partnership, or just someone who wants to say hey — I’d like to hear from you.
Stay Connected
I send occasional updates about what I’m working on across all my projects — new trails, new investigations, new stories, new books. No spam. No sales pitches. Just the interesting stuff.