HABITATTLER, Encouraging Excursion

Hello,  I’m Benjie Loveless.

Elective travel is often discussed and presented as a lifestyle aesthetic with dogmatic expectations of fantasy fulfillment, conspicuous glamour, romantic idealism and just a hint — often a hefty dose — of  superiority and bragging rights.  This is where Habitattler takes a hard left turn.

I hold down a regular day job, have limited time, limited discretionary resources — and even more limited head space that I can enjoy myself within. A simple day trip or weekend  jaunt can provide much the same emotional gratification that many claim to get from exotic expeditions. The rewards of travel do not demand great distances or grand trophies.

Over the past several years, my most fulfilling moments have been found in short regional excursions to areas of natural and cultural interest, some lasting only a few hours.  Wide open spaces full of treasure and biodiversity, nooks and crannies with big payoffs, and feelings of remoteness that are accessed with only a modicum of planning and effort. I’ll be sharing these places, my impressions and photographs of them, and occasional advice here. Though most destinations covered will deal with the Mid Atlantic United States, I hope that you will be inspired to find that your own escapes are close at hand.