After more than 20 years in academia, Valerie Askren traded the life of living in the proverbial ivory towers to spend more time exploring the forested areas and sandstone arches of central Kentucky. An avid outdoorswoman, she has swum in Lake Malawi; climbed Mount Tai; sailed the coast of southern France; biked Nova Scotia; backpacked across Canada; and survived the biting cold of farm life in the Ukraine. Her honeymoon was spent kayaking the Grand Canyon with her husband, Ben. Valerie's background in natural resource economics and her love of nature have translated into a second career writing hiking guides. Her busy life has resulted in the newfound motto of "Think Global. Hike Local." Living in Lexington, Kentucky, she is always near a peaceful wooded path, beautiful public garden, or historical walking trail. A mother of four, Valerie still manages to keep clean sheets on the beds and make fresh sushi once a week.