Cindy Barks

I am a journalist with more than 25 years of experience working for a newspaper in Northern Arizona. Over the years, I’ve written stories on everything from local and state elections, to the tragic loss of wildland firefighters, to features on new recreational trails. I have a bachelor’s degree in journalism, and I have always relished the world of news, where deadlines are a way of life, and accuracy and objectivity are a reporter’s calling cards.

I love my day job, but whenever I can, I indulge in my other passion – travel. An unquenchable desire for new horizons was the impetus for the creation of NearandFarAZ.com – a travel blog that focuses on Arizona and the American Southwest, but also ventures to far-away spots. Recent trips have taken me to: Yosemite, Zion, and Glacier National Parks; Seattle, Washington; Vancouver, British Columbia; the Czech Republic; Taipei, Taiwan; the Sea of Cortez, Mexico; Hong Kong, China; and the San Blas Islands, Panama.

Through NearandFarAZ.com, I strive to capture the culture, culinary landscape, and lifestyle of a destination. I launched the website in May 2015, and have published more than 100 posts.

Along with writing, I delight in taking photos, which I regularly share on Instagram,  Twitter and Facebook. My social media followings have grown steadily over the past several years to a total of nearly 7,000.

Since the start of NearandFarAZ, I have had about 25 articles, with photos, published in the Rails to Trails Conservancy, and on its website. The articles have included: a Trail of the Month article on the Animas River Trail in Durango, Colorado; a feature article on the San Francisco Bay Trail; and a destination piece on the Peavine Trail in Prescott, Arizona.

I also have had more than 160 articles published on Travel Awaits, a website that focuses on the 50+ traveler. All of my Travel Awaits articles are available on my author page.

I also have partnered with other travel bloggers on collaborative lists: (https://thoughtcard.com/cliff-views/ and https://drifterplanet.com/surreal-travel-destinations/ ).

I would love to use my growing blog as a platform for future partnerships with new destinations, travel websites, and adventure and hiking publications. I pride myself on taking unique story angles; my posts regularly go beyond the usual travelogue format. With my background in journalism, I can deliver interesting, concise, and accurate stories, accompanied by original, colorful photos.

I believe that NearandFarAZ has endless potential for growth. So, if you are interested in growing with me, I am just an email message away!

To learn more about me and my past travels, check out my interview with Travel Awaits.

Please feel free to contact me. Here’s how:

See regular posts on Facebook. Like me at https://www.facebook.com/nearandfaraz

Check out daily updates on Twitter. Follow me at twitter.com/NearandFarAZ

See the best of my photos and videos on Instagram. Check it out at instagram.com/nearandfaraz

Write to me anytime (I’m open to comments, suggestions, or collaboration ideas!). Email me at: nearandfaraz@gmail.com

Learn more about me at https://nearandfaraz.com/about/

Watch my travel videos at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCPla_7ENc909RBVbDzzL6g