Glacier Hiking – Why You Should do It
I’ve written about glacier hiking a few times in the past. I started with some tips about Franz Josef, and added a look at Falljökull in Iceland.
But looking back at the posts, I could’ve done better. I …
Adventures
Getting off the beaten path – do-it-yourself and organized adventures welcome!
Overlooked Arizona Hikes – Red Mountain
I hiked less than a mile before I decided that Red Mountain is one of the most overlooked Arizona hikes.
Never heard of it? I’m not surprised. The sign-in sheet at the trailhead listed fewer than 20 names for the …
What Would You Do With $3,000?
A few weeks ago, I paged through the latest Mountain Flyer magazine and saw a review of the Foundry Broadaxe mountain bike.The base-level Broadaxe will set you back $2,950. That’s a hefty chunk of change. The Mountain Flyer writer describes …
The Travel Tattoo – A Lasting Memento (Guest Post)
Hey, everybody! Ready for something different? Then check out this guest post from Nichole L. Reber about getting a tattoo while traveling. Seems like something to permanently keep the memories alive, eh?
The thought of getting a tattoo abroad often …
Silfra – One of the World’s Great Diving Sites
Photos of one of the world’s coolest diving sites put SCUBA diving on my "to do" list. Yes, it even trumps my inner desert dweller’s disdain for water that’s 36 degrees F.
But it’s not the low temperatures that make …
Travel to Australia: An Adventurer’s Itinerary
I get a lot of questions about travel to Australia. So far, I’ve helped a few friends craft itineraries – from hanging out on beaches to my preferred style of adventure travel.
I thought some other adventurous people could …
Arizona Mountain Biking Trails – Grading the Governments
THIS POST IS BADLY OUTDATED. I WILL REFRESH IT AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE. PLEASE READ THIS ONLY AS A SNAPSHOT OF VALLEY MOUNTAIN BIKING IN 2013. THANKS!
Awhile back, I graded a bunch of my local Arizona mountain …
Remember Peru – A Hint for the Adventure Traveler
What does travel feel like?
Alright, it varies for most people. For some, it’s hot sand and being lazy on a beach. For others, it’s a round-the-clock buffet aboard a cruise ship.
And then there’s the active outdoor traveler: A …
Inside My Head – Fear of Heights
I wish I could stride along the rim of this volcano’s crater. After months of waiting, endless hours looking at photos of it, and then finally marching from the Rangipo Desert up the thick scree on its slopes, I’m here.…
Scottsdale’s New Mountain Biking Trails – First Impression
I’m not used to being confused while mountain biking near the Pima & Dynamite trails in Scottsdale. But today? Flumoxed, mixed up, mystified. Like “watching Vanilla Sky” puzzled.
I mean, these are the Pima & Dynamite trails, but not …
Tourism Versus Travel – And My Struggle to Not be a Jerk
One of my ongoing travel problems is getting off my high horse – especially about types of travel. This writer seems to go through the same struggle:
When choosing your destination, you need to decide: are you traveling for leisure …
Stand Up Paddle Board Trip – New On My “To Do” List
When I travel, I’m always on the lookout for something new to try. An excursion on a stand up paddle board is now a new item on my to-do list.
So, first off … what is a stand up paddleboard? …
Arizona Mountain Bike Trail Profile: FINS
I hate comparing anything to Fight Club – especially a mountain bike trail. But I have no choice with the Fantasy Island North Singletrack, aka FINS, which is a great Arizona mountain bike trail.
I first wrote about FINS for …
In Honor of April Fool’s Day – SCUBA Mythbusting
If you’re a regular reader, you know that I don’t go much for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. I’m a Halloween sort of guy -- and I dig April Fool’s Day. I have a friend whose mother can barely speak …
First Ride on “New” Mountain Bike Trail – with video
Nothing gets me as excited quite like a new mountain bike trail. Or even a re-routing of an old favorite trail.
Ever since McDowell Mountain Regional Park announced that crews had re-routed a bit of its 15+-mile Pemberton (aka Trail …
Best Sporting Events – My Top Four
I’m a little different about what I consider the best sporting events. Baseball? Blah. Basketball? Meh. Football, the American kind? Doesn’t do much for me. Hockey? I still love it, but the recent constipation in getting the NHL season started …
Plan a Better Vacation – 4 Easy Tips
An awesome trip is rarely an accident. It’s a combination of preparation, planning and flexibility. You start with a game plan and leave holes for spontaneity. Let me show you how it’s done, using my recent trip to the Nordic …
Cool Content – Great Finds from Other Blogs
This is the first time I’ve published a post that’s just about other content. I plan to do it more -- maybe once every two weeks. There’s a chance I could wind up doing it more as I find more …
The Mountain Bike That Changed Everything
There’s one mountain bike that made my life better.
It didn’t have any carbon fiber or hydraulic disc brakes. Its only suspension was my arms and legs. No clipless pedals. Just 21 speeds.
So what’s so great about it? It …
Hike Destinations: Landmannalaugar Versus Tongariro
Bacon or chocolate? A pint of craft beer or a wedge of aged gouda? The family dog or cat?
Picking my favorite hike destination is just as hard. I can narrow it down to two:
The stretch of the Laugavegur …