I’ve always wanted to climb Mt St Helens. The utter transformation after its early 80s eruption fascinates me, and provides a great reminder that the earth is still alive. But I’m not exactly good at the technical parts of …
I can’t even tell you how many times I hear American travelers go on about Spain, Italy, France and England. You’ll hear about culture, history, museums and food (a little less so with England on that last one!). But I …
Iceland is made for backpacking. It has a wealth of trails that are supported by smart amenities and relatively easy to access. The country has embraced the backpacker, with plenty of touring groups, sports shops and hostels. Here are …
I started this blog for one reason: to give people ideas for finding the right adventure for them. My favorite days as a blogger are not when an advertiser throws some cash my way. It’s when someone writes and says …
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 …
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 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 …
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.…
It’s one of those days when I feel like torturing a travel guide editor. I imagine stuff involving ants, honey, jumper cables and possibly a Weed Whacker.
“A short, mostly, flat hike,” the guide book entry promised.
Hours ago, I …
A boxful of Rise energy foods got me through two of my big days in a recent trip to Norway. It was only my second experience with the Rise energy bar – the first was the time I found one …
Scandinavia is less than a month away. Well, same for Finland, which is really a Nordic country. No matter what you call this trip, it’s time to mentally pack my bags for a trip through Sweden, Finland, Norway and possibly …
It shocks more than a few people that I have never been to the UK. Believe me, it’s on the list! Even though I can’t tell you anything first-hand about traveling in the UK, I fortunately have some people who …
It never fails – before the afterglow of my latest trip wears off, someone asks me "where are you going next?"
My official answer? "Hey, give me a chance to savor Korea and Japan -- if not the flavor of
When Sarah and I were in Australia, we met a traveler from Ireland. She was single, in her late 20s, active.
She told us about all the trouble she was having getting other lone travelers to hike with her.
Well, …
Dokna could easily allow herself to be the world’s saddest dog. She loves sticks – but some cruel twist of fate has put her in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, Iceland.
Klaustur, as it’s often called, has as many sticks as Arizona has native …
There’s not much in the way of hiking and biking trails west of I-17 in Phoenix. That’s bad news for hikers and mountain bikers living in that area.
That makes the opening of Deem Hills Recreation Area, a great piece …
Snow is great when it first starts falling. But give it a month, and you’ll be ready to get away from it. So where should you go?
New Zealand, no contest. Here’s why.
1. It’s summer down there. But to …
A website called nofee2hikeaz.com is now online fighting the Phoenix government’s proposal to charge for parking at 5 of its most-congested trailheads. Check my earlier post for some of the details.
Let me get this straight: The people who launched …
On most trips, Sarah and I have allowed ourselves a few days to settle into our surroundings before an outdoor adventure. Not this time. Less than 24 hours after arriving in Iceland, we had our packs loaded again. And we …
Pass Mountain and many other county trails get overlooked often. And unless you live in the Phoenix area, the only time you’ve probably heard the phrase “Maricopa County” is in relation to its relentlessly self-promoting sheriff, Joe Arpaio. I’m not …