When alone at night in the desert, recall the pop tune by Maria Muldaur, Midnight At The Oasis. The largest National Park in the continental USA is Death Valley, larger even than Yellowstone. The park encompasses … Continue reading →
The craggy Burren is filled with ring forts. Sometime between 1175 and 1195 a group of Cistercian monks settled in the valley on the southwestern side of Ireland’s Burren. With a perceptive genius they called their new church, … Continue reading →
Italy’s Other Magnificent Mountains. We usually think of northern Italy as the hill country of Tuscany and Umbria, or perhaps cities like Florence and Milan. But the alpine province of Trentino-Alto Adige gets scant attention from the standard travel guides. Even its hyphenated name suggests a region both remote and … Continue reading →
THE WORLD’S MOST REMOTE ARCHIPELAGO. Back in space, our island’s picture tells a somewhat different story. No longer a static image, we see Hawaii as a dynamic, living entity. A place where the works of wind and water, … Continue reading →
Ocean Raftin The Great Barrier Reef. The author rafts the Whitsundays. Do you know that moment when you close your eyes and feel the wind in your hair and the sun soaking into your skin? That moment … Continue reading →
It Was the Italians against the Austro-Hungarian Empire in WW1. Friuli-Venezia Julia is an Italian province little frequented by American tourists. This is unfortunate because there is much to see in this area of northeastern Italy tucked between the Veneto (including Venice) and … Continue reading →
Hike and Ski The Remarkable Remarkables. The Main Lodge is nestled in pristine wilderness. Be forewarned. When you drive up to the luxurious Matakauri Lodge south of Queenstown, New Zealand, drive a car with a low-roof. … Continue reading →
Hike The Barrier Of Spears. The twisting but paved two lane road leading into the World Heritage Site of the 243,000 hectare uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park is one of the most dramatic, majestic, and stunning byways anywhere in the … Continue reading →
England Walks, Strolls, and Saunders. England means walking. Memories of country tramps and urban saunters. London, Oxford, and a hundred towns encrusted with time and beauty never lose their appeal to a wanderer on foot. Likewise the rural … Continue reading →
You Are Never Too Old to Hike. There are numerous ways to explore a country, but none as intimate and personal as taking the time to enjoy your vacation destination on foot. Every year more hiking … Continue reading →
Go Green This Year. Our “Blue Planet” is not so “Green”. Only two countries appear green from outer space — Ireland and New Zealand. But you can make your friends green with envy with Green Gear. … Continue reading →
Hike, Bike, Fish the Good Life Outdoors. The Dual Use Outdoorsman. There is nothing better than combining my two favorite passions — mountain biking and fly fishing. Crow Peak is a key landmark above my fly fishing trout stream. … Continue reading →
Hey, It’s Ireland. When the pavement sizzles in Vegas it is time to visit the green vales of Ireland — to test out some of the latest cool outdoors and sports equipment and apparel for summer, and then … Continue reading →
