The Mission / San Francisco
On our 10 year anniversary trip to San Francisco, there was one area that had us coming back again and again. The Mission District, also known as “The Mission”, is chock full of delicious cheap eats, truly quirky shops, and historical sites.
Andy Goldsworthy at The Presidio / San Francisco
The Presidio of San Francisco was first established as a Spanish garrison in 1776. Now the 1,500 acre park is a National Historic Landmark, famous for its hikes, views, and history.
Sutro Bath Ruins / San Francisco
The Sutro Baths were developed by self-made millionaire Adolph Sutro in 1894. He made his fortune in Nevada’s Comstock silver mine, and applied those riches to his dreams of a better San Francisco.
Big Bend National Park 2014
Three friends adventure into Texas’ Big Bend National Park. 7 minute Video plus Photos! We made several stops in near Johnson City and Fredericksburg, looking for last minute gear. We passed through a storm front that was pretty strong and had dropped the temperature from the 80’s down to what felt like the mid 50’s.
Kayaking Down Bayou Lafourche
A 106 mile kayak/camping trip down Bayou Lafourche, including Donaldsonville, Napoleonville, Thibodeaux, Raceland, Lockport, Cut Off, Leeville and Fourchon.
Cloudland Canyon: West Rim
Hiking the West Rim in Georgia’s Cloudland Canyon State Park.
Wissahickon Valley Park
For ten years, I have biked or driven into the Wissahickon, usually with a camera. In this slice, I attempt to exhibit the important landmarks of the park along with my favorite nooks and crannies.
2012 Cruise Part 6: Kaua’i, HI
Our last island stop was Kaua’i, which was probably the most lush and beautiful of the islands. I would say it was…
2012 Cruise Part 5: Kona, HI
Kona was the second day on the big island. Hilo on the east, and now Kona on the west. This is the…
2012 Cruise Part 4: Hilo, HI
Just an hour south of Hilo (east side of the big island) was the Kaimu black sand beach, one of the more volcanic looking of the black sand beaches.
2012 Cruise Part 3: Maui, HI
Maui – a really gorgeous place, with postcard worthy images wherever you turn. And to start it off, we decided to go…
2012 Cruise Part 2: O’ahu, HI
In O’ahu, we spent most of our time in the capitol city, Honolulu. Our hotel was right along the beach, providing us…
2012 Cruise Part 1: Ship and Ports
Flew into O’ahu and stayed there for the first two days of the trip. Hotel was in Honolulu right on the beach…
Zion: West Rim
Trailhead 9:15 AM. The first two miles of the west rim trail are extremely strenuous, unforgiving, switchbacks. Most trails level out now and then, but this stretch seemed to be entirely uphill. About a fourth into the 2-mile climb, I caught up with a gentleman from Florida…
Zion: The Narrows
On Monday morning I speed-hiked down the West Rim Trail. On the canyon floor, I shuttled to Watchman campground, set up camp, and filled my belly with a delicious Beef Ravioli MRE – one of the best yet! I crammed all electronics and paper documents into waterproof bags and stuffed those bags into my backpack. Today I would hike The Narrows.
Zion: East Rim
Hiking up the east rim from the canyon floor was strenuous – switchback after switchback with short spurts of level terrain interspersed. Toward the end of the climb, thighs and calves on fire, I took solace in the fact that the return trip downhill would be a cakewalk.
Grand Canyon Rafting
A self-guided, three raft, seventeen day trip rafting trip down the Colorado river. There were eight of us, and it was a mixed group of awesome people. Three members had rafted the canyon previously and were oaring the rafts, Four of us were adventure-seekers who knew someone else on the trip but little else, and one poor soul who had never even camped in a tent before.
Storming Fort Proctor via Kayak – St. Bernard Parish, LA
Designed to defend New Orleans from the Union Army, Fort Proctor was constructed under the supervision of General P. G. T. Beauregard in 1856. Also known as Fort Beauregard and Beauregard’s Castle, the fort was originally located about 150 feet inland with a rail yard on its northern end. Today it is approximately 230 feet from the shore, surrounded by Lake Borgne.
Biking New Orleans, LA to Biloxi, MS
This is the story of a hastily thrown-together cycling trip from New Orleans, LA to Biloxi, MS on April 26th, 2011, the Monday after Easter. As usual, I underestimated the amount of time it would take to pack for such a trip…
Funny Tombow One Man Band
Street performer on Bourbon Street that calls himself “Funny Tumbow One Man Band”. The guy ROCKS by employing all appendages.
Grand Isle, LA – Day 47 of the BP/Deepwater Horizon Disaster
A trip down to Grand Isle, Louisiana, to see how things are developing, contribute a bit to the local economy, talk to locals, show some support, and try and make a surreal catastrophe happening a few hours away more tangible.
BP / Deepwater Horizon Disaster – Report From Plaquemines
Mr. Lam hasn’t taken his boat out in weeks. BP told him shortly after the spill that they would call him to use his boat for laying boom. According to Mr. Lam this job would earn him $1,500 a day, however BP has not called.
BP / Deepwater Horizon Disaster – Oil Reaches Grand Isle
A month after the Transocean / BP / Deepwater Horizon oil rig explodes, burns, and begins to perpetually leak oil into the Gulf of Mexico, I walk onto the beach at Grand Isle, unprepared for what I am about to witness.
Tunica Falls, MS
Another New Year presents itself, and she’s escorted by the same old companions: hissing fireworks, the unfathomable lyrics of Auld Lang Syne, gaudy street parades, steaming cabbage with black-eyed peas, and of course those delicate pledges-to-oneself that we call New Year’s resolutions. All of these timeless traditions constitute the norm on New Year’s Day. The question is, does January 1st still have room for new traditions?