Category: Nature & Wildlife
A Climb…in the Rain?
September 14, 2011 by Diane Berry · 2 Comments
After our failed attempt on our trip this summer to locate a hike south of our Taos home base, we shifted gears and looked to the north. Still eager to get out and stretch our legs, but knowing we were planning a major hike when we arrived in Colorado later in the week, we were seeking a shorter hike, something that would take no more than half a day; nothing more than 3-4 miles. The Williams Lake Hike in the Taos Ski Valley seemed like the perfect choice. Four miles long with a trailhead only 40 minutes from Taos, and a not too significant elevation gain so it would appeal to Meghan, the non-hiker among us, it seemed the answer to our quest. Leashing up the dogs The day following our impromptu Santa Fe trip, we planned the Taos Ski Valley hike, thinking we would enjoy a leisurely morning and head north just after lunch. However, once we had finished eating and looked to the north, it was clear they were getting some significant rain up on Taos Mountain. The weather report on the... [Read more...]
Foraging And Fishing in Cordova, Alaska
September 11, 2011 by Melissa A. Trainer · 1 Comment
I was very fortunate to visit Cordova, Alaska last week. The Copper River/Prince William Sound Marketing Association hosted a fall press trip so they invited me plus four other food writers/professionals to visit the area. The Copper River region is most well known for the ultra rich wild salmon that is pulled from the local waters. This Alaskan salmon is revered worldwide, and in Seattle there is always lots of hype when the season’s first catch arrives at the airport! While in Cordova, Amy, Shauna, Danny, Joelen and I toured the fishing village, met fishermen and artists, fished for coho, and foraged for wild cranberries. When we arrived on Tuesday afternoon, the winds were howling and the rain was falling in force. The second day wasn’t much better, but we all managed to grab a rod and fish off the shore for about an hour. We didn’t catch anything, but we certainly had a few nibbles. Without a doubt, we enjoyed the adventure with our guide from the Orca Adventure... [Read more...]
Chill-out on Utah’s Patchwork Parkway
August 23, 2011 by Rex Vogel · 1 Comment
Weather alert: “A heat warning for daily high temperatures above 100 degrees has been extended for all desert areas.” At an elevation of 10,350 feet above sea level, Cedar Breaks National Monument is the highest national park in Utah. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved Sweltering heat is typical for the Southwest desert region this time of year. With triple digit temperatures the Southwestern standard, how do you deal with this incessant heat? Load up the recreational vehicle and escape the scorching summer temperatures with a road trip to the cool mountain air of southwestern Utah. Utah’s Patchwork Parkway (Scenic Byway 143) beckons travelers to enjoy a change of scenery and a drop in temperature. This scenic byway serves as the western gateway from the arid Great Basin of western Utah to a breathtaking route across Utah’s high plateaus, connecting to Heritage Highway 89 and Scenic Byway 12, Utah’s first All American Road. This dramatic 55-mile scenic course links the historic... [Read more...]
Sally’s Revenge and the Bear that came to Dinner – Part 2
August 17, 2011 by Traveler8343 · 2 Comments
(Continued from “Sally’s Revenge and the Bear that came to Dinner,” Part 1) Well, that big pile of hair that Sally pulled out of the bag wasn’t a wig; which was my first guess. As both families stood around that first morning; deep in the forest in Matthew’s Arm Campground at beautiful Shenandoah National Park, I might have grumbled a bit. We had been waiting for forty-five minutes while Sally finished her morning preparations for taking a short hike on the Appalachian Trail. She primped, painted and brushed. But it was the amount of time and effort that she was taking with that huge mass of hair that she was pinning onto her head that finally got to me. “Is she ever going to be finished with that wig?” I whined (yes, I whined, but I was at my breaking point, okay?). It’s not a Wig; it’s a Fall!” my wife hissed, “And keep your voice down!” “Well,” I hissed back, “I’m going to go berserk if she decides that she needs a pedicure before we... [Read more...]
Hilton of RV Parks
August 17, 2011 by Rex Vogel · 2 Comments
The same guy who helped to bring the NBA to Memphis is now driven to shake up the RV Park and campground industry with his fledgling enterprise, RVC Outdoor Destinations. RVC Outdoor Destinations' Catherine's Landing park in Hot Springs includes restrooms, showers, a lodge with Wii, laundry room, and wireless Internet. (Credit: Camprate) Andy Cates is eager to show RV owners and outdoor enthusiasts how different Catherine’s Landing, one of RVC’s five upscale developments, is from typical RV parks and campgrounds, reports Memphis Commercial Appeal. Three-month-old Catherine’s Landing is nestled on 400 acres of a former dairy farm along the banks of Lake Catherine near Hot Springs, Arkansas. The entrance is a long, gently curving ribbon of asphalt that eventually reveals the modern and striking welcome center/headquarters lodge, a stone, metal, and glass building, perched on a rise overlooking the campground and Lake Catherine. Cates refuses to label his developments... [Read more...]
Sally’s Revenge and the Bear that came to Dinner – Part 1
August 8, 2011 by Traveler8343 · 2 Comments
Dateline: Late 1970’s, Shenandoah National Park, Matthew’s Arm Campground, Virginia Although this story didn’t just happen, I thought that you might appreciate it. It came up during a story telling evening around a campfire while we were in Moab, Utah. If you’ve been camping long enough, you’ll each have stories like this to tell. If you don’t, well you’re just not trying hard enough! BTW, since this story is a bit longer than my usual, I’ve broken it down into what will hopefully be two easy-to-absorb sections. I hope that you’ll enjoy them. *** After car-pooling to work in Manhattan for nearly a year, we were, in some ways, like an old married couple; finishing each other’s sentences and familiar with every like, dislike, and mood. One thing we learned about our likes was that we both enjoyed camping. And so Ted and I began hatching a plan to take our families camping together in the Shenandoah National Park. It all sounded great in the planning stage, but we should... [Read more...]
Another Quiet Escape in Wisconsin
July 31, 2011 by Diane Berry · 8 Comments
In a recent post, I profiled one of our favorite northwoods campgrounds, Anvil Lake Campground, a simple Forest Service campground located in Wisconsin in the Nicolet National Forest. However, our favorite such camping spot, also in the Nicolet is the beautiful Franklin Lake Campground a few miles away in essentially the same neck of the woods. It was to this lovely spot we first brought our son camping when he was barely six months old. It was Memorial Day weekend in 1992 and a frosty one at that. Temperatures plunged to freezing during the night and he slept in my sleeping bag with me in his snowsuit. In fact, he spent the entire weekend in that snowsuit. I think that early experience served him well as he is our child that most loves the out of doors, accompanies us on every camping or RV trip even at age 20 and, is an avid hiker and climber. As I write this we are preparing for our annual trip out west where we have planned to climb two more “Fourteeners” (peaks in excess of 14,000... [Read more...]
Exit Glacier At Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska
July 30, 2011 by Melissa A. Trainer · 1 Comment
Exit Glacier If you are lucky enough to find yourself in Alaska this summer, seriously consider visiting Exit Glacier at Kenai Fjords National Park. We hiked to this glacier five years ago when we lived in Anchorage and we were fortunate enough to visit the glacier again early in July of this year. We had taken a day trip from Anchorage to Seward and spontaneously decided to visit the glacier after leaving Seward. Glaciers abound in Alaska. Thankfully this glacier can be easily (and affordably!) enjoyed by taking a short hike. Unlike other glaciers around the state, there’s no need for a boat or a helicopter to view the glacier. You just need some good supportive shoes, a bottle of water, and a little extra energy. On the midweek day that we visited, the park wasn’t terribly busy. The sun was shining and the views were amazing. We took a different trail on this trip and, to be perfectly honest, we were quite shocked to see how far the glacier had receded since we were... [Read more...]
Prescott: Everybody’s Home Town
July 30, 2011 by Rex Vogel · 1 Comment
A little farther afield, but still an easy day trip from Verde Valley is Prescott—the former territorial capital of Arizona. Nestled in a stunning mountain bowl and surrounded by one of the largest ponderosa pine forests in the West, this beautiful town is steeped in history with an authentic taste of western heritage. The 1916 Yavapai County Courthouse, constructed of white granite and ringed by towering pines, is the centerpiece of Courthouse Plaza. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved Modern Prescott has the advantage of not really being very modern. Banners proclaim Prescott as “Everyone’s Home Town.” You won’t find high rises, but the downtown businesses clustered around the 1916 Yavapai County Courthouse and its plaza are thriving. The courthouse, constructed of white granite and ringed by towering pines, is the centerpiece of Courthouse Plaza, a popular public gathering place that features two bronze statues by noted Western sculptor Solon Borglum, brother of the creator... [Read more...]
CAPE LOOKOUT NATIONAL SEASHORE – Home of one of North Carolina’s Historic Lighthouses
July 28, 2011 by Professor95 · 3 Comments
Monday was not a good beach day. The wind was blowing between 20 and 25 knots. Umbrellas were flying like kites and the fine, dry sand unaffected by the ocean’s waters cut into your body like thousands of little razors. We decided to hang around inside the camper. I finished my book by James Patterson, 4th of July, and started a second by Glenn Beck, The Overton Window. The first was an excellent paperback thriller with a surprise ending. The Overton Window is getting interesting but is more political than mysterious – both are great beach books. Tuesday was not much better weather wise. The wind had died down but the sky’s were overcast and numerous thunderboomers rolled overhead. We decided to hit an afternoon movie at the local cinema. We have not watched the first part of the current Harry Potter movie, so felt we should wait on viewing the second. The entire series has become way too complicated as it is. Zookeeper seemed like a good alternative. Boy was I ever... [Read more...]
