Adventure
“You’re crazy” …”Are you out of your mind?” These were just some of the responses when I told my family and friends I was going to go bungee jumping. I guess jumping off of a bridge with essentially a large rubber band attached to you does sound a bit like a death wish, but it had been on my bucket list (no pun intended) for quite some time, and I found a few brave friends willing to come along. . . The fabled “Bridge to Nowhere Bungee Jump” here in Los Angeles County was the perfect opportunity. You hike five [...]
In the Berber language, "the people here" are the Imazighen, the "free men" who live in harmony with nature. We’ll trek in the foothills of the giant Toubkal in the Atlas Mountains April 30 - May 5, 2023 to discover the daily life of the Berbers and their ancestral culture - a deep attachment to the land, a sense of the sacred, of a people who perpetuate a heritage inseparable from the identity of Morocco. We’ll stay in Berber guest houses along the way while having our luggage transferred for us and meals prepared. This will be an authentic small [...]
Grateful in the mist – gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking in Uganda. Did you know? Uganda has 50% of the world’s mountain gorilla population. There are about 450 gorillas in the sanctuary of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where we had the opportunity to trek to a particular family named “Mishaya” on a recent primate safari tour in Uganda, Africa. The tour also featured chimpanzee tracking. After flying into Entebbe, Uganda we made our way first to Kibale National Park to track chimpanzees, the primates with the closest DNA to us humans. But, once we caught up with the community we [...]
Ahhh – the Florida Keys are just one of those places that has its own unique feel. When you’re there, you get the sense that everything runs on “Keys’ time.” It’s laid back and bohemian atmosphere makes it one of those popular destinations for just getting away from it all. It has world class scuba diving and fishing as well. There are many ways to experience this part of the state but we chose a bicycle journey through the Florida Keys We decided to experience it up close and personal by bike riding all the way from Key Largo in the northern [...]
If you enjoy hiking, you’ll love Tucson. Since the city is surrounded by five mountain ranges and bordered by two halves of a national park, there are seemingly endless opportunities to get out and experience nature. A small group of us went in January, when the weather in Tucson is typically perfect for outdoor activity. Tucson enjoys 350 days of sunshine per year and fortunately the rays were out in full force while we were there. We stayed at the Downtown Clifton Hotel as our base. It has a cool vibe and the staff there are all very attentive. I [...]
In upstate New York, the Finger Lakes region brings together two fabulous experiences for an active traveler like me who likes a tasting reward at the end of a hike – numerous trails that lead to waterfalls (literally hundreds of them!) and a wine region with lots of vineyards for tastings. And get this - many of the wineries also produce their own craft beer, so if you would rather go that route to quench your thirst after a day of hiking, that is an option too in the Finger Lakes. There are several of these long (yet deep) Lakes [...]
Some long-distance walking trails can be religious or spiritual in nature such as the Camino de Santiago in Spain or the Kumano Kodo in Japan. They can also be a great way to get fit and lose weight or to simply decompress and re-center as part of an inward and outward journey. For history buffs, and/or lovers of all things Roman, there’s one that stands out from all the rest and it’s called The Hadrian’s Wall Path – an 84 mile coast-to-coast trail in northern England that follows an ancient Roman wall that was built in AD122 by the Roman emperor Hadrian [...]
America’s National Parks are a unique part of our country’s identity and cultural heritage. No matter who you are, where you live, or how you live; the national parks welcome everybody as one and seem to strip away our differences and bond us together as admirers of the majestic outdoors and mother nature. Our national parks can be a force for health, healing, joy, and unity. Our group’s goal was to find a high volume of national parks within a fairly close radius of each other and do some hiking in each one over a week’s time period. We found [...]
Still one of my favorite national parks in the United States, Joshua Tree sits just about a 90 minute drive from Los Angeles, and is truly "other-wordly" feeling when you're there. Joshua Tree National Park is characterized by rugged rock formations and stark desert landscapes. Named for the region’s twisted, bristled Joshua trees, the park straddles the cactus-dotted Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert, which is higher and cooler. Keys View looks out over the Coachella Valley. Hiking trails weave through the boulders of Hidden Valley. The park offers visitors endless opportunities for exploration and discovery. Depending on the number of hours you [...]
Only a little more than an hour's drive from Los Angeles is a valley that features beautiful scenery, ubiquitous citrus groves, world-famous spas, hiking and biking trails, and a charming little historic town full of restaurants, shops and galleries. It's Ojai - and it's the perfect spot for a quick getaway from the Los Angeles area. Start your day by renting a bike for 2 hours (about $25) at The Mob Shop in downtown Ojai. They'll give you an easy-to-follow map of a scenic, 10-mile, paved bike path loop that meanders around the edge of town and goes up a little into [...]