Outdoors
A Bicycle Journey through the Florida Keys
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 [...]
Adventures in Badlands and Blackhills
South Dakota offers dynamic scenery and iconic national landmarks and it should be high on your adventure list if you haven’t already been. Fly into Rapid City and you’ll be situated a little over an hour drive from Badlands National Park on the east, and about a half hour from the Black Hills area on the west, featuring the Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse. My travel buddy Chris and I headed out first towards Badlands National Park. On the entire drive there from Rapid City you’ll see colorful road signs about every mile or so encouraging you to stop at Wall Drug [...]
A Walk Across Northern England on Hadrian’s Wall Path
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 [...]
Joshua Tree National Park – One of California’s True Gems
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 [...]
An Active Journey in the Holy Land
Well, the inaugural HIKE THE HOLY LAND tour just returned from our adventure, and a mix of 22 people from NoHo, LA and other parts of the USA had a rich, unforgettable experience in the Holy Land that tantalized all of our senses, reawakened our spirits and faith, and inspired us in ways that are still moving us deep inside. We walked the land on nature trails and footpaths of history, including the Jesus Trail which runs from Nazareth where he grew up, to Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee, where he practiced his ministry. The Battir Trail, which lies between Bethlehem [...]
Reflections from the Inca Trail
There's something incredibly humbling about hiking on a trail of original Inca stone from 500 years ago. Most people don't know, but along the way to Machu Picchu, there are several Inca ruins to walk around and explore. Some were places of worship and sacrifice, some were agricultural terraces and some were Inca "hotels" of sorts for people making the journey from Cusco (the epicenter of the Inca empire) and the Sacred Valley to the mysterious city of Machu Picchu. We hiked through cloud forests, saw hundreds of varieties of orchids and other spectacular flora and fauna, got rained on [...]