Part of the experience of staying in Colima City is being able to explore the surrounding regions through a variety of day trips. It is the friendliness and simplicity of the locals that has always attracted me to this part of Mexico - along with the fact this is not a heavily touristed part of the country. I love walking through some of the small villages, where the local people rarely if ever see tourists. On warm days in the afternoon sun, I … [Read more...]
Mt. Shasta, CA – The Climb
The climb written about below took four days: Day One: Rent equipment and hike to Horse Camp. Camp there. Day Two: Hike to Helen Lake, and camp there. Day Three: Hike to Summit via Avalanche Gulch, through the Red Banks and up Misery Hill, return to Horse Camp, and camp there. Day Four: Hike out to Bunny Flat. Average times for the distances above are the following. - Bunny Flat to Horse Camp takes a little over an hour. - Horse Camp … [Read more...]
Mt. Shasta, CA – What to Pack
The following are important items that you will want to take to Shasta if you are planning to climb to the summit via the Avalanche Gulch Route. Other routes may require more technical equipment. Also, there may be additional items you will want to bring not listed here. This list assumes 3-4 days on the mountain and it assumes you will experience below freezing temperatures and some winds. … [Read more...]
Europe- What to Pack
The independent traveler will want to pack as light as possible, especially if planning on taking trains or boats. When I travel to Europe, I take trains or budget airlines everywhere; for the nimble traveler there are certain advantages to packing light. It is easier to keep an eye on your gear and it is easy to fit into the sometimes small luggage compartments. Key words to packing for Europe are: light, light, and light. I fit all my gear into … [Read more...]
Europe – The Locals
I think that whatever country you are traveling in you will meet the bad apples as well as the good oranges. On my first journey through Europe I met some very helpful people who went out of their way to give me advice, show me certain areas, or give me help. Then I met some overly stressed people who all they had to say was "stick it between your teeth". I could definitely tell a general difference in personality between different cultures … [Read more...]
Manzanillo, Mexico – Weather
We visited Manzanillo in December. We were treated to very warm conditions - uncomfortable with long pants and long sleeves during the day but ideal for those wearing shorts, t-shirts and flip flops. The days were partly cloudy, warm, and very humid. Manzanillo temperatures during the daytime hovered in upper 80's Fahrenheit. One word of caution is that it is very easy to get sun burnt even if one is not exposed to the sun for very long. As a … [Read more...]
Palm Springs, CA – Tram Hike
We have visited Palm Springs a number of times in January for the warm wintertime weather. The weather was what we had expected during the day each trip with temperatures in the high 70's and low 80's. In fact the town of Coachella (south of Palm Springs) recorded the nation's high temperature during one of our trips. We were staying with a group of 15 people in a time share condo. The condo was built against the base of a hill, and at night the … [Read more...]
Spokane, WA – Coeur d’ Alene Attractions
Some of these attractions are within Coeur d' Alene while others are within a short drive. All are listed in alphabetical order. Cruises depart from the Coeur d' Alene city pier with varying departure times depending on the day and time of year. Allow at least 2 hours on the water. A Sunday brunch cruise and a Monday sunset cruise are also offered. Floating Wood Marina is the world's longest floating marina measuring 1.2 kilometers; it … [Read more...]
Spokane, WA – Kalispell
Kalispell is located in the Flathead Valley between the West Glacier entrance and Big Flathead Lake. The city has a population of 23,000 and is located on Montana's most dangerous road, the 93 Highway. In fact no sooner had I left Kalispell, I ran into slow traffic. I was caught in a traffic jam for only a minute or two before a firetruck came racing up from behind. After another 10 minutes, I passed the accident just as they were loading the … [Read more...]
San Francisco, CA – Neighborhoods
Castro District is centered along Castro Street (just off of Market Street) and is one of the original gay neighborhoods in the entire country. It retains its unique heritage and gay community - rainbow flags fly proudly above the sidewalks including the tallest one at the corner of Market, Castro and 17th Streets. The world's second GLBT History Museum opened here in 2010. Harvey Milk is a name synonymous with this district - a former gay … [Read more...]