Murphys is a quaint tourist town that today is much loved all year round by locals and visitor's alike. There is a lot of gold mining history contained on these streets - young Irish immigrants (and brothers) John and Daniel Murphy were among the early California gold miners and struck it rich near here in 1848 taking out an estimated 2 million dollars in gold ore from the nearby diggings. This was one of California's richest most concentrated … [Read more...]
Gold Country, CA – Restaurants
The following is a list of restaurants for all southern central California gold mining towns covered in this guide. Prices are subject to change without notice. All Phone Numbers unless otherwise noted are in the 209 area code. ANGELS CAMP Cruscos Ristorante serves quality Italian cuisine in the heart of Angel's Camp. Parking (if found) is in front of the restaurant on the street or in a nearby parking lot. … [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 – Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park is located in the northern part of Montana. Parts of Glacier border British Columbia and Alberta. The weather in Glacier Park can change drastically at any time of the year. For example, in 1992 over a foot of snow fell on parts of Glacier in August. Summer rainfall averages about 2 to 3 inches per month. An umbrella or a good waterproof raincoat is highly recommended. Temperatures listed below are in both Celsius and … [Read more...]
Santa Rosa, CA
** Click here for significant photo coverage of the Tubbs Fire October 2017, Santa Rosa ** Typical California guide books have approximately one page about Santa Rosa. We offer much more than that! Read on... The Highlights Santa Rosa, California is a city of about 175,000 (and growing fast) located about 50 miles north of San Francisco in Sonoma County, just off of the 101 freeway. Santa Rosa has seen tremendous population growth in the … [Read more...]
Santa Rosa, CA – Golf Courses
Sonoma County is home to a diversity of golf courses - some 16 are listed here (every golf course in the county); we have personally visited 15 of them. Most are public, but some are private and a number are membership based. The private very prestigious Mayacama Golf Course is located just east of Windsor. Jack Nicholas (who designed the course) teed off on opening day in 2001 to many cheers from the on looking crowds. This private course was … [Read more...]
Nepal
The format of this guide differs slightly from the others. This guide is partly a journal of the author's experience in Nepal. Highlights covered in this guide include the capital city of Katmandu, Royal Chitwan National Park, and a hike to near Everest Base Camp, on a 18,200 foot mountain called Kala Patar. Nepal is a country that I will never forget. It is the land of the rising mountains, mountains that rise so high, you can not imagine … [Read more...]
Nepal – Travel Facts
All foreign nationals except citizens of India need visas. Single entry visas are issued for up to 30 days. However, they can be extended for up to 3 months. Trekking permits on the other hand are needed if you plan on hiking in the Himalayas. These permits can be obtained from immigration offices in Katmandu. The time zone is GMT/UTC plus five hours and 45 minutes. Electricity is 220 volts. Weights and measures are in the metric system. The … [Read more...]
Nepal – Helicopter Flight
From Katmandu we took an old Russian military helicopter to our base hiking elevation of 9000 feet, in a small town called Lucla. I am glad that we took a helicopter because the runway in this town begins on the edge of a steep cliff, with nothing but hundreds of feet of air between you and the bottom of the ravine. At the time of our trip this runway as gravel at best (since paved) and is situated on a fairly steep slope. The runway is steep … [Read more...]
Nepal – Porters
Once you reach Lucla and step out of your plane or helicopter you will be greeted by many people, mostly porters. The porters will surround you and ask if you need some help in carrying your packs. Porters can be hired for a few American dollars per day. Sometimes they will request that you pay for their dinner at one of the many lodges scattered along the trail. I was surprised to see that the porters were quite short and wiry. I was also … [Read more...]