I recently had the opportunity to travel to the far west end of Richmond, Virginia, to an area called Short Pump, so named for a pump that was located at a tavern built by Revolutionary War veteran Robert Hyde Saunders. The affluent area is a shopper's paradise, with shopping malls as far as the eye can see and the Hilton Richmond Short Pump Hotel & Spa, was a comfortable and convenient basecamp for exploring the small town of Ashland, located … [Read more...]
Adventure on the River: West Virginia Whitewater
It was July 4th at the New River Gorge in West Virginia. It was dark, and I was on the roof of a truck clinging to the roof rack as we wound through the twisting back roads en route to the edge of the gorge. This had not been the plan. We had ended up loading the truck down with a couple of kegs and as many raft guides as we could fit after the trailer that was supposed to deliver us to the party developed a flat tire. We had unhitched it and … [Read more...]
Kayaking among the Ghost Ships of Mallows Bay
I never knew kayaking could be so much fun until I tried it. Now I’m hooked and am looking forward to my next excursion, thanks to my enjoyable experience learning about an important era in history while paddling through Mallows Bay on the Potomac River. The 14-square mile area, located in Charles County Maryland, is well within sight of Quantico Marine Base and located in Nanjemoy. My friends warned me that I’d get wet and cautioned against … [Read more...]
Top 5 Places For Summer Camping
Summer is here in full swing and there is no activity that will bring the family together like camping. Getting in the outdoors and connecting with nature will provide both you and your family with an experience that you wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else. That being said, hitting the great outdoors isn’t just as easy as packing up the camping equipment and heading into the woods. No, you need the right destination in order to get the most … [Read more...]
Bold Colors are Gearing Up on Virginia’s Creeper Trail
A helicopter pilot by trade, my favorite way to take in the fall foliage for years has been to cruise around on a sunny day at about five hundred feet when colors are at their peak. It was my favorite - until I rode a bicycle down Virginia’s Creeper Trail in autumn. Sure, the more vertically challenged can still get great expansive views by driving down the Blue Ridge Parkway or Skyline Drive. Still, there is just something about being in the … [Read more...]
28th Annual Sedona Arts Festival
Held against the backdrop of Sedona's breathtaking red rock vistas, the Sedona Arts Festival will present its 28th annual fine art festival on Saturday, Oct. 13 and Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018. Attracting artists from across the country, this renowned festival will showcase a diverse line up of over 100 juried artists as well as live music, food and art fun for the kids. The Sedona Arts Festival is held on the campus of Sedona Red Rock High School, … [Read more...]
How to Prepare and Pack Like a Pro for a Trip
After 20+ years of traveling, a question I am asked every now and then is, "I will be traveling to (fill in the destination here) - how should I pack?" And the answer that I always reply with is, "pack light"! I'm less concerned with how long you are going for and where you are going - as I have lightweight options that will work for general travel to most destinations on the planet regardless of whether your trip is a week or 2 months. One … [Read more...]
CACVB Announces the ‘Capture Charlottesville and Albemarle’ Photography Contest
Deadline to Submit Photos is September 16, 2016 Charlottesville - The Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau announced today a lucrative summer photography contest designed to identify the most captivating pictures of both Charlottesville and Albemarle County. The ‘Capture Charlottesville and Albemarle’ Photography Contest asks visitors and local photographers to share their most captivating snapshots of the area and compete … [Read more...]
Here Be Dragons: The “Sacred Terror” of the Alps of Switzerland
"Placed on this planet since yesterday, and only for a day, we can only hope to glimpse the knowledge that we will probably never attain." -Horace-Bénédict de Saussure, 1796 Dateline: Mount Pilates, Switzerland I've penned a few books that have been placed in the category of "wilderness travel." But perhaps the first to stock this shelf was the eighteenth-century mountaineer Horace-Bénédict de Saussure, who wrote in his opus, Voyages … [Read more...]
Pittsburgh: Land of Celebrities
I am a self-acknowledged history nerd with a film degree. I had no idea that Pittsburgh had an abundance of sites covering my two big interests - colonial and current celebrities. Mostly I am interested in the places celebrities were - so that I can stand in, sit on, or touch the same spot. I imagine I am forging a connection that transcends space and time, that the celebrity's genius energy can infiltrate my own and affect it in a positive … [Read more...]