Over the last 11 years, I’ve rafted, kayaked and backpacked along the Chattooga River in northern Georgia and South Carolina. The Chattooga is known for its whitewater and for its role in the movie Deliverance filmed along the river in the 1970s. In 1974, the 57-mile Chattooga River was declared a National Wild and Scenic River. No motorized vehicles are …
Tahoe hiking: Bay View to Azure Lake
A little background before I launch into this post. I was raised an only child by a pair of VERY adventurous parents. I knew since I was 11 years old that I had a half-sister (that the last time I’ll use the “half” part) somewhere but I had never met her. About a year ago, Laura found us and it …
Photo essay: Tarpon Springs, Florida
As many of you know, I get restless when I’m not traveling so I frequently look for a dose of culture near home to tide me over between trips. This January, I decided to do a photo project on Tarpon Springs, Florida. Tarpon Springs is notable for having the largest concentration of Greek-Americans in the US (based on 2004 census …
Photo of the day: Two Medicine Lake, Glacier National Park
When I returned recently from three weeks of traveling, preceded by two other trips to Mexico, a friend posted on my Facebook wall that it must be nice to be home. I didn’t reply because I’m not one to be negative, but I wasn’t happy. I wanted to keep going. Don’t get me wrong, I looooved the places I visited, …
Capture the colors photo essay
Earlier this month I was nominated to enter the TravelSupermarket.com Capture the Color contest by Ted of Traveling Ted. It was a lot of fun digging through my photos looking for each color. I also realized that I should use the color-tagging feature in Lightroom, but what fun would that be? The hardest part was choosing just one photo for …
What’s in my pack: A pair of Holeys clogs
There’s a story behind my camp shoes. After backpacking for several days on the Appalachian Trail, my friend and I headed to Damascus, Virginia, also known as Trail Town USA, due to the convergence of four scenic trails: the Appalachian Trail, Trans-America National Bicycle Trail, The Iron Mountain Trail, and the Virginia Creeper Trail. Damascus is also known for its …
Hometown culture: Breakfast at the Hindu temple of Central Florida
I’m a bit of a vagabond. Even at home, I sometimes have the urge to explore and try new things, which I satisfy by looking for local destinations rich in immigrant culture. My mom is particularly adept at finding unique experiences right under our nose. She recently asked me to join her for a traditional Indian breakfast at the Hindu …
A trail of contrasts: Mills Lake, Colorado
This trail report is a re-post from my original blog, Trail Ridge Outdoors. Enjoy! Dark clouds flowing over the mountains discouraged most of our group from hiking to Mills Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), but my aunt and I weren’t about to miss this hike. A Twitter friend, @RMNP4MS had recommended it highly. We began our hike …
Peaceful paddle
Sometimes I find a place I can only call meditative. It’s where I just want to sit down and ponder life or journal in one of my (too) many notebooks. This photo, taken near Wekiwa Springs, Florida, shows one of those places. When I look at it I just want to see what is around the bend.
St. Nicholas Cathedral, Tarpon Springs, Fla.
Tarpon Springs, Florida, has the highest concentration of Greek immigrants in the United States. St. Nicholas Cathedral is beautifully decorated with illustrations of the Greek Orthodox faith. My camera didn’t do it justice.To learn more about the area, read my Examiner.com article: Tarpon Springs, Florida: On and off the beaten track.