Anticipation built with each step. The straps that were once a constant reminder of the weight of my pack, could no longer be felt. Perspiration penetrated my skin. My feet wore the wounds of the 9 mile treacherous incline of the Muliwai trail, but my heart begged me to continue forward. My senses told me … Continued
A particularly fat marmot has been following me for a while now, peeking over and disappearing behind the granite boulders along the trail. He can smell my M&Ms, I just know it, and thinking about them makes my mouth water. Marmot scampers twenty feet in front of me and perches on top of a rock, … Continued
We slowly made our way into the park in Jeremy’s dashing Toyota Prius. We were welcomed by a huge white board with the inscription “Santa Cruz Beach BOARD WALK” at the entrance. I took a picture in front of the sign, striking a very fashionable pose with my feet crossed over the other. My excitement … Continued
In April 2013, Dad died suddenly and unexpectedly. It was a crushing blow, but thankfully, I had already planned a June trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains in northeast Georgia to visit friends at their vacation home. The day I left for the 450-mile trip dawned mild and pleasant for a June day on the … Continued
Further, harder, longer times three. There I was out in the moonscape that is the lava fields on the leeward side of the big island of Hawaii. The hot wind was pushing my bicycle slightly sideways and my knuckles were turning white having to grip the handlebars. Riding out of the saddle meant a vertigo … Continued
All Out Of Proportion By Barry Divola I fell in love with New York long before I got there. It was 1979 and I was sitting in a cinema in Sydney, Australia, where I live. The lights went down and luminous black-and-white images of Manhattan flickered across the screen while Gershwin played in the background … Continued
History off the Beaten Path – The Mid-Lothian Mines For visitors to Richmond, the capital city of Virginia, there’s lot to do – museums, history tours, shows, restaurants. But I’ve always liked to travel off the beaten path to find the places not on the tourist brochures. If you’re like me, wanting to see those … Continued
Birthday in New York, NY The trip to New York was a present to me on my fiftieth birthday and a good enough excuse to be extravagant so I booked my stay at a popular expensive hotel in Times Square, the pulsating hub of Manhattan. Over weeks, I’d been jotting entries in my red notebook … Continued
Freedom is slow. It lacks the weariness and worry of the workday. Freedom strolls through the hours as if it had all the time in the world. Every moment seems to matter and to sharpen into clarity. No more the wicked counting of minutes. No more the squeal of the alarm clock. No more the … Continued
Just outside the town of Truth or Consequences, in southern New Mexico, there’s a spaceport designed for taking tourists into outer space. Called Spaceport America, the state-of-the-art facility isn’t ready for launching wannabe astronauts into the cosmos just yet. But once it is, perhaps in late 2013 or early 2014, regular folks will be able … Continued