Starting off easy We flew into Denver (duh!) and drove toward the mountains. We passed through Boulder to stop at REI to pick up a few things (almost forgot stove fuel). Driving along US 36, we turned at route 7 for a more scenic route. Also, along route 7 we had to stop by Lily …
Hiking – AT SOBO – Trumbo Hollow (Interstate 66) to Compton Gap (Skyline Drive)
Distance: 13 miles Hike Time: ~7.5 hours Elevation Gain: 4,400 feet (Net gain of 1,640 feet) Route Summary This section is moderately challenging for the simple reason that there is a steep incline after crossing I-66 and US-522 with lots of switchbacks. The trail is fairly flat otherwise, with some gradual, hardly noticeable grades. The …
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Iceland – Snæfellsnes
Pronounced: stnai-fɛls-nɛːs We stayed in Stykkishólmur (Aka Stykkish) on the Snaefellsnes peninsula. Snaefellsnes is located directly North of Reykjavik, but its not exactly a straight shot to get there. Stykkishólmur is located on an even smaller peninsula on the North side of Snaefellsnes. They have a small harbor with fresh fish arriving daily. At the …
Iceland – Into the volcano
The day after we arrived back in Reykjavik from the South Coast, we took a much shorter day-tour inside of a "dormant" volcano. It's only about 30-45 minutes depending on "traffic" outside of Reykjavik. You can see the city from the top of the volcanic area. Reykjavik from the volcano Thríhnúkagígur Volcano I believe our …
Iceland – 2 days on the South Coast
There is a lot to talk about when it comes to Iceland's South Coast. However, I will try to keep it short and let the pictures speak for themselves. We took a 2 day guided tour of the South Coast, with 99% of the drive-time on Route 1 (The Ring Road). We started in Reykjavik …
Iceland – Golden Circle Super Highlights
There is so much to write about Iceland. The days can easily blend together here with almost non-stop daylight. So it hasn't seemed like a week has passed since our day tour of the Golden Circle. So rather than tell a long story about it, as so many others have before, here are my best …
Let’s go to Iceland – Arrival and the Blue Lagoon
It's been a while since our last trip, so...let's go to Iceland. We didn't have a lot of time to plan this trip. When I heard "basically everyone in Iceland speaks English", it was good enough for me. How very "American" of me. Not only do they speak English, it's mandatory in schools so everyone …
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New River Gorge National Park – A scenic weekend
It's the newest national park in the United States! Geologically though, the New River is actually one of the oldest rivers in the country as well. This Summer has been busy, and other than exploring very locally, we have not been able to venture far from home so far this year. But we were able …
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Paddling – Whitewater rafting at the New River Gorge
The New River (and the adjoining Gauley River) have some of the best rafting in the country. There are a few big outfits in the Fayetteville area that guide rafting trips: The most prominent appeared to be ACE. We saw ACE rafts (and buses) everywhere. We sat along the river for about an hour one …
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Hiking – AT NOBO – Washington Monument to Ensign Cowall Shelter (Wolfsville Road)
Distance: 12 miles Hike Time: 5.75 hours Elevation Gain: 1,500 feet Summary This may be the most challenging section in Maryland. That's not saying much since Maryland is fairly flat. There are a few moderate climbs in this section, but the real challenge is the rocky terrain. The trail runs primarily along the West side …
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Hiking – AT NOBO – Crampton Gap to Washington Monument
Distance: 9.2 Miles Hike Time: 4 hours Elevation Gain: 1,500 feet Starting off where we left off on our last Northbound hike of the AT, we continued toward the Washington Monument (not the one in Washington DC). The "original" Washington Monument was first built in 1827 and is located near Boonesboro, Maryland within Washington Monument …
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Waymarked Trails – The best free trail data on the web
It's the best (and easiest to use) trail data that is completely free to use and download. You haven't heard of it? Well allow me to introduce you. Disclaimer: All of the screenshots provided are from the Waymarked Trails website and I do not claim ownership of any of their content. I am merely a …
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