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 …
I wish I took that trip
Ever feel like you should have gone on a weekend trip but didn't because you were exhausted from the work week? My take on persevering to get to your weekend adventure.
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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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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Another weekend backpacking in Dolly Sods – Blackbird Knob and Red Creek Gorge
Total Distance: 9 miles (plus wandering) Dolly Sods Trail Map Route Map Elevation Gain: ~1,500 feet It was time for a long overdue hike into the woods. 2020 has been a strange year to say the least. It seemed like something came up every time I tried to make plans for a long-term trip. And …
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I thought I would make it here eventually
Exploring the world starts off with an idea: where do I go? What do I want to see? What will I experience? Sometimes it doesn't work out the first time.
Coronavirus Silver Linings
With everyone stuck at home during the COVID-19 outbreak, I see several silver linings to the global "shut-down". All challenges present opportunities. Even being trapped in your neighborhood can lead to an excellent outdoor adventure...maybe in a few months.
Exploring – a stroll through Manassas National Battlefield Park
Suggested hiking route through a Civil War battlefield PLUS a possibly historically inaccurate history lesson
Pearl River Light Show – Guangzhou
Highlights of the light show in Guangzhou, China along the Pearl River
Nara, Japan – a day trip to see the deer (and temples)
Nara Park, only 45 minutes by train from Osaka, is home to hundreds of Sika Deer that roam the city freely.
Arashiyama – The Ryokan Experience and Nature
After a few days in Osaka and Kyoto, we moved outside of the big city to Arashiyama; located on the outskirts of Kyoto. This is more of my kind of town since I'm not a big-city kind of guy. However, the big cities in Japan are remarkably clean, safe, and quiet compared to the rest …
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Osaka and Kyoto – cities and temples
It turns out we picked a few temples for the itinerary. I didn't know what to see in Japan. So when we decided to travel to Japan, my wife did most of the planning. Looking at the map, there are too many temples to see them all, but I suppose we made it to the …
