Why Travel to Russia? Putting aside the political issues, Russia is simply a fascinating and diverse country. From the imperial capital of St. Petersburg and the bustling metropolis of Moscow to the natural beauty of the Ural Mountains and Lake Baikal, Russia has a little something for everyone. And while the people often […]
An Independent Traveler’s Guide to Russia Read More »
When I was a kid, my dad would take my brother and I out to a park somewhere (maybe in Wisconsin?) to go “rock climbing.” Of course, this really wasn’t climbing up rocks, at least not in the sense that we were scaling the sides of cliffs with a bunch of equipment. No, really it
Comparing 3 Classic Treks: Inca Trail, Grand Canyon & the Himalayas Read More »
Just over a week ago, I stood in front of a room of about fifty people talking about lessons I learned while I was traveling around the world for 13 months. The last lesson I mentioned, and the one that I emphasized as the most important, was that things have a way of working out.
The Grass Isn’t Always Greener Read More »
Can you believe 2014 is almost halfway over? Time flies, right? I have managed to squeeze in quite a bit of travel into the last six months, visiting Boston, Atlanta, Southern California (albeit for work), Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon and Washington, D.C. (again, for work). And I have some even more exciting travel plans
Travel Plans for the Second Half of 2014 Read More »
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to play tourist here in Chicago a bit. I took a photo tour with photographer Ralph Velasco that spanned several hours on a Friday evening and again early on Sunday morning (he also did two Saturday sessions in which I did not participate). While I conceivably could head to
Downtown Chicago in Photos Read More »
I awoke on day four with a sense of nervousness and excitement. This would be it. The last day of my Grand Canyon rim to rim hike with Wildland Trekking. The day that we would finally make the tough hike up out of the canyon. That’s the tough thing about hiking canyons instead of mountains
Grand Canyon Day 4: Indian Gardens to the South Rim Read More »
As the sun rose on the third day of my Grand Canyon rim to rim hike, I could think of just one thing: it was time to go up. After two days of hiking downhill to the very bottom of the canyon, it was time to switch gears and head uphill for the last two
Grand Canyon Day 3: Phantom Ranch to Indian Gardens Read More »
I slowly got up and wiped the dirt off my pants. Sitting down at the picnic table in the near-dark, I aimed my headlamp at my foot to get a good look at my big toe. The red nail polish was scuffed off part of the nail but it otherwise looked fine – no scratches
Grand Canyon Day 2: The Day I Broke My Big Toe Read More »
It was twilight by the time I finally dropped my pack on the ground at Cottonwood Campground, nearly twelve hours after my day had begun. My legs didn’t ache as bad as I anticipated and my neck and shoulders didn’t pinch the way I feared. Even my contact lenses held up throughout the dry and
Grand Canyon Day 1: North Rim to Cottonwood Campground Read More »
In just a few days, I’ll be boarding a plane to Phoenix to kick off my first trip ever to Arizona (state number 24 for me!) and my first trip to the Grand Canyon. Of course, if you know me at all, you know I couldn’t settle for a simple drive-by of the canyon, stopping
I’m Going to the Grand Canyon! Read More »
