Adventures abroad
Fox on a Rock, on San Juan Island
It was a quiet morning down at South Beach, on San Juan Island. As usual, we had the whole place to ourselves. The group was strolling down the deserted, driftwood-strewn beach, while I was back by the van. I saw a red fox run through the grass, then he jumped onto a rock... Read article...
Tombstone, Arizona and Clanton Days
So there I was... with a notorious gunfighter! Well, actually with his namesake relative. The old Ike Clanton died back in 1887, before my time. The new Ike Clanton is alive and kicking, and hosting Clanton Days, an annual event in Tombstone, Arizona... Read article...
Trip discounts for 2011
As promised in our last newsletter, here are some more details on the deal you can get on trips next year. When I announced our sabbatical, I got many positive, encouraging responses, but some asked "So you're just going to leave us in the lurch?" ... Read article...
Shadow of a Shaman in Santa Fe
As the firelight flickered, the slow rhythmic chanting grew louder. The shaman lifted his arms to the heavens. He raised his voice, beseeching those in the spirit world to send the rain they so desperately needed. Soon, they heard a low rumbling of thunder, distant at first... Read article...
Kings Canyon - Fighting the forest fire
As we drove through King's Canyon, I knew there was a forest fire burning nearby. I just didn't expect one of the firefighting helicopters to descend right next to us! It came down to refill its bucket from the river. So there I was, filming it with an iPod out the top of the convertible... Read article...
Orca whale watching in the San Juan Islands
One of the highlights of our trips to the San Juan Islands each year is an orca whale-watching trip. The San Juan Islands are a group of hundreds of islands, islets, and rocks located near Seattle, WA. Most of these are very small - in fact, so small that many disappear at high tide! ... Read article...
Sedona in the movies: Broken Arrow
I finally watched the 1950 Jimmy Stewart movie, Broken Arrow. I say "finally", because I've been meaning to for years. Sedona, Arizona was a big place for making movies, especially back in the days of the westerns. The thing is, for decades they were making movies here, but never calling it Sedona! ... Read article...
British Virgin Islands - How to get to the BVI
The British Virgin Islands are a paradise for sailing, snorkeling, diving, swimming, sunning, beachcombing, relaxing, and tropical drinks. Getting to the BVI isn't too hard, but there are options to consider. Here are some tips on how to get to the BVI...
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Orcas on the beach, Peninsula Valdes, Argentina
About a third of the way down the coast of Argentina, there's a large peninsula that juts out into the South Atlantic Ocean. From an aerial view, it looks like it should have been an island. This is Peninsula Valdes, a major wildlife preserve... Read article...
Taos, New Mexico - Rio Pueblo Gorge (video)
The Rio Pueblo Gorge, near Taos, New Mexico: This river comes from Taos Pueblo land and runs into the Rio Grande River. It's a deep gorge, but not as deep as the Rio Grande Gorge, which is a spectacular gash across the high desert - almost shocking when you first see it. We go rafting... Watch the video...
