I sat in the rickshaw, trying to think of anything cool, sweating profusely in the mid-afternoon heat of Southern India. Jim was in yet another seedy hotel, searching for an acceptable room, a dismal possibility, even according to Lonely Planet. As usual, my job was to wait with the bags and the tuk-tuk, rickshaw, taxi…. whatever our current form of transportation entailed. It had been one hell of a day, beginning with us arriving late for our water taxi, being forced to run along the banks of the river with our full packs, and leaping aboard as it pulled away from shore. After a 4-hour journey through the back canals of Kerala, we arrived in a no-name town, our stop for the night en-route to get to Kumily. And it was hot. Like 98 and humid hot.
Tag Archives: Travel
In Search of a Dream
I could feel the sun beating down, in spite of the protection the sunshade above offered. May flies danced on the water as Aspen napped on my feet and Porter fretted over a passing beetle. It was a day filled with good food, perfect weather, long walks, and a marvelous swim in the lake. The hammock beckoned for pure camping perfection.
The Joy of Impromptu Decisions
Funny, isn’t it, how once you just STOP over-thinking, and take the time to listen to your instincts, the day just gets better? We hadn’t planned on spending the night in Monument Valley. We had booked through Sunday night at Overland Expo and planned a long driving day to Moab. Instead, by Sunday noon, feeling disappointed with our Expo experience, and fed up with the unrelenting dust and wind, we made a snap decision to just pack it up and move on.
Facts from the Road
Three weeks back from vacation, my mind is still swirling with all the stories I need to write. Although our road trip was a mere 17 days, we experienced such extraordinary diversity, it’s been challenging to put it all into words. First, a few facts:
Miles Driven: 3055
Timothy Lake ~ Yet Again
We just can’t get enough of Timothy Lake. Once again, as our anniversary neared, we eagerly anticipated another amazing weekend in high mountain lake country.
Think you Know Death Valley? Think again!
Turn off the A/C! Use low gear! 11% grade ahead for the next 8 miles! Brake check area ahead! The warning signs flashed past us as we entered Death Valley National Park.
On the Road
Six states. 3055 miles. 18 days. Not our most epic road trip, but pretty damn great nonetheless! Having just returned from our road~trip to attend Overland Expo, dozens of stories are swirling through my brain, waiting to jump onto the page. But as a teaser, enjoy these pictures of our “view from the road”.
The Art of Overlanding
Wikipedia describes overlanding as such: Overlanding is self-reliant travel to remote destinations where the journey is the principal goal. Typically, but not exclusively, it is accomplished with mechanized off-road capable transport, where the principal form of lodging is camping, often lasting for extended lengths of time (months to years), and spanning international borders.
LePage in photos
We escaped rainy Portland for points east, making one of our favorite drives along the Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway, destined for one of our favorite camping spots, LePage Park. A mere two hours east of Portland it is a whole different world, with dramatic cliffs and a dramatically drier climate! Perfect for early spring camping. Although the ever-present wind was much in evidence, the sunshine, good friends and great food were the perfect recipe for weekend bliss.
Celebrating or Two-Year Blogiversary
Two years from today I did our first blog post. At the time I was completely unsure if anyone would read it. For a long time, it seemed no one did. No, not even our family. In fact, to this day, although we have had over 35,000 visitors in all 50 states and over 20 countries worldwide, I can assure you that the majority of our close friends and family have no idea what I spend so much time writing about.