Traveling Syria

by Erik Olsen on

Syria never made the famous axis of evil, but I’d read way back when that Bush and company have long held deep suspicions of Syria. Perhaps for good reason, but let’s not get into politics here. Suffice it to say, Syria would be an interesting place to visit. If you need mer convincing of that fact, take a look at this piece on traveling Syria.

Outside Magazine’s Patrick Symms take a long gander at the country and finds it a fascinating place filled with deep religiosity and not just a few historically significant places. It is also a place that plays prominently into the current conflict in Iraq, Symms calls it “a kind of small-scale Cambodia to Iraq’s Vietnam”. The article does a fine job revealing the complexities of the country and is very much worth a read.

All Hail Yvon Chouinard

by Erik Olsen on

Yvon Chouinard is one of the great living legends of outdoor sports and activism. A hard-core surfer and environmental activist, he has put his name and sizable fortune (he founded Ventura, California–based Patagonia Inc.) behind efforts to preserve forests and beaches and to generally heighten our awareness of how we are treating the earth.

This piece by Chouinard in Outside Magazine, though a year or so old, really sheds some light on who he is and what he has accomplished. He is a personal hero of mine, and after reading this piece, I suggest he will become one of yours as well.

Pot Spots

by Erik Olsen on

We in no way would ever advocate drug use. Personally, I keep away from the stuff as it tends to interfere with my ability to work and focus and remember stuff and helps prevent me, sort of, from writing nonsensical, long run on sentences that seem to go nowhere at all and juset go on run-onningly such that….damn, where was I?

Oh yeah, pot vacations. Um, ok, so let’s see. Now where would you in all available American media expect to see an article about the best stoner vacations? The New Yorker? Travel and Leisure? Nice try. Or you wish. Nope, predictably said article can be found in this month’s High Times magazine. Yes, right there next to the Bud of the Month centerfold and a mind-sharpening quiz (thirty two joints minus seven joints is how many joints?) is a piece that helps you discover your inner hippie. So where do they recommend you go? Number one on the list is St. George, Utah….just kidding. Ibiza gets the top nod, followed by Nerril, Jamaica and (of course) Amsterdam.

Parks Hurting?

by Erik Olsen on

Whenever there are tough economic times, there are always a few easy sacrificial lambs who are put up for slaughter. One of them, who time and time again gets the shaft, is the National Park Service. My first job after college was working at Interior, the federal agency that oversees the Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service among many many others. I got to fly around the country and visit many of our national parks and at that time (I refuse to disclose the actual dates) the employees of the park service were always complaining about how poorly they were treated under the Federal Budget.

Everyone just loves the parks, but no one wants to pay much to keep them going. That was before the tech boom, and I figured that things had changed. Alas, no. From Acadia to Zion, the national parks are being told to do more with less, and as a result they are shortening hours, increasing camping fees, recruiting retirees and other “free” labor and seeking financial support from corporations.

You can read about all the issues at hand in this piece from the Christian Science Monitor. And then go and check out one of my favorite Park Service blogs.

Drew Carey to the World Cup

by Erik Olsen on

Really, so much of making it in life is just establishing yourself as a celebrity. Then it’s all downhill. Once you get famous, everyone wants a part of you and you get paid, yes PAID to do cool stuff. Bill Murray gets paid to go all over the world to go golfing. Why? Because he was in Caddyshack for goodness sakes. And because he’s an excellent golfer. Brajolina have their trip to Africa paid for by aid groups because they look so pretty together. And now, here’s Drew Carey, who’s show really wasn’t even that funny, going to Europe to report on the World Cup for the Travel Channel. Well, good for him. I suppose if anyone can help Americans understand soccer and represent the US overseas, it’s a wise-cracking, doughy white guy. But seriously, I’ll have to check this out. Good for Drew.