London Walking

by Kelly Amabile on

Well, walking away from London, actually. Two ambitious
Londoners have set out on separate walking journeys across Europe this summer. They are not trying to slim down (like
our American friend, Fat Steve), but instead are traveling
on foot for their own unique personal goals.

The latest walker to head out is Arthur, of Arthur’s Many Steps,
who departed the UK on July 27, with hopes of reaching Rome by October. The idea originally came to him almost ten
years ago while reading Werner Herzog’s Of Walking in Ice. Rebecca Solnit’s Wanderlust also provided
inspiration and now he is off. Arthur is accepting donations to make sure he completes his trip – half the money raised
will be split between the Refugee Council and Doctors Without Borders.

Arthur’s route is similar to that of fellow Londoner James Carty, who set out in May to reach Jerusalem by this
December. On his site, Walking to Jerusalem, James explains
that his “pilgrimage for peace” will raise funds for four charities involved in promoting reconciliation and
understanding between communities. As of late July, he was walking right outside Rome. How convenient for Arthur, he
can read James’ blog to see what is in store for him as he heads that way too.

The Appalachian Trail Turns 80

by Erik Olsen on

Were you aware that the
Appalachian Trail, famous for its white “blazes”, the makers along its
ribbonous length, was conceived in eighty years ago, in 1925 by a forester named Benton MacKaye. MacKaye saw the trail
as an outdoor refuge from urban life…even though at the time, people probably needed an escape less than they do
today.

I have hike only part of the trail, but after reading Bill Bryson’s Walk in the Woods, of course would like to do the
whole thing some day…perhaps with a young son or something, wouldn’t that be the ultimate father/son thing to do?

The trail, you may remember is quite long. It runs 2,175 miles from Springer Mountain, Ga., to Mount Katahdin,
Maine, offering escapes for hikers of every ability, from novices to long-distance hikers who often spend as long as
six months walking the entire route. 

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the group that overseas the trail, is
hoping to raise awareness and get folks to hit the trail ts year, so if you’re interested, check out their site, or
visit this site which has an immense amount of info on the trail and
was obviously assembled by a very impassioned AT hiker. 

Out ‘n’ About Treesort in Oregon

by Adrienne Wilson on

LA Times runs a piece on rare retreats in today’s issue. One of which caught my attention was this
cozy, rustic
little tree retreat in the Siskiyou Mountains in Oregon. Located 265 miles from Portland and only 20 miles from the
California border the tree resort would make for an enchanting wilderness stay on a road trip going in either
direction. I’m a huge fan of treehouses though I’ve never stayed in one for a hotel visit, but something about
them comes off so natural and unpretentious. At Out ‘n’ About Treesort all 11
treesorts are said to be decorated different with rugged flavor and a funky anti-establishment vibe without locks.
Can’t say that I’ve seen the anti-establishment part in too many other hotel brochures and better hope a bear
doesn’t come a creeping into the room without the locks on doors to protect you. Though I doubt one really would.

 

Rooms fill up fast so if staying in magical little wooden outposts have been on your mind, book far in advance
to make sure you get a piece of the action at Out ‘n’ About.  As much as you’ll enjoy the inside make sure you go
outside as they have several activities available like horseback riding, tie-dye T-shirt making classes,
basic ropes courses and a couple of zip lines. Activities outside of the lodgings include cave tours, river rafting,
kayaking, and the Redwood National and State Parks about 50 miles up the road.

 

Jeeping in Ouray, Colorado

by Adrienne Wilson on

It’s a well known fact that I tend to fall asleep in a car whenever I’m not in the driver’s seat. In
most cases. Something about being in the passenger seat or
backseat gives me a slight headache. More so the backseat than the passenger seat, but I have also been known to
fall out on long bumpy bus rides, painfully long flights and pretty much anything that moves while I’m not in
control of the vehicle. As a kid it helped cure my “are we there yet” moans from the backseat, but nowadays it
just eases my tiny headaches or makes a 14 hour flight feel like one hour.

When I saw this article in the Washington Post on
jeeping in Ouray,
Colorado, and area promoting itself as the “Switzerland of America” and “Jeep capital of America,” I knew the
jeeping experience may not be for me. Falling asleep would be nearly impossible to do, but up-chucking from the
overly bouncy jeep ride probably wouldn’t be as hard. Sorry folks, maybe that was a bit overblown. But there are
actually two kinds of jeep-trails in the area which are noted as “mellow-scenic” and ”gnarly scenic” by one
of the local jeep guides. I’m guessing you can tell which one is the bumpier of the two, but either way
you’re sure to catch sight of some awesome scenery. Crystalline waterfalls, old mining ruins, multi-hued wildflowers
and naturally the San Juan Mountains surrounding the area are all there for the viewing.

The article provides some background to the area plus detailed info on jeeping with a guide. If seeing Ouray in
a jeep isn’t your thing you can hike one or as many of the 18 trails starting right from the city center. Really
worth a read if
you’re planning your next vacation in Colorado.

Sollight Water Bottle and Lamp

by Erik Olsen on

Here’s one of those nice “two birds with one stone” devices. The Sollight is
both a 32 oz water bottle AND a light. And the light itself beams through the water, creating a diffusion effect that
helps the device act as a bona-fide lantern. What more could you ask for? Well, what about a solar cell on top of the
lamp so that you don’t need batteries? Voila! You get that too. Yes, the sollight cap has a built-in waterproof solar
panel and battery pack that charges in the sun or a well-lit room. 

According to the sollight site, there are two LED’s that
you can use. The white LED will last 8-10 hours and the red LED will last 16-18 hours on a dull four hour charge. We
haven’t tested one yet to see how powerful the lamp is, but will try to get our hands on one to find out. The sollight
runs $25.