Adventurelaus

So this year will have no major trip in store but lots of smaller adventures.  For the fall I'll have two more lined up.  I'll be tagging along with one of my wife's work trip to Bostimore (not Boston but Baltimore, sorry insider joke).  Using her hotel I'll do bike rides with my folder around Baltimore and at least a day in DC.  It'll be the first time for me in Baltimore and the Capitol City. My second adventure will be far less urban, the plan is to bike from San Diego via Tecate and Mexicali to Calexico.  Then back to San Diego with the Greyhound bus.  Yes, that's Mexico, another first for me.  The route will have several exciting and challenging features.  For one there is the 4000 feet mountain range I'll be gradually climbing up and quickly descending.  Sweetened with a desert crossing.  But the different culture and the language, which I don't speak, will certainly be the most "adventurous" part of this trip.  Of course I'...

A quick decision was made to go on a bike ride over the extended 4th of July weekend.  I found a nice route to the two Boone County campgrounds that would keep the riding fairly short and enable us to do a loop from our home.  We didn't get packing until late Wednesday and had to do the final packing on Thursday. But with only 20 miles for the first day starting a little late didn't cause any issues.  Half way we stopped in Slater to eat lunch before continuing on to Madrid on the High Trestle Trail.  The night we spend at the Swede county park. Swede Park, no worries about tent sites. Our worries about having difficulties to find a open campsite was not justified.  The park had 10 tent spots that were nicely separated from the RVs and none were taken when we arrived.  Later that night only one other tent campers came.  Swede Park had a nice bathroom/shower facilities, great tasting water and some nice hiking trail in the woods to a prairie...

Happy to share this trip. Leaving the kids with the grandparents we get to hike several days in  the Nantahala National Forrest.  Our route is a 30 mile loop with a significant amount on the Appalachian trail.  We arrived late afternoon at the Standing Indian Campground (backcountry trail head to be exact).  My wife got to experience the drill of picking up the rental car from the airport and swinging by REI to get the camping fuel for the hike.  For some strange reason though we ended up spending more time and money there end ended up with a few gear enhancement including trekking poles for me. Interactive route map. Packed and ready for the hike. Initially our plan was to hike to the newly constructed Long Branch shelter but it was getting late and we found a pretty meadow on the Long Branch creek that was perfect for camping.  After we got the tent setup a strong rain passed over us.  So we were lucky to duck into the tent and stay...

... happened on my ride through Story County Iowa to visit all 15 incorporated towns in one day. It was near the end of the day when I was riding down the highway. All the sudden right in front of me crossed a skunk the street. As it went across the street I was passing him. I was scared as hell as it's tail went higher and higher. Its pink butt was clearly visible. Luckily the skunk was kind and didn't release anything. Phew! Collage of Story County towns The ride itself went great. On the southern part I took the Heart of Iowa trail. It's a beautiful limestone trail. The only downside was that due to the extreme rain and flooding we got a few weeks ago sections of the trail was washed out. This meant it was rough and sandy riding. Passable with the fat two inch tires on my bike but still slow and strenuous. But it was worth it. Throughout my ride I could see and smell the remnants of the flooding across the county. For the 110 miles I was 13 hours o...