This is Part 5 in a series outlining my family's exploration of Iceland during the summer of 2019, pre-COVID. It was a mostly outdoor experience, exploring the wild and natural sights of a beautiful country during the height of summer. For the full journey, and notes on places to go and things to see, check…Read more Iceland 2019 – Part 5, Landmannalaugar
Trip
Puffins!
As I'm reminiscing on last summer's trip to Iceland (and working up videos, etc), I'm uncovering some photos that just make me smile. On the cliffs above Reynisfjara, a black sand beach with impressive caves and balsatic columns outside Vik, on Iceland's southern shore, dozens of puffins were nesting. These pudgy little birds were impressively…Read more Puffins!
Nokulele Blowhole (Hawai’i, Day 5, Part 2)
https://youtu.be/yEemSKPWbUg After our early, early morning biking down Halekala, we had been up and adventuring for 12 hours and it was still only lunch time. Creative measures were needed to get back to a normal sleep cycle, so we fought the urge to sleep the afternoon away. Instead, we had lunch and explored the town…Read more Nokulele Blowhole (Hawai’i, Day 5, Part 2)
Water-tight?
In my efforts to test myself, I sometimes get a little overconfident. I like to think I'm fairly level-headed and consider risks enough that I'm not doing anything downright STUPID, but I have certainly messed up enough to make me wonder just what the heck I thought was going to happen. Such was the case…Read more Water-tight?
Sunset at Bear’s Den Rocks
Bears Den Rocks, looking west off the Appalachian Trail in northern Virginia. North end of the "Roller Coaster". Get Out There Troy http://www.flying-squirrel.org
Bear’s Den Trail Center
A familiar site to AT hikers - we've taken over with a crowd of teenagers! Appalachian castle at Bears Den. Get Out There Troy http://www.flying-squirrel.org
Midnight Sun
I recently returned from a vacation in Iceland. I spent a week just south of the Arctic Circle, one week after the summer solstice. There's a lot to talk about following such an amazing trip (and I will), but having recently written about dark skies, I thought a lot about the almost-24-hour daylight we…Read more Midnight Sun
Journey’s End
Another adventure comes to an end. A week aboard a 41-foot ketch in the Florida Keys. Tough to go back to real life, but always looking forward to getting home.
Discovering Iceland
We just returned from a whirlwind exploration of southern Iceland. More to come on this beautiful country!
“Hatikva” Sails Again!
I've had a sailboat sitting, for a long while, in a place not very well suited for a boat of any kind, much less one with a 25' mast. It's been sitting on a trailer in my garage, and it's been sad. I bought her from a co-worker. Spent a few months fixing things -…Read more “Hatikva” Sails Again!
Outdoor Resolutions For 2019
I had a pretty good year of adventure in 2018. I didn't manage any BIG trips, stayed mostly on the East Coast (with a brief stint in Hawaii), but managed quite a bit of hiking, backpacking, paddling and wandering, and a total of 26 nights spent in a sleeping bag - MOSTLY in a tent,…Read more Outdoor Resolutions For 2019
Campfires Make Everything Better
We had a pretty dreary weekend. Fortunately, we made the right call, with young, poorly equipped boys, to skip Friday night - that would have meant setting up and camping in a Nor'Easter. An inch and a half of rain, 30 mph wind, and 40 deg. Not a good first experience. Even with the decision to…Read more Campfires Make Everything Better
Soyuz and Risk Management
It's old news at this point, but several weeks ago (October 11, 2018), the launch of Soyuz MS-10 suffered a failure of the second-stage booster, causing an automatic abort of the launch, and ejection of the crew capsule. Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin and US astronaut Nick Hague did NOT make it to their intended destination,…Read more Soyuz and Risk Management
Mountain Biking, Minus The Mountain
Several years ago, I made a questionable choice. My wife and I were both shopping for new bicycles, and I quickly set my sights on a (now classic) Specialized Rockhopper. I loved the stance of a mountain bike, the (relatively) compact size, the go-anywhere attitude - and though I didn't have any plans to go…Read more Mountain Biking, Minus The Mountain
Mauna Kea
Still catching up, sharing a shot from 9300' up Mauna Kea on the Big Island, Hawai'i. This is just above the visitor's center, and above most of the clouds... unfortunately high clouds rolled in right at sunset and ruined our stargzing, but the mountain views made up for it! I will get around to some…Read more Mauna Kea
Flying Squirrel Outdoors 