Musings
Last Adventurer
#preservethegood

As you’ve seen above, #preservethegood could mean anything – it could mean helping someone in a time of need; it could be picking up trash on a trail, or a wilderness area; it could be educating people on leave no trace principles; it could be making a difference in any way you want; and it could be just about anything you want as long as you are focused in keeping the magic and the unique positive things in this world and this life. In terms of tangible things, I encourage you, my readers and followers to use the hashtag when you post a photo of something amazing; or when you’re talking about something exceptional you – or someone else has done to improve the world. I look forward to seeing how all of you end up preserving the good in 2015, and you can rest assured that as always, I will keep preserving the good where I find it as well, because as Plato says, “Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.” 

#preservethegood
Hiking, State Parks
Last Adventurer
Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls

As I mentioned previously, Waimea Canyon is a site that is most definitely one of the “must-view” locations on Kauai, and in the world; and as I also mentioned, the best way to experience it is to hike it. While there are many great hikes through the canyon, the best hike in my book is the Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls. It is the best hike to me because at four miles roundtrip, it is accessible, it has stunning views of the canyon from inside the canyon, and it ends at the top Waipoo Falls. It also allows the hiker the chance to swim in a waterfall, which is a once in a lifetime experience.

Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls

Strange Spots

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The Ten Best Caves of California

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The Ten Best Caves of California

California is a state with natural beauty that stretches the entirety of the state to each of its borders. It is also a state where the beauty above ground in some areas pales with the beauty below ground. Like a sunset on an unknown beach, each of these areas offer solitude, otherworldly beauty, and in some cases, some of the most unique terrain on the planet. Even if you've never explored a cave before, each of these spots will interest and intrigue you, and provide you a great introduction to the world below your feet.

The "Haunted" Mission Inn

The "Haunted" Mission Inn

And yet, Riverside is indeed home to one of the strangest buildings in California (second only to the Winchester Mystery House): the Mission Inn. The Mission Inn began as a normal hotel under the ownership of Christopher Miller; but in 1902, ownership passed to his son, Frank Augustus Miller, who changed the name to the “Mission Inn”, and began adding on to the hotel in a variety of design styles until his death in 1935

Review: RMS Queen Mary Paranormal Investigation

Review: RMS Queen Mary Paranormal Investigation

The Queen Mary is an ocean liner out of the golden age of sea travel. Built in 1936, she was designed to ferry passengers from Europe to New York City. From 1936 to 1939, she transported passengers along Atlantic Ocean; but when World War II broke out, she was converted into a troop transport ship, and transported soldiers – including a record 16,082 American troops from New York to the United Kingdom in one trip – a record that still stands to this day. After the war, she again carried passengers until 1967, until she was retired from service. Upon her retirement, she was bought by a private company and sailed to Long Beach, where she sits moored today.

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Subway Cave

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Subway Cave

On the Northern border of Lassen National Park in the Lassen National Forest is the Subway Cave, a remnant of Northern California's volcanic past. This portion of California is part of the Cascade Range of mountains, ancient volcanoes that shaped the geology of the region thousands of years ago, and continue to shape the region even today. 

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Kwaaymii Point

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Kwaaymii Point

One of the more obscure and strange hiking destinations in San Diego is located on the Eastern border of the county, and sits right on the border of the Anza-Borrego State Park and the Cleveland National Forest. In addition to being one of the strangest hiking destinations, the spot has some of the best views in the county as it is located on the edge of the Laguna Mountains. 

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Cape Blanco Lighthouse

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Cape Blanco Lighthouse

Nestled along the southern Oregon Coast is the Cape Blanco Lighthouse. Although it is a relatively unassuming structure, this lighthouse holds a number of interesting records.

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Bodie State Historic Park

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Bodie State Historic Park

There are ghost towns where only the crumbling remnants of overgrown foundations remain; there are ghost towns where a few dilapidated buildings remain; and then there is Bodie, California – an entire town lost to the passage of time in the mountains of California.