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

Travel and Exploration

,

St. Brigid's Well

,
St. Brigid's Well

One of the many interesting things about Ireland is that it is a place where the practices of the past and present intersect in modern day life. While there are many examples of the past in modern day Ireland, one of the tangible features that people can experience are the many holy wells that still dot Ireland’s countryside. During the nineteenth century, a survey was taken of the wells that were considered holy, and over 3,000 were considered to have some sort of interesting power. While this number has likely decreased over the course of time, and a subsequent survey has not been conducted, many of these holy wells remain, and are very accessible. One of the most well-known of these wells due to its location near the Cliffs of Moher is St. Brigid’s Well outside of Liscannor.

Review: Malibu Wine Hikes

Review: Malibu Wine Hikes

Although Los Angeles is a large area that defies description due to the variety of things one can do, the popular perception is that outside of industrial highways, the Hollywood sign, and Disneyland, the area is a bit of a barren wasteland. This perception is a shame for numerous reasons, particularly because of the great variety of terrain the region has from alpine to beach, and because of the number of interesting activities that the greater basin provides, including bungee jumping from the Bridge to Nowhere, and sliding down a glass slide in downtown Los Angeles proper. Along these lines comes an activity that was inspired by African safaris, the Malibu Wine Hikes.

Fan Tan Alley

Fan Tan Alley

Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, and one of the oldest cities in the Pacific Northwest. And, among other unique things, it is the home to the narrowest street in all of Canada, Fan Tan Alley. During the gold rush period of the nineteenth century, Victoria attracted a large number of Chinese immigrants, who formed their own district in the city, an area that is also the oldest Chinatown in Canada. Fan Tan Alley was a narrow street in this area, and an area of ill-repute, full of opium dens, gambling, and various other illicit activities. However, a hundred and sixty some years later, its narrow passageway is known as a tourist mecca, both for people who like strange, narrow streets, and for people who like to explore the history and shops of Victoria. At its narrowest point, the alley is just under four feet wide, and has been featured in a number of movies, including Bird on a Wire.

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge

Although London has a plethora of historic and iconic locations, one of the top destinations is and has been the distinctive Tower Bridge. The Tower Bridge is also not to be confused with London Bridge, which sits nearby on the Thames, and has been replaced on numerous occasions over the last two thousand years. The Tower Bridge was designed by Horace Jones and John Wolfe Barry with two towers that were connected by two upper horizontal walkways; and at the time of its opening, it was the largest – and most sophisticated bascule bridge in the world. Construction of the bridge took eight years (1886-1984), and over 70,000 tons of concrete and 10,000 tons of steel. Since 1894, the bridge has been open to foot, vehicle, and water traffic, although the internal engines of the bridge have been replaced, and the original upper walkways have been renovated since the opening. While any pedestrian can walk across the Tower Bridge, or admire it from the nearby Tower of London, since 1982 the bridge has been a working museum as well with the “Tower Bridge Experience”; and since 2012, the Tower Bridge Experience has featured glass bottomed walkways in the upper horizontal passthroughs.

Top seven things to do in Annecy

Top seven things to do in Annecy

Although almost every town of France is charming and picturesque in its own way, one of the best towns, if not the best, is Annecy, which is known as both the “Pearl of the Alps” and the “Venice of the Alps”. Located in the Haute-Savoie region of France, Annecy sits in a unique location with river canals, an alpine lake, and easy access to the foothills of the Alps along with the larger peaks of the range. Annecy is also a historic town, with roots stretching back to the tenth century, the Duchy of Savoy, and a number of items that affected French history, such as the counter-reformation and the French Revolution. With its old town, expansive lakeside park, and associated outdoor activities, Annecy is a town a visitor could spend numerous days in easily; but whether one is spending a day or longer there, these locations in and around Annecy will keep one busy no matter the time of year.

Review: Snorkeling the Silfra Fissure

Review: Snorkeling the Silfra Fissure

Among other things, Iceland is an amazing place to visit because of its impressive geologic features. When traveling around the Ring Road, one can see lava fields, green rolling hills, tall mountains, moon-like black sand, lakes, ocean, rivers, and more all within a four hour span. Although Iceland has been formed by a plethora of events, the main factor in its creation has been its position on the mid-Atlantic Ridge in the Atlantic Ocean. The mid-Atlantic Ridge is the largest mountain range on the planet, invisibly stretching over 10,000 underwater miles. It is also the boundary of North American and Eurasian plates, which have been moving apart for over one hundred and fifty million years. This movement has caused a continuous flow of magma from the Earth’s core into the ocean, forming the Ridge, and Iceland itself. On a yearly basis, the plates continue to move approximately 2 centimeters further apart. As a result of this movement, in 1789, this pressure was released in the area now known as Þingvellir National Park with the creation of a series of rifts (fissures) in the surrounding region. After it was created by seismic activity, the main rift immediate filled with water from an underground aquifer, and is now known as the Silfra Fissure.

, , , ,

Road Trip Guide to Death Valley

, , , ,
Road Trip Guide to Death Valley

On the Eastern border of California, and near the Western border of Nevada, is an area that is full of mystery, wilderness, and desert solitude. This area is Death Valley National Park. The name alone “Death Valley” transcends time and space, and for hundreds of years has been a beacon to prospectors, explorers, adventurers, and today, casual visitors. While Death Valley is, as its name suggests – a fundamentally hostile environment, with temperatures regularly soaring over 100 degrees from April through October, it is more than a flat wasteland. In reality, Death Valley is one of the most geologically diverse environments on the planet, where the remains of glacial Lake Manly are laid bare, and the effects of active volcanism and erosion are easily visible. Within the confines of Death Valley, one can find tall, uplifted mountains, year-round waterfalls, volcanic craters, sand dunes, eroded canyons, and the lowest spot in North America.