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

Whaley House, San Diego, California

Whaley House, San Diego, California

  The Whaley House. I’m not sure if there’s anything I can say about this location that hasn’t been said before. (Don’t believe me? Click here, here, here, or here for a sample of these reviews). This destination is regularly listed as one of the Top Five “Must Visit” places in San Diego. If that wasn’t strange enough, the Whaley House has received international notoriety as one of the “most haunted” locations not just in California, not just in the United States and North America, but as one of the most haunted spots in the world. That’s right: in the world! (Don’t believe me? The website for the Whaley House discusses its “haunted nature”, and solicits ghost photos! But for more info, click here, here, or here). If all of that wasn’t enough, the Whaley House has its own B-Grade horror movie! (Don’t worry, for research purposes, I watched it, and…..it was truly bad).

Mystery Castle, Phoenix, Arizona

Mystery Castle, Phoenix, Arizona

After taking the tour, what struck me about the place was that it was a location that demonstrated the triumph of man’s will over just about anything. The castle’s creator, Boyce Luther Gulley was diagnosed with tuberculosis in the 1920s, which was basically a death sentence. Rather than give up, he headed down to Arizona with nothing. Using his knowledge of real property law, he acquired the land on which the castle on the cheap – it was near the Phoenix dump at the time. Then, using his architectural and engineering knowledge he proceeded to build the castle on his own with materials he either salvaged from various areas, or acquired cheaply as they had been discarded. The castle is truly an example of being able to construct something from nothing. Even more importantly, the castle is a classic example of the inscrutable nature of man – because Boyce Luther Gulley concealed all of this from his family until his death. 

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IIAWT Preview/Recap - Mt. Kilimanjaro, August 2013

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Good news everybody! Tonight, there will be another great IIAWT podcast - except this time, the podcast will have a new twist. That's right: on tonight's episode, IIAWT is packing their ice axes and heading off the continent to discuss one of the behemoths of worldwide mountaineering: Mt. Kilimanjaro. On tonight's episode, we will be talking with a long-time friend of the show, JestheCCC about her recent successful climb of the highest peak in Africa. This show will cover everything an intermediate mountaineer will need to know about planning an expedition to one of the seven summits; and it will also cover what one would need to know about how to successfully train for and how to successfully summit the highest mountain in Africa. If you're interested in learning more about JestheCCC and her climb, either before the show; or after the show, read her blog here, about: 1) Preparing to Climb Kilimanjaro; 2) Part One of Climbing the Mountain; 3) Part Two of Climbing the Mountain; and 4) Wrap Up of Climbing the Mountain. Also, if you're interested in learning more about Jes' partners and sponsors in climbing the mountain, you'll want to check out them here: 1) K2Adventures (at Twitter here); 2) TETON Sports (at Twitter here); and 3) Sly Fox Foods (at Twitter here). Tune in here for what will be a great show, or on iTunes!

 

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Perseid Meteor Shower, August 11-12, 2013

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Good news everyone! It's time to train our eyes upward and see if we can see the sons of Perseus streaking across the nighttime sky. That's right - I am talking about watching the annual Perseid Meteor Shower, which is occurring this weekend - August 11-12, 2013. According to the experts, the Perseid Meteor Shower is going to be one of the best - if not the best - meteor showers of 2013 as there will be no Moon in the nighttime sky this weekend. The Perseids are always a great meteor shower to watch, as they are one of the larger showers that have been observed from 36 A.D. onward, and the origin of the meteors is the Swift-Tuttle comet. Since there will be no Moon during the Perseids this year, many astronomers have estimated that during the peak time - from 10:00 p.m. on August 11, 2013 to 4:30 a.m. on August 12, 2013, skywatchers can expect to see 80-100 meteors scorch the sky per hour. If that isn't enough to get you outside to take a look, I don't know what is! (More information on observing the Perseids here, here, and here; and if you're interested in photographing the Perseids, click here). 

As always, you can rest assured that I will be outside watching the Perseids, because I love meteor showers. If you're interested in seeing a meteor shower for the first time, let me provide you with three handy tips: 1) Get outside. Cities provide a lot of light pollution, which makes it harder to see everything in the night sky, including the Perseids. 2) Be patient. While this might not be as important for a busy shower like the Perseids, it is applicable. Allow your eyes time to adjust to the dark; sit back; relax, and enjoy watching the universe move in inscrutable and beautiful ways. 3) Have fun! Bring food, drinks, and plenty of blankets and pillows to stay comfortable and warm. 

Interested in science? You might like this NASA app HERE; and about the dust passing through our atmosphere during the shower here.

 

 

 

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IIAWT Preview/Recap July 2013

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Mt. Wilson, San Juan Mountain Range, Colorado

Mt. Wilson, San Juan Mountain Range, Colorado

Good news everybody! On Saturday, July 27, 2013 IIAWT will be back from our podcasting vacation. Since it's summertime, it's an excellent time to talk about a great mountaineering location, the San Juan Mountains in Colorado. We're also happy to be bringing back our expert on the Rocky Mountains and its various ranges, Bob Doucette, who will definitely have some great insights on this area and how to train for these peaks. In case you're interested in a preview of what we'll be discussing tomorrow, or want to follow along with the show, or if you end up hearing the show after it records live on July 27, 2013, or if you're just interested in reading more of Bob's work, check out these links here:

Trail Reports of the San Juan Mountains: Mt. Sneffels and Matterhorn Peak; Some of Bob's Thoughts on Training, Exercise and Diet; IIAWT's Favorite Trail Report of Bob's: Torrey's Peak via Kelso Ridge;  and Bob's Original Appearance on IIAWT. Tune in here, and see you in the mountains!