Category Archives: Travels
Cat vs. Camel: An epic battle on Mount Washington provides an opportunity to write about Marty
Marty, the Mount Washington summit cat, has been an elusive animal this week, slipping in and out of the Observatory staff quarters only to eat and use the litter box. Apparently he has a friend who stays in the State … Continue reading
The world’s worst weather: Bring it on!
Spending a week in January on a mountain billed as having the world’s worst weather isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time. But, I say, why go to an all-inclusive resort in Cancun with everyone else in the world when … Continue reading
Living large on the lava fields at the Fimmvörðuháls Pass, Iceland
When we arrive at the lava flows, I am so glad that we opted to make the trek from Þorsmork (pronounced “Thorsmork”) to this misty pass between the Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull glaciers here in southern Iceland. Yesterday the forecast looked … Continue reading
Posted in Hiking, Travels
Tagged Fimmvörðuháls, hiking in Iceland, Icelandic Mountain Guides, Landmannalaugar, Laugavegur trek, Þorsmork
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Finding the fountain of youth (maybe) on Iceland’s Laugavegur trek
As we begin our hike from Landmannalaugar, I feel like I am 25 again, discovering new worlds for the very first time: vast green alpine fields, steaming fumaroles, a wide open landscape that stretches for miles. A dark cloud chases … Continue reading
Posted in Hiking, Travels
Tagged hiking, hiking in Iceland, Landmannalaugar, Laugavegur trek, Þorsmork
1 Comment
Refuge in the sands
As all hell broke loose that Friday in Boston, the beach at Morris Island stretched for miles, empty and unpeopled, like the city in lockdown. Instead of fear, the beach inspired tranquility and an almost medically-induced sense of relief at … Continue reading
Posted in Family and Kids, Hiking, Travels
Tagged Cape Cod hikes, Cape Cod seals, Chatham, family hikes, Monomoy Island, Morris Island, Morris Island Trail
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White elephant in a green valley
Here at Evergreen Valley, the outside temperature is 12 degrees, but a full 28 degrees warmer, at 40, inside our “villa.” We lost power yesterday (2/17), late in the afternoon after a day of wild snowless winds. Now, this morning, … Continue reading
Winter dreams of summer days on Mount Washburn
On this cold winter afternoon in Maine, I am dreaming about summer days on Mount Washburn. The temperature is even colder today at Mount Washburn, but this past August, we slathered on sun screen and wore shorts and t-shirts when … Continue reading
In the Wild River Valley, a November blizzard, deep snow, and a man who perseveres to save his cat
We are hiking along Blue Brook and up the Basin Trail through a golden forest of beech trees, the color made more vibrant by the gray background of an overcast sky. Halfway up Blue Brook, a granite cliff towers over … Continue reading
Rangeley days, now far away
Every summer, the town takes us by surprise. We crest the hill on Route 4, catch our first view of the lake, and descend into an unlikely enclave of commerce: the Pine Tree Frosty, the video store, the Laundromat, the … Continue reading
Posted in Family and Kids, Maine places, Travels, Uncategorized
Tagged hiking, Mount Aziscohos, North Camps, Rangeley, western Maine mountains
2 Comments
The town at the end of the world
My windows overlooking Passamaquoddy Bay are open on this early July morning, but when I first woke up, I thought they must be closed, so silent is the morning at 7 a.m. On a Maine lake, the silence would seem normal, … Continue reading
