A good friend of mine was doing her doctoral research in the middle of nowhere in the Mexican desert, and she invited me down for a visit. I couldn’t say no, because I love the …
October 20, 2011
Travel off the Beaten Path
Chihuahua Desert, Mexico: Dancing with El Diablo
Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma
How can you stay in the U.S. and yet be in another nation? You can in Cherokee Nation, located outside Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the state's northeastern corner. The Cherokee had been based chiefly in North …
October 14, 2011
Area 51 in Rachel, Nevada
Though the city of Las Vegas is full of odd characters and bizarre scenarios, none compare with what exists just outside of town, off Interstate 15: Area 51. Area 51 is the stuff of legends …
September 27, 2011
Climbing Jbel Toubkal: Morocco
Toubkal’s name translates to “big” in Arabic, and at 4,167 meters (13,671 feet), it’s the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains and Northern Africa in general. Since the mountain is 70 kilometers from Marrakech, my …
September 15, 2011
Wall Drug: Wall, South Dakota
If you live in the United States, there’s most likely a Wal-Mart around the corner from your home: statistically, there are approximately 3,600 Wal-Mart stores in America. But there is only one Wall Drug, and …
September 8, 2011
Hoi An, Vietnam
Hoi An is about midway between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi up the Vietnamese coast. If you’re traveling between the two largest cities in Vietnam, it is the perfect spot to take a break. …
August 30, 2011
Isle of Eigg, Scotland
For a month-long visit to Scotland, I decided to hunker down in just one spot – on the remote and rarely visited Isle of Eigg. At twelve square miles and with a community of just …
August 25, 2011
Green Island, Taiwan
I never really understood why the Portuguese referred to Taiwan as Formosa, or “beautiful island.” The pollution, traffic and combined chaotic mess of Taipei and Taichung make you easily forget that Taiwan is, in fact, …
August 25, 2011
McCall, Idaho: the Monster of Payette Lake
An afternoon spent at Payette Lake can be relaxing and refreshing – as long as you refrain from dwelling on what lies beneath. The 5,330-acre lake, around which the resort town of McCall, Idaho, was …
August 13, 2011
Detour in Seaside, Oregon
Adam and I drove into Seaside with a mission: to surf and sample the fried arts at Beach Bites. We'd stopped here on our way to Portland. Just 90 miles away, it was close enough …
August 4, 2011
Napa: Prager Winery and Portworks
As I drive south out of Napa Valley after a weeklong housesit, I stop at Prager Winery and Portworks in quaint St. Helena on the recommendation of a friend. The tasting room is in a …
July 31, 2011