Explore the World one Step at a Time
Explore the World one Step at a Time
Grab a cup of coffee, sit down comfortably and read the stories of hikers, some who hiked all or part of the Pacific Crest Trail, some who hiked the Appalachian Trail, many who hiked local trails. Their stories and experiences are fun – and sometimes scary – to follow. Relax, sit back and read: Following along the Pacific Crest Trail Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail Prone to Wander – Things I…
I never quite know what to say when people ask me about my favorite season. Summer brings fun days at the beach, winter brings cold nights in front of the fire-place. A margarita on the patio or a hot chocolate to warm my hands? When it really comes down, my favorite seasons are spring and fall. Both have beautiful colors: the bright blossoms of spring announcing a new start and…
It’s finally fall and time to get back on the trails. The weather this past weekend was perfect for the first fall hike of the year. Since I moved to Southern California I have been wanting to hike in the Santa Monica Mountains and finally I did it. Spoiler alert: it was as great as imagined! I mean it involved crawling on all fours and scooting down a rock on…
I have no idea where to start. There are so many things that fascinate me about Mt San Jacinto State Park. Let’s start with how to get there: Hike up the mountain I hear you say “What?!” And, no, I didn’t get there this way. You can start this hike with the North Lykken Trail right there in Palm Springs. It connects to the Cactus to Clouds Trail, which is…
After long day hiking and exploring Bastrop State Park and Buescher State Park, it’s time for a bit of R&R in Bastrop. Bastrop, TX is a small historic town with a beautiful historic Main Street, a small artsy and foodie community on the banks of the Colorado River, and a well-maintained historic homes neighborhood. The town has also been the backdrop of many movies over the last 40 or so…
Buescher State Park, south-east of Austin, TX, is connected to Bastrop State Park via a scenic and hilly 12-mile road that takes you through recovering areas of the Lost Pines. Most of the trails are still closed due to the Hidden Pines wildfires in 2015. The scenic road between both parks are great for experienced cyclists. The park is perfect for camping around Buescher State Park Lake and there are…
In September 2011 a wide-spread wildfire destroyed most of Bastrop State Park. Floods and yet another fire did more damage in 2015. However, Bastrop State Park is coming back to life for hikers and campers alike. Though some areas are still closed to the public (see Bastrop State Park website), a hiking trail system is open and well worth a visit. The views are partially eerie with burnt trees dominating…
I have been playing around trying to find a healthier substitute for brownies. So for my first attempt I didn’t want to stray too far from my base recipe, the Cashew Nuts Energy Balls. For this first batch of brownie bites, i decided to substitute part of the rolled oats with a mix of chopped and finely ground walnuts. If I still like the brownies tomorrow, I’ll fully substitute rolled…
As I probably mentioned before, Palm Springs has a few surprises up its sleeve when it comes to hiking. There are a number of trails that are easily reachable from downtown Palm Springs. This is one of them. North Lykken Trail starts at the end of East Ramon Road, right at the foot of the mountains. It connects with the Cactus to Clouds Trail from Palm Springs up Mount San…