Thoughts mostly about travel and places I have been. While a lot of my travel is into the backcountry backpacking or paddling I do my share of trips to more traditional front-country locations too. From time to time other items of note will appear that definitely fall outside the realm of travel and associated things. It is also worth noting that I am legally blind.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Shooting the Rapids
I messed up the last note. One of the many rapids Jaun Carlos would guide us through along a 28km stretch of the Pacuare River. This one was modest but there were many with great boat swallowing holes and fast moving chutes. Emit is a lively scenic river with plenty to see.
IMG_1393.MOV Watch on Posterous
** Ken **
Sent from my iPhoneCosta Rica so far
We are finishing up our second full day in Costa Rica and so far the trip has great. We started out with two days of whitewater rafting on the Pacuare River overnighting at the remote Pacuare Lodge. The river was lively and our guide, Jaun Carlos, did a fine job of guiding us through rifles and rapids (including 5 class IV rapids). The water was warm deep green and with the bright sun beaming down on us no one minded getting drenched. It was exhilarating. The lodge was a gem in the jungle. The rooms are sublime and the food exceptional. We loved the place and all agree that more time there woukd be a fine thing. With any luck the rest of the trip will be as good. Though I don't think we need to experience any more tiny room shaking earthquakes like we did this morning at 05:00.
** Ken **
Sent from my iPhone
** Ken **
Sent from my iPhone
Shooting the Rapuds
One of the many rapids Jaun Carlos would guide us through along a 28km stretch of the Pacuare River. This one was modest but there were many with great boat swallowing holes and fast moving chutes. Emit is a lively scenic river with plenty to see.
** Ken **
Sent from my iPhoneThursday, January 26, 2012
January Weekend in Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Caryn came up with the plan to spend a couple of nights in early January in the Upper Peninsula at the Halfway Lake Resort in Newberry, Michigan. This placed us within an hous drive of places like tahquamenon Falls, the mouth of the Two Hearted River, and Whitefish Bay at the Whitefish Point lighthouse. The trip was run through the Ann Arbor Adventure Club hosted on meetup.com. We had something like 15 attendees and though for some winter hiking was a new experience I think everyone had a good time. Sure the weather was windy and we didn't always stick together as well as we might have done but between the skiing, snowshoeing, relaxing at the cabin or in the hot tub, and generally enjoying the company of good people everyone had a fine time.
Here are some photos and a video from the weekend. We did our snowshoeing and cross-country skiing at Canada Lake the first day. After a leisurely lunch at Timber Charlie's in Newberry we went to the wind swept mouth of the Two Hearted River where we sipped a few Two Hearted beers and watched a lovely sunset. Our second day was spent mostly in Tahquamenon State Park. The hike along the North Country Trail between the Upper and Lower Falls went rather more easily than I thought it might at first. The snow was not deep and, more importantly, quite packed down. It's the latter that surprised me as we certainly didn't se any footprints from people traveling the trail before us (it had snowed a little recently). It's a shame that so many of the beech trees in the area are suffering from a fungal blight that is killing many of them off. If you visit this state park after you marvel at the waterfalls and the walk through the forest enjoying the sights and sounds do stop in at the brewpub for a bite to eat and a tasty beer. My only wish is that the fireplace had been bigger and more open; more like a fire pit with chimney (I'm thinking of what I recall seeing in a lounge at Mar Lodge in Scotland) that tables could surround. All in all a very nice place. We ended our second day out with a quick visit as the sun dipped below the horizon to the Whitefish Point Lighthouse.
The Upper Peninsula VideoEnjoy!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Two Hearted at the Two Hearted
A fine chilly and windy afternoon at the mouth of the river. We spent the morning at Canada Lake but the afternoon at the Two Hearted was, I think, more memorable. The subset was special.
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