Category: Blog

That Distant Place

For most of us there is an urge to see new places.

Seeing new places is hardwired into our genes. It is linked to other really great attributes we share; exploration, curiosity, inventiveness and bravery. Seeing new places helps us to find new friends while enjoying new experiences.  These are turned into stories and taken back home to share.Continue reading

How to make extra cash on the road

Rocinante With a cash overlay

For most of us who are not retired, traveling for an extended period requires that we make extra cash to increase the quality of our travel and to extend it.  Here are some techniques, organizational tips and a variety of ideas to bring in some extra money while traveling the world.Continue reading

Harvesting Delicious Pine Nuts This Year

Pine nutsFall

In the fall the ancient burly pines release the pine nuts they have been harboring. The sappy pine cones open up to reveal the dark brown nuts encased in the cone flower. I try to be there when this happens. In these old forests the wind moves the thin garnished air. It is still fragrant from the scent of sun baked wildflowers that live in the high places. The breeze mixes with the aroma of scoured sage and desert dust. This is the essence of the high desert; the smell of pitch mixed with the perfume of the mountains. It is intoxicating and welcomes me home.

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How to Choose the Best Overnight Backpack

The first thing you need when hiking, regardless of whether you are going overnight, for a week or for a whole year, is a good backpack to carry your gear.

Overnight Backpacks come in two flavors; internally framed or externally framed.  There are also ultralight backpacks that are used by experts and ultralight enthusiasts, but those are beyond the scope of this article. To learn how to choose the best overnight backpack and find the one that is just right for you, you need to know the strengths and weaknesses of each type. Click on the graphic below to learn about the differences between backpacks. Continue reading

Best Tips for Picking a Hydration Pack

One of the best way to enjoy being active is to have plenty of water.  So one of the best travel inventions of last century was the hydration pack. Designed to transport water and make drinking convenient and efficient. In fact, with most hydration packs, you don’t have to stop, or even slow down, to take a sip of water; you simply grab the drink tube that’s connected to the included water reservoir (called a bladder).Continue reading