I crouched against the mountain practically paralyzed with fear. As I looked over the ledge, my guide stood in front of me and said, you can trust me. But could I? When it comes to putting my life (as I saw it) in another’s hands, I’m more than reluctant. I don’t like being out of control and trust within the context of being in a foreign country with someone I don’t know comes hard. What do you do when fear overcomes […]
Japan is a land of fire and rain. Active volcanoes continue to remake the landscape while underground steam vents fuel the countless onsen or hot spring baths that dot this country. These springs are fed by streams and rivers that, from time to time, overflow their boundaries. In the cities and towns of Japan, fire, landslides, and flooding are common dangers. Such a violent landscape breeds breathtaking scenery. From snowy Hokkaido in the far north to tropical Okinawa in the […]
A temple is not an obvious hiking destination. But when the temple is called Angkor Wat, you can rethink a lot of assumptions. For starters, Angkor Wat is only one of the many temples, pagodas, gates, necropolis, and stelae that comprise the Angkor complex. At 400 acres (160 hectares), this complex is the largest religious site in the world. The Angkor complex is still very much in use. Some of the temples are sacred to Hindus while others are used […]
Trekking in Alishan National Forest The clouds enter Alishan National Forest at will. They slip through cedar groves or descend from the heights of 3,000 year old cypress trees. The near constant humidity feeds the trees — root, branch and leaf. Old trees die but their root systems remain intact, serving as a barrier to soil erosion. New trees spring up yielding multiple generations of cypress trees on one site. Parasitic plants like the rhododendron coexist in this ecosystem. Alishan […]
How I learned to love backpacking? Let me start by saying, I’m not a backpacker. I love to hike and car camp or even glamp. But backpacking? No. Emphatically NO. But then came the Fjallraven Classic Sweden. The tagline says, “Journey through one of Europe’s last wildernesses with everything you need on your back. Over 110km prepare to meet like-minded fellow trekkers, the occasional reindeer herd and mountains that roll into the horizon.” How could I resist? The Fjallraven Classic […]
What are the most essential exercises for hikers? Right now, approximately half the world is thinking of going into hibernation as winter approaches. The other half is just about to go into the hiking season. Some of you are always in the hiking season. Lucky you! Whatever your season or location there are five essential exercises for hikers that will keep your body hiking ready all year round. It doesn’t matter if you’re doing a short hiking weekend, warrior style, […]
How prepared are you each time you hike? If you’re like me you’ve gone hiking one too many times without carrying the “10 essentials.” Now I don’t mean you’re one of those people you see on the trail in flipflops…no, you would NEVER do that! But I’ll bet you’ve gone on a hike and said to yourself, I don’t need to bring water or food or that warm jacket in the car – I’ll be back in an hour. I […]
I recently watched the Netflix movie, The Ritual. Best mates go for a nice weekend in the woods and pretty soon someone breaks a leg – the mates can’t agree on the route so they get completely lost and then, bam! The friends end up in a forgotten village full of strange people wanting to sacrifice them to their ancient evil god. Now that’s definitely not a great hike! Why do horror films always have a scene where things go […]