Hammondsport Music in the Park 2018
July already?? Summer is flying by, and music is in the air. Here’s the 2018 line-up for Hammondsport's Music in the Park: July 5: Hepcats Big Band Ju...
- Sightseeing 114
- Hiking 55
- Backpacking 46
- Tips 36
- Resources 18
- Road Trip 15
- Planning 14
- Trip Summaries 13
- Sailing 11
- Packing 9
- Technology 5
- Featured 4
- Money 4
- Musings 1
Sightseeing
Visitor’s Guide to Summer Fun at Keuka Lake
Here you go world…The Idleours Guide to Summer Fun at Keuka Lake! Disclaimer: This article is not meant to be all-inclusive. Idleours is our family c...
Glamping at BaseCamp 37°: Perfectly Peaceful, and Perfectly Appointed
One of the tents at BaseCamp 37°. To the left, you can see the site's solar array (they are completely off the grid), and to the right, a propane tank which ...
10 Days in Northern Ireland
Planning a trip to Northern Ireland? We've developed a focused, 10-day itinerary that has it all: hiking, history, charming villages, castle ruins, and...
Hammondsport Music in the Park 2017
Here’s the 2017 line-up for Music in the Park sponsored by the Hammondsport Chamber of Commerce and Simmons-Rockwell: July 6: Abby Payne July 13: Jorge Cuev...
31 Days Exploring Cambodia and Vietnam
Overview In Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park Wanna go to Cambodia and Vietnam? Ummm sure…I guess… This trip was Chris’s idea. To me, Cambodia and Vietnam see...
A Siem Reap Tour that Gives Back: Community First Kompong Khleang Floating Village Tours
If you’re traveling to Siem Reap and would like to take a meaningful, responsible floating village tour, look no further. The Community First Kompong Khleang...
Vietnam Motorbike Tour Day 3: Khe Sanh to Hue
This article is the third in a 3-part series. Also read about Day 1 and Day 2. This is it! The third and final day of our 3-day motorbike trip, and the one t...
Vietnam Motorbike Tour Day 2: Phong Nha to Khe Sanh
This article is the second in a 3-part series. Read about Day 1 here. Starting at the end: I finished day two of our three-day motorbike tour with...
Vietnam Motorbike Tour Day 1: Dong Hoi to Phong Nha
This article is the first in a 3-part series. Read about Day 2 here. What a day! After day one of our much anticipated 3-day motorbike t...
Cambodia’s Tortured Past: It’s never too late to learn
No gain in keeping, no loss in weeding out.</p> So said Pol Pot, speaking of his own people. Pol Pot, leader of the Khmer Rouge and the man responsible...
Hiking the Eastern Sierras and Death Valley
Overview Julie in Kearsarge Pass, one of our favorite hikes In October 2016, I was lucky enough to spend almost three weeks camping and hiking with my best ...
Four Days in Death Valley: Painted Hills and Hidden Surprises
After two full weeks of hiking the rugged Eastern Sierras, four days in Death Valley felt like a vacation from our vacation. Death Valley is humon...
Bristlecone Pines, Manzanar, and the Alabama Hills: Beauty in the Face of Adversity
In a span of three days I hiked amongst ancient Bristlecone Pines, toured Manzanar (a former Japanese internment camp), and explored the Alabama Hills. Visit...
Hiking Yosemite…and loving it to death?
Yosemite is one of those bucket-list destinations, and I’m eternally grateful that my fist visit occurred late-season - the place was mobbed, even in October...
Lee Vining: He was a guy. It’s a place. Visit!
I landed in Reno in early October primed and ready for a 3-week road trip with my best friend from high school. Though the original plan was to head south to...
Bodie Ghost Town: A Peek into the Past
I’m not sure why, but when I hear the words “ghost town” I immediately picture a Disney-esque, overly commercialized western town with a shooting gallery, ol...
Mono Lake: Wish You Were Here
Ahh, Mono Lake. Where oh where to start? First off, the name is pronounced ‘moan-oh’ (not ‘monno’ like the fatigue-inducing infectious disease). Second, when...
Pleasant Valley Winery: Champagne Wishes and Cream Sherry Dreams
The Pleasant Valley/Great Western visitor center I visited the Pleasant Valley winery last summer and gave it a bum rap having been underwhelmed by the winem...
The Hammondsport Antique Boat Show and Regatta
What is it about old wooden boats? Is it their simple elegance, wood varnished to a high gloss, gracefully cutting through the water, or the way they encapsu...
The Cardboard Boat Regatta: Push, Pull, or Paddle to the Finish!
Mrs. Howell with the S.S. Minnow Remember the scene in Airplane! when Steve McCroskey hands Johnny a weather report and says “Johnny, what can you make of th...
5 Sultry Days in Cancun
Overview Chris and Julie at Chichén Itzá Chris planned a surprise trip to Cancun for our 25th wedding anniversary - so thoughtful! It was my first time to M...
Our Excursion to Chichén Itzá, Hubiku Cenote, and Valladolid
Chris planned a surprise trip to Cancun in May (for our 25th anniversary!) and though we had just three full days in the area, we devoted one to Chichén Itzá...
3 Waterfalls, 1 Battle, and 2 Flights of Crisp Apple Cider
Our grand day out by the numbers: In 6 hours we hiked to 3 waterfalls, ate 44 tots, observed 1 pitched battle, witnessed 2 field surgeries, and tasted 7 diff...
Hammondsport Music in the Park 2016
Here's the 2016 line-up for Music in the Park sponsored by the Hammondsport Chamber of Commerce: July 7: Abby Payne July 14: Misfit Karma July 21: Jorge Cue...
The Mayan Museum in Cancun
We took a time-out from our run to walk the jetty Chris booked two day-long excursions during our 5-day trip to Cancun, and sandwiched an unstructured day in...
Discovering 4 Beautiful Cenotes with Xenotes Oasis Maya
What a blast! Over the course of eight hours, we swam, ziplined, snorkeled, kayaked, and rappelled in four different cenotes. Chris and I were the old-timers...
Our 5-Day Cancun Getaway
So sorry Mayan-warrior-guy...I've already found my one true love! Chris (sweet, considerate man that he is) planned a surprise trip to celebrate our 25th ann...
Our Deliciously Decadent Cheat Day in Penn Yan
Hooo-eee. I may approach some tasks half-heartedly but I OWN cheat day. Truly. If you could see the food I put away in 16 waking hours…Chris just laughs and ...
Our Carnegie Mellon Visit! Spring Carnival, Fringe, and Pittsburgh Sightseeing
Loaded up and ready to escort Jacob to freshman registration at CMU - in August 2013! As always, time marches on and affords little sympathy to those of us w...
Carnegie Mellon’s Super-Cool Spring Carnival Traditions: Mobot, Booth and Buggy
The stadium at Carnegie Mellon Our older son Jacob became a Carnegie Mellon Tartan in August of 2013 and while we have visited the school many times, this Ap...
West Point Plebe-Parent Weekend 2016
What a difference a year makes. On Saturday March 14, 2015, Matthew escorted me across the stage at Sherwood High School during the formal segment of the Mr....
The Other Las Vegas Part 4: Lone Mountain, Red Rock Canyon, Historic Railroad Hiking Trail, and Valley of Fire
As soon as we set dates for our week-long trip to Las Vegas, I joined the VegasHikers MeetUp group. Holy cow, these people are active! My inbox was inundated...
The Other Las Vegas Part 3: Hoover Dam
We had seven glorious days to explore Las Vegas which allowed ample time to see new sights while also visiting an old favorite. Chris and I hadn’t seen Hoove...
The Other Las Vegas Part 2: The Atomic Testing Museum and the Mob Museum
With a full week in Las Vegas, we had plenty of time to check out new sights. My mom suggested the Atomic Testing Museum and the Mob Museum which may seem se...
The Other Las Vegas Part 1: A Humble Apology, the Fremont Street Experience, Cabaret Jazz, and Vegas! The Show
Oh Las Vegas, I’m sorry for all the terrible things I’ve said about you over the past 30 years. I was wrong. Well maybe I was right for a while, but somewher...
New Orleans: The French Quarter, Preservation Hall, our Culinary History Tour, and FOOD FOOD FOOD
The gang in Jackson Square on our final day in New Orleans. Note my spiffy hat - Chris caught it for me in the Endymion parade! We spent five days in New Orl...
New Orleans: Mardi Gras World, the Garden District and Lafayette Cemetery
Day 3 of our 5-day New Orleans trip was our Garden District day. Okay, okay, that’s not technically true since we strayed from the Central Business District ...
New Orleans: The National WWII Museum, Chalmette Battlefield, and the Creole Queen
New Orleans offers plenty of sightseeing for military history buffs and we hit two of the biggies during our recent trip. While I knew the National WWII Muse...
New Orleans Mardi Gras Parades: INSANE FUN, Long-Standing Traditions, and Advice from a Newbie
Chris and I recently spent 5 1/2 days in New Orleans and I came away a big fan of the city in general (with its rich history and culture) and Mardi Gras in p...
New Orleans Mardi Gras: A G-Rated Rockin’ Good Time, Not Just French Quarter Debauchery!
Looking for a fun trip? VISIT NEW ORLEANS DURING MARDI GRAS!! Sorry for yelling but I’m so jazzed, all-caps are justified. If you’re like me, you hear “New O...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 11: Poros, Aegina, and return to Alimos
Originally published July 7, 2014 Our July 4th started very early as we prepared for our 55nm journey to the island of Poros, by far our longest single day ...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 10: Rineia, Syros, and Kythnos
Originally published June 17, 2014 After a long but productive day exploring the treasures of Delos, we set sail from Mykonos for the adjacent island and s...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 9: Mykonos and Delos
Originally published May 23, 2014 Mykonos has a reputation: Mykonos is the great glamour island of the Cyclades and happily flaunts its sizzling style and ...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 8: Antiparos and Naxos
Originally published May 7, 2014 Early Friday evening, June 28 2013, we left Ios to set sail for a an anchored bay visit between Antiparos and Despotiko. Wi...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 7: Ios
Originally published April 5, 2014 On June 27 we set sail for Ios, an island I last visited in 1990 during the World Cup. The wind did not last so we slowl...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 6: Folegandros
Originally published February 27, 2014 Are you following along on a map? Might be worth your while as the place names can run together. We are now hanging o...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 5: Serifos to Milos
Originally published January 19, 2014 Our day started early in Serifos with Julie and I strolling into town for coffee and to catch some early morning sites...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 4: Kythnos to Serifos
Originally published December 24, 2013 Our first day of sailing brought us to Apokriosis Bay on the island of Kythnos, and everything that could break seeme...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 3: Athens to Kythnos
Originally published December 24, 2013 Sunday was our day with Demetra, our private tour guide for the Acropolis and surrounding area, and our final day in ...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 2: Athens and meeting our boat and skipper
Originally published November 20, 2013 We had converged in NYC at JFK airport and after a mad dash to the duty free shop to buy some whiskey (both Makers and...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 1: The Planning
Originally published November 13, 2013 This is the first of several posts I'll write about our trip to Greece last summer. Julie and I (mostly Julie) put in ...
Irish Music in Dublin: Irish House Party, Musical Pub Crawl, and the Best Session Pubs
The Temple Bar in Dublin There’s really no trick to finding good Irish music in Dublin, just get out, walk around, and you’re bound to see pubs advertising l...
The One Thing You MUST Do in Ireland: Find Live Traditional Music!
Traveling Ireland, you’re bound to see sandwich boards advertising the words Live, Irish, Traditional, Trad, Music, or Session in various combinations such a...
Sightseeing in Dublin: In Dublin’s Fair City, Where the Girls are so Pretty…
…I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone. Really. There’s a rather voluptuous statue of her on Suffolk Street in Dublin. During our week tromping around th...
23 Hours in Fort Lauderdale: The Stranahan House, Carrie B River Cruise, and Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
Chris and I spent Thanksgiving in Melbourne, Florida again; it's always a treat to visit! Chris has an abundance of relatives in the area (mom, sister, niec...
The Carlow Town Heritage Trail, Clogrennane Loop Walk, and County Carlow Military Museum
After we dropped family at the Dublin airport, Chris and I had a half-day to fill en route to Kilkenny. We chose to explore Carlow and while I’d like to repo...
The Hunt Museum: A Personal Collection, Loved Deeply and Shared Freely
If I’m honest, had we not taken the free guided tour of The Hunt Museum we would have raced through, read superficially, and learned little. As it was, we we...
Ireland’s Hidden Gems: Glanworth Castle, Mill and Bridge
I adored this sightseeing stop and yet I hang my head sheepishly whenever it comes to mind. There’s probably a one-in-a-gazillion chance you’d make this mist...
Ireland’s Hidden Gems: The Towers Loop Trail
What a find! Kids of Ireland, do you know how lucky you are?! I grew up in the Las Vegas desert where a decent chunk of my outdoor time was spent with friend...
The Newgrange Neolithic Passage Tomb: Wow. Just Wow.
I hesitate to say that Newgrange is a “must see” thereby adding to the FOMO-anxiety tourists routinely face, but if you’re in Ireland and can get there witho...
Trim Castle: Freeeedommm!
After exploring Dublin proper for a few days, we struck north for a day drip to see Newgrange and Trim Castle. With the two sights only 35 minutes apart, our...
Our Epic Killarney Quest: 1) March through the Gap of Dunloe; 2) Navigate the Three Lakes; 3) Storm Ross Castle!
Today our party of ten split into two groups of five, then one of those groups divided yet again. Sound confusing? It turned out to be a fairly simple plan t...
The Donkey Sanctuary: Aww, Donkeys
We came soooo close to ditching this stop; thank goodness we didn’t! Our day started with a drive to Charles Fort on the southern coast of Ireland, over 100 ...
Ireland’s Hidden Gems: Bridgetown Priory and Ballybeg Priory
Today we forged into the complete unknown! Most of our sightseeing days in Ireland include at least one place I visited on my previous trip in 2013. This isn...
Ireland’s Hidden Gems: The Labbacallee Wedge Tomb
The Labbacallee wedge tomb I can practically feel you rolling your eyes at me. Why would you want to see yet another pile of old rocks? I’ll give you three r...
Charles Fort: A Star on Ireland’s Southern Coast
I’m not worthy... The most spectacular feature of the Charles Fort is its layout and my photo does not do it justice, not in the slightest. Do me a favor an...
Ireland’s Hidden Gems: Lough Gur
I stumbled upon Lough Gur while researching sights to see near our delightful rental home, the Flemingstown House. As the days passed, I resigned myself to a...
A Grand Day Out: Rock of Cashel, Cahir Castle, and the Swiss Cottage
My uncle has traveled Ireland more times than he can easily recollect and has forgotten more about the country than I think I will ever know. Out of this vas...
Glendalough: Majestic and Tranquil…a Must-See in Ireland
The Wicklow's multi-colored hues I find myself dumbfounded yet again. How can this relatively small island offer such a richly varied landscape? Sheer ocean ...
Kilkenny City: The Medieval Mile, Witch Trials, a Holographic Monk, and So. Much. More.
Whaddya know…sometimes you roll the dice and come up a winner. Chris and I had three days to fill at the tail-end of our big Ireland adventure and after a cu...
Ring Around the Kerry: The Long Drive is Worth It!
Sometimes you just need to trust your instincts and do what all the other tourists are doing. This is the way I felt about the Ring of Kerry, aka the Iveragh...
Ireland’s Hidden Gems: Mullins Mill, Kells Priory, and the Kilree Monastic Site
On a drizzly Tuesday morning in October, Chris and I set out early for the village of Kells, a quick 20-minute drive south of Kilkenny city. Note that this i...
Ireland’s Hidden Gems: Jerpoint Abbey and Kilfane Church
Kilfane Church is undoubtedly a hidden gem, but Jerpoint Abbey? It doesn’t shock and awe like the Rock of Cashel, but still, I’m surprised it remains a lesse...
Get the Best Deal in Ireland - Buy an OPW Heritage Card!
If you’re headed to Ireland and hoping to visit castles, abbeys, cathedrals, forts, gaols, or other historic spots, spend a few minutes browsing the Heritage...
Fahamore to Camp: Rain, Rainbows and Saint Brendan
As I plodded through the rain today, I wondered if Saint Brendan had any waterproof gear for his seven year voyage. Our hike was a measly eight days and som...
Dunquin to Feohanagh: Where 13 Miles is 13 Miles
View of the bay from Dun an Oir, a small side trip on the hike from Dunquin to Feohanagh Today marked the end of day 5 of 8 on the Dingle Way, a notable day ...
Dingle to Dunquin: A Dr. Dolittle Day
If only we could talk to the animals! Today will be remembered as much for the cats, donkey and sheep as much as the scenery, and that’s really saying someth...
Annascaul to Dingle: The Day I Realize I’ve Been Spoiled Rotten
Minard Castle on the path from Annascaul to Dingle We completed day three of our Dingle Way hike and I must start by saying that the day was gorgeous. We enj...
Camp to Annascaul: Boreens are the Bomb
On our first day hiking the Causeway Coast Way I kind of bagged on road hiking. There’s the traffic to contend with plus it’s very hard on the soles of the f...
Tralee to Camp: Blennerville Windmill, then AMBUSH in the Slieve Mish
Chris and Julie in Tralee starting the Dingle Way Our first day hiking the Dingle Way started in the heart of Tralee at Ashe Memorial Hall. The trail soon le...
What’s Doin’ in Doolin? Great Craic, the Aran Islands, and the Cliffs of Moher
Doolin was on my list of places to see after reading this article from Y Travel, but it quickly dropped away as our trip solidified. As it turned out, our pl...
Our Aran Islands Getaway: Inis Oírr, Inis Meáin and Inis Mór
So I kind of dropped off the earth for 4 days. We landed on the Aran Islands and I simply…unplugged. I don’t know why I felt so at peace. Perhaps it was seei...
The siege is lifted on stroke city aka Derry / Londonderry
Peace Statue in Derry I was fairly young and unaware through most of the modern Troubles that rocked Ireland, particularly Belfast and Derry / Londonderry. I...
Princess Fiona and Dunluce Castle
I can be such a doof. Let me back up and set the stage so you can fully appreciate my head-slapping moment on the grounds of Dunluce Castle. We finished our ...
Story Time! Robert the Bruce, Fair Head, Sheep Island, and Giant’s Causeway
Looking south at White Park Bay Today was our second day hiking the Causeway Coast Way and I can’t imagine a more beautiful hike; it’s got to be all downhill...
OMG Brad Pitt is in the Ballintoy Church!
Wait…he’s not here now, he’ll be here later…his body double is here, not Brad…Brad’s not in the movie, he’s producing it…they’re wrapping this shoot for Brad...
Rathlin Island: Where Riding a Bike isn’t a Walk in the Park
After walking over 12 miles in Belfast a couple days ago (RunKeeper kept track) I was looking forward to an easy-peasy day on Rathlin Island. How challenging...
“If you aren’t having a good time in Belfast …it’s you”
So said our Belfast City Hall tour guide, and he may have a point. But the end of the day, I was bone tired and my feet felt bruised from miles of walking, b...
Which are Older: The Great Pyramids or Ireland’s Passage Tombs?
Chris in front of the Knowth passage tomb Since we’re traveling Ireland, you probably guessed the answer. I visited Newgrange in 2012 and remember being blow...
Chris Meets His Ancestor at the Battle of the Boyne
Chris and Julie at Oldbridge and the site of the Battle of the Boyne Our Ireland adventure has officially started! It is 8pm and we’re wrung out, but the day...
Corning Museum of Glass and The Rockwell Museum
It’s important to note that I did NOT want to go on this little excursion. I may be living in paradise, but life has gotten busy and I’m suddenly mildly stre...
Finger Lakes Boating Museum and the Pleasant Valley Wine Company
With less than a week left in the area (boo!), we are trying to slip in visits to the final entries on our sightseeing wish list. Since the Finger lakes Boat...
West Point A-Day 2015
Finally! Acceptance Day (A-Day) is highly anticipated by new cadets and families alike; I know I’ve been laser-focused on it since we dropped Matthew off on ...
Hammondsport Music in the Park and Union Block Italian Bistro
Update July 2016: Here's the lineup for the 2016 Music in the Park It was the perfect end to a perfect day. Maybe I shouldn’t be throwing around the word “pe...
The Hammondsport Art Show
Update July 2016: The Luna Mezza restaurant is no longer open. It's been replaced with Burgers and Beer. I am rarely in town for the Hammondsport Art Show; ...
Garrett Chapel
Hm. What can you do on a rainy Thursday afternoon at Keuka Lake? After finishing my cottage projects for the day, I hopped on the computer and received a nic...
Watkins Glen State Park
What a comparison! Two days ago we explored the little known Boyd Point Gully on the west side of Keuka Lake. Today we hiked the mother of all gullies, Watki...
The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum
Update June 2016: Any time someone wants to check out this museum, I'm eager to tag along. Glenn Curtiss was a marvel and the museum reveals a fascinating n...
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
As long as I've known Chris he has wanted to visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame . We travel to upstate New York most every summer and stay within a 3-h...
West Point R-Day 2015
This is it! I'm kind of stunned that we're here. How did Matthew make it to R-Day unscathed given his all-or-nothing attitude towards sports?! Inc...
Woodstock: The Museum at Bethel Woods
After tidying up and buttoning down the cottages, we set out on a 4-day excursion from the lake. We are planning to see Woodstock on the way out and Cooperst...
Day 6 of 6: Kalamazoo, MI to Hammondsport, NY
After our IHOP disaster, we chose to eat breakfast at the hotel. Instead of the buffet, we each ordered off the menu and that turned out to be another poor b...
Day 5 of 6: Madison, WI to Kalamazoo, MI
Today's the big day! Matthew and I have never been to Wrigley Field and our first experience in the stadium will be Cubs vs. Reds. Go Cubbies! Within an hour...
Day 4 of 6: Kadoka, SD to Madison, WI
Unfortunately, there's not much to document from this leg of our trip. With tickets for a Cubs game the next day, we felt pressed to get to Madison so no sig...
Day 3 of 6: Red Lodge, MT to Kadoka, SD
We set our alarm early and had to drag ourselves out of bed. Who knew road trips could be so tiring? Even when logy we are pretty efficient, and arrived at C...
Day 2 of 6: Missoula, MT to Red Lodge, MT
Day 2 started later than we anticipated but the car was loaded by 8am. Chris was batting 1000 with his restaurant picks; breakfast at The Catalyst Cafe was o...
Keuka Lake Breweries Tour
Keuka Lake Breweries Tour I knew Chris was dying to visit some local breweries so Matthew and I planned a Father's Day tour of the five farmhouse breweries o...
Pulteney Fire Department Pancake Breakfast
Update July 2016. The pancake breakfast has a few changes this year: It runs Father's Day through Labor Day, costs $7 per person, and is buffet style. We vi...
Harvest and Artists Market
Update July 2016: The business has re-branded and is now known as Ha! Funland. Buildings are newly painted in bright colors and more games and activities ha...
Sarasota Bayfront, St. Armand’s Circle, and Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Entrance to Sarasota Bayfront Jill has been coming to the Siesta Key area for years, but she never experienced the First Friday Art Walk on Palm Avenu...
The Ringling and New College of Florida
Ca'd'Zan. Photo courtesy of Frank Kovalchek. Although Jill and I were staying in Siesta Key, we popped up to Sarasota 4 different times during our trip. It's...
Myakka River State Park and the Sarasota National Cemetery
Entrance to Myakka River State Park. Photo courtesy of walterpro4755. Jill and I kicked off our Siesta Key getaway with a hike at Myakka River State Park. Th...
Exploring Siesta Key
Sunset at Siesta Key I was very lucky to spend a long weekend with my good friend Jill at her parents' condo in Siesta Key. While I have visited Florida man...
Hiking
Visitor’s Guide to Summer Fun at Keuka Lake
Here you go world…The Idleours Guide to Summer Fun at Keuka Lake! Disclaimer: This article is not meant to be all-inclusive. Idleours is our family c...
Glamping at BaseCamp 37°: Perfectly Peaceful, and Perfectly Appointed
One of the tents at BaseCamp 37°. To the left, you can see the site's solar array (they are completely off the grid), and to the right, a propane tank which ...
10 Days in Northern Ireland
Planning a trip to Northern Ireland? We've developed a focused, 10-day itinerary that has it all: hiking, history, charming villages, castle ruins, and...
Hiking the Eastern Sierras and Death Valley
Overview Julie in Kearsarge Pass, one of our favorite hikes In October 2016, I was lucky enough to spend almost three weeks camping and hiking with my best ...
Four Days in Death Valley: Painted Hills and Hidden Surprises
After two full weeks of hiking the rugged Eastern Sierras, four days in Death Valley felt like a vacation from our vacation. Death Valley is humon...
Climbing Mt. Whitney: An epic goal, and one to hold loosely
Fair warning: Two of the quotes in this article are…creatively applied. They’re close, mind you, but a little off from their original intent. They came to me...
Training for Mt. Whitney: Get the miles in, and get ‘em up high
When I set out on a 3-week road trip of the Eastern Sierras, I did not expect to climb Mt. Whitney. It never entered my mind, but my hiking partner was ...
Bristlecone Pines, Manzanar, and the Alabama Hills: Beauty in the Face of Adversity
In a span of three days I hiked amongst ancient Bristlecone Pines, toured Manzanar (a former Japanese internment camp), and explored the Alabama Hills. Visit...
Hiking Yosemite…and loving it to death?
Yosemite is one of those bucket-list destinations, and I’m eternally grateful that my fist visit occurred late-season - the place was mobbed, even in October...
Lee Vining: He was a guy. It’s a place. Visit!
I landed in Reno in early October primed and ready for a 3-week road trip with my best friend from high school. Though the original plan was to head south to...
Mono Lake: Wish You Were Here
Ahh, Mono Lake. Where oh where to start? First off, the name is pronounced ‘moan-oh’ (not ‘monno’ like the fatigue-inducing infectious disease). Second, when...
Climbing Yosemite’s Half Dome: 6 Crucial Tips for a Successful Trip
It’s hard to resist the call of Half Dome, one of Yosemite’s most prominent and awe-inspiring features. The image of that massive edifice drills deeper with ...
Backpacking the A.T. in Shenandoah National Park
Overview Lynn on the Appalachian Trail as it winds around Blackrock Summit (behind her). One of my favorite spots on the trail. In August 2016, a friend and...
The Mystery at Pucker Bush Overlook: A Mystery No More!
Step aside Nancy Drew. Growing up, I was a Trixie Belden fan through and through. Trixie was a teenage super-sleuth with freckles and strawberry-blonde hair ...
Hiking the Finger Lakes Trail
Overview A Finger Lakes Trail marker in the middle of a vineyard. What could be more fitting? I’ve been visiting Keuka Lake my entire life, but this is the ...
Hiking the Finger Lakes Trail: Route 54 to Longwell Road
For more area hikes and resources, see the trip summary: Hiking the Finger Lakes Trail The CliffsNotes for this hike: Serene, well-tended forest trail for th...
Hiking the Bristol Hills Trail: Elmboise Road to Patch Road
For more area hikes and resources, see the trip summary: Hiking the Finger Lakes Trail A stretch of road walking along Faber Road If I had a do-over, I would...
Hiking the Finger Lakes Trail: Sand Pit Road to Newton Road
For more area hikes and resources, see the trip summary: Hiking the Finger Lakes Trail One of many expansive views on this lovely section of the Finger Lakes...
Chased Off the Hi Tor Blue Trail!
For more area hikes and resources, see the trip summary: Hiking the Finger Lakes Trail We shouldn’t have stepped foot out of our car. Period. It was a rookie...
A Beginner’s Guide to Hiking in the Finger Lakes During Deer Fly Season
After exactly one experience with deer flies I felt compelled to write this public service announcement. Why? They’re an almost unstoppable, bloodthirsty men...
Hiking the Finger Lakes Trail: Mitchellsville Gorge
For more area hikes and resources, see the trip summary: Hiking the Finger Lakes Trail Julie arming herself with DEET before setting out from our parking spo...
Hiking the Bristol Hills Trail: Mitchellsville Road to the FLT
For more area hikes and resources, see the trip summary: Hiking the Finger Lakes Trail C’mon kids, hike along with Julie and learn about colors. Did you know...
3 Waterfalls, 1 Battle, and 2 Flights of Crisp Apple Cider
Our grand day out by the numbers: In 6 hours we hiked to 3 waterfalls, ate 44 tots, observed 1 pitched battle, witnessed 2 field surgeries, and tasted 7 diff...
Hiking the Bristol Hills Trail: Two Rod Road to Mitchellsville Road
For more area hikes and resources, see the trip summary: Hiking the Finger Lakes Trail A bear?! Are you kidding me? My first solo hike and I get a bear? Mind...
Hiking the Bristol Hills Trail: Two Rod Road to the Huckleberry Bog Loop
For more area hikes and resources, see the trip summary: Hiking the Finger Lakes Trail Orange salamander! Things I did not expect to see on this hike: An ora...
Training for the A.T. on the Finger Lakes Trail System
For more area hikes and resources, see the trip summary: Hiking the Finger Lakes Trail A nifty map of the Huckleberry Bog Nature Trail painted on the trail r...
The Other Las Vegas Part 4: Lone Mountain, Red Rock Canyon, Historic Railroad Hiking Trail, and Valley of Fire
As soon as we set dates for our week-long trip to Las Vegas, I joined the VegasHikers MeetUp group. Holy cow, these people are active! My inbox was inundated...
The Carlow Town Heritage Trail, Clogrennane Loop Walk, and County Carlow Military Museum
After we dropped family at the Dublin airport, Chris and I had a half-day to fill en route to Kilkenny. We chose to explore Carlow and while I’d like to repo...
Ireland’s Hidden Gems: The Towers Loop Trail
What a find! Kids of Ireland, do you know how lucky you are?! I grew up in the Las Vegas desert where a decent chunk of my outdoor time was spent with friend...
Our Epic Killarney Quest: 1) March through the Gap of Dunloe; 2) Navigate the Three Lakes; 3) Storm Ross Castle!
Today our party of ten split into two groups of five, then one of those groups divided yet again. Sound confusing? It turned out to be a fairly simple plan t...
Off the Beaten Path in Lincoln City: The Spring Lake Open Space
Muggin' it at the Spring Lake Open Space in Lincoln City Chris and I called an audible late in the week and escaped to the Oregon coast for the weekend - woo...
Glendalough: Majestic and Tranquil…a Must-See in Ireland
The Wicklow's multi-colored hues I find myself dumbfounded yet again. How can this relatively small island offer such a richly varied landscape? Sheer ocean ...
Fahamore to Camp: Rain, Rainbows and Saint Brendan
As I plodded through the rain today, I wondered if Saint Brendan had any waterproof gear for his seven year voyage. Our hike was a measly eight days and som...
Cloghane to Fahamore: Surf City Here We Come
Cue the Beach Boys soundtrack for this segment of the Dingle Way. If you’ve been following along, you’ve probably noticed that Chris and I have walked a bunc...
Feohanagh to Cloghane: Into the Mist
This leg of the Dingle Way was advertised as the most challenging and it certainly was. We took 7 ½ hours (including breaks) to hike 15.3 miles up and over a...
Dunquin to Feohanagh: Where 13 Miles is 13 Miles
View of the bay from Dun an Oir, a small side trip on the hike from Dunquin to Feohanagh Today marked the end of day 5 of 8 on the Dingle Way, a notable day ...
Dingle to Dunquin: A Dr. Dolittle Day
If only we could talk to the animals! Today will be remembered as much for the cats, donkey and sheep as much as the scenery, and that’s really saying someth...
Annascaul to Dingle: The Day I Realize I’ve Been Spoiled Rotten
Minard Castle on the path from Annascaul to Dingle We completed day three of our Dingle Way hike and I must start by saying that the day was gorgeous. We enj...
Camp to Annascaul: Boreens are the Bomb
On our first day hiking the Causeway Coast Way I kind of bagged on road hiking. There’s the traffic to contend with plus it’s very hard on the soles of the f...
Tralee to Camp: Blennerville Windmill, then AMBUSH in the Slieve Mish
Chris and Julie in Tralee starting the Dingle Way Our first day hiking the Dingle Way started in the heart of Tralee at Ashe Memorial Hall. The trail soon le...
Our Aran Islands Getaway: Inis Oírr, Inis Meáin and Inis Mór
So I kind of dropped off the earth for 4 days. We landed on the Aran Islands and I simply…unplugged. I don’t know why I felt so at peace. Perhaps it was seei...
Julie’s quest for SOAP: Our Hostels and B&Bs Along the Causeway Coast Way
I made a tactical error with my final backpacking list. In order to lighten my load, I ditched a few toiletry items including body lotion and liquid soap. Th...
Princess Fiona and Dunluce Castle
I can be such a doof. Let me back up and set the stage so you can fully appreciate my head-slapping moment on the grounds of Dunluce Castle. We finished our ...
Story Time! Robert the Bruce, Fair Head, Sheep Island, and Giant’s Causeway
Looking south at White Park Bay Today was our second day hiking the Causeway Coast Way and I can’t imagine a more beautiful hike; it’s got to be all downhill...
OMG Brad Pitt is in the Ballintoy Church!
Wait…he’s not here now, he’ll be here later…his body double is here, not Brad…Brad’s not in the movie, he’s producing it…they’re wrapping this shoot for Brad...
Rathlin Island: Where Riding a Bike isn’t a Walk in the Park
After walking over 12 miles in Belfast a couple days ago (RunKeeper kept track) I was looking forward to an easy-peasy day on Rathlin Island. How challenging...
My Final Packing List for 6 Weeks in Ireland
My plane-ready, fully loaded backpack for 6 weeks in Ireland. I previously posted articles detailing the clothes, toiletries, and backpacking equipment I pla...
My Backpacking Equipment for Ireland
Sometimes it can be challenging to write an article, but this time I couldn’t even decide what to title it! We will be in Ireland for a total of 6 weeks and ...
Hiking and Running the Keuka Outlet Trail
Julie and Matthew at Seneca end of trail For some time Julie and I have been wanting to hike the full Keuka Outlet Trail. We’ve driven by signs pointing to t...
Eggleston Glen and The Olney Place
Spending summers here at Keuka, I learned quickly that you’re either an East-Sider or a West-Sider and each side feels passionately that theirs is the best s...
Watkins Glen State Park
What a comparison! Two days ago we explored the little known Boyd Point Gully on the west side of Keuka Lake. Today we hiked the mother of all gullies, Watki...
Boyd Point Gully Hike
Update February 2017: I was recently contacted by the family who owns the property surrounding Wagener Glen (aka Boyd's). It is private property. ...
West Point R-Day 2015
This is it! I'm kind of stunned that we're here. How did Matthew make it to R-Day unscathed given his all-or-nothing attitude towards sports?! Inc...
Day 2 of 6: Missoula, MT to Red Lodge, MT
Day 2 started later than we anticipated but the car was loaded by 8am. Chris was batting 1000 with his restaurant picks; breakfast at The Catalyst Cafe was o...
Myakka River State Park and the Sarasota National Cemetery
Entrance to Myakka River State Park. Photo courtesy of walterpro4755. Jill and I kicked off our Siesta Key getaway with a hike at Myakka River State Park. Th...
Backpacking
Hiking the Eastern Sierras and Death Valley
Overview Julie in Kearsarge Pass, one of our favorite hikes In October 2016, I was lucky enough to spend almost three weeks camping and hiking with my best ...
Climbing Mt. Whitney: An epic goal, and one to hold loosely
Fair warning: Two of the quotes in this article are…creatively applied. They’re close, mind you, but a little off from their original intent. They came to me...
Training for Mt. Whitney: Get the miles in, and get ‘em up high
When I set out on a 3-week road trip of the Eastern Sierras, I did not expect to climb Mt. Whitney. It never entered my mind, but my hiking partner was ...
Hiking Yosemite…and loving it to death?
Yosemite is one of those bucket-list destinations, and I’m eternally grateful that my fist visit occurred late-season - the place was mobbed, even in October...
Rein the Drain: How to Stretch iPhone Battery Life
Keep that iPhone charged! Photo courtesy of bigbestapps. With ever-increasing reliance on smart phones, we all need to eek out more battery life from time to...
Backpacking the A.T. in Shenandoah National Park
Overview Lynn on the Appalachian Trail as it winds around Blackrock Summit (behind her). One of my favorite spots on the trail. In August 2016, a friend and...
Shopping and Packing for a Section-Hike on the A.T. through Shenandoah National Park
I spent eight days backpacking through Shenandoah National Park on the Appalachian Trail. Click here for my Trip Summary to find articles, maps, and details ...
An-ti-ci-pay-ya-tion: Preparing to Section-Hike the A.T. Through Shenandoah National Park
I spent eight days backpacking through Shenandoah National Park on the Appalachian Trail. Click here for my Trip Summary to find articles, maps, and details ...
Section Hiking the A.T. in Shenandoah National Park: Calf Mountain Shelter to Rockfish Gap
This post summarizes the eighth (last!) of eight days I spent backpacking through Shenandoah National Park on the Appalachian Trail. Click here for my T...
Section Hiking the A.T. in Shenandoah National Park: Blackrock Hut to Calf Mountain Shelter
This post summarizes the seventh of eight days I spent backpacking through Shenandoah National Park on the Appalachian Trail. Click here for my Tr...
Section Hiking the A.T. in Shenandoah National Park: Pinefield Hut to Blackrock Hut
This post summarizes the sixth of eight days I spent backpacking through Shenandoah National Park on the Appalachian Trail. Click here for my Trip...
Section Hiking the A.T. in Shenandoah National Park: South River Maintenance Hut to Pinefield Hut
This post summarizes the fifth of eight days I spent backpacking through Shenandoah National Park on the Appalachian Trail. Click here for my Trip...
Section Hiking the A.T. in Shenandoah National Park: Big Meadows to South River Maintenance Hut
This post summarizes the fourth of eight days I spent backpacking through Shenandoah National Park on the Appalachian Trail. Click here for my Tri...
Section Hiking the A.T. in Shenandoah National Park: Byrd’s Nest #3 to Big Meadows
This post summarizes the third of eight days I spent backpacking through Shenandoah National Park on the Appalachian Trail. Click here for my Trip...
Section Hiking the A.T. in Shenandoah National Park: Matthew’s Arm to Byrd’s Nest #3
This post summarizes the second of eight days I spent backpacking through Shenandoah National Park on the Appalachian Trail. Click here for my Tri...
Section Hiking the A.T. in Shenandoah National Park: Chester Gap to Matthew’s Arm
This post summarizes the first of eight days I spent backpacking through Shenandoah National Park on the Appalachian Trail. Click here for my Trip...
A Beginner’s Guide to Hiking in the Finger Lakes During Deer Fly Season
After exactly one experience with deer flies I felt compelled to write this public service announcement. Why? They’re an almost unstoppable, bloodthirsty men...
Philmont Equipment Details
Originally published November 14, 2012 Like most people (adults?) going to Philmont, Julie and I spent a lot of time exploring strategies and tactics for eq...
Philmont Day 11 - Dean Heck to Base Camp
Originally published November 12, 2012 We did all survive the night in the haunted Dean Heck trail camp. Matthew's first words when he woke up: "I'M ALIVE!!...
Philmont Day 10 - Elkhorn to Dean Heck
Originally published November 9, 2012 This is our last full day of hiking and program at Philmont. For breakfast, we had the hot skillet scramble. Texture a...
Philmont Day 9 - Baldy Town to Elkhorn
Originally published November 7, 2012 With a final close-up look at Baldy and farewell to the Baldy Town kitten, our crew departed on a downhill descent to ...
Philmont Day 8 - Baldy Climb
Originally published November 6, 2012 We departed camp with our light daypacks on at 6:45am to begin our Baldy ascent. We screamed up the mountain, passing ...
Philmont Day 7 - Baldy Skyline to Baldy Town
Originally published November 5, 2012 Leaving Baldy Skyline we had a choice -- swing by the Miranda camp for some program time, or high-tail it to Baldy Tow...
Philmont Day 6 - Deer Lake Mesa to Baldy Skyline
Originally published November 2, 2012 On day 6 we departed Deer Lake Mesa at about 6:50am and began our gradual climb down towards the Cimarron River. We sa...
Ireland Backpacking: Our Line-by-Line Packing List with Total Weight
I've written a surprising number of articles about packing for our 6-week Ireland trip, including how I choose clothes and pack lightly, how I choose and pac...
Philmont Day 5 - Black Mountain Camp to Deer Lake Meadow
Originally published November 1, 2012 As I said in the last post, day 4 was our last easy day. Day 5 would be a true test for our crew, and not in the ways ...
Philmont Day 4 - Agua Fria to Black Mountain
Originally published September 21, 2012 Day 4 would prove to be our last "easy" day as we casually sauntered from Agua Fria to our first food resupply at Ph...
Philmont Day 3 - Carson Meadows to Agua Fria
Originally published September 6, 2012 We woke up about 6am at our Carson Meadows camp and started our hike towards Fish Camp at about 7:30am. We signed out...
Philmont 2012 - Day 2 at Abreu and Carson Meadows
Originally published September 4, 2012 Julie and I awoke by 7am to warm light and a calm meadow. Our night-time routine was like this: Julie and Chris get ...
Philmont 2012 - Day 1
Originally published September 3, 2012 We did some final map review and training with ranger Nate in the welcome center while we awaited our bus. I had a nea...
Philmont 2012 - Arriving at Philmont
Originally published August 29, 2012 On July 24, crews 724-G arrived at Philmont base camp headquarters at about 10:50am. The Ramblin Express bus had picked...
Philmont 2012 - Planning and Getting There
Originally published August 22, 2012 This is the first in a series of posts about our trip to Philmont Scout Ranch this summer. We had an amazing trip -- a ...
Fahamore to Camp: Rain, Rainbows and Saint Brendan
As I plodded through the rain today, I wondered if Saint Brendan had any waterproof gear for his seven year voyage. Our hike was a measly eight days and som...
Cloghane to Fahamore: Surf City Here We Come
Cue the Beach Boys soundtrack for this segment of the Dingle Way. If you’ve been following along, you’ve probably noticed that Chris and I have walked a bunc...
Feohanagh to Cloghane: Into the Mist
This leg of the Dingle Way was advertised as the most challenging and it certainly was. We took 7 ½ hours (including breaks) to hike 15.3 miles up and over a...
Dunquin to Feohanagh: Where 13 Miles is 13 Miles
View of the bay from Dun an Oir, a small side trip on the hike from Dunquin to Feohanagh Today marked the end of day 5 of 8 on the Dingle Way, a notable day ...
Dingle to Dunquin: A Dr. Dolittle Day
If only we could talk to the animals! Today will be remembered as much for the cats, donkey and sheep as much as the scenery, and that’s really saying someth...
Annascaul to Dingle: The Day I Realize I’ve Been Spoiled Rotten
Minard Castle on the path from Annascaul to Dingle We completed day three of our Dingle Way hike and I must start by saying that the day was gorgeous. We enj...
Camp to Annascaul: Boreens are the Bomb
On our first day hiking the Causeway Coast Way I kind of bagged on road hiking. There’s the traffic to contend with plus it’s very hard on the soles of the f...
Tralee to Camp: Blennerville Windmill, then AMBUSH in the Slieve Mish
Chris and Julie in Tralee starting the Dingle Way Our first day hiking the Dingle Way started in the heart of Tralee at Ashe Memorial Hall. The trail soon le...
Julie’s quest for SOAP: Our Hostels and B&Bs Along the Causeway Coast Way
I made a tactical error with my final backpacking list. In order to lighten my load, I ditched a few toiletry items including body lotion and liquid soap. Th...
Princess Fiona and Dunluce Castle
I can be such a doof. Let me back up and set the stage so you can fully appreciate my head-slapping moment on the grounds of Dunluce Castle. We finished our ...
Story Time! Robert the Bruce, Fair Head, Sheep Island, and Giant’s Causeway
Looking south at White Park Bay Today was our second day hiking the Causeway Coast Way and I can’t imagine a more beautiful hike; it’s got to be all downhill...
OMG Brad Pitt is in the Ballintoy Church!
Wait…he’s not here now, he’ll be here later…his body double is here, not Brad…Brad’s not in the movie, he’s producing it…they’re wrapping this shoot for Brad...
My Final Packing List for 6 Weeks in Ireland
My plane-ready, fully loaded backpack for 6 weeks in Ireland. I previously posted articles detailing the clothes, toiletries, and backpacking equipment I pla...
My Backpacking Equipment for Ireland
Sometimes it can be challenging to write an article, but this time I couldn’t even decide what to title it! We will be in Ireland for a total of 6 weeks and ...
Tips
Visitor’s Guide to Summer Fun at Keuka Lake
Here you go world…The Idleours Guide to Summer Fun at Keuka Lake! Disclaimer: This article is not meant to be all-inclusive. Idleours is our family c...
Use IFTTT to Get Email Notifications of New Blog Posts
IFTTT Tool: If This Then That If you haven’t used IFTTT (If This Then That) you’re in for a treat. This handy web tool makes life simpler by automating all m...
Packing Checklist for a Month in Southeast Asia
When it comes to packing, most travelers would agree: If there are regrets, it’s usually from packing to much, not too little. It stinks to pack, haul, un-pa...
Cambodians speak Khmer. Julie speaks Khmer. Speak Julie Speak.
Two weeks before our trip to Cambodia and Vietnam I realized I hadn’t learned any Khmer. Yikes! I’d focused solely on Vietnamese, partly because we’d spend f...
Cambodia’s Tortured Past: It’s never too late to learn
No gain in keeping, no loss in weeding out.</p> So said Pol Pot, speaking of his own people. Pol Pot, leader of the Khmer Rouge and the man responsible...
Travel Health and Vaccinations: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
My first trip to Southeast Asia has been eye-opening and I even haven’t left home yet! Previous international travel required little in the way of health pre...
Climbing Yosemite’s Half Dome: 6 Crucial Tips for a Successful Trip
It’s hard to resist the call of Half Dome, one of Yosemite’s most prominent and awe-inspiring features. The image of that massive edifice drills deeper with ...
Rein the Drain: How to Stretch iPhone Battery Life
Keep that iPhone charged! Photo courtesy of bigbestapps. With ever-increasing reliance on smart phones, we all need to eek out more battery life from time to...
Shopping and Packing for a Section-Hike on the A.T. through Shenandoah National Park
I spent eight days backpacking through Shenandoah National Park on the Appalachian Trail. Click here for my Trip Summary to find articles, maps, and details ...
An-ti-ci-pay-ya-tion: Preparing to Section-Hike the A.T. Through Shenandoah National Park
I spent eight days backpacking through Shenandoah National Park on the Appalachian Trail. Click here for my Trip Summary to find articles, maps, and details ...
A Beginner’s Guide to Hiking in the Finger Lakes During Deer Fly Season
After exactly one experience with deer flies I felt compelled to write this public service announcement. Why? They’re an almost unstoppable, bloodthirsty men...
Our 5-Day Cancun Getaway
So sorry Mayan-warrior-guy...I've already found my one true love! Chris (sweet, considerate man that he is) planned a surprise trip to celebrate our 25th ann...
Philmont Equipment Details
Originally published November 14, 2012 Like most people (adults?) going to Philmont, Julie and I spent a lot of time exploring strategies and tactics for eq...
Ireland Backpacking: Our Line-by-Line Packing List with Total Weight
I've written a surprising number of articles about packing for our 6-week Ireland trip, including how I choose clothes and pack lightly, how I choose and pac...
Philmont 2012 - Planning and Getting There
Originally published August 22, 2012 This is the first in a series of posts about our trip to Philmont Scout Ranch this summer. We had an amazing trip -- a ...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 1: The Planning
Originally published November 13, 2013 This is the first of several posts I'll write about our trip to Greece last summer. Julie and I (mostly Julie) put in ...
Find Cheap Airfare Using ITA Matrix, The Flight Deal, and AirFare WatchDog
Until recently, my air travel booking “strategies” were limited to: 1) searching with flexible travel dates; and 2) booking early. I didn’t expend much energ...
Irish Music in Dublin: Irish House Party, Musical Pub Crawl, and the Best Session Pubs
The Temple Bar in Dublin There’s really no trick to finding good Irish music in Dublin, just get out, walk around, and you’re bound to see pubs advertising l...
The One Thing You MUST Do in Ireland: Find Live Traditional Music!
Traveling Ireland, you’re bound to see sandwich boards advertising the words Live, Irish, Traditional, Trad, Music, or Session in various combinations such a...
How to Research and Organize Trip-Planning Information
We live in an age where information is easy to find - almost too easy - and the volume can be overwhelming. My challenge in recent years hasn’t been how to f...
Global Entry and TSA Pre-Check: Skip Lines and Keep Your Clothes On
Global Entry isn’t a magic cure-all for air travel woes, but it addresses a few headaches allowing travelers to skip long lines and sail through security wit...
Travel Technology in Ireland: What Worked and What Didn’t Work
I made some proclamations back in August about the various technology items we would bring to Ireland and how we planned to use them. Here’s a summary of how...
Use Google Maps for Navigation - Even Without the Internet!
Back in August I wrote about the travel technology I planned to carry with us on our Ireland trip. One of our goals was to minimize our need to use mobile da...
Organized Travel: eBags Packing Cubes, Eagle Creek Pack-It Specter Cubes, and Rick Steves Convertible Carry-On
Chris and I have been traveling for over 4 months now and our crazy adventure is drawing to a close. When we pull into our driveway in just 8 short days, we ...
Get the Best Deal in Ireland - Buy an OPW Heritage Card!
If you’re headed to Ireland and hoping to visit castles, abbeys, cathedrals, forts, gaols, or other historic spots, spend a few minutes browsing the Heritage...
Our Aran Islands Getaway: Inis Oírr, Inis Meáin and Inis Mór
So I kind of dropped off the earth for 4 days. We landed on the Aran Islands and I simply…unplugged. I don’t know why I felt so at peace. Perhaps it was seei...
Are We Spending Money Like Pros?
About three weeks ago I wrote about how we plan to handle spending in Ireland. Now that we are over two weeks into our trip and have traveled in both Northe...
Julie’s quest for SOAP: Our Hostels and B&Bs Along the Causeway Coast Way
I made a tactical error with my final backpacking list. In order to lighten my load, I ditched a few toiletry items including body lotion and liquid soap. Th...
How We Booked Lodging for 16 of 43 Nights in Ireland
We rented this lovely house in County Limerick for our party of 10 We will be traveling Ireland for 6 weeks and have lodging locked in for just 16 nights. I’...
My Final Packing List for 6 Weeks in Ireland
My plane-ready, fully loaded backpack for 6 weeks in Ireland. I previously posted articles detailing the clothes, toiletries, and backpacking equipment I pla...
Spend Money Like a Pro When Traveling Abroad
My credit cards and debit card, including chips I think there are two kinds of people when it comes to spending money in a foreign country: those who don’t t...
5 Fun Ways to Prepare for a Trip to Ireland
If a bolder person wrote this piece, it would be broken into five articles with titles like “2 Books You MUST Read Before Traveling to Ireland” or “The 10 Be...
My Backpacking Equipment for Ireland
Sometimes it can be challenging to write an article, but this time I couldn’t even decide what to title it! We will be in Ireland for a total of 6 weeks and ...
Travel Technology For Our Ireland Trip
I promised to share some tips on sharing SIM cards with multiple devices, plus how I approached activation with my AT&T SIM in the Huawei device. I thi...
How I Choose and Pack Toiletries for a Long Trip
What should I take? How much will I need?? I wasn’t planning to write this article, but a recent email from a friend revealed I’m not the only one who broods...
How I Choose Clothes and Pack Lightly for an Extended Trip
Hmm...what to take, what to take... I used to be a disaster at packing. I’d start out with good intentions, but then the “what-ifs” set in and I’d throw in c...
Resources
Visitor’s Guide to Summer Fun at Keuka Lake
Here you go world…The Idleours Guide to Summer Fun at Keuka Lake! Disclaimer: This article is not meant to be all-inclusive. Idleours is our family c...
Use IFTTT to Get Email Notifications of New Blog Posts
IFTTT Tool: If This Then That If you haven’t used IFTTT (If This Then That) you’re in for a treat. This handy web tool makes life simpler by automating all m...
Cambodians speak Khmer. Julie speaks Khmer. Speak Julie Speak.
Two weeks before our trip to Cambodia and Vietnam I realized I hadn’t learned any Khmer. Yikes! I’d focused solely on Vietnamese, partly because we’d spend f...
Cambodia’s Tortured Past: It’s never too late to learn
No gain in keeping, no loss in weeding out.</p> So said Pol Pot, speaking of his own people. Pol Pot, leader of the Khmer Rouge and the man responsible...
Travel Health and Vaccinations: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
My first trip to Southeast Asia has been eye-opening and I even haven’t left home yet! Previous international travel required little in the way of health pre...
A Beginner’s Guide to Hiking in the Finger Lakes During Deer Fly Season
After exactly one experience with deer flies I felt compelled to write this public service announcement. Why? They’re an almost unstoppable, bloodthirsty men...
Our 5-Day Cancun Getaway
So sorry Mayan-warrior-guy...I've already found my one true love! Chris (sweet, considerate man that he is) planned a surprise trip to celebrate our 25th ann...
Find Cheap Airfare Using ITA Matrix, The Flight Deal, and AirFare WatchDog
Until recently, my air travel booking “strategies” were limited to: 1) searching with flexible travel dates; and 2) booking early. I didn’t expend much energ...
Irish Music in Dublin: Irish House Party, Musical Pub Crawl, and the Best Session Pubs
The Temple Bar in Dublin There’s really no trick to finding good Irish music in Dublin, just get out, walk around, and you’re bound to see pubs advertising l...
The One Thing You MUST Do in Ireland: Find Live Traditional Music!
Traveling Ireland, you’re bound to see sandwich boards advertising the words Live, Irish, Traditional, Trad, Music, or Session in various combinations such a...
How to Research and Organize Trip-Planning Information
We live in an age where information is easy to find - almost too easy - and the volume can be overwhelming. My challenge in recent years hasn’t been how to f...
Global Entry and TSA Pre-Check: Skip Lines and Keep Your Clothes On
Global Entry isn’t a magic cure-all for air travel woes, but it addresses a few headaches allowing travelers to skip long lines and sail through security wit...
Get the Best Deal in Ireland - Buy an OPW Heritage Card!
If you’re headed to Ireland and hoping to visit castles, abbeys, cathedrals, forts, gaols, or other historic spots, spend a few minutes browsing the Heritage...
Our Aran Islands Getaway: Inis Oírr, Inis Meáin and Inis Mór
So I kind of dropped off the earth for 4 days. We landed on the Aran Islands and I simply…unplugged. I don’t know why I felt so at peace. Perhaps it was seei...
Julie’s quest for SOAP: Our Hostels and B&Bs Along the Causeway Coast Way
I made a tactical error with my final backpacking list. In order to lighten my load, I ditched a few toiletry items including body lotion and liquid soap. Th...
Running Loops on the West Side of Keuka Lake
Update May 2016: Work crews are in the process of re-paving West Lake Road in the town of Pulteney. The new road will be nice I'm sure, but the work include...
Keuka Lake Association Annual Meeting
The Keuka Lake Association membership brochure Update July 2016: KLA celebrated its 60th anniversary at the meeting on July 9, 2016. Congratulations KLA! ...
Jake’s Boat Livery and Mini-Mart
Update June 2018: Jake's is growing up. Literally! They raised the roof and added upgrades to the mini-mart, including multiple well-stocked refrigerat...
Road Trip
Vietnam Motorbike Tour Day 3: Khe Sanh to Hue
This article is the third in a 3-part series. Also read about Day 1 and Day 2. This is it! The third and final day of our 3-day motorbike trip, and the one t...
Vietnam Motorbike Tour Day 2: Phong Nha to Khe Sanh
This article is the second in a 3-part series. Read about Day 1 here. Starting at the end: I finished day two of our three-day motorbike tour with...
Vietnam Motorbike Tour Day 1: Dong Hoi to Phong Nha
This article is the first in a 3-part series. Read about Day 2 here. What a day! After day one of our much anticipated 3-day motorbike t...
Hiking the Eastern Sierras and Death Valley
Overview Julie in Kearsarge Pass, one of our favorite hikes In October 2016, I was lucky enough to spend almost three weeks camping and hiking with my best ...
Ring Around the Kerry: The Long Drive is Worth It!
Sometimes you just need to trust your instincts and do what all the other tourists are doing. This is the way I felt about the Ring of Kerry, aka the Iveragh...
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
As long as I've known Chris he has wanted to visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame . We travel to upstate New York most every summer and stay within a 3-h...
West Point R-Day 2015
This is it! I'm kind of stunned that we're here. How did Matthew make it to R-Day unscathed given his all-or-nothing attitude towards sports?! Inc...
Matthew’s Last Day of Freedom: The Day Before R-Day
I wish I could report that we had a super-fun itinerary planned, but the day was mellow and uneventful. While Matthew slept in, Chris and I worked on the com...
Woodstock: The Museum at Bethel Woods
After tidying up and buttoning down the cottages, we set out on a 4-day excursion from the lake. We are planning to see Woodstock on the way out and Cooperst...
Day 6 of 6: Kalamazoo, MI to Hammondsport, NY
After our IHOP disaster, we chose to eat breakfast at the hotel. Instead of the buffet, we each ordered off the menu and that turned out to be another poor b...
Day 5 of 6: Madison, WI to Kalamazoo, MI
Today's the big day! Matthew and I have never been to Wrigley Field and our first experience in the stadium will be Cubs vs. Reds. Go Cubbies! Within an hour...
Day 4 of 6: Kadoka, SD to Madison, WI
Unfortunately, there's not much to document from this leg of our trip. With tickets for a Cubs game the next day, we felt pressed to get to Madison so no sig...
Day 3 of 6: Red Lodge, MT to Kadoka, SD
We set our alarm early and had to drag ourselves out of bed. Who knew road trips could be so tiring? Even when logy we are pretty efficient, and arrived at C...
Day 2 of 6: Missoula, MT to Red Lodge, MT
Day 2 started later than we anticipated but the car was loaded by 8am. Chris was batting 1000 with his restaurant picks; breakfast at The Catalyst Cafe was o...
Day 1 of 6: Sherwood, OR to Missoula, MT
And so it begins! On Monday June 6th we started our 6-day road trip. Our ultimate destination is Keuka Lake in upstate New York and we couldn't be more excit...
Planning
Visitor’s Guide to Summer Fun at Keuka Lake
Here you go world…The Idleours Guide to Summer Fun at Keuka Lake! Disclaimer: This article is not meant to be all-inclusive. Idleours is our family c...
Packing Checklist for a Month in Southeast Asia
When it comes to packing, most travelers would agree: If there are regrets, it’s usually from packing to much, not too little. It stinks to pack, haul, un-pa...
Travel Health and Vaccinations: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
My first trip to Southeast Asia has been eye-opening and I even haven’t left home yet! Previous international travel required little in the way of health pre...
Climbing Yosemite’s Half Dome: 6 Crucial Tips for a Successful Trip
It’s hard to resist the call of Half Dome, one of Yosemite’s most prominent and awe-inspiring features. The image of that massive edifice drills deeper with ...
Shopping and Packing for a Section-Hike on the A.T. through Shenandoah National Park
I spent eight days backpacking through Shenandoah National Park on the Appalachian Trail. Click here for my Trip Summary to find articles, maps, and details ...
An-ti-ci-pay-ya-tion: Preparing to Section-Hike the A.T. Through Shenandoah National Park
I spent eight days backpacking through Shenandoah National Park on the Appalachian Trail. Click here for my Trip Summary to find articles, maps, and details ...
Our 5-Day Cancun Getaway
So sorry Mayan-warrior-guy...I've already found my one true love! Chris (sweet, considerate man that he is) planned a surprise trip to celebrate our 25th ann...
Philmont 2012 - Planning and Getting There
Originally published August 22, 2012 This is the first in a series of posts about our trip to Philmont Scout Ranch this summer. We had an amazing trip -- a ...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 1: The Planning
Originally published November 13, 2013 This is the first of several posts I'll write about our trip to Greece last summer. Julie and I (mostly Julie) put in ...
How to Research and Organize Trip-Planning Information
We live in an age where information is easy to find - almost too easy - and the volume can be overwhelming. My challenge in recent years hasn’t been how to f...
How We Booked Lodging for 16 of 43 Nights in Ireland
We rented this lovely house in County Limerick for our party of 10 We will be traveling Ireland for 6 weeks and have lodging locked in for just 16 nights. I’...
5 Fun Ways to Prepare for a Trip to Ireland
If a bolder person wrote this piece, it would be broken into five articles with titles like “2 Books You MUST Read Before Traveling to Ireland” or “The 10 Be...
6 Days Across the USA
We drove over 3,000 miles in the summer of 2015, starting in Oregon and ending in New York. Learn about the path we took and what we saw along the way.
4 Days in Siesta Key
In November 2014, my good friend Jill and I decided we were long overdue for a get together. We dilly-dallied and batted ideas around before finally “settlin...
Trip Summaries
31 Days Exploring Cambodia and Vietnam
Overview In Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park Wanna go to Cambodia and Vietnam? Ummm sure…I guess… This trip was Chris’s idea. To me, Cambodia and Vietnam see...
Hiking the Eastern Sierras and Death Valley
Overview Julie in Kearsarge Pass, one of our favorite hikes In October 2016, I was lucky enough to spend almost three weeks camping and hiking with my best ...
Backpacking the A.T. in Shenandoah National Park
Overview Lynn on the Appalachian Trail as it winds around Blackrock Summit (behind her). One of my favorite spots on the trail. In August 2016, a friend and...
Hiking the Finger Lakes Trail
Overview A Finger Lakes Trail marker in the middle of a vineyard. What could be more fitting? I’ve been visiting Keuka Lake my entire life, but this is the ...
The Other Las Vegas
Overview The Las Vegas Strip This little trip to Las Vegas completely redeemed the city in my eyes. It’s a shame I held such a poor opinion for so long, but...
5 Sultry Days in Cancun
Overview Chris and Julie at Chichén Itzá Chris planned a surprise trip to Cancun for our 25th wedding anniversary - so thoughtful! It was my first time to M...
Our 2-Week Sailing Charter in Greece
Overview Our Lagoon 400, in the Alimos Marina In late June of 2013, Chris and I spent two full weeks sailing the Greek islands aboard a 40-foot catamaran al...
New Orleans Mardi Gras!
Overview The gang in Jackson Square, on our final day in New Orleans. Note my spiffy hat - Chris caught it for me in the Endymion parade! This trip was over...
Summers at Keuka Lake
Overview Chris, Lauren and Wes sailing the Flying Dutchman Keuka Lake (aka “The Crooked Lady”) is one of eleven Finger Lakes in western New York. It’s easy ...
6 Weeks in Ireland
Overview Julie enjoying the view from the Dingle Way on the way to Dunquin Chris and I spent a total of six weeks in Ireland: three weeks on our own, one we...
Woodstock, West Point and Cooperstown Trip
Overview View of West Point from the ferry We built this trip around delivering our younger son Matthew to West Point; as long as we were heading that way, ...
6 Days Across the USA
We drove over 3,000 miles in the summer of 2015, starting in Oregon and ending in New York. Learn about the path we took and what we saw along the way.
4 Days in Siesta Key
In November 2014, my good friend Jill and I decided we were long overdue for a get together. We dilly-dallied and batted ideas around before finally “settlin...
Sailing
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 11: Poros, Aegina, and return to Alimos
Originally published July 7, 2014 Our July 4th started very early as we prepared for our 55nm journey to the island of Poros, by far our longest single day ...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 10: Rineia, Syros, and Kythnos
Originally published June 17, 2014 After a long but productive day exploring the treasures of Delos, we set sail from Mykonos for the adjacent island and s...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 9: Mykonos and Delos
Originally published May 23, 2014 Mykonos has a reputation: Mykonos is the great glamour island of the Cyclades and happily flaunts its sizzling style and ...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 8: Antiparos and Naxos
Originally published May 7, 2014 Early Friday evening, June 28 2013, we left Ios to set sail for a an anchored bay visit between Antiparos and Despotiko. Wi...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 7: Ios
Originally published April 5, 2014 On June 27 we set sail for Ios, an island I last visited in 1990 during the World Cup. The wind did not last so we slowl...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 6: Folegandros
Originally published February 27, 2014 Are you following along on a map? Might be worth your while as the place names can run together. We are now hanging o...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 5: Serifos to Milos
Originally published January 19, 2014 Our day started early in Serifos with Julie and I strolling into town for coffee and to catch some early morning sites...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 4: Kythnos to Serifos
Originally published December 24, 2013 Our first day of sailing brought us to Apokriosis Bay on the island of Kythnos, and everything that could break seeme...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 3: Athens to Kythnos
Originally published December 24, 2013 Sunday was our day with Demetra, our private tour guide for the Acropolis and surrounding area, and our final day in ...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 2: Athens and meeting our boat and skipper
Originally published November 20, 2013 We had converged in NYC at JFK airport and after a mad dash to the duty free shop to buy some whiskey (both Makers and...
Sailing Charter in Greece - Part 1: The Planning
Originally published November 13, 2013 This is the first of several posts I'll write about our trip to Greece last summer. Julie and I (mostly Julie) put in ...
Packing
Packing Checklist for a Month in Southeast Asia
When it comes to packing, most travelers would agree: If there are regrets, it’s usually from packing to much, not too little. It stinks to pack, haul, un-pa...
Shopping and Packing for a Section-Hike on the A.T. through Shenandoah National Park
I spent eight days backpacking through Shenandoah National Park on the Appalachian Trail. Click here for my Trip Summary to find articles, maps, and details ...
Philmont Equipment Details
Originally published November 14, 2012 Like most people (adults?) going to Philmont, Julie and I spent a lot of time exploring strategies and tactics for eq...
Ireland Backpacking: Our Line-by-Line Packing List with Total Weight
I've written a surprising number of articles about packing for our 6-week Ireland trip, including how I choose clothes and pack lightly, how I choose and pac...
Organized Travel: eBags Packing Cubes, Eagle Creek Pack-It Specter Cubes, and Rick Steves Convertible Carry-On
Chris and I have been traveling for over 4 months now and our crazy adventure is drawing to a close. When we pull into our driveway in just 8 short days, we ...
My Final Packing List for 6 Weeks in Ireland
My plane-ready, fully loaded backpack for 6 weeks in Ireland. I previously posted articles detailing the clothes, toiletries, and backpacking equipment I pla...
My Backpacking Equipment for Ireland
Sometimes it can be challenging to write an article, but this time I couldn’t even decide what to title it! We will be in Ireland for a total of 6 weeks and ...
How I Choose and Pack Toiletries for a Long Trip
What should I take? How much will I need?? I wasn’t planning to write this article, but a recent email from a friend revealed I’m not the only one who broods...
How I Choose Clothes and Pack Lightly for an Extended Trip
Hmm...what to take, what to take... I used to be a disaster at packing. I’d start out with good intentions, but then the “what-ifs” set in and I’d throw in c...
Technology
Use IFTTT to Get Email Notifications of New Blog Posts
IFTTT Tool: If This Then That If you haven’t used IFTTT (If This Then That) you’re in for a treat. This handy web tool makes life simpler by automating all m...
Rein the Drain: How to Stretch iPhone Battery Life
Keep that iPhone charged! Photo courtesy of bigbestapps. With ever-increasing reliance on smart phones, we all need to eek out more battery life from time to...
Travel Technology in Ireland: What Worked and What Didn’t Work
I made some proclamations back in August about the various technology items we would bring to Ireland and how we planned to use them. Here’s a summary of how...
Use Google Maps for Navigation - Even Without the Internet!
Back in August I wrote about the travel technology I planned to carry with us on our Ireland trip. One of our goals was to minimize our need to use mobile da...
Travel Technology For Our Ireland Trip
I promised to share some tips on sharing SIM cards with multiple devices, plus how I approached activation with my AT&T SIM in the Huawei device. I thi...
Featured
Hammondsport Music in the Park 2018
July already?? Summer is flying by, and music is in the air. Here’s the 2018 line-up for Hammondsport's Music in the Park: July 5: Hepcats Big Band Ju...
Visitor’s Guide to Summer Fun at Keuka Lake
Here you go world…The Idleours Guide to Summer Fun at Keuka Lake! Disclaimer: This article is not meant to be all-inclusive. Idleours is our family c...
Glamping at BaseCamp 37°: Perfectly Peaceful, and Perfectly Appointed
One of the tents at BaseCamp 37°. To the left, you can see the site's solar array (they are completely off the grid), and to the right, a propane tank which ...
Jake’s Boat Livery and Mini-Mart
Update June 2018: Jake's is growing up. Literally! They raised the roof and added upgrades to the mini-mart, including multiple well-stocked refrigerat...
Money
Find Cheap Airfare Using ITA Matrix, The Flight Deal, and AirFare WatchDog
Until recently, my air travel booking “strategies” were limited to: 1) searching with flexible travel dates; and 2) booking early. I didn’t expend much energ...
Get the Best Deal in Ireland - Buy an OPW Heritage Card!
If you’re headed to Ireland and hoping to visit castles, abbeys, cathedrals, forts, gaols, or other historic spots, spend a few minutes browsing the Heritage...
Are We Spending Money Like Pros?
About three weeks ago I wrote about how we plan to handle spending in Ireland. Now that we are over two weeks into our trip and have traveled in both Northe...
Spend Money Like a Pro When Traveling Abroad
My credit cards and debit card, including chips I think there are two kinds of people when it comes to spending money in a foreign country: those who don’t t...
Musings
Lessons from the Road: Rightmindedness, Renewal and Resolve
Why travel? There are as many reasons as destinations: to expand horizons, see new sights, build relationships, develop skills, tackle a challenge, rejuvenat...