I’m pausing for a few days before I complete my 500-mile Walk Around Newcastle, a walk I started in 2010. The walk does not include Newcastle upon Tyne, the town where I grew up: after all, it’s a walk “around” Newcastle. Today, though, I’m pausing the walk, and wandering in Newcastle. Today’s central Newcastle upon… Continue reading Sometimes You Can Go Back
Year: 2015
Travel Gear: The Carbon Footprint of Hiking Boots
I’ll soon be crossing The Pond to hike in my beaten-up boots. At the end of the trip the boots might be good for a few more day hikes. All this leaves me with The Big Question: Should I bring the boots home to the USA at the end of my trip? The Carbon Footprint… Continue reading Travel Gear: The Carbon Footprint of Hiking Boots
My Kagoshima: Kirishima Volcanic Group Practicalities
From Karakunidake. There’s nothing like a decent hike after a long series of flights. I previously posted how to get from Kagoshima Airport to a hotel on the edge of the Kirishima Volcanic Group of Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park. The hourly bus from the airport takes you to the Kirishima Iwasaki Hotel in 47 minutes. If you arrive… Continue reading My Kagoshima: Kirishima Volcanic Group Practicalities
The End of a 500-Mile Walk
September 2010, I felt sad as Bamburgh Castle loomed in front of us. For three weeks my partner and I got up each morning, enjoyed a hearty breakfast, then walked. I wanted to walk forever, but this Northumberland castle on the North Sea marked the end of our walk. We had started down the coast at… Continue reading The End of a 500-Mile Walk
Freakin’ Cheap: Almost-Free Homemade Stock
Risottos, soups, and gravies taste best when they’re made with homemade stock. I want to make these dishes quickly, but stock takes a long time to prepare. My solution is to make stock in bulk and freeze it. My stock is basic, and varies from batch to batch depending on ingredients on hand. It provides… Continue reading Freakin’ Cheap: Almost-Free Homemade Stock
Wabi-Sabi Lessons for Imperfect Journeys
“Wabi-sabi represents the exact opposite of the Western ideal of great beauty as something monumental, spectacular, and enduring. Wabi-sabi is not found in nature at moments of bloom and lushness, but at moments of inception or subsiding. Wabi-sabi is not about gorgeous flowers, majestic trees, or bold landscapes. Wabi-sabi is about the minor and the… Continue reading Wabi-Sabi Lessons for Imperfect Journeys
Freakin’ Cheap: Eliminating Unwanted Phone Calls
A few years ago we reached a tipping point with unwanted phone calls. When the phone rang, it was usually a call we did not want to take: fundraisers punishing us for our previous gifts, pollsters, sales people, scammers. Then I came up with a solution that for a one-time cost of less than $25… Continue reading Freakin’ Cheap: Eliminating Unwanted Phone Calls
Afraid of Eggplant No More
This is the best time of year for eggplant (aubergines) in Minnesota. Several varieties of locally grown eggplant were available at my coop today, including usually hard-to-find Indian (“baby”) eggplant and a long, skinny Asian variety. I was set on making Eggplant Parmigiana, so I chose the most common type: the large, dark ones. Once… Continue reading Afraid of Eggplant No More
Travel Gear: Clean Clothes
For me, freedom is traveling light with just one change of clothes. That still translates into wearing clean clothes every day. The downside is doing a bit of laundry each day. The upside is traveling with just a carry-on: I walk past the check-in lines and straight to Security. My 35 liter backpack easily fits… Continue reading Travel Gear: Clean Clothes
Urban Bike: Mill City
Much of the early wealth of Minneapolis came from grain. This grain legacy translates into locally headquartered companies like Cargill and General Mills. Cargill, the largest privately held company in the country, manages 25% of US grain exports. General Mills manages ubiquitous brands like Betty Crocker and Pillsbury. The first flour mill in what is… Continue reading Urban Bike: Mill City