This week, blue daubs guided us, as they do every year around this time. We stayed on the North Shore of Lake Superior in two lodges (at Lutsen and Tofte) and hiked sections of the Superior Hiking Trail. The plan for each day was simple: take to the trails after a cooked breakfast. Two days…… Continue reading Snapshots: Superior Hiking Trail 2019
Author: Tom Wilson
St. Anthony Falls Laboratory
St. Anthony Falls Laboratory. Across the Mississippi from our home, we can see the University of Minnesota’s St. Anthony Falls Laboratory. This week we got a chance to peek inside. The building, pictured at the top of this post, was funded by the WPA (Works Progress Administration), a Federal New Deal program to put people…… Continue reading St. Anthony Falls Laboratory
A Shout-Out for Japan Rail Passes
This coming week a FedEx envelope will arrive containing two vouchers I’ll exchange for Japan Rail (JR) Passes. In October we’ll fly into Matsuyama MYJ on the island of Shikoku, Japan, at the end of a series of flights from Minneapolis MSP. At Matsuyama’s main train station, we’ll exchange the vouchers for JR passes valid…… Continue reading A Shout-Out for Japan Rail Passes
The Heart Sutra with Tooltips
10.5 kilometers to the next temple. In October I’ll be going on my annual trip to Japan. My partner will be joining me, now that his work life is in the rearview mirror. I’m planning to introduce him to many adventures I’ve figured out over the past few years. Doubtless, we’ll also find new adventures.…… Continue reading The Heart Sutra with Tooltips
Remotely Managed Gardens on Wheels
It’s not a great way to end a trip to be greeted by desiccated or drowned houseplants. Travel and houseplants don’t get along terribly well. My partner, Dwight, enjoys long winter trips and growing things. I enjoy long winter trips and playing with tech. When it comes to indoor gardening, it’s a match made in…… Continue reading Remotely Managed Gardens on Wheels
A Medication Vacation
Lupron, ready to be injected. I like to travel at least two months each winter. Part of that time my partner, Dwight, travels with me. The rest of the time he’s back at work while I continue the adventure on my own. Next week, Dwight arrives at the end of his career, and hops on…… Continue reading A Medication Vacation
In Praise of Tactile Controls
The Navy will begin reverting destroyers back to a physical throttle and traditional helm control system in the next 18 to 24 months, after the fleet overwhelmingly said they prefer mechanical controls to touchscreen systems in the aftermath of the fatal USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) collision.The investigation into the collision showed that a touchscreen…… Continue reading In Praise of Tactile Controls
Wildflowers and Participatory Games
I usually take some snapshots when I explore on my bicycle. A few times in the past couple weeks I’ve found the foreground to be just as interesting as the thing I wanted to photograph. Wildflowers A friend and I were cycling back and forth through an industrial area of St. Paul’s St. Anthony Park.…… Continue reading Wildflowers and Participatory Games
Living a Guarded Life
Most mornings Dwight, my partner of 32 years, makes the first pot of the day. I get to enjoy the brew in bed while reading the New York Times. Usually I’m squirming at the news of more dog whistles from the White House. Delaying the Harriet Tubman $20 bank note is just one example of…… Continue reading Living a Guarded Life
Antequera: the Case for B-List Travel
Estimated numbers of hotel rooms in places we stayed: Granada, Antequera, Marbella and Nerja, Spain. May 2019 data from Instituto Nacional de Estadistica. If you’re planning to visit Spain’s Costa del Sol, you’ll probably be staying in a busy place. It can be hard to avoid over-loved places, but I prefer to seek out B-List…… Continue reading Antequera: the Case for B-List Travel