Eurostar, Northern France, heading straight for the English Channel at 183 MPH If I could only bring one piece of electronic equipment when traveling, it would be my handheld GPS. When riding the bus in a strange city, I know when to get off. When exploring, I can find my way back to the starting…… Continue reading Travel Gear: Handheld GPS
Author: Tom Wilson
Artful Living
Who reads this stuff? Where your stay is part of defining who you are.You can join the crowd, or you can leave it behind.Eat. Shop. Sleep.Own Chicago. Know the right people.Make a statement with every second.”I never thought I would receive so many compliments every day.”As unique as you are. Who needs this stuff?All 1…… Continue reading Artful Living
Decoding a Crane
What are we thinking? I’m in Japan. A lone crane swoops low over a large, exquisitely landscaped pond. There are two other bystanders; they smile contentedly as the crane reinforces a common bond, evoking fragments of mysticism, national treasure, longevity, good fortune, origami, the number 1,000, childhood memories, and current dreams. I’m seeing a crane…… Continue reading Decoding a Crane
Travel Gear: Portable Router
In Japan I like to go off the beaten path where guide books are not helpful. Daily research using the Internet becomes essential for me to navigate that often-opaque country. I use a portable wireless router because most Japanese hotel rooms have (free) wired Internet, but no wireless Internet. I’ve set up my router with…… Continue reading Travel Gear: Portable Router
Superior Trail 2013
Photographs do not explain why I hike. Gorgeous vistas and little mossy vignettes float in and out of my consciousness, but they do not define the experience. I love the freedom I feel as I head out on the trail knowing our entire earthly possessions for the next few days are on our backs. My…… Continue reading Superior Trail 2013
Gathering Gear
12EEEE and 12A. Today, I’m getting my brain in gear for a multi-day hike along part of the Superior Hiking Trail. To help me plan, I have some useful resources from previous trips. September 2011 Superior Trail hike: itinerary and GPS tracks (GPX format). The trail we followed is in dark red in the above map; the Canadian border…… Continue reading Gathering Gear
Kale Chronicles
We grew kale this summer, so it has been our default vegetable for the past month. Kale is extraordinarily easy to prepare. Here’s a 20-second video (my first cooking show) showing how to quickly remove the stem and break up the leaf, all without the use of tools. This is one of my favorite kale…… Continue reading Kale Chronicles
Reflections on Gold
Downtown Minneapolis from MSP, hazy August day Minnesota winters can be cold, bitterly cold. I don’t mind January in Minnesota: the relief Christmas is in the rearview mirror is enough to keep me going; besides, it’s a great month for quiet reflection and to play with my LEGO (Technics). Come February, though, my thoughts turn…… Continue reading Reflections on Gold
Duckies in Space
A couple weeks ago we visited the Johnson Space Center near Houston. As well as procuring Space Shuttle Duckies for the nephews, we toured the sprawling, and still operational NASA facility. It was thrilling to visit Mission Control, still as it was during the Apollo missions back in the 1960’s and early 70’s. I sat…… Continue reading Duckies in Space
Gnarly Minneapolis
No Trespassing!Normally when I head out on my bike, it’s to a world of lakes, rivers, and wooded areas. Yesterday, I decided to explore a more gritty side of Minneapolis.Under Target Field baseball stadiumRefreshment stop at Corner Coffee, Warehouse DistrictCrossing the Mississippi–mind the gapsSome missing boards had been recently replaced: that made me feel less…… Continue reading Gnarly Minneapolis