For two weeks in January we hiked the trails around Tucson, Arizona. The city is an excellent base for winter hiking: daytime temperatures were in the 60’s and we used just nine gallons of gas driving our rental car to nearby trailheads. Sabino Canyon Recreation Area On our first full day, we hiked an in-and-out…… Continue reading Hiking Tucson
Author: Tom Wilson
Vacation Rentals: Embracing Imperfection
We’re in Tucson, hiking wonderful trails, with trailheads just minutes from where we’re staying. Our legs aren’t quite as supple as they once were, so we’re having a rest day. We’re relaxing in a rental apartment and contemplating a short walk out to lunch. Vacation rentals are great value, especially now, with hotel room prices…… Continue reading Vacation Rentals: Embracing Imperfection
Trip Stacking: Managing Uncertainty
Lava rocks stacked to build a cairn, Hawaii Big Island, April 2009. This summer we’ll be traveling somewhere overseas with our nephews and their parents. Exactly where we go will depend on the trajectory of the Covid virus and how different jurisdictions choose to manage transmission risk. To minimize uncertainty, I’ve resorted to stacking three…… Continue reading Trip Stacking: Managing Uncertainty
12 Months of Microposts: 2021
It’s almost the end of 2021: it’s time to look back at the past 12 months of my almost daily microposts. I’ve been posting daily for about 10 years. The posts don’t document my life during those years; they’re merely a series of little things that have given me joy. Occasionally I miss a day…… Continue reading 12 Months of Microposts: 2021
Hawaii Snow Day
Today blizzards were forecast for the high-elevation purple areas; we were safely at sea level in the Kailua-Kona area. I’ve always enjoyed Minnesota snow days. Heavy snow, schools shut, commerce pauses, we all get to stay home and cocoon. This morning we woke to warnings from the National Weather Service that there would be blizzards…… Continue reading Hawaii Snow Day
Thames Path Hike
The Thames Path is a 184-mile National Trail that roughly follows the River Thames from its source in the Cotswold Hills to the Thames Barrier east of London. For three days this week I walked part of the trail from near Reading to Oxford. I’m grateful I was joined by two friends I’ve known for…… Continue reading Thames Path Hike
The Day Swinging England Invaded America
England swings like a pendulum doBobbies on bicycles, two by twoWestminster Abbey, the tower of Big BenThe rosy-red cheeks of the little childrenRoger Miller, 1965 I’m on board an Airbus A350 from New York-JFK to London-Heathrow. Last night, my home was the TWA Hotel at JFK. The hotel’s public spaces are in the restored and…… Continue reading The Day Swinging England Invaded America
Superior Hiking Trail: Fall 2021
Source: Superior Hiking Trail Association. Every year, around this time, we head up to the North Shore of Lake Superior for a few days to walk sections of the Superior Hiking Trail. We stopped in Duluth for a night, then continued on to our usual destination, Bluefin Bay, a resort on the shores of Lake…… Continue reading Superior Hiking Trail: Fall 2021
A Trip to England: Covid Risks and Responsibilities
Aboard a Delta flight, July 2021. In November I’ll travel to England, my first overseas trip in over 1½ years. This will be the first time I’ve flown eastbound across the Atlantic on a daytime flight. But, enough of firsts. The trip isn’t assured. It’s possible Covid travel restrictions to the UK could be tightened…… Continue reading A Trip to England: Covid Risks and Responsibilities
Backpacking in Japan With Our Nephews: Day of Arrival
Next summer, we’re exploring Japan with our teenage nephews and their dad. In a previous post I wrote about the backbone of our trip: flights from Minneapolis to Tokyo, Fukuoka to Sapporo, and Tokyo to Honolulu. I’m now starting to flesh out our journey within Japan. Arrive Haneda Airport Delta tails at Haneda Airport (November…… Continue reading Backpacking in Japan With Our Nephews: Day of Arrival