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Simple Things That Even the Smartest People Tend to Forget
You might be incredibly smart, with the IQ score and the degrees to prove it. You might have scored impressive grade point averages all through school. You might hold a very high level job or make a...
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Why You Should Step Out of Your Travel Comfort Zone At Least Once in Your Life
Every trip you take is a leap of faith, but each one varies in degree of difficulty. Take, for example, a family trip to the beach: you might not know how the weather will hold out, but ultimately,...
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Five reasons to bike tour in Taiwan
We lived in Taiwan for a couple years when our kids were small, and I have fond memories of hikes in the jungle, visits to Buddhist temples, and more delicious food than should be legal. So when the...
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Hiking the Colorado Trail: Denver to Breckenridge
In the fall of 2016, John hiked the 500-mile Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango. Here are his journal entries and photos. Day 1: August 10 Hiked 10 miles The first day on the trail went pretty good....
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Hiking the Colorado Trail: Breckenridge to Leadville
In the fall of 2016, John hiked the 500-mile Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango. This is his journal and photos. You can find the first leg of the journey from Denver to Breckenridge here. Day 8:...
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Hiking the Colorado Trail: Leadville to Mt. Princeton Hot Springs
In the fall of 2016, John hiked the 500-mile Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango. Here are his journal and photos. You can find the first leg from Denver to Breckenridge here, and then onto Leadville...
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Hiking the Colorado Trail: Princeton Hot Springs to Lake City
In fall of 2016, John hiked the 500-mile Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango. Here are his journal entries and photos. To start reading from the beginning, go here: Leg 1: Denver to Breckenridge Leg...
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Hiking the Colorado Trail: Lake City to Molas Lake
John hiked the 500-mile Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango in the fall of 2016. Here are his journal entries and photos. Leg 1: Denver to Breckenridge Leg 2: Breckenridge to Leadville Leg 3:...
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Hiking the Colorado Trail: Molas Lake to Durango
John hiked the 500-mile Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango in the fall of 2016. This is his journal and photos from the final leg of his journey. You can read from the beginning here: Leg 1: Denver...
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Your child is capable. Just say yes.
Your kids are capable of more than you give them credit for. It’s us parents who limit our children. We are the ones who tell them they aren’t big enough, strong enough, or capable enough to do hard...
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Hiking the Jordan Trail: Day 14 – Oyoun al-Theeb to Wadi Ma’in Zara (14 miles)
Hiking on this rocky trail for hours is really hard on my feet. I’ve developed hot spots, and am hoping they don’t become blisters. When I arrived at Wadi Ma’in I expected it to be Shepherds Central,...
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Hiking the Jordan Trail: Day 15 – Wadi Ma’in Zara to Wadi Hidan (10 miles)
Looking back down on Wadi Ma’in Zara on the way to the canyon rim. I finally did it, I slept with some Jordanian shepherds in their tent. They were young, in their twenties, and I got there about an...
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Hiking the Jordan Trail: Day 16 – Wadi Hidan to Wadi Mujib (9 miles)
Wadi Hidan in Jordan Today was a physically challenging day. After saying goodbye to shepherds Saif, Ahmed, and Abbod I started the long climb out of Wadi Hidan. It wasn’t bad, but the 2400 foot climb...
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Hiking the Jordan Trail: Day 17 – Wadi Mujib to Wadi Majdalein (9 miles)
Pictures cannot capture the vastness and the depth of this wonderful desert wilderness. You can actually see Wadi Mujib just not the bottom of it. If yesterday was a descent of hellacious proportions...
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Hiking the Jordan Trail: Day 18 – Karak to Majdalein (14 miles)
Karak Castle overlooks a massive wadi. It was a fortunate thing that I took a mini bus into Karak from Majdalein. Last night the wind was so fierce the windows were rattling in my hotel room and I...
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Hiking the Jordan Trail: Day 19 – Karak to Jahra (14 miles)
Khalid insisted that I spend the night at his house. The level of hospitality in Jordan always astounds me. Today was a cold, blustery day hiking through ho hum countryside. It wasn’t a particularly...
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Hiking the Jordan Trail: Day 20 – Jahra to Ais (18 miles)
More hills, mountains, and wadis. “Khaled doesn’t like sleeping with wife,” Khaled mumbled in the middle of the night. “Khaled cold,” he mumbled again and again. Soon he was snuggled up against me....
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Hiking the Jordan Trail: Day 21 – Rest day in Ais
Rest days, otherwise known as zero days due to zero miles hiked, are great treats while hiking a long distance trail. It was the perfect day to spend in a hotel and watch the wind blow in the rain fall...
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Hiking the Jordan Trail: Day 22 – Ais to just before Dana (15 miles)
The village of Al-Ain Al-Beidah. It was a moderately hard day because I had to climb down into Wadi Ma’tan an then back out of it. Going down I fell twice because it was so steep and rocky. I passed...
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Hiking the Jordan Trail: Day 23 – Dana (3 miles)
Camping on the edge of a massive wadi – the morning light on the canyon was incredible! Last night was cold. I went to sleep fully clothed, but when a gust of wind hit the tent it sent shivers...
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