Horses in the desert? What?? The Coachella Valley already offers a ton of activities – from hiking to the infamous Coachella music fest to epic pool parties to camping locales like Joshua Tree. Growing up …
January 29, 2015
Travel Stories
Indiana Jones in Coachella Valley
Backcountry to Baja
Awhile back we traveled to Nicaragua. Much of the country’s road systems are inaccessible by car, and if you wanted to explore the interior you were forced to walk, ride a bike or rent a …
January 22, 2015
Matera: no longer the "shame of Italy"
In what is the instep of Italy’s boot, the first forays into Italy from North Africa came to settle in Matera 10,000 years ago. Living quarters were fashioned in both the limestone caves and built …
January 20, 2015
Down south in Estero La Bocana, Baja Sur
Dolphins play near the shore at sunrise, whiplashing their tails to form a sand circle to entrap their breakfast. The panicked fish jump up directly into the dolphins' mouths – a nature event I'd only …
January 16, 2015
An Amtrak-Airbnb American (and Canadian) adventure
Weary of going through another airport security line? Enchanted by an early morning train whistle hurtling to points unknown? With airline costs continuing to rise, I set out to try a new, more economical cross-country …
Following the devil in Anza-Borrego
Mud walls towered over us as we twisted and turned down the narrow canyon. Smoke trees scraped the truck where they leaned in over the rutted track, and a couple of times there was a …
January 5, 2015
Bangkok's kitchens
The sounds of a kitchen are like conversations. In the beginning, you hear the fracas of so many people speaking to each other, sometimes over each other. It’s the repartee against the quick pause and …
January 1, 2015
Touching the money fur in Prince Edward Island
Grass and girls. That was what life was all about, at least viewed through the black, bulby eyes of Keswick, a seven-year-old alpaca. His muppet-like neck bobbing in front of my wife and me, Keswick …
December 26, 2014
Zagreb under the radar
Overshadowed by beach destinations of the south, Zagreb, Croatia’s inland capital, should not be missed. Like several other European capitals, Zagreb is a blend of nature, culture and the characteristic pace of Europeans. What sets …
December 20, 2014
Must-see Joshua Tree
During the winter months, there's nothing more accelerating for the spirit than peacefully camping out in a temperate desert like Joshua Tree National Park. Less than three hours away from downtown San Diego, the park …
December 14, 2014
Saginaw, MI: first American home of my ancestors
Most people only know the town of Saginaw, Michigan, from the song made popular in the 1960s by country singer Lefty Frizzel. Some hipsters might know another song, “If I Ever Get to Saginaw” by …
December 12, 2014