2/25/24 Today, our last day hiking in the Joshua Tree area, we took on the most challenging hike yet, and one of the most rewarding: the Sawtooth mountain loop. Yesterday, when we met members of the Coachella hiking club, we asked for suggestions for our last day. When they learned our preferences, hopes and dreams, …
Streams in the Desert, hiking the Sawtooth mountains Read More »
2/24/24 Last night we decided to give ourselves a ritzy night out, a reward for our difficult hike to the Lost Palm Oasis, and also to take advantage of Alice’s 50% off food as reward for being a Hilton team member. So we made a reservation at one of their 5 restaurants at the Quinta …
02/23/24 We got up at 6:00 and quickly made our way to the resort cafe. We were not surprised to pay $30 for coffee and ham and cheese croissant sandwiches. Can’t help but recall the $6 cost for the same in northern Spain on the Camino. We were off and onto I-10 heading east and …
02/22/24. We awoke at 6 determined to get packing and breakfast finished promptly and get hiking early. We also needed to check out of our current hotel and go somewhere else in order to capture the Friends and Family rate, which has been a great benefit to us. We popped everything into the rental care …
Feb 21,2024 Once again we awoke early with enthusiastic sprits to get breakfast and get out to see Joshua Tree NP. Having done this a couple of times, everything works like a Swiss watch. The water, the food, the hiking supplies, all in its place without having to think about it. Soon we were out …
We arose early to be up for the opening of our hotel breakfast at 6:30 , and then to be at the ticket office at 7:30 and start a long hike at 8. “The best laid plans…” goes the famous quote. As we got dressed, the sun shown up against the mountain range that faces …
Feb 19, 2024 It was time for a little get away from Grand Rapids, so we grabbed a cheap flight to Palm Springs, CA, arriving Sundaynight at 10 pm It seems that the rental agency always offers a wide variety of cars, and then none of the ones we choose are available upon arrival. Would …
October 22, 2023 Somehow I didn’t realize that this was our last day here. So we made the best of it. It’s Sunday and Porto is very much asleep in the morning. As we arose to hike to a park, everything was shut down. No cafes. No coffee. No matter. We’ll start walking and something …
October 21, 2023 Our fourth necessity for getting to know a town is to master it’s public transportation. So today we planned to take the Metro across the water to the south side of Porto, to the town of Gaia. But first, some housekeeping. We started the day walking down Alegria street and then over …
October 20, 2023 Another day in a beautiful old city, with numerous walkable neighborhoods. Today we continued with our unusual approach to travel. We stay in a more or less normal neighborhood and then establish the neighborhood markets, cafeterias, laundries, and everything related to normal life, avoiding ( if possible) the heavy touristy areas. Today’s …
