Conquest of Larch Valley

    Larch Valley   My fourth day in Banff started out like the others, an early wakeup call and I was off to breakfast. The difference was the light rain that had… Continue reading

Finding Silverton Falls

    Silverton Falls   Silverton Falls is a long cascading waterfall near the much heralded Johnston Canyon Falls. It doesn’t get nearly the attention that Johnston Falls gets so you most likely… Continue reading

Moraine Lake & The Twenty-Dollar View

  Moraine Lake   Just a short drive from Lake Louise is a smaller lake, smaller in size but as spectacular as any of the surrounding lakes. It’s situated in the Valley of… Continue reading

Lake Louise, Canada

  Lake Louise   Travel along Canada’s Highway 1 west of Calgary and south of Jasper and you will come to Lake Louise. Just 45 minutes from the town of Banff in Alberta, Canada, is… Continue reading

Discovery of Banff

  Discovery of Banff   I hope you excuse me for my ignorance. I had never heard of Banff, Canada. My ignorance had kept me from the knowledge of such an amazing place.… Continue reading

Mount Baldy & The Convenient Hiker

  Mount San Antonio, or better known as Mount Baldy, isn’t the highest mountain in Southern California but it’s the highest in the San Gabriel Mountain Range. Mount Baldy is visible from much… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Three Wise Monkeys

  Three Wise Monkeys see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil. They go about there lives with enjoyment, swinging from tree to tree, enjoying the fruits of the forest. From… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Playtime

      Playtime   Most of the world is not fortunate enough to have playgrounds filled with swings and slides for children to play with.  How do they exercise their pent-up energy? The world becomes their playground.… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Shimmering Sunset

  Shimmering Sunset   The golden hour, the end of another day. No matter how awful it was it will always end with magic. The lucky few enjoying the end of the day… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Succulent Beauty Inspires

     Succulent Beauty Inspires   In a world full of despair, it’s hard to find a silver lining. Social and political conflicts hang over our lives like a gloomy cloud lingering in… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Family Bond

    Family Bond   Your family bond can be strengthened if you share goals, do family responsibilities together, have family meetings, encourage and support each other, and eat meals together. Accomplish these… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Take Me To Church

  Take me to church on time so I can be closer to god, so I can be in the front pews, so I can admire the centuries old architecture, and so I can… Continue reading

Playa del Carmen

    Playa del Carmen   Loved places or things often have multiple names associated with it. There is such a place located on the Mexican coast, an area off the Caribbean on… Continue reading

Cenote Dos Ojos, Mexico

     Cenote Dos Ojos   The word “Cenote” is pronounced say-no-tay and is derived from a Mayan word sacred well. A combination of geological events and climate changes created an incredible and… Continue reading

The Xel-Ha Experience

    Once upon a time, long long ago, three brothers entered a lush jungle filled with high-adrenaline activities such as cliff diving, zipline over water and exploring a Cenote. In the middle of… Continue reading

Whale Sharks of The Yucatan

I travel not to escape life, but to live it. After all, our time is limited as mortal beings. I just returned from a trip to the Yucatan that featured one of the… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Again and Again

  Again and Again   When you love something so much, you want it over and over.. again and again. When you’ve found a part of the world you truly enjoy, you make… Continue reading

Time, Elusive Time

    Time, Elusive Time   How often do we reflect upon life and ask ourselves “what is the most important commodity in our lives.” Most will answer with material things such as… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Shady Tree

  Shady Tree   In the vast Savanna of the Rift Valley, a shady tree can be your best friend. The heat can make the grassy fields appear to be on fire. Under… Continue reading

Palm Springs Tram and Alpine Forest

      Palm Springs is a popular destination in the California desert. It offers multiple activities and attractions  for people from Southern California to flock to this city on weekends and some… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Ghostly Figures

  Ghostly Figures    For those who believe in the paranormal, anything is possible. The deceased roam the world, caught in purgatory, unable to enter heaven. Existing in the same world they once inhabited… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Desert Timber

  Desert Timber   In a sea of sand the occasional tree sprouts. Does it know it’s fight for survivor is fleeting? Yet, it reaches for the sun. The same sun that hinders… Continue reading

Live Oak and The Monastery

  Live Oak Trail and the Monastery   As many hikes do, this one started early. After a short drive to Trabuco Canyon I met my Sherpa, Harish, and the rest of my… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Hilltop Hitching Post

  What a beautiful hilltop hitching post and me with no horse. A great place to rest, replenish my energy with a protein barn and rehydrate for the hike down the trail. But… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Golden Zanzibar

  Golden Zanzibar Zanzibar is beautiful in the daylight. The view in the clear blue waters isn’t bad either. But, definitely, don’t miss the sunset as the dhows dart across the horizon and darkness blankets… Continue reading

Trail Flowers

  Trail Flowers Hiking can be a grueling form of exercise and so time-consuming if your trail is of the longer variety. Recently, I’ve been doing more local hikes in the Orange County area… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Gift shop and more

  Gift shops are commonly viewed with disdain for selling useless items. These shops can be the life blood of small towns around the world who depend on them, economically. Realistically, they’re vital… Continue reading

Lovable

  Lovable He’s not a model of beauty by any means. His character, charm and quick wit will be missed by all if judged solely by his appearance.  He’s one you’ll keep in… Continue reading

SnapShot Sunday – Faded

  Faded A life full of long days filled with strenuous work, moving dirt and boulders around the worksite have taken its toll. This little bulldozer has seen better days and it wears its… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Floral Endowment

      The maker gave us flowers to remind us of the beauty that can come from this, sometimes, cruel world. The nectar of flowers gives bees sustenance and a foundation for their honeycombs.  This… Continue reading

Tale of Mountain Lions and The East Ridge Trail

  The East Ridge Trail of Caspers Wilderness Park is definitely not a difficult or advance hike. The park is located in Orange County, California, at the foot of the Cleveland National Forest. The beauty… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Lily Pad Crowned Beautiful

  Lily Pad Crowned Beautiful Water so clean it’s unnoticeable to the eye and the lily pads appear to be floating. The surroundings so pristine a frog would be proud to hop from… Continue reading

Love’s True Stripes

    Love’s True Stripes It’s said that love knows no bounds, a colorless emotion that can control lives. A level of adornment equal to the worship of deity. For some, its elusive as… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Chasing Waterfalls

  Chasing waterfalls The explorers looked for new passages and conquistadors lusted for gold with the same enthusiasm as todays travelers chasing waterfalls. They are said to be the legendary source of rainbows.  Waterfalls exude power while… Continue reading

Snapshot Sunday – Aging of History

  Aging of History, a redundant statement but one to be heeded. The beautiful become worn and the powerful weaken with age. The ruins of Cahal Pech in Belize was once a symbol of the… Continue reading