Good Pursuits – Page 28

The AT: My Hike-Bike Loop

Post author By TravisGood
Post date June 2, 2009
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Appalachian Trail - Compton Gap to Hogback — Along the Appalachian Trail, a stretch from Compton Gap to Hogback.

Finally I’m hiking wholly within Shenandoah National Park. Better still, the Appalachian Trail is roughly paralleling Skyline Drive which runs along the crest of the 105 mile long national park. As you can see above, it’s beautiful country seen on a spectacular day.

To this point I’ve had to hike the AT and then retrace my steps to get back to my car. This essentially had me walking each stretch of the AT twice, once in each direction. If covering the length of the park is my goal then this was a pretty inefficient way to go about it. With the Trail loosely following the road I now had an option. I could hike one way and bike the other.

Lighthouse Road Travel

Lighthouses of Maine

Maine Lighthouse — Big sky and big sea can add to a light’s lure, especially when it’s perched up high as Owl Head lighthouse was. In Maine the variety is great but it can be a challenge finding a good view of the lights!

Maine’s coast is rocky and littered with little islands. It’s easy to understand why 82 lighthouses were needed to keep water traffic safe. This density of lights is what drew me to Maine’s coast, along with the promise of a visit to Acadia National Park. What wasn’t expected was the outlandish side trip to Prince Edward Island in Canada.

Hike Ocean Road Travel

Acadia National Park

Jordan Pond is a spot I got a bit caught-up in. The water is crystal clear, the water was like glass, and the surrounding hills were quite the spectacle. No wonder I returned there four times!

Twenty five years ago Beth and I spent some of our honeymoon in Bar Harbor so we could enjoy this neighboring national park. My memory of Acadia was vague. I remembered islands, camping at ocean’s edge, and eating lobster but not much more. Perhaps it was the good vibe of getting married mixed with a wondrous setting but returning has long been a travel priority.

Bridge Lighthouse Road Travel

Lights of Prince Edward Island

Post author By TravisGood
Post date May 15, 2009
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PEI Bridge — Until 1998, the only way to get to Prince Edward Isle was by ferry. Now, the Confederation Bridge will get you across the seven mile gap for the small fee of $37. Ouch!

The bridge took me across to Canada’s smallest province. A beautiful island of rolling hills. The setting of House of Green Gables. A land of lighthouses aplenty. On my last visit to PEI charmed me so from my Maine trip I was motivated to make this mad-dash for a quick visit.

What did I do? Why shoot lighthouses of course!

Hike Mountain Travel

The AT: Entering Shenandoah

Post author By TravisGood
Post date May 3, 2009
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Leave No Trace — As with many borders, were it not for the signs you wouldn’t know there was a border. Along the AT into the Shenandoah National Park I saw this sign ... I was glad to have arrived!

The forecast was for rain and there was a downpour as I drove to the trailhead. I was prepared for rain but I would have preferred not to slog through the mud. As it turned out I was very luck. It didn’t rain at all.

Where the Appalachian Trail crosses US 522 is where I started my hike.

Hike Mountain Travel

The AT: Appalachian Trail

Post author By TravisGood
Post date April 24, 2009
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AT Sign — There are few of these signs along the way but they’re located at strategic points. Here, next to I-66, was the start of the segment I hiked which is referenced as VA-Secton 5.

The trail is 2178 miles long and runs from Maine to Georgia. It’s world renown and it runs through the Shenandoah Mountains which are practically in my backyard. I like hiking so it’s a natural stomping ground for me. My past walks along it were purely by chance as parts of different hikes. Today my goal was the AT.

Lighthouse Road Travel

Oregon Trek

Crescent City Lighthouse — Lighthouses sure hold a special appeal for me. Along the coast I saw 15 different lighthouses and most had a unique charm all its own. Here you can see the Crescent City lighthouse at dawn.

My trip started with the celebration of my mother’s 70th birthday, it continued with a slew of visits and day trips, this was followed by a nine-day 3,000-mile drive around Oregon, and finished with a micro-reunion of high school classmates. I came away with a renewed appreciation for Oregon, its diversity of beauty, and its history. It really is an impressive State.

If you’re curious to know more then you can check out my trip site here.

Bridge Look Back Travel

A Look Back: London Bridges

Post author By TravisGood
Post date April 2, 2009
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No, it’s not the London Bridge but this iconic structure is often mistaken for it’s famous cousin. This is the Tower Bridge and it is easily the most commanding of all of London’s bridges.

For some odd reason bridges hold a fascination for me. It may be due to the fact that all their architectural wonder is on display for everyone to see. The variety and beauty also contribute as does size, either small or large. I seem drawn to bridges and in this quiet period while I’m traveling around Oregon I thought I’d post a retrospective to some bridge pictures.

To see a gallery of the 17 bridges crossing the Thames in London click here. <fix>

Museum Travel

National Firearms Museum

Yes that’s Luke Skywalker of Star Wars fame and yes I did find it funny that his light saber was on display at the National Firearems Museum. Oh, and yes, it was perhaps my favorite item on exhibit.

I’m not normally a firearms enthusiast. Their primary purpose of taking life is not something I think very highly of. However, I can get enthusiastic when I look at guns and rifles as precision machinery which have evolved over the centuries. This museum did a good job of showing off the mechanical evolution of firearms and that aspect I really enjoyed.

Hike Technology Travel

GoodPursuitsTech

Old Rag Climb Stats — Hike, take pictures, and gather data all the while. This is just one example of a technology I use called geotracking which allows me to gather positioning information to use with pictures, maps, and more.

What is GoodPursuitsTech?