It was the first combination of my head being mostly free of mucous and the skies not being full of storms since, well, Christmas, I suppose, so I hit the trails. They were ankle-deep in mud, but I was prepared.…
Tom's travels
Looking ahead
by tmangan • January 3, 2006 • 3 Comments
2005 is so last year; it’s time to think about this one. I know just one thing for sure: I’m planning a week in mid-September in Southern Utah at a bed & breakfast located strategically between Zion and Bryce Canyon…
Blogs
A South Bay hiker’s blog
by tmangan • January 3, 2006 • 0 Comments
Bumped into Don’s Musings, the creation of a guy who lives and hikes in the South Bay, where a lot of my hikes happen. Don’s already got a few nice writeups on local parks, including a small one I’d never…
Photography
Where eagles pair
by tmangan • December 30, 2005 • 0 Comments
Happened across a great picture of two bald eagles on a branch in Virginia. If that gets you in the birdwatching mood, Dan Mitchell has a few swell pix of pelicans.
Blogs, Gear
Gear up for your next trek
by tmangan • December 30, 2005 • 1 Comment
Treknologies is a blog about nifty gadgets for outdoor travel. The author has an interesting post about MREs, those packaged meals made for the U.S. military. Each meal typically contains around 1,200 calories in a 13 to 18oz package. An…
Blogs
Go-to links at GoBlog
by tmangan • December 30, 2005 • 1 Comment
GoBlog gave me a shout-out to attend Winter Trail Days, which includes free clinics on showshoeing and cross-country skiing in various winter-sports meccas around the country. I’m flattered (and tempted) but I’m also recovering from spending the last 18 months…
Gear
Christmas giftage
by tmangan • December 29, 2005 • 0 Comments
While the bells are still jingling in my head, I might as well gloat over the hiking-related stuff I got for Christmas. Melissa gave me the National Audubon Society Field Guide to California. It’s got the most common flora/fauna you’ll…
Blogs
Someplace to take your snowshoes
by tmangan • December 29, 2005 • 0 Comments
GoBlog points to one option: hut-to-hutting in the high Sierra. I’m still in my “snow is why houses and fireplaces were invented” frame of mind, but I realize others actually like getting out into it.
Gear
Put some bounce in your hike
by tmangan • December 29, 2005 • 0 Comments
Next time out, try this high-tech pogo stick. Allegedly its users can get up to five feet of air on each bounce. I know, sounds like quadriplegia waiting to happen. Reviews at amazon.com and just for fun, somebody doing a…