Counseling for the Daring Traveler
It all begins when you decide to break away without the “group of tourists” surrounding you. You may be planning to go it alone, with a companion or with a few friends that share your enthusiasm for adventure; and it’s not that difficult! Perhaps this site will offer some helpful advice to motivate you into action, to decide where to go, when to go and how to plan to get there. There may be even a thought or two on what to do when you arrive at your destination. This advice comes from a well seasoned traveler that rarely uses a travel agent or travel agency to plan for me and my traveling companions.
Christmas Makes Me Young Again…
Traditions are important and Christmas, for me, is #1. Without a lot of planning, we jumped in our car and headed to Washington D.C. to see the Christmas lights at the National Zoo.
The parrots were among the brightest and happiest!
If your nearest zoo doesn’t offer a light show for Christmas, then just drive through your neighborhoods…there are some spectacular displays out there!
These guys and gals really made me feel like a kid again…see how I shrunk!
But finally, there is no place like home for the holidays…
My pup is worn out from all the fun decorating the family tree…
May your holidays be Merry and Bright as we close out 2024.
The Final 3…
For 10 years the quest to ride a Harley Davidson motorcycle in all 50 USA states has come to an end…just returning from completing the last 3. Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin comprised the completion tour. It took 6 days, 10 states to ride through, 1 Lake Michigan crossing and 2042 miles in the saddle! Not too bad for a 74+ traveler…so do not let time or age stop you from fulfilling your own bucket list travels.
Crossing Lake Michigan was an interesting part of the trip having to ride my Harley into the hold of the ship in Michigan, strapping it down and then offloading on the Wisconsin side.
The Harley Davison Museum was the planned visit from the beginning; learning more about the history of the famous cultural iconic motorcycle! It may only be my generation and those before me that just had to ride a Harley…but the story told in this museum is incredible. Starting in 1903, this street and block taken up by the museum is actually where it all began; Milwaukee Wisconsin.
The first motorcycle pictured here was mostly a bicycle with a motor, which evolved into a true motorcycle similar to the next photo of my Fat Bob.
You can learn more here: https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/museum.html
Of course Wisconsin is also famous for “cheese”, so taking on a large helping of their cheese curds was also a necessary part of the adventure. Supplemented with a couple cold beers - but only walking to the bar - no riding and drinking alcohol ever!
Avoiding the super highways, you can experience the roads like this scene in Iowa; rough and bumpy in spots and dusty from the harvesting….but interesting too!
Camino de Santiago… via eBike
From Leon, Spain to St. James the Apostle Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, via eBike along the Camino Frances is about 300 km (or roughly 186 miles): that’s a fact. Another fact is one can only find a tiny portion along that route that is without slope up or down! The “ups” outnumbered the “downs” at least 3 to 1; or at least that is how it felt! The fact is it is a difficult ride, and if you survive it, you’ll look back and forget those painfully long upgrades and marvel at the beauty this part of Spain has to offer. Along the way you will also have time to think about the significance of why so many people make the trek to the burial place of one of Christ’s disciples!
I highly recommend traveling one of the several Camino routes, either via foot or via bike/eBike to check this off a bucket list. Just don’t wait until you’re in your 70’s!
Here are a few shots to peak your curiosity about going, or if you have gone, bring back some fond memories:
Artificial Intelligence for us travelers…
As a traveler and amateur picture taker, I have always been reluctant to “doctor” my pictures for lots of reasons. Primarily, I am not an artist, but rather a photographer…so what you see with the photo straight from the camera is what you get! And I would rather be traveling and taking pictures than sitting indoors playing on Photoshop or some such complex photo doctor program. BUT… now we have AI! So for fun, I will share my first Generative Artificial Intelligence adventure…
Tourists everywhere making it impossible to get a picture of this unique natural occurrence without someone’s backside!
But with a couple key strokes and only moments at the computer I was able to make those pesky tourists disappear so that I can enjoy the natural beauty of this precarious rock formation in the Garden of the Gods, located at Colorado Springs, Colorado!
Amazing how my fond memories of this glorious trip have changed! Seems my wife and I were all alone to enjoy the natural beauty along this drive through in the Garden of the Gods!
This is a trip worth taking even if you choose not to A.I. out the people in the original photo…https://gardenofgods.com/