Bugforce Scale
Bugforce Scale as proposed by Paul Wagner 0 is Zero. Really. No mosquitoes or other biting bugs
Read MoreHiking Destinations
The following is a reference I use when selecting the next hiking or backpacking destination with a bias toward Northern California. I make it in 2002 and just now am updating in because many of the links were out of date. I have been meaning … “Hiking Destinations”
Read MorePacking List
The following is my typical packing list. Items “*” are optional. This list was extracted from my Packing & Traveling Light post. For a more complete description of these items see my yearly gear for life list. This list also exists as a google sheet which … “Packing List”
Read MoreWine Country
You can get commercial information from NapaValley.COM. For years, I found The Best of the Wine Country to be a useful guidebook to the area, but it’s out of date now. Wine Wine is the first order of business. There are more than 400 wineries in the Napa … “Wine Country”
Read MoreSan Francisco
San Francisco is a beautiful, world class city. There are numerous museums, places of nature beautiful, great food, and well known tourist spots. You could easily spend several weeks exploring San Francisco and only scratch the surface. The SF City Pass can be a good … “San Francisco”
Read MoreMonterey Penisula & Big Sur
I would recommend taking two days to explore the area around Monterey. If you had a lot of time you could make it a four day leg and continue down Route 1 to Hearst Castle / San Simeon, Morro Bay, San Louis Obispo, and then … “Monterey Penisula & Big Sur”
Read MoreMonta Loma Neighborhood and the Mid-Penisula
The Monta Loma (MLN) neighborhood was constructed in the 1950s as affordable housing in a “California Modern” style by three different developers. It’s on the northern end of Mountain View, adjacent to Palo Alto, and Los Altos. The neighborhood is bordered by the roads San … “Monta Loma Neighborhood and the Mid-Penisula”
Read MoreCamino de Santiago
In the next couple of years I plan to walk the Camino de Santiago. The following are notes I pulled together for myself which might be useful to others who are considering walking The Way of Saint James. I am considering integrating this pilgrimage with the 30 … “Camino de Santiago”
Read MoreGreat Meals
I tend to prefer mildly spicy food with complex combinations of tastes. Southwest, Mexican, Indian, Thai, Fusion, Californian, and especially Pacific Rim. I can enjoy classic French and Vietnamese, but the subtlety is sometimes lost on me. Great meals involve more than food. It also … “Great Meals”
Read MoreTravel Packs
I think most people would be best served packing light, and using a carry on size “travel pack” which is a cross between a backpack and soft-side luggage. Travel packs will often have light weight internal frames to make them easier to carry, handles on … “Travel Packs”
Read MoreRecommended Clothing
I recommend clothing that can be comfortably worn day after day for a wide variety of activities. My clothing is typically made from technical fibers or merino wool which provides good mobility, decent durability, is light weight, fast drying, and odor/stain resistant. I use mostly … “Recommended Clothing”
Read MoreGetting a Good Night Sleep in the Outdoors
Many people under estimate the value of a good night of sleep. If you don’t cherish your sleep, you might want to read The Problem of Sleep which does a good job of documenting the value of sleep, what interferes with good sleep, and what the negative … “Getting a Good Night Sleep in the Outdoors”
Read MoreSan Francisco Bay Area
There are a number of general websites which cover the bay area including Yahoo Bay Area, SFGate (Chronicle & Examiner), San Jose Mercury News, CitySearch SF, Yelp and Craigslist. This post is mostly about living in the SF bay area. I have a separate post about visiting Northern California as a tourist. … “San Francisco Bay Area”
Read MoreSykes Hot Springs
Sykes Hot Springs is one of my favorite places to take first time backpackers who are reasonably fit. The destination has some nice hot springs and a trout filled stream. The hike is pretty. The trip is long enough that people have a sense they … “Sykes Hot Springs”
Read MoreHawaii – The Big Island
I love the Big Island. You get a more more diverse experience than any of the other islands. General Hawaii Information Hawaii: Off the Beaten Path by Sean Pager is a bit dated now, but I have found it to be the best single guidebook which … “Hawaii – The Big Island”
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