We’ve traveled 26 hours and half way around the world to experience Africa. After a night of catching up on sleep in the Sun Intercontinental Hotel at Johannesburg Airport, Alan and I catch the charter flight to Ivory Lodge at Lion Sands, a property in the Sabi Sands game preserve adjacent to Krueger National Park. When we arrive at Skukuza Airport, which is little more than a paved landing strip, Ivory Lodge guides, Lucas and Joseph, gather our luggage, then Alan and I climb into the Land Rover f [View Full Entry]

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Here we go, scratching our itchy travel feet again. Alan and I are in the Atlanta airport waiting for our connection to Johannesburg. This time we'll be traveling on safari at two different game reserves before exploring the South African coast. Then, we board the Navigator in Cape Town to sail across the Atlantic to Rio. We've met the challenges of packing lighter (well sort of), lived through the immunizations and are ready for our next adventure. I'll be posting as time and internet allow. Stay tuned. This trip will produce memorable photos. [View Full Entry]

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After two days of jostling around on the four-wheel drive trails near Ouray, it’s time for another kind of muscle challenging activity - horseback riding. It seems odd to be paying the fee and signing waivers on the side of Highway 550. What if the horsewoman in the pickup truck drives away with our money? But, she doesn’t. Instead, she tells us to turn onto CR-14 for the winding drive back into the hills to the national forest access. The horses are chewing grass, patiently waiting, at the end [View Full Entry]

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This morning, after fueling our bodies with breakfast at Silver Nugget, we head for the four-wheel drive trails to Engineer Pass. With many of them still closed due to snow damage, choices are limited. So, we pick an old standby, Mineral Pass Trail. This road is always bumpy with boulders and today is no exception. In addition avalanche debris litters the area. But, soon, the view changes from devastation to mountain meadows carpeted in yellow blooms. Summer has come earlier to this side of the San Juan’s. After a muddy, rocky climb, we pass snowmelt trickling through alpine tun [View Full Entry]

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Today’s adventure includes exploring the trails in Yankee Boy Basin and Imogene Pass, high above Ouray, Colorado. Our 4-wheel drive friends, Dave and Cindy, plus their daughter Makenna, have joined us in Ouray for two days of driving the old mining trails that meander through the San Juan Mountains. On the Yankee Boy Basin Trail , the jeeps lurch over rocky ground, slowing down to inch along a narrow ledge that hugs the mountain on one side, with a steep drop-off on the other. Far below, old shac [View Full Entry]

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Colorful flowers blaze in a bright morning sun while hummingbirds flit around the deck as we enjoy a breakfast of Southwestern eggs benedict at Leroux Creek Inn. It’s hard to tear away from the beautiful scene to start the drive to Ouray, Colorado and the next part of our adventure. Since we have all day to make the short drive, Alan and I explore the portion of West Elk Loop that travels from Somerset to Crested Butte before rejoining the highway that continues through Gunnison, Montrose and eventually Ouray. First, the journey takes us beside the organic farms in Hotchkiss and [View Full Entry]

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What is it about an off-the-beaten-path location that is so appealing? Alan and I treasure the lack of crowds and the chance to discover something that not too many people know about. The [url=http://myitchytravelfeet.com/2009/02/05/hiking-the-north-rim-at-black-canyon-of-the-gunnison-national-park/]north rim of The Black Canyon of the Gunnison fits all of those parameters. Since I’m not the camping type, we choose [url=http://myitchytravelfeet.com/2008/09/06/leroux-creek-inn-colorados-answer-to-the-french-wine-country/] Leroux Creek Inn & Vineyards in Hotchkiss, Colorado [View Full Entry]

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Alan and I believe in slow travel, which means staying off the Interstate whenever possible. It also means taking our time reaching a destination. After leaving Greer, Hotchkiss, Colorado is the next major stop for us, farther than we want to drive in one day. So, that’s how we find ourselves sleeping in a schoolhouse in Dolores Colorado. Actually, Alan discovered Lebanon Schoolhouse Bed and Breakfast on the internet. The historic building nestles in Colorado farmland a few miles north of Cortez, Colorado. The sight of rolling green hills is a relief after a day’s drive through [View Full Entry]

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With Sonoran Desert temperatures reaching triple digits, Alan and I agree that it’s time for a road trip. The first stop on our “cooling off” journey is Greer, Arizona. Located in the White Mountains, the tiny village offers quiet seclusion combined with plenty of nature. It’s our kind of place. At The Amberian Peaks Lodge, our home for two nights, we can view the entire valley from the multi-level deck. We’ve found our spot for morning coffee or sipping a glass of wine in the late afternoon sun. And, at an elevation of over 8,000 ft., we quickly revive from Tu [View Full Entry]

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After checking out of our Kiawah Island condo, Alan and I spend an afternoon touring Charleston, SC before driving to Atlanta. With only a few hours to spare, it’s hard to choose between museums, home tours and carriage rides through the historic district. We need help. Alan eases the rental car into the only short-term parking space at the Visitor’s Center. He waits while I run inside to pick up brochures and advice. The place is packed with out-of-town visitors lining up to make reservations for area attractions. I return to the car with maps and a battle plan. After dr [View Full Entry]

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