These pictures are from three different trips to Finland (about 8 weeks total) in 2008. If you like the outdoors then I can't think of a place on Earth that is better. The whole country is one big forest with many, many lakes spread throughout. It is a runner's and hiker's dream with trails everywhere! Most of the pictures to follow are from central and eastern Finland along with some pics around Helsinki. Helsinki was an interesting city to visit. I was especially excited to see the Olympic Stadium and statue of the great Paavo Nurmi (namesake of my dog). I [View Full Entry]

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In the summer of 2005 I had the opportunity to see some beautiful sights in Greece while on a conference trip. The trip took me first to Athens with a side trip to Hydra, Poros, and Aegina. Being a huge fan of the Olympics it was interesting to see the stadium of the first modern Olympic games in Athens. Also, the Parthenon and area around it was fun to explore. The Parthenon itself is difficult to get a picture of minus people or scaffolding but is still a great thing to see nonetheless. A friend who had also traveled to the [View Full Entry]

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Monument Valley was our last stop cruising through the national parks in Utah (March, 2008). We timed it just right driving into the valley about an hour before sunset. The views and light at that time are incredible. There is a great view from the road where Forrest Gump stopped running in the movie. We didn't pay to do the drive through the Navajo Reservation but we got the effect anyway. The view made famous by Director John Ford is on the "pay for" drive so shell out the $4/person fee if you have time and want that perspective. Also, the [View Full Entry]

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We visited Arches National Park (March, 2008) after Zion, Bryce, and Coral Reef. It is very impressive and more populated. We had become accustomed to seeing only a handful of people on the park trails until we came here. The diversity of arches here is impressive indeed. We attempted to see nearly the entire park in one day but still left not seeing the arches in the middle of the park, particularly around balanced rock. Seeing Delicate Arch during sunset though is a must. It was quite chilly waiting when we were there but definitely worth it. The arch itself is [View Full Entry]

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After visiting Zion and Bryce we weren't sure what we were in for at Capital Reef National Park. Needless to say, we were pleasantly surprised and very impressed. If you get a chance take the short hike above Chimney Rock-the views are amazing. Also, we did a day hike consisting of Cohab Canyon, Cassidy Arch Trail, along with the Narrows and found it to be quite rewarding. We were lucky enough to come across three mountain sheep including an impressive looking ram (see picture). The town of Torrey was really limited in terms of what was open in early March. Unfortunately, [View Full Entry]

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Our second stop on our tour of National Parks was at Bryce Canyon National Park. At this time of year the weather is still very cold at this elevation (8,000-9,000ft.) so many of the good hikes were not open. But we did the Navajo loop that I would highly recommend. Bryce is full of rock formations called Hoodoos. One of the most famous is Thor's Hammer and you can get a much better view of the Hammer by walking down on the Navajo loop. You can walk through Wall Street, a nice slot canyon. [View Full Entry]

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So, the first stop in our tour of southern Utah and northern Arizona was Zion National Park. On the first day we took in the main canyon and on the second we did a full day hike in Kolob Canyon. The 13-mile hike through Kolob Canyon to the Kolob Arch is a highlight that not many people get to experience. We stayed at the Best Western in Springdale that is just outside the park. Very nice hotel, convenient, with great views (and we snuck in on the winter rates by one day). On day 1 we started with the Sandy Beach [View Full Entry]

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In August of 2004 I visited Kauai and I wanted to do the Kalalau Trail after hearing about it from friends and reading that it was one of the best coastal hikes in the world. Well, in short it is amazing! Most guidebooks typically recommend 3-5 days to do the trail. Well, I don't listen well--I had it in my mind that I would do it all in one day--11 miles out and 11 miles back. But, it is not really the distance that is so daunting but the fact that the trail narrows so much in places and is exposed [View Full Entry]

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In July of 2006 I was lucky enough to be able to go Melbourne, Queensland, and Tasmania (another entry). Melbourne is now one of my favorite cities. I just loved running down by the Yarra River and exploring around town. It was nice to also see another former Olympic site. While there I also took in the Great Ocean Road for a day--a trip I won't forget. If you get the chance to see it please go! Then it was off to Queensland with Cairns as a base. I was able to go snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef, take in [View Full Entry]

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The pictures in this posting are simply a collection of some of my better pictures from a variety of locations over the past few years. Enjoy! [View Full Entry]

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