Science! Psuedo-science! Nature! Art! Nonsense!
November 11, 2022
hiking, mountain, nature, photography, travel hiking, mountains, nature, Norway, photography, travel, vettisfossen, video, waterfall 2 Comments
The day could not have been prettier. Light rain, but gorgeous light. And peak Fall leaves. And waterfalls everywhere you look. The funny thing is, though we hiked about 13km, we never made it to the big waterfall! Ran out of light.
I guess we’ll just have to go back
THIS is not the one! But look. Spectacular does not even begin to describe this walk.
We had some very late lunch very near the top at an old farmstead and village.
The turn around point.
November 11, 2022
hiking, travel dogs, gøran, hiking, mountains, nature, Norway, nova, photography, romey, travel, video 2 Comments
Sometimes walking out the door and around back is the best way to hike. We bushwhacked up through juniper and blueberry towards a small lake where fish are rumored to live. Tyinkrysset, Norway is beautiful.
This little stream is just up the road a few hundred meters.
Here are some pictures of our walk in the mountains.
A view of the valley.
Chilly Romey.
Panorama
Our intrepid hosts at the top. Our fearless leader Nova was dressed for the weather.
We love being in Norway.
Coffee and brown cheese? Nova says yes.
November 8, 2022
hiking, mountain, nature, travel gøran, hiking, kongevegen, Norway, nova, romey, stave church 1 Comment
The trail, built by hand with horses and carts through steep mountain passes, is incredible. Like a movie set. This is one hike in Norway not to miss. We did a few kilometers day hike to the Stave Church completed in the 1180s.
The Kings Road is what Kongevegen means, BTW. The scenery at peak Fall is stunning and magical.
Romey and the logo bench.
Just up over the pass the first view of the Stave Church.
We approached from behind (with a herd of sheep). These are not the sheep!
Our fearless leader Nova.
Don’t eat the mushrooms.
A quiet moment of conversation.
A boy and his dog!
An impressive waterfall on the drive home.
Coffee stop.
And back home for beer and a small fire. This is the only kind of smoking that I like to do.
November 8, 2022
hiking, mountain, nature, photography backwards waterfall, gøran, nature, Norway, photography, reindeer, romey, video, waterfall, waterfalls 1 Comment
It’s pretty far to get to the waterfall, and the directions are tricky.
Maybe it’s that way?
Should we follow the reindeer?
And you have to stop by the visitors center snack place where they have really nothing. No coffee today, no waffles, nope, no water, sorry only candy made from juniper berries.
But there it is! Upness in a waterfall.
OK. Not the best waterfall in Norway, or really even the most interesting. But there were reindeer!
Peekaboo romey.
On the way home we dreamed of bubbles.
July 20, 2022
hiking, nature, travel ave maria, bariosco, hiking, italy, opera, passagiata, rialmosso, rosazza, shooka Leave a comment
On my last day in Rialmosso (Italy) after all three performances were behind us, the hiking boots finally came out. Sadly the boots were massive overkill since the “hike” was really just a walk and the walk was really just a stroll. But, I lugged those boots all the way here from Virginia, so on they go!
Anyway, the stroll in the park was behind Rosazza on a mountain trail that was well tended and obvious in the Italian way. Gorgeous, filled with green trees, burbling creeks, and an ancient Italian village at the top.
I like listening to the woods as much as looking at them. The sounds were curative.
We did the blue hikewalkstroll.
The four others included Santa Mariela, Matt (of the piano), Shooka (of the opera), and Dani (movement artist).
A fellow Tennessean.
A miniature concert at the top by Shooka with some movement by Dani.
After the walk we headed down to town (about one km away) and revisited Auto Bahn. The others joined us there for dinner.
Tutti per la cena.
Stevie demonstrates proper chaise lounge form.
The imitators.
Ciao, bella!
December 1, 2021
hiking, mountain, photography bergen, funicular, hike, negroni, no stress bar, Norway Leave a comment
The funicular is being renovated, so a walk to the top was in order. The walk was easy and beautiful. It proceeds in stages, zooming out as you gain in elevation.
If you start with cake, you must hike to the top.
icicle
Listen to the drips.
proof
Then the slide down.
Then a visit to No Stress for a Negroni before heading out on the metro.
Fin.
January 2, 2020
dogs, farm, hiking, mountain, photography blue ridge, dogs, gem, hiking, nature, photography, river, shenandoah, shenandoah river Leave a comment
Three views from the corner.
Trio one
Trio two
Trio three
The walk.
Mogli blends
Shenandoah
Light
Tree fire
September 16, 2019
hiking, photography australia, blue mountains, gem, hiking, katoomba, nature, photography, stairs, video, wentworth falls 2 Comments
As it turns out, getting from Katoomba to Wentworth Falls in a taxi (all of 4 miles) costs more than a roundtrip train ride to Sydney. Brian and I had quite the adventure because when we arrived at the train station there were no luggage lockers. Ultimately a very nice hairdresser near the station said she would watch our bags while we did a quick morning hike.
So it was off on a 1 hour and 50 minute walk of around 3.5 miles with a 1000 foot elevation delta. Yes, we did some stairs, but not all of them this time. Once again, the weather was perfect.
We made the Sydney train with only 1 minute to wait before departure. Excellent “plan.”
Wentworth falls trail is cut directly into the cliff
Wentworth falls in the early morning
Upper pool
September 15, 2019
hiking, mountain, travel australia, blue mountains, dardanelles pass, federal pass, furber steps, gem, giant stairway, hiking, katoomba, lilianfels, photography, three sisters, travel, video 2 Comments
In about three hours, Brian and I hiked 6.3 miles covering an elevation delta of 1600 feet. We started at Lilianfells,took the Prince Henry trail over to the Furber Steps, went down the steps (with some great views of Katoomba Falls), hiked Federal pass to Honeymoon Lookout, doubled back through the Dardanelles Pass and then climbed up the 900 steps of the Giant Stairway to the Three Sisters. Finishing with the climb up the steps was interesting.
Katoomba
Katoomba falls
Brian takes a picture
Picture in picture
Katoomba
Overlook Mt Solitary
Katoomba Falls
Spring Fiddleheads (Australia September)
Rain forest Katoomba
Turning point
View from Dardenelles
Heading up the Gianty Stairway
Only 1/2 way up. Exhausting climb.
Three sisters. Alone.
All in all, an incredible hike on a gorgeous day. Better ending up than down.
April 10, 2019
farm, flowers, hiking, photography, river bluebells, nature, photography, river, shenadoah river, shenandoah, Spring Leave a comment
The bluebells are peaking in mid-April this year (a bit early), so we are outta here, headed to Norway for more winter. Because we, um, actually we think we’re nuts.
Here are some pictures from the daily walk.
Willie likes Spring
Bluebells by the river (this is our home loop)
The dogs have lost the trail!
The greening of the Blue Ridge has begun
This field smells like honey
Pollen leg is a thing
Footbridge on Wheat Spring Branch
