Beat the November Blues

October 28, 2009

The Vancouver forecast is suggesting two weeks of rain with the sun perhaps peeking out on only one of those days. I must stop looking at the weather channel as I just get depressed. However, it is the perfect time of year to start planning your winter adventure, a spring break or a summer vacation.

I am constantly amazed by people who have no idea what to do for a getaway,  perhaps because they’ve been on one too many prepackaged affairs where they end up bored by the third day. So here are some ideas to chew on with today’s focus on winter adventures.

Cold weather trips

1. Plan a ski trip to a locale where the sun shines more often than not. Places to consider are resorts in the British Columbia interior, Colorado, Idaho and Utah. Try Alta, Utah for amazing powder and Steamboat, Colorado for a friendly atmosphere. Silver Star Resort in the Okanagan offers some of the best early cross country skiing.
2. Look for deals and head to Europe for a mix of skiing and culture. Enjoy the 2 hour slopeside lunches with a bottle of wine and hire the cute ski guide to take you off the beaten path.
3. Sign up for the Canadian Ski Marathon, held in Quebec, in the second week of February. It is North America’s longest and oldest ski tour. It is a 2 day, 160 kilometre event where everyone’s a winner!
4. Ski the Birkebeiner in Wisconsin over the last weekend in February. It is a 50 km course and the biggest ski race in the US.
5. Head to Ottawa, Ontario and skate on the Rideau Canal the world’s longest skating rink. It has a cleared length of 4.8 miles.

Warm weather trips

1. Travel to Palm Springs but without the golf clubs. Enjoy the daily sunshine as you hike on one of the 140 trails in the area. You can hire Phillip, the author of the book, to take you off the beaten track. (and my downloadable  itinerary will be up by Christmas!)
2. If it’s cold in North America then it’s time to visit South America. Try a backpacking trip in Patagonia, tour Argentina where great values are to be had or head to Brazil and the beaches. Airfares are high to get there but the rest of your expenses will be low
3. Sea kayak in the Sea of Cortez in the Baja region of Mexico. A week of exercise, sun, beach and great sea and bird life should put a smile on your face. Try Baja Kayak Adventures for a reasonably priced trip.
4. Head to New Zealand for biking and hiking tours. Throw in some wine, great beaches, sunshine and some of the friendliest people on the planet for an unforgettable experience.
5. Asia offers value. Think about a trip to one of the following countries.

• Lombok, Indonesia with superb beaches and the possibility of a 2 day trek to the volcano, Gunung Rinjani
• Kuantan, Malayasia, 30 minutes by air from Kuala Lumpur where you’ll find both developed and undeveloped beaches
• Palawan, Phillipines for super clear waters and unspoiled corals
• Hua Hin, Thailand for beaches and golf though it is still a traditional fishing port

Stay active and stay tuned for more ideas.

Leigh McAdam

www.hikebiketravel.com

The World’s Best Rated Islands

October 27, 2009

National Geographic rated 111 of the world’s islands a few years ago based on sustainability and risk for tourism overkill. Issues such as cruise ship crowds overwhelming an island resulted in lower scores. Closer to home, comments were made about the loss of traditional families because of house prices as seen on Salt Spring Island. The editors were quick to point out that the islands are a work in progress and many are taking significant steps to counteract detrimental ecological and cultural practices.

Listed are some of the best islands followed by some of the most stressed islands.

Top 10 Scores (some were in a tie position)- considered to be in excellent shape for the longterm

• Faroe Islands (in Denmark) - remote and a cool climate so no wonder!
• Azores, Portugal - ecosystem is in great shape
• Lofoten, Norway - close to the Arctic; excellent museums & art galleries; kayakers paradise
• Shetland Islands, Scotland - great planning controls towards North Sea oil development
• Chiloé, Chile - gateway to fjord country
• Isle of Skye, Scotland - wild landscapes and a Gaelic language resurgence
• Kangaroo Island, Australia-tourism goes hand in hand with high environmental quality
• Mackinac Island, Michigan - no cars, no high rises
• Iceland - dramatic landscapes and unique culture
• Molokai, Hawaii - minimal beachfront development
• Aran Islands, Ireland - stong cultural heritage
• Texel, Netherlands - destination for vacation loving cyclists
• Dominica, Caribbean - rugged , green and friendly
• Grenadines, Caribbean - unspoiled beauty with great yachting
• Tasmania, Australia - some logging concerns but the nicest beaches I have ever seen plus great walks
• Bora-Bora, French Polynesia - natural and cultural beauty
• Fraser Island, Australia - a world heritage site though does have busloads of tourists
• Bornholm, Denmark - think homey, not spectacular
• Hydra, Greece - no cars and beautiful local architecture
• Falkland Islands, UK - slight problem with 1982 landmines & hiking!!
• Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia - vibrant Celtic & Acadian heritage
• Corsica, France - great mix of beach and mountains except in August

and here are some of the ones in trouble

• St. Thomas- US Virgin Islands - 4 out of 5 visitors are cruise ship passengers; the main city is described as one big jewellery store
• Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain - raver nightlife out of control but locals are working hard to regain control; some charm in places
• Providenciales, Turks & Caicos - strips of megahotels with busy beaches
• Jamaica, Caribbean - crime, poverty, tourist ghettos and dying reefs
• Hilton Head, South Carolina - souless suburbia
• Phuket, Thailand - ugly buildings, pollution and sex tourism
• Key West, Florida - overdeveloped and overun by those cruise ship passengers again though some enclaves of culture exist
• Oahu, Hawaii - environmental stresses; lack of interaction with locals
• Cozumel, Mexico - diving is still great but up to 10 cruise ships at a time
• St. Martin, Caribbean - high rise and strip development plus traffic
• Roatán Bay Islands, Honduras - invaded by cruise ship crowds and uncontrolled development

If you read through the whole article one must conclude that cruise ships are a huge part of the problem. If you’re thinking about cruising you just might want to rethink and research that trip a little bit more.

Leigh McAdam

Hikebiketravel.com

California Wine Tour

October 23, 2009

Our recently completed bike and wine tour of California was a great success, in no small part because of what fun we had at the wineries. The number of wineries in the Napa and Sonoma regions is a tad overwhelming and judging by what we heard there will be alot of grapes left unpicked since wine sales are way down. In the Napa Valley alone there are approximately 400 wineries!! and there are over 250 in the Sonoma region.

The Napa wineries in particular, are on a scale I haven’t witnessed before, especially when you consider the numbers of them that have huge buildings, tasting rooms, picnic areas, gift shops and in some cases, art galleries.  The Sonoma wineries are generally smaller in size and are often family owned.

Here is my list of the ones I think are worth visiting (in no particular order), ones I wish I’d had time for and ones that I would pass on next time round.

Worth a Visit

Del Dotto - for their barrel tasting **reserve ahead** $40 pp

Cakebread - reserve ahead- $10 pp for amazing wines - excellent value!

Rombauer - also has nice views (which means a stiff climb to get there!) and related to ‘Joy of Cooking’ fame author where you can pick up autographed books; also recommended by locals

Castello di Amoroso - if you’ve never seen a castle before

Ferrari Carano - to see the gardens. Do the reserve tasting.

Sbragia Family - friendly, picturesque, great wines and a nice picnic patio

Gary Farrell - extremely strenuous climb to the winery BUT great fun and truly delicious wines- $10-$15 pp

Wish I’d Been

Robert Mondavi - because he was one of the originals and the tour is supposed to be excellent

Far Niente - supposed to be extraordinary wines and gardens though $50pp and definately requires a booking

Grgich Hills - now that I know more about the wine maker

Opus One - just to see the winery which is architecturally very interesting

Cliffe Lede - of Cliff bar fame- would like to see what they do with wine since I’ve existed on their Cliff bars on many of my adventures

Sonoma Cutrer - since I’ve been drinking and enjoying their wine for years

Wish I hadn’t bothered

Beaulieu Vineyards(BV) They were friendly enough but the regular wine tasting was overpriced especially the whites at $10 pp. Perhaps the reserve tasting would have been worthwhile but compared to other wineries the value wasn’t there

Clos Pegase - interesting spot, love the wines but felt depressed by the spot as it had the signs of being unkempt and staff seemed unhappy

Visiting wineries by bike is actually a great way to do it with the only downside being that you can’t carry much with you. You burn off the calories that you’ve drunk, it’s much easier for bikes to zip across the busy Highway 29 that passes through Napa Valley and even better is the fact that you are deemed more approachable and you end up having great conversations  with a huge cross section of people. That happened at almost every winery!

I don’t usually like to revisit a spot but there are more back roads to explore and so many more wineries to visit, that this is one trip I would happily make again. Doing it self-supported also costs less than half of what tour companies charge.

I highly recommend this trip from April to October if you are doing it as a bike tour but obviously with a car, wine tasting can be a year round activity. However, it does rain ALOT from November to January.

And if you are somewhat interested check out these Napa Valley wine facts.

Leigh McAdam

hikebiketravel.com

Historic Hotels of America

October 22, 2009

Two hundred and twenty hotels in the United States are part of the National Trust Historic Hotels of America. To qualify they have to be at least 50 years old and be eligible or listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Historic ambience and architecture need to be maintained.

Hotels can be found in 39 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Their size can vary from the  8 room American Hotel in Sag Harbor on Long Island to the 1639 room Palmer House Hotel in Chicgao. Their style can see both ends of the spectrum from rustic to refined. They will be priced accordingly. La Salle Hotel in Bryan, Texas weighs in with a $69 per night rate while if you could afford a suite at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco you will be $12,500 poorer.

We recently stayed at Hotel la Rose in Santa Rosa located on the Railroad Square. Not only did it have incredibly friendly staff, but it’s location was superb and the price was right at $139 for weekdays and $159 for weekends including breakfast.

If you dislike staying in a typical chain hotel then this is one place to start looking for something a little out of the ordinary. Also consider Historic Hotels of Europe and Historic Hotels of Mexico if you are planning trips to either of those areas. They are sure to add a richness to your business or vacation experience.

Leigh McAdam

hikebiketravel.com

Connemara and the Aran Islands of Ireland Bike Tour Guide Published

October 21, 2009

The 16 page Connemara biking tour guide has been published and is available online from the hikebiketravel website.

Connemara, the Burren region and the Aran Islands are all worthwhile stops to include on a  trip to western Ireland. The bike tour includes a loop which begins in the city of Galway  and then heads north to reach the scenic and rocky Burren region. A short but brutal ferry ride (when the waves are big) takes you over to the Aran Islands which are absolutely lovely for cycling and for exploring on foot.

Next head back on a less bouncy ferry and continue up the coast through Clifden and Westport. The trip ends in Cong and it is a short one hour shuttle back to Galway from there.

Highlights of the region are:

• beautiful views from the Cliffs of Moher
• Doolin pubs and music
• gorgeous, rock strewn, quiet roads to cycle on the Aran Islands
• rocky hills of the Burren region
• biking Sky Road near Clifden
• the climb of Croagh Patrick, near Westport
• the wind when it’s at your back
• the Village of Cong and Ashford Castle
• charming B&B’s and Irish hospitality

In the guide you will find tips on getting to Galway, renting bikes, route descriptions,  accommodation and restaurant ideas where appropriate and a full packing list and links to useful information.

This is a trip for the months between May and September. And yes, the weather can be rainy but not for long. Come and enjoy the Irish countryside and their unique brand of hospitality.

Leigh McAdam

hikebiketravel.com

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Blotto at Del Dotto

October 19, 2009

Okay - blotto is a bit of a stretch but if I hadn’t dumped some of my $40-$125 wine between the barrels I would have been.

Del Dotto is a winery that we visited while bike touring in the Napa Valley last week. They have two locations which offer quite different but very worthwhile experiences. Without hesitation I would highly recommend their cave tour and barrel tasting - and at $40 per person it is really a bargain. It was the highlight of the week as far as wine tasting was concerned.

Close to the city of Napa are the historic limestone caves and tasting room and to the north in the St. Helena area is the estate winery and Venetian cave lined with Italian marble. We visited the Napa one though I understand that the wine experiences are similar.

You will need to reserve ahead of time directly with the winery. Allow at least 1 1/2 hours for your wine education, tour and tasting. Have a small bite to eat before you show up or the consequences of the barrel tasting will be magnified. The tasting is of red wine only so don’t go if you only drink white!

The wine tour will lead you through the types of barrels used, whether it be French or American oak, the level of toasting and so on. The guides are very agreeable sorts and encourage questions. Nick, our guide, led us into the candlelit cave with Andre Bocelli music piped in to accompany our wine tasting directly from the barrel.

A Sense of Place

October 9, 2009

National Geographic Traveler  posted an excellent article in the spring on accommodations and resorts that had a soul to them, whether it be guest rooms loaded with history, the use of  vernacular architecture or unforgettable local food. Some of the places are affordable whereas some may be a once in a lifetime treat. All would be unforgettable and very easy to design a trip around. Here is a partial list of the 129 places they suggest that can be woven into your own self guided adventure trip.

In the US -

• La Posada Hotel and Garden in Winslow, AZ  www.laposada.org
• Williams House on Amelia Island, FL www.williamshouse.com/
• Rancho de San Juan, Espanola, NM www.ranchodesanjuan.com/
• Rancho de la Osa Guest Ranch near Tucson, AZ www.ranchodelaosa.com/
• Red Cliffs Lodge in Moab, UT www.redcliffslodge.com/ 
• Hotel 1000 in Seattle, WA www.hotel1000seattle.com/
• Castle Hill Inn & Resort in Newport, RI  www.castlehillinn.com/ 
• Inn at Mama’s in Paia, Maui www.mamasfishhouse.com/ 

In Mexico -

• Balamku Inn on the Beach on the YucatanPeninsula www.balamku.com
• La Casa Que Canta in Zihutenejo www.lacasaquecanta.com/ 
• Casa de Sierra Nevada in San Miguel www.casadesierranevada.com 
• Verana near Puerto Vallarta http://been-seen.com/verana/
• Hacienda San Angel in Puerto Vallarta www.haciendasanangel.com/ 
• El Encanto de Cabo Pulmo on the Sea of Cortez www.encantopulmo.com/
• Casa Natalia in San Jose del Cabo www.casanatalia.com/core.htm

and in Canada

• Sonora Resort off of Vancouver Island, BC www.sonoraresort.com/ 
• Inn on the Lake in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory www.exceptionalplaces.com/ 
• Auberge de la Place D’Armes in Quebec City  www.aubergeplacedarmes.com/
• Chanterelle Country Inn & Cottages on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia www.chanterelleinn.com/ 

I could very happily stay at any of these places and am already scheming to get to a few of them. Happy travels.

Leigh McAdam,

HikeBikeTravel.com

World’s Most Over Rated Tourist Sites

October 7, 2009

Some of you have probably been to some of the world’s most over rated tourist sites - perhaps before they became popular. I visited Stonehenge in the mid 70’s and at that time you could do anything with the rocks - touch them or play hide and go seek around them. We were young and culturally unaware then but a visit now doesn’t sound like alot of fun.

I do like the article for it’s suggestions on alternative spots and from all reports the visit to Lalibela in Ethiopia (instead of a visit to Petra, Jordan) exceeded expectations for those individuals who made the trip on our Tour d’Afrique journey.

If you don’t have time to read the whole article then for your information the world’s most over rated tourist sites included:

• Angkor, Cambodia
• Machu Picchu, Peru
• The Colosseum, Rome
• Petra. Jordan
• Stonehenge, UK

There is now a book written called ‘1000 Best Places to Visit off the Tourist Trail’ so now that the book has been written they’ll be on the tourist trail. It sure is getting hard to stay ahead of the masses!

Polar Bear Tours and Snow in Churchill

October 6, 2009

It’s snowing in Churchill, Manitoba today which is good news if you are a polar bear or a polar bear observer. Churchill is located on the western shore of Hudson’s Bay in Manitoba at a latitude of 58 degrees North. It is not accessible by road so a flight or a train journey from Winnepeg are required.

Polar bear tours are very popular from early October until mid November when Hudson’s Bay begins to freeze. When it is frozen the polar bears can get out on the ice and hunt for their favourite food - ringed seal.

In the past it has been necessary to book polar bear tours almost a year in advance but the state of the economy has changed that. There are two main tundra vehicle companies, Great White Bear Tours and Tundra Buggy Adventure/Frontiers North . They can help you arrange everything from staying in Winnipeg to train rides to Churchill. The Tundra Buggy Adventure is operated on the basis of week long tours so tends to be pricier whereas with Great White Bear Tours it is possible to pay $300 and go out for the day.  Great White Bear Tours also partners with Natural Habitat Adventures to offer one week packaged tours.

Another possibility is a stay at The Lazy Bear Lodge. They run three and four night tours and still have availability in both October and November of this year. They are also listed as a place to stay in National Geographic’s article on a ‘Sense of Place.’

Getting to Churchill is time consuming if you don’t fly. It is 1700 kilometres (over 1000 miles) from Winnepeg and you can expect to spend a minimum of 1 day, 18 hours and 55 minutes on the train !! Return fares are reasonable in super saver economy (no beds!) at just over $Cdn 325 and can be booked online with Via Rail.

It’s not too late this year to enjoy a polar bear tour. This is one of the trips listed in the book ‘1,000 Places to see Before You Die.’

Dingle Way, Ireland eGuide Published

October 5, 2009

The 17 page Dingle Way eGuide has just been published and is available from the hikebiketravel website.

The Dingle Way is another of Ireland’s premier long distance walking paths located in County Kerry. The walking tour starts in the town of Tralee and takes you 179 kilometres (112 miles) over the course of 8 days around the Dingle peninsula.  About half the walk is actually on tarmac roads - though almost all of those see very little traffic. You’ll have the chance to walk Ireland’s longest beach, climb the shoulder of Mount Brandon and otherwise walk along gorgeous cliffsides, through farmers fields and along old hill tracks.

In the Dingle Way guide look for the following:

• getting to and from the starting town of Tralee
• directions for the entire walking route
• accommodation suggestions
• a day by day itinerary with mileage, hiking time, terrain, the day’s highlights and any pertinent warnings
• travel tips
• and the links to tour companies offering the walking tour

The price for the downloadable version is $Cdn13.95.

For a great way to see some of the Irish countryside, meet and enjoy the hospitality of friendly locals, get in shape, lose weight, and feel a wonderful sense of accomplishment, look no further than this moderatly difficult walk.

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