30-Days in Malta

  It’s official. I’m going to Malta six months from now. The Republic of Malta is an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily. That alone would make it splendid to visit. For me, the significant attraction is location, location, location. Malta is 50-miles south of Italy, 176-miles east of Tunisia, and 207-miles north…

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Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad

Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad. Depart from the tiny yellow Garibaldi station. A ride behind a historic steam engine along Oregon’s Tillamook coast.

Returning to the String…

In March 2019, I will return as a regular contributor to the Fort Bragg-Mendocino Coast Packet and to the Independent Coast Observer. These Mendocino Coast newspapers, cover MendoNoma from Westport to Jenner.

Thank you, we made it!

“We published hundreds of stories….from all over…and your story rose to the top of the heap!”
–Max Hartshorne, Editor, GoNOMAD

Top-10 Stories of 2018

I’ve traveled like a mad woman. I spent 30-days in England and 17-days in Central Coastal California. I’ve made short getaways to San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Gualala, Point Arena, and Bodega.

Top-12 Photos of 2018

I took 7000 photos of England in August. Central Coastal California yielded 2000 in October. The rest of the year my hometown and region probably added another 2k.

Welcome to MendoLand…

California is falling into the ocean and has been, for thousands of years. There is a remote and wild place where you can see every stage of the geologic process happening. It’s an area so dynamic, yet so fragile; it’s protected in perpetuity as a national monument.

100-Words—1-Photo

The Travel 100 shares snippets of real-life travel experiences from around the globe.

In Case You Missed it…

I spent a week on the backroads in my rented car. I surveyed the desolate Bodmin Moor on the interior and fell in love with water worlds on both Cornish coasts.

Gliding Over Wales

When the hook clicks open, and the pilot catches the updraft, the cockpit goes silent.

Camping MendoStyle

The Mendocino Coast has an abundance of camping experiences. Camp among redwood giants; on a river bank; a secluded Pacific beach; under a bridge, or glamp in style surrounded by forest and woodlands. Camp with your horse. Work on a coastal farm. Have a luxury trailer delivered to your camp.

Pack the Baking Soda…

Baking soda is a traveler’s best friend. It can be used in a pinch to replace 100s of things.

Point Arena California, an Unplug, Unwind, Occupy Nature Weekend

The road trip to Point Arena gradually re-sets your pace. You slow down, unplug and occupy nature. Each turn in the road opens to a sweeping Pacific vista. Cliffs hang high above the ocean. Powerful surf is carried by the wind. Wild, remote, and stunning, the call of Nature is loud here. About 3-hours north… via…

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Cycling adventures with a great pub included — Wheely Wonderful Cycling

Cycling in Shropshire UK is elevated to an art form by Wheely Wonderful Cycling. Based in Ludlow, the gastronomic capital of England, Wheely curates food/cycle tours with stops to immerse in the best of traditional and modern eats, made with locally sourced food, beer, cider, and wine. All that, while pedaling through the Shropshire Hills,…

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CHAPTER 3 – England, I’ll Be There Soon

121-days till take off. I can almost feel the pull of that enormous Air Bus as we climb out of San Francisco. Eleven hours later, I’ll be in London. Yahoo! My itinerary is filling-up quickly. New adventures pop-up daily. I must admit, researching and planning are one of my favorite parts of any trip. New…

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CHAPTER 2 – England, I’ll be there soon

Five months from now, I’ll be in England Hopefully, my body clock will adjust quickly. I’ll fly 11-hours non-stop, to reach my destination which is five hours ahead by the clock. Hummmmmm? Is this what jet lag’s all about? Arriving in London August 2nd, I’ll spend a couple days and evenings looking for rooftop locations…

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The Mendocino Coast, we’re saving it for you

Visit the Mendocino Coast, take a hike on a land trust track. We’re saving it for you. Peregrine falcons, Point Arena mountain beaver, coastal prairie, dazzling white cliffs, wave watching, wildlife spotting, and spring flower bombs are just part of the wild, remote, and fragile Mendocino Coast and newly opened Pelican Bluffs Trail. Mendocino Land…

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England, I’ll Be There Soon, Chapter One…

At last! In August 2018, I’ll fulfill my number one travel ambition; thirty days in England. My friends, family, and fellow journalist have heard lots about this trip. I’ve said many times, “This year I’m going to England for a month.”, only to be a ‘no-go’ for one reason or another. 2018 is the year…

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Downton Abbey Fans…

…get your tickets today, they are going fast. OK, I admit it, I watched every minute (some more than once) of the most popular television drama in history. Everything about the series was “brilliant,” as the Brits would say. My favorite part are the costumes. The craftsmanship, fabrics, and fittings are excellent. The designs are romantic…

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2017- My Favorite Photos

Prolific doesn’t say enough when it comes to my photography. I take 1000s of pics in a year. 2017 was photo-op filled from my travels around the country. California, Oregon, Florida, Washington DC (twice), Chicago, New York City, and all the states between Chicago and San Francisco filled my travel card in 2017. I traveled…

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Choose Your Route to Machu Picchu

In 2018 I’ll begin featuring guest writers & photographers from time-to-time. My first guest writer is Mila Whitman, Editor of Travel Belles, mountain climber, trecker, and adventure traveler. Enjoy her article below, on choosing the right trek to Machu Picchu.   Choose Your Route to Machu Picchu Towering over the Peruvian Andes since the 1450s, Machu…

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Top-10 Stories For 2017

What a year. 100s of photos, 1000s of words, 12,000 miles or more, and lots of adventure. 2017 has been my best journalist year, life-changing in fact. I didn’t see my work in any of my publishers 2017 top story lists. I decided to review my efforts for the year and name ten of my…

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The Original American Beach – Daytona Beach Florida

A Weekend in Daytona Beach… Since the 1920s, it’s been a vacation destination for folks escaping frigid northern winters. Today it hosts visitors year-round that come for sun, nature, and beach-life. Cars on the beach, NASCAR, amusement piers, buzzy bars, condos and hotels. That’s one side of Daytona Beach. Another is plantations, grand winter homes, empty……

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Wavey Days

I can hear the surf from my house. I can see it from my yard. But I don’t need to see the Pacific to know when the surf is big. I can hear it. It booms and roars. Have your own wavey day, enjoy the slideshow. –MaryGo All photos along the Mendocino Coast in northern California….

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Share Our Coast

We love to share our coast, especially in Fort Bragg California. Come visit the Mendocino Coast. Thanks for stopping by, MaryGo

Meet Steve…

Tucked into a corner of a seven-acre, blimp-hanger, Steve Schramm’s lifetime collection of WWII battle scenes is the newest exhibit at Tillamook Air Museum. A 20’x80’ space with three levels, is home to Steve’s mesmerizing collection.   Last spring, I spent five weeks in Oregon. I wandered, explored, photographed and tasted. I love Oregon and…

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OREGON’S TILLAMOOK BAY, A WEEKEND SEAFOOD SAFARI — Short Weeks – Long Weekends

“The seafood is so fresh, some call it hook-to-mouth!” Oregon’s Pacific coast produces extraordinary food. Fish, meat, dairy, fruit and veg are plentiful. The Oregon Coast food world is tasty to explore. Tillamook Bay is celebrated for seafood. The region harvests oysters, crab, shrimp, salmon, albacore, halibut, steelhead, lingcod and more. These delights can be caught……

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Going to OZ…

“We grow food for the community. We grow ourselves. We grow farmers.” My first instinct was to pick an apple from the fence where they were trained to grow. A thousand shades of green, an earthy sweet smell, the sound-track of birdsong echoing slightly in the woods; all were punctuated by saws sawing, hammers hammering…

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Prime Weekend Territory…

…Tualatin Valley Oregon Mt. Hood peaks between the hills from time-to-time. Along two-lane backroads, you’re occasionally slowed by a tractor. Barns, livestock, orchards, farms, and vineyards dress the rolling hills. U-pick fields, farm stands, tasting rooms and cyclist pop-up along the way. You’ll easily forget a busy city is a few miles away. Less than…

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My secret beach house stay…

…on St Augustine Beach Florida. White sand dunes and sea oats, sea turtle nest and gentle surf, afternoon clouds swelling across the Atlantic horizon. All are standard on NE Florida’s coast. The uncrowded beaches are just a bit quieter, especially in summer. I stayed in one of St Francis Inn’s secret beach houses. Located on a beach trail…

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Paddle or Peddle…

…explore Mendocino Coast Stanford Inn’s Catch A Canoe and Bicycles Too, have rented and sold wind-powered, people-powered and solar-powered transportation options since 1972. At their store and docks on Big River, you can find a trail guide, bicycle, kayak, canoe or outrigger. They’ll give you expert help for exploring Big River, Mendocino coast, inland trails…

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JAX

Jacksonville Florida is a big city… …in fact, geographically, it’s the country’s largest. Located on St. Johns River and the Atlantic Ocean, it’s one of America’s major seaports, hosting two US Naval bases. Water surrounds three sides of Jacksonville; ocean, river and wetlands. Beaches, boating, fishing and watersports are some of the best ways to…

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A1A sunrise…

Put the top down, slide on your movie star shades, let your hair fly. Your mission, road trip, 100-miles of Florida’s coast. A1A meanders down Florida’s Atlantic coast. It zigzags frequently, crossing the Intercostal Waterway, jumping between the mainland and narrow islands sitting like dots and dashes just off-shore. It links towns and cities to…

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Best Hotel Ever

Hotel Palms is one of the best places I’ve stayed – anywhere. If you’re headed to Jacksonville Florida, stay at Hotel Palms in Atlantic Beach. It’s unlike any place you’ll ever stay. The night I was there was neighborhood movie night. Guest and neighbors watched a movie in the Palm’s courtyard. Local made food, coffee,…

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Afternoon on the pier…

Crabby Joe’s is an eatery and fishing pier on Daytona Beach Florida. In June 2017, I spent an afternoon there, eating fresh grooper, drinking seabreezes and chatting with the folks fishing off the pier and waiting out the building thunderstorm.

Aquarium

Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport Oregon