A summer that's not too shabby, 2019

Just when you thought this died, I pump a lil' life back into it. 2019 has been a whirlwind of adventure. Getting experienced in a new job, moving in with my now fiancé, and vacationing to beautiful places.

Photos above are from the Adirondacks in New York. Views from Mt. Baker, Haystack, and the Lower St. Regis. Ice cream from Donnelly's, a daily tradition to make sure you don't wither away from all the hiking, and in the end - a coffee from a diner before departing. All in all a fabulous getaway. Check out a previous post on the Saranac Our Legacy IPA

Just got back from a 47mi road bike ride. In the spirit of Le Tour lately. Been spinning a lot lately, but moreso on the mountain bike. Hope your summer is grand.

Watkins Glen & Keuka Lake, NY

Watkins Glen, NY is one of the most scenic places I've been to. 19 waterfalls that I remember dreading so much 'hiking' to as a kid, I have now learned to appreciate as an adult. The steps carved into the stream's edge and the walkways built behind waterfalls definitely makes the trek worthwhile. Seneca Lake is a sight to see, but not nearly as spectacular as the way nature carved its way through layers upon layers of rock over the course of thousands of years. 

Just like any good ending to the summer, much was packed into a weekend away. Namely a night at Keuka lake. Yea, the funny shaped 'Y' finger lake of NY state. This one in particular is so clean and cheerful that I couldn't wait to get into the canoe and drift away.  Only regret during this entire trip is that it was too short and I would have loved to have my bicycle. Looking forward to venturing back one of these days. 

Random Snaps From Paris

Ah, yes, I promised some pictures from Paris and they have been coming in drips and drabs.  These were all wonderful memories from one of the most amazing cities I've ever been to.  I ate more cheese in 8 days than the last two years!  The coffee was SO bad, but with 2-3 cubes of pure sugar and the need to walk a few miles, you just had to get it where you could.  I'm such a brat!  That is my only complaint from the entire trip.  I did manage to stumble upon two very good coffee shops so I think I will save that for a future post.  For now, enjoy the randomness of my photos.

Visiting the Catacombs of Paris

The Catacombs of Paris is simply a must-see during your visit.  Here the remains of over 6 millions people are stacked to form long stretches of tunnels.  A few hundred years ago the city was dealing with multiple cave-ins at cemeteries throughout the city and simply not enough room to bury the dead.  There's a really good article here about the churches struggle for trying to keep the cemeteries going.

I found my favorite coffee shop in Paris walking to the Catacombs and stumbled upon many cute streets, stores, shops, and cafes along the way.  This was a wonderful day of exploring and a really unique memory to have.  Also, I apologize for the grainy pictures, but it was really dark down there and no flashes were allowed!

Tourist Advice:  Arrive as early as possible to the entrance (Place Denfert-Rochereau, 75014 Paris).  There is a metro stop right across the street, but we walked from the 2nd Arr.  There will likely be a queue already, walk to the doorway and get a time ticket.  This is not your ticket to enter, but the time slot in which you are to come back and visit.  The reasoning is because there is a limit as to how many visitors can come per hour (200), because of the historical significance of the site and in order to maintain it's integrity.  For instance, we arrived around 10AM and mistakenly stood in the line for 40 minutes until we noticed other people with color-coded time tickets.  So we walked to the doorway, got a time ticket and had to wait until 5:30PM to take the tour.  This was only a minor inconvenience because we spent the afternoon visiting the Luxembourg Gardens and getting lunch in Saint-Germain des Près. 

More from my trip to Paris soon...

New Year, More Posts

My alarm clock sounded the day of my intended departure to Paris and my heart pounded.  I was about to take flight to a city I'd dreamt about seeing for over a decade.  My high school and college French was more than rusty and I packed my phrase guides and dictionaries for safe measure. 

The last 8 days were a whirlwind of adventure in the city of love.  I saw all of the typical tourist sites, but also spent countless hours walking the streets and hanging out at beautiful and cozy brasseries.  I can't wait to share the rest of my shots from the trip.  Happy New Year bonne année my friends!

Stay tuned...

Home Again!

I'm back from California and what an adventure it was!  The picture above was taken in Hetch Hetchy in the NW section of Yosemite National Park.

It was another incredible visit to one of the most beautiful places on earth.  Though California is experiencing a very bad drought right now, there is still much to see...and since they're short on water you can always pack beer!

I'll have a whole slew of pictures to come!  Check back soon <3

Stand Up Paddle Boarding, Lake Tahoe, and Sunburn

It all started with a vague plan and shrugs two days before hand.  Yeah, going to Tahoe had always been on the list, but were we really up for the added drive on top of all the other vacation destinations?  Excited about the rental car and the possibilities it opened up, the plan was firmed up and we headed out of Sacramento east to Lake Tahoe.  From sprawling suburbs, to big woods, to thick rural lands, and mighty elevation gains, we made it to King's Beach at North Lake Tahoe.

I twisted the key, stepped out of the car and was instantly hit with a cool breeze coming off of the water.  Much cooler in Tahoe than Sacramento that day.  We decided to eat a picnic lunch on the shore and take in the scenery.  Locals were bathing in the sun, walking dogs, out on the water, or kicking back on their balconies.

Soon after we started covering ourselves in some SPF 45 and put our lunch leftovers back in the car.  Off to rent Stand Up Paddle Boards and give it a go.  We went into the nearest rental shop, which has momentarily escaped memory, signed a waiver and carried our boards to the water.  Here goes nothing.  Don't fall over.  The water is icy cold.  Success.  We paddled about for an hour not wanting to be charged another $20 bucks, but definitely left with a strong desire to get a board and have it back at home.  SUP was a lot of fun and would be great for any type of water by you.  I'm considering one for the lake back in NEPA.  Any way, here's a couple of shots from the visit.  Somehow I still managed to get sunburned...

Highlights from Yosemite

16 hours of hiking over 2 days.  Vernal Falls trail and the Glacier Point trail (started in the valley).