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Top 5 Dream Days of 2018, A Rejuvenating Stay at Gorman Chairback Lodge
My cabin at AMC’s Gorman Chairback Lodge overlooked Long Pond, a serene 4-mile-long body of water surrounded by the ridges of the nearby Appalachian Trail. As soon as we plopped down our luggage, we heard the first of many loon calls, that unmistakable yodel echoing across the lake. All was bliss from this point onward. Smelling the sweet pine and peering at mountains with few, if any signs of civilization. It’s no surprise that this locale in Maine’s North Woods has been hosting guests since 1867. We jumped in an Old Town canoe and followed families of loons and mergansers, before spotting a bald eagle atop a dead hemlock tree. The waters of Long Pond were like glass, reflecting the surrounding mountains atop the surface. All you could hear was that mesmerizing call of the loon and there was no other traffic on the pond. No boats, no canoes, nothing. Nothing but serenity.
Ecuador, So Much More Than the Galapagos! A Visit to Otavalo
Guest Post and Photos by Amy Perry Basseches
- A visit to the traditional weaving studio of Miguel Andrago. If you are looking for handmade, traditional weaving, go directly to this home and workshop just 10 minutes outside of Otavalo. The Andrago family (four generations working together) is preserving backstrap weaving without the use of electricity or chemicals (all natural dyes), trying to save "this vanishing art." They do not sell their beautiful items at the Otavalo market, only at their studio. My daughter was so intrigued that she asked if she could come back and learn their techniques: Of course! For only $35 US, she can spend a day there.
- Peguche Waterfall is situated in a small park close to Otavalo. It is considered a sacred place in Kichwa religion, where purification is held before the Inti Raymi celebrations each June. We enjoyed the short hike to the Falls, and getting as close as possible, feeling the mist.
The Lobster Bake Aboard a Maine Windjammer
Aside from 11 year-old Mary Beth, who loved swimming and paddleboarding in the Atlantic, the highlight for most of us aboard the Schooner Mary Day was the first night lobster bake. Captain Barry anchored near a quiet beach with no other boats in sight and proceeded to row us over to the shore. The crew built a fire, then placed two massive pots brimming over with lobsters, corn on the cob, potatoes, onions, and a healthy top layer of seaweed. We swam and drank wine as the pots boiled, anticipating the feast. When ready, Captain Barry threw off the layer of seaweed and grabbed his tongs to place all the lobsters and fixins in a circular design. We each grabbed our lobster and plopped it on a tray, next to hot butter, corn, potatoes, and found a spot on the beach to dine.
Micato Elite Running Safari in Kenya
Named the World’s Best Safari Outfitter by readers of Travel & Leisure, Micato always seems to come up with something original each year. In 2012, the Kenyan-based owners are teaming with some of the country’s best-known athletes to create an elite running vacation. Your host is Kip Keino, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, who will introduce you to his Olympic training center and hometown of Kapsabet. Expect to run with some of the finest runners in the country today, including the former world record holder for the New York Marathon, Paul Tergat. This being Micato, you can be assured that you’ll be resting your weary body at some of the finest resorts in Africa, no doubt surrounded by the wildlife of the Great Rift Valley.
Top 5 Adventures in Florida, Sailing the Keys
With first rate charts and other navigational aids, the Florida Keys are an ideal cruising ground for all sailors, regardless of experience. The famously warm, clear waters of the Keys are a snorkeler’s paradise—shipwrecks and coral parks are plentiful—and secluded beaches number in the hundreds. If you crave terra firma, you can always stop at Key West for a nightcap at Sloppy Joe’s, a favorite hangout of writer Ernest Hemingway. One full day’s sail west of Key West brings you to the Dry Tortugas, home to Fort Jefferson, which dates back to Civil War days. This is a popular sailing route. If you feel like you’re off the charts, anchor at any harbor and ask the nearest boater for directions. Thankfully, yachting is no longer a sport only for the affluent. Florida Keys Bareboat Charter Company in Marathon bareboat charters a 27-foot Catalina for a cost of $899 per week (7 days/6 nights).
Outfitters We Love: ROW Adventures
Few people know the rivers of Idaho better than Peter Grubb, owner of Idaho’s largest adventure travel company, ROW Adventures. They run more trips on more rivers than any other outfitter in the state. Grubb’s other obsession is the Galapagos Islands, where for the past two decades, he’s been running land-based multisport trips for all, including children ages 7 and older. We’ve sent a dozen or so clients on their trips and they’ve all loved it. Who wouldn’t relish the chance to sea kayak, hike and bike around the islands past century-old tortoises, and to snorkel at protected coves with friendly sea lions and few other people? ROW Adventures other trips are just as exhilarating. They include sea kayaking during the whale migration in Baja; sea kayaking, hiking, and biking Cuba; hiking the Inca Trail in Peru and the W Trek in Patagonia; and his latest offering, paddling and seeing the gorillas of Rwanda. How cool is that? If interested in any ROW Adventures itinerary, please let ActiveTravels know and we’ll check availability and help with all logistics including flight and pre- and post-hotel stays and route design.