Blog Posts

Here are all of my blog posts.

A White Horse, a Hot Range, Stone-Hugging at Avebury, and a Glance at Stonehenge

Why did we only glance at Stonehenge, and what is Avebury and that other stuff? Explaining this to our crew of Sems’s and Townsend’s was the day’s mission. In…
Cruising the Kennet and Avon Canal

We knew that we’d want some rest time after 60 miles of hiking on the Cotswold Way. A relaxing canal boat trip had seemed like a good idea. It…
Southern Cotswold Way: Day 5

This was our final day of walking as we completed the final leg from Toghill House Farm to Bath. It was a fine day with many views in great…
Southern Cotswold Way: Day 4

Team Sloth was back to full strength for the hike from The Dog Inn in Old Sodbury to Toghill House Farm near Cold Ashton. Our motto, “we will get…
Southern Cotswold Way: Day 3

The previous day’s heat claimed one victim in our group and today was another hot one as we walked from The Swan in Wotton-under-Edge to The Dog in Old…
Southern Cotswold Way: Day 2

Three steep climbs on a blistering hot day made just finishing the 11 miles from Coaley Peak to Wotton-under-Edge a very satisfying accomplishment. The day’s highlight was the Tyndale…
Southern Cotswold Way: Day 1

A great first day’s hike of about 11 miles from Painswick to Frocester climbing about 1400 ft in about 6.5 hours. The day’s challenge was the 80 degF (27…
Southern Cotswold Way: Day 0

Our England adventures with the Sems and Townsends start with hiking the southern half of the Cotswold Way. Before starting a hike, there is always getting to the start,…
England with the Sems and Townsends: A Prelude

This is a prelude to our next trip. Please follow us on this adventure by subscribing so you are the first to read about what we are up to.…
Rome’s Biblical Sites

What evidence is there in Rome that Paul or Peter were in the city? The Bible describes Paul’s arrival in Rome (Acts 28:11-16) and that he lived there two…
Italy Day 13: Burano, Murano, and a Gondola Ride

Visiting Venice’s outer islands is a popular excursion. Burano is known for its lace and Murano for its glass. While tours include travel on dedicated boats, the islands are…
Italy Day 12: Exploring Venice

Having experienced a half-day taste of Venice on the previous day, we were ready to find “our” Venice. For Janet and I, that meant heading out early to a…
Italy Day 11: To Venice

Traveling around Europe by train includes some classic moments. We’ve previously experienced a few, from overnighting between Paris and Berlin or passing through the channel tunnel. This day we…
Italy Day 10: Hiking and Swimming Cinque Terre

Having scoped out Riomaggiore and Manarola the day before and after a good sleep, we were ready for a more ambitious walk. But first to enjoy coffee and breakfast…
Italy Day 9: Pisa and Cinque Terre’s Lovers Lane

Hello from Italy! If you could do me a favor and “like” or leave a comment on the platform that you get this blog from, I’d greatly appreciate it.…
Italy Day 8: Florence

Our full day in Florence was another chill day, but that does not mean we didn’t walk and climb! We had reservations to climb the bell tower at 8:15am,…
Italy Day 7: Rome to Florence and a Sunset

After six active days, it was good to have an easier day without climbing but we still walked over sixteen thousand steps. The difference between Rome’s hustle and Florence’s…
Italy Day 6: The Vatican and a Cooking Class

We wrapped up our three days in Rome with visits to St Peter’s Basilica (including a climb to the top of the dome), and the Vatican Museums (to see…
Italy Day 5: Ancient Rome

Time to go back 2000 years. My two previous visits to the Colosseum and Forum had left me somewhat underwhelmed by the piles of ancient rocks through my lack…
Italy Day 4: Rome

Two-nil. Naples scored two goals last night to win their national championship. I’m sure we felt the cheering through our apartment walls when they scored, and the fireworks outside…
Italy Day 3: Capri

The day went to plan but not how we intended. We reached the sites but not in the way we would have liked. Yet we had a fantastic time…
Italy Day 2: Path of the Gods and Positano

Each of us did our favorite activities today. Janet and Peter hiked the Path of the Gods, a trail that hugs the cliffs as it winds along the Amalfi…
Italy Day 1: Pompeii and Sorrento

Italy welcomed us with a classic day of travel stress but by the day’s end, we could reflect on it with smiles. The day had started so stress free!…
We Own a Campervan!

We have known for many years that we wanted to embrace a campervan while empty-nesting. This journey started a couple of weeks ago and the fun is just beginning.…
Giving Bailey Away: Phase 1

I didn’t think “The Lying Can Finally Stop” was the best title for my daughter’s engagement story. While this phrase had been lurking in the back of my mind…
New York City in Four Days

It takes an Ireland-style tour to see this much of NYC in four days. Visiting over St Patrick’s Day weekend and the NYC 1/2 marathon was fitting. We focused…
Big Bend’s South Rim and Outer Mountain Loop

That was a lot of work. That’s what Vance said about getting water. We also hiked 43 miles and climbed 10,000 ft over four days. This trek was epic.…
The Gentleman in the Orange Cap

Some distant movement caught my eye. After a few moments, I recognized it as an orange cap. Meeting another thru-hiker would be fun. A recent thru-hike of the trail…
Knebford Circle

A neat line separates green grass and stacked oak leaves. The cluster of twenty deciduous trees defines the copse with green pine trees poking through the canopy but with…
Hiking East Texas’s Trail Between the Lakes

(Check out the trail’s guide here.) Multi-day backpacking adventures are not normally associated with East Texas. The 96-mile Lone Star Hiking Trail (LSHT), north of Houston by Huntsville, might…
Backpack Compromise: Weight vs Comfort

Or: Why I no longer aim for 10 lb. dry weight. Introduction Catchy headlines like 10 lb. Gear List for Hiking The Appalachian Trail suggest that 10 lbs. is…
Eagle Rock Loop High Water Alternate in November 2024

I returned to the Ouachita mountains from Nov 7-10 2024 with Vance, my buddy from leading our sons’ scout troop. The Eagle Rock Loop (ERL) was a step up…
Paul’s Journeys in Greece with Liberty University

Luke describes Paul’s travels in Greece in Acts. Liberty University gave us the opportunity to follow in Paul’s footsteps with a couple of their learned professors, enabling us to…
Road Trips

North America is made for road trips. When we married, an hour-long drive for Peter was significant! On road trips with lots of distance to cover, hotels are quick…
Greece: A Cliff-hugging Monastery in the Lousios Gorge

Hiking to see a cliff-hugging monastery seemed like such a good idea. This looked really cool: However, perhaps there was a reason that it was not in our guidebook.…
Greece: The Ancient Olympics, with no Gold Medals

The ancient Olympics started in 776 BC in Olympia. For centuries, it was a celebration in honor of Zeus. Winners were awarded a wreath of leaves from a sacred…
Greece: To the End of the World

Today was a road trip to the most southern point of mainland Greece at the top of the Mani peninsula. The road ended about a mile short, so of…
Greece: Sparta and Monemvasia

It was time for a change of pace. Less chasing sites and more chilling. Well, chilling our style, which included a five mile hike up a huge rock! We…
Greece: Mycenae, the Epidaurus Theatre, and Nafplio

At the end of the Liberty University trip retracing Paul, everyone said their farewells and headed in their different directions. Some went east, others north, and the majority headed…
Greece: Corinth and Cenchreae

Summary: We visited the remains of the city of ancient Corinth, which Paul visited twice, staying 18 months. And from where he wrote Romans. We visited Acrocorinth’s castle from…
Greece: Athens Part 2

Summary: We returned to Athens, and visited the ancient agora and Areopagus Hill, that Paul visited, and the Acropolis. Paul in Athens The current size and importance of Athens…
Books to help follow Paul’s Greek journeys

Before coming to Greece to follow in Paul’s footsteps, we were encouraged to read Luke’s account in Acts 16-18. I wanted to supplement that with additional resources. Below is…
Greece: A monastery on the slopes of Mount Olympus

Summary: A fine hike to a monastery dating from the 16th century that is partially restored after the Nazis destroyed it in 1943, followed by a visit to a…
Greece: Neapolis. Philippi, Thessaloniki, and the Via Egnatia

Summary: Our exploration of the sites where Paul first visited Europe brought the Acts narratives to life. We felt the sea breeze and watched seagulls at the port of…
Greece: Veria (aka Berea) and Vergina

TL;DR: We traveled to Berea (called Veria in modern Greek) where Paul visited in Acts 17:10. Close by was the underground museum of Philip II, father of Alexander the…
Greece: Meteora, and a bit of Thermopylae

TL;DR: An inspiring day visiting monasteries perched atop mountain peaks and surrounded by vertical cliffs. Their remoteness has helped their preservation through the centuries. On the way, we stopped…
Greece: Delphi plus plus

TL;DR: The Delphi Inscription helps date Paul’s time in Corinth at the end of AD51 during Gallio’s proconsulship. We got to see it in the Delphi museum where there…
Greece: Athens Part 1

TL;DR: We had a fantastic 19 hours in Athens as we transitioned from solo travel to joining our group. The combination of a fine self-guided walking tour, a comfortable…
Greece: Hydra Island

TL;DR We spent our first two days in Greece staying on Hydra, sampling Greek food, wandering around an old car-free port, and hiking into its dry rugged interior for…
Greece: A Prelude in DC

As our flight to Athens was via Dulles airport, we made the most of the stop and checked out Washington DC for a couple of days, visiting the Museum…
Hiking Golden’s Castle Rock

Castle Rock has been calling me since our first visit to Colorado School of Mines in Golden in Spring Break of 2021. That visit was to check out the…
Hadrian’s Wall Path: Summary and Reflections

This post is about our walk along Hadrian’s Wall Path. It might be helpful if you are planning a similar trip. Janet and I walked the path westerly over…
HWP: Epilogue

I thought we’d finished yesterday, but it doesn’t really sink in until the following morning when you don’t have to put on hiking gear nor get your bag ready…
HWP Day 8: Carlisle to Bowness-on-Solway

Today was the final leg of our trek across England following Hadrian’s Wall. It did not disappoint, remaining consistent with some of the highlights from previous days while adding…
HWP Day 7: Brampton to Carlisle

Today was different and not recommended for other HWP walkers. Our dilemma was how to return to the HWP from the Scotch Arms Mews in Brampton. We had walked…
HWP Day 6: Haltwhistle / Greenhead to Brampton

A rainy start was a bit of a dampener until we had a fine stop at Birdoswald, but not at the museum. The day had more pieces of wall…
HWP Day 5: Twice Brewed to Greenhead / Haltwhistle

Today was full of unexpected pleasures. The weather forecast had been a depressing amount of mist and heavy rain but the weather set a great mood. While there was…
HWP Day 4: Chollerford / Humshaugh to Twice Brewed

The guidebooks suggest that this day and the next are the best days, and today did not disappoint. There was plenty of wall, even more ditch, some fun with…
HWP Day 3: Heddon to Chollerford / Humshaugh

Today reminded us why we come back to England to go walking – the countryside. We loved the friendly sheep and the very friendly horse. We gave space to…
HWP Day 2: Newcastle to Heddon-on-Wall / Wylam

The lack of wall on today’s stretch is replaced by a journey through time. The Romans started building the wall in 122 and they left Britannia in about 410…