nature
The Science and Nature of Wanderlust, tourism, landmarks for nature buffs and more.
Mailbox Peak
Our hike started on a bright and crisp spring morning. We set out the door, coffees in hand, and poles strapped to our packs, expecting snow at the top based on the recent reports. My dad and I got in the car and pushed on to the highway; blinded by the rising sun.
By Sigurd l'Ermite8 years ago in Wander
The Joys of Hiking
In Washington, it tends to rain a lot. So one weekend in the fall, the forecast said it was going to be sunny, and I had to take advantage of that. I invited some friends and we went to Granite Mountain. Granite Mountain is a relatively difficult hike that ends in a pretty fun scramble. The whole way up, it was basically an unspoken race between me and two of my friends.
By Colin Bryant8 years ago in Wander
Waking the Senses
It was a horrible day: Tears, frustration, anger, harsh words, misunderstandings, and the list went on... My mind was reeling, but no thought stuck to my brain receptors, so I felt numb nothingness. In an effort to escape, I put on my jacket, walked down the stairs, and outside into the brisk October air. I found myself heading to one of the trails along Canmore's main roads. My head was only processing very basic thoughts:
By Rachel Weber8 years ago in Wander
Explore Your Backyard
When Carol (the name of his Jeep) came to be ours, every single time I got the opportunity, I had him out there exploring! He's taken me to places up there I had no idea existed. One of my favorite trips is to Tiddy Springs. Tiddy Springs is literally a mountain spring that people caught up in a little pipe that runs out into an old tub. We take glass jars with us for this trip and come home with the most refreshing, clean, clear, cold water I've ever found. The water is actually sweet! Nothing like our well water and definitely nothing like city water!
By Shanna Dewey8 years ago in Wander
Places to Go in Autumn
Autumn is my favourite season, with spring a close second. Everyone or almost everyone, likes to jet off on holiday in the summer. But why not get away in the autumn when everything is less packed and places are bursting with colour? You don’t necessarily have to go on holiday but there are definitely places where you could have a day out.
By Chloe Urquhart8 years ago in Wander
The Hermit Cave
This past Saturday I went on a hike; not alone, but with my family (my parents and my sister Keara, who just started the 2nd grade). We drove an hour to get to the location, though we live in the middle of the largest wildlife management area in Rhode Island. Our drive found us in Connecticut, traveling through historic Thompson, a town I automatically fell in love with. The large houses with their thick columns and rolling lawns of green grass instantly captured my heart. It’s a town I hope to visit again one day and explore. It was a gorgeous day, with a light wind and a shining sun (no wonder we witnessed a wedding party walking into their reception).
By Katrina Thornley8 years ago in Wander
Where the Sun and Earth Collide
High altitude is hard on the body and mind, and before you take the first step toward the summit that looms so ominously in the distance, you may notice that your breathing is strained, each lung full of cold air more forced than the last. If you're timing it right, your trip is starting before the sun has broken across the horizon, and the alpine environment is still and icy. For a moment, you wonder why on earth you decided to get out of your warm bed to do THIS, of all the fun, relaxing things to do on a Saturday morning. Other hikers are either arriving or already crawling up the mountain, and as you observe each of their solemn faces you feel something click within your chest. You ventured forth from a secure place to accomplish something, to utilize your body in the most arduous of ways, to conquer nature. Once there, it becomes obvious that you must take your first step forward, and you do, every single time.
By Logan Bailey8 years ago in Wander
Visit the Dead Sea While You Still Can
The Dead Sea is one of the world’s most famous bodies of water. Its lunar landscape, curative mud and saline water — on the surface of which is possible to lie and take a nap without worrying about drowning — attract over 1.7 million tourists a year. The Dead Sea is roughly 8.6 times saltier than the ocean. Unfortunately, this may not be the case for much longer.
By Uly Spitts9 years ago in Wander
Putting the 'Her' Back in Hermit
I am a 37-year-old woman who is divorced with no children, therefore I am pretty free to do as I please. I am back in school, but was given the opportunity to live and work on my family's farm in Southwest Virginia during my break. It's a fairly short drive, about 45 minutes, but seems as though it is worlds away. We live in Kingsport, Tennessee. Despite the efforts the city has made to beautify it, it is still a very polluted industrial city. So when my dad made the offer to live on 120 acres in a log cabin overlooking the Clinch River, needless to say, I jumped at the chance.
By Kristen Neurdenburg9 years ago in Wander
Living on an Old Country Road
Living out in the country is a fun thing if you are born and raised as a country girl or boy. I always loved the leaves falling on old country roads, and when you drive over them, you can see them fly off the road. The beauty of living in the country is that you don't have to worry about the city life. The only things you have to listen to were birds chirping, crickets making noise at night, or frog croaking. Have you ever walked a country road alone? It is so peaceful and quiet. It's few and far in between when you will see a car coming by.
By Peggy Rice9 years ago in Wander
Wild Woman Adventures of PA
Growing up in an agricultural town, there were dairy farms for miles. I had not experienced the true beauty that has now become my hobby...no my passion...hiking and exploring new trails with my five pups at state parks in the Laurel Highlands. My first introduction to the tranquility of the forest was on a family trip to Tennessee. The Great Smokey Mountains National Park bordered Tennessee and North Carolina. The mountains were so vast and secluded. The mist flowed off the mountain tops and as a child I was scared. I never saw such beauty and never had I been immersed in the wildlife like I saw there. A black bear mom and her three cubs walked right in front of my family's car while we were sitting and eating lunch at the state park. The white-tailed deer were so abundant that you could see them around every curve while my dad drove and the sound of the rapids ran wild in the distance and to me, time felt like it stood still, almost careless. I had forgotten about that thrill for years. I stumbled upon a picture of that day in the Smokey Mountains when I was surrounded by beautiful trees that had delicate water droplets on their leaves, wild life, and family. I could not shake that feeling of exhilaration remembering exploring the woods around our camping area, getting my hands dirty and breathing in the air that only being in a forest can explain. Now in my life today, there is no place my dogs and I won't go to explore. Being in the woods is like being transported to a very tranquil out of your head kind of experience.
By Kim Carney9 years ago in Wander
Girl at the Edge of Death
Fear turns you inside out. Like an invisible, open hand, it reaches out towards you from the unknown. We all have fears, and most of us hide them as far away as possible. Our fears are so defining and embedded in our character and our past, that it isn’t until we know someone well that we even dare to approach the question. No one ever asks about fears as an icebreaker, or during small talk (but why the hell not?).
By Carlota Maura9 years ago in Wander
