Things started off in Phoenix. Phoenix is definitely a Southwestern town. Visually, it's pretty cool, I mean cactuses and palm trees: yes! Not only that, but it's surrounded by mountains. Yay! The thing I find frustrating about it is that it's super sprawled-out. I like to be able to stroll around town, walk and get lost to savour a city. Not quite possible with the world's second largest city by area (last time I checked). Regardless, we were on a road trip, we weren't going to stay there.

From Phoenix, we headed over to Sedona. We took the scenic route via Wickenburg, Prescott and Jerome. Lots of eye candy, especially on the way up to the plateau. Sedona was quite charming, what with its buttes and all. There was also a lot of new agey stuff. If you're into such concepts, you'll be quite pleased. If you're like me, you'll simply ignore such things. Lots of hiking to do. We took a little one to catch the sunset amidst the rocks and enjoy some of the moonshadow. It was here that I realized that I really have to come back and do some extensive hiking in Arizona.

From there, we were off to Navajo County. We had rented a convertible Jeep. This really came in handy since it meant we could drive into the Canyon de Chelly. This was actually awesome since it gave us amazing views and allowed to drive through rivers and stuff. The canyon itself was beautiful. Also, another place I really want to hike. In the second picture, you can kind of get the effect of how steep the walls were. The darker parts are on the other side of the canyon. I'm actually really scared of heights, but the rock was really grippy. Yes, I know I cut a fine figure.

Next up was Monument Valley. This is actually in Utah, but hey, it was right next to Arizona. This where the driving got long, but cool in a way, as everything started looking really exotic, like Mars exotic. You'll have seen Monument Valley in a great many westerns. It is indeed quite impressive.

From there, we headed over to the Grand Canyon, but not before driving by Tuba City, which is one of my favourite city names. The Grand Canyon was well, grand. This was actually my third time. Every time I go, I'm like, "whatevs". The I get there and I'm more like, "goodness gracious, that is some engrossing eye candy cocaine." Thinking about it actually makes me a little sad, because I wished I had had the time to hike there. Ah, there's always a next time, right? Here's a small section of it.

Afterwards, we headed South to Flagstaff via the San Francisco Peaks. In late May, in Arizona, we actually got caught in a snow storm! Shows you how important elevation is with regards to weather. Luckily, the Jeep came equipped with an experienced Canadian driver no stranger to snow, me. It also made me realize how rich Arizona was in weather diversity.

Flagstaff was a fun little college town. We then headed over to Bisbee. Bisbee was a mining town in the wild west days. Still pretty decently preserved, it is charming and cute. We stayed in an incredible motel that was essentially a recreated trailer park from the 50s. All authentic. Must see. My girlfriend and I stayed in a converted bus, complete with a yearbook from 1961. Being surrounded by so many cactus, just made it better.

That was the road trip in a nutshell. All I can say to Arizona is "Wow"!

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Bar Harbour, Hiking and Micro-brews: Holidays for the Weary

Romania, a Latin Island in a Slavic Sea

Like all good holidays I decided to travel with my good friend's wife. In the heat of the midday sun we placed Montreal firmly in our rearview mirror. Being a rare breed of flying peacock, Lara and I need to spread our wings, and to do so we decided to head down to the White Mountains in New Hampshire. About flying peacocks, you need to know they are indecisive. During our heated debates about party invitations, and well on our way to beautiful New Hampshire we had an about-face and realized that the soothing waters of Maine would do our fragile souls some (more) profound healing.

After a brief stop in Pussumpsic for some cash, we drove on to Gorham for a delicious supper at J's Restaurant. The ribs were to die for and the Pig Ear Brown Ale only made it better. The side of garlic mashed potatoes were delicious to the point where I was nearly reenacting the classic dinner scene in When Harry Met Sally. Lara had something that was not the ribs, and so not worth mentioning here.

At around 9pm we stopped in Bethel and camped in a lovely, empty campground. The owner placed us in the best spot he said, "Right near the playground..." I left feeling pegged as a pedophile. Regardless of what that man thought I looked like his campground had the best/cleanest toilets and showers I have seen in 20 years of camping. A great start to our trip.

Drove straight from Bethel to Bar Habor next in one long shot. Got some splendid sandwiches at a dog friendly bistro on the ocean. Bought a nice bottle of Riesling, sandwiches and got some free dog treats for our efforts. Drove down the coast for a few minutes to a beautiful rest stop and ate lunch while watching men and women with giant, solid trunks dig for clams in the modest bay. We finished up and made a last ditch run to Mount Desert Island.

Having a dog with us we stopped briefly at an information center to get some dog advice on regulations, and were pointed in the direction of Seawall Campground in Acadia National Park. A few picturesque towns, a whole lot of lobster joints, and then out popped our campsite from a small peninsula a few miles passed South West Harbor. We set up camp with smiles on our faces and a little wag in Hobie's tail.

With lodging taken care of we finally had time to unwind and start exploring the stupidly named island. First off, the lighthouse- although when we got there it would more aptly be named the miniature lighthouse. Second up was flying mountain, but I use the term 'mountain' lightly as it was only 87 meters tall. Regardless of its height it did bring us joy as the views of several bays were stunning.

Food was needed to supply us with enough energy to sit on the beach so we headed to the local food market. Jams and preserves stocked to the ceiling - delicious. With a little halibut, local micro brews and some kettle chips we were good to go. That night we had fish and diced onions grilled to perfection on a fireplace with shard and boiled potatoes. My Tramp Stamp brown ale only added to the delicacy and Lara's Smuttynose IPA put a smile on her face as well. Off to bed.

Then the rain started. Then a girl woke us up with night terrors at 2am. The only logical solution was a greasy breakfast in the morning. By the time we got to Bar Harbor however the rain had soaked my shorts and I was feeling soggy. The warm coffee and eggs rekindled my spirits as did the peppy, stereotypical American waitress. The sun came out and we walked the town of Bar Harbor up and down. Like all good road trips we went to the towns best knickknack store and bought aprons, and fridge magnets, and books about how to preserve, and after getting the low down on a dog friendly, advanced hike to do from the store owner, we jumped in the car and drove to Beehive Mountain.

It was raining again so we threw on some mid layers, put the rain jackets in the backpack and headed up to push our limits. Instead of pushing my limits I ended up pushing the dog up metal rung ladder after metal rung ladder on extremely precarious cliffs. As an aside next time a local tells you about this 'really cool hike they did years ago' take it with a grain of salt. Fortunately after about 45 minutes of sweating through crazy slippery cliffs and ladder sections the hike was beginning to get nice as we left Beehive summit behind us and approached Gorham peak (note: we later found out that dogs are prohibited on Beehive, and for good reason). Ridge top views high above the valley floor and ocean made this an awesome afternoon activity and a must-do hike for anyone not afraid of heights.

We needed to unwind after the hair-raising hike so we threw on our swimsuits and headed for the ocean. Sand beach, named by Capt. Obvious was a beautiful cove with a great swimming beach. An hour of people watching and discussions about our favorite type of moustache later, we were on our way home, via a freshwater lake to wash the salt off our now burnt bodies.

We decided a nice, dirty lobster meal was in order so we found the one with the biggest novelty lobster sign. Head of the Harbor caught our eye immediately. Looking out over S.W. Harbor we ingested gallons of butter mixed with small amounts of seafood- delectable. Some more microbrews and glasses of wine were had and then a quick walk around town to sweat out the butter. Off to bed.

Holidays aren’t just about relaxing so Lara and Idecided to head out for a morning run on the picturesque Maine roads along the ocean. The run was cut short due to, how do I say, problems with keeping inside things inside. Needless to say leaves were involved. The only way we could redeem ourselves was through the most amazing breakfast feast ever seen. The Seawall picnic area was the perfect backdrop. We mish-mashed potatoes with cheese and other yummy things. Brewing to our left was fresh coffee. A glorious breakfast indeed.

We didn’t really want to leave our morning haven, but peaks are made to be climbed and we needed to crush the fat congealing in our arteries. Unfortunately our digestion got in the way so we walked around Bar Harbour for a few hours. After doing all the outdoor shops we finally headed for Cadillac mountain. Being the indecisive peacocks that we are, we had a moment of clarity (and got lost) so ended up hiking the second tallest peak, Sargent (and Penobscot) mountain. You cannot drive to the top of these peaks (unlike Cadillac) so it had a much more ‘outdoorsy’ feel at the summit(s). Met the same family twice on 2 separate peaks due to a navigational error, but on the bright side I got to wear my skin colored short shorts. Highlight of the trip.

Another awesome meal with wine and flourless cake and the trip was over. But on the bright side I got to wear my short shorts.

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For more of Mark's hijinx, click the following links:

How Superfeet Changed My Life

Hardshell Softshell: What’s the difference? or Hard vs. Soft: Mark’s guide to loving

Arcteryx Gamma SK Pant – Reviewed by Mark Altitude

Florida is a very popular winter destination for us cold-stricken Quebecers. By March, we’ve already had 4 months of winter and have at least one more month of it before it all melts away. It’s only natural that we seek to escape our frigid fate, if just for a week. And so we head en masse for the sun-drenched beaches of the sunshine state.

Florida can be awesome, if you do it right. But if you’re not careful, it can also be mind-numbingly boring. You wanna wrestle gators, air boat the everglades, party in Miami beach, hug (or kick?) Mickey Mouse, surf Coco Beach, and buy 5$ hockey tickets? Of course you do! But if you book some pre-paid complete package, you might wind up in some gated community resort, far from the action, bored to tears by the side of the pool, paying 35$ for Mojitos, and being forced-fed timeshare sales pitches.

To be honest, I didn’t really want to go to Florida this winter, but when my girlfriend produced 200$ plane tickets and her sweetest “please” face, I really had no choice. It turned out to be a lot of fun. We did it all, or almost all. Disney World was a passage obligatoire, I guess. The Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral was also awesome; it’s probably Mecca to space buffs, but I can confirm it’s also really amazing to the rest of us. Miami Beach is a fun party; if you’re there, be sure to check out the Delano and have a drink by the bar in the ankle-deep pool. But our best experience was in the Florida Keys.

We arrived at our campground in late afternoon after checking out the dolphins at some research center and enjoying the long drive on the overseas highway. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by Terry, a long-term resident of the campground, who helped me set up my tent (MSR Hubba Hubba, which withstood the strong sea winds like a boss). Terry started chatting us up and giving us tips; it turns out our campground had two kayaks that we can borrow for free. Not only that, but as a semi-local, Terry new all sorts of secret spots to kayak in the mangroves. He showed us a place from which we could access miles of waterways twisting through the mangroves.

First we had to drive through back residential roads on Big Coppitt Key which led us to some unnamed beach used exclusively by locals. From there we put to sea and had about a kilometer of paddling along the Atlantic shore before we reached the hidden mouth of a river-like pass through the mangroves. The tides helped us in. All around us was a thick mangrove vegetation: short trees spurting out from under the water. Though not really a river, the water formed a river-like shallow fjord that penetrated the mangroves for miles. After two bends, the swell of the sea was no longer felt and the water became still and completely clear. Through the blue-lagoon waters we could see fish swimming, and occasional coral protruding from an otherwise-white sand floor.

There was no one but us and the tropical birds. Terry was right: this really was a secret spot, unknown by tourists and unexploited by touring companies. Early on, by the mouth of the waterway we had crossed a small motor boat on which a father and son fished. But now, a kilometer deeper into the mangroves, we were completely alone. We stopped in a bend where a rising sand bar came up to knee-depth. We tied the boats up to some mangroves and took out the snorkelling gear. Compared to all the expensive snorkelling trips advertised on the overseas highway, this was by far the most intimate experience we could have found. We were alone in our tropical paradise.

We eventually continued our kayaking through the mangroves. At times, for dozens of meters the mangrove trees over-spanned the river and formed a full canopy over our heads. Elsewhere the vegetation was smaller and the sun drenched us with its rays.

We eventually hit the Gulf of Mexico waters on the other side of the key, and there was nothing left to do than turn around and come back. By luck, the tides had now shifted and were carrying us back to our car. We ended our trip with some parasailing and a night out on the town in Key West, kayaking through the mangroves remains the best memories of our vacation in Florida.

-Jean-Yves

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For more of Jean-Yves adventures, click the following links

Sailing in BC’s Channel Islands

The End of the Road

The North Face Alkaline GTX XCR – Reviewed

Dans le cadre de la série Partagez et économisez. Le concours est toujours en vigueur!

Randonnée de Marie-France dans les Adirondacks

Ce printemps, je suis allée pour la première fois de ma vie faire une randonnée dans les Adirondacks. Quoi ? Pour la première fois vous dites ? Tout d’abord, pour ma défense, je n’ai pas de voiture et je n’ai pas le profil type du randonneur, ce qui fait en sorte qu’on ne pense jamais à moi pour ce genre d’activité. J’aime bien marcher, la nature et les défis, mais l’occasion ne s’était donc jamais présentée. Trêve d’excuses, mon copain me propose quatre montagnes parmi lesquelles je devais choisir pour ma première grande rando. J’ai choisi le 16e sommet le plus élevé des Adirondacks : le mont Wright. Voici donc ce que j’avais comme données avant mon départ : il s’agit d’un sentier difficile d’une distance totale de 11,3 kilomètres qui devrait nous prendre 4 h 30 aller-retour.

Nous avons quitté Montréal à 7 h15, franchi les douanes sans problèmes et débuté notre ascension à 10 h 15 samedi matin alors qu’il y avait quelques gouttelettes qui tombaient du ciel. Je tiens à souligner que la pluie a cessé au tout début, par chance, car cette excursion n’était pas difficile, elle était très difficile. Et si au moment de gravir ce sentier rocailleux il avait fallu que le ciel pleure, ça aurait été une catastrophe. Ne vous méprenez pas, j’avais de bons souliers et un imperméable, mais le sentier était jonché de roches pour le ¾. Il aura fallu à de nombreuses reprises grimper sur de gros rochers inclinés à 75 % sans avoir quoi que ce soit pour se retenir, à part son copain, et l’effet pluie n’aurait fait qu’augmenter les possibilités de chutes déjà trop élevées. J’ai même trouvé que les bâtons de randonnée étaient devenus une nuisance et j’ai préféré les ranger pour pouvoir me servir de mes mains en tout temps.

À un certain moment, j’ai cru que nous ne pourrions jamais atteindre le sommet et j’avais juste le goût de tout abandonner. Finalement, après ce qui m’a paru comme de nombreuses heures, nous sommes arrivés au sommet pour casser la croûte et reprendre des forces. Aucun signe de la plaque de bronze mentionnée dans le livre pour rappeler l’écrasement d’un avion en 1962, juste du vent, des gens, mais très peu, et une vue magnifique.

La descente a été beaucoup plus rapide et beaucoup plus facile que je le croyais. Certains obstacles étaient moins menaçants qu’à l’ascension, malgré leur niveau de difficulté. J’ai relevé le défi sans trop de peine ni de misère et j’ai même le goût d’y retourner pour faire une autre montagne. La prochaine fois par contre, je n’oublierai pas mon chasse-moustique. Deux semaines après l’événement, j’en garde encore des souvenirs…. mais contre toute attente, on aura fait de moi une adepte de la randonnée !

- Marie-France

A part of Arizona

The idea was complicated, not simple. My grand-mother used to live in Phoenix. She moved recently to be closer to the family. She still has her home and car there. The car however, was not running properly. My Dad brought it to the mechanic's and was given an estimate of 5 000$! That's a lot of money. Especially for a 20 year-old car.

As luck would have it, my cousin Frank dropped by one day and we started discussing the problem. I was eager to get his feedback as he's already taken a Toyota 4Runner apart, only to rebuild it. This, in my book, makes him a car expert.

This is what a car expert looks like

He said we were getting taken advantage of and that everything that had to be done was rather easy and the parts plentiful on the internet. With my family, we concocted a plan to go over there with him and have him do the repairs. Yes, it would cost less to fly him over 3500 km than to go to the garage. Not only that it was a great quid pro quo. We'd save money on the car and he'd get a free trip! And anyways, spending time with the family is always a good thing.

It turns out that it cost less than 1000$ to fix the car, plane tickets included! It took Frank about a day and a half to do his job. With the car fixed, there remained only one option: ROAD TRIP!

You sometimes take pictures like these on a road trip

And thus we travelled Arizona from North to South. In between we visited Sedona, the Grand Canyon and Mexico. Since we were based in Phoenix we also got around there. Join me as I take a look at the state of Arizona. Part of a weekly mini-series, we'll start off next week with Phoenix, metropolis of the state.