Associates
Linda's mission is to experience as many beautiful places on our planet as she can before they are no more. Travel tales relating her experiences while kayaking, horseback riding, sailing, birding and hiking about the globe have appeared in numerous national magazines. She had great fun collecting travel stories, and profiles of people she met in “naturally high places” for her book, Lost Angel Walkabout-One Traveler’s Tales. Her latest book Lost Angel Unleashed is the third book in her Lost Angel Trilogy
Go to LostAngelAdventures.com for more adventures.
For more about Linda’s novels and media offerings go to. www.LindaBallouAuthor.com
Recent Content
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Sheltered in the foothills of Sangre de Christo Mountains, Santa Fe has served as a resting place for travelers for centuries. It has become …By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Sheltered in the foothills of Sangre de Christo Mountains, Santa Fe has served as a resting place for travelers for centuries. It has become a cradle of creativity for artists of all stripes. With over 250 art galleries representing art from around the globe, the most ardent collectors will find the perfect piece to take home. The Spanish conquistadors who arrived in Santa Fe in the 1600s were quick to seize this prime northern New Mexico haven. They subjugated the native Pueblo people and used them to build their churches and governm…
Linda Ballou
October 14, 2024
In 1961 Douglas Rainsford Tompkins was one of the first to summit Mt. Fitzroy in the depths of southern Chile, and he fell in love with the magnitude and majesty of one of the few remaining wild place…In 1961 Douglas Rain…In 1961 Douglas Rainsford Tompkins was one of the first to summit Mt. Fitzroy in the depths of southern Chile, and he fell in love with the magnitude and majesty of one of the few remaining wild places on Earth. An avid outdoors man, he founded The North Face outdoor clothing and gear company and was co-founder of Esprit, both hugely successful enterprises. But his passion for the land prompted him to drop out of society to live in a small cottage in southern Chile with 150 million dollars in his piggy bank. He became an environmentalist with the dream of buying huge swaths of land and working…
Linda Ballou
August 28, 2024
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Bowers of luxuriant tropical flowers grace the well-tended grounds of the Blue River Resort and Hot Springs. Magenta spikes of torch ginger, moun… By Linda Ballou, N… By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Bowers of luxuriant tropical flowers grace the well-tended grounds of the Blue River Resort and Hot Springs. Magenta spikes of torch ginger, mounds of yellow hibiscus, and many varieties of dripping orange heliconia brighten the scene. Meandering paths lead to several pools heated with thermal energy from the nearby Rincon de la Vieja volcano. Cool-off pools are just feet away. Inside a maze of trails is a butterfly farm where brilliant Blue Morphos waft on a gentle breeze. Wander further and you will find a sauna and opportunity for a mu…
Linda Ballou
June 16, 2024
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate After enduring hours of cramped airplanes, air-conditioned hotels, and buses, being immersed in nature once again finally settled my molecules …By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate After enduring hours of cramped airplanes, air-conditioned hotels, and buses, being immersed in nature once again finally settled my molecules into place. My tired body came alive as we rocked and rolled down the Class III Rio Sarapiqui, a tributary of the San Juan River. While surging over rapids, and being splashed with their cooling spray beneath a baby blue sky, the stress of travel fell away, sort of like a snake shedding its skin. Towering trees draped in epiphytic vines and fanning ferns of all shapes and sizes formed a wall of…
Linda Ballou
June 13, 2024
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Writer Since Covid hit our shores, travel insurance has become more important than ever. While it is true flight delays have lessened, flights are still a …By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Writer Since Covid hit our shores, travel insurance has become more important than ever. While it is true flight delays have lessened, flights are still a huge variable when you travel. Travel delays, as well as trip interruptions and cancellations, are not just frustrating and inevitable, they can be life altering. Which means that choosing to have travel insurance could not only protect your budget should you have to rebook at the last possible minute due to flight cancellations, but can also be lifesaving, should you have a health emergency outs…
Linda Ballou
February 12, 2024
By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Mobility issues are a problem for many Boomers. I am no exception, so I have investigated ways of ensuring that I don’t take a fall that puts…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Mobility issues are a problem for many Boomers. I am no exception, so I have investigated ways of ensuring that I don’t take a fall that puts me out of commission. If you, like me, find you need to be in nature and feel the cooling breeze caressing your skin while you walk, take heart. Don’t let a mobility issue stop you from doing what you need to feel happy and content. I had to acknowledge that I can’t do what I used to do in the same way. I would like to share some of the things that will help you keep moving, and in shape…
Linda Ballou
December 8, 2023
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate When I lived on the North Shore in 1978, there was not one home on the shore of horseshoe-shaped Hanalei Bay. The notorious Taylor Camp treehou…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate When I lived on the North Shore in 1978, there was not one home on the shore of horseshoe-shaped Hanalei Bay. The notorious Taylor Camp treehouse colony, populated by hippies living off the land, was in full swing. The now famous Tahiti Nui featured in the film The Descendants was a hole in the wall. I could hike the Kalalau Trail, tracing the rugged Nāpali Coast up to the roaring Hanakapi'ai Falls, and take a dip in the pool below, without seeing another soul. I never made it to the site of the sacred Hawaiian village at the end of the…
Linda Ballou
September 1, 2023
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Po‘ipū is the favored spot by visitors to the Island because it guarantees full blown sunny beach days. In 1978 Po‘ipū Beach was a deep…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Po‘ipū is the favored spot by visitors to the Island because it guarantees full blown sunny beach days. In 1978 Po‘ipū Beach was a deep azure plunge where I floated in ecstasy. But in 1992 Hurricane Iniki carved out a new coastline. Today the crescent shaped white sand beach is still a favorite of sun worshippers, but the water is shallow with a bottom littered with coral rocks. It is popular with snorkelers and small children but is no longer the best swimming beach on the South Shore. Numerous resorts and condo complexes now l…
Linda Ballou
September 1, 2023
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate As a young woman, I had dropped out of society and landed on the North Shore of Kaua‘i. It was a head-spinning transformative time in my life. …By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate As a young woman, I had dropped out of society and landed on the North Shore of Kaua‘i. It was a head-spinning transformative time in my life. There, I was introduced to people experimenting with alternate lifestyles and those leading highly creative lives. After a year of Island life, I was brimming with good health and ready to face the future. Now, 45 years on, I yearned to return to the nurturing clime to know how both the Island and I have changed. Kaua'i is lush with foliage, resplendent with waterfalls, and isolated by tumult…
Linda Ballou
September 1, 2023
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Costa Rica, the poster child of eco-tourism, has so many fun, outdoor adventures options it’s hard to choose. Twenty-five percent of the coun…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Costa Rica, the poster child of eco-tourism, has so many fun, outdoor adventures options it’s hard to choose. Twenty-five percent of the country is preserved habitat to ensure the continuation of the unique flora and fauna found in species-rich forests. Multiple changes in altitude and temperature create many micro-climates that are responsible for Costa Rica’s diversity. Extending and gracious people, Ticos, as locals call themselves, offer guided outdoor adventures throughout their emerald-green country. Rafting the Class …
Linda Ballou
May 30, 2023
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Readers, I am working on a new book, which is very close to publication, to be called Lost Angel Unleashed: Stories From the Heart, as well as my L…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Readers, I am working on a new book, which is very close to publication, to be called Lost Angel Unleashed: Stories From the Heart, as well as my Lost Angel Adventure Series. Today I'd like to share some of my very favorite places to visit in one of my favorite cities, Santa Barbara. I hope you will enjoy my list and will consider visiting this charming city soon. Please check out the links for more information... State Street Promenade -- A Taste of Europe The heart of Downtown Santa Barbara’s entertainment and retail district has tr…
Linda Ballou
March 22, 2023
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate I've just returned from the Adventure Travel Show, and am delighted to report that the travel industry is roaring back with a vengeance. …By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate I've just returned from the Adventure Travel Show, and am delighted to report that the travel industry is roaring back with a vengeance. Airlines are ramping up flights, training and hiring pilots, and upgrading infrastructure to keep up with the demand. Twenty-five new ships for leisure travelers will set sail this year. But, with this frenzy to meet the pent-up demand for travel experiences comes higher prices and over-burdened service workers. How do we best navigate the age of disruption? Here are a few of my best tips. Buy …
Linda Ballou
February 24, 2023
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Isabella Bird was a Victorian-age explorer whose time has come again! The best-loved travel writer of her day wrote effusively about he…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Isabella Bird was a Victorian-age explorer whose time has come again! The best-loved travel writer of her day wrote effusively about her travels in Estes Park in A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains. Three books about her were published in 2021, including my historical novel Embrace of the Wild. In April I was honored to be selected as the “Isabella Bird Expert” for the upcoming BBC documentary “Trailblazers,” a series spotlighting heroic women that have fallen through the cracks of time. I joined the film c…
Linda Ballou
November 14, 2022
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Just 34 miles up sweeping I 70 from Denver lies Evergreen, a popular stop for folks wanting to breathe deeply of crisp, pine-scented air. For…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Just 34 miles up sweeping I 70 from Denver lies Evergreen, a popular stop for folks wanting to breathe deeply of crisp, pine-scented air. Forward-thinking Denver elders forged out huge open spaces for hikers and bikers in this area. A myriad of trail networks lace the hills surrounding the rustic mountain town. I hiked in Dedisse Park on an undulating trail through a forest overlooking the Evergreen Lake. Expect to meet mountain bikers and other hikers on the trails. Evergreen is a hub of outdoor fun and connecting highways to the in…
Linda Ballou
October 7, 2022
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate I love this interview with Brett Wilson at The Rocky Mountain Channel podcast. I felt relaxed and welcome. He wanted to know what prompted me to f…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate I love this interview with Brett Wilson at The Rocky Mountain Channel podcast. I felt relaxed and welcome. He wanted to know what prompted me to follow in the hoofprints of the indomitable Isabella Bird from pristine Hawai’i to untamed Colorado in 1873. We talked about how Isabella and Rocky Mountain Jim were two seriously damaged people who found their salvation in nature. Isabella describes their legendary romance and the ethereal beauty of the region in her book A Lady’s Life in the Rockies. Her vivid descriptions of the regi…
Linda Ballou
September 7, 2022
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Isabella Lucy Bird was a Victorian Age adventurer who endured tremendous hardships in her explorations of the Rockies in 1873. She became the…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Isabella Lucy Bird was a Victorian Age adventurer who endured tremendous hardships in her explorations of the Rockies in 1873. She became the best-loved travel writer of her time, and was the first woman inducted into the Scottish Royal Geographical Society. In my book Embrace of the Wild, I share Bird’s most transformative journeys. A fierce spirit trapped in a frail body, Isabella rode through raging waters on the Hamakua Coast, up the flank of a volcano, and into the Waipio Valley in Hawai’i. Her exploratory adventures began a…
Linda Ballou
August 19, 2022
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Each day, thousands traverse the narrow road that hugs the coast of Southeast Maui to the village of Hana, one of last remnants of old Hawai’i. …By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Each day, thousands traverse the narrow road that hugs the coast of Southeast Maui to the village of Hana, one of last remnants of old Hawai’i. It is a miracle that the over fifty one-lane bridges, many of which are over a hundred years old, don’t collapse beneath the steady stream of cars. Drivers are rubber necking to see the most beautiful waterfall, and angling to find a pullout near unmarked trailheads to take a closer look. Still, chaos can be avoided and you can enjoy a tranquil, romantic journey into this lush, unspoiled …
Linda Ballou
August 2, 2022
By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate As temperatures begin to soar, I dream of the rivers I have known and loved. Tension mounts as I hear the rumble of rapids roiling ahead. Sit…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate As temperatures begin to soar, I dream of the rivers I have known and loved. Tension mounts as I hear the rumble of rapids roiling ahead. Sitting up straight, tucking a foot beneath the pontoon of the rubber raft, taking a secure position for the white water to come, I listen for commands. “Paddles ready!” calls the guide and then we are bouncing through rapids with cooling waves splashing overhead. Squeals of excitement fill the air as we paddle for all we are worth through the foaming rush. Next we settle back to a smooth glid…
Linda Ballou
June 27, 2022
