By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate It seems everyone I know has been to Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks in the Red Rock Country of Utah. It was high time for me to experience the soaring ramparts with majestic views, the splendor of sculptured slot canyons, and the magic of hoodoos millions of years in the making. I chose mid-April for my visit to cash in on wildflowers, cool temps, and waterfalls that are fed by melting snowfields and dry up in the heat of summer. Zion and Bryce are located on the western edge of the Colorado Plateau in the four corners of Utah, Arizona,... Read More

By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Each year I attend the Los Angeles Adventure Travel show to get news about travel trends.  Here is what is hot and what is not according to travel gurus like Rick Steves who spoke about broadening your global prospective through travel, and Pauline Frommer who shared lots of money saving tips. All of the speakers at the event want you to use an anonymous computer when searching for flights, hotels, and car rentals. Sneaky algorithms pick up what you have searched in the past indicating what you are willing to spend. The computer selects... Read More

By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate “I go to the forest to lose my mind and find my soul” ~~ John Muir It is my extreme pleasure to share outdoor days that have helped me achieve balance in my life.  So many friends ask me to take them hiking, but part of my pleasure is hiking solo. Being alone allows me to absorb the beauty of my wanderings and to take time to listen to birdsong and the chatter of the creatures great and small. Which is why I take great pleasure in inviting you to use my newest book, “Lost Angel in Paradise: Great Outdoor Days From Los Angeles... Read More

By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate To start the New Year off with a bang, I am publishing a collection of my favorite outdoor days along the California Coast. It is my extreme pleasure to have visited all of these beautiful places and to share them with you in Lost Angel in Paradise. I cap off each day with a suggestion for an eatery nearby the trail head, or beach walk. I have also created a new website www.LostAngelAdventures.com spotlighting my travel books, articles. This post, “Day on the Russian River Road” is a sample of what you will find in my newest... Read More

By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate I love travel narratives.  These are a few of my favorite travel books sure to whet your wanderlust. These are not typical guidebooks, they represent well-written travel literature. Travels in a Thin Country by Sara Wheeler Sara travels in a way that I would love to do, but just don’t have the stamina. From soggy sleeping bags, to elaborate dinners at elegant haciendas she shares the highs and lows of Chili—a country of extremes. Home to some of the highest volcanoes in the world, vast expanse of desert and tropical forests and... Read More

By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate No matter what your relationship with the person who brought you into this world—be it good, bad, or indifferent—it is always complicated. My mother’s passing left me with my energies low, immune system weakened, and spirits sagging. The Hawaiian Islands have always been a source of solace and sustenance for me. Memories of crescent white sand beaches wrapping azure seas would not let me go. I went back to the Islands in search of a healing kumu (teacher) who could help me through this difficult time. I found Kumu Dane Silva who practices... Read More

By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Ever want to turn off the city and just run? Urbanitis is a common condition in the City of Angels that causes me to dodge crowds, noise pollution, and the constant insistence of my cell phone. When these symptoms occur, I feel the need for a dose of wilderness. In July I answered the Call of the Wild by taking a horse pack trip hosted by the McLean family at their Tyslos Park Lodge in supernatural British Columbia, Canada. A heart-thumping flight from Vancouver over the vast snow-packed expanses of the Coast Mountain Range delivered me... Read More

By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate About an hour north of Los Angeles a spectacular day trip to the Island of Santa Cruz awaits you. Turn up at the Island Packer dock in Ventura Harbor about 9 AM with a lunch in your backpack and leave your worries behind. After an hour-long cruise across the channel, passengers are dropped off at Scorpion Anchorage and admonished to be back by 4 PM, or plan on spending the night on the island. Some choose to do exactly that, but most fan out on separate day hikes. Santa Cruz, the largest of all the Channel Islands, offers the most varied... Read More

By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate I hiked the half mile around Malibu Lagoon to what is famously known as Surf Riders Beach, aka “Buns Galore” Beach. Barefoot surfers joined me on the shade-less path carrying their boards tucked under their arm or over their heads. Unzipped wet suits, folded down on slim waists keep them half-way cool. These are real he-men if you ask me. I wear sneakers for the trek and carry supplies of water and fruit for when I get dry. At the entrance to Malibu Lagoon State Park I was snagged by a couple of gay caballeros from Italy who wanted their... Read More

By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate The Olallieberry Inn is located in the East Village of Cambria on the Central Coast of California. This quaint Victorian-style inn nestling on the sunny side of the Santa Rosa Creek offers all the comforts of home, and then some. The Inn, in service for over 40 years, has received a facelift by new owners providing modern amenities without losing its charm. Cooks in the sparkling new kitchen deliver gourmet breakfasts at two settings each day. One at 8:00 for those eager to get out and explore this gorgeous region, and one at 9:15 for those... Read More