Tiritiri Mitangi – Birding Adventure Down Under By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert December is a great time to explore the other land down under. The North Island of New Zealand is easy to get around and much less pricey than neighboring Australia. Kiwis take pride in making guests feel welcome and love to share their miles of hiking trails and un-trammeled shores. Tremendous efforts on the part of New Zealanders to preserve forests and the unique birds that call them home are especially evident on the tiny isle of Tiritiri Mitangi. Spray splashed over the bow of our... Read More

Interview with Donna Hull By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert One of the best sites on the web for active boomers is My Itchy Travel Feet. Donna Hull has been scratching that itch for the last three years and having a ball doing it. Her site is very comprehensive with lots of fun articles about travel adventures for you to explore. Since I am a Hawai\’i aficionado, I especially liked Boomer Adventures in Hawai\’i. The Coastal California Road Trip suggesting several horseback riding opportunities along the coast made me want to start packing. Many of the articles... Read More

Last Chance for Romance in the West By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert Aspen leaves spinning in a stout wind rattled like castanets. I found shelter beneath the spreading arms of an ancient spruce from the intense sun on a ledge overlooking the Platte River Valley. The ceaseless chatter of the river on its merry way to Denver kept me company. Below, nestled in the cleft of the blue mountains sheathed in Ponderosa pine, North Fork Ranch rests hidden from the modern world. People come here from around the globe to breathe the crystalline air, fish in the clear waters, and let... Read More

Walking Vacations By Carol Sorgen NABBW’s Travel Expert When Matthew and Ellie Fink of Chevy Chase planned their vacation last summer, they wanted to get away from phones and faxes, do something completely different, go somewhere completely new to them, indulge their interest in history–and get a little exercise. They came up with the ideal solution–an 8-day walking trip to the borderlands of Scotland. “Our primary criterion,” Mrs. Fink laughs, “was, \’It can\’t be too difficult.\’ We\’re way out of shape.” Both in their early 50s... Read More

North Fork Ranch Interview By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert Guest ranches have provided a means for city folks to air out their spirits since the turn of the century, but today they are multi-sport adventures, leaping generation gaps and crossing cultural barriers in a single bound. Selected as one of the top fifty Guest Ranches in the world, North Fork Ranch sets the bar for the other ranches in Colorado. I asked owners, Karen and Dean May, what makes their ranch so special? KM: We are family owned and operated. We raised our family here and love sharing our beautiful... Read More

My Top Six Adventures to Do Before You Die By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert Rafting the Pacuare River in Costa Rica is a little known must. Class III-IV rapids are spaced nicely between peaceful glides through a primordial rain forest populated with colorful birds, grunting monkeys and three-toed sloth dozing in the canopy. Neon blue butterflies waft by on a warm breeze. Clear water invites a swim in deep pools beside a waterfall. All seems perfect in the world as you float feet first downstream. For more, read my article Finding the Real Gold in Costa Rica. Hiking up Soldiers... Read More

Save the Skin You\’re In By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert A glint of jealousy flashed in the eyes of my fellow adventurers on the jet boat ride out of the Grand Canyon when I whipped out my lightweight mask, secured it to the frame of my sunglasses, and turned to face 60-mile-an hour winds This handy defense against the elements helped protect my skin from the wind and intense glare of the sun reflecting on the water. Less than an ounce of protection in my pack prevented me from receiving skin damage with no cure. In Alaska, where I grew up, it is said that there is... Read More

Wild West Wander – Part II By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert The head-spinning stretch of the San Juan Skyway between Telluride and Ouray is flanked by thousand-foot sandstone formations carved by a river lined by willows. I pulled over at the Dallas Divide unable to pass by the breathtaking sweep of rusty sedges at the base of Dallas Mountain. Its flank was clad in velvet green pine splotched with aspens spinning gold and its ghostly peak pierced tender blue skies. I took a moment to breathe deeply of our fast vanishing American Heritage. The promise of the mineral... Read More

h1>Wild West Wander in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado: Part I By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert The San Juan Skyway extends through sage-littered plains, up verdant river valleys to lofty peaks streaked with snow and alpine cirques glistening in the sun. The 236-mile loop in southwest Colorado can be done on less than a tank of gas in a day, but it deserves a lifetime of exploration. In this two-piece series, I share how a person of average fitness can get into the heart-catching scenery without tapping their 401K. The best ways to take in the rugged terrain are on foot,... Read More

Interview with Birding Adventurer – James Currie By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert James Currie is the driving force behind Nikon Birding Adventures TV which focuses on destination and adventure bird-watching. He explores the best exotic birding destinations on the planet; the most unusual, rare and highly sought after bird species; amazing cultures and wildlife. He is the informative, passionate – and sometimes crazy! – host for BATV that portrays a unique blend of information and adventure, making bird-watching refreshing, contemporary, interesting and... Read More