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 interior... Read More

By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate The only thing certain about travel in 2022 is that it is uncertain. People are chomping at the bit to travel again but need to remain flexible. Flight schedules are still in a state of flux, car rentals are at historical highs, and Covid-19 guidelines in various countries are changing by the hour. Travel expert, Peter Greenberg, suggests that you contact your travel agent, or better yet, the concierge at a hotel in the area you are planning to visit, to get up-to-date information about Covid-19 requirements. Even the World Health Organization... Read More

By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate  Every bend of the river beckons—every pool may bring better luck. Life should be like that. — Zane Grey The Rogue River is a vital artery in southwestern Oregon that flows 215 miles from Crater Lake to Gold Beach on the coast. Rainie Falls is the take out point for rafters to the 40 mile stretch of the wild and scenic corridor on the infamous Rogue. We skirted this big drop into a gaping hole, the only Class 4 rapid we encountered on the 4-day rafting adventure, by taking a side channel. We listened for the low rumble of rapids ahead... Read More

By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate After eleven years, I decided it was time to deliver the fruitcake my mother had sent me in 2009 just before she passed away. I would take it to the meadow where I had scattered her ashes.  I had kept it in my freezer (even through a severe downsizing) because I just couldn’t bear to throw it out. Her fruitcake was much too heavy for me to eat, and I didn’t want to give it to anyone. Taking it to where she rested seemed a logical thing to do. The day could not have been more gorgeous. White clouds smeared across the baby blue heavens,... Read More

By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate In the words of Edward Abbey…”I am not an atheist, I am an Earthiest!” Earthiests are people who literally need to plug into the planet to recharge. Whether sitting on a rock warmed by the sun, or face planted down on the sand at the beach, standing on a mountain top arms spread with palms up to gather energy, or resting against a tree, I am gathering energy from the earth. Some people think nothing is happening when they are sitting still because their minds are too busy to feel anything. But, they are receiving nature’s... Read More

Mark Twain described the Hawaiian Islands as the “prettiest archipelago ever to lay anchor in the South Pacific.” I agree, but so do millions of other travelers! Still, you can find serenity in a sublime setting if you bend an effort to get off the beaten track. Here are a few of my favorite less-traveled trails. Maunawili Demonstration Trail, Oahu Oahu, the gathering place where millions enjoy the healing waters of Waikiki, is perhaps the hardest island to find respite from crowds. On a recent trip, however, I stumbled upon the Maunawili Demonstration Trail, a high and dry path hugging the... Read More

By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Last month, we began a two part discussion on your Medicare coverage when you travel. This is an important topic, since so many of us Boomers, bitten by the “travel bug,” hit the road as soon as we retire. Of course, your retirement and the opportunity to become covered by Medicare often happen close together, which means you may be traveling before you’ve had the opportunity to become totally familiar with your Medicare coverage.  Last month, we looked at Medicare coverage during domestic travel. (That is, travel within... Read More

By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Floating face up in the Watsu pool at the Kalani Ocean Retreat that is tucked into a remote corner of the Big Island in Hawaii, I drifted in a state of embryonic innocence. Sylvie, my provider, massaged my spine gently and rotated my limbs to release joint tension. This was the first of many experiences on my quest for an Aloha fix that would include traditional lomi-lomi massage; interviewing Kumu Dane Silva, a respected native Hawaiian healer; a swim in a hot pond used for centuries by the ancestors to cleanse body, mind, and spirit; feeling... Read More