Until that day, the reservoir not far past the college had marked my furthest venturing to the east of town. But I had a bike now, and it extended my circle of reach out significantly. With my recently purchased Giant bicycle, I could pedal out another 20 or so kilometersContinue Reading
Review in 3 sentences: Summit a mountain held sacred by Tibetan Buddhists. On top, drink in expansive views of the whole Lijiang area from Wenbi Shan. Upon completion, “wow” others by letting them know you stood on top of the pointy peak. SAFETY-A note and disclaimer about safety: Always takeContinue Reading
My gaze fixed on the river winding through the valley far below. It flowed some 2500’ (750m) lower in elevation from where I stood on my overlook perch. It would be a long way down to the river itself, but I had just learned that this was the mighty Yangtze.Continue Reading
This is how the story goes. For generations, Ahtna chiefs mined copper in what we know today as the Wrangell Mountains. This set a couple of guys off in search of copper mines more than a hundred years ago. Back before the red mill town clung to the lower slopes.Continue Reading
Around half way into the trip, I realized with some alarm that my energy reserves were depleting quickly. I knew the day presented a challenge, but I underestimated just how much it would end up demanding. On another day, I might have fared quite a bit better. On this day,Continue Reading
In some settings, natural discoveries abound in every direction. Some locations offer destination spots a person must travel to get to. And then there is the frontier finder’s toughest challenge—urban areas. I live in one of these latter settings at present. Taiwan has some great scenic areas, but they presentContinue Reading
Once again, I stopped and took in the sight. Glassy green glacial waters filled the basin. High ridges on the opposite side of the lake mirrored those on this side. Bold Peak soared like an unflinching sentinel near the head of the mountain reservoir. Even higher rocky peaks near theContinue Reading
Review in 3 sentences: The only other folks I’ve seen on this trail were the ones I brought with me. The hike at Guanyin Xia (观音峡) provides nice cliff and waterfall views. Bike there from Lijiang City and loop back for a nice day getting to know areas south ofContinue Reading