April 28, 2013
by David Ryan
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Finding a Public Stairway in an Unexpected Place While on a Road Trip

I apologize for taking so long to post a new entry in this blog. I have been on a road trip with my dog Petey and hope to have several new posts related to our trip over the next few weeks.

On the second day of our trip, while still driving across the country, I was able to put my wandering and seeing skills to use when I found a completely unexpected public stairway in Kansas City, Kansas.

We were driving north on I-35 into Kansas City. To our right was a bluff with development above and below it. I immediately thought that this would be a perfect location for a stairway and pulled off at the next exit.

As we drove along Southwest Boulevard in Kansas City, Kansas, I caught a glimpse in the corner of my eye of a stairway at the end of Hill Street going off to the right. We immediately turned, drove up to the stairway, and parked the car.

Two things were immediately noticeable: the sign saying that the steps were unsafe for pedestrians and the water flowing from the steps. The sign didn’t stop us from checking out the steps, and we never were able to determine if the water was coming from a natural spring or a broken water pipe.

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April 4, 2013
by David Ryan
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Wandering Through the Rice Terraces of Banaue

In the mountains near Banaue on the island of Luzon (Philippine Republic) Ifugao people have been carving rice terraces on the mountainsides for over 2000 years. Many people have called these terraces the Eighth Wonder of the World. My wife, Claudia, and I found the terraces to be an incredible place to wander when we visited them in January 1997.

Banaue is a long bus ride from Manila and when you get there you can walk up the main road from town towards the mountain pass to get a good look at the terraces. They are spectacular. There are terraces as far as you can see. They are not only something to see, they are also something to hear. The sound of dripping water is everywhere as the water works its way from the mountain tops through the terraces.

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March 20, 2013
by David Ryan
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Bataan Memorial Death March

The jungles of the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippine Islands are a long way from the U.S. Army’s White Sands Missile Range in the northern reaches of the Chihuahuan Desert in southern New Mexico.  Yet there is a strong connection between the two.

Just prior to World War II units from the New Mexico National Guard were deployed to the Philippines.  After Pearl Harbor they were in the middle of the battles fought in the Philippines and were eventually part of the infamous Bataan Death March.

To honor their sacrifice and the sacrifice of all those who have suffered in war, the U.S. Army base at White Sand Missile Range has hosted the Bataan Memorial Death March for the past 24 years. The road leading to the base (U.S. 70) is now called the Bataan Death March Highway.

The Bataan Memorial Death March is a full 26.2 mile marathon. Most of the participants march or walk the route rather than run it. I had the privilege of marching in it this past weekend.

This year’s march had over 5600 participants. Most were in uniform and were from all branches of the service. Some were even from foreign countries. For those not in the military it is a tremendous opportunity to intermingle with those who serve. You will find that our military is composed of a select group of very friendly and amazing young men and women.

If you would like to include the Bataan Memorial Death March among your walking experiences, you can learn more at http://www.bataanmarch.com/.  In the meantime if you would like to see what the march is like, here are some pictures and impressions from this year’s march. Continue Reading →