June 22, 2012
by David Ryan
0 comments
A major surprise for me (or surreal experience, depending on your point of view) when I hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1997 and 1998 was passing through an environmental Superfund zone just beyond Lehigh Gap in Pennsylvania. It made such an impression on me that I included a picture of it in the first edition (published in 2002) of Long Distance Hiking on the Appalachian Trail for the Older Adventurer.
June 5, 2012
by David Ryan
4 Comments
Harpers Ferry is the easternmost town in West Virginia and is where the Shenandoah River joins the Potomac River. 180 years ago, Harpers Ferry was an important industrial center and the location of a Federal arsenal. It is famous for being the site of John Brown’s raid two years before the Civil War. The arsenal and the town’s location on the Shenandoah River made it an important Civil War crossroads and it changed hands several times during the war. After several devastating floods, industry left and the town is now only a shell of what it once was.
Much of Harpers Ferry is now a National Historic Park. With many of the old building buildings restored and still standing, it is a perfect place for wandering. As a bonus, whenever a town is built in a tight river valley, there is a chance to find stairs. Continue Reading →
May 17, 2012
by David Ryan
0 comments
The Santuario de Chimayo in northern New Mexico is an almost obligatory day trip stop for most Santa Fe, New Mexico visitors. And for good reason, it’s less than 30 miles away and on the high road to Taos. It is considered a special place by many people. Like Tome Hill south of Albuquerque, it is also a Good Friday pilgrimage destination.
The drive to Chimayo is spectacular. The road passes through incredible tan high desert foot hills and mesas dotted with juniper. For the first time visitor, the landscape is awe inspiring. When you reach the crest of a hill just south of town you catch your first glimpse of the community of Chimayo tucked into the valley of a mountain stream. It is an oasis in the desert, almost like a Shangri-La. Continue Reading →