A Ticket to Paradise

In mid-July, I booked my one-way ticket to London. I had just applied for my Visa, as I would be needing this if I wanted to have any chance at ever becoming a citizen of Europe. although I spent the entire day of summer working and making preparations to say my final farewell, the fateful September day still came far sooner than I had anticipated. this would be the day that I would depart for the better part of 2 years, save the occasional visit to friends and family. Call a trial separation, if you will, from the land that I had called home for the first 23 years of my life. 

Waiting in the airport for several hours leading up to the flight was enough to drive anybody mad. However, I would soon arrive in England for the first time, after a six-hour long sleep-deprived layover in Reykjavik, and nearly forty hours of sleeplessness. Ten hours and five time zones later, I would be landing in Heathrow Airport for the first time ever, to begin the beginning of the rest of my life.

I met my first roommate, Austin, barely an hour into my first journey in Europe’s third biggest city (right behind St. Petersburg and Istanbul). He was happy to see me, and we embraced for a solid minute. We had no idea how to navigate public transport at this time, though, so we ended up taking whatever bus we Thought would get us to campus in a decent enough fashion.

After getting off at a random stop, still a twenty-minute walk from campus, we decided to call an Uber. It was dark out, and somebody had thrown an egg in our direction (which shattered against the bus stop’s window), so we wanted to get out of there fast. Security had no idea who we were upon arrival, but we were able to get a spare room until ours were ready in the morning. Austin crashed on the floor with his sheets, and I passed out for nine straight hours on my bed.

When I woke, I realized that I would be beginning the next step in the journey I call my life – I now spent the first night in my new home base for at least the next two years.

The Lake of Tobias

The summer before my college graduation, I went to Lake Tobias. Prior to taking the hour drive from my house to see this place, I heard very good things about the open-air museums and the abilities to pet the local animals. I didn't actually know it would be as insane as it was. I knew that I was in for a day full of petting animals and seeing wild things that normally don't grow anywhere close to the United States, but I didn't know exactly what it would entail.

The Story begins with the late JR Tobias. He originally wanted to go to college to study agriculture in animals, but instead became an officer in the Marines. He always disturbed Safari cruises when he could, and told many that only Wildlife Park was just a wild dream he had for after retirement. After owning several small successful businesses throughout his adult life while raising his seven children, that dream became reality. He was sent on a business trip out of the country, and returns home with some endangered animals that he had rescued from harsh living conditions in captivity or in their home environment. After approving all of them with the USDA, they were all permitted to stay in the states, and Tobias opened his State Park in 1965.

That he passed in 1996, his wife still makes her rounds every morning and evening, and even in her advanced age, continues to take care of the property and her late husband's stead. She became very good at managing the books, managing the animals, so you can go out new opportunities for Partnerships, and ultimately did a whole lot of outrage that would make her husband shed a tear. Concurrently, the interactiveness at this zoo and the friendliness of the staff and the animals are what made me determines to go.

Upon arrival, we first noticed how the prices were much cheaper than any National Zoo we'd ever been to. On top of this, there was a safari tour that we could go on for $5, which way of course had to do. As soon as we parked our car, we were getting into a Range Rover and heading out to talk to some animals. Because of a lot of us having food on us, almost all of the wildlife came up to us and said hello, and I almost got a couple of selfies with some of the animals. They always ended up looking away at the last minute though. On the list were oxen, bison, Impalas, deer, Orynxes, and a whole lot of other interesting mammals from all around the world. He also had emus and cassowaries.

In the main part of the exhibition, there was a petting zoo, where we could go and pet lots of cute furry creatures. I interacted with a llama, and alpaca, a sheep, a goat or two, and a camel. After this, we moved on to the other parts of the exhibit where I got to interact and play with a snake, a baby crocodile, and a baby porcupine.

There's a lot to see and do it this little zoo, and unlike a lot of commercialized zoos nowadays, the animals here are deeply respected and treasured by the staff their work with them. The animals were genuinely happy here. For about 20 bucks, you get a small bite to eat, Safari tour, and admission to the zoo for the day. You also get access to all of the free events and discussions that they have during the day. There really is no better deal for a beautiful peaceful day on the placid Lake Tobias.

Urban Exploration

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I went up to Centralia for a little bit of urban exploration. It was very cathartic to see the inside of gutted-out buildings and realizing that somebody once lived there. However, I knew that this would not be the end of my journeys exploring gutted-out buildings. I eventually met somebody while working at a grocery store who was very interested in urban exploring and doing things in "The Great Outdoors" as well, and before I knew it, we became friends.

For the sake of the story, we will call him Chris. I was talking to a gentleman about my travels, mentioning Centralia, and then Chris was behind him and overheard this part of the conversation. So, we exchanged contact information after he showed me some pictures that he took of abandoned buildings. Two weekends later, we were out exploring these abandoned buildings. We stopped by an old Penn Mar waste building, only to find that the inside was inaccessible. We also visited the old Sawmill on Kings Mill Road and the York County Prison, but both were sealed up tight.

However, when we got to Manna Pro, and old Grain and Feed Factory in the heart of York City, we discovered that there was a door that could be cracked in two. We gave it a good Spartan Kick and climbed inside to explore. Chris had been here a few times before to take photos with up and coming models who wanted a first unique shoot. So, already being familiar with the layout of the building, he took me on a little tour.

There is something quite intriguing about exploring the inside of an abandoned building. It is a weird and eerie feeling to know that you are the only human beings to view the inside of the building in a very long time, especially since the triple reinforced (but open) door was discovered by us. Of course, it's also meant that the building was starting to deteriorate, as nobody had set foot inside the building since 2002. The air was very musky, but through the low light of our flashlights, it was incredible to see the grain hoppers that still had grain in them, the catwalk between the buildings, the vandalized office spaces, and the remains of offices. There were also at least $4,000 worth of industrial grade batteries inside the building that still worked, which surprisingly enough, we're left untouched.

The only scary part of the experience was fallingthrough a floorboard. I was able to catch myself before falling down to the floor below and breaking my legs at least, but it was still a heart-stopping experience. This won't stop me for going and exploring more buildings though. Exploring this old grain factory was only the beginning.

The bucket list you didn't know you had

Have you ever been doing something and then said to yourself, I can cross that off my bucket list, but you don't recall ever having a bucket list? This phenomenon occurs to me more often than I would like. One instance of this would be going to Indiana and getting handed free food by a random person at a bar. another thing would be rich running on a cliff for the first time, or getting out of a speeding ticket, or Felix nordling and seeing used underwear and a stingray. I could go on and on and make the story about myself, but really, this is about you. This is your story. So let's turn it over to you my friend.

And Indiana wasn't so bad!

When you were young and your friends encouraged you to make a bucket list because you would one day grow old and die without doing enough things, did you take their advice seriously? And if something unexpected occurs, do you include it? For me personally, I never wrote that bucket list, but rather have a list of ideas and concepts that would be cool to achieve, and that are otherwise unrelated to one another.

So, dreamers, keep building that bucket list. Stop at nothing. And after checking out the rest of my posts, check that off of your bucket list, too.

Taking a really long drive

Hello again loyal readers and new friends alike!

You may or may not have noticed by now that I like taking rather long drives and excursions. In fact, it's one of my favorite things to do when I can afford the time to do so.

Taking a long drive is really good for clearing the mind, even when traffic jams occur. And trust me, I've been on my fair share of Interstate Highway jams. It is nice to just breathe unfamiliar air and take in the sights and sounds around you. It is something for which I am most grateful every single day.

If you ever find yourself taking a long drive as well, don't be afraid. You will get to your destination before you know it, but it is most important to enjoy the journey. Brother you are planning on taking a long hiking trip to a location for states away, interviewing for grad schools, or just going out to sea the countryside, there's much to learn about along the way.

You can always put on a really good podcast and get cracking. Depending on what you want to learn about, There is almost always a market for the podcast on the internet for it. I know friends that run podcast on gaming, social media, news in the world, beauty products, comedy, and so much more. There is an issue out there for everything.

You can also use this opportunity to listen to a favorite album. I know I like listening to some of my favorite bands when I'm on the road, one of which took me to Iceland. jamming out to a favorite mixtape is a great way to pass time, especially if you have a friend in the car with you that shares a similar interest in a similar genre of music. I know this happened for me when I was driving to a grad school interview in Boston.

If you need more mental stimulation, you can also listen to audiobooks during this time. I personally prefer to put on a tape about Buddhism, a topic that I have written about in the past. audio books are a great way to read a book without picking it up, it's something that you can definitely do to pass time while learning in the car.

If all else fails, you can use voice text to work on writing your own literature, something that I have taken advantage of on long drives. It's also the source of so many uncorrected wording and spelling errors. Really, there is no reason not to make your time productive.

And last but not least, phone calls and telephone conferences are a wonderful use of time on a long drive if there is not much else to do. On my way 2 New York for the 2nd time, I was on the phone with my then-girlfriend almost the entire time.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab some coffee, pack your bags, fill up on gas, and hit the road.

Mansions and Avalanches

On the second day, I took a 4-mile walk 2 the Highland Ranch. I have recovered quite well from a day of hiking prior, so I figured that I would add more insult to injury. After a 5 minute Uber the rest of the way, I arrived.

And to think this building was once a ranch house!

The Mansion is 27,000 sq ft and was first settled in 1884 after a big move by Samuel Allen Long from a farm in Pittsburgh. called Rothersford. it was then toned and expanded upon by John Springer, a businessman from Texas. it was next owned by Waite Phillips, the same person who produced the Tulsa Oklahoma Art Museum from his old house and also established Philmont Scout ranch in New Mexico. in the 80s or so, it was purchased by Lawrence Phipps, the only man to live in the house (and he did so for 39 years). the residents was then finally purchased in 2010 in renovated, and became the beautiful space that it is to this day. after this, I got an Uber from a man who was well versed in the town's history, and who encouraged me to visit local spots. This included the Highline Canal, a feature point of dry farming and great for tubing, the residence of Richard Little, and the Welte Cheese Ranch.

The first room of the facility, and the most opulent.

I then took a ride into Littleton, where I got my next two tattoos at Think Tank South. This was followed by Lunce from Grande Bistro and two beers at Ned Kelly's Irish Pub, some walks at Bega Park, and a light rail trip into Denver. Although I wasn't in Denver long due to heading to a concert that night, I had a blast for the few minutes I was wandering town. I bought after care at Whole Foods for my tattoo and headed back into Highland's Ranch.

Oh Ireland, how I have missed ye.

On my way back to my friend's apartment, I had a great time chatting to some locals, but I made the Fatal flaw of leaving my wallet on the bus. They never found it, so I ended up canceling all of my cars and getting new ones when I return home. This was the pic fall. However, this Pitfall still landed me enough time to go to the Red Rocks Amphitheatre and see a gnarly outdoor concert.

what was really neat about Red Rocks Amphitheatre is that it is settled in a Precambrian River Valley that was dug out and turned into and Amphitheatre. There's so much culture and history here dating back literally millions of years, and I felt quite of these monks all the people who are way too Under the Influence for their own good. We didn't stay long, as tomorrow was another early day filled with canceling credit cards and talking to people about my driver's license, but it was well worth it.

It was too dark for good pictures, but this is the site model.

Into The Rockies

In the middle of August, I decided to visit a friend from undergrad in Colorado, as he was recently transferred to for his job. working for a large security firm meant that he would be at work four of the six days that I was visiting, but this didn't really bother me that much. I always wanted to see the mountains of Colorado, and to see what life was like in the highest state in the United States (no pun intended). And so, even though my airplane was delayed by 2 hours due to maintenance problems, I finally made it to Denver International Airport, and then around 2 in the morning, passed out cold in my friend's apartment in Highland Ranch.

My roommate for the week to come.

On the first day, I decided to challenge myself by walking 1/2 hour to the nearest mall. the air was thick and dry, as I would expect from any state that was set high in the mountains. I also, for some reason, I thought that it would be cold outside, but I was sadly mistaken. And so, I found myself walking past the Children's Hospital near my friend's apartment, and walking through the Windcrest area of Highlands Ranch to get to the local mall. From here, I would do some light shopping, and then proceed to take Uber and Lyft all around town.

As I was walking to the Bakery in which I stopped to get coffee, I heard a car drive by with four very stoned individuals who asked me to flash them. As I exited the coffee shop, I saw the same individuals once more. I pretended to flash them both times, and it made their day. Such are the strange individuals of the highest state.

Next, I took my first Lyft ride in my entire life with a guy by the name of Kenny. He was a very laid-back guy from Southern Colorado who took me to the Littleton Museum, for I learned about the agricultural advances in this area, and where I could also set up on the Gallup Gardens, a small outdoor plant gallery.

What a farm looked like in 1860, before the railroad.

Inside the museum, I was greeted with a plethora of information and a warm invitation to see the to farm exhibits. Although the Farms are only thirty years apart, they were vastly different because of the invention of the railroad. I saw live animals, with volunteer Farm keeps, a volunteer blacksmith, and several informative galleries, including a plethora of propaganda from World War 1.

After the railroad came, houses modernised (ca. 1890).

After indulging the museum and getting trip suggestions from a lady, i decided to check out the nearest dispensary. a 50 minute walk later, i was looking at enough cannabinoids to kill Willie Nelson. the guy I talk to was a sweetheart, and came up from North Carolina himself to experience the state. I bought a sample, pipe, and a lighter and headed back to my friend's apartment.

to round out a beautiful and action filled day, I found myself hiking about 2 miles uphill in Deer Creek Canyon Park just outside of Highlands Ranch. My friends Drew completely underestimated how long the hike was, but it mattered not because we found a loop trail and I was able to shoot some of the coolest photos I have taken in the United States. it was a perfect end to a perfect day.

Views from the mountainside.

Shower Walking

Martic Township Park is a nice little area with several hiking trails doubt in Lancaster. The hiking was very steep in certain parts, making it a very good hike to practice for bigger and harder mountains. I took a friend hiking with me, as it was her idea, and at certain parts in the hike, she was left completely out of breath. Parts of the hike where extremely steep in either direction. What won the hike over for me? What made it a very interesting and beautiful challenge was the fact that we did it in the rain.

With me being an Eagle Scout of her being a former Girl Scout, we were rolling Customs to bad weather. But after all, I wasn't going to waste an hour drive out to visit her on not being able to go hiking. and so, we laced up our boots and headed out to the trail.

So instead of power walking, we talked this shower walking. It is not for the faint of heart, but let's face it. You might be alone on the Appalachian Trail, trying to do a thru-hike, then all of a sudden, the heavens open up. you don't have a choice but to continue on Works through the rain or to find shelter under the trees and hope their one does not get struck by lightning and collapse on you (which, mind you, actually has a very slim chance of ever happening, and that you are more likely to win the lottery.) and so, we willingly exposed ourselves to the elements, in the way a true hiker would, or that somebody who is homeless would have to deal with. Shelter was for the weak in this instance, and we were warriors.

Interestingly enough, hiking in the rain was incredibly refreshing. The musty air killed some of the pollen and reduced the heat, so I didn't have to sweat as much. I was quite content enjoying the atmosphere of the forest while rain was falling around us. I was very content with the constant reminder that the ecosystem is still functioning.

And so, you may not do it on purpose very often, and you may not be visiting the same trail in Lancaster that I did, but you should definitely try shower walking. It is an Indescribable and life-altering experience. Nevermind the fact that it is raining, and most people are miserable and wet. Make the best of it and enjoy it for what it is. 

America's Capital City

When I was halfway through college I took a day trip to Washington, D.C. I had been here before in middle school, but this time, I came with just two other friends to enjoy the city and some museums. For this post, I'm going to reflect upon past experiences in the city, as well as my trip in my twenties.

When I first went in 8th grade, I was socially awkward. I had like three good friends, and I was constantly trying to mack on the pretty girls in my 8th grade class. Unfortunately, all of this was to no avail. I did, however, make some friends, see a lot of the major monuments, and managed to get lost once or twice. This was my first experience having a cell phone as well, so I had my best friend's number on speed dial for this reason. Seeing the Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial and Natural History Museum were all quite entertaining, and the Air and Space Museum blew me off my feet as well.

But I returned later in life, I learned that it made more sense to take the subway everywhere instead of driving through crazy traffic, and to plan time for two or three really excellent museums. And so, that's exactly what I did. I hopped in the car for my friend’s house in Westminster Maryland, and from there we headed for the nearest DC subway stop. We got a special deal on cost of parking (which always comes in handy, mind you), bought a day pass for the subway line, and headed for center city.

Upon arrival, we were blown away by the sheer amount of stuff that there is to be found in the city. I came back a few months later to experience the National Zoo and see their beautiful pandas again, but even this was not quite as awesome as being lost in the big metropolitan DC. We staggered around, eventually stumbling upon the Native American History Museum. We thenceforth went to the Space Museum, learning about astral science and whatnot.

At both museums, there were massive gift shops, and a plethora of history lessons. If you are reading this, understand that science is an important part of our evolutionary past, and that it is important to understand the world around us. Also understand that if you're looking to understand the world around us and the science behind it, going to the Smithsonian museums in Washington DC is a perfect way to do so. They are fun, competitively inexpensive (with most of them being free), and also very relaxing. In actuality, I would argue that the museums and history are probably the number one reason to visit Washington DC.

If you're still not sold, know that there are plenty of clubs and bars, good restaurants, movie theaters, concert venues, and other exciting things. I can personally attest to the National Zoo and concert venues there, as I've been to both and give both very good feedbacks. The capital of America is a city to be experienced for and by yourself, and absolutely worth a day trip. I am lucky that I only lived about two hours away from the state capital, so it was pretty cost-efficient to spend a day there.

Harper's Ferry

Harper's Ferry is a quaint town that sits on the borders of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. This little inlet is a historical constitution and battle site for the Revolutionary War, with many historical buildings still standing to this day. Also a particular note are the Shenandoah and Potomac River, which converge here at this town. This small Port Town also happens to lie between two mountain ranges with excellent hiking, Maryland Heights on one side and Loudon Heights on the other. With the total population being right around 300, this small town thrives on its history and tourism, visitations of one of the most famous Roman Catholic churches in the states, parts of the B&O Railroad, several gift shops, Old damaged sewage canals, military buildings and bases, and an awesome little park overlooking the two converging rivers.

At the mouth of the river.

Although there wasn't too much to the town, it was nice to be able to stop here to recharge our batteries, get souvenirs, learn about history, and eat a small lunch before heading home from a day full of hiking. We were in the Shenandoah mountain range that day, with a good part of the Appalachian trail running parallel to Harpers Ferry. They are so proud of their part of the trail, they actually have an Appalachian Trail Conservancy building station in the center of town. It is one of the most highly trafficked parts of the trail, especially due to proximity to town and the overall toughness of this part of the trail.

Even though we didn't spend a whole lot of time here, I would definitely have been more impressed if we got there earlier in the day when all the historic buildings were open. We wandered in and around the sewage canals, The Boarding House, and the signing house, but as far as the barracks and other important military buildings, we didn't get to see a whole lot. I definitely recommend starting here earlier in the day and then moving on from there if you want to actually see all the cool things in the town.

The main road in and out of town.

If you are planning a hike in the Shenandoah or the Appalachian Trail the next day, this can be a perfect place to stop, grab and All American bite to eat, unwind, and get up nice and early the next day. There's a couple of AirB&B spots nearby, as well as rather cheap hotels and lodging. Even if you're just passing through the area or coming close to it, it is absolutely worth a detour if you can afford to do so. It is also worth stopping to learn about John Brown's military seizure and the abolitionist regiment's attempt to end slavery back in 1859. And, if all else fails and you're not the biggest history buff, it's got incredibly scenic views for breathtaking photo opportunities, and is the Midway point between three different states.

Coping With Jet Lag

Jet lag is absolutely horrible sensation for travelers to have to go through. Nearly any time there is a gap in time zones, jet lag will be experienced. typically, you will take one full day to recover from each timezone skip. So if you skip five time zones going from Washington DC to London, then it will take 5 days to completely recover. Nothing can all set or speed up the time that it takes two reactivate your circadian rhythm, but here are a few things that help.

If this is about to be your view for a few hours, read ahead!

1) Stay busy.

Although this should be intuitive, you will almost never get synced up with your new schedule in your new time zone if you decide to sleep anytime before a regular bedtime hour. Yes, you may be missing 5 or 10 hours, but you essentially have to pull an all-nighter to get your body set to the new schedule. This means no daytime napping - many make that mistake and end up feeling worse afterwards.

A little water and starch goes a long way.

2) Eat and drink a little bit more than usual.

Believe it or not, traveling across time zones takes a huge toll on the body, and the effects can be felt sometimes throughout the entire duration of a trip. You've got that time to take care of yourself. To make sure your body can meet the demands of hopping time zones, whether it is a 3 hour flight or a 20-hour flight, you should increase your water and calorie intake by 20% in comparison with what it normally is during the hours of travel. So if your daily fluid intake is 5 cups of water, include one extra cup of water. Your body and mind will thank you.

3) Adjust your sleep schedule, and take advantage of downtime.

This is where the neck pillow, sleep mask, and earbuds come in handy. When hopping time zones, you need to immediately start adjusting to your destinations new sleep schedule. Go to bed when you normally do, start your day when you normally do. It might feel weird to take a nap on the plane, but that extra hour of sleep you get now will prevent you from feeling like dirt later. since you won't be sleeping or taking a nap during the day (as mentioned earlier), you need to force yourself to try and rest now while you have the time. It is easier said than done for some, but if you have a 7 hour flight ahead of you, you can easily spend the part over the ocean sleeping. As there won't be much to see out the window or do anyhow. The in flight services on some flights such as movies and games may be tempting, but enjoy them sparingly and take advantage of the time you get.

The many faces of jet lag.

4) Get your exercise!

It doesn't have to be intensive workouts like dropping down and giving 20, but get up and move around on the flight. Keep your body active. The longer you sit, the more you will feel the effects. Do some stretching, take a brisk walk around the cabin, or do some seated chair exercises. A few good suggestions for exercises can be found here.

5) Try melatonin and light therapy.

These are two simple things that can offer amazing benefits to resetting the Circadian rhythm. Your body releases this hormone anyhow, so giving it a little boost may help you to reset your sleep cycle. Light therapy can be used to force the brain into being alert when it otherwise normally wouldn't due to the Circadian rhythm having not been reset yet.

6) When you do consume, consume responsibly.

You should never eat a fatty or high-carb diet before going to sleep, even if it is a plane nap. You also should not drink coffee or alcohol before going to bed. This will disrupt your sleep cycle and will counteract trying to adjust to the new time zone. Try to remain to your typical eating habit pattern and eat responsibly.

A moderate amount of calories go a long way, and may even be a part of your flight!

7) Minimize distractions.

When it is time to sleep, turn the phone off, and turn the television off. Get yourself in the zone to sleep, and start winding down 2 hours beforehand. Your body will thank you later, whether or not you do this during or after travel. 

hopefully these tips help you as much as I have helped me. Travel responsibly, and enjoy the process.

Bon voyage! Arrivederci!

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Choosing the Right Hike For You

Everybody goes hiking for different reasons. Some people go for the views they receive at the end of the hike, some guys for the exercise; others go because it gets them out and about. Some people just go because they want a family activity and they have identified that they enjoy nature. The reasons vary from person to person, but there are a few things to bear in mind when selecting a destination.

Defining a hike.

Not only is it a figure of speech (i.e. wow, that’s a hike!) to infer something that is quite some distance away, but it also has its own Merriam-Webster and Oxford dictionary definition. Different people view it in different ways, but it is generally referred to as being a large span of distance that is walk with intention. To many people, it is also used as a figure speech to mean anything that is outside the normal drivable distance. Defining what a true hike means to you as important because you will be able to go from there I decided where you want to go exactly. To quote Merriam Webster, a hike is “to rise up; especially to work upward”. As per Oxford, it is ”a long walk or walking tour”. So now, it’s time to dig into the nitty gritty details of choosing the right style of hike for you.

1) Who is coming with me?

When you establish this, hopefully it is easy to see what you are going to do from there. For instance, you probably wouldn't take your small child or infant hiking for 5 mi uphill. And personally, you and your stern hiking buddy going on a very easy trail would be too boring. As such, you must assess the skill levels and hiking competency of everybody in your hiking group, and it comes down to a few factors; previous hiking experience, level of physical fitness, their willingness to explore, how old they are, and any other underlying health complications.

Normally these things all flow in equilibrium, being with somebody who is older is usually more experienced with hiking and occasionally more physically fit. However, this might not always be the case. Good examples are Jordan Romero, who summited Kilimanjaro at age nine and Everest at age thirteen, or perhaps a couch potato who is willing to explore but not much else (and usually via the discovery channel). That being said, you can start to look at the next item of mention.

2) How much of a challenge do you want to be in for?

This kind of ties in with the other part of this post talking about the Yosemite grading system, but it deserves a mention as well. Are you in your group of people looking for a stroll in the park? Or are you looking to have a challenging hike ahead of you? This factor plays a lot into your physical fitness level, so choose wisely. What might be good for one person may not be for the next person, so it is important to know you and your groupmate’s limitations before you try anything too crazy.

3) How far are you willing to travel?

Unfortunately, a lot of hikes I attempt are dictated strictly on how far away they are. Or, inversely, they're dictated by how long the trail is. If there since we're not an issue, I would be all over the United States hiking right now. Sadly, that is not the case though. Another part of hiking is deciding how far you want to travel to reach the trail, and how far the purported destination is from the trailhead on the trail. Some things you need to plan out an entire day for, others can be done in a quiet afternoon. Either way around, make sure to make your decision responsibly and considering your energy levels. And whatever you do, make sure to bring trail mix and some sort of snack and beverage.

4) Trail Rating.

Next, you must bear in mind the rating of the trail itself. Just as I mentioned earlier, The Yosemite Decimal System was incepted for this reason. It breaks down hiking into 5 sections, as follows:

Class 1: Easy hiking with minimal elevation gain and few obstacles

Class 2: More difficult hiking, some of which may be off-trail, and may require putting your hands down for balance at times.

Class 3: Rock scrambling and/or un-roped climbing.

Class 4: Climbing with a rope and lateral ascension at parts.

Class 5: Technical climbing, mountaineering, ice picking, etc.

So not only do you have it broken down by difficulty and duration necessary for the height, but this YDS breaks it down further into things that you will encounter along the trail. Different difficulties work for different people, but I take it most people reading my blog will stay with a 3 or below, like myself. Class 5 would be something like climbing K2 with ice picks and crampons. Class 4 would be something on par with the Seven Summits and needing to climb them with poles and ropes. And then, if kind of goes downhill from there. Hah! No pun intended. Pick your hike based on the rating you think you can tolerate the best.

5) Do you like your lungs?

If the answer is yes, then stick to altitudes that are lower in hiking, particularly below 8000 feet. If the answer is no, and you feel as though you can handle altitude sickness well, then choose a hike that is above 8000. However, be aware of elevation related sicknesses and physical conditions that can occur in your body. Lake elevation related hypoxia, air bubbles potentially forming above 15000 ft, and so on. You don't need to let it scare you away from a really good hike, but it is something you definitely should be aware of.

6) What scenery are you after?

The last notion that is worth mentioning is that of scenery. There are a lot of great hikes with good scenery, although a lot of them are short. And then inversely, there are a lot of really hard ones. You need to identify what balance is right and make your judgment as such. It would also be a good idea to look at reviews and pictures from other hikers online, as it will give you a better indicator as to what the heck would be like. My blog is one of many places and what you can do just that.

I hope this post provided some insight to how you plan on choosing your next hike. Now get out there, go hiking, and enjoy yourself. You have nothing to lose and everything (and a lot of altitude) to gain!

Check out my Apparel Store at https://teespring.com/big-world-small-feet for apparel!

The Pagoda

There is an old building in Southern Pennsylvania that was established in 1908 as a tourist attraction and a luxury hotel. However, in 1910, their liquor license was denied and the bank foreclosed in Reading, and William Witman never opened the $50,000 hotel, tanking his investment. The city of Reading bought the property for $1 in 1911, and the facility was opened as a tourist attraction. To this day, the Reading Pagoda has been maintained by the loving citizens of Reading, and has seen lots of different people from different walks of life, including actual Japanese monks and scholars.

Getting my inner zen on in front of the pagoda.

The pagoda sits at the top of a rather tall hill and is visited often by people in the surrounding area. I myself have gone there a good bit. Their website provides a wealth of information on the location, and it is almost always open. It is a very lux and posh facility that has seven stories of stairs, perfect for any daycation or holistay. Its proximity to the business district of Reading makes it perfect for a bleisure trip or cinetourism, and will give you an Americanized tour of Japanese culture.

I myself paid the two dollar donation to climb the stairs to the top, where I looked out to see the world. And, it was bright and beautiful.

One Example of the view from the top.

So, one day, possibly years or weeks from now, if you find yourself in South-Central Pennsylvania, come and visit the pagoda. It will be a voyage to be remembered for years to come.

The Lake Laid Blue...

In Germany, in the black forest,  there is a Scenic Lake where are all of the locals go to hang out. It is called Lake Titisee. Beside this lake, which is actually a small amusement park and Museum, there was an old dugout-style cart coaster that took us down the Mountainside. It was here that we also got to try the Black Forest Cherry Cake for the first time, one of the local favorite desserts. This chocolate torte is made with cherries, Cherry schnapps, and lots of love. My buddy Adrian ordered a slice in German, and I followed suit in English. Between this and the food stalls in the Open Air Market, it was easily some of the best food I've ever had.

Photo Credits go to Black Forest Travel.

After going down the roller coaster a couple times, brakes completely off and all, we went to another Open Air Museum. It was here that they found out that Germans grow pot in the countryside, as they had a small exhibit to show this. They also grew hibiscus, salvia, barley, corn, and a few other crops that I can't remember the names of at this moment in time. Naturally, one of my stoner friends picked off a couple of leaves from the pot plant and started munching on them. Although they would come to have no effect, it was very gutsy.

In this open air and open our Museum, we saw exhibits of blacksmith forges, traditional German houses and lifestyle, and most importantly, a teacup. This was no ordinary teacup, is it was big enough to fit 4 people into it, and sitting on the ground stationary. In the center was a wheel, which you and your friends could use to make the teacup spin around and around. We ended up getting the cup going at least 60 miles per hour, and all of us lead our heads out and it times to make it go faster. This just resulted in us screaming our lungs off and getting dizzy, and our captain almost throwing up everywhere. Regardless, it was hilarious.

Aerial view of the museum. (Credits go to Their Website.

Before getting ready to leave the countryside of Germany, we spent a little bit of time sightseeing in a small town, interacting with the locals and whatever broken languages we could speak, and enjoyed an all you can eat schnitzel noodle Buffet. This was also where our bus driver parallel parked a bus between a tight squeeze of two cars, perfectly, and in one attempt. This is where I finally got to speak with him and tell him how incredible he was. All he said was this; "you guys perform the good music for me, I'll take you wherever you need to go". Oh Jan, you're the true MVP!

Our time in Germany finally came to an end, and we laid our eyes to rest on the nunnery for the last time. We're going to be getting up early tomorrow for a long stretch of traveling - Six hours of it.

Along the Heritage Rail Trail

 The Heritage rail trail is a 40 mile trail that spans from inner city York to Hunt Valley Maryland. It is a Scenic byway that was established after the York Pennsylvania to Hunt Valley Maryland train it was shut down, and the nature nearby was turned into footpaths and preserved for recreational usage. It is still an excellent way to get exercise and get from one small town from another, as it goes between York, Glen Rock, Seven Valleys, New Freedom, and Hunt Valley.

Somewhere along the rail trail...

 Every summer, there is a charity event held by the Cancer Association of America in which proceeds are raised by biking miles on the rail trail. So every September throughout high school and the first two years of college, I participated in that event, biking a total of 10 miles on the rail trail with my boy scout troop to raise money and commemorate my father who passed away from cancer.

...And from the top of it.

 The trail itself is massive, and starts on a low point and ends on the low point. Altitude increases from the starting point up until you get to the Midway point in New Freedom, and then decreases going the other direction. One summer, my friend Brett and I decided to be dropped off in New Freedom and bike 25 miles back to York. Not only was a great exercise, but I also could hardly feel my legs after that.

There's a lot of beautiful scenery along the way, There's a lot of beautiful scenery along the way, including a kayak Hut, a park, some fields, small towns, lots of foliage, a few Bridges and tunnels, and some Crossroads. It is a great way to get exercise for any body type at any given point of the year. The trail also picks back up around Gifford Pinchot State Park, which I detailed in another post, and continues for a few miles back towards York. So if you ever find yourself ambitious and needing some fun biking routes in southern York Pennsylvania, the rail trail is a great place to go to.

Where Time Stood Still

When I was a senior in high school and in honor's choir, our group got invited to go to New York City for a day and a half to perform and see the city. We also got to see a musical, Once. Our hotel may have been in New Jersey, but we lived pretty much the entire trip in New York City, besides travel time of course. Everything about my experience was a trip to remember.

I awoke on a Saturday morning around 6:30 in order to catch the bus from Frank's Theaters in York. There were about 50 of us who were going on this trip, all of us very talented, experienced singers and aspiring musicians. Five of us were coming from West York to go on this trip, myself included. Previously, the five of us had gone to the farm show complex in Harrisburg every year with our select vocal Ensemble to sing Christmas carols and more. This time, we would be putting on a small concert in St John's Cathedral, the largest church in downtown New York City.

The bus ride lasted four and a half hours, and included the pit stop for coffee and a bathroom break halfway through. They had Burger King at this gas station for whatever reason, so I picked up some hash browns and a sandwich to tide me over until we ate dinner. This was my first time ever setting foot in New York, much less New York City. As soon as we came through the tunnel that led into New York City and Lower Manhattan, all of us started cheering with enamored excitement.

The city was huge. The people were everywhere, and all of them usually friendly. You could literally go up to anybody on the street and strike up a conversation. It was the biggest cultural hub I ever seen, even more so than Paris and Switzerland. It was incredible. And who would have known that it wide Just a few hours north of me?

Normally, the honors choir goes to New York City and sings in the Rockefeller Center, and sings for a big audience. We weren't as lucky, and I had not gone there before. Simply because of monetary constraints, I was only able to go this one year. 

When we got to the cathedral, our mouths were agape after seeing how big the church was. We performed at 10:30 in the morning to a room of mostly parents. Our first song was "O sifuni mungu", an African spiritual, and we really got a feel for the sheer dynamics of this cathedral. The ceiling was 120 feet high, and echoed like mad. We hit our last chord and our next song, "Lux Aurumque" by Eric Whitacre, and our director pulled out a stopwatch. 8 Seconds. Our last chord run out in the cathedral for 8 Seconds. Chills ran down my spine. A tear ran down the face of the person beside me.

The powerhouse of a cathedral that we sang in.

The guys ensemble sang hello "Mary Lou" , a barbershop ensemble song, and the girls ensemble saying "mouth music", an Irish spiritual. We sang a song of joys, and mixed meter cantata. We sang a few more songs before ending our set with "Why We Sing", followed by an encore of "Let the River Run", as re-imagined by Carly Simon. This powerful song was originally a Quaker spiritual, but now would become the most powerful song I have ever song in a choir. There were four percussionists, including myself, but only two of us went on the trip. We slammed our drums loud and proud. 

What an incredible concert, only to be followed by a tour of Times Square, a few picture opportunities, and then our first Broadway show. We saw the musical ones, and it immediately became my favorite musical. I broke down about the soundtrack, as everything about this single stage single set  Broadway show was incredible and Unforgettable. Although I performed in musicals in my own I was never the biggest fan of them, until this day.

We then ate at Hard Rock Cafe, making sure to purchase souvenirs. I had a collection of drumsticks from Hard Rock, and this would be a addition number 5. We then had two hours to ourselves to roam around, where we checked out the Nintendo store, and their biggest candy store. We then met up in Time Square around 6 at night.

At this point in the trip, we all looked at each other, happy to be alive. Our director put up a high sign to get us all together as a group, and said that he had a wonderful idea to stand in the center of Times Square and start an impromptu acapella version of Let the River Run. And this is the magical moment where time Stood Still.

Some friends and I in Times Square. Wait for it...

As you may be aware, Times Square is one of the busiest parts of New York, and  New York City is one of the busiest cities in America. There is hustling and bustling and lots of cars honking their horns everywhere. Lots of advertisements on the big screens in the Big Apple, mostly for musicals and products that are up and coming. When we started singing though, the crowds gathered at the outdoor Amphitheater at Times Square all came to a quiet halt. There were no words. No cars honking. Just the Euphoria of the moment, and at least 400 people listening to a group of high schoolers sing Carly Simon, recording us on their cell phones, taking pictures, and listening. 

And then all of a sudden, an image of us appeared on one of the Billboards, and the honors choir was on display for all who looked on the other wise illustrious advertisements. We finished our song on a high A from the sopranos and a middle D from the basses, swelling into an uproar, ferociously. A 5-second halt, and then the Applause started like mad. 

That just happened. Time Stood Still. No,;New York City, Stood Still, just to listen to us.

What an Incredible gift we had been given this day. We used our talents to give back in the only beautiful way that we knew how to. Triumphantly, we returned to our tour bus, ready to get dinner at a local pasta restaurant. Because we were part of a group, we got a discounted rate, and all of us got a four course meal out of the deal. Between this and the gracious hospitality, we had to thank them in the only way we knew how. My percussionist colleague Dakota and I started drumming on the table, and once again, the choir was letting the River Run. You should have seen the smiles on their faces.

And so it came to pass, that this would be my first glimpse into the wondrous world that is New York City. This was my first time going there, but most certainly not the last. Until next time I stumble upon the Big Apple, I would always continue to let the River Run. And I would let all of the dreamers wake the nation.

Classified

When I was 19, I had a girlfriend whose mother really likes to travel and see new things, as long as it was cheap. She got US Government clearances and tickets to go for a tour of the Pentagon in Washington DC. The Pentagon is the headquarters for the Department of Defense with the United States military, and it is a highly classified and extremely cool building. There is a mall right next to it in Arlington Virginia called The Pentagon mall, where you can buy some souvenirs if you were one of the unfortunate ones who was not able to go on your tour of the Pentagon. Or, of course, you could go buy stuff after your tour, which is what we did.

Upon entering the building, all firearms must be checked, and verifying information must be presented to the heavily armed security officers. Upon arrival in the main part of the building, we see a massive staircase and some of the largest bathrooms I've ever seen as well. And trust me, I've seen a lot of bathrooms (shameless travel disclosure). We are invited into a waiting room, where we waited for our tour guide to take us on a tour of the portion of the facility that is accessible to civilians.

Our tour guide introduced himself as a sergeant with the United States Marines who was taking a break from active duty to lead guided tours of the Pentagon. He asked all of us where we are from, with only a surprisingly few amount of the people saying they are from the United States. Half of the tour group came from England and the Netherlands. One couple came from Germany, and another from Japan. And all of them came simply because they wanted to learn a little bit about the inner workings of our government and defense policy.

The most impressive thing about the tour, aside from seeing the different military and defense exhibits and displays themselves, would probably have to be the fact that our tour guide led the entire tour backwards. That's right, he was back stepping the entire time while talking to us, only changing directions at the very end of the tour when it was over. While walking backwards, he gave us a lot of history lessons about the Pentagon, where it started, and how it got to where it is today.

Towards the middle of the tour, we got to the section that was destroyed and rebuilt during the terrorist attacks on September 11th 2001. We were asked to sign a guestbook that laid under a wall full of purple hearts, each hard to commit commemorate a fallen citizen. It was a very sobering moment. We admired the topiary that existed in the refurbished Courtyard for a moment or two, and then continued on with the rest of the tour, next going to the naval Wing to learn about their ships and boats.

On the last half of the tour, there was actually a display About the Boy Scouts of America America and their involvement with the Pentagon. We then saw some employees speeding around downstairs, complete with healthy meals obtained from the Central Cafe of the Pentagon. These meals usually included Arby's, Starbucks, and McDonalds. Even in the most locked down building in the United States, there is a deficit of healthy food choices.

A Much younger me at the pentagon. I was holding the wrong wrist, though.

At the end of the tour, we got to stand next to our tour guide and his assistant, noticing that like most military pictures, neither of them was smiling. We looked around, took a few more pictures, got some souvenirs, and called it quits for a day. I wish I could tell you more about what goes on in the lower levels of the Pentagon, but just as for the rest of us, that information is classified.