http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW Travels and Journeys... Wed, 08 Sep 2010 02:00:26 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 2006-2010 heather@heatherdugan.com (Heather Dugan) heather@heatherdugan.com (Heather Dugan) posts 1440 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/powered_by_podpress.jpg http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW 144 144 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/?feed=podcast Footsteps Travels and Journeys... Travel, outdoors, adventure, Heather, Dugan, stories Heather Dugan Heather Dugan heather@heatherdugan.com no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/07/15/critters-of-crystal-cove-mossy-chiton/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/07/15/critters-of-crystal-cove-mossy-chiton/#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:15:20 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blog/adventures/critters-of-crystal-cove-mossy-chiton/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/07/15/critters-of-crystal-cove-mossy-chiton/feed/ 15 0:44 Crystal Cove's tide pools fill with surprises twice daily as the sea retreats. As the water wanes, citizens of the sea become tenants of ... Crystal Cove's tide pools fill with surprises twice daily as the sea retreats. As the water wanes, citizens of the sea become tenants of the Cove. Some race for crevices, others adhere to rock faces, sidling low to access what moisture remains. Crabs posture and take positions. A rock louse does a creepy crawl. The mossy chiton, however, is more measured in its movement. It does not scurry. Lacking eyes and tentacles, its reaction time is slow, sensed through light sensitive organs in its shell. It scrapes algae from rocks with a rasping strap of a tongue and relocates in the dark at high tide. More on Crystal Cove State Park (California) Crystal Cove State Park Map and Visitor Information Crystal Cove State Park; Irvine, California3 miles of Pacific coastline with underwater park plus 2300 acres of bluffs and wooded canyons!Hiking, biking (single track mountain & dirt road), fishing, kayaking, surfing, and "tidepooling"!Directions: Just off of the Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy1) between Corona Del Mar and Laguna Beach. Easy access via I-5, 405 & 73.Admission: Daily State Park Fee (good at multiple state parks on same day): $10 / Annual Pass: $125Weather Conditions: 949-494-3539Historic District Cottage RentalsPark WebsiteView Crystal Cove in a larger map Crystal Cove State Park, Cycling, HWY 1 (Pacific Coast Highway), Hiking, Kayak/Canoe, Running/Health & Fitness, Seascapes, Snorkeling/Swimming Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/07/09/critters-of-crystal-cove-striped-lined-shore-crab/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/07/09/critters-of-crystal-cove-striped-lined-shore-crab/#comments Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:34:51 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blog/adventures/critters-of-crystal-cove-striped-lined-shore-crab/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/07/09/critters-of-crystal-cove-striped-lined-shore-crab/feed/ 11 0:26 Crystal Cove's residents scurry and float and if possible, aim for "squatter's rights" by adhering to a bit of Middle Miocene shale or sandstone. The striped ... Crystal Cove's residents scurry and float and if possible, aim for "squatter's rights" by adhering to a bit of Middle Miocene shale or sandstone. The striped shore crab is one of the scurrying tenants. While the species varies in color, they are consistent in their need to forage for algae and dead animal matter. They're as happy on land as in the water, splitting their time equally between each and measure only two to three inches in diameter. Crystal Cove State Park Map and Visitor Information Crystal Cove State Park; Irvine, California 3 miles of Pacific coastline with underwater park plus 2300 acres of bluffs and wooded canyons! Hiking, biking (single track mountain & dirt road), fishing, kayaking, surfing, and "tidepooling"! Directions: Just off of the Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy1) between Corona Del Mar and Laguna Beach. Easy access via I-5, 405 & 73. Admission: Daily State Park Fee (good at multiple state parks on same day): $10 / Annual Pass: $125 Weather Conditions: 949-494-3539 Historic District Cottage Rentals Park Website View Crystal Cove in a larger map Crystal Cove State Park, Cycling, HWY 1 (Pacific Coast Highway), Hiking, Kayak/Canoe, Running/Health & Fitness, Seascapes, Snorkeling/Swimming Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/06/22/travel-vs-your-fitness-routine/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/06/22/travel-vs-your-fitness-routine/#comments Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:05:58 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blog/adventures/travel-vs-your-fitness-routine/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/06/22/travel-vs-your-fitness-routine/feed/ 12 3:44 Mark Dilworth is a former Division I athlete, trainer extraordinaire and friend whose sports/fitness blogNEWs have been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere.  Recently, he asked ... Mark Dilworth is a former Division I athlete, trainer extraordinaire and friend whose sports/fitness blogNEWs have been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere.  Recently, he asked me to share how I fit "fitness" into my travels.  Appropriately, I'm posting the article he published in "Her Fitness Hut" last week from California where I'm traveling this week.  So far?  Upper Newport Bay, La Jolla, the Ortega Highway, Crystal Cove and more.  Yosemite NP and Mammoth Lakes are also on the itinerary... The gym is unfamiliar or even non-existent. Or maybe you're in a different time zone, struggling against your own body clock.  Whatever the particulars, travel presents unique challenges for the fitness-minded.  More positively however, it can also gift you with some new opportunities to energize and enhance a humdrum routine! A little research will widen your options from what is available strictly at your hotel.  Fitness offerings there can be as elaborate as a pass to a full scale health club or as paltry as a couple of dumbbells stacked in the corner of a closet-sized room! It's good to know what you're likely to find before you start packing. Check local websites for trails and parks.  Details won't be necessary until you arrive but know your options by getting a visual of area parks and recreation areas.  Many hotels have runner's maps available at the front desk or with a concierge, but don't stop there.  A short drive or ride might take you to a more scenic trail that you'll remember long after the endorphins fade away. Note:  Before sprinting off into an unfamiliar area ask the right questions: "Are there any areas I should avoid?"  and  "Do locals or other hotel guests typically run this route?"  Carry your cell phone (with the hotel's phone number in case you get lost) and focus on the details of your new route or trail.  Skip the iPod until you know the area better. Of course cardio isn't limited to running.  Vacation travel can and should be geared around the activities you already love or want to try out.  Hike or run up a mountainside; rent a kayak, a bike or a horse...  Stretch your muscles and your mind with unique experiences.  The best destinations offer a range of flexible options.  You can build easy exercise into city stays by choosing hotels within walking distance of most meals and points of interest.  Plan ahead, and then plan to be flexible. Weight work is typically harder to arrange if you lack a decent gym.  Have a plan to work with nothing more than your own body if need be.  Print out some new exercises to try in your hotel room. Push-ups and crunches in a multitude of challenging variations can be done anywhere, and playgrounds have monkey bars for pull-ups and chin-ups.  Pack swim goggles and resistance bands to create even more options for yourself. ~And don't discount the tremendous value of local knowledge.  Where do you think travel books  and websites get their information? I make it a point to ask those I encounter for their personal suggestions and find many to be worth pursuing.  Area residents have directed me to excellent snorkeling spots, challenging trails and even lent us snorkels and hiking sticks! Business and group travel and traveling with younger children can require extra creativity in achieving even an opportunity for workout time!  -But it's always worth trying.  A few minutes of something is always better than nothing at all -if only for the fact that you are maintaining a habit of health.  The point is not to replicate your home work-out but to take advantage of what you find at your destination.  Consider it a sampling of the local fitness cuisine.  You can order "the usual" when you're back at home again. When travel lands you on a new playing field without all of your usual equipment, forget about your "fitness routine".   Instead, make it your routine to pursue fitness in all its varying forms. *Some fun way Cycling, General Interest, Hiking, Kayak/Canoe, Running/Health & Fitness, Snorkeling/Swimming Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/05/22/mammoth-cave-national-park-tips-and-facts/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/05/22/mammoth-cave-national-park-tips-and-facts/#comments Fri, 22 May 2009 23:49:33 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blog/taking-the-kids/mammoth-cave-national-park-tips-and-facts/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/05/22/mammoth-cave-national-park-tips-and-facts/feed/ 11 1:46 Mammoth Cave Tips and Facts: Daily/Monthly/Yearly Mammoth Cave Weather Forecast: 54 degrees Fahrenheit with 87% humidity. Bring a jacket in the summer; lose the heavy coat in ... Mammoth Cave Tips and Facts: Daily/Monthly/Yearly Mammoth Cave Weather Forecast: 54 degrees Fahrenheit with 87% humidity. Bring a jacket in the summer; lose the heavy coat in the winter months!  A shirt, pants and single removable layer work best. Size: 367 miles so far... Admission: Park entrance is free, but the cave can only be accessed via a purchased tour.  There are many options to suit all ages and abilities.  For the adventurous over the age of 16, there is an all-day caving adventure! Do Bring: Flashlight and camera Do Not Bring: Camera case/backpack/purse or tripod. Call ahead. Available tours vary by season and can fill up during peak periods.  Reserve on-line for peace of mind if you know your schedule ahead of your visit. Camp in the park or try the Hampton Inn in Horse Cave to the north (less crowded and rated slightly higher than the Cave City accommodations).  There are few restaurants in the area(!), but there are the usual fast food places available in Cave City just outside the park.  We carried out from Cracker Barrel and Subway. The Camp Convenience store near the visitor center had gas for $.20 less than anywhere outside the park. We chose the Historic Tour and the Grand Avenue Tour and enjoyed both very much.  The Grand Avenue Tour featured an underground lunch and some more strenuous climbs and descents. It's more than an amazing and enormous cave.  Hike the trails, canoe/kayak the rivers.   Bike the Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike & Hike Trail (bike rentals available at park hotel).  There are two public ferry crossings in the park and both are free. More on Mammoth Cave National Park 1 Adult/3 Children, Cycling, Hiking, Kayak/Canoe, Kentucky, Mammoth Cave National Park, South Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/01/27/in-town-tourist-three-creeks-metro-park/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/01/27/in-town-tourist-three-creeks-metro-park/#comments Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:10:22 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blog/adventures/cycling/in-town-tourist-three-creeks-metro-park/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/01/27/in-town-tourist-three-creeks-metro-park/feed/ 8 1:27 Three Creeks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map Three Creeks Metro Park is an easy afternoon escape in the warmer months. Less than thirty miles ... Three Creeks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map Three Creeks Metro Park is an easy afternoon escape in the warmer months. Less than thirty miles from my home, north of Columbus, it offers thirteen miles of paved trails, fishing ponds and streams, and an assortment of sports fields and playgrounds. Named for its idyllic setting amidst the confluence of three major streams, Three Creeks includes sections of two Franklin County Greenways trails -an interconnected recreational trail system being built along seven major waterways. I often ride the northern section of Three Creeks' longest trail. Someday, I'll be able to leave the truck at home and pedal all the way down. And back... I'm hoping they connect it all before my knees begin to notice the distance! Riding the Alum Creek and Blacklick Creek Greenway Trails back and forth in the park will give a cyclist an easy 22 miles. Loops such as the ones circling Heron Pond and Sycamore Fields add another couple of miles and some great people-watching moments. There are water crossings, shady wooded sections and wide open expanses of prairie fields that are great for speed and building up a good muscle burn. Picnicking possibilities are abundant; we often choose a grassy patch by Turtle Pond in the Confluence Trails area. My kids have passed through the playground stage, but there is a great climbing structure nearby. I've arrived in the parking lot with as many as four bikes and as few as one, and it's always a good ride. Three Creeks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map Three Creeks Metro Park (Columbus, Ohio) Miles and miles of hiking, biking and waterways at the confluence of Alum, Blacklick and Big Walnut Creeks 13+ paved trail miles, fishing, hiking, picnicking, playgrounds and sports fields "Yes" for pets (permitted on many trails) Address: 3860 Bixby Rd; Groveport, Ohio 43215 Phone: 614-645-3300 (Columbus Recreation and Parks Office) Park Website Directions: From I-270, take US 33 east to the South Hamilton Road exit. Travel right approximately one mile to Bixby Road. Turn right. Entrance is about 1 mile ahead on the right. View Larger Map Cycling, Ohio, Three Creeks Metro Park Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/01/20/pedaling-backwards/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/01/20/pedaling-backwards/#comments Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:37:56 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blog/in-town-tourists/pedaling-backwards/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/01/20/pedaling-backwards/feed/ 10 1:10 Three Creeks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map Our waves of "warm" are riding a bit low. In the teens (Fahrenheit), presently... Wind chill? ... Three Creeks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map Our waves of "warm" are riding a bit low. In the teens (Fahrenheit), presently... Wind chill? Don't ask (but please commiserate). If you have to ask, you couldn't possibly understand. So why am I posting photos from a fall bike ride? Reread the previous paragraph. Ahhh... With these photos, I can almost remember when I craved a breeze and didn't need to bundle up against the possibility of one. -When I would freeze bottles of water to savor after a run or ride instead of discover them frozen solid, and undrinkable, in my cupholders. Here's to summer, fall and spring... Here's to sixty degrees and sunny (and for the record: I'm in no way opposed to sweating my way up to a more civil "ninety"). Here's to surviving what frequently makes us stronger, "psuedo-stoic" (having shivered away even the energy necessary for a good weather whine) and heightens the gratitude with which we will subsequently greet even the rainiest April day. Three Creeks Metro Park, with a trail system that winds through the confluence of seven major Ohio streams, is a worthy destination in any season. More details to follow... Three Creeks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map Three Creeks Metro Park (Columbus, Ohio) Miles and miles of hiking, biking and waterways at the confluence of Alum, Blacklick and Big Walnut Creeks 13+ paved trail miles, fishing, hiking, picnicking, playgrounds and sports fields Address: 3860 Bixby Rd; Groveport, Ohio 43215 Phone: 614-645-3300 (Columbus Recreation and Parks Office) Park Website Directions: From I-270, take US 33 east to the South Hamilton Road exit. Travel right approximately one mile to Bixby Road. Turn right. Entrance is about 1 mile ahead on the right. View Larger Map Cycling, Heart-to-Heart, Ohio, Three Creeks Metro Park Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/01/07/mount-diablo-california/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/01/07/mount-diablo-california/#comments Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:16:03 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blog/photo/mount-diablo-california/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/01/07/mount-diablo-california/feed/ 5 1:41 Mount Diablo State Park Visitor Information and Map Extensive haze from the pervasive California fires hung heavy on the horizon, so I wasn't expecting much of ... Mount Diablo State Park Visitor Information and Map Extensive haze from the pervasive California fires hung heavy on the horizon, so I wasn't expecting much of a view, but the prospect of a hike around the top of a mountain with close-up views of some non-Ohio foliage was incentive enough to send me north on I-680 toward Mt. Diablo.  On a clearer day, one can purportedly see more of the Earth's surface from its peak than from any other point in the world, save Mt. Kilimanjaro. While this fact may be more theoretical than practically applicable in the foggy San Francisco Bay area, Mt. Diablo's dramatic rise from the relatively flat Bay and Central Valleys hints at intriguing possibilities. I squinted in the direction of Yosemite from the observation deck, just in case... Standing at deck's edge atop the 3849 foot summit, I had the eerie sensation of peeking over a ship's hull into a vast pool of nothingness.  The stone building that houses the Summit Museum and observation areas looms solemnly over an uncertain landscape.  The view of the "non-view" was striking. The twisting road to Mount Diablo's peak is a popular work-out for cyclists.  Driving back down, I watched a few of "the daring" speed down and around hair-pin turns and decided that the straight muscle-burning ascent might actually be the easier part of biking Mt Diablo. I hiked the Rock City and Fossil Ridge Trails in silence except for the occasional snap of my camera shutter, enjoying the luxury of setting my own pace and pausing to explore my own curiosities... There's nothing like a bright blue sky to accentuate a good mood. Mount Diablo State Park Visitor Information and Map Mount Diablo State Park (Walnut Creek, California) Biking and hiking with a view... 96 Mitchell Canyon Road Clayton, California 94517 925-837-2525 Park Website Park Hours: 8:00AM to Sunset Summit Visitor Center Hours: 10AM - 4PM (Daily) Main Entrance Fee: $7.00/car View Larger Map California, Cycling, Hiking, Mount Diablo State Park, Outdoor Adventures, USA Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2008/12/04/storing-some-warm-for-winter-tj-evans-recreational-trail/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2008/12/04/storing-some-warm-for-winter-tj-evans-recreational-trail/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 03:25:13 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blog/photo/storing-some-warm-for-winter-tj-evans-recreational-trail/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2008/12/04/storing-some-warm-for-winter-tj-evans-recreational-trail/feed/ 14 2:10 It’s cold. There’s not much more to be said about it, although a decent TV weathercaster could stretch this coldfront to at least the ... It’s cold. There’s not much more to be said about it, although a decent TV weathercaster could stretch this coldfront to at least the next commercial break. It’s not the worst we’ll get this winter, but some of us are still lagging in our weather adaptation; cringing at the cold blasts, startled to see the exhale of our breath float before us... Driving to the post office this morning, I heard on the radio that we’d already had our high temperature for the day and that we’re headed for temperatures in the teens. The heat was already cranked against the morning chill, and 34 degrees was apparently as close to non-refrigerated as we were going to get...  Geographic payment is finally due for those stunning autumn colors we enjoyed last month. Warm is better, but winter's arrival does mean my yard will finally look as good as the neighbors', and that I can cram in additional errands after a grocery stop without fear of perishables perishing. I’m glad I stored up some good fall moments to carry me through the longer hours of darkness though. Running is a year-round pursuit, a way of life, really, but some of my other favorite activities are on winter hiatus. Biking this time of year, for instance, requires a little more insulation than I care to wear. So, I’ve been looking through photos from fall bike rides this morning. What a difference a month makes… The TJ Evans Recreational Trail includes a fourteen mile stretch that runs from Johnstown through Alexandria and Granville, before dumping into Newark. I did a fast-paced back and forth on the path in early autumn, and then went back with a friend on a bracing October day to ride it again. This time, we challenged ourselves with some hill climbing through the campus of Dennison College in Granville. ~A slower ride than my previous trek, but with a generous expense of energy that made it a tremendously satisfying work-out. An elaborate playground is well-placed at one of the parking areas along the route. A few years back, the prospect of climbing all over that giant castle was great incentive for my kids to either sit in a jogging cart or ride a bike while the grown-ups ran the trail. Cycling, Ohio, Running/Health & Fitness, TJ Evans Recreational Trail Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2008/09/29/kokosing-gap-trail-flying-on-a-bike/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2008/09/29/kokosing-gap-trail-flying-on-a-bike/#comments Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:00:30 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blog/photo/kokosing-gap-trail-flying-on-a-bike/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2008/09/29/kokosing-gap-trail-flying-on-a-bike/feed/ 9 1:50 Sometimes it’s best to take the offense on a birthday. Like with the one I had last week… I wasn’t excited. In ... Sometimes it’s best to take the offense on a birthday. Like with the one I had last week… I wasn’t excited. In fact my enthusiasm was basically undetectable. Which seemed kind of pathetic in light of the limited nature of birthdays… In the end though, I had to square my shoulders and face it down. A leisurely patio lunch with my grandma and a couple of sisters wasn’t so bad. We laughed a lot and blushed a little (no one can embarrass you like a sister)… And I rode Kokosing Gap Trail, one my favorite rail-to-trail bike paths. Kokosing follows an old Pennsylvania Railroad line and can get you to the “middle of nowhere” fast. The trail first rolls along beside the Kokosing River through shaded woods and over intricately patterned ironwork bridges. The scenery then alternates between woods and farmland as the trail takes you from Mt Vernon to Gambier, Howard, and then finally, to its dead-end in Danville Ohio. Official points of interest include the Brown Family Environmental Center, a restored and fun-to-explore Alco steam locomotive, Kenyon College, the Howard tunnel, numerous bridges and a playground. Unofficial items of interest that I shared with my friend that afternoon were the spot where a large box turtle had sat the last time I rode through, the farm field where I’d watched a kid driving lap after lap in a dilapidated blue sedan, and the devoted cadre of volunteers who maintain sections of the path with baskets of garden tools on the backs of their bikes. The 28-mile ride flew by far too quickly. Next time we’ll ride up into the Kenyon College campus, bring a lunch and hike a side trail. But it made for a really wonderful afternoon. My friend commented that I smiled even when racing as fast as I could go. Truth is, I was probably smiling because I was riding as fast as I could. I couldn’t outrace another birthday, but at least I can keep up with it. Next: More hiking in Utah and a long weekend in California... Cycling, Heart-to-Heart, Kokosing Gap Trail, Ohio Heather Dugan no no