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/2010/03/28/vernal-fall-and-emerald-pool-photos/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/03/28/vernal-fall-and-emerald-pool-photos/#comments Sun, 28 Mar 2010 12:00:09 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/?p=4427 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/03/28/vernal-fall-and-emerald-pool-photos/feed/ 4 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/03/25/emerald-pool/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/03/25/emerald-pool/#comments Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:00:51 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/?p=4350 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/03/25/emerald-pool/feed/ 7 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/03/22/vernal-fall-at-yosemite-national-park/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/03/22/vernal-fall-at-yosemite-national-park/#comments Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:00:05 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/?p=4344 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/03/22/vernal-fall-at-yosemite-national-park/feed/ 7 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/03/01/anchovies-anyone/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/03/01/anchovies-anyone/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:31:29 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/?p=3910 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/03/01/anchovies-anyone/feed/ 8 1:43 Not seeing themselves for the tourist attraction they've come to be, the sea lions of Pier 39 simply rolled over, splashed into the Pacific and ... Not seeing themselves for the tourist attraction they've come to be, the sea lions of Pier 39 simply rolled over, splashed into the Pacific and swam away. At first no one even knew where they went.  One of San Francisco's landmarks had simply vanished. The protective signs posted around Pier 39 seemed ironic at best.  Staring down at the vacated wooden floats from the surrounding docks would have been akin to peering into a football stadium the morning after a big game.  Some sea lion debris remained -but the sounds and smells, and the star players themselves were notably absent. The mystery was finally solved last month from five hundred miles up the coast.  Apparently, somebody had a hankering for anchovies and almost the whole assemblage had paddled their way up to Oregon for pizza toppings minus the pizza.  Not so different from driving across town for the better burger or doing a wine country tour really -some delicacies are simply worth a little travel time. But, the quiet at deserted Pier 39!  Of 1700 animals, less than two dozen remained -the non-believers and youngsters who apparently couldn't fathom such a land of plenty just up the coastline and who were content to loll about in their expanded personal space. A few sea lions have now returned.  Sixty three were counted on Monday (February 21) of this week.  A virtual crowd compared to the fifteen to twenty stalwarts that lingered alone through December and January.   What might bring more of the popular San Franciscan citizens back?  Herring would help.  Diminished numbers of the fish are believed to be the cause of the great sea lion exodus.  The hope is that, just as the need for food took them north, it will bring them back to San Francisco Bay again in time for spring. The Radisson Hotel Fisherman’s Wharf is just one of several Fisherman’s Wharf hotels within walking distance of Pier 39. It features a palm-lined pool and an outdoor bar and makes a great home base for waterfront fun. San Francisco, Seascapes Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/02/15/colossal-cones/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/02/15/colossal-cones/#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 02:42:50 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/?p=4003 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/02/15/colossal-cones/feed/ 6 0:48 Surrounded by trees extending almost three hundred feet straight up, I had an understandable urge to look skyward as we wandered through the Mariposa Grove ... Surrounded by trees extending almost three hundred feet straight up, I had an understandable urge to look skyward as we wandered through the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park.  Fortunately, a young boy showed me what was lying right at my feet:  giant sequoia cones! Winter winds blow pollen from the sequoias' lower branches up to the female cones congregating the trees' crowns.  Naturally occurring lightening fires eventually dry out the mature cones, releasing as many as two hundred seeds per cone and allowing the life cycle to roll around another time. The trees themselves disappear to almost unfathomable heights from the ground below.  The child to cone size comparison provided a more tangible illustration of  "gigantic". Hiking, Yosemite National Park, Yosemite National Park Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/02/10/the-giants-of-mariposa/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/02/10/the-giants-of-mariposa/#comments Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:22:41 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/?p=3950 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/02/10/the-giants-of-mariposa/feed/ 12 1:14 That they are old is not enough.  Age is an effortless achievement -just ask any woman over forty.  But here also is grace.  A simple ... That they are old is not enough.  Age is an effortless achievement -just ask any woman over forty.  But here also is grace.  A simple yet steadfast strength.  The presence of a peace that expands from within one's own self to embrace the very sanctuary that seems to call it forth. The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias provides perspective on a grand scale.  One of three protected sequoia groves within Yosemite, Mariposa at the south-western edge of the park is the largest and most visited.  Unlike the coastal redwoods of Muir Woods, these Sequoias are more solitary.  The drier inland zone results in less undergrowth and clustering, making it easier to imagine unique personas for the individually named trees. Walking through, the sensation is similar to being in the presence of unfailing and almost timeless heroes.  Some will fall, but even the decay of the fallen is deliberate due to the bacteria suppressing qualities of tannic acid in the wood.  The "Fallen Monarch" (pictured at right) has lain in state for centuries, and the trees around it will grow for centuries more. Hiking, Yosemite National Park, Yosemite National Park Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/02/06/into-yosemite/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/02/06/into-yosemite/#comments Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:08:23 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/?p=3941 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/02/06/into-yosemite/feed/ 4 1:19 With a roughly 3:1 ratio of road miles to trail miles, Yosemite National Park could never be properly seen from a vehicle. Not to say ... With a roughly 3:1 ratio of road miles to trail miles, Yosemite National Park could never be properly seen from a vehicle. Not to say that there won't be some stunning images framed by your open car window, but these are but teasing hints of what lies beyond.  Shuttered blinks of glory.  For anyone who loves the outdoors, the urge to park the car and escape into the wilderness on foot will be as compelling as the first drawn breath of a diver breaking surface water. Wilderness tracts such as Yosemite call for complete immersion, or at the least, a little strategic planning.  Last summer, lacking the time I'd normally devote to such an experience I researched, vowed to appreciate all Yosemite could share in my short time there, and promised to return. An overnight stay in Merced, California put us within an easy morning drive of the park's Arch Rock entrance.   Our gas stop in the teensy but functional town of El Portal provided an opportunity to stock up on water and food.  Gone were the towering buildings of San Francisco and the suburban amenities of Pleasanton, California.  It had been but 150 easy miles according to MapQuest, a distance that belied the actual journey.  And the narrow road into Yosemite promised to take us much further... Outdoor Adventures, Yosemite National Park, Yosemite National Park Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/02/01/buskers-by-the-wharf/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/02/01/buskers-by-the-wharf/#comments Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:12:21 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/?p=3911 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/02/01/buskers-by-the-wharf/feed/ 6 1:04 It's got to be love, right? The attention span and focus of their audience is minimal, and most passersby are looking for lunch or the next ... It's got to be love, right? The attention span and focus of their audience is minimal, and most passersby are looking for lunch or the next ferry to Alcatraz.  Street performers, or buskers, must relish the act of performing enough to ignore being ignored.  Exposing a bit of heart in hopes of an answering smile, a bit of applause and hopefully, a dollar bill or two...  This is not for the faint of heart or those desiring a steady income. Street performance is encouraged along San Francisco's Wharf waterfront. The Fisherman’s Wharf Pilot Street Performer Program regulates twelve designated performance locations in the public access Port area in recognition of the cultural contribution of such open air shows.  Miming, street dancing, instrumental performances and even operatic arias are but a few of the offerings one might wander past on a trek along the Embarcadero. The eclectic and energetic ambiance fits San Francisco -with her fluctuating temperatures, inclined streets and varied cultural pockets, very well. There are numerous hotels in Fisherman’s Wharf, such as the stylish Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf and the Argonaut Hotel, both within a couple blocks of all the action. San Francisco Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/12/14/tunnel-vision/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/12/14/tunnel-vision/#comments Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:31:33 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/?p=3255 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/12/14/tunnel-vision/feed/ 20 0:34 Even when you know it's coming, when you completely expect to be awestruck by the phenomenal panorama that will be just beyond the darkness -it ... Even when you know it's coming, when you completely expect to be awestruck by the phenomenal panorama that will be just beyond the darkness -it is more. More breathtaking, more inspiring, more exhilarating, more gut level thrilling. The Tunnel View entrance into Yosemite Valley is like a chapter listing of what lies ahead: El Capitan to the left, Bridalveil Fall to the right, Half Dome in the distance and the evergreen Yosemite Valley winding through the middle, a forested pathway to outdoor adventures. Hiking, Yosemite National Park, Yosemite National Park Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/12/03/above-crowd-level/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/12/03/above-crowd-level/#comments Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:24:22 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/?p=3145 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/12/03/above-crowd-level/feed/ 16 1:27 One of the best ways to avoid crowds is to go where the crowds won't go.  This is not a suggestion to frequent dark alleys ... One of the best ways to avoid crowds is to go where the crowds won't go.  This is not a suggestion to frequent dark alleys and condemned restaurants but rather a prodding to allow yourself the full wilderness experience when you venture into the wild. If the trail is paved and/or easy to follow, you haven't gone far enough.  If you know where the next public restroom is, you'll need to hike further.  Beyond the water spigots, educational trail side signs and maybe even your comfort zone to where you're thankful for your map and beef jerky and are aware of little more than your next step on the trail. Difficult passages tend to keep one focused in the present.  It's why grief blurs adjunct memories and why athletes rarely hear the cheers of their fans.   In lives spiraling with multi-tasked peripheral events, intensity can grab a moment and cement it as an elevating foundational experience.  My hike through The Subway of Zion National Park has permanent status, as does mountain-biking in Mammoth Lakes, free diving through a coral tunnel in the Caribbean and a slippery ascent alongside a Yosemite National Park waterfall. Climbing, biking, hiking, swimming... beyond the crowds is well worth the fear, effort and delays to ordinary life because extreme moments tend to be unique moments that will be yours alone. Extremes, Hiking, Yosemite National Park, Yosemite National Park Heather Dugan no no