By: Linda Ballou Just 34 miles up sweeping I 70 from Denver lies Evergreen, a popular stop for folks wanting to breathe deeply of crisp, pine-scented air. Forward-thinking Denver elders forged out huge open spaces for hikers and bikers in this area. A myriad of trail networks lace the hills surrounding the rustic mountain town. I hiked…
By: Linda Ballou I am embarking on a Majestic Mountain Tour through the front range of the Rockies in September following in the hoofprints of Isabella Bird Isabella Lucy Bird was a Victorian Age adventurer who endured tremendous hardships in her explorations of the Rockies in 1873. She became the best-loved travel writer of her…
By: Linda Ballou Ventura is a beach town with a laid-back vibe that is the gateway to some great adventures. About an hour north of Los Angeles spectacular day trips in the Channel Islands National Park are waiting for you. Turn up at the Island Packer dock in Ventura Harbor at about 9 AM with a lunch…
By: Linda Ballou The only thing certain about travel in 2022 is that it is uncertain. People are chomping at the bit to travel again but need to remain flexible. Flight schedules are still in a state of flux, car rentals are at historical highs, and Covid-19 guidelines in various countries are changing by the…
In 2021 I gave Wai-nani a new look and published the third edition of the story that remains my proudest Achievement. Wai-nani casts a hypnotic spell that transports you to ancient Hawai’i. Available on Amazon and my site www.LindaBallouAuthor.com Embrace of the Wild inspired by the indomitable equestrian explorer, Isabella Bird, was the winner in…
Winter on the Central Coasts means fewer tourists and plentiful wildlife. Birds and marine mammals gather there in chaotic profusion from December to February. Every year, hundreds of birders flock to the sleepy fishing town of Morro Bay on California’s Central Coast to take part in the Audubon Birding Fest. The Pacific’s saltwater mixed with…
Steaming temps in the inland valleys of Southern Oregon sent me to the coast to cool off. The Redwood Hwy (199), out of Grants Pass is a snaking road that takes you to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, the northernmost redwood forest in California. It traces the rugged Smith River Corridor sheathed in towering sugar pines and deposits…
Every pool may bring better luck. That’s how life should be Zane Grey The Rogue River is a vital artery in southwestern Oregon that flows 215 miles from Crater Lake to Gold Beach on the coast. Rainie Falls is the take-out point for rafters to the 40 mile stretch of the wild and scenic corridor…
By: Linda Ballou Escape with Linda Ballou as she takes you on her 32 of her favorite power-packed outdoor days along the sun-splashed California Coast from Malibu to Mendocino. Let your spirit free strolling long stretches of sand in solitude. Breathe deeply of the restorative energy of fern forests shaded by towering redwood giants. Kickstart…