Author Archives: admin

How Mr Putin keeps the country under control Oct 22nd 2016 Economist Mystery, miracle and authority are three powers alone able to hold the conscience of people captive. Mr Putin has mastered all three. Yet none of these is as … Continue reading →

Political reforme is an essential prerequisite to a flourishing economy Oct 22nd 2016 – Economist Just across the mighty Volga river from Sviyazhsk, an island fortress built by Ivan the Terrible in 1552 to help him conquer the Khanate of … Continue reading →

When the Soviet Union collapsed 25 years ago, Russia looked set to become a free-market democracy. Why did that not happen? And how much of it is Mr Putin’s fault? Oct 22nd 2016 Economist A patchy knowledge of the coup … Continue reading →

I don’t know about you, but I searched for a long time for the best way to carry significant volumes of water when kayaking. The container must conform to the shape of the kayak and then must collapse completely when … Continue reading →

WHAT IS A CANYON? A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between pairs of escarpments or cliffs and is the most often carved landscape by the erosive activity of a river over geologic timescales. A canyon may also refer … Continue reading →

Protect your sleeping-bag investment. You can keep your bag in top condition for many camping or backpacking seasons to come. ON THE TRAIL Keep your sleeping bag clean and dry. Accumulated body oils, sweat and dirt can rob your sleeping … Continue reading →

Other than deciding to travel once I retired, my only other goal in life was to wear flip-flops twelve months of the year. It is now 11½ years and I have pretty well succeeded. The only other shoes I travel … Continue reading →

GRAND CANYON Length: 277 river miles Width: Average 10 miles. Maximum 18 miles. Depth: Average 1 mile or 5,280’. Maximum 6,000’ Volume of Rock Eroded: 803 cubic miles Elevation: North Rim – 8,200’; South Rim – 7,000’ Precipitation: North Rim … Continue reading →

I’m sure rafting the Grand Canyon is on everyone’s bucket list. It had been on mine for years, possibly ever since I read Colin Fletcher’s The Man Who Walked Through Time, when he walked a portion of the Grand Canyon. … Continue reading →

I rafted the Grand Canyon from October 6-21, 2016 from Lee’s Ferry to Diamond Creek at mile 223. I didn’t understand that there would be so much hiking and we explored at least one canyon every day. Over the years, … Continue reading →