I cycled the last sections of the traditional Camino de Santiago in 2022.
To my thinking, cycling is even better than walking.
I rented a touring bike. VERY convenient.
If interested, check out the best guidebook:
Cicerone – Cycling the Camino de Santiago: a complete planning guide
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Due to Trump’s idiotic war, I decided to stay closer to home this Spring.
Made a PLAN … that didn’t exactly work out. 😀
The Skiing was excellent. My best year ever. 12 days at Sunshine.
Hiking great. 17 days in the tent, walking deserts in California and Nevada.
NEXT is visiting friends in Kelowna and Vernon. Most probably cycling back to Calgary on the Great Trans Canada Trail.
Check out my GEAR for the trip. Everything but the kitchen sink. 😀
I do like these immersive audio video attractions.
Arte Museum is a South Korean immersive art franchise.
… self-guided exhibits spread across thousands of square feet. They use projection mapping, multi-image control, and sensor-based interaction technology …
I wandered the many rooms for about an hour.
When I visited their Las Vegas location in 2026, the current exhibit was partnering with the band BTS.
One room feature a 15-minute montage of some of the boy band hits. Visuals great. I wasn’t much impressed by the music, however.
As of September 2025, Arte Museum had received over 10 million visitors globally.
Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram.
Zoox is an American subsidiary of Amazon developing driverless vehicles.
I tried one of their robotaxis in Vegas.
A free public trial on the Strip has been ongoing since September 2025 running only 2 fixed loops.
They are symmetrical and bi-directional, meaning it’s not obvious which direction they will travel next.
I felt very safe over my 25 minute ride. But there have been accidents. Collisions with bicycles and scooters. A Zoox hit a car door while the driver was opening it, injuring the driver.
Certainly they are far, far safer than human operated vehicles.
I finally saw a Blue Man Group performance.
Launched in Manhattan 1987, Cirque du Soleil acquired Blue Man in 2017.
Three performers—called “Blue Men“—do not speak. They use music, colourful paint, and funny physical comedy to entertain the audience.
It’s worth seeing once, but I feel the novelty would wear off in a second viewing.
My main takeaways:
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
The largest bike-touring party in the world is surprisingly … in Iowa.
RAGBRAI, short for Register‘s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, is a non-competitive bicycle tour across the U.S. state of Iowa from its western to eastern border. …
2023 had over 60,000 riders.
A new friend — Marco — has done it 3 times. And he’s planning on 2027 driving out to Iowa in his own support vehicle. Marco would like to put together a “team” as that’s easer, cheaper, and more fun than signing up with a company.
Count me IN. This adventure looks fantastic.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Rick will be mostly offline well into June 2026. He’s section hiking part of the Pacific Crest Trail in California.
For years I’ve been coming to Banff in the shoulder season SPRING for skiing and hiking.
Never a bad day in Banff. Note they moved this sign.
FINALLY in 2026, I bought a Spring Ski Pass – Midweek.
Cost CAD $584.85 for unlimited skiing at Sunshine Monday through Thursday.
Enjoy unlimited access Monday through Thursday to Canada’s Best Spring Skiing starting March 8th all the way until Slush Cup Monday May 18th with a Banff Sunshine Midweek Spring Pass.
I got my money’s worth in 2026 with 12 days on the hill.
Luckily for me Banff Sunshine Village had a historic season with 812 cm (26 feet) of total season snow.
I usually follow the same sequence of lifts if the snow is good:
These days my goal is NOT to fall and get hurt, so I stay mostly on Blues and easy Black Diamond.
I try not to have my skis leave the ground. 😀
Happily, I had only one fall in 12 days. No injuries.
When picking up my pass at Sunshine Village, I noticed there is a Senior (age 65+) year long pass that’s even cheaper if you buy it mid-season, and good every day of the week. (It’s no longer advertised this late in the season — but I might buy that one instead next year.)
If I was 45 years younger, with an Aussie accent, I’d fit right in with the real ski bums & snow bunnies spending their winter in Banff.
There are 3 hostels in Banff, by far the least expensive accommodation.
I usually stay at Samesun Banff, about CAD $200 for 3 nights in a 6 bed dorm. With breakfast.
Free ski bus picks up and drops off on the same block. So convenient.
Spring is a fantastic time to be in Banff. It’s so beautiful — without the crowds.
One highlight for me is watching Elk wander town.
When I’m not skiing, I’m HIKING. Spring hiking can be magical.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Hey. On April 16, 2026, Banff Sunshine was named the “Best Overall Ski Resort” for the 2025/2026 ski season by users of OnTheSnow, the world’s most visited snow sports website.
“Man plans, and God laughs”
I’m staying closer to home due to Trump’s stupid, unnecessary war.
Starting my 4th week of skiing out of Banff.
I have a permit to backpack a couple of weeks on the world’s best long thru hike – the Pacific Crest Trail. Starting May 26th out of Palm Springs, California.
AND I want to get back to Banff by June 12th (or shortly after) to start the Tour Divide – the world’s most famed long distance cycling route Canada to Mexico.
I won’t be trying for Mexico.
From Missoula, Montana I’ll divert to Idaho. And on to Kelowna, B.C. for a reunion with lifelong friends.
Here’s my cycling itinerary.
What could go wrong? 😀
… I’d say the odds of everything going to plan are about 25%. BUT that’s why it’s adventure.
Wish me luck.
I was planning on my 1st trip to Dubai and Oman in March 2026.
For hiking and cycling.
Craggy peaks and rugged terrain, empty deserts and a long picture-perfect coastline, ancient castles and forts–that’s what draws adventure cyclists to Oman. …
BUT, in March, Dubai International Airport (DXB) was targeted by Iranian-backed drone strikes — retaliation for Trump’s idiotic war on Iran.
My airline ticket to Dubai was cancelled & refunded by Emirates airline. I flew to London and then Italy, instead.
I’m still planning to go to Oman. Highly underrated as a travel destination.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Rick McCharles 