Most places I happily travel without a vehicle.
California is a notable exception. It’s nearly impossible to get where you want to go in this gorgeous State without your own wheels.
I listen to nutcase right wing AM talk radio with the occasional break of AM sport radio. And I enjoy the fantastic weather.
» next travelogue post on this trip – noisiest hostel in the world?
I coached 3 weeks at Woodward in 2005.
This summer I stopped in for 3 days, a goodwill ambassador from Cirque du Soleil.
It was great to get reacquainted with so many of the same coaches and camp staff from the previous year.
Woodward West is a HUGE camp, half boys, half girls. They offer gymnastics and cheer, as well as some trampoline, tumbling and acrosport.
The Action Sports offered: BMX, mountain biking, skateboard and in-line skating.
It is one fantabulous place!
Details on the Woodward West website
» next travelogue post on this trip – driving California
On his WhereTheHellIsMatt.com website, you can follow computer-game-playing slacker Matt Harding dancing his way around the world.
Click PLAY on the video below or watch the clip on YouTube.
Music by Deep Forest.
Matt thinks Americans need to travel abroad more.
I was ride-along shotgun on a hiking / biking trip with George Novak to Yellowstone National Park. It truly is a fantastic destination, much improved (I feel) by the forest fires of 1988. The park is open and bright. There is a real feeling of renewal.
It’s famous for geysers, hot springs, and other geothermal features and is home to grizzly bears, wolves, and free-ranging herds of bison and elk. We saw a lot of wildlife.
Photos and video clips I posted on besthike.com. See those by searching besthike for “Yellowstone”.
This is the last post in this travelogue. But you can find photos & a video clip of Grand Teton National Park on my hiking blog.
As cycling is my main fitness activity, I’m looking for good trips. There are a couple in Idaho that sound interesting, but #1 on the list so far is Kettle Valley in British Colombia.
Now — when can I get there?
On advice from friends in Missoula, we took the scenic route to Yellowstone via Lewis and Clark Caverns.
Explorers Meriwether Lewis & William Clark passed close but never actually knew the 50mi+ of limestone caves existed.
The tourist experience walking through stalactites and stalagmites is recommended and entertaining, as it most often is in American tourist attractions.
more details from the National Park Service
We heard that Lewis and Clark were gay — not that there is anything wrong with that.
» next travelogue post on this trip – Yellowstone National Park
I finally got to visit Mismo 4-years after I first met unforgettable Head Coach and owner Kelley Durbin. It’s a great gym in every way.
Kelley and Morgen gave us a tour of the facility and program – then took us to dinner at the Iron Horse Brew Pub. Great grub!
I’ll meet up with Kelley at the USA Gymnastics Championships in August.
» next travelogue post on this trip – Lewis and Clark Caverns
Chris emailed this photo from Philadelphia. He is a coach with the travelling Cirque du Soleil show Quidam.
One of my favourite events of the year is the HPTC camp in Idaho hosted by Dave Adlard.
At the end of camp all coaches are lined-up against a wall in front of a firing squad of gymnasts. Contest winners get to “pie” any coach. Here Bobby launches a sneak attack at Dave. It was brilliant.
Check out over 80 pictures of camp on Flickr.
Video clips of coaches getting a pie in the face.
» next travelogue post on this trip – Mismo Gymnastics, Missoula, Montana
Once again George and I crashed the log cabin home of Dave and Lisa Adlard. Their Candle in the Woods.
Normally I join Dave on his morning run when I visit. But this year we were both injured and instead rode mountain bikes. Dave seemed to lag behind.
For some reason he kept the bike in the toughest gear all way round.
Morgen knew how to shift gears but is seen here begging me to slow down.
» next travelogue post on this trip – why I go to Coeur d’Alene
Rick McCharles 