Reginald Spittle's Blog: See my book blog, page 18

Mammoth Cave: A National Park Gem

National parks and monuments are not to be missed and some are backpackers’ dream destinations, so we veered north from Nashville to explore Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave National Park. What did we find? Enough to fill three days. The ranger-led Gothic Tour took us below to walk two miles of the 365 miles of cave, more … Continue reading Mammoth Cave: A National Park Gem →

Together We Will Go, But Where?

Mark Antonelli, a struggling writer, concocts a plan that begins when he buys an old tour bus. His idea needs riders, so he advertises for special people to join him for a cross-country trip to San Francisco. The dozen passengers he picks up for the journey agree to ride until the bitter end, when he … Continue reading Together We Will Go, But Where? →

National Trails: Where Am I?

Sue’s camera caught me on two American national trails during the past week. In the top photo, the trail follows, for a spell, an historic American highway. Wanna take a guess? The highway is Route 66; in Grants, New Mexico, the 3,200-mile Continental Divide Trail is the side of the famous road. For the photo, … Continue reading National Trails: Where Am I? →

The Bell Trail: Avoid the Sedona Crowds

The red-rock trails of the Sedona, Arizona area are spectacular, but you need to secure parking at trailhead lots early, even before 8 a.m. in some cases. Thanks to a tip from a Montana couple we met on a hike, we explored a red-rock canyon near Camp Verde, without the crowds. The Bell Trail is … Continue reading The Bell Trail: Avoid the Sedona Crowds →

Monkeys on the Road: 30,000 Miles, Countless Tests

Mary Hollendoner quit climbing the corporate ladder at Google in search of adventure and a simpler life. Along with her husband John and six-year-old daughter Lilly, adventure was around every corner of a three-and-a-half-year van journey of 30,000 miles zig-zagging through Central and South America. The simpler life often eluded her. In Monkeys on the … Continue reading Monkeys on the Road: 30,000 Miles, Countless Tests →

Spotting Mount Whitney from Below

The USA’s tallest point rises slightly right of center, set back from peaks that look taller from below. My wife Sue snapped this view of Mount Whitney on March 11 from our site in the rustic Portuguese Joe Campground, just off the Whitney Portal Road west of Lone Pine, California. I had a lump in … Continue reading Spotting Mount Whitney from Below →

Mount Whitney to Death Valley

In August 2021, I stood atop California’s Mount Whitney at 14,505 feet, the highest point in the continental USA, as part of my 243-mile trek on the John Muir Trail. Seven months later, I stood at the USA’s lowest point, 282 feet below sea level, at Death Valley, as part of my cross-country RV adventure. … Continue reading Mount Whitney to Death Valley →

Scotland’s Cure for Tired Trekking Legs

Toxic Positivity: Putting a Happy Face on Life

Your friend calls and invites you to join him for coffee. You sit opposite each other at the neighborhood coffee bar and he finally makes eye contact with you. “I got fired this morning,” he says. After a few moments, you say, “It could be worse. Now you will finally have more time to yourself.” … Continue reading Toxic Positivity: Putting a Happy Face on Life →

Kayaking’s Boldest Voyage Unveiled

In 1987, Ed Gillet accomplished something no one had ever done. Despite many efforts, no kayaker has duplicated his fete, or even come close. Gillet, who was in his 30s, kayaked from Monterey, California to Maui. He reached Hawaii after 64 days and returned to California the next week to appear on the Tonight Show … Continue reading Kayaking’s Boldest Voyage Unveiled →