Linda A. Tancs's Blog: The Long and Short of It, page 46

The Hummingbird Highway

By Linda Tancs

Named for the abundance of hummingbirds found in the country, Belize’s Hummingbird Highway connects the Western Highway outside of the capital city of Belmopan in central Belize to the Southern Highway just outside of the town of Dangriga in the Stann Creek District in the southeast. Generally regarded as one of the most scenic routes in the country, the 53-mile road winds its way through postcard-worthy views of jungles, orchards and pretty villages. Although it only takes about two hours to drive through, you’ll want to stop and take in some of the popular attractions like Blue Hole National Park and its jungle trails as well as Hummingbird Gap, the highest elevation on the journey at almost 1,000 feet.

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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045. 

Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.

A Scenic Rail Adventure in Canada

By Linda Tancs

One of Canada’s most popular train tours is the full-day tour to Agawa Canyon, covering the stunning Canadian wilderness of Northern Ontario. Departing from the train depot (87 Huron Street) in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, the stunning beauty of the mixed forests of the Canadian Shield brings the landscape art of the Group of Seven (a group of Canadian landscape painters) to life. As if the rugged landscapes, forests, lakes and rivers weren’t enough, the train descends to the canyon floor, an area created more than 1.2 billion years ago by faulting. You even get the engineer’s “bird’s-eye view” thanks to locomotive-mounted cameras projecting images via flat screen monitors installed throughout the coaches. This year’s tour season runs from August 3 to October 15; peak season runs from September 17 to October 10.

Chasing the Wind in Nantucket

By Linda Tancs

Nantucket, Massachusetts, is the place to be this month for sailing enthusiasts. Beginning on August 12, Nantucket Race Week kicks into gear. From young dinghy sailors to Grand Prix racers, there’s something for everyone. The festival culminates in the Opera House Cup, an all-wooden, single-hulled classic boat regatta, on August 20.

A Clone in Utah

By Linda Tancs

Located in central Utah at the Fishlake National Forest (so named for the largest freshwater mountain lake in the state), Pando is an aspen clone that originated from a single seed and spreads over 106 acres, consisting of over 40,000 individual trees. Reputedly, it’s the world’s largest organism ever found at nearly 13 million pounds. It attracts visitors worldwide and was even honored by the U.S. Postal Service with a stamp as one of the “40 Wonders of America.” The clone’s name derives from the Latin phrase meaning “I spread.”

Birding at Pigeon Point

By Linda Tancs

Besides its status as one of the tallest lighthouses in America, Pigeon Point has become famous among birders as one of the finest vantage points for observing seabirds anywhere on the California Coast. That’s due in no small part to its locale immediately to the north of bird-rich Monterey Bay and the presence of deep ocean waters very close to shore. Pigeon Point is one of the reliable locations, especially during spring and summer, for observing Marbled Murrelets. If you’re extremely lucky, you may catch one of the rarer species, like a Black-footed Albatross or Tufted Puffin. Bring along a good spotting scope.

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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045. 

Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.

The Red Fox of Kinderhook

By Linda Tancs

Born on December 5, 1782, Martin Van Buren was the first future president born a citizen of the United States. He was known as “the Red Fox of Kinderhook,” an acknowledgment of his red hair and his birthplace in Kinderhook, New York. That’s where you’ll find his post-presidency home, Lindenwald, a National Historic Site. Guided tours of the home are offered seasonally. In the formal parlor, you’ll learn of the countless meetings he hosted there. In addition to the home’s interior, a cell phone tour of the outside Wayside Loop Trail hosted by a park ranger shares a bit about the president and those who worked in the house and on the 220-acre farm.

Little Finland

By Linda Tancs

Located in the U.S., Little Finland has nothing to do with Finland. So named for the fin-like appearance of eroded sandstone, it’s a popular attraction at Gold Butte National Monument in Nevada. Nearly 300,000 acres in size, the area is popular for its backcountry hiking, revealing a bevy of surreal rock formations. You can also drive the Gold Butte Backcountry Byway to the area’s namesake mining ghost town, a 62-mile scenic trip that also offers opportunities to see desert wildlife, red and white sandstone, sinkholes, petroglyphs, the Muddy Mountains and Lake Mead. 

A Lighthouse Fit for the Movies

By Linda Tancs

The history of Maine’s Marshall Point Lighthouse began in 1831 when Samuel Marshall conveyed four acres of land to the U.S. Government. A better known fact may be that a scene from the movie Forrest Gump was filmed there, owing in no small part to the facility’s iconic tower. The picturesque white lighthouse also features an 1880s keepers’ house and a summer-only museum and gift shop. Be sure to enjoy the nearby idyllic hamlet of Port Clyde, a working fishing village.

The Pillars of Crowley Lake

By Linda Tancs

A short distance south of California’s Mammoth Lakes, Crowley Lake is a reservoir that’s the focal point of fishing season (late spring to autumn) in Mono County. Boasting some of the finest fish in the Sierra, it’s prized for its trout, perch and cutthroat. What might not seem as evident are the stone pillars that reveal themselves when the water level is just right. Believed to have been formed over 700,000 years ago by a massive volcanic eruption, the columns are situated on the east side of the reservoir off Highway 395 near Rock Creek. You’ll need four-wheel drive to navigate a steep hill, after which you can park and hike down to the beach where you can view the pillars.

*************

Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045. 

Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.

Inspiration in the Alpstein

By Linda Tancs

It’s just a 30-minute walk around Seealpsee, a lake in the Alpstein range in Switzerland. Regarded as one of the most beautiful lakes in the country, it’s credited with inspiring landscape artists and photographers. This time of year it’s also a popular destination for canoe enthusiasts, who can enjoy the panoramic mountain views for around five dollars per half hour.

*************

Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045. 

Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.