Don’t panic! We’re just on vacation for a couple of weeks. Dave and I will be celebrating our first wedding anniversary with a road trip to Lake Michigan. In an effort to be sensitive to his aversion to flying, I’ve planned a road trip that will take us to an area of the country neither of us has seen before – the Great Lakes! (Yes, I am a total sucker for the Pure Michigan travel ads.) We’re...

Tyler Bradt, a 22 year old professional whitewater kayaker, and previous owner of the world’s highest waterfall run, has reclaimed his record with a 186 foot plunge off the Palouse Falls. He says the force of impact drove him an estimated 30 feet under the surface of the water. Seems pretty nutty to me, but hey, ya never know… Jess and I will be passing by Niagara Falls on the way home from our...

After reading our recent posts on the Lower Mystic Lake and the Mystic River, a colleague sent me an email letting me know that Boston’s Channel 5 will be running a feature on the River tonight. It is part of their Chronicle HD series: It’s been a garbage dump, the title of a gritty Dennis Lehane book and Clint Eastwood movie, and a running joke. The Mystic River – it gets no respect. But the...

NBC’s Today Show has been running a segment called “Today Takes a Vacation,” where the anchors travel across the country to broadcast from different locations. Their first stop this year was Lake George in the Adirondacks! Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy There are about a dozen video clips all together, including a segment on Yellow-Yellow, the...

Although we’ve suspected it for a while, the New York Times recently confirmed that Adirondack black bears are smarter than the average, well, bear. A female black bear named Yellow-Yellow, who makes her home in the High Peaks region of the Adirondack park, has managed to defeat the latest in bear canister technology, the BearVault 500. BearVault 500 - Bear-proof no longer Four years ago, New York State...

About a month after posting our article A Paddle Along the Mystic, a reader picked up on my comment about boat wakes and pointed out that the Lower Mystic and the Mystic River are supposed to be no wake zones. This was very different from what I’ve experienced since moving close to the lake a few years ago. On just about every nice weekend, it is common to hear multiple motor boats and personal watercraft...

‘Back to school’ sales are starting to make an appearance. Which means lots of deals to be had on day packs and the like. Sales Patagonia – Their Big 30% Off Sale, ends July 27th REI – 20% off Select Bags and Packs Altrec.com – Back to School Backpack Sale Buy a Shirt, Help a Sherpa REI – Purchase any item from the Khumbu Climbing School Collection and The North Face...

Social Networking – Facebook and Twitter In an attempt to prove how hip and ‘with the times’ we are, Towns and Trails is now on Twitter! Yep, we’ve joined the cult. So if you have an account or would like to follow our tweets (I know, I know…) head on over to our Twitter page here:  twitter.com/townsandtrails We also have a Facebook page if that is your social networking platform...

Sad news from the Mt. Washington Observatory. Nin, a rescued stray cat who was taken in by the Observatory, and who inspired the children’s book, “Cat in the Clouds”, has passed away at the (estimated) age of 20. Nin, whose retirement from the observatory back in 2007 made national news, had been living out his golden years with Mt. Washington State Park Manager Mike Pelchat and Diane Gorham...

Could the Adirondacks go from being Forever Wild, to Forever Wired? That is what the Adirondack Initiative for Wired Work is trying to figure out.  Hosted by Clarkson University, this initiative represents a group of regional leaders and working professionals who are committed to sustainable economic growth in the park. Our vision is to advance creative work and lifestyle choices by promoting technology and...