Hiking the Dolomites in Northern Italy

#HikingDolomitesItaly

The Dolomites are one of the most accessible international destinations (fly into Venice or Milan) for these outdoor hiking adventures that fits all fitness and skill levels
 Once landed then travel north by bus or vehicle rental to the towns with the most tourist infrastructure to base yourself; for example that would be Bolzano, Trento or Merano

From your base you can do daytrips or multiple nights staying at rifugios (mountain huts) with most of the trails that are well developed, to some that needs a little experience and up to what i am doing known as Via Ferrata Lipella which needs expertise
Finally your best months to mountain walk here are from June to September with the longer days plus warmer weather as the hiking season is short due to the long winters

 

Making my way along the Austrian Border (300 km /185 miles drive) to first visit my friends in Alta Badia in Northern Italy before heading to my next adventure taking on the Lipella Ferrata

This climb will take me through some historical landmarks, steep/difficult terrain, altitude up to 3200 meters (10,500 feet) and around 13 kms (8 miles)......i am excited 😀  

A reminder (as i drive past) of the World War which Italy suffered a great loss of life and damages
It started in 1915 when Italy declared war on Austria plus Hungary which it soon became a stalemate struggle for all the countries involved 

 It was basically a trench warfare as troops from both sides had to deal with freezing temperatures, high altitudes and the instability of the mountains itself

The history of the Via Ferrata ( meaning iron treks....protected paths with iron cables, steps or ladders) began during the first World War and today there are around 600 trails within the Dolomites

All these routes have different grades plus lengths (Google; Dolomites Via Ferrata to choose what is best for your comfort and skill level so you have the most enjoyable experience)

 Also they are constantly maintained by the Italian Alpine Club for safety, so we all can enjoy them

Originally these routes (that were made of iron) were created for the soldiers who carried heavy supplies during all times of the year.
After the war, some of the steel and wooden equipment was replaced with safer modern versions

That being said you need to be confident in your footing, be adventurous, have stamina and do not suffer from vertigo for the more challenging routes which is what i chose because of my experience

With over 1000 Mountain Huts (Rifugios) in the Dolomites you need to do some research but lucky for you i have taken some of those questions out of the equation;

A) They do not open until late June  because of all the snow (during the winter season) as they are at 2500 meters (8000 feet) so the danger of avalanches is a serious risk

B) Reservations are done by email only during the off season, once open you will need to call directly to reach anyone but be patient
 Please remember where these huts are located so cell coverage can be spotty

 C) A deposit of around 20 Euros will be subtracted once you arrive, also you will be sending that payment via E-Transfer so MAKE SURE you include your name and booking dates so you indeed get the credit plus reservation when you arrive

D) The cost per night is depending on your preference, so for example private huts are 70-80 Euros,
 just a bunkbed (4 to 10 people per room) would be 30 Euros PP which most times includes breakfast

 E) Bring your own sleeping bag liner plus pillow cover as linens are not washed daily

 F) Bringing your own food is frowned upon as these huts make their positive income from the meal service, but if you insist you will have to bring your own cooking equipment, utensils and eat away from the hut as your taking away a table space from other restaurant paying customers

G) Water is a precious resource as its collected in huge storage tanks from melting snow or rainwater, so please do not waste water with running the taps, flushing the toilets too many times and because of such, a five minute shower will cost you around 5 Euros 

Always Safety First;

 A)  Always wear a climbing helmet as your not the only one scaling here as the group above you could dislodge some loose rocks onto you
B) A new climbing harness and not secondhand, as the expire date with regular use is around 36 months so there is really no way to check that.....if buying used
 C) Lanyard with four main components; strong loop to attach to your harness, energy absorption system plus two carabiners
D) Climbing Gloves as your in constant contact with steel cable with that wear plus it could have some loose wire sticking out for a nasty gash
 E) Stay Hydrated as you climb higher you exhale and sweat twice as much
F) Cell Coverage is good, if you have an emergency call 112 which is the Pan-European Emergency Number where the operator will redirect your call to the proper authorities or call 118 which is the direct number for Medical Emergency and Ambulance in Italy

The Lagazuoi Tunnel was built during World War One by the Italians with the idea of blowing up the Falzarego Pass 
 Why you ask; during those times it was an important passage way for supplies of the Allied Troops of Austria and Hungary

 It is now one of most extensive in the Dolomites (thanks to the European Union grant) plus is the most well preserved plus safest to hike (1km/ 0.6 miles)
Bonus, it is also where you can see the trenches, machine gun posts, barracks etc  from the past and its setup like an open air museum

What to wear you ask;

 A) I would recommend covering up your legs with hiking pants to prevent nicks and cuts from the rocks
B) Wind / Rainproof Jacket plus maybe a down vest (in your backpack) for the higher altitudes
 C) UV Sunglasses plus lotion on any exposed body parts 
D) Hiking Boots that has a good grip and most importantly are comfortable

As i leave the Dolomites here are some fun facts;

 A) The nickname is the Pale Mountains due to its composition of dolomitic limestone
 B) It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site  because of its natural beauty
C) Home to the Ladin people since 5 BC (during Roman occupation of this area) the locals adopted the rough Latin language spoken by the soldiers and magistrates into their own plus
  other traditions that have been kept alive through the educational system, culture plus cuisine 
 D) Evidence proves that the Dolomites were once underwater with the discovery of fossils, corals and through the various formations
 E) Powdered dolomite from the mountains (when grounded up) has be proven to be an effective medicine to deliver both calcium / magnesium to help strengthen human bones

Key West Florida

#KeyWestFloridaUSA

I am making my way to Key West on US Highway1 (past Miami 266kms / 165miles) which is an archipelago of the Florida Keys with 1700 islands but only 43 are accessible by bridges or causeways

Because of hurricanes, the area was very isolated until 1912 when it was connected by rail but then in 1935 another tropical storm destroyed much of the Overseas Railway
Finally the US Government rebuilt (1938) the rail route plus added an automobile highway as an extension of route number 1

KeyTip;
 Hotels / Activities can be expensive here because of the small size of the island with limited accommodations, plus its a popular destination for special events like weddings, festivals and cruise ships
 
But here are some ways to save money;
A) Avoid Peak Season and visit say between October to December plus look online for budget hotels, AirBnB, VRBO etc 
 B) You really do not need a vehicle rental here, instead rent a pedal bike or walk plus bonus; some hotels or vacation rentals offer free bikes or shuttle service
 C) Visit at no cost the Hemingway House, the Little White House or Audubon House plus walk Duval Street or Mallory Square that has lots of free Street Performers 
 D) Sunset Celebration 😎 everyday at Mallory Square for this event
E) Key West Historic Marker Tour is a self-guided walkabout that takes in 50 locations that provides information of its history and culture
 F) Butterfly / Nature Conservatory (low cost of $15 US) with hundreds of different species of butterflies and birds plus tropical plants

 

The Overseas Highway is made up of 42 bridges of 180 kms/113 miles of pavement that connects mainland Florida to Key West which runs over the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay, through the Keys and onto the Gulf of Mexico
Now next time you watch any of these flicks try and notice this engineering marvel that was featured
A) True Lies
B) License To Kill
 C) 2 Fast 2 Furious
D) Mission Impossible 111
 E) The Haunted Mansion

The Seven Mile Bridge newest version was completed in 1982 with the original being built in 1912 and called the Eighth Wonder of the World
It was at first a private railroad then in 1935 it was sold to the government which turned it into a roadway 
The project was finished in 1938 and the Highway of Mirrors finally opened
 (because of the narrow road forced passing cars to get so close, side mirrors were knocked off )

Moving forward;
 The new Overseas Highway was opened that runs parallel with the original, which still has 23 bridges standing that some have been converted into fishing station areas

This monument is called The Wreckers 

Why you ask to erect this structure;
 It was for a historical importance as it was the first industry of this boisterous, bustling sea town of
 Key West
Because of the salvage operations of the vessels that would ground on the reefs
 many individuals got rich; from the wrecking captains and crews, lawyers, clerks, dock hands, insurance agents plus other businessmen (The Florida Keys Shipwreck Trail has approximately 1000 sunken boats from Key Largo to Key West)
 
So lucrative the business was that Key West became the richest city (per capita) in the United States during the 1800s

During my walk of Old Town you find the simpler times of shopping without the on-line clicking  Hippies Use Back Door
 Well i have very short hair but i still used the rear entrance jajajaja

Pan American Airways got it start in Key West and was doing regular flights to Havana Cuba before it became the first Airline to offer world wide service, pioneered the computerized reservation systems, cabin pressurization plus jumbo jets

Fun Fact;
 Kelly McGinnis (Top Gun actress fame) owns the house where the Pan Am plane tickets were sold, which she now turned into a bar called First Flight

  With another Cuban connection to Key West;
 It happened in the early 1800s when the revolution on that island caused thousand to escape to here which brought the cigar making culture that was started in 1831
American businessman William H. Wall took advantage of this fact and opened the first cigar factory by importing raw ingredients from Cuba plus employed 50 rollers from this area

Key West was originally called Bone Island 
Spanish Explorer Ponce de Leon discovered the area in 1521 during his quest for the Fountain of Youth  His settlers called the area Cayo Hueso  with their grim discovery of all the bones from the deceased Calusa Indians who had previously lived in the Florida Keys area

The Key West artistic scene comes to life with many diverse art forms plus many galleries to view here;

A) Alan S. Maltz Gallery; he has been recognized as the Official Wildlife and Fine Art Photographer for the State of Florida 
 B) Gallery On Greene; it has exhibit works by 37 prominent artists such as Jeff MacNelly, Annie Dillard, Mario Sanchez and Tennessee Williams
C) Gingerbread Square Gallery; the oldest private gallery since 1974 with original paintings, sculptures plus art glass
 D) Guild Hall Gallery; featuring local talent in the mediums of sculptures, ceramics, photography and printmaking
 E) Art @ 830;  it has locally sourced masterpieces, glass sculptures, watercolors plus handcrafted jewelry

Found this rad bike during my walk, and no i did not wait for the owner to return 😂

Key West is famous for its Key Lime Pie as its a Southern Classic
 But since the hurricane of 1926 that wiped out the Florida Keys lime crops, the citrus fruits are imported from either Mexico or the Caribbean 

Much history has happened in this wooden duplex that was designed in 1889;

 A) First use was for the Naval Station Headquarters in 1890
B) The first President to stay at the site was William Taft in 1912, then continued his journey to Panama to inspect the canal construction project
C) Then during World War Two, Thomas Edison lived here for six months to help with the war effort
which he perfected 41 underwater weapons during his stay
D) The house remained a command headquarters through to the end of War
 E) Harry S Truman started visiting in 1946 on doctors orders from the physical exhaustion from the job which turned into an annual visit every year
F) Dwight D. Eisenhower used the building in 1949 to form the Department of Defense
 G) John F. Kennedy and British Prime Minister Harold MacMillan had a one day meeting here in 1961 H) In 1974 the submarine base closed as the Navy converted from diesel to nuclear and in 1987 it was deeded to Florida as a public museum

Because of its military importance Key West (even though it was Americas southern most city) it remained part of the Union during the entire Civil War

There are four Naval Forts in the Key West area
 A) Fort Zachary Taylor
B) Fort East Martello
 C)West Martello Tower
D) Fort Jefferson on nearby Dry Tortugas which is the starting point for the 350 mile Florida Keys Reef Tract ( third largest coral reef system in the world)
Read about Fort Jefferson in one of my other travel posts

The Ernest Hemingway Spanish Colonial house in Key West and in 1958 it was designated a National Historical Landmark
He lived here for 10 years which now is a museum with some of his memorabilia (typewriter, books and photos)
  Some of his most significant work was penned in this home;
 A) For Whom the Bell Tolls
B) The Snow of Kilimanjaro 
 C) A Farewell to Arms 
 D) The Green Hills of Africa

In 1982 Key West declared secession from the United States calling itself the Conch Republic
It was just a symbolic protest about a Border Patrol roadblock at the entrance to the US Route1
but it wanted to prove its point about being treated like a foreign country

Now its become a proud part of the history here in so much the locals call themselves conchs and for those who reside here but were born elsewhere are called fresh-water conchs 😄 

But each April everyone is welcome ( friends, fans plus tourists) to the ten day bash for the fictitious Conch Republic Independence Celebration

Watching one of the famous sunsets here in Key West, as i eat a Fish Taco with a Ybor Gold Beer, cannot get any better than that. 

Running the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco

 

#RunningGoldenGate

Here we are in San Francisco with my goal to run the famous Golden Gate Bridge (2.7kms or 1.7 miles)
The day i head out for this challenge it was typical weather for the City by the Bay, as in damp, foggy plus windy.

 What i did not realize was how much care was needed once on the span;
As with the crosswinds, plus the wet surface and tourists (who cut you off as they only see the picture they want to take, so not you) so easily you could get knocked over the 1 meter/3 foot high railings

With all of those factors you really needed to run with focus plus heavy feet ( so to speak 😄) and plant your runners into the decking for balance as its a long way down to the water. (75 meters/245 feet) 

 KeyTip;
 If you do not want to walk or run the Golden Gate you can rent a bicycle at the Fishermans Wharf,
  cycle over the bridge to the ferry pier in Sausalito, where then take the boat back or pedal the roundtrip at a cost of around $20 US for a hybrid bike 

There are rules to cross the span;
 A) All pedestrians are only allowed on the east sidewalk (the side facing the city)
 B) Cyclists must yield to pedestrians; this is especially important around the towers because of the limited space
 C) There is a 15mph limit for bicycles 
 D) Finally eBikes have the same rules to follow as pedal bikes

There was at my time here new construction at nights for a Suicide Deterrent System ( netting)
 as unfortunately the bridge (remember i mentioned the short railings on the Golden Gate) has averaged 30 deaths per year for the last twenty years 😞 

Some Fun Facts on the Golden Gate;

A) The color of the bridge (International Orange) was widely used in the aerospace industry (lighter shade than what you would see on an astronauts suits)
 It is formulated to be rust resistant because of the ocean spray plus the color makes the bridge more visible in the thick fog that is too common in San Francisco
B) When the one billionth vehicle crossed the bridge (1985) the driver was gifted a case of champagne and a hardhat, now that number has surpassed two billion crossings
C) During the 50th anniversary plus celebration of the Golden Gate there were 300,000 people that crowed onto the bridge which temporarily flattened the curved arch by 2.1 meters / 7 feet
 D) The Golden Gate was hit by an earthquake in 1935 but withstood it because of the parallel wire construction
 E) The only other bridge in the world painted in International Orange is in Portugal (Abril Bridge)
F) The Golden Gate is the most photographed bridge in the world plus has been featured in films like James Bond (A View To A Kill) and The Rise of the Planet of the Apes 

Things to do once your in Sausalito;

A) Stroll along the Bridgeway which is the street that runs along the waterfront
 B) Go to the Visitors Centre at Historic Ice House to start your self guided tour
 C) Around 3 miles from the ferry are the famous floating homes (houseboats) of Sausalito that has been part of the waterfront scene since the 1880s. 
 D) There is a old schooner ship (Freda B) that offers cruises
E) In the same area as the houseboats there is a 1.5acre 3D model (that was built for the army in 1957) of the San Francisco Bay.
It was to test the impact of suggested changes of the waterways nearby and now is an interactive exhibit for all us visitors which is free to view 
 F) Seaplane Tours that you would see Baker Beach, Pt. Bonita Lighthouse, Alcatraz, Angel Island, AT&T Park plus Golden Gate Bridge
 G) Gallery 111 Art Studios with the works of around 85 local jewelry makers, photographers, painters, sculptors and weavers

Four-Wheeling in the Cook Islands

#FourWheelingCookIslands

My adventures has led me to Rarotonga  which is the largest of the 15 Cook Islands scattered across 2,200,000 square kms (850,000 square miles) of ocean in the South Pacific
   
So this is why i included a map to show you how remote is part of our planet is
How far you ask; it would be another 6+ hour flight from Hawaii (4700kms (2900miles) to The Cooks, but i like different so i decided to visit here before heading to Australia 
  
Now the Cook Islands is a self-governing and in-free association with New Zealand;
so basically it means Cook Islanders are New Zealand citizens who can live or work in either area but also the islands do have its own currency with some unique $2 triangle coins (cool souvenir)

Because the islands main industry is tourism it has felt the effects of the downturn in travel because of COVID, its far away location plus just availability of flights (as it is not easy to get here from North America as i found out) 

 

My two guides, who were great with the information on the history and culture of the island.

They told me because the population is so small with 17,000 citizens  (with 65,000 Cook Islanders now living in New Zealand with another 30,000 in Australia because again of the downturn in tourism) that it creates a lower tax base to support the administration and infrastructure costs, plus because of rules it has a limited private sector activity

For example, if you wanted to retire here you would need to apply for a visa or permit.
For this to happen you would have to prove sufficient funds for all of your stay, medical coverage and not be allowed to work or own a business

Now part of the tours fee was to include a lunch, so when i asked about it ( as i could not see any coolers in the vehicle) the guide said its at our next stop
Well he walked around to the front and pulled off a few bananas that got suddenly ripe from its green beginnings with the heat from the engine 

So much for what i read about the local seafood, tropical fruit or some taro or cassava.
But all in fun as i got to experience engine cooked bananas 😂

Now there is a road called the Ara Tapu that circles the Island of Rarotonga (32kms / 20 miles long) which has no traffic lights and will take you maybe 45 minutes to drive
 But my guys had other plans so took me on what they called roads 😀

I was told there is a government bi-law that no building can be higher than a coconut tree
No such worry on this road as i see no civilization 😄

Fun Facts;
A) Captain Cook never was on Rarotonga and only physically walked on the other island of Palmerston.
 He actually named the islands The Hervey Islands but it was the Russian explorer, map-maker Adam Johann Von Krusenstern ( an admirer of Cook ) who changed the name to his idol
 B) The Cook Islands has a combined landmass of 236 kms (91 miles)
 C) There are 9 airports in the Cook Islands with only two that are paved, as a lot of runways were built during World War Two
 D) Survivor Season 13 was filmed in Aitutaki
E) No poisonous snakes or spiders on the Cook Islands, but of course lots of mosquitos plus red ants to feed on you
 F) The Cook Islands are worlds second largest producers of black pearls and all from the Island of Manihiki

As my guide keeps an eye on things 😀 you understand why you need a Four-Wheel Drive Vehicle on this tour

The island is known for its lagoons, coral reefs, isolated beaches, rainforests, waterfalls and caves 

Some great spots for snorkeling here in Rarotonga ;
 A) Tikioki is one of the permanent Marine Parks; so an array of parrotfish, butterflyfish, puffers, surgeon, moray eels, angelfish etc
B) Aroa Beach; the location has water that is shallow and the lagoon is a smooth sandy bottom
Expect to see moray eels, schools of trevally, butterfly fish, wrasse plus sea bream
C) Blackrock is one of the calmest places to snorkel, it also has the black volcanic rocks surrounded by the sand, and has a Social Centre for families

While at any of these sites;
 A) Never leave valuables in the open on the beach or inside the rental scooter seats
 B) Do i need to say this 😏 please do not feed the fish or touch the living coral reef
 C) Avoid the sunscreen with Oxybenzone as that chemical harms the coal reef as it causes bleaching and stops reproduction
D) The water does contain some poisonous fish; Scorpionfish, Stonefish plus Lionfish but most times they are located in the coral or rocks

The first Polynesians arrived in Rarotonga around 800AD sailing from the now French Polynesia and were the only inhabitants until the 1800s
 (There were a few Spanish explorers visiting in the late 1500s plus Captain James Cook in 1773-1777 but no one ever stayed)

Then in 1821 some English plus Tahitian missionaries were the first to settle
 They then established a theological college plus had an influence on the type of government for the next 50 years
Fearing on what had happened to some of the nearby islands with a French takeover and with the help of the United Kingdom (with a protectorate) New Zealand eventually annexed the islands

Grand Canyon & Hoover Dam by Helicopter

#GrandCanyonHelicopter

The cost of the tour is depending on what you want to see with your flight destination.
I chose the aerial views of Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and Grand Canyon with a landing on a private plateau to see the Colorado River, plus meal with a roundtrip shuttle from my Hotel to the Las Vegas Airport

KeyTip;
 I was here in the off season so reduced pricing or you can just drive out to see the Hoover Dam ( 48 kms or 30 miles from Vegas) or Grand Canyon (442 kms or 275 miles, so an overnight trip )

 

From above in the helicopter we can see the visible examples of the rock strata created millions of years ago

The Hoover Dam was built to control the flooding of the Colorado River, plus supply water as the population in the west continued to grow and of course to provide hydroelectric power to millions of nearby residents since 1936

During the five years of construction (1931-1936) at least 138 men died, 96 due to accidents plus 42 workers from illnesses on the site
Some believe additional staff passed away from their long term exposure to carbon monoxide that was present in the tunnels which created health issues, long after the work was done here at the dam
Also finally putting rumors to rest, no one was buried alive in the 4.3 million yards of concrete that was poured

On average 3500 men worked daily at the dam with wages from 50 cents to $1.25 per hour under extreme conditions, especially the heat where the average temperature was over 37C or 100F  plus add another 17C or 30F in the poorly ventilated tunnels  

The dimensions of the dam is insane, 221 meters or 726 feet tall, 379 meters or 1244 feet long plus the base is 201 meters or 660 feet thick of concrete. 
 To use a comparison you could build a standard four lane highway from San Francisco to New York with the concrete that was used during this project.

 Some interesting facts of the Hoover Dam;
 A) At first the structure was called Boulder Dam (named after Boulder Canyon that was in the area) then later was named after the President at the time, Herbert Hoover

B) Nevada Boulder City did not exist until it was built in 1930 to house the workers for the dam.
It had no local mayor or elected officials and was managed by a US Bureau because the land was on government property.
Finally after 30 years (with the construction of the town) the control of the area was given to Boulder City, which then it was officially incorporated as such

 C) During World War Two it was found out the Nazis plotted to blow up the dam.
 It would of had a disastrous effect on the Southern California airplane manufacturing industry with the loss of this electrical grid.
After America entered the war (with the attack on Pearl Harbor) the dam was closed to all visitors until after 1945

 D) The Hoover Dam was the tallest (726 feet) in the world until the Mauvoisin Dam was constructed in Switzerland (820 feet)

E) Because concrete needs time to settle from liquid to solid ( the Hoover Dam would of taken over 125 years for this process because of the amount of concrete poured on this project) the engineers built a large refrigeration system to produce 1000 tons of ice per day
 Then they embedded one-inch pipes within the concrete which allowed the ice water to circulate thus allowing the cooling process to take only two months to fully set, plus an added benefit it made the concrete less susceptible to cracking    

Landed on the floor of the mighty Grand Canyon

KeyTip;
 We were warned that the canyon can create its own weather (so dress for all conditions)
 As for example the temperature can change by 25 degrees depending on your location and it has many ecosystems within its rock walls 
Also there is wildlife here; Gila Monsters, Bighorn Sheep, Rock Squirrels plus Pink Rattlesnakes (which blends into the rocks around it)

So please remember WE ARE the guests here on their property so act accordingly 

The Grand Canyon National Park (3064 kms or 1904 sq miles) is bigger than the State of Rhode Island (1934 kms or 1212 sq miles)
plus in some areas, it could be 1.6km or 1 mile deep or 16kms or 10 miles wide

The canyon has an estimated 1000 caves with only 335 have been recorded plus only 1 is open to the public
Also it is home to the most remote community in the continental United States, the Supai Village with a population of 208

KeyTip;
  You will get weighed before your flight for mass distribution and for no other reason
I got lucky so got to sit up front 😃

Heading back to The Strip (which has its own history 😀)

Fremont Street was paved in 1925 and it was considered the original Las Vegas,
 once the ban on gambling was lifted in 1931 it created a massive casino development in the downtown, which was later known as The Strip