Nature Travel, Walkabouts and Vision Quests

Like meditation, a vacation, or a trip into nature, can be a wonderful way to relax and to be in the now. For me, that might mean gazing in awe at mountains or sitting on a beach, listening to waves. Combining meditation with such trips can make them even more inspiring or more soothing and healing. Always eager for such experiences, I get out and vacation or connect with nature regularly, in places like the North Cascades Mountains, the San Juan Islands and as many other destinations as possible. My trip reports cover vacations and short trips to scenic and exciting destinations, combined with meditations and some spiritual topics.

Walkabout or Vision Quest in North Cascades National Park

Not only does meditation enhance your vacation, you can even make your trip a life changing experience, by following steps in my walkabout or vision quest page. It takes setting out with goals and using simple exercises to review your life, look at its direction or purpose and possibly have a spiritual experience, like thousands of native Americans and Australian aborigines have done. Along with suggestions for your quest, this article covers a trip to Cascades Pass, in North Cascades National Park, Washington.

Islands and Beaches for Relaxation and Meditation

In a blog on islands and beaches, I spent three glorious days with our 23’ Mirage power boat in Washington State’s San Juan Islands, which brought back memories of an earlier exciting night anchored at Sucia, one of the islands.

Hay House Cruise to Alaska

Shortly after that, my wife, daughter and I set out for Alaska on a much bigger boat, the 1,380 passenger MS Amsterdam. Hay House publishing booked the entire ship for seminars with speakers like Wayne Dyer and Gregg Braden, along with a writer’s workshop with a contest for a book deal. The cruise to Alaska combined beautiful scenery, great food and inspirational talks. Hopefully, it will get my book, Simple Meditation, published.

Novel about the Inside Passage

Cruising the Inside Passage to Alaska, brought back memories of a novel that I set aside years ago, during an overwhelming rush of appraisal requests for mortgage refinances. That link will take you to an excerpt which appeared in Hut magazine. The story takes place on a remote inlet on the coast of British Columbia, where a chartered yacht is shipwrecked. Goat Hunt, another chapter from the book, is a story of survival and a man’s anxieties about aging, as he hikes into the mountains.

Rafting Hells Canyon on the Snake River, Idaho

While rafting Hells Canyon on the Snake River, I had a few anxieties of my own regarding survival and aging. Along with thrilling whitewater, Idaho’s Snake River has rugged, beautiful scenery and wilderness seclusion.

Quick National Park Trip

In five days, I managed to cover 3800 miles, pick up my daughter and her household in Minnesota, visit with my mother, and visit three national parks, Glacier, Yellowstone and Theodore Roosevelt. That whirlwind trip left little time for relaxation or meditation, but I did manage to see some beautiful scenery.

European Family Vacation

On a week-long cruise to the Mediterranean, we visited Spain, Malta, France and Italy, including Rome, Florence, Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri and more. Along with beautiful scenery, we saw incredible churches and historic sites. The food on the ship was pretty good too.

Copper Ridge Trip, North Cascades National Park

Copper Ridge sits high above the tree line in North Cascades National Park, with stunning views of the surrounding mountains. This blog covers my fall backpacking trip into a beautiful alpine wilderness.

Pacific Crest Trail, North Cascades, Washington

Over a weekend, my wife and I backpacked the Pacific Crest trail, a scenic trail that spans from Mexico to Canada. The section we hiked crosses through the mountains of North Cascades National Park, Washington.

Stehekin, Washington

Stehekin is a beautiful, secluded village tucked into the mountains of North Cascades National Park in eastern Washington. There are only three ways to get to Stehekin: by boat, by plane, or by hiking in. This is a great place to go to get away from the bustle of daily life.

Surviving the Salmon River

The first day of your Salmon River rafting trip was one of the most exciting I’ve faced, with rapids, wild creatures and a canyon rocking thunderstorm.

Beautiful Beaches on the Oregon Coast

The Oregon Coast has spectacular scenery, seclusion, and enormous quantities of sand. This article covers some of the fun things to do if you make a trip down the Oregon Coast.

Rafting the Main Salmon River

Rafting the Main Salmon River held a prominent place on my bucket list for years. It turns out, I had it there for good reason. This past summer, my wife, Mary, and I finally made that trip and spent six sunny days surrounded by beautiful scenery, thrilling rapids, and learning the special customs of a unique and friendly tribe.

Trip Reports