Summer is Coming!

This is definitely on my to do list.  My to do soon list.

It's not for inexperienced paddlers, but what I love about it is all the permutations.  From the head of the Cape Cod Canal you can get to four or five inns or b&b's in less than ten miles of paddling.  

I haven't done this trip yet, except for the loop from Woods Hole out to the Cuttyhunk Bass Club and back.  (I didn't stay at the club, but with a friend on the island...)  But it's part of a larger plan to finish circumnavigating the entirety of Cape Cod.  I've done from Massachusetts: Inn to Inn Along Cape Cod, and from Provincetown down to Wellfleet.  So though this gets a bit sidetracked--I'm going around the bay rather than through the Cape Cod Canal--it's part of a piece.  

The only downside about this trip, and sea kayaing inn to inn trips in general, is how much the weather can play with your plans.  So flexibility is the key.  Even in the relatively sheltered waters of Buzzards Bay, if the wrong wind kicks up you could be in for a hell of a push.  Or, if your smart, a lay in day.  

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This self-guided hiking trip crosses three linguistic and cultural borders and allows you to explore two of the most beautiful areas of Switzerland:  Wengen in the Bernese Oberland, and Pontresina in Grissons.  Those who have vacationed in the Wengen area describe the addictive quality of hikes based in and near this car-free village high on a hillside beneath the imposing trio of the Jungfrau, Eiger and Monch mountains. In recognition of this incredible beauty, the area, including Switzerland’s Aletsch Glacier, has been designated a World Heritage Site.  Midway through the trip you’ll ride the justly famous Glacier Express across the Swiss Alps to Pontresina and the Engadine Valley in the canton of Grissons near the Lake District of Italy to the south, and Tirol in Austria.  Four major passes lead up to this high alpine valley, which runs for 60 miles along a southern terrace of the Alps and has blue skies for over 300 days a year.  The Engadine combines crisp, dry air, forests, lakes and glaciated peaks. This high-alpine area is famous for its flora and fauna, and superb views.  This adventure is a big hit with all ages, including kids and adults.  Also available on a guided basis.  Full details are posted at http://www.bredeson.com/switzerland.

Join Bredeson Outdoor Adventures for a magnificent self-guided hiking vacation in the European Alps. Two of its most spectacular and beautiful areas are combined on this trip, from the high mountain peaks and traditional huts of the Austrian Tyrol to the fairy tale castles and forested mountains of southwestern Germany’s Bavaria.  We are also offering a guided tour from June 29 - July 6, 2013 departure, or private guided tours according to your family or friends' scheduling needs.  Additional details are posted at http://www.bredeson.com/austria.

What better cure for the wintertime blues than a place that calls itself the Sunshine State? Try cycling the Pinellas Trail: 47 miles of car-free, paved bikeway connecting northern and southern Florida. Start out in Tarpon Springs, and at your own pace head south to inviting destinations like “Honeymoon Island” and “Clearwater.” Conclude your trip in downtown St. Petersburg, a fresh and festive city overlooking Tampa Bay.

For a weekend trip, plan your halfway point in Downtown Clearwater and lodge at the Residence Inn or Gangelhoff’s Summerside Inn. Dining options from sushi (Chiang Mai Thai and Sushi Bar) to Mexican (Los Mayas Mexican Restaurant) are available around every corner.

 

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Start along the shore in Santa Barbara and take the coast bike route through Montecito (stop in at the Four Seasons Biltmore for tea and jaw dropping views). This route meanders along Channel Road next to Butterfly Beach. Keep pedaling or walking to Summerland (about eight miles) spend the night at the Inn on Summer Hill, and come back the next day.