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A World of Adventure at the Boston Globe Travel Show Tomorrow

For those of you in the region, I’ll be leading a panel at the Boston Globe Travel Show tomorrow on “The World of Adventure.” A very generic name for what many travelers are really yearning for, an authentic travel experience. A truly authentic vacation refuses to be prepackaged and is hard to emulate. Indeed, it’s the opportunity to live like a local for one hour, one day, or one week. The panel includes Rob Burbank from The Appalachian Mountain Club, Judy Allpress from The Wayfarers Walking Vacations, and Joe Luchison from Ciclismo Classico, as we discuss off-the-beaten-track locales to hike, bike, and paddle across the globe. The talk takes place from 10:15-11 am, Saturday, at the Seaport World Trade Center. Hope to see you there! If not, do something active this weekend.
 

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Adventures in Las Cruces Week—Hiking at Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument

After peering up at the 9,000-foot high Organ Mountains all week, it was great to finally see it up close. Brenda Gallegos from the Friends of Organ Mountains was my guide for the morning as we first made our way to the trailhead for the 3-mile (round-trip) Bar Canyon trail that leads to the junction of two canyons, Bar and Soledad. Brenda just finished her master’s thesis on the southwestern quail, spending 3 years in west Texas doing research. We climbed a rocky path past numerous sotol plants—yucca-like with a large stem shooting out of the center almost as tall as a saguaro. A peaceful stillness enveloped us as we looked up at the jagged peaks. Soon we were inside a canyon passing prickly pear and cholla cacti. We stopped to see a waterfall trickle down the wall of rock next to level ground that was probably used for sacred ceremonies at one point in time. On our return trip, a red-tailed hawk flew overhead as we looked down at Las Cruces in the valley below. As an encore, Brenda took me on the Dripping Springs Trail to visit La Cuevo, a cave where a hermit once lived in the mid-1800s. About to leave the park, a covey of silver blue scaled quail flew overhead, much to the delight of Brenda. “That made my day,” she said. 

It’s been a wonderful week in Las Cruces, and to be perfectly honest, I hate to leave. I want to thank Chris Faivre at Visit Las Cruces and Peggy Bendel for designing the perfect itinerary. I’ll be back on Monday with my favorite restaurant picks in Las Cruces. In the meantime, I have a high school reunion to attend in Schenectady, New York. Have a great weekend! 
 
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Dine Out Vancouver Festival in January

If your winter plans include skiing Whistler, you’d be wise to visit Vancouver from January 17 to February 2, 2014. That’s when the city plays host to Canada’s largest restaurant festival, Dine Out Vancouver. Not only can you sample menus from hundreds of restaurants around the city, all for a prix fixe cost ($18, $28 and $38 per person), but participating hotels will offer rooms priced at $78, $108 and $138 per night. As I mentioned in my Boston Globe article, Vancouver is one of my favorites cities for foodies in North America. From dim sum in Chinatown to the gluttony of local fruit and seafood found at the Granville Island Market to the intriguing food truck options around town, it’s hard not to be impressed. 
 
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You’re Never Too Old to Row Across the Atlantic

Earlier this year, I wrote about Leo Rosette, 59, of Marshfield, Massachusetts. Forced to retire from the US Marshals Service after 20 years, Rosette wanted to prove to himself that he wasn’t too old to try new things. Like rowing across the Atlantic Ocean! After 101 days living in a 5-by-3 foot boat, Rosette made it to Guadeloupe this week, becoming the oldest American to ever row across the Atlantic. He faced heavy storms, surging waves, blustery winds, and the hot sun, losing 30 pounds in the process. Yet, he was happy to reach terra firma, joking with reporters: “I don’t think I can row any farther.”
 

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Stocking Stuffer No. 5: A Night at Mystic’s Spicer Mansion

One foot into inside the Rose Salon of the Spicer Mansion and I was smitten. The fresco ceiling, inlaid wood floors, moldings, and original windows had all been lovingly restored to its 1853 origin. But it wasn’t until dinner that evening that I realized why this new 8-room inn perched on a hill overlooking Mystic had achieved Relais & Chateaux status. The meal started with canapés and cocktails in the Rose Salon, before moving past the small kitchen to the intimate dining room for our six-course feast. An East Beach Blonde Oyster spiced with cider and green chile whet my appetite for more to come. Next up was a beautifully presented Nantucket bay scallop ceviche with slices of radishes and sweet potato in a small colorful bowl. The third dish was a stunner, native cod doused in a porcini mushroom and lobster broth and topped with genuine truffles. Then came a tender Vermont quail under a bed of pistachios, pomegranate, and barley, perfectly paired with the Antica Terra “Ceras” pinot noir from Willamette Valley. Dessert was a cinnamon-spiced apple with a dab of maple cream, paired again brilliantly with the sherry-like Marco de Bartoli Superiore Oro from Sicily. Last but not least was a wooden jewel box filled with macarons and homemade goodies created by the staff. 

Remember the name of the chef, Jennifer Backman, because she’s on her way to winning many accolades. Indeed, I would have to say this was my favorite meal of the year and that includes stops at Shaya in New Orleans, the best new restaurant in America according to the James Beard Awards, and Pot Luck Club in Cape Town, often mentioned as the top restaurant on the African continent. Chef Jen’s signed menu is now pinned to the wall of my office, next to another memorable dinner, “Paris 1906” at Grant Achatz’s Next in Chicago. The best part of the meal is that we could simply walk upstairs to our room. Want to impress your loved one this Holiday Season? Make the splurge and book a room and dinner at the Spicer Mansion. 
 
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Cruising Portugal on a Harley

October is the ideal time to visit Portugal. The weather is still warm, summer tourists are long gone, and the wines are being harvested. If you truly want to experience the authentic Portuguese culture—tour little known wineries and dine at mom-and-pop seafood restaurants that only a local would know—and get there via stunning scenic mountain passes and backcountry coastal routes, then you’d be wise to book a trip with Portugal Motorcycle Tours. Owner Miguel Oliveira personally guides all his tours and limits the number of riders to 10. Choose between a Harley-Davidson Touring, BMW 1200GS, and Honda NC750 and then pick a trip that suits your schedule. The 5-day Douro Tour will bring you to the lush green hills of Portugal’s most famous wine region, Douro Valley. Or opt for the weeklong cruise to the southwestern most point of Europe, the seafaring town of Sagres on the Algarve. For a quick taste, take the 3-day jaunt from Lisbon north to the small surfing and fishing community of A doe Cunhados. All it takes is one trip with Miguel and you’ll want more. 

 
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Top 5 Mountain Climbs in the Northeast, Mt. Lafayette, New Hampshire

The strenuous climb up Mt. Lafayette is worthy of all accolades hikers bestow upon it.  With tumbling waterfalls, a steep ascent to three of the highest peaks in New England, and a 1.7-mile ridge walk where the spruce-studded White Mountains stand below you in a dizzying display of green, this very well could be the finest day hike in New England. 
   
Turn into the woods from the parking lot and I-93’s traffic is quickly replaced by the sounds of rushing water, compliments of a stream that accompanies you for a good mile and a half.  Three perfect falls swirl over smooth boulders to pools of water the color of gin, the ideal stop for a breather.  You’ll need your energy to get to the top of Little Haystack Mountain and the start of the Franconia Ridge Trail.  Part of the Appalachian Trail, this above-tree-line path offers a stunning panorama of New England’s highest summits, including Mount Washington.  Bag 5,108-foot Mount Lincoln and 5,249-foot Mount Lafayette before taking the Greenleaf Trail down the boulder littered slopes to AMC’s Greenleaf Hut. This deep-woods convenience store is great for lemonade refills before the trek back down. Or, better yet, grab a bunk and spend the night.
 

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