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Seasonal Offerings from CLIF Bars

Travel as much as I do and it’s always wise to have several Clif Bars in your backpack. I munch on them as a snack during outdoor adventures or as a meal when I take flights that don’t serve food. Last week, out on my last bike ride of the fall foliage season here in New England, I went to my local supermarket and was happy to find Clif Bars that fit the season, Spice Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, and Iced Gingerbread. Yes, just like my favorite brewers concoct an Oktoberfest or pumpkin ale this time of year, Clif Bars is putting out some intriguing offerings that fit the season. I loved the Spiced Pumpkin Pie, perfect for an autumn outing. My son, Jake, wouldn’t share the Pecan Pie bar. All he said was that “it was sweet and crunchy and that they should sell it year round.” 

 

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Follow John Connelly on PaddleQuest 1500

On April 16, John Connelly, the former leader of L.L. Bean’s Outdoor Discovery Schools, set out on a 1500-mile, 75-day solo paddling journey. Connelly, now president of Adventurous Joe Coffee hopes that his PaddleQuest 1500 inspires a desire for the outdoors. “I’m making this trip for anyone who’s ever stared into the night sky and yearned for a deeper connection to the world beyond ourselves,” says Connelly. Follow along as John provides video and text updates from his journey through 2 countries, 4 states, 22 streams, and 58 lakes. His paddle will take him through the majestic Fulton Chain Lakes of the Adirondacks, the entirety of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, the Bay of Fundy, the Saint John River, and the Maine Island Trail. If this doesn’t get you excited to get outdoors this spring, nothing will. 

 
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Raft the Middle Fork of the Salmon River with Tim Cahill and Michael Shapiro

One of the original rivers in the 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and a centerpiece of Idaho’s 2.2 million acre River of No Return Wilderness, the Salmon River deserves its reputation as one of the premier whitewater runs in North America. Especially the Middle Fork which boasts more than a hundred rapids in as many miles. What this means is a rip-roaring ride through narrow canyon walls, with glimpses of bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain elk on the shores and eagles and ospreys flying overhead. Once you reach land, you can hike up side canyons, soak in natural hot springs, fish to your heart’s content, or use the time to gather your thoughts and write down your notes. The Middle Fork, after all, is great fodder for a travel story. And lucky for you, you’ll be traveling with two of the finest travel writers in the business, Michael Shapiro and Tim Cahill. I had the good fortune to travel with Shapiro to Kenya last November and he made my life easy, always asking that poignant question before I had the chance. He’s also incredibly sociable without the slightest hint of pretension. Cahill is known for his uproarious romps in such books as Jaguars Ripped My Flesh and Pecked to Death by Ducks. Together, they will be teaching the craft of storytelling to aspiring writers on a five-day jaunt down the Middle Fork August 17-21. Cost is $1895 per person, including guides, food, and one finished manuscript (which you’ll hopefully sell and recoup some of that cost).
 

(Photo by Woods Wheatcroft)

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Northeast Kingdom’s Wildflower Inn for Sale

I first met Mary and Jim O’Reilly, owners of Vermont’s Wildflower Inn, in 1995 while doing research for my first book, Outside Magazine’s Adventure Guide to New England. As soon as I saw their property rising high above the barns and fields of Darling Hill on the East Burke/Lyndonville border, I was smitten. This was the authentic Vermont I was yearning for, soon to be the home to the world-class mountain biking network called the Kingdom Trails. Jim and Mary were well on their way to having 8 children, but this was before my two kids were born. Soon enough, however, Jake, Melanie, and my wife, Lisa, were returning to the Wildflower Inn to cross-country ski, ski nearby Burke Mountain, take sleigh rides, bike the glorious singletrack trails, hike to the summit of Mt. Hor overlooking the deep waters of picturesque Lake Willoughby, and simply relax on the grounds with all the animals. 
 
The Wildflower Inn is a unique property that caters to families and I helped spread the word, writing about Jim and Mary for The Boston Globe, Yankee Magazine, Men’s Journal, Outside Magazine, and many other publications. Now I receive word that the couple are ready to call it quits after giving their all for close to 35 years. While I’m sad to see them leave, I’m excited about the opportunity for another young couple to take the reins of this special place. John A. Beal of V/T Commercial is assisting Jim and Mary with the sale of the inn, restaurant, and property. Please contact him at 802-864-2000 x11 or jb@vtcommercial.com to discuss the details of the listing. 
 
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Camel Trekking Across the Moroccan Desert

In the 90s, active travel outfitters like Backroads gained popularity by offering inn-to-inn biking and hiking trips. Other sports like rafting and sea kayaking started to appear in itineraries in the first decade of the new millennium. The latest trend is family adventures, taking the whole clan down to say, Costa Rice for a week and trying as many sports as possible. Also growing in popularity are more historical adventures, like this trip I just received from Baobab Expeditions. From February 20-March 1, 2010, you can join the outfitter on a 50-mile camel trek across the Moroccan desert on an old caravanserai route. The trip begins and ends in Marrakech, before heading out with Berber Guides to the oases of Lawina and Saf’Sef. You’ll sleep under the palms while enjoying traditional Berber food and listening to the music, drums, tambourines and singing of the locals. Then it’s on to Erg Chebbi to see the sand dunes rising to over 500 feet. Pricing begins at $3533 and includes lodging, food, guides, and all the drinking water you can swallow.

 

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Croatia, Western Dude Ranches, Pack for a Purpose, and More in Our May Newsletter

In the May ActiveTravels newsletter, Lisa reports on her latest trip to Croatia and delves into why the country has become such a European hot spot. We also list some of our clients’ favorite dude ranches, promote Pack with a Purpose, and talk about an outfitter who designs custom-made trips to America’s National Parks. With the National Park System turning 100 in 2016, this is a good time to think about a trip to Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, or Acadia National Park. 
 
I’ll be in Ithaca, New York, next Monday and Tuesday, back Wednesday. Enjoy the weekend and keep active!
 
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A Mountain Doesn’t Discriminate

Vancouver’s Sarah Doherty, 50, has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, skied competitively, and lit the Olympic torch. All with one leg! At the age of 13, while biking around her neighborhood in eastern Massachusetts, a drunk driver hit her, crushing her right leg. The accident might have altered her life, but it didn’t change her desire to keep active. In fact, she has devoted herself to getting people back on the trail, working as an occupational therapist. Her most recent contribution is SideStix, a shock-absorbent crutch that can withstand any rock-littered, root studded trail. Let’s just call it the mountain bike version of a crutch. Where there’s a will there’s a way, and with Sarah Doherty, there’s a strong desire to picnic on summits.
 

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