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Adventures in New Brunswick Week—Hiking to Barnaby Head

Almost equidistant between Saint John and Saint Andrews, New River Beach is best known as one of the finest stretches of sand on the Bay of Fundy. Yet, just a wee bit to the east of the crescent-shaped beach is one New Brunswick’s most glorious hikes, the nature trail to Barnaby Head. Walk on a boardwalk lined with long planks through a bog that a moose could love. Soon the vistas of the Bay of Fundy open up as you arrive at Chittick’s Beach. The rocky shores are sandwiched between jagged bluffs and boulders carpeted by seaweed. Out to sea, you could never tell that the Bay of Fundy experiences one of the greatest tidal shifts on earth, often more than 30 feet difference between high and low tide. The water looked as flat as an ice skating rink and there were no signs of boat life on this overcast day. There were also no other hikers as we made our way on a narrow, root-littered trail that hugs the shoreline. What a treat! You enter an emerald forest where both rocks and trees are smothered in moss and the soft path feels springy. The sweet smell of pine only enhances the experience. We enter another lonely beach, Deep Cove, where we hear the distinct yodeling call of the loon and see the white tops of eider ducks. Soon we’re at the tip of the peninsula, Barnaby Head, hearing the clanging of a buoy bell on the water. The crisp sea air is therapeutic, washing away any worries. It’s good to be back in New Brunswick. 

 
Photo by Jeff Katz

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Chicago’s New 606

Like most rail trails, Chicago’s new 606 took years to develop. The last train to roll down the Bloomington Line was in the mid-1990s. That’s when the inkling of an idea to convert the trail to an urban park took root, connecting Logan Square with Bucktown and Wicker Park on 2.7 miles of elevated railway. We walked a good mile of the 606 on Sunday above the wide boulevards of this residential neighborhood. Already we saw the gentrification taking place, with new condos and apartments being built along the route, much like the High Line in New York. It also introduces people to neighborhoods they normally wouldn’t check out like Logan Square. After our stroll, we stopped at one of the picnic tables at the restaurant and bar Wyler Road and grabbed an Indiana Yum Yum beer on tap with a snack of cheese curds. A fun outing! 
 
Next week I’ll be reporting live from Las Cruces, New Mexico. I’m excited to return to southern New Mexico, my first trip back since the film my brother Jim and I wrote, Passionada, played at the White Sands Film Festival. I plan to hike in the White Sands National Monument and the Organ Mountains, check out the Las Cruces Farmers & Crafts Market on Saturday morning, visit the historic town of Mesilla where Billy the Kids once stood trial for murder, and sample the wares on the Mesilla Valley Wine Trail, among many other activities. Please follow along on this blog, Twitter @ActiveTravels, Instagram, and Facebook. Enjoy the weekend and keep active!
 
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A Memorable Tapas Crawl in Madrid

We met Marcy Forman, co-owner of Valesa Cultural Services, one of our preferred ground operators for clients headed to Spain, at the lobby of our hotel, Gran Hotel Inglés. Marcy has lived in Madrid for over 20 years and one of her favorite things to do is bring friends on an authentic Madrid tapas crawl. We started at Casa Toni, known for its crispy lamb tripe, an older specialty that’s hard to find in town these days. After downing the tender meat, we strolled around the corner to my favorite stop of the night, Casa del Abuelo, known for their tasty garlic shrimp. The dish comes out sizzling with a hefty chunk of bread, and is best paired with a short glass of sweet wine. Then it was off to La Campana, known for its fried calamari served in a large bun, bocadillo style. Next stop, the splashy Mercado de San Miguel, Madrid’s main public market, serving everything your heart desires, from acorn-fed Iberian ham to razor clams to fried croquettes, all washed down with sangria or cerveza. Our final stop was Chocolateria San Gines, in operation since 1894 and known for only one item, fresh out of the oven churros. Order a half-dozen, thin or fat, and it’s served with a steaming hot coffee cup of chocolate that many customers drink after dipping the churros. Sublime! We had so much fun with Marcy that we took our daughter, Melanie, on the exact same tour the next night. 

 
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Neutralizing the Carbon Footprint of Pearl Jam

How does a rock band offset its carbon emissions from a 32-date world tour in 2009? Well, if that rock band is Pearl Jam, they plant 33 acres of trees around Puget Sound in Washington. The band just donated $210,000 to Cascade Land Conservancy to provide the plantings, which will help to make up for the 5.474 metric tons of carbon used during last year’s tour. The group has been mitigating its carbon output since 2003 and plans to do just that after this summer’s tour. When Pearl Jam rocks out to “Force of Nature,” they mean it.
 

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Bike the East Bay Bicycle Path, Rhode Island

All it takes is several miles on a paved path to leave a highly industrialized section of Providence and reach the sheltered coastline of Narragansett Bay. No wonder, locals would rather bike to the beach than deal with car traffic. The 14.5-mile long East Bay Bicycle Path, originally part of the Providence/Worcester line, heads southeast from Providence along the scenic shores of the Bay to the town of Bristol. Less than two miles into the ride, fishing trawlers and sailboats start to appear on the right and small inlets and wetlands can be seen on the left. In the warmer months, you’re likely to see locals clamming for littlenecks in the shallow waters along the route. That’s quite a contrast from the view of the Providence skyline that lurks behind you. 

Soon the trail becomes more scenic as cliffs line the bayside, home to pelicans, egrets, and the occasional swan. South of Riverside, East Bay feels more secluded as you head through forest. Prior to mile 6, you reach Haines Park, your first choice of beaches along the route. The trail then swerves inland through the town of Barrington and crosses two wooden bridges before reaching Warren. Just past the 10-mile mark, Warren is the best place to stock up on food and drink. South of Warren, the trail hugs the shoreline of Narragansett once again as the bay widens before reaching the ocean waters. Soon you’ll reach Colt State Park and Bristol Town Beach, the finest spot for sunbathing along the route. The trail ends in Bristol at Independence Park, near a handful of seafood restaurant choices that sell those freshly caught littleneck clams.
 

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Kudos to Bruce at Lake Temagami’s Ojibway Family Lodge

We met Bruce at our first family-style dinner at Ojibway and instantly took a liking to his many stories about the lodge and the region. He had been coming to this exact spot since 1951 when he was a 10-year-old overnight camper from outside Detroit. Now living in Virginia Beach, he spends a little over a month each summer in his cabin on an island across from Ojibway to listen to waves lapping ashore, smell the sweet pine, watch the night sky, and explore the lake via canoe or motorboat. While Tanya and Louise are the consummate hosts who run Ojibway, Bruce is the unofficial guide. He said he’d take us on his boat to see some of this immense lake that first night and we thought he was just being friendly. But then he did just that on our last day, as we went out with him to one of his favorite spots in the northern part of the lake. We brought lunch made by the kitchen, drinks, and headed off. 

Bruce couldn’t have picked a more picturesque spot, where large slabs of rock spill off an island into a small inlet that was ideal for swimming. But before we landed, Bruce stopped, turned off the motor, and said, “this is where we stop to breathe, not say a word, and relax for the next 10 minutes or so.” And that’s what we did, listened to the wind whistle through the tall trees, and meditated. Then we went and had lunch, swam in those refreshing waters, and enjoyed a lovely afternoon. I wish every property I visited had a Bruce, someone who knows the land like the back of his hand and is genuinely passionate about sharing his joy of being there. 
 
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Favorite Fall Outings in New England, Walking the Cliff Walk, Newport

Rhode Island’s most popular trail is perched on the rocky shores above the Atlantic, ocean on one side, the backyards of the massive Bellevue Avenue mansions on the other. In the summer months, this 3 ½-mile route is crowded with hundreds of folks yearning to see the sloping lawns and backside of those summer “cottages” the Vanderbilts, Whitneys, and Astors built at the turn of the century. Come fall, you’ll pass the occasional dog walker as you take in the expanse of the sea all by your lonesome. Park your car on Narragansett Avenue near the walk and proceed to the right. You’ll soon spot The Breakers, the Italian-style villa commissioned by Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1895.  Another highlight is the red and gold lacquered Chinese-style pagoda at the Marble House. If you were wise, you booked a room at The Chanler at Cliff Walk, the only property on the Cliff Walk. Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2013, the 20-room inn is best known for its acclaimed restaurant, Spiced Pear, a favorite foodie outpost in town. 

 
Photo by Eric Savage/FLICKR

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