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Additional Adventures Led by Mountain Travel Sobek in 2012

I’d be remiss to only discuss Mountain Travel Sobek’s intriguing trip to North Korea in September. MTS has a slew of other phenomenal trips scheduled this year including their first-ever trans-Himalayan trek in Nar & Phu: The Forbidden Valleys of Nepal, for dedicated high altitude trekkers. Other new adventures they’re launching in 2012 include a 28-day trek that stretches from coast to coast across Iceland, hiking in the Swiss Alps and staying at classic Swiss lodges for the more moderate hiker, and a 9-day rafting and trekking adventure in the Annapurna Range. Also, don’t steer away from their more traditional rafting adventures, especially on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River and Alaska’s Tatshenshini, two of the most adrenalin-pumping multi-day river outings in North America. 
 

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Dinner at Honeywood in Lexington

On our last night in Kentucky Bourbon Country, we started with Old Fashioned’s (made with Buffalo Trace bourbon) at Middle Fork in the Lexington Distillery District. Then it was on to an upscale section of town to have dinner at the recommended Honeywood. We started with Tokyo Spice Chicken, wings with a nice jalapeno bite, and their signature dish, sweet potato beignets. Then moved on to tender grouper and a dish of pork roast. Afterwards, we wandered over to one of the best ice cream joints in town, Crank & Boom, for a dish of blackberry and buttermilk ice cream. Across the way, we stumbled into a cozy bar, Whiskey Bear, and met the owner Daniel, who has assembled an impressive roster of top-shelf bourbon and whiskey. A great place for a nightcap or to watch a sporting event on the large-screen TVs when in Lexington. 

 

St. Lucia Week: Jungle Biking at Anse Chastanet

There’s a reason why Anse Chastanet is consistently rated one of the top resorts in the Caribbean by Travel & Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler. The view of those twin volcanic peaks, the Pitons, from the balcony of my room is jaw-dropping. The way the jagged ridges rise from the sea to a height over 2,000 feet reminds me of a South Pacific isle more than the Caribbean. It’s so dramatic that I’m having a hard time focusing on this blog while peering over at this breathtaking sight. Anse Chastanet, perched on a hillside, is also known for its pristine beach and sheltered bay, one of the best spots on the island for snorkeling. But the reason I’ve come to Anse Chastanet is to mountain bike. 
 
Next door to Anse Chastanet is Anse Mamin, a former 18th century plantation and sugar mill. The 500-acre ruins are now home to more than 8 miles of mountain biking. I met my guide Tyson next to one of the ruins, a former storage facility for molasses that now houses Cannondales and off we went on the Riverside Trail. Within moments we were riding over fallen leaves of almond, tall African tulip, and calabash trees on a soft singletrack trail next to a river. Deep in the jungle we crossed over a bridge onto the Agua Dulce trail, which translates to “Sweet Water.” The trail was sweet as we cruised downhill sweeping over some rocks and roots to make it to the first reservoir ever built on Saint Lucia.
 
We jumped off our bikes as Tyson grabbed ripe guava from a tree, sliced it in half and we sucked it down. Who needs Gatorade when you have an island that grows 67 types of mangoes? He then picked a golden apple, a cross between a tart apple and a pear, and a succulent pink grapefruit. Then we passed more stone walls, remains of a building that used to boil down the molasses. You can still see the cast iron pots made in the UK. Within an hour we were back at the beginning covered in sweat from the 100% humidity. This is when Tyson gave me the option to tackle more of the singletracks on my own. How could I say no? I warmed up with a quick little run on the Banja Loop and then tackled the more challenging French Wall loop, which led me to the Bamboo Rocks loop. None were too technical. French Wall had some easy switchbacks and a nice downhill run. But anyone who’s mountain biked before will love the opportunity to bike on a former sugar plantation in the Caribbean. Then sit back on your porch, rum drink in hand, and soak up as much of those Pitons as possible. 
 
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Tobago Jazz Experience, April 18-26

As I shovel the 2 feet of snow out of my driveway this morning, my thoughts turn to Tobago. Best known as a beachcombing and birdwatching paradise, the island is also known for it music festivals. One of the best is the annual jazz festival in April, where Caribbean performers pair up with big name singers. Already confirmed for this April are Jill Scott, Jennifer Hudson, and Kool & the Gang. A full schedule should be available shortly. If you need recommendations on places to stay nearby, give us a call. 

 

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Where the Farmland Meets the Sea

Sandwiched between the far better known travel destinations of Newport and Cape Cod is a little slice of heaven reserved for New Englanders in the know. Head an hour southeast of Boston past the gritty ports of New Bedford and Fall River and you’ll reach a sylvan stretch of Massachusetts and Rhode Island where farmland rolls to the ocean and long inlets are bordered by historic towns settled as far back as 1616. This drive (or bike ride) on backcountry roads is only 38 miles, but you’ll want to give yourself a day to explore. 

 
Start in the former whaling port of Padanaram, a picturesque village in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Design stores for summer cottage owners and casual seafood restaurants have replaced the shipbuilders that once lined the harbor of the Apponagansett River. Details & Design (332 Elm Street) features driftwood planters, women’s sundresses, and “Padanaram” pillows, complete with longitude and latitude. Down the block, Flora Home (324 Elm Street) offers outdoor patio furniture and pitchers and glassware, ideally suited for serving lemonade on a porch. 
 
To read about the entire route, please check out my latest story for Yankee Magazine. 
 
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Costa Rica, Ziplining Above the Rainforest Canopy Outside of Quepos

Each year around my birthday, I try to do something a little crazy. Just my way of celebrating another year of survival and reconfirming that yes, I’m very much alive. Often this adventure has something to do with confronting my fear of heights. Last year, I went rock climbing for the first time in the Canadian Rockies. This year, on my fourth trip to Costa Rica, having more than ample opportunity to zipline above the rainforest canopy, I finally agreed to go. Having the chance to cruise with my family was the extra push I needed. We drove through the palm oil plantations high up in the hills above Quepos on the central Costa Rican coast. The company we chose, MidWorld, were extremely professional, especially when attaching our harnesses and carabineers. Then we drove a little bit higher and it was time to bite the bullet. I was worried that my stomach would drop, like on a rollercoaster ride, a dreaded feeling I’d rather not have. Instead, it was just a smooth quick cruise on a cable just above the canopy of green. There were a total of ten platforms and two rappels down from the trees. Walking from one platform to the next, we spotted a toucan and a green and yellow poison dart frog. By the third or fourth zipline, I started to become so comfortable with the sport that I turned upside down. Then I tried to right myself, but my core needs a bit more Pilates before I can pull off that move. So I spent the entire zipline upside down, watching the blur of forest whiz by. I think I earned my chocolate raspberry birthday cake tonight. 

 

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