A Look Back At The North Scottsdale, Arizona Hiking Trifecta -- Or Why Anyone Visiting Should Make Time For Brown's Mountain, Tom's Thumb, Or Pinnacle Peak

A Look Back At The North Scottsdale, Arizona Hiking Trifecta -- Or Why Anyone Visiting Should Make Time For Brown's Mountain, Tom's Thumb, Or Pinnacle Peak

For regular readers, you've probably noticed a lot of Arizona hiking posts lately. I can't help it. I love hiking in the desert. 

A I write this from a coffee shop in Austin, Texas, I'm still thinking back smiling at the myriad hikes I did recently while staying with family in North Scottsdale. The area is a local base for...

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Seeing And Being Seen On The Pinnacle Peak Trail In North Scottsdale, Arizona

Seeing And Being Seen On The Pinnacle Peak Trail In North Scottsdale, Arizona

When hiking in northern Scottsdale, the Pinnacle Peak trail is unquestionably the place to see and be seen. Conveniently located just off of Alma School Road, the trail is usually crowded with tourists, outdoorsy locals clad in the latest hiking gear, and trail runners wearing next to nothing and hollering for others to step aside as they zoom by...

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An Unplanned Drive Through The Petrified Forest National Park In Arizona -- A Photo Essay

An Unplanned Drive Through The Petrified Forest National Park In Arizona -- A Photo Essay

Heading northeast from Phoenix to Santa Fe, the road signs to the Petrified Forest National Park are not promising. From the Interstate, it looks like scrub land. But a mere mile off the road, the land opens up into an otherworldly kaleidoscope landscape of desert reds, browns, and oranges.We figured the best way to express the Park's beauty was through the photos Nicole took along the way....

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Visiting Wayside Cider And The Union Grove Distillery In The Catskill Mountains Of New York

Visiting Wayside Cider And The Union Grove Distillery In The Catskill Mountains Of New York

After months of touring the various wine regions of France, Nicole and I spent last week attending a wedding in the countryside of our adopted home state of New York. We also used this as an opportunity to mix up our activities. So instead of wine tours, we visited...

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Sampling Cognac From Microbarrels At Bourgoin Distillery

Sampling Cognac From Microbarrels At Bourgoin Distillery

A tip for anyone visiting wineries in France or anywhere else: The people in the tasting rooms, whether the winemaker or anyone else, don't want to talk exclusively about their wines. 

One potential topic of conversation is other wineries you have visited or are planning to visit. People in the wine trade, like anyone else, love to talk about their neighbors!...

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