Explore the World

Explore the world and discover yourself. Extend self through travel, conversation and thought.

01 Crossing Wild River Wilderness – Planning and preparations

2017/05/04
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Modified: 2017/04/30
Potable Aqua PA Plus Iodine Water Purification Tablets

Everything is ready for the trip to Wild River wilderness.  This time I am planning to stay in the wild 2 nights from Friday to Sunday and return to the car on my bike on Sunday.  Monday as usual would be a “freelance” day for light exploration and contemplation. I will carry a large KELTY backpack that I inherited from my former boss – Gary Welsh.  He most likely took this vintage backpack to his trips to Nepal (before 1996).  All this time this backpack was gathering dust in my basement, and only this year it finally dawned on me that I do not have scramble for space and eliminate either…

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Письма Александра Дмитриевича Щеглова с фронта своей жене Щегловой Тамаре Александровне и своим детям

2017/05/02
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Modified: 2017/04/30

Часть 1. 7 декабря 1941 – 3 марта 1942   Из записки Т.А.Щегловой, приложенной к письмам:   27 июня 1941 уехал 13 сентября 1941  приехал 9 октября 1941  уехал   Открытка. г. Москва,              Лефортовская окруж. ж.д.       7.12.41.         3.20 Дорогая Киска! Пишу тебе и всем Щегловым, сидя в теплушке и двигаясь вперед. Давно я ждал этого момента, когда смогу снова бить фашистскую гадину. Я очень рад, что мне досталось защищать родную столицу Москву. Как вы живете, мои дорогие? Я от вас не имел ни одной весточки, кроме как от 28 октября. Я не знаю, получили ли вы от меня письма и открытки. Как здоровье мамуси? Поправилась ли она? Как мой пенсионер папка?…

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Sunday, May 26 2013 – Fresh Snow in May on Moosilauke

2017/05/02
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Modified: 2017/04/30
14-26 Last mile to the top

  09:53 – All trails are starting from the main road 09:54 – Dartmouth Ravine Lodge – the place of fun the place of knowledge   After breakfast at cash only place in North Woodstock (where route 3 crosses with 112) I drove to Ravine Lodge on route 118, and started my way to the top at 10:35. This Memorial day weekend the weather was rainy and cold. But here, at 777 m elevation the rain turned into snow, and it was a very festive white on green, but snow here was just a pretty ornament. 10:36 – Starting point to mount Moosilauke. Snow is just an fairy tale ornament here…

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07-20 SUN – Bordeaux – city with large squares

2014/07/20
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Modified: 2015/11/11
07-20 19;09 Bordeaux - Pont Chaban-Delmas

[7 vs. 17] Last visit in Biarritz – Russian Ortodox churchDriving North through a violent weatherArriving to Bordeaux Visiting WWII German submarine bins Large squares of Bordeaux – reminds of St. Petersburg      Sunday, July 20, 2014 Overview  Checked out at 10:51 – Le Caritz,  Biarritz – €132 – the most expensive hotel on the trip. We loaded our stuff into the car and start driving through the center to find parking closer to next point of interest – Russian Orthodox Church.  And we found it on Rue Louison Bobet, tiny street parallel to the beach line. Heavy rain was changing to sun and back many times. On the highway, we saw a warning – “Violent…

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07-19 Back to France – Busy Biarritz

2014/07/19
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Modified: 2015/07/29
07-19 Back to France – Busy Biarritz

[8 vs. 16] Second trip to a sacred water spring Start driving from monastery in YesaCross back into FranceQuick stop at sea resort of Saint-Jean-de-LuzTricky parking at BiarritzHotel at the center of the cityWalking, raining and eating – no swimming?   Saturday, July 19, 2014 Overview 08:00 Wake up in Yesa (Spain) 09:26 – 10:14 – second hike to a sacred water spring – Fuente de San Virila . Yesterday I somehow missed the clearly marked trail.  Return with a bottle of water. Meanwhile, Lira was listening to Gregorian chant at the  Monasterio de Leire during mesa. 11:00 – Just before leaving I realized that Bilbao is just too big of a circle.   Instead,…

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07-18 Monastery in Yesa, Navarra (Spain)

2014/07/18
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Modified: 2015/06/05
07-18 19;36 Monasterio de Leyre-Yesa-Spain-

[9 vs. 15]All day in Spain Start from  Hostal Parque Natural in BenasqueNew reservation for today on booking.com for €77Drive 200 km along the Spain-French border towards Bask country and Bilbao Arrive to monastery Hospedería de LeyreConfusing walk for a sacred water source – Fuente de San VirilaDinner at the monastery   Friday, July 18, 2014 Overview   [9 vs. 15] 08:00 Wake up at Hostal Parque Natural.   Breakfast included kiwi 09:00 Time for a short walk – 100 meters 10:00 We realized that Bilbao and Guernica (unofficial capital of Basque Country) are too ambitions for one day drive. Found a new midpoint destination – Monastery of Leyre in Yesa (Navarra)        Every picture now has coordinates,…

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07-17 Reaching for the highest point in Pyrenees

2014/07/17
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Modified: 2015/06/05
07-17 14;25 They are returning from Aneto

[10 vs. 14] Start from Hospital de Benasque Bus to trailhead Climbing up to 3,000 meters We can see Aneto (3,404 m) in a distance and a snowy path to it with gradual elevation Turn back around 3PM One more night in Benasque     Thursday, July 17, 2014 Overview 06:30 Wake up with alarm 07:10 Breakfast at the hotel (included) 08:00 Bus to the starting point (cash 4 x €2.45 = €9.80) 1910 m 09:00 Arrive to the hut – 2141 m 09:44 Start next leg – up the mountains 11:11 Guessing our way up among boulders and occasional markers (red dots and small stone pyramids) 14:19 At elevation 2900…

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07-16 From Tabres into Spain and Pyrenees

2014/07/16
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Modified: 2014/12/20
07-16 13;07 First Spanish Supermarket

[[11 vs. 13] Start from Tabres Drive to border with Spain (Catalonia and Aragon) Direction – Benasque!  A perfect base town to conquer Aneto (3,404 m) Found the last possible point of accommodation – Hospital de Benasque First short hike into the mountains     Wednesday, July 16, 2014 Overview     12:40 Crossing into Spain for the first time – Pont de Rei 13:07 First Spainish supermarket with Spanish pepers 13:23 Variety of impressive knives on sale – must have     [11 vs. 13] 10:24 Wake up in Tarbes Start driving toward Spain Take route N125 in France Cross into Spain on Pont de Rei Continue on route N-230 in Spain…

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07-15 From Auch to Lupiac (birthplace of D’Artagnan) to Tabres

2014/07/15
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Modified: 2014/12/20
07 15 12;54 Auch - Stickes on a car

[12 vs. 12] – Midpoint of this vacaion Tuesday, July 15   [ . . .  in progress . . . ]   10:24 Woke up in Auch – good shutters prevent any daylight from going into the room 11:01 feed the parking meter one hour till 14:01 (meters as people are having a 2 hour lunch break) Explore wooden carvings in the main church More pictures of the D’Artagnan statue 13:30 Supermarket L.Eclerc in Auch (€47 cash) Weather is turning super-hot – hide car in the shadow of a building 15:00 – tiny Lupiac – museum of D’Artagnan 17:15 Chateau where D’Artagnan was born 19:15 Arrive to Tabres – Hotel Marne…

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07-14 From Albi to Toulouse and to Auch (Monday, July 14 2014)

2014/07/14
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Modified: 2014/12/20
07-14 20;47 Auch - Place de la Liberation

Overview   – Start from Albi on a large highway towards Toulouse – Very special vegan lunch from2 to 3 PM – Continue to Gascony – city of Auch – French fireworks   Monday, July 14 Hour by Hour   [13 vs. 11]  11:27 – pay hotel bill AmEx at Albi (€70.70) Had to return a knife borrowed from previous nights Toll paid €1.40 on the way to Toulouse 13:00 found a free parking in Toulouse 14:06 – called vegan place from Tourist Information center 15:30 – lunch at vegan place in Toulouse 18:08 – First gas stop – Gasole – €86 cash ­­­­in exchange for nice lady credit card payment…

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07-13 From Bouziès to Albi (Sunday, July 13 2014)

2014/07/13
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Modified: 2014/12/20
07-13 Bouzies to Albi

Overview   – Our starting point - Bouziès – little known, but spectacular – Check out from Hotel Les Falaises – Explore womderful Le Chemin de Halage – river towpath – Food stop at Limogne-en-Quercy – Lunch on the road weight scale – Stop at the museum –  Beaulieu-en-Rouergue Abbey – Arrive to Albi in a heavy rain   Sunday, July 13 Hour by Hour     [14 vs, 10] From Bouzies to Albi Paid with MC €70 for the Hotel Les Falaises 12:00 Started walking toward Chemin de halage. This is a not very long, but spectacular road carved in the side of the riverbank Lot. Start driving to Albi on local roads. We…

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