"The Testicular Imperative"

The following words of wisdom are taken from an interview of Colin Fletcher by Mark Jenkins in Backpacker Magazine, July 1988,page 32.

Colin Fletcher was a legendary backpacker and prolific writer. His book "The Man Who Walked Through Time" chronicled his hike from rim to rim of the Grand Canyon. He authored numerous other books including "The Complete Walker" which in my opinion still is the greatest source of practical advice on backpacking and equipment.

Now back to the interview. Fletcher says ....

"Listen it's really quite simple. Walking gives me perspective. To me the idea that a beautiful grove of trees is like a cathedral is a lot of crap. The cathedral is like a grove of trees. Tisn't so much walking. It's what walking puts you in touch with.

Comes down to this: Either you got the world by them, or it's got you by them. You go out for a walk, a long walk, or just up the hill, and it loosens its grasp. You've wrenched them free. It's the testicular imperative."

Bowling Green Kentucky

If you have some extra time while passing through Bowling Green Kentucky then stop at the National Corvette Museum. It has an impressive selection of Corvettes representing the history of the car. There is also a gift shop which when I was there allowed entrance without paying the fee for the museum. The museum is located at 350 Corvette Drive, Bowling Green Kentucky 42101 which is off exit 28 on I 65. 1-800-53-VETTE.

DC Dining

One of my favorite cities is DC. I have had quite a few business trips there but always make time to check out the many sites of this city. Despite numerous trips I still have a lot to see. I always try to make it to DuPont Circle for a dinner. Georgetown is usually total bumper to bumper, people to people traffic. I was recently in DC and tried for the first time "The Front Page" located near DuPont Circle. The food was very good and not terribly expensive. Another great restaurant is located inside the bookstore Kramer Books. This is very popular place and usually full but worth the wait. At least you can browse the bookstore while waiting for a table.

Detroit Airport

Recently I had a couple of hours layover at the Detroit Airport. I decided to head over to Concourse A from B/C to get something to eat. It was there I encountered the "light tunnel". This was a real perk me up for a weary traveler. It's a long tunnel with moving sidewalks except the colors change while listening to ambient "space music". Then add the effects of the depth of field of a long tunnel and the echo quality for the music. Nice!

Freeport Maine

If you headed north after arriving in Portland Maine's airport here is your first stop. The little town of Freeport Maine that takes a couple of days to visit. Home of the 24/7 LL Bean Flagship Store plus numerous factory outlet stores.

Here is a short article I wrote about Freeport



www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/jan/20/reader-travelogue-ll-bean-fans-shouldnt-miss/

Whitehorse City Guide

This Statue is Dedicated to All Those Who Follow Their Dreams
Located at City Center, Whitehorse Yukon Territory

Any trip to the Yukon will probably take you through the city of Whitehorse. Your arrival can be by airplane, train/bus or private vehicle. You will find many of the amenities of a large city here despite it being a small city of 24,000.

The city street system is laid out in a manner that is easy to navigate. I was able to find my way to the airport, shopping areas and the way out of town via the Alaskan Highway without consulting a map or asking for directions.

The airport has free parking within a very short walking distance to the terminal. It is about a five minute drive from the airport to the city center. The major car rental companies have sales desks inside the terminal.

At the city center are several hotels to choose from. You will find the only fast food chains in the Yukon at Whitehorse. We are talking McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Subway and others. This in addition to locally owned restaurants.

The city even has a Walmart. Although locals referred me to the Real Canadian Superstore saying it had a better selection of food. An excellent store for camping, backpacking supplies and outdoor clothing is Coast Mountain Sports located in the city center.

There is one restaurant worth noting. I would guess one of the most popular in Whitehorse. That being the Klondike Rib & Salmon BBQ. Which in addition to the food of it's name also serves wild game foods like caribou and muskox burgers. The restaurant exudes atmosphere due to it's building which is in part a walled tent similar to those used by the Gold Rush miners. However this type of structure makes it necessary close early in the fall season for the cold weather.

A great website for travel information on Whitehorse is here.

I was Born Under A Wand'rin' Star.

Like the "Paint Your Wagon" movie character, Ben Rumsom, played by Lee Marvin I was born under a wandering star. "Wheels are made for rolling" and I never saw a sight that didn't "look better looking back". The lyrics to this song match Marvin's rough voice. You can find a short video of Marvin singing this song on You Tube.
This picture shows the condition of the car I drove from Dawson City to Inuvik by way of the Dempster Highway.