I timed my arrival in Tuscany with the jousting festival​ ​The Saracen Joust of Arrezo is held the first Sunday in September every year.  The Parade This is a colorful display of rivalry. Participants represent four quadrants of the town dress in respective colors of green/red, yellow/crimson, white/green, yellow/blue. Each team parades throug...

Driving through the desert of central Arizona, I came across a somewhat futuristic-looking structure.​ From the road, it looks like a habitat on Mars. Upon closer inspection, the ultramodern structures are part of an urban experiment, an experiment in arcology, the blending of architecture with ecology. My curiosity got the best of me, and I drove ...

​Water levels at Lake Mead in 2017 were already critically low 17AUG2021 Boulder City, Nevada, USA When I visited Hoover Dam, they warned us about dropping water levels in Lake Mead just five years ago. The time has come. The water level, currently at 1065 feet, is below the critical level of 1075 feet. At this time, the authorities begin wate...

​At first glance, one would wonder why go to the Grand Canyon in winter? =========================================================================================== As of September 4, 2021: Notice: Wearing a face mask is required in all buildings in the national park, regardless of vaccination status. The Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel is now ope...

Sure, you can drive to the top and get a bumper sticker that reads "This Car Climbed Pikes Peak", but it's more rewarding to get the t-shirt proclaiming the feat done with your feet.​ Pikes Peak isn't a technical climb. You don't need mountaineering gear, ropes, or ice axes. This is a hike that can be accomplished by anyone in reasonable shape...

Red dust kicked up behind my wheels as I hugged the inner curve of the dirt road. Through the passenger-side window on my right, I could just make out the 1500-foot drop to the gorge below. Willcox Arizona mountains I was glad I had taken the advice of the old cowboy. Last night, I stayed at the Portal Peak Inn, a rustic hotel that was clean enough...