american west, california, Hiking, Historical sites, history, Opinion, outdoors, safety, Travel, Uncategorized, writing

Shoemaker Canyon: Tunnels to Nowhere

We return to Shoemaker Canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains to explore the spooky Cold War-era escape tunnels. The project was abandoned, but the tunnels remain a testament to a time gone by marked by fear and hysteria. In this post are trail conditions at time of writing and safety considerations.

american west, california, christmas, Family, Historical sites, history, Museums, Opinion, outdoors, Style, Travel, Uncategorized, writing

Old Sacramento: I Like Trains!

Old Sacramento, the historic waterfront district and National Historic Landmark, offers up a fun adventure for families and history nerds alike. We learned so much about California history and the trans-continental railroad's impact on the culture and economy of the Golden State at the California State Railroad Museum. All aboard!

american west, breakfast, california, coffee, Food, Historical sites, history, Museums, Opinion, outdoors, Shopping, Style, Travel, Uncategorized, writing

Sacramento, California

In this first of two posts set in Sacramento, we take a walking tour through the city. Highlights include the Capitol building and the historic Tower Bridge. There is much to see in California's state capital.

american west, california, Historical sites, history, Museums, national parks, Opinion, Travel, Uncategorized, writing

Manzanar

Just north of Lone Pine, along U.S. 395, in the unforgiving rain shadow desert of the Eastern Sierras, sits Manzanar National Historic Site. From 1942 through the end of World War II in 1945, Manzanar served as an internment camp for people of Japanese descent, forcibly removed from their homes along the West Coast. Today, the site is preserved as a reminder of this painful part of American history and the hope and perseverance of those who endured.

Europe and the United Kingdom, Food, Historical sites, history, Shopping, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation, writing

Gouda

In this short post, we visit the municipality of Gouda, famous for being the center for cheese trade during the Middle Ages. Today, visitors can check out the traditional cheese market, as well as sample many cheeses in the various cheese shops around the city square.