Category Archives: Countries

See all of the blogs associated with each country we have visited.

A slice of heaven

Since leaving Denver we have been camping about 75% of the time and cannot complain, the surroundings are beautiful, the wildlife is plentiful, and the temperature is a mild 50-75 degrees Fahrenheit with the constant light outside. It is nice to wake up to the fresh air, cook delicious meals and go to sleep after relaxing by the campfire. While the air is fresh our stinky butts are not with some runs putting us 3-4 days or more between showers, sporting a perfume reminiscent of campfire, body odor and camp kitchen.

Nels’ Notes: Nomadic Wandering Shenanigans May 26–June 5, 2009

We put some miles behind us this week, that is for sure. We took off from the wonderful home of Rosel and Wilf at their bed and breakfast in Prince George and headed north. Again, their hospitality was incredible, and it was a pleasure for all of us to sit at their table to have breakfast with them.

Fraser River Rafting Adventure

One can’t beat a day on the river, and that’s exactly what we were able to enjoy with Maligne Rafting Adventures out of Jasper, Alberta, Canada. They’ve been running the rapids since 1987, and immediately you can tell why they’ve been the provider of quality rafting adventures for so long. The receptionists were more than welcoming, their staff were really helpful, and the guides were professionalism and highly skilled.
Our next destination from Jasper was Prince George, which worked out well because it was right on the route to the Fraser River, about an hour west of Jasper, in the Mount Robson Provincial Park, so we followed their bus with our trucks. We met the guides, Aron and Drew, at the designated spot, and got suited up with a wetsuit, insulated water shoes, a windbreaker type jacket, a life jacket, and a helmet. Aron, our river guide for the day, gave us a short safety speech, while Drew, the driver/photographer, began his photographic documentation of our trip.

Photos of the Week: Two Trucks, 4 Crew, a Warning Sign, Bighorn Sheep, & 2 Bears

There’s a very real risk of hitting some serious wildlife with your vehicle in Canada.

Nels’ Notes: Nomadic Wandering Shenanigans May 21-29, 2009

We ride again. After over a month hiatus off the road we returned to the highway for our voyage north to Alaska. We’d, again, like to thank all of those that supported us in our fundraising efforts that enabled us to finish the expedition. It means a lot to us, and is greatly appreciated.

From Denver, Steve, Celeste and Craig ventured north to Loveland to stay at Steve’s Mom, Judy’s, place, while I headed to Rocky Mountain National Park with an amazing female for one last adventure in Colorado. We met up the following morning for a delicious breakfast prepared by Judy and her husband, Tom, said our goodbyes, and got on I-25 North headed to Bozeman, Montana.

The Great Wide Open

Today officially marks the farthest north in North America for the expedition, but more importantly it also marks the farthest north for any of the crew. Right now we are in Jasper National Park in the town of Jasper. At 52 degrees, 53 minutes, -1 seconds North, this is the most North any of us have ever been in Canada. Here the days are long and the wildlife is plentiful. The mountains are grand and the lakes are numerous. It all really hit home for us when we had our first day camping and the sun did not fully set until 11pm.

Photo of the Week: On the Road Again

We’re finally back on the road on our way to Alaska. Our first stop is Bozeman, Montana, with Steve’s friends and our very hospitable hosts Allan and Jen. Thanks to our new friends and sponsor Taboot Art for outfitting us with some hoodies and t-shirts for the final leg of the expedition.

Must Visit Hostels in Central America and Mexico

We have been very fortunate to have been accommodated by some great hostels as we traveled through Central America and Mexico. These amazing places showed immense hospitality, had incredible services, thoughtful staffs, and were a great place to rest our travel-tired heads as we ventured across their countries.

luna1 A stay at Luna’s Castle was the beginning of my part of the expedition, and I couldn’t have asked for a better start. This hostel, in a beautiful, three-story colonial home has an aesthetically pleasing interior, creative artwork covering the walls, and balconies that give a stellar, immediate view of the Casco Viejo neighborhood with the downtown skyline across in the distance. The chill and peaceful atmosphere give the hostel a great feel, and the helpful staff make you feel right at home. The community kitchen is perfect for cooking meals, the commons area is a great place to eat and talk with other travels, and the “chill rooms” give a person a chance to relax, chat, or just have a thought. Rooms are reasonably priced, and their variety of services make it a perfect stop for travelers. The movie theatre in the bottom level is top notch, and their plans for a bar in the back patio will really add to the already incredible hostel. Do us a favor and stop in to say “hi” to Daniel and his crew for us. Luna’s Castle is a special place in Panama City, and you won’t be disappointed.

Photo of the Week: Denver Post

Front page of the Denver Post. Read the article here. Monday, May 18, 2009. Finally on the road again this Thursday. Alaska or bust.

New Photos – Lots of Them

I have been spending a lot of time recently trying to get to the point of where we have all of our photos up on the website. Unfortunately, the world was just so damn cool and we had a shutter happy bunch of crew members so trying to sort through over 27,000 photos to caption and upload is taking quite a bit of time. That’s right, 27,000 photos.