After three days of waiting with rainy New England weather, it was time to hit the trails and burn off some of mom’s home cooking with or without my hiking boots. With some research of the easy, moderate, and advanced trails in the area, I picked a “moderate” hike to 3,165 feet that was supposed to take three hours round-trip. In hindsight, I think that the hiking guide writers and bloggers need to reevaluate the classification of this hike. There were many portions of this rocky, wet trail that were certainly advanced. However, if there weren’t challenges and obstacles the hike would not have been such a good time or now good story.

At the beginning of the hike, we both look ready, dry, and confident. Receiving advice to take the White Dot Trail up and the White Cross Trail down, we followed willingly like lemmings behind families with small children, packs of athletic college students, and older veterans of the trail with hiking sticks.

We quickly realized that breaks would be necessary to reach the summit. With the trails heading straight up the mountain, all punctuated with rocks, boulders, and pure straight rock face to encounter, it was NOT a Sunday stroll nor hike. Fueled by nuts, biscotti, fruit, and pub cheese sandwiches, we both trekked on. (**We later found out that Monadnock is in dictionaries as a mountain or rocky mass that has resisted erosion and stands isolated in an essentially level area. The word is named after this Mount Monadnock in NH!)

After two and a half hours into the supposed “three hour round-trip” hike, we arrived at a glorious lookout (featured at the beginning of the post) only to see in the distance dozens of other adventurous hikers climbing even higher to reach the top of mighty Mount Monadnock. With the compelling desire to turn around and go to a spa for a pedicure and massage, we continued ahead for bragging rights and yet another feather in our hats.

Upon reaching the summit, we realized that we were not far from the clouds and stormy ones at that. The panoramic view was spectacular as well as a rest very welcomed. However, the summit stop was shortened with raindrops. Both leery of going straight down on wet and even more slippery rocks, we quickly added a bite or two into our stomachs and started the descent.

Although hiking up Monadnock was much work because of its elevation; it cannot compare to the impact and treacherous climb or stumble down. Both of our knees, muscles, and joints began talking to us, first very quietly, but by the end screaming for an ibuprofen. The rain and moisture made the White Cross Trail more like a mountain stream than a trail. My shoes and clothes were thoroughly soaked as each step I felt like a sponge. In spite of the rocks, difficult ascent and descent, and rain, we both had no falls, but numerous near falls.

After a five hour hike up and down Monadnock, my mom stated, “I think this is something I will only do once.” I thought the hike was certainly challenging and my body didn’t forgive me for the next two days. So, I can definitely understand why the gift shop was selling various t-shirts, pens, magnets, and more that stated, “I survived Mount Monadnock.” (Like the Mount Monadnock’s page on Facebook, here.)

Will I go again? If given the opportunity, I certainly will seize it. Until then, here’s to more good times and good stories.

Although my first leg was beautiful, the near freezing temperatures at the Strait of Magellan with rather “Chile” glacier hikes in Patagonia, this naturalized Florida resident needed a good dose of warmth. The summertime temps in Mendoza of near 90s made me feel right “en casa.” I coupled the lovely climate with a little culinary indulgence with churrasco (world renowned Argentinean beef) washed down with a Mendozan Malbec, my favorite libation.

Although it was very tempting to spend my stay in Mendoza by hopping (or stumbling) from Malbec bar to Malbec bar or vineyard to vineyard. I did not.  Ok, to be rather frank, I did some of that, BUT not without working up a thirst from numerous adventures on foot, horse, and raft.

Enjoy my trinity of Mendocino fun below!

1) Ms Traveling Pants Goes Gaucho in Mendoza

2) Ms T Pants Get Wet, but Stays in the Raft – Rio Mendoza, Argentina (front left of raft)

3) Ms Traveling Pants Claims Victory After Reaching the Summit – 2,000 M

None of the adventures in Mendoza whether horseback riding, rafting, or hiking were my first time. However, it seemed like “my first rodeo show” because of the surreal setting, nestled in the Argentinean countryside with cacti on your left, vineyards on your right, Andes to your East, Mendozan River to your West, and unbelievable colors all around. It was enough to make one dizzy or maybe that was caused by the Malbec or better yet the combination of the gate of the horse, the rapids of the river, and the elevation of the hike.

All these adventures make for good times and good stories.

HERE’S TO MORE GOOD TIMES AND GOOD STORIES TO COME!!

I will begin with the first leg of my three leg walkabout, which was Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. After much brainstorming and wordsmithing, I chose to hone in on the theme of, “Tudo Azul,” by entitling this post, “Tudo Azul in Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile.”

Let me explain why…

Although Chile’s national language is Spanish, I chose an expression, “Tudo Azul,” which comes from Portuguese. It literally translates to everything’s blue, but is more commonly understood as everything’s rosy. Thus,“Tudo Azul,” ties together the positive experience I had traveling through Patagonia as well as the strong hues of BLUE witnessed around every corner.

Not surprisingly, the connection to the title and the color blue has double reasoning as well. First and foremost, it is important to highlight that Torres del Paine means Blue Towers; torres is towers in Spanish and paine comes from a native language meaning blue. Secondly, as you can see in my images, the towers are not blue themselves, but they do reach to a majestic blue sky (pictured right). Additionally, vibrant blues are displayed throughout the park with hues of turquoise, aquamarine, baby, and others as seen at Lake Pehoe (beginning the post), Grey’s Glacier (pictured below), and more.

As seen from the lookout, the “Blue Towers” stretch through the clouds to the blue cielo with a mountain fed, turquoise lake gracing its feet. Although the lake’s water appears like the Caribbean, I can verify it not nearly as warm (brrrr). The timing of my trip during summer was perfectly planned (ok rather last minute), but the waters were not up to my South Florida resident likes by a long shot.

Coincidentally, it is a good thing that I happened  to time my travels in summer as the Patagonian climate can TEST one’s perseverance. Even in the summer months, it is common to can have sleet, rain, wind, sun, and more all within hours or minutes of each other; thus, costume changes from gloves to poncho and rain gear to shorts are rather frequent. In fact, I think I successfully did more costume changes than Brittany Spears or Madonna do in a concert. I, however, did them all in one Patagonian hike.

To the left, is a picture of my first glacier experience. This lookout was a four hour hike from the overnight camp at Lake Pehoe (pictured at top of post) all while passing waterfalls, calafate plants, guanacos, and more. Upon reaching the lake’s side, I boarded a boat to get as close to the glacier as possible. For the first time, I was aboard a ship with small icebergs floating around the vessel, which I did not know would eventually become part of the cocktail service with a Chilean favorite, Pisco Sour. I have shared with many that I never thought that I would experience such beauty with a glacier, but the almost snow cone blues were bursting from the crevices to make for a wonderful background while relaxing aboard the boat with my feet up, rather tired after two days of hiking and more to go.

In closing, I’ll leave you with Torres del Paine was absolutely, “Tudo Azul!”

Keep posted for more about the 2nd and 3rd legs of my South American Walkabout through Mendoza & Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Remember that, “Every occasion in life can be categorized as either a good time or a good story.”

Hasta luego!

On this Labor Day weekend, many are out adventuring for the last glimpse of summer.  My adventures and travel bug led me to the trails of the Shawangunks in New York.  Located in the Hudson River Valley about 1.5 hours from the City, I explored through two outstanding state parks,Minnewaska State Park Preserve and Mohonk Preserve.

At the height of its beauty, you can see from my included pictures that the Shawangunks have a lush landscape with deep greens contrasting with the exposed rock cliffs and ridges.  Both parks are a rock climber’s paradise, but they also offer carriage trails that can be walked or biked with varied difficulty levels.  I chose to “hoof” it on both of my hikes ranging from Castle Point in Minnewaska, which was around 7 miles (featured above), and the Undercliff/Overcliff Loop at Mohonk for 5 miles (featured below).

For an affordable option for a weekend of adventure, both around $8-10 for entrance to the park, the “Gunks” are worth it.  They offer a good workout as well as unforgettable scenic views.  Stay tuned on my future posts on Hudson Valley Wine tasting and other Ms Traveling Pants adventures to the Florida Keys and Las Vegas.