Colorado Mountain Living Outdoor Adventures Podcasts Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride The Rockies Travel: Colorado Mountain Living Outdoor Adventures Podcasts Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride The Rockies Travel
by maribeth
Comments Off on Ryder-Walker: Global Trekking Specialists
Ryder-Walker: Global Trekking Specialists
Trekking in the French Alps with Ryder-Walker
It should come as no surprise that we have one of the world’s best alpine adventure companies based here in Telluride, Colorado. Our surrounding peaks rival the mightiest of the Alps, so it’s no wonder that Peter Walker, founder and president of Ryder-Walker alpine adventures feels right at home in our mountain town. Here he has also enjoyed a great rapport with the Telluride Ski & Snowboard School for many years, a fruitful relationship that has enabled him to enlist some of their top instructors as Ryder-Walker guides year-round. “We have the passion of an insider and an outsider,” Peter told me during a recent Travel Fun interview, referring to his company’s approach and philosophy both in the Alps and in Telluride.
Peter Schussing at the Matterhorn
Peter and head guide, Ken Fuhrer, talk with me in the below podcast about how Ryder-Walker has grown over the past twenty-seven years and why it consistently ranks as a top travel company among discerning travelers. National Geographic, in fact, has rated Ryder-Walker as one of the top ten best outfitters on earth. “We bring a very fresh perspective to everything we do,” Peter explains in the interview. This, combined with a depth of knowledge about the Alps and other destinations they feature on their tours, has assured them a devoted following partly made up of clients that have been taking trips with them for years. Kenny, a top ski instructor, emphasizes the adventure as a whole. “It’s the group experience that makes it so special,” he says in the interview, explaining how people feel about themselves and others at the beginning and then at the end of the trip. I’ve known these guys for a number of years through Telluride Ski & Snowboard School and I can tell you that in addition to being highly skilled mountain guides, they’re fun, enthusiastic, great people-persons and highly professional.
Trekking season is winding down in the Alps but it’s a good time to start planning for next year since many of the Ryder-Walker tours fill up fast. They offer a terrific trek in and around Telluride in the fall and a tour to the desert Southwest in the spring. Their success has lead them to create tours and programs in far reaching countries such as Slovenia, India and Bhutan as well. I was happy to learn that there are rumblings about Ireland, too. Know that Ryder-Walker can set you up with many self-guided hikes and no special request has proven too tall for them. (Champagne toasts roped down to a client on a high peak have become almost commonplace for these adventure specialists.)
Two Great Guides: Daniel Sundqvist and Kenny Fuhrer
Listen to the below interview to hear more about this dynamic company. Peter also talks about how he recently came to create a unique relationship with PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America). Yes, with side country skiing growing and pushing all kinds of boundaries, it’s no wonder PSIA asked Ryder-Walker to become a member school. Someone needs to instruct all those instructors!
Kenny also talks about Alpenglow Ski Safaris and Telluride Mountain Guides, two sister companies of Ryder-Walker that also offer some fantastic opportunities for being expertly guided through the mountains.
Click on the play button below to listen to our interview.
Break Time in the Italian Alps with Ryder-Walker
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Being Green Podcasts Travel: Being Green Podcasts Travel
by maribeth
Comments Off on Wallace “J.” Nichols: Marine Biologist Extraordinaire
Wallace “J.” Nichols: Marine Biologist Extraordinaire
Dr. Wallace “J.” Nichols
If you love our world, click on the play button below and listen to my interview with Dr. Wallace “J.” Nichols, one of the world’s biggest defenders of the big blue. Inspired by Jacques Cousteau at an early age, J. is an effective communicator about what’s going on with our planet from an ocean perspective.
“Our ocean is in trouble,” J. tells me in this Travel Fun interview. “We’re putting too much into it, taking too much out of it and destroying the edge,” he continues. Tune in to learn about his three calls to action.
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Touring China: Imperial Allure
Ballooning Around the Gum-Dropped-Shaped Mountains of Guilin
With news of the 2018 Winter Olympics to take place in South Korea, my thoughts have recently shifted to that part of the world. I conducted an interview with Margot Kong, from Imperial Tours, on my Travel Fun radio show in which we discussed the boon to tourism created by the Summer Olympics in Beijing in 2008. I’ve decided to post that interview as a podcast below. It’s wonderful how these extraordinary international events capture our attention and introduce us to far-flung lands, especially the most exotic ones that many of us only dream of visiting.
Whether you’re planning a trip-of-lifetime or want to return to China for a closer look, I recommend you enlist Imperial Tours for any travels you’re considering to this far-off land. When you listen to the below interview, you’ll learn that Margot recommends two weeks for discovering the highlights of China. In our chat, she focuses on the most distinguished attractions of Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin, Shanghai and Hangzhou. Hong Kong, where I’ve had the good fortune to visit twice, is a must-see side trip to add on to any trip to China. Hong Kong Harbor is mesmerizing, so if possible, stay in a hotel that offers killer views of the world’s busiest and most colorful waterway.
Visiting the Great Wall of China in Style
Imperial Tours organizes group tours, private tours, themed tours and even celebrity-led tours to China. They have been recognized by many top travel publications for their excellence in travel planning to China for over a decade. Do check them out since even if you’re an intrepid traveler, China is not necessarily a destination you want to visit on your own. It is a vast country where English is only spoken in the most cosmopolitan areas. Know that flying is the most efficient way to get around in China—it’s not only fast but it’s also quite affordable. As a foreigner, you are not able to rent a car unless you rent a car and a driver. Spring and fall are the best times to visit. My goodness, there’s so much to know! This is why you should consult with an expert.
I’ve traveled to some of China’s best-known destinations but have not hit Shanghai which is beckoning. At this point, I have little interest in Korea but I’m sure that will all change once I take in the marvelous images of that land that will surely be broadcast during the 2018 Winter Olympics. The joys of travel never cease!
Do listen to the below interview. Margot is articulate, highly knowledgeable and a terrific radio guest. If you like shopping, you must hear what she says about all the goods to seek out in this enchanting land. Remember that China is the birthplace of the compass, pasta, gun powder, paper and so much more. As cities rise from rice paddies, China’s pace of development in recent years is astonishing. This is the time to visit this exciting land.
Hotels & Lodging Outdoor Adventures Restaurants Spas The Rockies Travel: Hotels & Lodging Outdoor Adventures Restaurants Spas The Rockies Travel
by maribeth
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Gateway Canyons: One Big Discovery
The Kiva Pool: My Own Special Sanctuary
I returned to Gateway Canyons recently and became even more enchanted by this magnificent site than when I first visited this resort two and a half years ago. Clearly they’d been busy at Gateway throughout this period, cultivating and refining the soothing oasis that has been created within the awe-inspiring red rocks of this unique southwestern Colorado location. Indeed, Gateway Canyons is well on its way to being a world-class resort. And certainly Gateway Canyons owner and founder of the Discovery Channel, John Hendricks, must feel proud about how his burgeoning resort has more than added to the beauty of this already spectacular setting.
Although just a two-hour (and quite scenic) drive from Telluride and Grand Junction, getting to Gateway can require a bit of an effort. But to me, this only adds to the appeal of this lovely resort. I can’t ever imagine it overrun by tourists and that certainly wasn’t the case when I stayed here a couple of weeks ago during peak time. This enabled me to while away peaceful hours by the Kiva Pool, sipping lemonade and eventually a prickly pear cactus daiquiri as I leafed through magazines. A quick dip in the pool’s cool, saline water allowed me to lounge in the desert heat until the surrounding rocks soaked up the sum of the day’s blistering sun. Ahhhh, that’s what I call relaxation.
Colorado Podcasts Telluride Travel: Colorado Podcasts Telluride Travel
by maribeth
Comments Off on Service Travel: Two Different Approaches
Service Travel: Two Different Approaches
Erin and Some of "Her Kids" in Nepal
With all the flack recently about Greg Mortenson’s “Three Cups of Tea,” I thought it was due time to post the Travel Fun interview I conducted a couple of months ago on service travel. In it I discuss with Erin Guttenplan, founder of Edge of Seven, and Sharon Shuteran, local Tellurider and service travel worker extraordinaire, the merits of helping out in far-flung lands in a variety of capacities. As unfortunate as the news is regarding Mr. Mortenson’s supposed wrong-doings, I don’t think anyone wants to see those in need around the world suffer from this firestorm.
It Takes a Village (And Lots of Tea!)
“I’m a firm believer in the power of travel and the power of educational travel,” says Erin, founder of Denver-based Edge of Seven. Their current focus is building a dorm in a rural part of Nepal, so that forty girls can continue their education. They take volunteers from every skill set on their two-week programs, one of which was completed by a friend of mine last June. “These experiences, while challenging, are incredibly rewarding,” Erin emphasizes in the interview. More projects are scheduled for departure the end of May and June; check out Edge of Seven to see how you can become involved in this unique form of voluntourism.
Sharon Instructing in Her Bhutan Cleft Care Project Job
Sharon Shuteran, our judge here in T-ride, became involved in service travel, primarily in Bhutan and other parts of southeast Asia, through a personal contact. She has worked as a non-medical coordinator for the Bhutan Cleft Care Project for the past few years and organizes most of her travels herself. In our interview, she talks about how you can find volunteer positions by contacting organizations directly or on facebook and other forms of social media. Sharon, a “freelance service worker” of sorts stresses that you can create your own program without signing up for an organized trip. Wow, now that’s what I call an intrepid traveler!
“You connect more to people when you’re working there,” Sharon says. “I get more out of it than I give,” she continues. Clearly there’s a lot to be said for “getting outside of yourself.” Click on the link below to hear more from these two dedicated women.
Click to play the Service Travel program
Know that both Erin Guttenplan and Sharon Sharon would be happy to hear from you regarding service travel. You can reach Sharon through facebook.
Sharon On the Road Again (Hey, No Talking on the Cell Phone While Driving!)
Being Green Colorado Podcasts Telluride Telluride Festivals Travel: Being Green Colorado Podcasts Telluride Telluride Festivals Travel
by maribeth
Comments Off on Bag It and Green Travel
Bag It and Green Travel
Suzan and the Bag Monster
In honor of Earth Day, next Friday, April 22, I wanted to once again draw your attention to “Bag It,” the award-winning documentary produced and directed by Telluride local Suzan Beraza. April is also an important month for this informative and highly entertaining film since this is when PBS has chosen to make it available to their viewers.
I sat down with Suzan last fall and interviewed her for Travel Fun, my talk radio show on travel. I highly encourage you to click on the link below to listen to what Suzan says about “Bag It” and why we should all pay more attention to our consumption and use of plastic. There’s no lecturing in this movie—or in the interview for that matter—but Suzan and her work (as well as my chat with her!) politely reveal that plastic doesn’t just go away. Where is away anyway? In honor of Earth Day, which I try to celebrate every day of the year, please listen to our interview by clicking on the below link.
Click to play the Suzan Beraza interview
If you tuned in to the interview, you should now be on your way to realizing that buying water in a plastic bottle is a silly concept. Suzan started “Bag It” by making a short film about the plastic bag challenge between Aspen and Telluride a few years ago. Her project grew in scope as she discovered to what extent plastic impacts our environment. “Bag It” began with plastic bags and then expanded to reveal how single-use items such as plastic forks wreak havoc in our world. It follows one man’s journey, played byTelluride local, Jeb Berrier, as he learns more about plastic, how it’s unhealthy for us and the environment.
Cutting down on our consumption of plastic and being green overall can sometimes be challenging. The task often becomes an even taller order while traveling. But in all cases, the reward is great and isn’t it our duty to at least try to be better stewards of our environment? In our interview, Suzan chats about her experiences traveling the world, promoting “Bag It.” Be sure to tune in to hear some of her observations about how other countries are faring in their efforts to be green. We also share how all of us can become more eco-friendly travelers.
DC Hotels & Lodging Paris Restaurants Travel: cherry blossoms DC Hotels & Lodging luxury DC hotels Paris Restaurant Restaurants The Fairfax at Embassy row The Jockey Club Travel Washington DC
by maribeth
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The Elegance of Paris in Our Nation’s Capital: The Fairfax at Embassy Row
Cherry Blossoms at the Jefferson Memorial
It’s been over a week that the mountain closed here in Telluride and the town has already slowed down to its sleepy off-season mode. Many people have hit the road in search of warmer climates. Others (like me) are using this quiet time to catch up on work that had been shelved during the busy winter season. Fortunately there’s still fun to be had nearby since I just returned from a long weekend of skiing at Beaver Creek and Snowmass. My final spring ski fling will be in Aspen over Easter.
Still I’m feeling the itch to visit cities such as Paris or Washington D.C., two great capitals that are especially resplendent this time of year. I’ve often been to Washington in (late) spring since it’s an easier trip than crossing the Atlantic; and in Paris I’ve lived through nearly a dozen printemps. Flowers bloom bountifully in April in both cities, making spring the perfect season for strolling vast boulevards while crisscrossing in and out of world-renowned museums. This year, due to the disasters in Japan, there was more talk than ever about D.C.’s cherry blossoms, great puffs of beauty that surely provoked more emotion than usual. (I haven’t seen the cherry blossoms in D.C. but I did experience them in all their splendor nearly two decades ago in Kyoto, and I remember them as heartbreakingly beautiful then.)
Both Paris and D.C. humble you year-round by their manicured landscapes and grand and glorious architecture. This stateliness may be considered distinctly Washingtonian or typiquement parisien. Or sometimes a little of both. (As most of us know, it was a Frenchman, Pierre-Charles L’Enfant, appointed by President George Washington in 1791, who designed our capital city.) The history and tradition of Washington D.C. may be more recent than that of Paris but a visit to this glistening beacon along the Potomac still imbues you with the spirit of the past as well as the omnipotent force of the present.
Colorado Four Corners The Southwest Travel Utah: Colorado Four Corners The Southwest Travel
by maribeth
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Traveling with Seniors: A Lesson in Patience and Humility
The Folks and Me at Monument Valley
Togethering, a term coined not long after 9/11, has gained momentum over these past years as families and friends enjoy the bonds created by spending vacations together. Multi-generational traveling has become more commonplace than ever as more and more families hit the road with grandma and grandpa in tow. Parents with young children seem well-equipped to deal with the needs and demands of their little ones while away from home. They’re just basically taking their show on the road since they’re already well accustomed to taking care of their kids at home. Sure, certain adjustments have to be made but most people know their children well enough to be able to make them “happy campers” when traveling. But what about our aging parents’ needs? Do we know how to make a trip smooth sailing for them?
Not always. And I’m speaking from first-hand experience.
