The Perpetual Tourist

Last Saturday was a cold, wet, foggy, gloomy day. What better day than to get into a bathing suit and go have some fun in the water, right?

I was visiting a friend in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and the nasty weather had trumped our plans for a day of hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains. But all was not lost! Just outside Harrisonburg, in lovely McGaheysville, VA, is Massanutten Resort on Massanutten Mountain.

In 2005, Massanutten opened a fantastic new attraction — an indoor water park. There’s an outdoor section, too, open in the summer, but the extensive indoor park is vast enough for a full day’s enjoyment, perfect for totally crappy days like Saturday.

The Massanutten WaterPark is open to all visitors, with discounts available for Massanutten property owners and guests who have purchased an activity card from the resort. The park hours vary, but you can find a full schedule here. Even though we visited on a Saturday afternoon, we found the park pleasantly uncrowded. What few lines existed moved swiftly, and we were glad not to be constantly trampled by swarms of children, which is a risk you take when you spend a day at a place like this. The nice thing about this park is that there is no one ride that steals the show. Every part of the park has its own appeal, and the lines were nicely divided between all attractions, with one exception, which I’ll get to shortly.

When you enter the park from the locker rooms, you’re at the mouth of the Blue Ridge Rapids — aka the lazy river. This is a good place to start, but keep in mind that at a couple of points in the river, large buckets of water are known to dump onto unexpecting drifters. You’ve been warned.

Massanutten Meltdown

Once you exit the lazy river, it’s time to get started on the slides. In the center of the building you’ll see a 3-story jungle gym of sorts called Massanutten Meltdown. This tower takes you to several of the park’s smaller slides, with lots of water gadgets spaced throughout. You can grab a hose and spray your friends, or turn a wheel or pull a cord to dump water on people walking below you. Expect to be splashed thoroughly as you pass through here. The slides coming off of this center tower range from toddler-sized straight sliding boards to tall, twisting chutes. These are a good place for apprehensive kids to get started. They’re not enclosed tubes, and they’re not quite as fast as some of the other slides in the park, so it’s not an intimidating experience. Once you’ve tried a couple of these, you’re ready for the big stuff.

A trio of riders exits the Peak Splash slide

At the far end of the building from the entrance are the five largest slides in the park. Three of them are tube slides, where you can ride solo or on a tube for two or three people. The other two are body slides, which might be the fastest slides in the park. The tube slides are my favorite, though. I love that you can ride down with a friend, especially in the orange slide (I think that one’s called Melting Mogul), which is full of surprises… I won’t give anything away…

Surfing on the FlowRider

The last ride in the indoor part of the park is the FlowRider, the WaterPark’s simulated surfing and boogieboarding wave. This is the only part of the park where you’ll have to wait in line for a while, because only one person is allowed to ride at a time, and rides can last a few minutes each. Waiting in line isn’t so bad, though, because it’s fun to watch the people in front of you take on the wave and try tricks. If you can’t get enough of the FlowRider, you can take lessons to get better and learn new tricks, and come back for one of the park’s special jam sessions. Get more information on special FlowRider events here. One little tip for the FlowRider — make sure your swimsuit is secure. That’s some strong water.

When you need a break from the rides, you can relax in one of two large hot tubs, or take your kids to the Frog Pond kiddie area where they can splash around without getting in the path of the big kids.

When you’re done with the water, you’re just getting started at the park. You don’t want to skip Diamond Jim’s Arcade, which has all the classic games you’d find in most amusement parks, plus duckpin bowling, Dance Dance Revolution, and of course, tickets redeemable for prizes. Kids can kill hours of time here while parents chill out next door at the Hideaway Lounge, which is just one of several dining establishments inside the park. Click here for a full list.

The Massanutten WaterPark is definitely a great place to take your kids, but who says parks are just for children? This place is fun for all ages, all seasons of the year. For information about the rest of Massanutten Resort, visit www.massresort.com.

Willi Chevalier, German Partial Beard Freestyle Category Champion

It’s never too early to start planning ahead for an event like this — the World Beard and Moustache Championships are coming up in May 2009. The championships, held every two years in a different location, bring hundreds of bearded men and their friends, family, and fans from all over the world to compete in over a dozen different categories.

The upcoming competition is hosted by the South Central Alaska Beard and Moustache Club in Anchorage, Alaska. Event organizers are anticipating the biggest event yet, following a very successful 2007 championship in Brighton, England.

Bearded and moustached Americans and their friends are invited to join Beard Team USA, which took five first place trophies in 2007. You don’t have to have facial hair to join in the fun, says the team; their only request is “No boring people, please.”

Jurgen Burkhardt, German Sideburns Freestyle Category Champion

BTUSA is planning a couple of different group trips before the competition to maximize fun and team spirit. Option A is a seven-day cruise from Vancouver, British Columbia to Alaska on board the Carnival Spirit, followed by six days in and around Anchorage and all WMBC events. Option B is seven days in and around Anchorage, including all WMBC events.

Jack Passion, American Full Beard Natural Category Champion

These guys really look like they know how to have a good time. The upcoming competition will even feature music from The Australian Bushrangers, who play “songs about beards, for people with beards.” Find the schedule of events for the Anchorage competition here. If you can’t make it to the festivities in person, be sure to check the WBMC website for photographs of winners. These beards are incredible!

Find information on international teams here.

It’s an American tradition to go to the beach in the summertime. Families load up the old minivan and join the thousands of other families fighting over the same patch of sand and rays of sunlight year after year, because it’s summer. That’s just what you do.

Maybe you skipped this summer, though, because the economy is so bad you couldn’t afford it. Have you ever considered that a week in fall or winter might be the best time ever to go to the beach?

I’m writing now from a condo in Virginia Beach, where my husband and I are staying all week. We come here every November for an annual bridge tournament, and I’d have to argue that it’s better than a summer beach vacation.

Swimming in the ocean and sunbathing are out, so if that’s the only reason you come to the beach, you can keep coming in the summer with everyone else. But just about everything other than the weather is more pleasant the rest of the year. For one thing, the crowds are gone. It’s like having the whole city to yourself. It’s easy to find parking, and you never have a wait at a restaurant. In fact, restaurants are so happy just to have customers, your service is better than ever. Some places are closed in the off-season, or keep shorter hours, but without crowds to fight with, you’ll have plenty of choices among the things that are still available.

Everything is on sale in stores. Now’s the time to buy your summer swimsuit — they’re all 50-75% off in the shops, and all the beach souvenirs are deeply discounted, too.

Also deeply discounted are the hotel rooms and condos. A week at the beach in the summer will probably cost a few thousand bucks for a small family in an oceanfront condo, but look at the same room rates for October through April. Not only are the rooms much less expensive than in the peak season, but you’re very likely to score some great freebies from hotels as they fight for what little business is available this time of year. When you call for reservations, just ask if there are any special promotions going on — you may get free meals, spa treatments, room upgrades, and more if you just ask.

The rad indoor pool at the Ocean Beach Club

For families with kids who equate beach trips with swimming, look for a hotel with a swimming pool. Lots of the places here at Virginia Beach have indoor and outdoor heated pools that are great for swimming even when it’s freezing outside. No, it’s not the same as the ocean, but most kids are pretty content as long as they can splash around somewhere. In fact, the pool here at the Ocean Beach Club has waterfalls and all sorts of gadgets built in that might even be more fun than the Atlantic’s waves. It’s less salt in the eyes, anyway.

Late fall is such an easy time to vacation at the beach. Instead of fighting for the hotel I want and the dates I want, I have hotels fighting over my business for exactly the times I want to be here. Without the crowds, it’s much less hassle and much less money out of my pocket. While I’m here, I’ll stock up on all my summer beach wear (because yeah, I’ll probably come back and swim in the ocean with my nieces in six or seven months) at clearance prices, and I’ll enjoy walks on the beach with my beloved without getting hit in the head by errant frisbees. I can’t swim in the icy water, but the ocean still makes a lovely backdrop for this vacation.

Don’t discount the coast if you’re looking for a relaxing getaway. You can’t beat the prices here right now and you can’t imagine what a treat it is to be in such a touristy place without any other tourists to get in your way.

Every girl I know has at least one outfit that she loves, but just can’t go out in public actually wearing — except on Halloween. You may be past the age of trick-or-treating, but you’re never too old to get into the spirit of the holiday by giving your most outrageous outfits a night on the town.

If you’re looking for the best of the best Halloween parties all over the United States, Tripwolf has put together a nice list for you. Some featured events include:

New York’s Village Halloween Parade: Starting at 7pm on Friday, October 31, a parade of puppets, performers, and costumed revelers will march up 6th Avenue from Spring Street to 21st St. All those in costume are welcome to join the parade, now celebrating its 35th year. At the end of the parade, keep marching to Webster Hall for a huge costume party.

Attended by over 2 million people, this parade is listed as one of the 100 Things to do Before You Die, and was named The Greatest Event on Earth by Festivals International for October 31. The parade has a theme every year, and this year, they’re going back to basics. The 2008 theme is simply Ghost!

Salem, Massachusetts, the Witch Capital of America: Halloween in Salem is actually a month-long celebration. There’s simply too much history to fit into one haunted night. Centuries ago, Salem became famous for its witch trials, where citizens were arrested, tortured, tried, and executed for witchcraft. The city’s obsession with witches lives on today, and though the history is gruesome, the occult is much more celebrated these days. If you’re going to Salem this Halloween, don’t miss The Terror Trail, a spooky tour of haunted houses and supernatural history.

Midnight at the Movies for the Rocky Horror Picture Show: This cult classic will no doubt be playing somewhere near you, probably midnight on Halloween. Tripwolf recommends catching the show at Clay Theatre in San Francisco. Dress as your favorite character, scream at the screen, and go crazy with all the other fans. If you only see Rocky Horror Picture Show once this year, Halloween is definitely the time to see it! If you’re a virgin (one who’s never seen the film), don’t be shy — here’s a useful guide to help you fit in with all the other crazies.

Rocky Horror Picture Show Audience

If you know of any great Halloween shindigs to add to the list, let us know in the comments here. Enjoy your opportunity to go wild and wear the things that only come out of your closet once a year. Happy Fright Night!

Multnomah Falls, like Mount Hood, is just a short drive from Portland, Oregon. You could visit both in the same day if you really wanted to, but I don’t recommend it. In fact, we visited Mount Hood and Multnomah Falls on back to back days, and I don’t recommend that, either. That’s a lot of walking uphill.

The falls are actually visible from the parking lot at the bottom, so of course, you don’t have to do any walking if you don’t want to — but when there’s a hiking trail to the top of the falls, why not take it?

My friends and I visited Multnomah Falls late on a Saturday morning. In my mind, waterfalls are secluded, peaceful places you have to walk through the woods to find. Not Multnomah Falls. On a nice weekend day, this place was Tourist Central. Why wouldn’t it be? The falls are easily accessible (hiking to the top is optional, of course) and right in the middle of the larger tourist attraction that is the Columbia River Gorge.

Near the parking lot, there’s a gift shop, restaurant, and a bridge over Multnomah Creek, where everyone stops to take pictures of the 620-foot waterfall. I felt like I couldn’t possibly walk across the bridge without interrupting or ruining someone’s photograph — it was that crowded. So the hike up to the top was a welcome way to escape the masses, or so I thought.

It’s a one-mile hike to the lookout point at the top of the falls. That’s not a long walk, but it’s a lot of hill climbing. In fact, it felt like one of the more difficult miles I’ve ever walked, but that’s probably mostly because we’d hiked at Mount Hood the day before. Judging by the number of senior citizens we met on the trail, it’s probably not too bad for someone in reasonable shape and not already sore all over. Unfortunately, the crowds didn’t get much smaller on the way to the top.

View of the Columbia River Gorge from the Multnomah Falls trail

The view of the gorge from points on the trail and from the top is absolutely breathtaking, but I’d warn against this hike if you are afraid of heights. Most of the edges don’t have guard rails of any kind blocking the very steep drop over the side, and there were several points on the walk that made me pretty nervous (but okay, I am a wimp). If you take kids, I really recommend one of those humiliating leashes to keep them away from the sides.

Multnomah Falls in Winter

If you’re not going to do the hike, Multnomah Falls can be a quick stop on a driving tour of the Columbia River Gorge. If you do decide to walk to the top, plan for a couple of hours at the falls. If you can go on a weekday, all the better — you’ll avoid the massive crowds. If you go in the winter, you might find the falls frozen over. I’ve never seen them like this, but judging from postcard pictures, it’s a spectacular sight.

On my latest visit to Portland, Mount Hood was my favorite day trip, but Multnomah Falls was a worthy destination as well. I definitely recommend visits to both, just use more sense than I did and space out your trips a little better if you can. It took a long time for my legs to recover from that weekend.

I never thought I’d want to live anywhere but Virginia. I get around the country a lot, but it’s always nice to return home, even if it is only a short stay before I’m off again. My husband and I have been in Oregon for the past couple of weeks, and I have to admit, I’m not homesick at all. Sorry, Mom.

Some friends of mine from the Old Dominion were in Portland for a long weekend, so we joined up and did some exploring. Friday was a gorgeous day for a hike, so we packed up our car and drove out to Mount Hood, about an hour east of the city. I spend most of my time in Oregon staring at the mountains, but I’ve never actually been very close to any of the big ones, so this was a huge treat for me.

We picked up some trail maps and descriptions at an information center on the way. We had decided to park at the Timberline Lodge and take one of the trails from there up the mountain a bit. None of us are real mountaineers, so we settled on the 2-mile hike up the Silcox Trail. This would prove more difficult than we expected.

Today's view from the Timberline Lodge

The view of the mountain from the Timberline Lodge is incredible. As its name suggests, the lodge is at the tree line, about 6000 feet up the 11,235-foot mountain. Some glaciers remained on the mountain, but the first autumn snows hadn’t come yet, so most of the mountain was just rocky. With no trees for perspective, it almost feels like the top of the mountain is right within reach. In reality, the summit is still a mile above us, and several hours of treacherous climbing — not something we were going to try.

With our trail map and description in hand, we set off for the Silcox Trail to the Silcox Hut at 7000 feet. Only, we couldn’t find the trail. There are dozens of trails forking out from the Timberline Lodge, and none of them are particularly well labeled. Even those that are labeled have more forks as you venture higher up the mountain, and those forks don’t tell you which trail is which. We asked a lodge employee for help finding the right trail, but even with his description, we took a wrong fork very early in our hike.

Not to worry. In the early fall, with no snow on the ground, and a clear view of the lodge below us, we weren’t really in any danger of getting lost. We just weren’t really sure how far we were hiking or where we were going. We just took whatever trails were available to us, climbed on whatever rocks we came to, and took pictures of the mountain from every angle. If Mount Hood were a man, it would dominate People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive issue year after year. It’s stunning.

I’m glad I’ve been working out a lot lately, because this hike was up, up, up. Coming down such steep slopes wasn’t exactly easy on the joints, either, so be sure to wear supportive shoes if you embark on one of these hikes. We eventually came to a point where we could see a little hut on the side of the mountain. It was Silcox Hut, no doubt, only the trails we’d taken had put us on the other side of a glacier from it, and snowboarders were coming down that glacier.

Mt. Jefferson as seen from the ski slopes of Mt. Hood

We tested the ice. Strong, not too slippery. Walkable, probably. So we waited for the snowboarders to pass and we crossed the glacier to the Silcox Hut, which appeared to have several trails leading to it. Which one is the true Silcox Trail? We’ll probably never know. What was estimated as a moderately difficult 2-mile hike on the trail guide turned out to be about a 4 mile walk, in our estimations, which took us most of the afternoon. I’m not complaining about this — the hike was invigorating and the views were stunning. From most points on the path we took, we had lovely views of Trillium Lake below and Mount Jefferson’s peak about 40 miles away.

All in all, this hike was worth every bit of excitement in me leading up to it. I was even jealous of the gas station attendant who filled us up, because he gets to work every day with that beautiful backdrop. I can’t believe I’ve spent so much time in Oregon without ever getting to Mount Hood before last weekend. You can bet that I’ll keep going back, as long as my legs will carry me.

This Saturday, 1000 gorillas will run through the streets of London, in what is quite possibly the coolest charity race ever.  Great Gorillas is a non-profit organization working to protect all species of gorilla from the looming threat of extinction.

Starting in London in 2003, there have been Great Gorilla Runs each year — 7km races where every participant wears a gorilla costume.  It’s a funny, light-hearted event for a very serious cause.  This year, there will be more runners in the London race than there are mountain gorillas in the entire world (720).

Money raised in the Great Gorilla races — over £1 million  to date — goes to help the impoverished people of West and Central Africa so they don’t have to mine and farm in gorilla habitats to earn a living.

The Great Gorilla Run expanded to San Francisco in 2007, and future runs are planned for New York, Amsterdam, and China.  The 7km London run is an annual event that takes runners through some of the city’s most famous landmarks.  I wonder if those stoic guards at Buckingham Palace can keep a straight face when 1000 people dressed as gorillas come jogging by.

In addition to the races, the charity offers a trip called The Great Gorilla Adventure.  The 10-day itinerary gets you up close with gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda, and the proceeds benefit conservation efforts.

It’s not too late to register for this weekend’s run.  If you’re already in London, click here to sign up.  They’ll even provide your gorilla suit!

My husband and I are in southern Oregon this week while he works for the Klamath Falls FedEx station.  On Monday, he was driving the coveted Crater Lake route, so I rode along with him for the opportunity to visit the lake again.  But before we got to the lake, we had a stop at the Train Mountain Railroad Museum, and I thought just how much every little boy I know would jump for joy at the existence of such a place.

Southern Oregon is worth a visit for Crater Lake, Ashland’s theater, and all the beautiful scenery, but none of this stuff is really all that fun for a kid.  They may not get what all the fuss is about, but they can appreciate trains.  Every little boy I know, and lots of little girls, too, just adore trains.  There’s a reason Thomas the Tank Engine has been so popular for so long.

Restored Canadian National Railways Sleeper Car

If you bring kids with you to southern Oregon (a trip I’d recommend for all adults — I love it here!), you really need to plan a stop at Train Mountain.

As you approach the museum, railroad tracks line the road, with old train cars dotting the scenery like cows in a pasture.  Some of these train cars are right in people’s yards.  That’s way cooler than plastic flamingos and garden gnomes.

Train rides are available every Sunday in the summer on the museum’s miniature railroad, which was recognized in the 2004 Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s longest miniature hobby railroad.  Train Mountain has over 25 miles of track on its 2000-acre grounds, with railroad cars all over the grounds to explore, and a gift shop for all your railroad souvenir needs.

The inaugural ride on a new piece of track at Train Mountain

Train meets for members and those who own, operate, or have an interest in 7½″ gauge railroading are held seven times a year.  Meet other enthusiasts when you attend these special events — find a schedule here.  In June 2009, there will be a very special Triennial Meet, featuring a mile-long Cavalcade of Trains.  For more information about special events, visit the Train Mountain website or call (541) 783-3030.

Photo by Teri Niedrich

When I first heard about The Trailing of the Sheep Festival, I had two immediate thoughts:  “That is so weird!” and “That is so cool!”  Weird can be good, of course.  And a festival celebrating sheep might not be so weird to me if I’d grown up in a place like Idaho, where sheep are an integral part of the regional history and economy.

At their height in the early 20th century, the sheep population of Idaho reached 2.65 million, far exceeding the human population.  At that time, Ketchum, Idaho, was the world’s second-largest sheep market, behind only Sydney, Australia.  Each spring, sheep migrate north to high mountain pastures, traveling in bands of up to 1,500 sheep.  Then in the fall, the animals retrace their routes and come back southward to the lower elevations.  The first Trailing of the Sheep Festival in 1997 was held in celebration of this return migration, and the festival is now in its 12th year.  This year’s festival dates are October 10-12.

Not just a celebration of sheep, the festival honors the history of the west and its settlers, which were primarily Basque, Scottish, and Peruvian in this area.  You’ll get a taste of these rich cultures with song, dance, crafts, and foods when you visit Sun Valley.

Dancers perform at the Trailing of the Sheep Festival Photo by Teri Niedrich

Highlights of this year’s festival will include workshops and demonstrations on crafts and cooking, musical and theatrical presentations, a parade, a folklife fair, and dog trials, which are new to the event this year.  The dog trials are sanctioned by the U.S. Border Collie Handlers Association, and winners will receive prize money and points toward qualifying for next year’s national trials.

A Sheep Dog shows his stuff Photo by Teri Niedrich

Many events are free to the public, but some are ticketed.  For ticket price information, check the festival’s schedule of events.  Out of town visitors can find lodging information here.  The weather this time of year is typically warm in the daytime and cool in the evenings, which could be perfect camping weather for your group.  Expect to find vibrant fall colors in the trees around you as the leaves will be turning from green to gold, red, and orange in October.

This is not just an event for local Idaho sheep ranchers — visitors come from all over the world to enjoy this three-day celebration.  MSN Travel named The Trailing of the Sheep Festival one of 2007’s Top Ten Fall Festivals.  For a fun and educational getaway for the whole family, The Trailing of the Sheep Festival in Ketchum & Hailey, Idaho is a great place to be this October.

www.flippin-seaman.com

Maybe it’s just the excessive heat, but this summer has felt longer than most.  Nothing against summer, but I’m ready for autumn.  Football and fall foliage are some of my favorite things, but I’m especially looking forward to my annual apple-picking trips.

It’s not quite apple season here in Virginia, but farms all across the country are geared up for the start of pick-your-own season.  As the crops come in, farms will open their gates to visitors who will come from near and far to pick their favorite fruits fresh off trees and vines.  It’s a great excursion for families, groups of friends, and culinary artists looking to get a deal on their jam-making supplies.

I usually make a weekend out of it with friends.  We go down to Nelson County, Virginia, to pick apples at my family farm, which is also open to the general public for pick-your-own apple days throughout the season.  We then pitch our tents on the farm and spend the night eating apples and drinking spiked cider by the campfire.  The next day, the more skilled among us (not me - I’m an eater, not a cook) take their remaining apples home and create delicious things like apple butter and apple pie to share with those of us who wish we were talented enough to make these things ourselves.

www.flippin-seaman.com

Apple season is coming soon, but right now there are blueberries, peaches, and blackberries (in the northern US).  Pick-your-own excursions are great fun for kids, and then you can take your load home with you for cooking projects with your family.  Then later in the fall will be pumpkin season — get your Halloween jack-o-lanterns direct from the patch.

In addition to having a fun day outdoors with your friends and/or family, you can save a lot of money on fresh produce when you buy directly from a farm.  To find a pick-your-own site near you, visit this website.  You’ll also find great recipes for what to do with all the fruit you’re going to bring home.

If you find you can’t possibly eat all the goodies you picked (that’s often my problem), be a hero and bring them into your office to share, or have your kids take them to their friends at school.

With the way all of our cities are rapidly morphing into concrete jungles, I think time on a farm is valuable for everyone, but especially kids.  A pick-your-own farm trip is a great excuse to get some of your extended family together for some fun on the farm and a celebratory feast.