Tag Archives: travel

Tarantula, Rainbow, Mesquite Night

Posted on March 11, 2023 by rivertoprambles

This post is basically a photo album of our winter break near Big Bend National Park in southwestern Texas. This is the fourth and final post about our visit, a reflection of family time enjoyed in the desert environs of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Big Bend National Park, desert, family, hiking, mountains, nature, photography, Terlingua, Texas, travel, writing | 15 Comments

Boquillas and Beyond

Posted on January 29, 2023 by rivertoprambles

[For this third installment of my Big Bend series, all photos, again, by Brent & Alyssa Franklin.] Start the day with coffee on the patio, with wren and quail and thrasher stepping near, with three dawn coyotes hunting leisurely in … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Big Bend, Boquillas, burros, donkey, hiking, Mexico, poverty, R.L. Stevenson, Rio Grande, Santa Elena Canyon, travel, writing | 11 Comments

Two Hikes, Terlingua

Posted on January 14, 2023 by rivertoprambles

For this second post of my Big Bend National Park series, all photos are by Brent Franklin or Alyssa Franklin and accepted here with thanks. It’s been said that to really know the world of your environment, you’ve first got … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged backcountry, Big Bend, canyons, Chisos Mountains, entry, hiking, landscapes, Lost Mine, Pour-off, rockslide, Southwest Airlines, travel, wild nature | 16 Comments

Islands of the Sky (Big Bend)

Posted on January 6, 2023 by rivertoprambles

The Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park have been described as “sky islands surrounded by desert.” I’ve had an opportunity to delve into those remote volcanic isles, to note their varying temperatures and moisture levels, from the Rio Grande, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Big Bend National Park, Chihuahuan Desert, Chisos Mountains, exploration, hiking, Islands of the sky, Mexico, poetry, Rio Grande, Texas, travel, wild nature, writing | 10 Comments

No Room to Gripe

Posted on December 2, 2022 by rivertoprambles

Responding to my previous post about removal of the Klamath River dams, a friend of Rivertop Rambles, Tio Stib, responded favorably to the prospect of environmental change and also reminisced about his angling in the Klamath region. One of Tio’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Allegheny River, fishing, nature, Oregon, rainbow trout, Sand & Sage, Spring Creek, The Trails Beyond, travel, Western River Cycle, Williamson River, writing | 25 Comments

Newfoundland, Part 4, Conclusion

Posted on July 23, 2022 by rivertoprambles

First of all, we boarded ship with about 30 other passengers at O’Brien’s Boat Tours for a two-hour ride on the Atlantic in search for whales and puffins. Back at St. Johns, the manager at our boarding house had told … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Atlantic, birding, boating, dolphins, family, nature, Newfoundland, puffins, Screech, Screeched-in, travel, whales, writing | 20 Comments

Newfoundland, Part 3

Posted on July 22, 2022 by rivertoprambles

On our trans-island route to the eastern peninsulas of Newfoundland, we passed a lot of tempting trout and salmon rivers. Eventually we would meet Atlantic Dave, a white-haired boat tour captain and a former teacher now living in Terwillengate, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Atlantic Ocean, birding, boating, culture, eagles, family, fishing, guiding, nature, Newfoundland, travel | 14 Comments

Newfoundland, Part 2

Posted on July 20, 2022 by rivertoprambles

The Tablelands at Gros Morne National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), north of Corner Brook (see map), are dry red-rock formations uplifted from the Earth’s mantle. The natural mineral, periditite, is poisonous for most vegetation, with a few exceptions. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged birding, boating, camping, fishing, Gros Morne NP, hiking, nature, Newfoundland, photograpy, Pissing Mare Falls, Tablelands, travel, writing | 15 Comments

Newfoundland, Part 1

Posted on July 17, 2022 by rivertoprambles

The long drive north from Rhode Island to the Nova Scotia ferry crossing was a difficult journey for a guy with upcoming back surgery, but the overall trip was wonderful. With my wife and my daughter catching up on sleep … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged birding, Canada, dining, fishing, Gros Morne N.P., hiking, nature, Newfoundland, puffins, Tablelands, travel | 27 Comments

Photos, Art and Nature

Posted on June 11, 2022 by rivertoprambles

Few words today, as I reflect on the activities of the past few weeks and look forward to my rapidly approaching trip to Newfoundland. With luck, I may have some interesting reflections to share with you from that Atlantic province … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged art, birds, birdwatching, folk art, nature, photos, Pittsburgh, transitions, travel, trout | 20 Comments