November 7th, 2010
This is the third of three posts describing a trip for which I was the US representative from Zephyr Adventures, which runs their Royal Inca Trail Trekking adventure with local experts from Apumayo.
Machu Picchu
- Machu Picchu
(See related password free photo albums on Picasa.)
The overnight downpour had me worried, but fortunately, we awoke to high clouds for our Machu Picchu visit. We beat the crowd by leaving on the 6am bus, and as we paused to explore all the important places in the ruins, Santiago did a wonderful job of educating us about its significance, both historically and astrologically.
Santiago knew that the 400 reservations to climb Wayna Picchu were sold out, but Pam was eager to go with me, so he approached the entrance gate and said we’d lost our tickets. The guy believed him, of course (two middle aged blond women!). To our gratification, the stone path was not slippery and there was no crowd.
Read more... (794 words, 3 images, estimated 3:11 mins reading time)
Tags: Inca cities, Lima, Maras salt pans, Moray laboratory ruins, Peruvian lifestyles
Posted in Adventures, Liz's Journal | 4 Comments »
November 6th, 2010
This is the second of three posts describing a trip for which I was the US representative from Zephyr Adventures, which runs their Royal Inca Trail Trekking adventure with local experts from Apumayo.
Trekking Day 1
(See related password free photo albums on Picasa.)
Though I saw this section in 2008, hiking the first leg of the Classic Inca trail was even more impressive with sunshine to highlight the views of the ruins, the Urubamba River valley, the mountains, and up close, the blossoms of a Peruvian highland springtime. Read more... (1308 words, 7 images, estimated 5:14 mins reading time)
Tags: Hiking in Peru, Inca ruins, Royal Inca Trail, trekking journal, Urubamba River
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November 5th, 2010
This is the first of three posts describing a trip for which I was the US representative from Zephyr Adventures, which runs their Royal Inca Trail Trekking adventure with local experts from Apumayo.
Tags: Inca trail, Ollantaytambo, Peru, Peruvian highlands, Sacred Valley
Posted in Adventures, Liz's Journal | Comments Closed
October 30th, 2010
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October 3rd, 2010
I am currently hiking several miles of hillside trails every week to prepare for my role as guide for Zephyr Adventures’ Royal Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu, starting on October 17. The dust dims the sheen of my new backpacking boots, my packing list gets longer, and I read (tragic) stories from the 1500s about the conquest of Peru. I go to the gym, I dive into my full-time day job and I give the occasional skate lesson, but really, my heart and head are in Peru for a good portion of every day. Read more... (502 words, 6 images, estimated 2:00 mins reading time)
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September 1st, 2010
Typical braking issues
Best starting stance
When trying to brake, if you look anything like the photo on the left, then it’s time you learned the proper posture for making your brake do what it was designed to do. Once you nail the right stance, you’ll be rewarded with better braking effectiveness and confidence. And that means a whole new world of skating destinations will open up for you!
On the left, my trusty model Staci Stance would roll right into traffic because she is: Read more... (381 words, 2 images, estimated 1:31 mins reading time)
- Not bending the left knee enough to get a low center of gravity
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August 28th, 2010
After over 15 years of teaching inline skaters, I have honed the instructions in my lessons to a toolkit of the most effective words and demonstrations. But once the lesson is over and my students have gone home, I can’t give feedback and tips about how to get the most from their skate practice sessions. On the trails, I see skaters who have no idea that they could be going a lot faster or farther with just a couple of minor adjustments to their skating posture. Read more... (211 words, 1 image, estimated 51 secs reading time)
- Staci Stance demonstrates heel braking
Tags: Skating postures
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August 22nd, 2010
Imagine five days of great people, great scenery, and the best inline skating trails you could possibly imagine! I was fortunate to be one of three guides for the August 2010 Zephyr Adventures Idaho Skate Tour in northern Idaho’s Silver Country.
On Idaho's beautiful Trail of the Couer d'Alenes
Bridges span rivers and lakes on this converted rail trail
Last Sunday, twenty eight active folks from across the country and beyond — ranging in age from their 30s to 70s — jumped into two large passenger vans with skate gear in hand. Those who had just flown in found themselves rolling on the tree-lined Fish Lake Trail in eastern Washington state within a few hours of landing. This short 7-mile route with a swimming lake nearby made a perfect first-day trail. Read more... (234 words, 4 images, estimated 56 secs reading time)
Tags: Court d'Alene rail trail, Idaho silver country, Zephyr Adventures skate tour
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August 8th, 2010
Today we skated the Iron Horse Trail section that extends from Rudgear road to Monument Boulevard and back. (See a complete write up of Iron Horse Regional Trail North on CASkating.com.) We started near the upgraded staging area at Rudgear, with its benches and a water fountain, completed in late 2009. Lots of happy trail users were out enjoying the beautiful morning in Walnut Creek.
On this northern portion of the Iron Horse, the surface is generally in good condition except for one section alongside Walnut Creek which continues to degrade. The wash-boarding is bad enough to knock a skater down or to throw a bicyclist off her bike. It’s about time the city or the park district did something about this growing hazard. Read more... (267 words, 1 image, estimated 1:04 mins reading time)
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July 25th, 2010
Brake lock-up
Ever get a rock stuck between your rear wheel and the brake pad? Ooo, I hate when that happens! And it’s usually when I’m braking on a steep downhill or speedily approaching a traffic-filled intersection. If you have ever been there, you know how desperate this situation can feel. Here are some techniques that may save your skin. Read more... (289 words, 1 image, estimated 1:09 mins reading time)
- With weight shifted to the non-braking skate, forcefully slap the brake skate’s wheels backward on the pavement to force a reverse spin and dislodge whatever has immobilized that skate.
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