Boating

Camping

Nature

Everglades City

<p>An Evening on Jewell Key, Everglades National Park</p>
<p>Looking for something different to do, something maybe a trifle adventurous? Consider paddling out to Jewell Key in Everglades National Park and spending the night. Heck, get crazy and spend two!</p>
<p>You'll need a vessel to get there, either a canoe or a kayak. Either can be rented in Everglades City (see Resources at the end of this article). You'll also need a camping permit from the national park. And you'll need camping gear, and food and water. It takes a bit of planning to pull it off.</p>
<p>You find options other than Jewell Key, too. Tiger Key, Picnic Key, Rabbit Key, and Pavilion Key all have lovely campsites. I like Jewell Key because you can see both the sunrise and the sunset from the campsite. Some of the other keys have this feature too, but require a longer paddle.</p>
<p>On the way out look for wildlife. Expect to see exotic-looking birds, bottle-nosed dolphins, and several kinds of fish. You might even see a manatee!</p>
<p>This is not a summer excursion. Visit during the winter, any time between about Thanksgiving and Easter. There are fewer bugs then, and the temperatures are much more comfortable. And those long nights are great for both star-gazing and catching up on your sleep!</p>
<p>So consider a trip out to one of the park's Gulf islands. Who knows, maybe we’ll meet out there!</p>
<p>——————————————————</p>
<p>All text and photos copyright john kumiski 2021. All rights reserved.</p>
<p></p>

<p><strong>Resources</strong></p>
<p><em>Boat Rentals in Everglades City</em></p>
<p><a href="https://evergladesadventures.com">evergladesadventures.com</a> </p>
<p><a href="https://www.evergladesareatours.com/">www.evergladesareatours.com/</a> </p>
<p><a href="http://evergladesadventuretours.net/everglades-canoe-rentals/">evergladesadventuretours.net/everglades-canoe-rentals/</a> </p>
<p>Everglades National Park links</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm">www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm</a> - ENP website</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/gcdirections.htm">www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/gcdirections.htm</a> - Contact for the Gulf Coast Visitor Center</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/wildernesscamp.htm">www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/wildernesscamp.htm</a>  - the wilderness trip planner</p>
<p>camping trip equipment list- <strong><a href="https://www.spottedtail.com/trip-equipment-list/">www.spottedtail.com/trip-equipment-list/</a> </strong></p>

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Everglades National Park adventure! — @undefined's mag on Magma

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Travel

Arizona

<h1><strong>Oatman and Seligman- Tourist Traps Done Right!</strong></h1>
<h2>"If you ever plan to motor west<br>Travel my way<br>Take the highway that's the best<br>Get your kicks on Route 66" -Bobby Troup</h2>
<p>Nearly 100 years ago, Route 66, the Mother Road, was Main Street, America. Chicago to Santa Monica, yeah baby! Then Dwight Eisenhower signed the Interstate Highway system into existence. Once the interstates were built, Route 66 became an afterthought, a road for tourists. Many sections were closed. No longer is it US Route 66.</p>
<p>Tourists driving the road now known as Arizona Route 66 find that drive more than worth their time, though. Oatman and Seligman are two kitschy small towns that owe their continued existence to tourists travelling the road. They're cheesey! They're fun! They're photogenic! They're tourist traps done right!</p>
<p>Please scroll through the following pages to see what you may find along that stretch of road. You may well craft a plan to get YOUR kicks!</p>
<p></p>
<p>All text and photos copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights reserved.</p>

Arizona Route 66 — @undefined's mag on Magma

Photography

Florida

<h1>Which is Better- Sunrise or Sunset?</h1>
<p></p>
<p>Which is better- sunrise or sunset? We don't have a panel of experts to ask, so we'll have to make do with my reasoning- such as it is.</p>
<p>Some folks prefer sunrise. Sunrise signals the end of night, the end of darkness. Sunrise represents the beginning of an exciting new day. Sunrise happens at a time when many people are still sleeping. If you enjoy solitude, this is a good reason to enjoy the sunrise. For maximum sunrise enjoyment, it helps to be a morning person!</p>
<p>Other folks prefer sunset. It happens at a time which is more convenient for many people. You can easily share the beauty of a sunset with friends. Nightfall follows sunset. Nightfall is when lightning bugs come out, crickets start chirping, owls start hooting. I remember playing hide-and-seek at nightfall as a child. It was so much fun! Nightfall is such a magical time of day!</p>
<p>As you scroll through the photos, try and guess whether each is a sunrise, or a sunset!</p>

<h1>Title goes here</h1>
<h2>Subtitle goes here</h2>

<p></p>
<h1>So, which is better- sunrise or sunset? It's silly argument. They are both special. In a photograph, you can't tell which is which! So make it a point to enjoy one, or enjoy the other, or enjoy them both. Each is a great reason to celebrate, and each happens only once every day!</h1>

Sunrise or Sunset? — @undefined's mag on Magma

Fishing

Wood-Tikchik State Park

<p>Fishing Bear Lodge sits at the juncture of the Peace River and Lake Beverly, deep within the 1.6 million acre Wood-Tikchik State Park, the largest such park in the country. Sixty air miles north of Dillingham, the lodge is in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by lakes, forests, and mountains. My kind of place!</p>
<p>Justin and Lisa Johns own and operate the lodge, a family operation accommodating a maximum of eight guests per week. Fishing opportunities include rainbow trout (including the renowned Agulapak River), Arctic grayling, Arctic char, and northern pike. You might catch a Dolly varden or a sockeye salmon, too.</p>
<p>Wood-Tikchik State Park boasts some of North America's most spectacular scenery. You'll be living in the middle of it. You'll see some wildlife, so be ready. Cameras are highly recommended!</p>
<p>To visit their website and get more information about Fishing Bear Lodge, visit <u><a href="https://www.fishingbearlodge.com/">https://www.fishingbearlodge.com</a></u>.</p>

Alaska’s Fishing Bear Lodge — @undefined's mag on Magma

Animals

Whale Pass

<p>The Lodge at Whale Pass</p>
<p>Located at the north end of Prince of Wales Island, water surrounds the Lodge at Whale Pass. That water includes the Pacific Ocean and the Inland Passage. Some small streams, that nonetheless support great fisheries, are found there, too.</p>
<p>In addition to fishing, the Lodge at Whale Pass offers hiking, biking, caving, wildlife watching for birds, bears, and marine mammals, trips to the LeConte Glacier, and more. You find incredible scenery. You can't get bored there!</p>
<p>It was my privilege to work there three seasons as a guide. I captured these images during that time.</p>
<p>Contact the Lodge at Whale Pass at <u><a href="https://lodgeatwhalepass.com/">https://lodgeatwhalepass.com</a></u>.</p>

<p>There are many hikes on the island. This one takes you to Red Bay Lake.</p>

The Lodge at Whale Pass, Alaska — @undefined's mag on Magma

Maine

<p>In 1976, Jim bought the canoe- an Old Town Tripper. He came up with the idea to go to Maine, too, a great idea.</p>
<p>Backcountry trips require a lot of planning and preparation and a certain degree of skill. We bought maps and guidebooks, made lists, purchased equipment, tied flies, and went canoeing every weekend. We learned how to paddle the hard way. Hell yeah, it was rugged falling into those ice-cold rapids, but it was tremendously exciting and oh, so much fun!</p>

<h1>In Camp</h1>
<p>Make camp, break camp. Make camp, break camp. It quickly becomes a routine on a canoe trip. Layover days are luxuries, to be savored and appreciated. Most days are spent paddling.</p>

<p>Youth passes. Responsibilities grow. I look back on my days paddling in Maine and the rest of New England with fondness, knowing I will probably never paddle there again.</p>

<p>All photos were shot with a Konica Auto-S and a Canon AE-1 with a 50 mm lens between 1976 and 1980. Film was most likely a mix of Kodak Plus-X and Tri-X but honestly, I can't remember.</p>
<p>To see the entire memoir, visit <a href="https://johnkumiski.com/maine/">https://johnkumiski.com/maine/</a> </p>

Canoeing in Maine- a Memoir — @undefined's mag on Magma

King Salmon

<h1>A Visit to Alaska’s Katmai Lodge</h1>

<p>A Visit to Alaska's Katmai Lodge</p>
<p>Katmai Lodge, located on Alaska's wild and scenic Alagnak River, offers visitors world-class fishing for trout, salmon, and grayling. They offer so much more.</p>
<p>You'll eat well, including shore lunches of freshly caught grilled salmon.</p>
<p>Watch incredible wildlife from your boat, on the river. You see brown bear, moose, fox, birds of all kinds. Fly out to Brooks Falls to see the largest concentration of brown bears on the planet.</p>
<p>As if fishing in the Alagnak was not enough, you can fly out and fish other streams, too.</p>
<p>Visit the ruins of the Russian Orthodox church, downstream from the lodge. The original Bible still sits on the altar.</p>
<p>If this isn't enough, staff can arrange helicopter tours and more. A trip to Katmai Lodge is the trip of a lifetime.</p>
<p>For more information visit the Katmai Lodge website at <a href="https://www.katmai.com">https://www.katmai.com</a> </p>

A visit to Alaska’s Katmai Lodge. — @undefined's mag on Magma

Hiking

England

<h1>Hiking England's Hadrian's Wall Path</h1>
<p>During the second century, The Roman Empire extended into what we now call England. The Romans were there about 400 years! In 122 A.D., the Emperor Hadrian paid Brittania a visit. He found that the three legions of soldiers stationed there had little to do.</p>
<p>Hadrian was no fool. Tribes from what is now Scotland would raid Roman settlements periodically. A fortified wall would protect the settlements, give control over immigration, and allow collection of customs taxes. Bored soldiers cause trouble, so he gave them something to do- build a wall across the island.</p>
<p>Construction took six years. Hadrian's Wall was occupied until the late fourth century, when all Roman troops were recalled for what proved to be the last defense of Rome.</p>

<p>Once the Romans left, the locals realized they had an excellent source of building material, both for structures and roads. The Wall began to disappear.</p>
<p>During the 1800s a man named John Clayton, the classic eccentric Englishman, became enthusiastic about preserving the Wall. He bought large portions of land along which the Wall ran, and restored what he could.</p>

<p></p>
<p>The Wall was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987. It is in fact the longest, best-preserved example of Roman fortifications anywhere. In 2003 the National Footpath was opened, running the length of the Wall.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Susan and I hiked this path, starting in Newcastle and going west to Carlisle. When I tell people we walked across England, they "ooh" and "ahh" like it's a big deal. It's only 80 miles, folks! England is a fairly small island! We took ten days, taking it easy, stopping at pubs and tea rooms for lunch and staying at bed and breakfasts at night.</p>

<p>We would leave the B&amp;B in the morning carrying some water, some snacks, a first aid kit, raincoats, and cameras. A company called MACS Adventure would come to the B&amp;B some time later and pick up the rest of our luggage, then transport it to our destination for that evening. When we arrived at the next B&amp;B, our things would already be in our rooms. It was all very civilized!</p>

<h2>We spent a month in England and saw many fantastic historic and cultural places- Evensong Service at Westminster Abbey, a performance of the Royal Shakespeare Company, the entire city of York, the Roman baths at Bath, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Tower of London, and much more. But by far the highlight of our trip was the walk along the Hadrian's Wall Path. Highly recommended!</h2>
<h2></h2>
<h2>For more information visit <u><a href="https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_US/trails/hadrians-wall-path/">https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_US/trails/hadrians-wall-path/</a></u>&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
<p></p>
<p>For information about MACS Adventure, visit <u><a href="https://www.macsadventure.com/us/walking-tours/uk-walking-tours/england/hadrians-wall">https://www.macsadventure.com/us/walking-tours/uk-walking-tours/england/hadrians-wall</a></u></p>

Hiking England’s Hadrian’s Wall Path — @undefined's mag on Magma

<h2>A Trip on Florida's Big Bend Paddling Trail</h2>

<p>Running tenuously along a portion of Florida's Gulf Coast, the Big Bend Paddling Trail snakes its way from the Aucilla River to Yankeetown. It's 160 mostly undeveloped miles of wild coastline, dominated by salt marsh, oysters, and turtle grass flats. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission maintains the northern section of the trail, the Florida Park Service the southern part.</p>
<p>Mike Conneen and I paddled a portion, from the Aucilla River to Steinhatchee. Although it was only 70 miles, fierce headwinds made every day but one a lengthy and tiring battle with the elements. We both agreed it was the toughest trip we had ever taken. In spite of that we had time to catch some fish and observe nature. We both agreed it was a trip well worth taking.</p>
<p>To get more information to help with your own trip planning, visit the FWC website at <a href="https://myfwc.com/recreation/lead/big-bend/paddling-trail/">https://myfwc.com/recreation/lead/big-bend/paddling-trail/</a> .</p>

Paddling Florida’s Big Bend — @undefined's mag on Magma

<p>The Florida Trail runs 1,000 miles, from Big Cypress National Preserve to Fort Pickens at Gulf Islands National Seashore, in Pensacola. Another 300 miles are planned. Also known as the Florida National Scenic Trail, the Florida Trail provides permanent non-motorized recreation opportunity for hiking and other compatible activities and is within an hour of most Floridians.</p>
<p>Florida is home to a unique range of environments not seen anywhere else in the world; this means that there are amazing wildlife and nature viewing opportunities on the FT. The Trail crosses both urban and remote wilderness areas, and traverses a variety of semi-tropical ecosystems. From swamps to forests to prairies to springs, there are endless habitat exploration opportunities.</p>
<p>I'm fortunate that the trail passes within a five minute walk from my home. The other day I took a walk of a couple of miles, and got these photographs.</p>
<p>For more information, contact the Florida Trail Association at www.floridatrail.org.</p>

The Florida Trail — @undefined's mag on Magma

Anchorage

<h1>ALASKA</h1>
<p>Everybody wants to visit.</p>
<p>Goodnews River Lodge sits at the edge of the Goodnews River, five miles from the village of Goodnews Bay, ten miles from the icy waters of the Bering Sea. Anchorage is almost 400 miles distant.</p>

<p>The weather can be terrible or awe-inspiring, or sometimes both at once.</p>
<p>The bugs might try to suck you dry, but often there are none at all.</p>

A visit to Alaska’s Goodnews River Lodge — @undefined's mag on Magma

<h2>River, a rescue dog and a service dog, has a human named Mike. River provides Mike with emotional support- friendship and much more. Their bond goes deeper than friendship, delving into love.</h2>
<h2>Recently they went kayak camping together. This is a small slice of that story. </h2>

A service dog goes on an adventure. — @undefined's mag on Magma

<h1>Fly Fishing Florida's Everglades by Paddle</h1>
<h1></h1>
<h2>When people think about the Everglades, waving oceans of sawgrass typically come to mind. You can find that there. But the Gulf of Mexico washes scores of miles of Everglades National Park shores. You find the world's healthiest mangrove forests here.</h2>

<p>Exploring those forests by paddling, carrying  fly rod, equals great adventure. If you want to fully explore this vast area by paddle, you must camp.</p>
<p></p>
<p>By doing this you can observe the intracacies of this fantastic ecosystem.</p>

<p>
  <h1>You see lots of wildlife.</h1>
</p>

<h2>For more information, see my book, <strong>Fishing Florida by Paddle</strong>, published by the History Press. https://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/</h2>