Posts by Rick Juliusson
Cycling “The Wolf’s Lair” in Italy
A week of bikepacking “The Wolf’s Lair” in Italy to celebrate a friend’s 60th birthday? YES! Do I know where the Abruzzo region of Italy is, or who are the other 3 Rugged Men I’ll be sharing meals and beds with, or how to say “Flat Tire” in Italian, or how to ride a bike…
Read MoreRocca Calascio – Italy’s Castle in the Sky
Day One of cycling through the stunning Italian countryside ended at the fairy-tale “Rocca Calascio,” which has been declared one of the 15 most beautiful castles in the world by National Geographic. The first day of any ride is always hard as muscles and mind take time to toughen up. Leaving L’Aquila was particularly gruelling…
Read MoreL’Aquila, Italy
For the next 8 days I’ll be cycling way up in those Abruzzo Mountains of Italy. For now, here’s a quick photo dump from this beautiful city of L’Aquila. It took 6 hours and 3 trains to get here, but oh so worth it! After a devastating 2009 earthquake destroyed much of the town, and…
Read MoreLiving the Legends of Ireland
For a wee tiny nation, Ireland has a huge footprint in global consciousness. In Canada we grew up with Lucky Charms cereal, the Irish Rovers music, leprechauns on 4-leaf clovers, green McDonalds milkshakes for St. Patrick’s Day, and sturdy men in outdoor showers lathered with Irish Spring soap. But a two-week house sit in Schull…
Read MorePerfect Day in Ireland
On a lazy Saturday in County Cork, Ireland, we decided to do a Camino training day by walking 20 kilometers. After a half-hour morning dog walk (not part of the 20 km), we drove half an hour along the coast to hike the 14km Goortdubh Loop out of Goleen. The winding one-track road took us…
Read MoreTurning a House-Sit into a Home
We come through the door timidly, respectfully. The host family welcomes us into Their Space, introduces us to Their Dogs, informs us of how to find and use Their Stuff. They are entrusting Their Precious Home (and animals) to us, their Trusted Housesitters, and in exchange for a free place to stay, our job at…
Read MoreParis and the Slow Movement Movement
Paris seems like an odd place to muse upon Going Slow. But a Joy of travel isn’t just seeing new places; it’s how they help you reflect and reshape your understanding of your own wacky ways and world. Slow is not my habitual gear. Whether on the soccer field or plowing through the endless Things…
Read MoreFlavigny-sur-Ozerain: Medieval Magique
Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche fell in love here in Flavigny-sur-Ozerain. Belle lamented that “there must be more than this provincial life” in a French town just like this. For one week at least, there was nothing to lament about this Peaceful medieval town. A few hours by fast train South-east of Paris, the long…
Read MoreIceland in 3 Days
What can we say about Iceland, or any country, after just three days? For our 25th anniversary we treated ourselves to a stopover in Iceland, just long enough to know that we want to come back for months, not days. A friend asked us for one word to describe Iceland – I’ve managed to winnow…
Read More25th Wedding Anniversary
In celebration of our 25th anniversary, here’s something I wrote just 4 tender weeks into our union. Still every bit as enraptured 25 years later. This time four weeks ago i was a single man, camping with a growing number of close friends old and new along the paths of Mt. Ranier, preparing for a…
Read More