American Tales & Trails

“Go west, young man!” Horace Greeley One of my favorite cities in the United States is St. Louis, Missouri. This city on the bank of the mighty Mississippi River was known in former times as the “Gateway to the West” and its history is one that is most significantly and forever intertwined with the westward expansion of the United States. […]

“Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here” Captain John Parker Two hundred and fifty years ago in Massachusetts, not far from Boston, some events took place that would forever change the balance of power in the British colonies and light the fire of Revolution with the “Shot heard round the […]

Western Uinta Mountains, Utah “I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees” Henry David Thoreau East of Salt Lake City, Utah in the north east corner of the state lie the mighty Uinta Mountains. This range is peculiar because it runs east to west rather than the north to south orientation of the Wasatch […]

Albuquerque, New Mexico The Sandia Mountain adventure continues There are all kinds of animals on the mountain including mule deer, black bear, red squirrels, rabbits, racoons, mountain lions, golden eagles, blue jays, bats, foxes, skunks, and chipmunks, so watch out for these critters as you drive this winding road. If you explore up there, be prepared with a good jacket […]

“The most distinctive and perhaps most impressive characteristic of American scenery is its wilderness.” John Muir One of the most amazing urban mountain ranges in the country, the Sandia Mountains, rise abruptly from the New Mexico desert above the city of Albuquerque. The bold escarpment of exposed granite on its west face is an imposing wall that is visible for […]

“An investment in knowledge, pays the best interest. Benjamin Franklin As I’ve traveled all across this Country, I have often found myself in the midst of the urban sprawl where there are no natural trails or great nature experiences to partake of. Not wanting to be a bump on a log, I often go for a city walk to look […]

  ‘The Devil’s Backbone’ There is a very beautiful parkway that stretches 444 miles across three states—Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. This route is called the Natchez Trace Parkway. Along its length as it tunnels its way through the dense forest, you will find picturesque scenery, interpretive waysides, numerous legends, and historical sites. For hundreds and maybe thousands of years, this […]