We are often put in a situation of what to do for a 2-day weekend. You have enough hotel points that the room will be free, you just have to find someone to come walk the dog, and an interesting…
Should I do the Timeshare FREE Vacation?
If you’re like me, you belong to all kinds of travel-related loyalty plans. Every frequent flier program, every major hotel chain, several credit cards who have conned you into getting a “free flight” or two. With great loyalty comes great…
Day Tripping with Rick – Biking the Trail to Pittsburgh
As you may know, we live just south of Pittsburgh in the Youghiogheny River Valley. Our yard abuts the Yough River Trail which is a rails-to-trails project which allows us to walk and bike along the river. The trail is…
Daytripping with Rick – Sonora Gold Country
California is a great place to visit. Most people go to the big cities. Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. While the southern part of the state is ok (see my post on San Diego), by far the best…
Daytripping with Rick – Healdsburg Food Tour
Food, Wine and Family My wife Denise is a Zacharia from birth. The Zacharia clan has long-reaching tentacles. Our sister-in-law, Gayle, grew up in Northern California, and still has family there. One of her cousins is a city councilwoman for…
Scuba Diving in Gilboa Quarry, Ohio
Where??? Gilboa Quarry, that’s where. I’ve been a certified scuba diver for about 30 years having taken “the plunge” as a student at Florida. The problem is that while Pittsburgh is the City of Champions (Go Pens!), and an…
Daytripping with Rick – Biking Yosemite Valley
As national parks go, Yosemite is the crown jewel. And Yosemite Valley is star in the middle of the crown. A narrow inlet into the high Sierras, the place looks majestic and ancient. But although the stone monoliths are a…
Daytripping with Rick – Sonoma Valley Winery Tour
I love to vacation with my wife’s family. Apart from being great people, they are world class when it comes to food and drink. We always have great meals and drink too much, but hey, that’s what vacation is for.…
Day Tripping with Rick – The Sonoma Coast – The Wide Pacific, Seafood, and the Birds
As part of our week in the Russian River wine country, we made a great day trip to the coast. A nice easy drive to the coast, then a stop in a small hamlet made famous by Alfred Hitchcock, and…
Day Tripping with Rick – Northern California Wine Country – The Russian River Valley
So. If you’re married to a great woman, and she hits a milestone birthday, where do you go to celebrate it? Well, if you’re smart (I am), then the answer is “Anywhere she wants”. That’s how we ended up in…