Traveling Twosome
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Lacing Up Our Hiking Boots and Hitting the Trails

5/21/2016

6 Comments

 
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Another activity we missed while spending most of the past year in Mexico was hiking. There are plenty of hikeable spots in the Mexican highlands, of course, but in flat Playa del Carmen, most of the "hiking" involved stepping up the sometimes substantial concrete street curbs.  We longed for woodland hikes, and since starting our RV trek, we have taken some good ones.

​​​It has been great lacing up our old hiking boots, pulling out our trusty trekking poles, and hearing, smelling, and seeing all that a lush, green forest has to offer.  The birds, the streams, the sound of the wind in the leaves...ahhhh.   Besides the ticks -- there have been plenty of those as well.  This seems to be a banner year for them.  And chiggers!  I'd forgotten all about those little spawn of the devil, but I'm covered with welts and have been itching like crazy.  I guess this is the price we pay for living in the woods this time of year.  (Note:  It's still worth it.)

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In the Talladega National Forest in Alabama, we hiked the Coleman Lake Loop Trail and part of the Pinhoti Trail
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​So, as summer fast approaches and insects become even more numerous, our hiking days will be winding down for awhile, but we'll certainly get back to more of this in the fall.  

​I can't wait.
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6 Comments
Allison link
5/22/2016 12:28:24 am

I lived in Atlanta for ten years when I was a kid. Chiggers and gnats are a large part of my memories of that time. I HATE chiggers!

Reply
Emily
5/24/2016 08:52:53 am

They are the worst! My bites have finally stopped itching, so I hope we can stay north and west of the chiggers from now on. They are as evil as ticks!

Reply
Travel with Kevin and Ruth link
5/22/2016 12:31:58 pm

It is always nice to get out an hike! Glad you had a good one.

Mexico doesn't have many established hiking trails but we never let that stop us, we would find an old dirt road an just follow that to see where it led us. We found some interesting things by doing that.

Ruth

Reply
Emily
5/24/2016 08:55:44 am

We agree, and we found a few nice hikes in inland Mexico, Ruth. You and Kevin travel in much more hiking-friendly spots in Mexico than our latest stint in Playa. There is so much pavement there, and of course heat and humidity!

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Beck link
5/22/2016 01:48:50 pm

We missed the good hiking weather here in Arizona this year. It's way too hot now, not to mention rattlesnakes are out! I'm looking forward to a little hiking in Colorado in June!

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Emily
5/24/2016 08:57:45 am

That sounds wonderful, Beck. We have been warned of snakes on our hikes here in the south, but so far, all that we've seen is a black snake -- one of the good guys. We have hiked a bunch in the southwest and saw a rattler even in February (actually on a bike ride in Saguaro National Park), so you never know. Just gotta stay alert and keep the eyes and ears open, right?

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    ©2018 by Barry & Emily Smith .All rights reserved.
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    Emily & Barry

    We're a long-married, early-retired couple who are currently traveling as nomads with no fixed home base.  After years of living in North Carolina (Emily's home state), we spent 18 months living oceanfront on Ambergris Caye, Belize, a year road-tripping the US in a Honda CR-V, a year in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, and are now roaming North America in our 32' motorhome, Pearl, following warm weather whenever possible.

    Our passions are bicycling, walking and hiking, birding, continuing our midlife struggles to learn Spanish, enjoying healthy food (and the occasional donuts & pie!), traveling (duh!)  We travel with a fleet of bicycles and Paisley, our 10-year old Boston Terrier. 

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    Paisley, May 2016
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    States visited (pre-RV)
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    Pearl, a 2007 Newmar Bay Star
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    States visited in "Pearl"

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  • Traveling Twosome Blog
  • BeBelize - Our life in Belize (2011-2013)
  • Earlier adventures (2003-2010)
    • First Belize Trip 2010
    • Fall Sail Cruise Aboard Logos 2009
    • Conch Key 2007
    • Charleston Sailing School 2007
    • Biscayne Bay Sailing School 2007
    • Key Lime Sailing Club 2006
    • Southwest Parks 2006
    • BEYC/Jost van Dyke, BVI 2005
    • Offshore Sailing School 2004
    • Annapolis Sailboat Show 2004
    • Finger Lakes 2004
    • NY State Bike Tour 2004
    • Biras Creek, BVI 2003