Category Archives: Background

Norwegian Arctic Islands Tour

Background, Year 6

Where do folks who live in northern Minnesota near Frostbite Falls where temperatures drop to -40F in the winter (not including chill factor) go on their summer vacation? Obviously the Arctic! Three years ago my wife, Molly, and I traveled to Tromso above the Norwegian Arctic Circle to enjoy some cross-country skiing and Northern Lights. We loved the area, and vowed to come back sometime when it was warmer.

That sometime has arrived, and in one week we travel to Tromso. For the first time we are not touring 100% self-supported. Due to the lack of accommodations and the fact at age 63 I do not wish to sleep on the ground every night in a tent, our tour combines a locally provided self-guided tour from Tromso down through the Lofoten Islands, followed by four additional days on a route near Bodo designed by me. Using the local tour option allows us to bunk out in private fisherman’s cabins.

The other difference is for this trip we are renting bicycles. When we toured in Scotland TSA messed up my bicycle at the airport. In the private security area unbeknownst to me they very poorly unpacked, inspected and repacked my bicycle. Upon arriving in Scotland I discovered a TSA Inspection Notice inside my bike box. I decided given the cost and hassle to getting our own bikes to Norway, we could live with rented bicycles for 18 days. Our tour ends with four days on the Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Ferry over the top of Norway to Kirkenes near the Russian border.

As a fyi … posts will be fewer and farther between over the next 2.5 months. I will be spending most of this time bicycle touring in Norway and then the United States. I will definitely both “bird and bike”, posting when I have time plus a decent web connection. Finally, we have some friends staying in our home. Thus, I do not mind letting people know we are out of town.

In some other cycling news, Molly was just published yesterday in Adventure Cycling (the national magazine for touring cyclists). Read her article …

Arctic Snowy Owl Cam

Background, Year 6

It’s time to enjoy the Snowy Owl Nest Cam live from up on Alaska’s Arctic Tundra. The Owl Research Institute and Explore.Org have combined for this great learning experience. The Owl Research Institute has worked for over 30 years to further our understanding of owls, including Snowies. Both organizations are worthy of your support. I used Explore’s snapshot tool while watching the owl family to take the images accompanying this blog post. Both parents are often now away from the nest hunting to feed a hungry family.

Visit the Owl Research Institute’s web site to learn more. You need to create an account with Explore.Org (free) if you wish to use the snapshot tool. Be aware the snapshots you take dramatically lag what you are seeing in real time on your computer’s display. As a fyi, I support the Owl Research Institute with both financial and book donations (see my children’s books).

Snowy Owl Family (Male Snowy Owl arriving with a lemming)

Snowy Owl Cam (direct link)

Snowy Owl Family (lots of images taken using the snapshot tool)

Photos, Photos and More Photos!

Background, Year 6

I have been doing some housekeeping with my Flickr and Instagram accounts.  I often upload many more photographs to my Flickr account than I post to this blog, and create albums by topic. The albums evolve over time.

Flickr Albums:

Here is a sample / photo of a Steak Backed Oriole making a nest from my Costa Rican collection.