Adventures with less
After years of writing about my adventures, I decided to put together a video to see if I could capture the feel of a typical packrafting trip. I think the video below is a fairly accurate depiction of what many of my trips look like these days. It is almost 20 minutes long (think feature … Read more
The New River Gorge National Park in southern West Virginia is home to some of the best whitewater in the United States. The lower river features heart-pounding class IV and V rapids cutting through a deep gorge , while the upper river offers more moderate class I-III whitewater, serene scenery, and ample opportunities for wildlife … Read more
“Happy Halloween Ike! I enjoyed reading your most recent blog post. What an incredible experience. My curious mind has to know…how does the photographer follow you? Is he rafting as well? I’d like to do some solo hiking/camping in the spring possibly out west. Any favorite destinations?” (3 hours later) “Or….you can let me buy … Read more
Of all the crazy adventures I’ve ever attempted, blending families has no doubt been the most challenging. Voluntarily surrounding oneself with the chaos of four little people with strong opinions and feelings. Trying to be parents to some and friends to others while remaining fair to all. Worrying about maintaining their sense of security, knowing … Read more
I’ve always believed that a person should reinvent themselves every 10 years or so. If you do anything for too long, you stagnate. Life becomes a routine, and it’s all too easy to just phone it in. True growth always takes place at the edge of comfort. The problem is, once you factor in kids, … Read more
2020 was off to an unbelievable start. Lu and I had reconnected and we were starting to share adventures together. For Lu’s birthday in March, we had planned a trip to Rome. We booked our flights and picked out inexpensive but eclectic hotels (thank you, EuroCheapo.com). We’d be staying in a converted monastery in Rome … Read more
For my first big adventure since surgery, I decided to tackle a 150 mile section of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan that I had fallen in love with years before. As always, Ted had offered me a lift, and we chatted easily on the long ride from my ending point to the start of the … Read more
Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’ We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. -Alfred, Lord Tennyson It was 3 … Read more
A cold trickle of water ran through my hair and down the side of my face. I swiped it away irritably as I stomped past what probably would have been some of the Adirondacks’ crown jewels. I tried not to let the weather get to me, but I didn’t always succeed. The forecast now called … Read more
Written October 2016 and subsequently published in Backpacking Light Magazine Vleis are marshy clearings often crisscrossed by streams and are commonly found throughout the Adirondacks. Ever since I first traversed this region, I have developed a healthy respect for these wetlands. They were the most similar thing to quicksand that I had encountered, and I … Read more