Bike in Tree

A bike in a tree? Is this suppose to be symbolic or allegorical or a metaphor for bikers passing by on Route 125 in Central Vermont? Indeed, it could be all three because the Appalachian Gap Road, as it's called, is about as impossible a climb for riders to conquer as making sense of a bike in a tree.

The Gap is not just scenic, it's windy and dangerous and can easily raise the hairs on the back of your neck as you maneuver over 2,149 feet in altitude. This mountain pass or gap, as said in Vermont, would make for an ideal location to shoot a dramatic car chase scene like in a James Bond flick. The road is 7.25 miles and was established in 1987 under the Vermont Scenic Roads Law. It bends and twists through the upper regions of the Green Mountain National Forest where outdoor recreation activities like hiking and biking are popular.

There is a small turnoff at the very top but it comes up quickly so be watchful for it. My car reeked of burning oil when I finally pulled over for photos of the valley. Nola told me that she outwitted this passage a number of times with powerbars and practice. It was Nola who suggested that I take it coming home from Smuggs on Sunday and, boy, am I ever glad I did.

This Spring or Summer I might need to come back with a new 27 speed Schwinn and see for myself what impossible dreams I can make happen.

Glade Country

Glade: A tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area where skiing is done back and forth through the trees.


Few are as photogenic as a Phish-friendly, Ben & Jerry enjoying, modern-day liberal Vermonter. This burly left-leaning boarder offered to take my picture but I insisted that I take his. Vermont holds a storied snowboarding history with founders like Jake Burton of Burton Snowboards hailing from Londonderry, Vermont and the first National Snowboard race held near Woodstock, Vermont in the early 1980's. But snowboarding and skiing aren't the only activities Smuggs has to offer.

Nola and I kept pace today with tube sliding, snowshoe tours, speed skiing, cross-country skiing and even ice skating. I also found time to click off a few shots of the family 'FunZone' entertainment center, lap pool, hot tubs, village stores and many restaurants.

After dark, a small stone hearth just outside our condo is lighted for roasting marshmallows and staring at the stars. Smuggs is a romantic vacation paradise deep inside a cavernous valley of tall pines and frosty peaks. Mount Mansfield, the highest peak in the Green Mountains and a range of surrounding hilltops silhouette against a full-moon. There lingers the smell of woodstove wafting in the crisp chilly air and, call me crazy, but I'd pick this poison over sticky sunshine any day.

Even the personalities at Smuggs are inviting. Oliver, the Glade Architect (not shown here) has a background both in logging and ski instruction, so he knows which trees to preserve and which to remove. His job requires months of mapping, precision cutting, heavy hauling and testing. Only after Oliver approves every square inch of ungroomed terrain is the glade allowed to open to the public. Last month, even the Weather Channel found Olivers story compelling enough for a full-blown feature.

The great outdoors builds an appetite so by 6pm my crew of 3 stops for reservations at a fabulous log restaurant 1 mile from Smuggs called The Three Mountain Lounge. Owners Colleen and Steve Blood prepare us a traditional dinner of hearty classics like Chicken Pot Pie, Rainbow Trout and North Atlantic Halibut. This was but a subtext for a dollop of homemade Vermont Maple Walnut icecream split three-ways and devoured in seconds.

Since romance is the subtext of Vermont, Valentines would be the perfect time for you and your sweetie to find some respite as well.

Escape to Smuggs

No need to fly 3000 miles for endless runs and big air, the winds are howling at Smugglers Notch near Stowe, Vermont. I escaped Albany yesterday with my friend Nola for a 4 hour journey north to the best skiing in all of Vermont, if not the entire Northeast. Without powder, Colorado has nothing on this place - I think even Bodie Miller would agree.

Madonna Mountain was a favorite for us today. I think it's named that for the bras and panties that hang off tree limbs on your way up one of the lifts. The mountain gave us quite a chill ascending the summit but the ride down couldn't have been sweeter and virtually free of traffic. The best boarders and skiers survived the newest glades with their children in tow. Yes, even some children are good enough to swoosh in between trees in these parts. There are 22 marked glades for every ability level with over 750 acres of all-access terrain to explore between trails. Smuggs markets itself as a family fun spot but don't let that fool you. This place is anything but child's play. Sure, it has it's gentle pitches and groomed surfaces but the mogul runs and no-nonsense double-black-diamond runs are a serious struggle.

After a day of bumps, bruises and carving, Nola and I tossed our lame bodies into the village pool and hot tub. There we bumped into Robbie again, an accident-pro daredevil from Ohio who took a spill earlier when we caught him nursing his soars in the cafeteria. Now, his eyeball had a quarter-size bruise with broken blood vessels forming underneath it. It looked troublesome but Robbie wore his wound like a badge of honor. Crazy teens.

More to tell tomorrow...

The New Netherland Project

This is Charly Gehring. He's the world's leading historian on Dutch language, culture and economic expansion in the New World. He's also responsible for cleaning up miles of fragile documents describing life in early Dutch America. Some of the pages have survived multiple fires, hungry rats, thieves and even water damage. But preserving precious treasures like these are what Charly does best. He better, he's been doing it for 30 years.

Next year is an important one: it's New York State's 400th or Quadricentennial anniversary. It all began in the Spring of 1609 when an experienced explorer named Henry Hudson and a crew of 20 English and Dutch seamen sailed north up the Hudson river. By September, they reached what is now the capital of New York State: Albany. At the time, the fertile ground was desirable for fishing, fur trading and farming so Hudson stayed. A Dutch settlement formed called Fort Orange (under the current 787 bypass) and as they say, the rest is history.

PilotGirl Productions, with the help of the Talented Mr. Shenise of Shenise Productions and the ever-resourceful Luzerne Productions spent all morning videotaping Charly with our dueling Panasonic HD cameras. In the process, we learned about several more historic Dutch figures like General Peter Minuit who bought Manhattan Island from the Indians in exchange for axes, knives and guns. The story is popularly repeated as a $24 exchange but that's not factually accurate, said Charly. During the break, I asked if there might be traces of Dutch colonization still present in lower Manhattan. He said, that in fact, there was. A few years back archeologists unearthed the brick foundation of a Dutch Colonial Court House later preserving it as a landmark in Battery Park for all to see. Make a note.

Let me repeat, for 30 years Charly's been instrumental in transcription and translation of burned, buried or lost Dutch documents in New York State depositories. This is obviously a labor of love as well as a project of magnanimous proportions for scholars, historians, researchers, curators, genealogists and educators. The not-for-profit project is called The New Netherland Project and more can be studied, discovered and donated on it's website.

Justice, Democracy and Hope through Travel

"There are very few people around the world that are as well-known, and well-loved, as Martin Luther King Jr. He's one of the most inspiring individuals that this nation produced." Source: Delta Airlines magazine

MLK, the man of peace, also dedicated his life to travel by logging over six million miles between 1957 and 1968. He effectively raised people's cultural awareness and empathy by giving speeches from the rugged trails of Appalachia to the mountain ranges of India. Today is a good day to reflect on that thought. MLK knew the simple act of travel reduces stereotypes, racial segregation and prejudices. He believed in the transformative power of travel by meeting the less fortunate in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and in all 50 states. He also understood how quickly a third world country could bounce back when tourism dollars pour in. Since his assassination, his teachings on the environmental, socio-cultural and economic impacts of travel haven't changed much. And, happily, travelers spend more time and money in foreign or exotic destinations and than ever before. That makes tourism the world's number one export earner - ahead of automotive products, chemicals, petroleum and food. MLK's words ignited more than just a dream of nonviolence and social change. His visions for a better world are broadened every time any one of us crosses the horizon to shake hands with a foreigner.

Birthmark Blessings in Niskayuna

There are over 40,000 children born each year with vascular lesions that require medical attention. One woman in our area has devoted her life to helping parents and children find immediate treatment and fight for insurance coverage. Her name is Linda Rozell-Shannon.

Rozell-Shannon speaks with more passion and leadership than any politician, poet or parent I've interviewed. She and her 13 year old daughter live in Niskayuna with an adorable but excitable spaniel-mix pooch. Shannon is the President and Founder of the Vascular Birthmarks Foundation (VBF), to be honored on Wednesday by The Montel Williams Show as one of five finalists of the 2007 Voices campaign. Montel sent PilotGirl Productions over for a pre-interview leading up to her debut this Wednesday.

The Foundation was founded in September of 1994, after Linda's new-born daughter, Christine Mary Shannon, was diagnosed with a hemangioma. At that time, there was no website, no comprehensive foundation, and no book for parents on this subject. Since then, she has become known as the world's leading lay expert in the field of such vascular birthmarks as hemangiomas, port wine stains; and venous, lymphatic and arterio-venous malformations.

Rozell-Shannon is not only a mom, author, home-owner and staunch believer in faith, she just earned her Ph.D in Education from Walden University, focusing her dissertation study on vascular birthmarks. She and two of her friends with children that were born with blister-type lesions on their faces (also referred to as strawberries) were interviewed for the show. Montel will award her a $20,000 charitable grant for her organization and ask about how the foundation changes the world of children born with vascular birthmarks for the better. This won't be the only time her work has been recognized. First Lady Laura Bush and Former First Lady and Senator Hillary Clinton have presented awards to her for her tireless community service and contributions to the most misunderstood anomaly in the medical field.

Not Your Average SUNY Student

I stand corrected. The tallest building in the world belongs to the Burj Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Technically, it's still in development but in July 2007 it surpassed the Taipei 101 building in Taiwan, which stands at a height of 1,671 ft. The Burj now towers at 1,964 ft and still growing. Nobody knows for sure how tall it'll be but even Middle East natives like Jess are amazed with it's height now.

I met Jess en route from JFK to Albany the other day. As soon as she plunked down in her seat I knew she had been traveling for some time. "20 hours and counting" she confessed. Jess is an American but born in Pakistan when her Dad relocated the family temporarily for an engineering project overseas. She never lived in one place for more than a few years with most of her youth spent in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman and even Yemen. Her folks are still there, always in transit, and currently reside in a compound in Doha. That was where she was coming from, having spent her SUNY college break with her folks. Her background is like no other college student I've ever met so I couldn't resist picking her brain about it.

When Jess sat down I was reading a Continental airlines article on the breakneck pace of development in Dubai, so I asked her about it. Is it true that millions of water is pumped in daily from the Persian Gulf to accommodate golf courses? "Absolutely" she admitted. "Dubai sits in a desert but you wouldn't know it with all the green lawns." The article went on to describe a thirst for verdant settings in golf courses like the one that will play host to the Dubai Desert Classic in February.

Then I got a little more personal. What about the compounds in Saudi Arabia?

"I felt safe inside the compounds. They were heavily secured and living inside was amazing. There was a huge swimming pool, several shopping plazas, a petting zoo, theaters and sports arenas. And fortunately, I wasn't living in the Riyadh compound that was bombed in 2003 (see The Kingdom)." For the next 30 minutes Jess filled in the gaps.

"But as soon as I would leave the compound all that changed. I remember at seven years old the religious police force (whose purpose is to ensure strict adherence to established Islamic codes of conduct) chastising me for not wearing my headscarf correctly. I was only 7! Then there was Chop-Chop Square. It was only a few miles down the road and it welcomed Westerners to the head of the square where corporal punishment still takes place. Horrific scenes like beheadings, floggings and amputation were commonplace on Thursdays. I refused to go."

I wondered what it was like for such a worldly student to make friends with American students insulated from that reality. She admitted that it's frustrating that so few know or care about the human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia but overall she doesn't lament her experience. On the contrary, she's thrilled to talk about it and live American lifestyles and freedoms she's always envied. Her parents however intend on staying in the Middle East for as long as they're needed - undeterred by the militant lifestyle of Saudi Arabia and encouraged by the progress of the United Arab Emirates. Two oil-rich countries as different as day is to night.

Celebrities & Stars in Downtown Dallas

My wrap-up in Dallas concludes with a Jessica Simpson sighting, a velvet smooth rum shot at the House of Blues and simply the worst Mexican food I've ever had. I'll start with the worst first.

In an effort to save money, I dined at a restaurant that Carlos and me are calling Casa Bonita. That's not the name of it but it should be and if you've ever watched South Park or been to Denver, you'd know why. It was painstakingly awful, from the watered down Margarita to the bland serving of generic brown baked beans to the day-old chopped meat poured into one skimpy tasteless taco shell. Even the nachos and dip at Taco Bell could have beaten out this place in a blindfolded taste-test. Unless you need a good laugh at a kitchy Hacienda or are inviting an enemy to dinner, avoid this restaurant with the big, glowing neon South-of-Border-like sign near Victory Park at all costs.

On another note, the Simpson sighting wasn't mine but rather my friend who rode an elevator with the diva inside the W Hotel not knowing who she was, due to her wearing dark shades and a baseball cap. But, as soon as the doors opened, the paparazzi were waiting and flashbulbs went off like lighting. Her presence should have come as no surprise, especially this weekend, since she's a native of the area and dates Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. Being from L.A. my friend walked out of the elevator unfazed by the experience. Good for him.

The American Airlines Theater rates as one of the top venues in the country and the public plaza was crowded with Maverick fans who couldn't score tickets for a seat inside on Saturday night. Watching on huge Times-Square size monitors in balmy windy conditions, hundreds watched a close seventh straight win against the Los Angeles Clippers. After gargling off the taste of my nasty Mexican with a shot of rum from the House of Blues and walking back to the W Dallas Hotel, I caught a glimpse of what makes this reinvented brownfield site a real winner among sports fans. It sits atop an old city dump, a meat packing plant and an old power plant but all that's gone and in it's place is a complex serving as a fabulous backdrop to a newly invented gathering space for the rich and famous.

Dallas never disappoints especially when development and revitalization of the Main Street District creates a vibrant, sustainable and prosperous environment to play in.

Seeing Ghosts

How cute are these friendly ghosts (not to mention the guy in the middle)? It's the Big D's most fabulous night spot called the Ghost Bar and the only thing haunting the top of the W hotel is loud music and a drop-dead gorgeous wait staff. These girls could give Heather Graham's shagadelic figure a run for her money and I'm a straight chick admitting this!

The "ghostdeck," is a 100-square-foot deck enclosed in glass on the 33rd floor overlooking all of downtown Dallas. The panoramic views are the best in the city or, at least, that's what some of the locals told me tonight. The cocktails and seats aren't cheap but the atmosphere is worth coughing up the extra Dallas dollar if you intend to see and be seen. The bar sits inside and on top of the W Dallas hotel.

Surprisingly, music from the late great 80's, many British and dance pop favorites, set the rhythm of the place in motion and had me tapping my toes for more decibels. Nothing could beat the views though and, despite the chilly breeze and lack of music, the glass balcony is where I wanted to stay.

The W Hotel stands tall with a bright blue beacon shining from atop. It's impossible not to find and only steps away from a chic living room and glowing glass wall with spanking new HD monitors and signature restaurants. I couldn't afford this posh piece of heaven but other fortunate friends can and are having the time of their lives.

We ate pan-asian sushi at Kenichi, one of the 4 hippest world class establishments I've ever laid foot in. We started with pan-seared Kobe-pork dumplings licking our chops through spicy hot edamame, 4 platters of sushi, sashimi and of course, not to be outdone by boat loads of saki. Like I said, the eating is always good in the Big D as is the entertainment!

Lights, Camera, Action

FOX's hit drama Prison Break is so popular that a Chinese production company paid well over a million dollars to purchase the rights to a one-off movie based on the show's characters and scenerio. I'm no fan of FOX, drama shows or even television but within minutes of landing in Dallas, TX my good friend Janet was showing me the studios where all the filming takes place. If only I knew or cared who William Fichtner and Marshall Allman were I would have been doing the Texas 2-step in flips and cartwheels. The studio is absolutely gigantic however I'm sure much smaller than anything in L.A. Ironically, I'll be spending the next 3 days holed up in another studio on Regal Row with HDTV professions on the intricacies of the Panasonic HDX900. Ahhh, my HDX900; my baby, my pride-and-joy, my beast of a camera that slows me down at airports and puts a kink in my side. A full day with her and I need a masseuse to even out my rough spots. But, nobody knows showbiz like the pro's in the industry and they just happened to be right here in downtown Dallas this week so that's where I am. We stopped off at a Mexican Taqueria equivalent called Taco Diner with pan-seared fish tacos with extra doses of cilantro, onion, lime and green chile salsa, on the side. The eating is always good in the Big D.

Forbidden Fruits in Flight

I heard a fabulous quote the other day - "A vegan in a Hummer leaves less of a carbon footprint than a meat-eater in a Prius." If that's true than my meat-eating has caused more environmental consternation that I care to know. Of course, my veghead cousin already knew this - she's been eating green for years, that is until she discovered she's with child. Now, she's back on the chuck wagon for the protein.

I picked her up a rare find for this newest adventure written by two Mom's - Zissu and Dolan. The book is called 'The Complete Organic Pregnancy' with tasty advice and alternatives to caffeine, alcohol, soft cheeses and fish. I'm not sure what kind of advice they give for airline food (if any) but I'm off to Dallas tomorrow so I got to thinking how it might be a detriment to her unborn baby.

Not that Continental will feed me, unless I'm bumped to first class, but outside of resisting the drink cart it's perfectly safe for pregnant passengers to fly, provided a doctor says so too. Domestic airlines will allow a pregnant woman to travel practically 24 hours before her expected due date. Week 36 of gestation is the cut-off point for most domestic airlines and international airlines are usually between weeks 32-35.

Unfortunately, vacation activities like water skiing, scuba diving, jumping into a sauna or hot tub and mountain climbing is strictly off-limits. Yikes, all those rules and restrictions would seriously put a damper on my dream destinations including the several I have planned for 2008. Best that I stick to babysitting and blogging cousin but enjoy the read!

Writers make the Daily News

Bearing flesh for the Finns in Finland - this has to be the most unflattering shot of my chunky waistline but Travel Writer, Adam Lisberg (curly hair on the right) of the Daily News, didn't think so and posted it in today's newspaper. Frightening! The Daily News has a circulation of 775,543 on Sunday and it's the sixth most-widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States so lets hope their readers are kind. My own Finland article should be debuting soon enough but in the meantime, read up on our Karaoke experiences with the crazy clubgoers of Helsinki. There's so much more to this city by the Baltic other than Russian architecture and Slavic melancholy. Adam, myself and several other writers discovered the metal beat and vibrant bar culture during the wee hours of the night - some shots worth publishing, others are best left drowning in Finlandia vodka shot glasses.

Greenland's Great Outdoors

There are so many reasons to visit Greenland this time of year. There's the Aurora Borealis or northern lights that can be seen from anywhere in the country. There are fabulous hiking trails past fjords, glaciers and wide open spaces almost untouched by civilization. There's an icefjord in the town of Ilulissat (admitted onto UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2004) that's popular among scientists and media for studying global warming. And, of course, lets not forget the wildlife - muskox, whale safari's, reindeer, dog-sledding and even walruses. For a little reading pleasure on Greenland, check out my recently posted article on the western cities of Nuuk, Ilulissat and Kangerlussua on GoNomad.com. Thanks for reading.

First Night 2008

Every country kicks off the New Year toasting to friends, family, culture and traditions in their own unique way. My friends in Japan travel to the Yasukuni shrine and throw coins at midnight while reciting a small prayer to the country’s ancestral gods. My friends in Taiwan stand outside the landmark Taipei 101 Tower, the world's tallest man-made structure, for the annual 188-second fireworks show. And, my friends in Russia celebrate with a bell concert followed by the sharing of Russian folklore and dancing to gypsy songs. Mine was a little more low-key than that but still worth mentioning.

The lead singer of the Albany-based "George Boone Blues Band" has some smoking pipes and his playing exploded with a momentum not seen since my last BB King concert. Rocking out atop the bar counter at the Circus Cafe in Saratoga, he and his band were so focused on playing that they nearly let midnight slip by. It took a raucous crowd to yell the final countdown and watch the crystal ball make its descent in Times Square to halt the music. Fireworks commenced following the ceremonial hugs, kisses and gaiety outside in the streets of Saratoga.

Jen, Stacy, Kim and I ushered in the New Year with 14,000 First Night revelers, 400 Artists and music performances in as many as 40 venues including storefronts that became stages for actors, dancers, and artists. Our little town didn't have the dazzling display of new environmentally-friendly lights (like in Times Square) nor the two tons of confetti raining down on us, but then again, we didn't have to wait in line for 8 hours and deal with security checkpoints neither. Good times were had by all and nobody suffered a hang-over or frostbite come morning.