Traveling Iceland's Ring Road - 2009

Whenever Heidi and I talk about going somewhere, Iceland was always mentioned. Our conversation would go through a list of several different destinations, at the end of which we'd say, "Or, we could go to Iceland." Heidi had read about about the ring road, which circumnavigates the island. It's not like the U.S. Eisenhower Interstate System, with several lanes, ramps, and rest stops. The ring road only has one lane in each direction, and shrinks down to one when going over bridges. Long stretches of it are unpaved. But, it winds through some of the most interesting landscapes in the world. With baby on the way, we figured now was the time.

We recorded our adventures on the scene with our Around the Bend travel blog (as best we could given some technical difficulties on the trip), so we won't repeat them here, but do check out the slideshow first.

Thailand Honeymoon

After the usual lengthy pre-trip screening process, where we weigh the pros and cons of all of the far-flung destinations we'd like to see, the final verdict was in: Thailand. So five months after our wedding, the honeymoon was on.

We plotted a whacky web of thirteen interconnecting flights, both domestic (thanks frequent flyer blackout days) and international so that we could stop in Portland, Oregon for our friends' wedding and some quality time with west coast family. Then it was off to Thailand for some fun in the sun, asian-style. Our exploits were well-documented during the trip with our Thaiing the Knot travel blog (worth a read when you're finished with the pictures), so we won't repeat them here, but do check out the slideshow first.

Mt. Washington in Winter

February 15th I went up to New Hampshire to experience some of the most extreme weather on the planet. It all started back in December, when Heidi called me at work and asked me what my blood type was. When she called back a few minutes later to ask when I had my last tetanus shot, I started getting curious. She didn't tell me, the little devil, and I was fairly certain that in the near future I was going to find myself in some strange place where I had never previously imagined myself going. Now, I can't imagine not having been there. Read More.

Out West 2007

Photos

As if one great solo adventure wasn't enough for one year, the Fall of '07 saw me leaving on a spur of the moment trip to do something I'd thought about for a long time: exploring the western United States. While I didn't see absolutely everything, I did travel through five states, ten national parks, and a whole lot of national forest. By the time I returned my rental car its bumper was covered in an impressive sampling of insects from the whole southwest.

Use the link above to view the slideshow, or click the graphic to the left for an interactive map of the route I took.

South Africa 2007

Photos

In March of 2006, someone from Meditech South Africa, a partner company of my employer, sent an email to everyone in the Meditech universe about forming a company-sponsored team for the 30th Cape Argus Pick n' Pay Cycle Tour. The annual event is the largest timed bicycle race in the world, held each year in Cape Town. I briefly checked out some information on Cape Town, and decide right then that it was something I wanted to do. Read More.

Croatia 2006

Sometime in the summer of '06, shortly after moving into our first house, Heidi and I decided to do what many new home owners do: go away. We'd been hearing good things about Croatia, and after hunting for deals with our frequent flyer miles, we flew into Venice that fall and drove to Croatia from there.

(Unfortunately the website used to display photos from this trip has shut down. Regretably, pictures are not available for public viewing at this time.