Eco-Chick · The modern girl's guide to living green & fabulous.

Wilderness in Boston

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by Starre Vartan · 08/28/06

I recently took a trip to see my college friend Z, who lives in Boston, and look what I found? (Well, actually he found them…) Wilderness areas just a short boat ride away from downtown beantown.

That’s Z on the boat with Boston behind him. 

Run by the National Parks Service, the 34 Boston Harbor Islands have all sorts of old forts (that you can run around in), and from many of them you can see the city skyline.

Looking at the water from the fort on George’s Island.

From the dock area of Georges Island you can see the city! 

Several of the islands offer camping (you have to reserve a spot for your tent), and it’s a pretty easy way to get away from it all and not have to spend gobs of money, like it’s easy to do on Cape Cod, Nantucket, or Martha’s Vineyard. You do get to ride in boats to get there though, which I thought was pretty fun.

Once you arrive at Bumpkin, Peddocks or Grape Island (some of the camping islands) you don’t even have to hike very far, as you and your gear get delivered pretty close to campsites.

Grape Island debarkation

Peddocks Island has another fort to explore (dare you to sleep in the creepy abandoned fort!)

Of course, you can always just go for a day trip and just enjoy the cool waters and rocky beaches of the islands, which is all I managed on my first visit there.

cape, liver, rape, sleep, water

It's a Brave New Backcountry

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by Brianne Goodspeed · 07/10/06

Edward Abbey

I sometimes wonder what Edward Abbey would say if he could see Appalachian Trail thru-hikers resting cozily in their sleeping bags at night with the stars and moon above, tapping away on their tiny PocketMail devices so that they can post their daily blogs. So far from the asphalt superhighway, and yet still on it.

Well, who cares what Edward Abbey—the old grump—would say because it’s now a lot easier to learn about all of America’s long distance hiking trails at sites like Trailjournals. Started by two AT thru-hikers, “Leif” and “Zipdrive,” Trailjournals now hosts about 137,000 journal entries, and represents about 1,000 hikers and 1,500,000 miles trekked. It’s not just the Appalachian Trail either. You can read about the Long Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, the John Muir Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, you name it. Besides learning about the trails from the people who are on them, it’s pretty funny to see photos of hikers just starting out—often a little chubby, clean-shaven, and smiling—versus when they finish (looking a little bit like old Ed Abbey himself.)

Checking out this year’s crop of hikers, “Red Dane,” has a good site, as does “Stumpknocker,” an AT legend who has hiked the trail at least four times, and this year is walking all the way to Newfoundland. I met “Mango,” a recent retiree from Tennessee, in the White Mountains a week ago. My own trailjournal from 2004 is still up, though it’s sporadic since I relied on public libraries, rather than pocket mail.

bags, car, Hiking, magazine, rum, sleep

Eco-Paradise: Maho Bay in St. John, USVI

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by Kimberly Jordan Allen · 04/29/06

 

For an incredible vacation that is eco-friendly one should look no further than Maho Bay. This resort was created in 1976 by Stanley Selengut who is credited with being one of the forefathers of eco-tourism. Wanting to create a comfortable place for nature lovers, the founders built eco-tents from sustainable materials which utilized environmentally conscious construction that was sensitive to the surrounding eco-systems. Maho emphasizes education and they have art classes, yoga, and enviro-construction courses (among many others) to further their mission.

The resort has expanded into four different destinations on the island of St. John, each with a different eco-style that focuses on minimizing resource consumption. Concordia, one of the most recently completed destinations in the hills overlooking the Caribbean, is completely self-contained in its energy production and waste management. The tents at Concordia are airy and comfortable. Some have loft sleeping quarters, kitchenettes, and scenic decks.

The moon looks absolutely breathtaking from the elevated walkways and open decks, so check a lunar calendar when you head down! If you want to get away for a few days, this is one beautiful spot to do it. Prices are very reasonable, especially during the off-season.

car, consumption, Eco-Chick, Energy, fur, sleep, style, sustainable, sustainable materials, waste, yoga