Hiking the Grand Canyon in June ’09

For those of you who are interested, I will be hiking through the Grand Canyon this June with my girlfriend, my buddy and his wife.  The four of us will be hiking from the North Rim –> South Rim –> North Rim.  Some people refer to this as the rim-to-rim-to-rim hike.

This will be my second time hiking through the Grand Canyon and I can’t wait.  I’m planning on writing another post about what you need to do in order to hike through the Grand Canyon – e.g, logistics of getting a backcountry permit, time of year to go, gear, etc.  So, if you’re interested in this info, leave a comment along with any questions you may have!

Filed under: Backpacking, Camping, Grand Canyon, Outdoor, Travel

Going on vacation to hike through the Grand Canyon

I’m leaving tomorrow morning to hike through the Grand Canyon (from South to North Rim) with my girlfriend and a couple of our friends.  So, I’ll be taking a temporary hiatus for the next 1.5 – 2 weeks.

I know this month has been lacking in posts but I’m hoping to change that when I get back from the Grand Canyon.

See you all in a couple of weeks and thanks for reading!   🙂

Filed under: Backpacking, Grand Canyon

Glass Skywalk at the Grand Canyon

On March 28, 2007, visitors to the West Rim of the Grand Canyon will be able to walk 70 feet past the rim on a glass skywalk and be 4,000 feet above the Colorado River (more pics at Gizmodo).

Personally, I don’t think this should have been built – the Grand Canyon is one of the most gorgeous natural wonders and they are building this huge ugly structure right on it. In my opinion, if you want to see the Colorado River or the bottom of the Canyon, then hike into it (yes, I admit I’m a bit biased since I’ve hiked through the Grand Canyon).

Well, at least the skywalk won’t be at the South or North Rims…

Filed under: Grand Canyon, Thoughts, Travel

Bargain: Arc’Teryx Bora 65 Backpack for $252

I’ve been helping my girlfriend look for good deals on camping gear (we’re doing a rim-to-rim hike through the Grand Canyon in May) and we came across this phenomenal deal on Arc’Teryx Bora backpacks at a local outdoor store (Hilton’s Tent City). So, if you’re shopping for a Bora backpack, look no further and head over to their website or, if you’re in Boston, stop by their store (272 Friend St., Boston) to buy this pack. They also offer free shipping on orders over $50.

I have personally bought a few things from Hilton’s Tent City and wholeheartedly recommend them. Every item I’ve looked at is at least 10% below MSRP. Yes, some online or brick and mortar stores may sell an item for less but it’s usually during ‘end of season’ or ‘garage’ sales. At Hilton’s Tent City, their prices are always below MSRP and, when they have a sale, the prices are much lower than MSRP (like these ArcTeryx packs).

Here are their prices vs. MSRP:

• Bora 50: $171.50 / $245
• Bora 62 (women’s): $252 / $350
• Bora 65: $252 / $350
• Bora 75 (women’s): $267 / $375
• Bora 80: $267 / $375
• Bora 95: $305 / $435

Note: I have no affiliation with Hilton’s Tent City…just a happy customer! 😀

Filed under: ArcTeryx, Backpacking, Backpacks, Bargains, Camping, Deals

Boston Seaport Hotel adds touchscreen computers to rooms

Planning a visit to Boston? Interested in gadgets? Then book a room at the Boston Seaport Hotel because they’re adding touchscreen computers (named Seaportal – yeah, pretty lame) to some of their hotel rooms. Currently, they have 25 rooms outfitted with the Seaportal and plan to have 100 rooms with it by the end of 2007. Specifically,

“The computer and installed services, called Seaportal, will consist of a freestanding, flat-panel computer monitor, wireless mouse and keyboard (exact specs not provided).”

The only issue with this hotel is it’s location – it’s not in the middle of Boston but a great place if you’re attending a convention/event at the World Trade Center (Google Map).

Filed under: Boston, Hotel, Travel