USPS RELEASES NEW STAMP SET:
Wonders of America, Land of Superlatives

An article covering this new stamp set popped up on America's Roof AP feed. Take a look - americasroof news » Blog Archive » Highpoints Featured in New UPS American Sup Included are 40 stamps representing U.S. "superlatives," i.e., longest, deepest, oldest, etc. The artwork is great and one of our state high points, Mt. Washington, NH, made the page as the "Windiest." But, take a closer look as we did, several times. Can you find the missing superlative? See answer at TREK STOP OUTPOSTS

BOOKS: A SUMMER READ RECOMMENDATION
Are you a Ralph, a Jack, a Simon, or a Piggy?

In the June/July issue of Nat Geo's Adventure mag, a half-dozen summer reads are recommended under "Pelton's World" (P. 38). Pelton offers up a "six travel books of all time" list which, humorously, includes Golding's Lord of the Flies, "a case study of tribal dynamics, power struggles, and group mentality." A plane crashes on a deserted island and the passengers, all boys, rule their isolated, primitive digs. If you've never read this classic, do it. Otherwise, there were, at least, two LOTF movies made for non-readers and busy dudes.

Pelton's practical point: "If you plan to take a long bus trip or hole up in some resort, it may be worth bringing this one along."

TTT: A point well-taken as you, perhaps, note that as time passes members of your adventure group begin to assume the personalities of the LOTF kids and your personal space seems to shrink. See 'Characters' at Lord of the Flies, By William Golding.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/

INTERSTATE HIGH POINTS: Is there a club for this?

This Interstate 80 marker is located near Exit 153 in west-central Pennsylvania between DuBois and Clearfield. Unbeknownst to us there's probably a club for interstate high point collectors. We do know there is a list of highest paved roads in the U.S. at americasroof news » Blog Archive » Highest Paved Roads in U.S.

GOING TO EXTREMES: THE ERIE TRIANGLE
Bagging the Tip of the PA "Chimney"

Once upon a time the very northern, pointed boundary of Pennsylvania was nonexistent until 1792 when the Keystone State gained the "Erie Triangle" with a stretch of lakeshore and important access to the Great Lakes. The resulting tip of PA land converged with New York and Lake Erie though there's a very wet tri-point midway in Lake Erie where PA borders Canada.

Since we were meeting with our Cleveland hiker-couple friends in Erie, we decided to seek out the tip of the PA "chimney" or "tab." Get on Rt5 along Lake Erie until you reach the NY and PA state-line welcome signs. It's suggested that you stop there at the Lakeside Campground office and maybe meet up with good guy, John, the owner/manager. He pointed out the big overkill stone PA/NY marker in the field behind the office and directed us to the near-shore, small square rock marker set inside a wooden-frame. It's accessible via a narrow/knarly path; however, do not venture onto the NY side of this site since the land is privately-owned and definitely off limits.

It's best to reach the lakeshore via the campground boat ramp. Walk west along the lake until you spot the ravine and a faint trail going up the cliff to the square rock marker. Negotiating this path is a bit tricky so use care. On shore, if you want to stand on the definitive tip, you'll need a GPS since the exact longitude is the best you're going to get on this extreme. The 'N' reading is based on how high the lake is, ergo, the water's edge. We settled for a UTM latitude reading of 17T 4680424 northerly (42deg 16min 10sec N).

The NY/PA line longitude (triangle side opposite) = 79deg 45min 43sec W or 17T 602100 easterly. Move east and west with your GPS (or use a way point), near getting wet feet, until you tune in and, tah-dah, you're there.

It was fun to locate this extreme, and we usually meet nice, friendly people when squirreling around in their back yards for these geo-goals. If you go: There are several vineyards/wineries in the area. Have a meal and a drink at Molly Brannigan's on State St. in Erie, summit Bi-Centennial Tower, and explore Presque Isle State Park, for sure.

Erie Triangle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
www.campatlakeside.com

GUADALUPE PEAK A-SIDE TRAILS
Tex/NewMex/Guadalupe Trip

Pursuing the 50 U.S. state high points will indeed veer you from the beaten path (Yes!). In the past we've done 7, 6, 5, and lesser state hp-gathering circuits. Guad Pk turned out to be stand-alone for us and we chose mid-April, supposedly cooler for this hp goal. Having spent the $$$ for an El Paso flight, we decided to spend a fair amount of serendipity time exploring thisaway, mostly in NM.

Once landed and into our rental wheels, rather than head hell-bent for Guad Pk, we drove to Alamagordo then eastward from the desert into the cool, green Sacramento Mountains and Cloudcroft at 8663ft. We hoped to acclimate here a bit for the TX hp at 8749ft. Cloudcroft is a definitely nitty-gritty highpointer kinda place. Old hippies, earthy-types, and laid-back retirees populate this 1 1/2mi. high, 60's kinda-place. We stayed 2 nights at "The Lodge," old, quaint, and up-scale-ish with a B&B feel at the hp of town. There are no chain motels or many overnight lodging choices on this mountain top unless you take a cabin which are plentiful. We hiked from the town's old railroad station in Lincoln NF to the remains of the "Mexican Trestle." Later, a scenic drive took us higher to 2 nearby observatory sites for great views and even thinner air.

After our Guad Pk gig, having stayed in Whites City, we did Carlsbad Cavern. Though not cave people, we circled the Big Room. Cool, literally, and soooo touristy. Next was Roswell because we wanted to be a nut. Whether you're a UFO freak-o, whatever, the unpretentious museum in downtown Roswell is a hoot. The exhibit is mind-boggling and the library even more so. There are a number of Main St. sources for ET paraphernalia including inexpensive green ET blow-ups. Buy one for your kitchen.

Then it was Santa Fe where we enjoyed perusing the many artsy/crafty shops in the old, old downtown Plaza. Diane wanted to see St. Francis Cathedral, close-by, with it's noted wooden, hand-crafted spiral stairway. Next, we soared across northern NM to 4-corners, the extreme end of our NM trip. We bypassed Albuquerque, beyond our trip-scope, on the way toward White Sands NP, a must-do. We hiked the tourist 1-mile desert-loop feeling like Lawrence of Arabia. The glistening, surreal landscape is like nothing else. Local school children were being bussed into the park on field-trips to scoot down the dunes on plastic saucers. A few white-haired scooters were doing the same. Saucers were available at the Visitor's Center to rent or buy.

El Paso's downtown needs work. It was Saturday morning and Juarezians crossed into Texas by the hundreds to shop at the bazillion stores in lower downtown. Comment: The quality of the goods looked like they were already made in Mexico and the repetition of offerings seemed to leave little space for competition. Go figure. Defensive driving was of the essence and we were relieved to return our rental unscratched after motoring around that city.

If you go: Eat Mexican food or acquire the desire. Akin to and north of Cloudcroft is Ruidoso with chain motels, a touristy downtown, and gambling. We stayed there for an 'ok' time 2 nights and hiked high at Ski Apache as part of our 12-day trip windup. But...we liked Cloudcroft best.

BROOKLYN HP/GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY
Continued...

Disappointed that one of our goals while attending the NYC highpointer mini-gathering was to bag the hp of Brooklyn, Diane and I determined to get there anyway. The next day, Sunday, after a ferry circuit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, having learned the subway was still broken, we took a $20 cab ride through the Battery Tunnel into Brooklyn. We alit at the main cemetery gate on 25th St., an impressive ornate portal. This lovely park-like burial ground inspired the design for NYC's Central Park. Interred here are Leonard Bernstein, Horace Greeley, Samuel Morse, and other well-knowns.

Ah, the joys of going off the beaten path and discovering gems you never imagined beyond the interstate, the shopping malls, and the tourist traps. Let's try to keep these parts of the map our secret, hey?

If you go: Take lots of money. NYC is not cheap unless you plan to sleep in the bus terminal and eat soft pretzels. We are rural PA based. Negotiating the MTA in NYC was a mind-numbing challenge as we soon came to understand why fellow riders appeared to be stoned. It's probably a great place to zone out while your body absorbs theraputic vibes from the track which often rides like the interstate rumble strip.

Click here for some great Roger Rowlett info: http://americasroof.com/nyc-brooklyn.shtml

NEW YORK CITY GATHERING
Highpointers Get Bitten By The Big Apple

On Saturday, April 29th, 15 highpointers showed for Roger Rowlett's mini-gig across from Ground Zero. The group included attendees from Alabama, Oklahoma, Alaska, and the Netherlands. All lunched at the South West NY Restaurant, 2 World Financial Center, an impressive, modern, spacious array of restaurants and shops.

Afterwards, Roger planned to underground the group to Brooklyn's high point in Green-Wood Cemetery. Getting "checked out" of our too-popular lunch spot, however, consumed some time. Add to this subway tie-ups, including a broken water main and general maintenance, conducted on weekends, and you've just blown the Plan B reroute - the cemetery closes at 4PM. Ergo, the game was called owing to unforseen Big Apple delays.

Hey, Roger, to be safe, next time let's make it an early breakfast gathering and there'll be time for the Brooklyn and Staten Island highpoints even if we have to hike there. TTT

TEXAS STATE HIGHPOINT: GUADALUPE PEAK
Tx/NewMex/Guadalupe Trip

Phew! My summit shots came back from processing ok. Whenever I hand my camera to an oxygen-deprived stranger who agrees to shoot my summit shot I become apprehensive. Afterwards, I always wonder, "Is it really in the camera? Is it blurred, off center, is my head cut off?" Actually, after asking one party to take a shot, later on I'll ask another just for good measure (and maybe another).
On 15April, although the sky was mostly cloudless, temps comfortable, and visibility supreme, the winds were gusting goodly at 8749ft., my #39 state high point. With my recently acquired weak ankle (pinched spinal nerve), dancing on the summit rocks was tricky. I wanted more pics but needed to get off the peak and leeward ASAP after 1/2 hr of being blown about.
Trail Critique: Prior to climbing, trail descriptions I read used the words 'good' and 'fine.' Past the 2-mile turn, where you lose sight of the parking lot and trail head and first spy the "false summit," that's true; otherwise, this section is treacherous and lousy with loose rocks ranging from golf ball to football size. I fell once on the descent, sure that I tore up my knee to smithereens based on the pain experienced, but stood up unscathed.
After the climb, conversation with one of the four rangers behind the counter at the Visitor's Center explained in too-detail the freeze-thaw problem which, during the winter, continually spilled rocks into the sunken path. Why four of these guys were needed under roof is disturbing since, perhaps, one of them could be supervising cheap labor, plentiful thataway, to rake rocks from the trail thus maintaining it's integrity. Sure, rocks move - deal with it and ensure they don't move underfoot!
The NPS brochure claims the trail is' well marked.' For horses it was, but even those signs were few. For hikers I'd like to see an occasional distance marker. Would these render the route less rustic, or worse, displease the purists? There are more fledgling hikers on these NP trails than hotdogs. Mileage markers might help the ill-prepared to gage their ability, hopefully.
Completing Guad. Pk. took me 7 3/4 rt hrs with a 645AM start. Not bad for a flop-foot gimp - I'm just learning to hike this way. Seeing the "true summit" for the first time was discouraging; it may as well been on the moon. But, my highlight on Guad. Pk. was rounding the last rock-gnarly bend and just spying the very tip of the stainless steel AA pyramid. Cool. Achieving this high point taught me an important lesson - that I perhaps waited too long, say, to ever think about bagging all 50. At 67, for sure, the curse of aging can be a formidable nemesis in such an objective. As Roger Miller sang, "...do it, do it, do it!" So, don't stop...Keep Klimbin'.

ONE-UPMANSHIP IS ALIVE AND IMPRESSIVE
A Canada Four Corner Adventure

After publishing our "U.S. 4-Corner" post, it came to our attention that the Butler brothers, Brian and Greg, went to "extremes" in '01 to bag Canada's Four Corner junction of Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Saskatchewan. This was no small feat. It required careful planning and travel by an SUV, a float-plane freight flight, an aluminum fishing boat, and on foot. All did not go smoothly, but the mission was accomplished with the help of the bush pilot, his assistant, and a Hasbala Lake guide. Get story and pics here: http://www.bjbsoftware.com/corners/pointdetail.php3?point=139

Brian notes: By the way, on the entire trip my brother and I did in 2001, the most challenging (and frightening) was the Michigan, Minnesota, Ontario tripoint, which is about a kilometer offshore in Lake Superior using an inflatable kayak. That is truly an impressive body of water. A hundred meters off shore the depth is about 800 feet, water always about 55 degrees F. We lucked out with winds from the east. I was concerned that a strong westerly wind would blow us out into the lake.

My brother tells me the most physically challenging US tri-point is ID-MT-WY because it involves about three miles of steep climbing through high elevations in the part of Yellowstone that burned in 1988, leaving a jumble of large fallen trees. Oh yeah, and grizzlies too.

I am trying to talk somebody into trying to visit the British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Yukon tripoint. It would involve plenty of gravel travel and a 160 mile canoe trip (at least it is downstream and no major whitewater). bjbutler@bjbsoftware.com

(Any takers? TTT )

THE MOTHER OF STATE CONVERGENCES
Tx/NewMex/Guadalupe Trip

Finally, we bagged the only four-banger U.S. state convergence: Arizona/Colorado/New Mexico/Utah. It's off the beaten path, calling for an isolated driving detour. We were surprised to see other travelers there in the middle of the week near the end of the day in late April.

The monument has wrap-around steps to a formidable concrete and granite, 20ft. square platform festooned with the Four Corner cross, engravings, seals, and bronze intersection disk. On the perimeter, a half-storey wooden deck provides an eagle-eye photo advantage for the obligatory stood-there-done-that shots. U.S., state, and Navajo Nation flags surround the monument, flapping noisily in the 4-state dry, desert wind.

If you go: Have your wallet ready for an admission fee of $3/person and perhaps a souvenir buy from a plethora of vendor stalls where Navajos will be glad to accommodate your material needs of Native American jewelry, Corner T-shirts, and other whatnots related to your visit. Note: Our Golden Age Passport did not work here but did get us into Carlsbad Cavern and White Sands National Parks. If you're of age and don't have yours yet, spend $10 and purchase one.

http://www.utah.com/playgrounds/four_corners.htm

MORE ON WEST TEXAS:
The TX/NM/CHIH Tri-Point

Coincidently, on returning from our Tx/NewMex/Guadalupe trip, we received the following info in an e-mail from Jack Parsell - pictures/descriptions provided by Victor Cantore who visited the TEXAS/NEW MEXICO/CHIHUAHUA tri-point on his El Paso trip several months ago.

Victor said, "It's probably 1/2 mile from the main road. I drove right up to it. There're border patrol cars there most of the time, but just talk to the guys and they let you by. There're No Trespassing signs there too but that never stopped me. I even wandered into Mexico and walked right back in no problem."

See Victor's page and pics here:
http://article.gmane.org/gmane.culture.discuss.boundary-point/8800

TEXAS WESTERN-MOST POINT
Tx/NewMex/Guadalupe Trip

On a map, the western-most point of Texas isn't a point at all but a squiggly line that meanders along the west basin of the Rio Grande River from Chihuahua to the top of the Texas panhandle. But the extreme western projection of that line is designated by a bench mark located on the edge the driveway of the house Shirley Phillips has lived in all her life. She came to the side door and was most hospitable as we scurried about with maps, GPS, and cameras. She claims that the line divides her living room and bedroom. She's had numerous visitors there including Texas college students seeking the brass marker, which is set in a concrete pedestal, for a research project. If you go, taking a small gift along would probably be appreciated.

From I-10, go west from Exit 2 using E. Vinton, W. Vinton, & S. Vinton Rd. resp. to Rt28. Turn left & go south to Rt273 (McNutt Rd.). Turn right & follow 273 to W. Borderland Rd. Go left .2 mi. to Crawford Rd. (not marked but look for three mailboxes on the left). Turn left & drive .6 mi. to 1st right turn. Follow this road to Phillips house. Or...

From I-10 use Exit 11 to Country Club Rd. Follow this west to Rt273. Turn right and follow 273 north crossing Rt136. Go .5 mi. to W.Borderland Rd. Turn right. See above.

Click here: TopoZone - The Web's Topographic Map, and more!

SPEAKING OF ENGLAND - Attention: Tri-Pointers!

Jack Parsell recently supplied this link for those who might be moving past U.S. Tri-Points and looking for convergences in 'exotic' places such as those found in Britain's lush countryside. Try this site for a very interesting description of all the tri-county points around Cambridgshire. Click on each of the tripoint names for pictures and maps. http://www.blanchflower.org/tripoints/index.html

Related sites: Click here: UnitedKingdom Trig Points
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1477252

THE BRISTOL RAMBLERS
Hiking with an English club...

Our hiker friends, Chris and Jeanie Halloway, Bristol, England, have just taken over their club's web site. Chris notes: We have 1003 members! We have 2 or 3 hikes each Sunday, an 'A' and 'B' sometimes a 'C'' The 'A' group hike around 15 miles, 2K - 3Kft each Sunday, do a hill walk each month, that is similar to an 'A' but harder and up to 5Kft. The 'B' group do up to 12 miles at a slower pace. The 'C' group walk and put the world to right! If 5Kft doesn't sound like much and that's about as high as they go, but in Britain the base of their mountains (and they have mountains) start near sea level and make for a good elevation gain from the parking lot. In the U.S. you drive to 5Kft and hike up 2Kft and think you've done something.

The area we cover is includes Bristol, Bath, Quantock hills, Exmoor National Park, Dartmoor National Park, South Wales (Brecon Beacons, Black Mountains, Black Mountain) Wiltshire (Stonehenge is there) The Cotswold hills, Dorset and the South coast. Apart from this, we have weekends and weeks away to places like the Lake District National Park. Click here: Welcome to Bristol Ramblers

DON'T FORGET TO...
Peruse the Possibilities

At the bottom of this blog page there's a Nav Bar linking to the High Pointers Web Ring. Take a look if you've never done so, or haven't for awhile - there are now 27 members on the ring with their personal sites covering high pointing achievements, mountaineering, climbing, hiking, and more. Do some surfing there. Also, the High Pointers Club link in the right hand column will take you far and wide with links and info galore. Try a trek in cyberspace leading to one here on the planet.

PEAK PERFORMER
Climb for Cancer Challenge

From AARP, Mar/Apr06:

Ron Farb, a 60-year-old grandfather, has raised $300,000 with his Climb for Cancer Foundation, taking pledges for treks on the world's highest mountains. Now he hopes to raise a quarter-million bucks as a team in each of the 50 states climbs to each state's highest point on June 24. Learn more: http://www.50-50-1.com

38 COMPLETERS, ANYONE? State TriPoints, that is...

Bob Whitney reports with great pleasure that he has been to all 38 monuments and landmarks described in Jack Parsell's very informative and helpful "Tri-States Corners" booklet. It was a great adventure and imposing challenge. I was partnered by Frank Sargent who joined me on the remote and more difficult tripoints as well as some others. It would be interesting to learn who else has accomplished this feat besides Jack, of course. (Is there an HP Club award for this? - TTT).

Here, Bob provides a 6 Tripoints Update. At this time, the Parsell booklet is unavailable but can be had as a free download from http://www.bjbsoftware.com/corners/.

Note: Bob has just returned from a lengthy trip which included the highpoint of Easter Island and the summit of Dravuni Island in the Fiji group - tremendous view. He regrets not having planned in advance so he might have scattered some of Jakk's ashes here.

"I SHOULDN'T BE ALIVE" RETURNS
The Discovery Channel offers 4 new episodes

This is "Survival Weekend" on the Discovery Channel. Presented are survival-related accounts, how-to survive, and the network is kicking off their 2nd "I Shouldn't Be Alive" package. On ISBA, an Aussie and an environmentalist decide to get a must-see view from Mt. Bowen, the high point of Hinchinbrook Island off the Queensland coast, when things go terribly wrong (Hint: From our previous posts - yes, rocks move unexpectantly) in "Trapped Under a Boulder." This closely parallels Aron Ralston's near-death ordeal when pinned by an errant rock. If you missed this first episode, it'll probably be rerun by April.

Other series titles are 'Ice Cave Survivor,' 'Shipwrecked,' and 'Alaskan Avalanche.' Get info, enter Sweepstakes, share your close-call stories (everybody's got one, aye?):
http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/alive/alive.html?dcitc=w99-530-ah-0001

SURVIVING SURVIVOR FROM AN EASYCHAIR
Are you a fan of this avant-garde reality series?

We've watched them all and are fanatical about tuning in Thursday nights even when we're on the road. When checking into a room, a working TV with CBS is our first priority - a king-size free of bed bugs is second. When looking for a topic of conversation with strangers, we like bringing up "Survivor" and found the responses break down into 2 Columns: A firm "No" or an enthusiastic "Yes!" We get mostly Column 1.

Most 'Nos' believe that CBS manipulates the contestants. Yes, 'tis true. CBS might dress 'em up or dictate how they string along the beach for max camera angle or edit the hell out of the interaction and dialogue but, waddaya want? You might learn some valuable survival tips from disoriented, unprepared people.

And, yes, CBS pays very close attention to the T&A element - string bikinis, cleavage, tight pecs, and bulging ceps are of the essence. But what you also get to see is humanity bordering on Neanderthal - people eating people - who, all the gnarly, grueling while are driven by the bottom line: Big Bucks for Outwitting, Outplaying, Outlasting. If you're a Column 1...hey, Lighten Up, Tune In, Get Hooked.

Survivor 12: The current 9th-day contingent in Panama, Exile Island, includes a former astronaut, a yoga instructor, a former Navy jet pilot, and 2 trekster-type gals, one of whom is a Marathon Des Sables completer.

Wanda Shirk, AKA: Wacky Wanda, sent home early in Palau, writes a weekly column offering her deep insight into the 'game' with good people-observations. Reality Shack - Articles or PlatypusBen The #1 Place for TV!.

LIVING DREAMS. SHARING DREAMS.
An AP writer on 2 wheels does both.

This story was released some weeks back. For those who missed it the message is the same.

Last summer, Calvin Woodward, an Associated Press writer, biked from D.C. to Newport Beach, CA and wrote about his trip for a series, Roads Less Traveled. As he peddled from east to west he met with people who, notably, wanted to share their dreams with the adventurer - those off-center aspirations they didn't quite get around to fulfulling just yet.

The recent Super Bowl is a reminder that sports events Americans seem to identify with are, anymore, the means we've chosen to live our adventure dreams vicariously. That's you running the touchdown, hitting the home run, scoring the ice hockey/soccer goal, or soaring through the air on an Olympics ski jump. Or, perhaps, Mt. Whitney awaits you - a matter of just putting one foot in front of the other, for real.

The Woodward article is a nicely-written. It sublety begs you live your own "wild and crazy" fanasty, get off your butt and score in your own game, pack up and go.... Dream/Share