Thank you to Jessie Kwak of www.bicitoro.wordpress.com for contributing as the May 15th Travel Instigator. Stay tuned for a new feature on the 15th and 30th of each month from a new adventurous traveler.

The travel bug bit me early. We can blame my parents, who bravely trundled my sister and I along on road trips, camping trips and even to Venezuela almost as soon as we could walk. I eagerly embraced study abroad programs in university, and had trouble staying in country for more than 18 months at a time after I graduated.

Seattle Skyline (photograph by Beth Yost)

Lately, life circumstances have meant that I can’t just jaunt down to South America at the drop of a hat. When waiting tables I could take 6 months off no problem and know that I’d be able to talk my way back into a job when I got back to town, completely broke. Somehow I don’t think that’s going to work as well with an “adult” desk job. I mean, paid vacation is awesome, but I hear they want you to come back after your two weeks is up. Seriously.

I’ve always been the kind of traveler that spends a lot of time in one place, rather than trying to fill up a backpacker’s bingo card of destinations. When I returned solo to Venezuela in 2006, I had intended to backpack through the whole country for two months. I accidentally acquired a job in the tiniest little border town in the Gran Sabana, however, and spent six months in the same village. When I got home people asked me about Angel Falls, Los Roques, the beach. I’d seen none of those things, but I wouldn’t trade the friendships I made in Sta Elena for all the tourist hotspots in the country.

In a way, that’s what I’m doing now. My husband and I are putting down some tentative roots in the quirky strange enclave of “Georgetown, Seattle, WA,” and I’m trying my best to explore like a local.

What I miss about being on the road, however, is the way that I react to travel. The way my senses open up, and my curiosity is piqued by everything. Nothing is ugly when you’re traveling, nothing is boring, nothing is mundane. But when you’re putting down roots? It can be easy to let your sense of curiosity dull. I’ve found that at home I’m much less likely to ask “Hey, what’s that? Where does that road go? What does this taste like? Who is that person over there?” Familiarity with your surroundings can act like a pair of blinders, and it can be hard to keep your explorer’s mind limber.

Take a tour

I always cringed at the idea of joining a tour group when traveling. Being herded along with a group of camera-happy tourists twice my age is not my idea of a good time. A few months ago, however, I joined up with a tour put on by (http://localistseattle.wordpress.com) Localist Seattle, a tour company that specializes in planning personalized tours. This tour was of my neighborhood and promised Beer, History and Art. I was so in.

So on a sunny Saturday in March, my husband and I joined with a group of camera-happy tourists twice our age to learn about the buildings we walked by every day. I met my neighbors, and learned that the street I live on used to be lined with roadhouses during the Prohibition where upright Seattleites would come party. How cool is that?

That got me delving deeper into what types of tours are put on in Seattle. Sure there’s the Underground Tour, and the tour of Pike’s Place Market, but there are also groups putting quirky tours of haunted houses and grunge history landmarks, and there’s even a Georgetown Haunted History Tour put on every October with locals acting out scenes at Georgetown’s ghost hotspots. Cheesy? Sure. But it’s still a cool way to stay curious about your city.

Get on your bike and ride

One of my favorite ways to explore is through cycling. I commute by bike to work at least 3 days a week (barring hail storms and pouring rain), and it’s my main form of transportation for getting around town, too.

Traveling by bike forces me to take routes that are off the beaten path, which in turn has introduced me to parts of Seattle that I never would have run across otherwise. Driving on the highway might get me there faster, but if I slow down and find an alternate way to bike to my destination I always run across something new, whether it’s stopping in a cool foreign market for sausages on my way to a barbecue or just pulling over to photograph a neat old building.

When I’m traveling I’ll walk for hours just to see what I might run across. As a local, my cycling equivalent is to always work to discover new routes, new links between neighborhoods, new alleyways, new destinations.

Talk to the locals

There’s something about traveling that breaks me out of my introvert’s shell. Whether it’s drinking on the hostel patio or chatting with an unidentifiable-foods vendor in a local market, I’m constantly surprised by how much more open I am to making conversation with strangers when I travel.

Baker Lake Trail (WA)

Back at home, however, I often go about my day with blinders on. Seattleites are notorious for keeping to themselves, but my hesitation to invade my neighbors’ privacy often keeps me from making new friends and learning about my world. To that end I’ve made a resolution to treat my casual interactions in Seattle the same way I would in another country. After all, you never know who you might meet.

Make time to explore

My weekends all too frequently get eaten up by to do lists and chores. With so many irons in the fire it seems wasteful to do what I used to do when I first moved to Seattle—just hop on a bus to see where it goes, then spend a few hours wandering through a new neighborhood.

Don’t forget to treat regular trips like an adventure. Going to catch a show at your favorite venue? Instead of driving from your house to the adjacent parking lot, having a drink in the venue bar and then going straight home once the music’s over, try leaving early and taking the bus, riding your bike, or even just parking a dozen blocks away and wandering through the streets like you would do in a new city. Don’t forget to stop in that Assyrian Market that has always intrigued you. Don’t forget to talk to the guy behind the counter and ask about a weird product you’ve never seen before. Don’t forget to read historical plaques and take snapshots of cool architecture.

Don’t forget to have fun.

What to Read More From Jessie?

Jessie Kwak

Jessie Kwak is a Seattle-based writer who’s always looking for her next adventure. She especially likes ones that involve exploring cities, camping, discovering new and tasty brew pubs, and cycling. Together with her photographer husband she traveled through Peru and blogged about it at www.unpavedsouthamerica.com, although lately she’s been ranging a little closer to home and pursuing her adventures on two wheels. These days you can find her on her bicycling and crafting blog, www.bicitoro.wordpress.com and on Twitter (@jkwak).

When I first saw the Middle Fork of the Salmon I was standing at the brink of a tall ramp roughly 100 feet above the river. The river was moving quickly and was only visible for a couple hundred yards before turning abruptly to the right and bending out of view. Boundary Creek, where I was that day, is at the edge of the Frank Church Wilderness Area and is the most popular starting point for a float trip down the Middle Fork of the Salmon. What I was embarking on – a six-day trip down the Middle Fork – was the start to one of the most incredible outdoor experiences I have ever had.

(The Middle Fork of the Salmon is home to many hotsprings along the river.)

In a state known for its Wild Rivers, the Middle Fork of the Salmon is Idaho’s crown jewel. The 100 miles of designated Wild & Scenic river that travels through a 2.2 million acre wilderness are facts demonstrating how wild the Middle Fork is; but what’s discovered during a trip down the Middle Fork are the reasons it’s America’s best Wild River vacation. From blue-ribbon fly fishing to heart pounding rapids, spectacular hikes that lead to amazing sunsets, and world-renowned professional outfitters with an enviable taste for good food and comfort – it’s crystal clear: Idaho’s Middle Fork of the Salmon River provides an adventure vacation unlike any other in the United States.

(Enjoying the beautiful water of the Middle Fork of the Salmon)

No matter why you choose to vacation on the Middle Fork of the Salmon, by the time you leave the river canyon you will realize that the attributes nearly everyone thinks are important – rafting, kayaking, hiking, etc. – pale in comparison to the experiences you end up valuing most. Waking up to the smell of Ponderosa Pine, spending time with your kids around a campfire, and soaking in a natural hot spring with a glowing sunset in the foreground – these are the things that you will remember and the reasons the Middle Fork of the Salmon leaves impressions. These are the things that lead to someone to return year after year to the Middle Fork. There is no other river vacation that brings out the feeling of being alive more so than the Middle Fork of the Salmon, America’s best wild river.

Guided trips on the Middle Fork of the Salmon are offered through a number of different outfitters. The best resource for finding the perfect outfitter for your group is the Middle Fork Outfitters Association’s website, which will help you match outfitters to your specific vacation dates. The most popular trip length on the Middle Fork of the Salmon is six days. Trips typically meet in the town of Stanley, Idaho, and end near Salmon, Idaho. Make 2012 the year you visit the Middle Fork of the Salmon. You won’t regret it!

As a young kid, my family spent a lot of time each year on the river. We lived in La Grande, Oregon, and not far from our home were the Grande Ronde, Owyhee, Snake, and Lower Salmon rivers. Even after leaving home, river trips have continued to be an important part of my life and what I look forward to most when summer arrives. There are not too many things that remind me of summer quite like a river trip, camping along the river, or the subsequent “Chaco tans” that emerge after a week spent in a river canyon.

One of the best things about living in the Pacific Northwest is the number of rivers that are easily accessible for rafters and kayakers. I’ve been fortunate to be a part of many different river trips throughout the PNW and, in 2011, Will Volpert and I started Indigo Creek Outfitters, a whitewater rafting company that runs half-day trips on the Rogue River near Ashland, Oregon.

Southern Oregon's Rogue River flows through a beautiful and lush forest.

In starting our business, the first step was choosing a river to offer trips on. The Rogue River was an obvious choice because it’s a river we both enjoy, has fun whitewater, and gorgeous scenery. Part of the Rogue River is nationally protected as “Wild & Scenic” – in fact it was one of the eight original rivers with that designation – and that status means it will be protected for generations to come. That particular section is the best three or four-day river trip in Oregon and we run that a few times each year with Rogue River Journeys, an outfitter based out of Selma, Oregon.

Amazing scenery on the Wild & Scenic Rogue River

Our business is based out of Ashland, Oregon, which is a town of about 20,000 that draws tourists between March and November for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. There also happens to be a ton of outdoor recreation opportunities just outside of our city limits. Aside from the rafting, we have a small local ski mountain, mountain biking, and the Pacific Crest Trail, which barely skirts town. At first we thought that the mix of outdoorsy folks in a town known for its Shakespeare Festival was odd – and it is – but it’s something that actually works, and mixes well.

 Rafting on the Rogue River

The "Nugget-Powerhouse" section of the Rogue River: Don't let it intimidate you; It's perfect for all levels!

The section of the Rogue River that Indigo Creek Outfitters, (541-203-0222) runs is known as the “Nugget-Powerhouse” stretch and is named after the two largest rapids. For families or groups of mixed rafting experience, this stretch of river is absolutely perfect. It starts mellow and builds up slowly until the two grand finales: Nugget Falls and Powerhouse Rapid. Between the start and finish there are calm places to practice paddling and sitting in the raft, there are surf waves that are fun to play in, and there are class II and III rapids that keep things interesting. The trips are short, only about 5.5 miles, but are perfect for the average person visiting Ashland and looking for a quick thrill.

Dana Woodruff of Indigo Creek Outfitters

For those looking for a true adventure, Rogue River Journeys, (866-213-7754) offers three and four-day vacations down the dramatic “Wild & Scenic” stretch of the Rogue River. These trips are an absolute blast and a great introduction to multi-day rafting trips. Rogue River Journeys’ most popular trip is a four-day “camp-camp-lodge”, which means you camp along the river for the first two nights but then spend your final night at the gorgeous and comfortable Paradise Lodge. This is my favorite way to see the Rogue River because, even though the camping is really pretty luxurious, nothing beats a hot shower and comfy bed after a day on the water. The “camp-camp-lodge” option gives visitors a chance to see everything the Rogue River has to offer.

Now that the sun is starting to show her face, it’s time to plan your summer vacation for 2012. If you do decide to visit Ashland, make sure to give us a ring at 541-203-0222 to make reservations for your Nugget-Powerhouse Rogue River trip. For trips on the Wild & Scenic Rogue River, call Jim Ritter at 1-866-213-7754. From a half-day to a four-day trip on the Rogue River, it’s guaranteed: you’ll have the time of your life.

Dana Woodruff lives in Ashland, Oregon and runs Indigo Creek Outfitters with her boyfriend, Will Volpert. Off the river, she enjoys photography and spending time with her yellow Labrador, “Groover”.

This post was sponsored by the  fun and adventurous folks at Indigo Creek Outfitters.

The end.

We interpret prophecy; we predict raptures and Armageddon; we plaster our doomsday forecast on T.V. and in papers across the globe–and wait.  Some laugh and carry-on, while others stock food in their brand-new bomb shelters. We anticipate, with an almost warped fascination, our demise.

It passes. And so it goes.

Recently, I traveled to the Yucatan Peninsula to visit the Mundo Maya. The year 2012 is a special time to visit the sacred ruins, and more specifically, December 21st. According to the Maya Long-Count Calendar, this is the end of the 13^th Bak’tun—the end of the current era.

El Castillo in Chichén Itzá

As I packed my suitcase for the adventure, I received phone call after phone call from friends going into great detail about body mutilations, severed heads, and ongoing drug wars. “Are you crazy? Body parts are washing up on beaches there!” friends warned.

Eager to learn more about the Maya people and with enough sense to know I was traveling to one of the many incredibly safe places in Mexico, I politely fielded their disconcerting questions.  And to be on the safe side, I threw some Imodium into my suitcase and called myself prepared. (We all know our biggest threat in Mexico is Montezuma’s revenge.)

Do the Maya people, in fact, think that December 21^st, 2012 will be the end of the world? Will I be walking down the beach and discover a severed body part wash ashore, tangled in seaweed?

The eight-ball says, “Most likely,  no.”

Upon arriving to the Yucatan Peninsula, I had the opportunity to walk the grounds of the Maya ruins to witness them myself, and I was fortunate enough to do so while chatting with resident archeologists, Dr. Julia Miller and Alfonso Morales of Catherwood Travels.  We visited Chichen-Itza, Cobá, and Tulum of the Riviera Maya.

(Guide and resident archeologist, Alfonso Morales, of Catherwood Travels)

I couldn’t even begin to expect to absorb all of the knowledge they possess regarding the Maya people, but I was happy to get the bottom of this whole “end of the world” thing.  And what exactly is a Bak’tun, anyway?

A Bak’tun is a cyclic event occurring every 5,125 years: 13 periods of 144,000 days. The last Bak’tun ended August 11, 3114 BC. Today, one artifact remains known as the Tortuguero inscription that actually mentions the year 2012. This fact alone, I find astonishing. They knew we would be here. Were they optimistic? Would they like what we’ve become?

Walking among the ruins with a guide enhanced the experience all-together.  They pyramids became more than what met the eye. Behind every temple, hieroglyph, numerical symbol is a story—a piece to a puzzle that helps us understand and relate to a truly fascinating culture.

(Serpent at Chichén Itzá)

The Maya were farmers–hence, their need for accurate measurements of time. They had political councils, and large communities with city centers and rural areas.  They were immensely knowledgeable about how to use, and properly manage, natural resources.

They practiced sustainability before it was even cool.

Most likely, this explains how they survived on such unforgiving land—areas that even now are less populated than they were during the Classic Maya periods. The Yucatan Peninsula housed and fed approximately 2 million Maya: nearly the same as today, but without modern technology and convenience.

I watched as sunburnt, bathing-suit clad tourists posed in front of sacred ruins. The occasional showoff would slip behind the rope and flash a rebellious grin to the camera. I even joined the herd of tourists climbing the crumbling temple, Nohuch Mul, of Cobá—still feeling a tinge of guilt despite visitors’ permission to do so.

(Climbing Nohuch Mul of the Coba ruins with travel partner in crime, Blane Bachelor)

To the Maya, one Bak’tun merely echoes the next, like a season, and like their crops. They come, they go. They live, they die, they come again. And so it goes. In theory, what a pleasant way to live: not in fear of an inconsequential end, but to lead an existence of ownership, responsibility, and understanding of the need to care for the Earth and its inhabitants for which we’re connected. It’s an empowering notion.

Maybe we shouldn’t be so concerned about the end, but rather be more concerned about other things—like no end.  We can learn a lot from the Maya. We marvel at what they’ve left behind and with good reason.

Maybe the world doesn’t slowly progress down the linear timeline of human existence. Maybe with the end of something, is the beginning of something—an opportunity to right our wrongs.

Maybe we should live like there isn’t an end too. And maybe the new beginning couldn’t have come at a better time.

Thanks to Traveldudes and the Mexican Board of Tourism for making this trip possible.

Spring is here, and most recently in the Pacific Northwest, that means rain and gray skies.

Soooo, this is just a friendly reminder to stop being such a killjoy while the rain is coming down. (Yes, I may or may not have just called you a killjoy.) Rain is charming and romantic–and beauty is easy to overlook. Grab an umbrella, go outside, and enjoy the sharp contrast of colors and moods that are only made possible by reflective and nourishing rainy days.

I spent last weekend in Napa Valley for a girls’ weekend, and was blown away with its beauty under the light gray sky.

Here are couple photos that really seem to capture the essence of Spring in the Valley taken with my Canon T3i, and later edited with effects from my favorite camera app, Vignette.

Left image: the original shot with Canon T3i; Right image: app, Vignette; effect, technicolor w/out frame

App: Vignette for Android; left image: highlight magenta, no frame; right image: technicolor, no frame