Tag: Maps

Sailing The Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are much bigger than I could explore in a year let alone the mere 2 weeks we’ll have spent there. I wish we had more time to spend sailing The Florida Keys but this is the time we had and we did a lot in that time.

Our goal was Key West but it is far! We had to break it up and make stops along the way. With a sailboat, you can’t pick and choose where the stops are. A lot of The Keys don’t have great places to anchor. You want your anchorage to be protected from wind and waves as much as possible. We are learning that those are not always easy to find.

Key Largo

This was our first and longest stay. We motored the boat down from Miami in about 7 hours. We drove because there wasn’t much wind that day and we wanted to arrive before dark. Sadly, sailing the Florida Keys isn’t possible without wind.

Map Miami to Florida Keys
Miami to Key Largo Map, for Zoi!
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Quebec’s Eastern Townships: Cycling From Montreal to Granby

We spent a week cycling around the Eastern Townships of Quebec, enjoying beautiful bike trails, parks, lakes, and delicious food and drink. Here are photos and recommendations from the first day of our Eastern Townships self-guided cycling tour. It is a pleasure cycling from Montreal to Granby, Quebec.

Begin in Montreal

Cycling from Montreal to Granby route map
Montreal to Granby

Day 1 involved a few hours at the bike shop in Old Montreal acquiring our rental bikes, getting them fitted, and gearing up with the panniers. By the time we left the city and rolled across the two bridges, it was almost noon.

Cycling from Montreal to Granby bridge selfie
Our selfie on the bridge leaving Montreal

Quebec Bike Paths

What a pleasure! We rod on bike paths almost the whole way, and they were nice paths. Well-paved, separated from the road, with good views, these bike paths are fun to ride. We are looking forward to a week of almost all separated cycling paths. For people who spend their days cycling in “lanes” marked by painted images of bicycles in Toronto, this was heaven!

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Matagalpa Solo Travel Fears

I asked around and did online research, and the only way to get to Matagalpa was two and a half hours on the chicken bus. So I made the plan to take the bus but barely slept on Friday night because I was so nervous about the morning bus ride. I worried about many things, including but not limited to getting a seat, losing my bags, missing the bus, and getting robbed. You know what? It was awesome! And now after my experience in Matagalpa solo travel fears are much smaller.

Leon to Matagalpa solo travel fears
Leon to Matagalpa

bus trip from leon to matagalpa

I got to the bus station early so I could get a good seat, and it worked. The bus driver gives out assigned seats! I got a window seat (score) near the back door (double score!). I was able to put my bags above me and a woman sat next to me and that was it for the whole trip. Easy peasy. Nothing like Rivas! I had worried for nothing.

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