Hiking Dude

Costa Rica Fauna

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 07:01 CST

Being warm year-round, Costa Rica has an abundant assortment of animals, birds, insects, reptiles, and all sorts of wildlife. I was expecting to see sign of more mammals, but monkeys were the only abundant animal around. We did see a sloth in the wild, and a coatamundi, plus a few snakes and reptiles.

On the other hand, birds and butterflies were abundant! So were insects.

Here is a sample of the fauna along the trail.

3 New Hiking Books

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 09:01 CST

Just in time for Christmas for you or that hiker you know!

I published SHT4U2NO - 150 Super Hiking Tips For You To Know this summer. Tips and advice from my thousands of miles and hundreds of nights spent on long trails. It includes examples of when I used tips on my treks.

Last month, I finally published Trail Tales #1 - seven fictional short stories for young readers, inspired by my Arizona Trail thru-hike. It took a few years, but it's done!
The stories feature Scout, a boy that can talk to animals, and how he helps animals in need while demonstrating good outdoor ethics.

And, I just published Trail Tales #2 - the second book in the Trail Tales series, this one based on the Superior Hiking Trail. This coming year, I will finish the next two books and the series is scheduled to have 10 books in all.

Click a book title for purchasing.

Hike On!

C U There

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 13:57 CDT

Hey, go to early church on Sunday so you can visit with us about our Camino de Costa Rica hike in Room 102 of Hanson Hall on U of Minnesota campus at 11am. See Midwest Mountaineering"s Expo site for details.

Free Costa Rica Talk

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 11:43 CDT

Are you busy on Sunday, April 30 at 11am?

If not, join us in room 102 of Hanson Hall on U of Minnesota campus for the first presentation in our world tour about our successful 2023 Camino de Costa Rica hike.
If nothing else, you'll get a sticker, and maybe a free copy of my latest book.

See Expo site for details.

There are a lot of other interesting 1-hour presentations on Saturday and Sunday. After our talk you could hang around and learn about Machu Pichu, Tanzania, Te Araroa, Mt. Assiniboine, and the Wabakami wilderness.

Hike On!

Costa Rica Flora

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 10:08 CDT

On my hike across Costa Rica, there was never a lack of lush plant life. From the warm, humid coastlands over the cooler mountain ranges, thick forest and jungle could be found everywhere except where bananas, pineapples, coffee, and palm trees had been planted. There were many exotic plants which I had not seen before and a rainbow of colors in the flowers.

Here is a sample of the exotic plants and flowers from along the trail.

(I didn't notice the small insect until preparing these photos :-) )

Camino de Costa Rica - Day 14

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 07:10 CST

Saturday - I thought yesterday was hot and humid, but today wins! We dropped down the last few hills before a 12 mile walk along dirt roads through vast palm oil forests and paved roads through small towns in the coastal flatland. It was mostly a grind avoiding traffic and keeping the feet moving towards the coast.

We did stop at a store for fresh coconut water - a straw poked in a hole in the coconut! That was refreshing.

Reaching the end of the trail around 1:30 at the ocean in Quepos was sudden and fulfilling. With no more land to walk on, we could take our time the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying our success.

You can see photos on Instagram