I love Google Maps. Creating a map of hotels and bed & breakfasts we’re considering for our upcoming San Francisco trip was incredibly easy and fun, and now it’s super useful.

I haven’t blogged in quite a while, and people keep asking to see my Hawaii pics. I still have to sift through those, but here’s a taste of some of the fun we had:

Twanny Flexes from GLBT 2008

Finally got back on my snowboard for the first time in two years. Failing a real trip our west, Anthony and I spent last weekend tearing up Lutsen. I have low expectations of “the mountain” after my previous adventures there. I’ve been there at least three other times, during which I experienced mind-numbing cold (highs of -20), incredible warmth (for December – lows in the 40s), and pea-soup-thick fog (couldn’t see 30 feet in front of you).

As a result, I’ve never been able to experience what Lutsen has to offer. This trip was totally different. The snow was decent (although far from wonderful), and the weather was amazing. Not a cloud in the sky, no fog, no wind, and perfect temperatures – always between 12 and 15.

So it was nice to learn that one can actually have a good ride. There are lots of decent runs, and they’re just long enough to make it worth it. The lifts are slow, but the lift lines are quite short (especially if you can ride on a weekday). We were pleasantly sore after each day. Unfortunately, it felt like a good warm up for a trip to the Wasatch or Rockies, and it really made me miss snowboarding. The day after our trip I was just sad without it.

Incidentally, if you’re ever in Lutsen or near Grand Marais, I highly recommend dining at the Birch Terrace Supper Club. Delicious!

Mostly to celebrate Amy’s transition to oldness (aka turning 30), but also in honor of my 33rd birthday and six months of wedded bliss, we spent the weekend climbing at Devil’s Lake State Park in Wisconsin. The highlight of the weekend might have been her fantastic progress on the rock (she’s starting to kick my ass) if it weren’t for the amazing bed and breakfast we employed.

The Inn at Wawanissee Point was my first experience with B & Bs, and it will the one against which all others are measured. It’s a recently-built gorgeous mansion in Baraboo, Wisconsin with four gorgeous guest rooms, comfort in every corner, and an amazingly impressive view of Lake Wisconsin.

The proprietors, Trudy and Dave Holdener, were great and really took care of us with delicious breakfast every morning, wine and cheese each evening, and fulfilling our special requests perfectly. Their inn has to be experienced to be believed, and we only got to enjoy half of it, not having time to explore the hiking trails through the 42-acre estate. If you’re looking for a romantic getaway, the Inn at Wawanissee Point would be hard to beat.

Amy and I have been doing some camping this summer, with a bunch more planned. I’ve been dying to get one of those folding camping chairs but love seat style. REI (my favorite store lately) has one, but it’s $55. This seems a bit frivolous. Luckily, I just found a better option. Can I do better still? The single chairs like this cost as little as $6. A double should be much more common and much cheaper. Who doesn’t want to sit together?

The pictures from our trip are finally up! If this crappy weather keeps up, I might even get my notes posted, too.

When they advise you to be at the airport three hours before an international flight, they mean it. Thanks to my mistake (taking the wrong train to the airport) and a lack of what I would consider important signage at the airport, I missed my flight back home. Am I the only one who thinks its ridiculous that I’m cut off because I was only 55 minutes early?

Anyways, I’m actually bummed that I have to spend another night here. I was looking forward to getting home, and a night in Paris will certainly not be the same without Amy.

I had planned on daily entries about my trip, but that fell through – I’m surprised that there aren’t more interenet cafes in Paris. Instead, I think I’ll post some past dated notes as I get to them, hopefully this weekend.

My flight leaves in four hours and twenty-six minutes. Perhaps I should start packing. I’m extraordinarly excited for this trip: traveling abroad, experiencing Paris, and sharing it all with Amy. My travels begin with a walk to the bus stop. From there I’ll catch the 17 or the 18 bus to the new light rail line. I’m curious to see how the city’s new train rides, and I’ll certainly appreciate getting from home to the airport for $1.25. Au revoir!

Euro Disney, here I come! Amy and I are heading to Paris in April, and I couldn’t be more excited. Baguettes, brie, and Beaujolais in sidewalk cafes… mischief in Latin Quarter alleyways… touristy clichés like the Eiffel Tower and Jim Morrison’s grave. Woo-hoo!

We’ll be staying in the Latin Quarter at the Hôtel de France Quartier Latin, a cute little two-star with a balcony and a view of… well, I have no idea and I’m just hoping it’s of something better than a dumpster filled with rats. Anyway, I’m always looking for cool travel tips from fellow adventures, so bring them on!

At last! My Colombia pictures are posted on my brand-new Flickr account.