Ashley Stimpson

The Badlands defy description. The alien landscape, the unfamiliar silence, the insistence of wildlife, the brilliant night sky--these things inspire a profundity almost impossible to convey. Seeing the Badlands is a visceral experience, being in them is something else entirely.  Yes, you can get a good sense of the park, it's geography and animal denizens, by driving the scenic rim road. But i...

The Azores are hard to describe. The greenest green, the lushest lush, the cutest cows. There are lots of musts on the island of Sao Miguel but the Rota da Aqua is a nice introduction to the dizzying diversity of the Azorean landscape. This trail is one that has been designated by the tourism council. (These trails are highly recommended; they are well-blazed and mapped out in English.) You can...

Peaks Island is the closest of the Casco Bay Islands to Portland, ME. It is a residential island that fills up with tourists in the summertime. If you visit the Peaks mid-spring, you can count on fairly decent weather and fewer crowds. There is a hotel and three or four restaurants on the island, most of which close in the off-season.  You'll be able to find a map of Peaks in any number of Port...