The “Broken” Taxi Meter

This happens throughout the world in almost every country where taxi service isn’t heavily regulated. The gist is that you climb into a cab and, a few minutes into the ride, the driver informs you the meter is broken. You shrug it off, but balk at the bill when it turns out to be ten times what it should actually cost, and you have no recourse.

How to Avoid It: Agree on a fare before your cabbie starts driving or, better yet, before you climb into the car at all. Stand your ground and don’t budge from your agreed upon price.

The “Overbooked” Hotel or “Closed” Attraction

On the way to your already-booked hotel or a popular tourist attraction, your cabbie informs you that said destination is closed. He then proceeds to take you to a different — and far more expensive — hotel/attraction where he gets a fat commission for delivering tourists like you.

How to Avoid It: Never take someone else’s word for it, particularly in cases where they’re likely wrong or lying. Demand the cabbie take you to the hotel entrance or the ticket counter and see for yourself.

The Snap and Grab

This should go without saying, but tourists still fall for it everywhere. Thieves line up around popular tourist attractions and offer to take your photo. All you need to do is hand over your digital camera … seconds before they run off with it.

How to Avoid It: The absolute best way to prevent this, of course, is to never give your camera to a stranger even for a second. If you just must have that picture, find another tourist and ask them to take the pic for you.

The “Accidental” Spill on Your Clothing

This is common in busy tourist areas because of how quick and easy it is to pull off. It’s essentially a more artful pickpocketing. You’ll feel something spill on your shirt — bird droppings or a condiment like ketchup — and a “kind” stranger will quickly approach to help. While they’re tending to your potentially ruined clothing, they’re also relieving you of your wallet or watch.

How to Avoid It: Even though said person may just be trying to help, you’re better off finding the nearest restroom and taking care of the mess yourself.

It’s all too easy to get complacent while on vacation. But, now that the vast majority of tourists are traveling with hundreds (or thousands) of dollars in mobile gear on them at all times, it’s never been more important to keep your wits about you and a watchful eye on your belongings.

The post These Are the Travel Scams You’re Most Likely to Fall For appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

As such, I present to you; the 50 state challenge. The idea is simple; travel around the country visiting all 50 states. Most US residents have probably barely seen half of the states here, so there’s so much to enjoy. Of course, if you’re not from the US, this is still a great travel idea for you as well!

The big question is; how do you do it? 50 states is a big area to cover, meaning you need to figure out how to travel around, where to stay, and how to make it cost as little as possible. Don’t worry, I’ve condensed all the main suggestions and advice into this guide for you to see.

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Road Trip In A Campervan

One of the main issues you’ll encounter is figuring out how you’ll travel around the country without busting a hole through your wallet. Along with this, you have to think about accommodation too; where will you stay? Both these problems can be solved with one suggestion; buy/rent a campervan, and go on a massive road trip!

With this idea, you drive yourself around the country, moving from state to state. It’s a relatively cost-effective idea as you’re self-sufficient while you travel. You don’t have to pay for any type of transport when visiting almost all the states in the country. Likewise, you can sleep in your van, completely negating any accommodation costs. Yes, there’s still fuel to pay for, along with your food, etc. However, you also get complete freedom when it comes to your trip. You can spend as much time in one place as you like, because you have no hotel to pay for. There’s no need to limit your stay because you can’t afford to be there for a long time. Similarly, you aren’t bound by public transport timetables, so you can pack up and leave whenever you want.

It’s a great idea that, admittedly, requires a great deal of effort, but it’s worth it. Plus, it’s made even better when you travel with friends. Two or three people traveling will split things like food and fuel costs, making it even more affordable.

Save Money With Low-Budget Airlines

There are some states, like Alaska and Hawaii, that aren’t part of mainland USA. As such, you have no real choice but to fly to these places. Now, nothing is stopping you from flying to different states too. In fact, one idea is to combine two modes of transport into one. You fly across the country, rent a car, and go on a little road trip around a few neighboring states. Then, you return to the state you landed in, and can hop on another plane to a different area, and repeat.

Regardless of how often you use planes as a mode of travel, and you’ll certainly use them at least twice, you need to think about the cheapest options. There are airlines like Spirit Airlines that offer ultra-low budget options for people looking to save money. Here, it’s not about luxury or class – you can say goodbye to the free onboard wifi – it’s just about getting from A to B. So, when you have to sort out flights, book as early as can be, and fly low-budget to make it more affordable for you. The money you save on travel can go towards better things during your trip.

Devise A Plan Beforehand

I’m all for impulse traveling, but the 50 state challenge is not something you should do on a whim. The US is a massive country, it’s easy to get lost and have no sense of direction at all. With this idea, you’re much better off coming up with a plan beforehand. Decide on a route of sorts; which states will you visit in which order? At the very least, this will bring more structure to your trip.

When you know where you’re going, it helps you map out the best way to do things. Also, if you’ve decided against the road trip idea, then a plan helps you figure out what accommodation to book, and when. It’s just a simple way of ensuring your trip doesn’t go up in flames before it even begins.

Travel During Summer

You have twelve months of the year in which you can travel around the country, but I think it’s best to do this in summer. I’ve got many reasons for this, one is that a lot of you will have more free time during summer. Those of you that are students will have long summer breaks, giving you months to travel around. But, even if you aren’t a student, the summer months are still the best time for you to set about on your travels.

Why? Because that’s when you’ll typically find the best weather everywhere. It might be exceedingly hot in some states like California and Texas, but I’m thinking more from a practical view here. Traveling in summer is easier because there are fewer chances things will go wrong. If you traveled in winter, there’s every chance you’ll find icy road closures, canceled flights, and general snow issues in many states. Make life easier, travel during summer.

Keep in mind that everything here is simply a suggestion! You can choose to follow the advice or not – it’s up to you. For me, these things will make your life easier when going on the 50 state challenge. Lastly, I’ll leave you with this; spend a lot of time working and saving money before going on this trip. It’s likely you’ll have to quit your job to go on it, so make sure you’re 100% certain it’s the right move for you.

The post The 50 State Challenge: Traveling Across The Country Made Easy appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

G Adventures, and search for your very own treasures in the lost cities of Peru. Or, if you prefer to vacation in the Hawaiian location, it is possible to rope swing over a river Indy style at the ATV Ranch and Mountain Tour. For added authenticity, get somebody to pipe out the iconic theme tune as you do it.

Tunisia: This sandy region is famous for another movie locale – has anybody heard of a little film called Star Wars? – but it also stood in for Egypt during the final showdown between Indy and the Nazis in Raiders. Despite the hot weather, you won’t experience the face melting scene that befell one of Indy’s greatest antagonists, but you should probably prepare yourself for the climate.

Sri Lanka: Remember the climax to the ‘Temple of Doom?’ This was the scene where Indy braved one of the biggest rope bridges you will ever see on screen. Supposed to have been located in North India, the scene was actually created near Kandy in Sri Lanka. Of course, you won’t find the rope bridge there now – it was all good old movie magic anyway – but there are still tour guides who will show you the location. Then you should follow the example of Indy and Short Round and take one of the elephant-back safaris which are located at Lake Kandalama. Hey, even Indy needed time off his feet once in a while!

Jordan: The climactic scenes in ‘Last Crusade’ happened here, where Indy and his dad discovered the famed Holy Grail. It’s unlikely anybody will find the legendary cup that Christ drank from at the Last Supper, but you can search all you want if you visit the ancient city of Petra which was where the cup was supposed to lie. Still, there are other treasures awaiting you in the ‘rose-red city,’ including an 8-day ‘Treasure of Jordan’ adventure which will lead you on the road to real riches – the quest for knowledge – if you fancy a trip along the ancient roads of the King’s Highway.

Finally
These are just some of the locations made famous in the films. If you do visit, don’t forget your travel essentials – a fedora hat, a whip, and a no-fear attitude. Oh, and you should probably take some snake repellant too, just in case.

The post Cracking The Whip: How To Holiday Indiana Jones Style appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

The Pan-American Highway is considered the longest “motorable” road in the world, stretching from Alaska’s Prudhoe Bay to the southernmost tip of South America in Ushuaia, Argentina. But, there’s a break along that 20,000-mile journey. Blink, and you’ll miss it. Between Panama and Colombia lies a gap — this is the Darién Gap. It’s a relatively tiny and seemingly insignificant blip along an otherwise epic, record-setting road.

This 100-mile stretch of dense jungle is among the most dangerous terrestrial destinations in the world. This is a literal no-man’s-land where no human being is designed to venture. There are no roads, and hiking through requires substantial bushwhacking. The land is rife with exotic plants and some of the world’s most dangerous animals, all trying their damnedest to kill or, at the very least, severely maim you. Biting insects, jaguars, jungle scorpions, blood-sucking bats, poison dart frogs, venomous vipers, and wild pigs — they’re all here.

But, the deadliest species in the Darién Gap, like everywhere else on earth, is a man. The gap is a prime migration route between Central and South America, including immigrants from as far away as Pakistan and Somalia. Most have nothing to lose and are extremely wary of getting caught by local law enforcement. It’s also a massive drug-smuggling corridor. The Panamanian government long ago ceded control of its side of the jungle to narco-traffickers. Mostly, the law in the gap is whatever they say it is. Nearer the Colombian side, a Marxist insurgent group lords over their section of the jungle. For decades, FARC (the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) rebels have fought a resistance for the people of Colombia, funding much of their revolution from both human and cocaine traffickers. In a word, the gap is lawless.

To put an excellent point on it: trekking the Darién Gap isn’t just dangerous. It’s sheer insanity. Hundreds — perhaps even thousands — of crazy, ignorant (or both) hikers attempt to tackle it every year. One stunned hiker survived the gap with this bit of stark advice:

“For those who wish to have a Darien experience, never go it alone. Several have tried and were never heard from again. Even the most adventurous, or well seasoned traveler should not give into their ego and think that they can go it alone. It’s way too easy to get lost in its vastness, or fall prey to those who hide in its uncontrolled boundlessness.

I’ve been all over the world and hiked in untamed wilderness but this is a world unto its own.”

The post Lost in the Darién Gap: The Most Lawless 100-Mile Jungle in the World appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Oh, and the most interesting part of the presidential library was definitely being greeted by a shockingly  life-like animatronic robot of LBJ reciting some of his favorite jokes. I kid you not it was far too weird to ever be made up.

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Austin is home to some of the highest quality and most filling soul food dishes I have ever had. Here in Austin top chefs are creating truly unique dishes based on hearty southern stalwarts such as the unparalleled shrimp and salmon cake benedict that I had at the stunning Eastside Cafe. When you visit be sure to finish off brunch with a fresh-baked pie from their attached bakery and a scoop of ice cream, it may seem overly decadent, but in reality it was oh-so-perfect.

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What surprised me most about the Austin food scene was the extent of Japanese culinary influences we found throughout the city. This resulted in some of the most satisfying meals I have had. At Ramen Tatsu-Ya I enjoyed the closest to authentic Ramen I have had outside of our recent trip to Japan last spring. Here guests are allowed to almost infinitely customize their meal from the broth base to additional meats and ingredients, the pork broth and seared pork loin was the most succulent I have had in recent memory.

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BarChi Sushi featured the best happy hour of our visit with awesome deals on authentic Japanese beer, superb hand rolled sushi, and amazing Kyoto street food gems such as grilled baby octopus on a stick. Barchi is absolutely worth the visit when you are near 6th street during the late afternoon and are yearning for a taste of top notch Japanese inspired food.

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Finally, when you are in town you have to stop by Lazarus Brewing which has the most high quality and creative beer list I have had outside of a Colorado brewery. My top recommendation is their Australian Pilsner which use only Australian hops that creates a distinct, crisp, and invigorating not to be missed German-style Pilsner.

This is where history and patriotism live and breathe. We love visiting presidential libraries and one day we will have visited them all. @reggiekred #lbj #lbjpresidentiallibrary #austin #texas #adventureawaits #history

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The post Austin Texas is Way More Than Just Great Beer and Food appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

We are at an unnamed mezcal distillery high in the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico. The tiny distillery consists of a dirt yard, the pit, and a shed that contains an old copper still, a holding tank brimming with fermenting agave fiber, and an immense stone wheel. Beyond the enclosure, fields of spiky agave, or maguey, stretch up into the forested slopes.

This yard is one of hundreds of mom-and-pop distilleries that dot the mountains south of Oaxaca City. A far cry from the modern autoclaves of the big tequila distilleries, these operations work with fire, dirt, stone, and the age-old art of fermentation. You want artisanal booze? Try something burro-powered. Yes, the stone wheel that crushes the maguey fiber is actually pulled by a burro.

Making Mezcal (the traditional way)

Here’s the process: Men and women harvest agave from the surrounding fields and mountains. Jimadores (professional agave harvesters) cut off the spiky leaves and bury the agave hearts, or piñas, in a giant roasting pit. After roasting for about a week, the smoking agave hearts are removed from the pit and ground to fiber. Next the palanquero (distiller) settles the fiber in vats, where it will ferment for a week or two. At the end of the fermentation period, the viscous liquid is ready for distilling in a copper or clay still. Mezcal is typically distilled twice.

Tequila and Mezcal: What’s the Difference?

Mezcal is a distilled liquor made from the agave plant, a member of the botanical order asparagales, which includes asparagus and narcissus. Historically, mezcal was a blanket term for any type of agave spirits, meaning that tequila is technically a type of mezcal, albeit one made in a specific region (Jalisco and parts of four surrounding states) and from a specific type of agave, agave tequilana.

Today, tequila and mezcal are considered separate designations. Taste-wise, tequila differs from traditional mezcal because tequila distilleries employ industrial processes, replacing pit roasting with modern ovens or autoclaves. Good mezcal is smokier, earthier: these distinct flavors stem from artisanal methods: the smoke of the pit, the use of diverse species of agave (including wild plants) and, sometimes, from the clay of the traditional still. (That said, mezcal doesn’t need to be super smoky in order to be good — some quality mezcals don’t taste particularly smoky.)

Mezcal was once tequila’s wild, unregulated cousin, but these days Mexico has gotten hip to the cultural and economic value of its heritage liquors, and mezcal is now its own denomination, with its own sets of rules, regulations, and certifications. If a bottle is officially designated “mezcal artesanal” and labeled as such, it means that the spirits were made in a specific region by a specific process that may include either pit roasting or the use of masonry ovens.

Varieties of Mezcal

Like tequila, mezcal is sold “fresh” and aged. The current mezcal designations are as follows:

Blanco or Joven — unnaged.

Reposado—rested for a minimum of two months in a wooden container.

Madurado en vidrio — rested in a glass container for a minimum of twelve months. (This has a wonderful mellowing effect.)

Añejo — rested for a minimum of twelve months in a wooden container.

Abocado con — mezcal that directly incorporates additional ingredients for flavor. See fruit, herbs, flowers, honey, vegetables, or insects.

Destilado con — mezcal that’s distilled with additional ingredients, which may range from plums to the famous pechuga, or chicken breast.

Agave must mature for between four and ten years before harvest, which distinguishes agave spirits from all other forms of liquor. More than any other spirit, mezcal is influenced by the plant itself. Thus, mezcal labels often reference the type of maguey used in production. For example, tobala mezcal is made from A. potatorum, a small wild maguey that grows in the extreme highlands. While tobala is sought after, it’s not the holy grail: Tepextate mezcal costs upwards of $200 a bottle because it’s made from a wild agave so rare that a maestro mezcalero might find only five or ten plants in his lifetime.

The politics of mezcal

Mezcal was once the drink of Mexico’s working class, and derided as firewater. These days it’s the hippest thing on the menu from Mexico City to Brooklyn. Unfortunately, the boom in popularity isn’t necessarily helping the rural people who make traditional mezcal.

Many small distilleries don’t have any way to get their product to a bigger market. Big distributors will pay small distilleries a pittance for their quality mezcal, label it, and then sell it for $100 a bottle.

This year, the Mexican government issued a new labeling law: Norma Official Mexicana 177 (NOM 177). Ostensibly mezcal designations allow small producers to differentiate their product from big industrial producers. But the NOM also allows industrial nontraditional producers to label their bottles as mezcal. Mezcal made by old school methods will be labeled “mezcal artesanal” or “mezcal ancestral.” Here’s the breakdown on the new labeling standards:

Mezcal

This broad designation covers “mezcal” produced using the same industrial processes that are used by major tequila manufacturers.

• Agave hearts or juice may be cooked in autoclaves.
• Crushed by basically any method.
• Fermented in wood, concrete, or stainless steel tanks.
• Stainless steel column stills are permitted.

(This doesn’t mean that all mezcals that fall under this label are using totally modern methods. For example, a mezcal may use some traditional methods but fail to meet one requirement for the artesanal label and thus be relegated to the underclass.)

Mezcal Artesanal

• Agave hearts may be roasted in an underground stone oven or above-ground masonry oven.
• Crushed by traditional or industrial methods.
• Fermented in stone, earth, wood, clay, or animal skins. Agave fibers mandatory.
• Distilled with direct fire on a copper alembic or clay pot still. Agave fibers must be included.

Mezcal Ancestral

• Roasted in an underground stone oven.
• Crushed by hand, with a tahona, or with a Chilean or Egyptian mill.
• Fermented in stone, earth, wood, clay, or animal skins. Agave fibers mandatory.
• Distilled by direct fire on a clay pot still. Agave fibers mandatory.

What to drink?

We asked renowned mezcal expert Clayton Szczech of Experience Mezcal to weigh in on a few of our favorite brands. In choosing producers for his tastings, tours, and “mezcal camps,” Szczech considered politics as well as taste. “Right now there’s a real need for people to understand why mezcal costs what it does,” he says. “What I’m trying to do is look at these brands and figure out where more of that money is getting back to the producer.” With that in mind, he came up with four recommendations for delicious mezcal that is produced with respect for the environment and culture of rural Oaxaca.

Tosba

“This is a (rare) producer-owned brand. Mezcalero Edgar González is single-handedly reviving the mezcal tradition in his remote Zapotec village of San Cristobal Lachirioag. He’s produced espadín, tobalá and pechuga from the beginning, and many of his experimental plantings of maguey from other regions are about to mature, and all will be worth seeking out. This is one of the best mescals you will find at such an accessible price point.”

Real Minero

“Real Minero is a family-owned brand of delicious clay-pot distilled mezcal from Santa Catarina Minas. The distillery is run by Graciela Ángeles. She’s a unique combination of traditional (having learned mezcal from her late father) and modern (being a rural sociologist by training) and they maintain one of the most traditional processes of any mezcal you can buy in the US. As demand for wild agave grows, the survival of many species is under threat. Real Minero is doing more than perhaps any other brand to preserve and repopulate over a dozen wild varietals.”

Vago

“I unabashedly recommend this as an awesome artisanal mezcal. Vago was started by Judah Kuper, a gringo surfer who fell in love with and married the daughter of an old-school, traditional mezcalero, Aquilino García, in the remote village of Yegolé. Some Vago expressions are produced by Aquilino, and the even more old-school clay-pot distilled expressions are made in Sola de Vega by “Tío Rey” Rodriguez. Vago’s labels are meticulously detailed, so you always know exactly what you are buying, down to the date it was produced.”

El Jolgorio

“This is a Oaxaca-based brand. They’ve done more than anyone to bring previously unknown magueys to the marketplace. The El Jolgorio line is mostly wild magueys.”

(Still thirsty for more? Consider planning your next trip around mezcal. See Experience Mezcal for details on tours  and camps.)

Looking for a great Cognac for your next event? We have you covered on crafting a tasty Old Fashioned.

The post Mezcal Isn’t Just Cheap Tequila: Here’s What You’re Drinking appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Technically, anyone who’s reasonably fit and comfortable swimming in open ocean can do it. The sport requires little equipment: a mask and (optionally) a snorkel, plus a pair of purpose-designed fins to propel you through the water quickly and with minimal effort. The main draw, of course, is an increase in freedom and agility underwater. By stripping away traditional scuba gear, freedivers are able to move faster, use less effort (and therefore oxygen), and get far closer to marine life. Where the bulk, bubbles, and hiss of a scuba diver’s regulator are enough to scare off even the heartiest marine mammals, freedivers can typically swim among them with ease.

What’s more: while traditional scuba divers are limited by the laws of physics as to how deep they can dive, freedivers are untethered from the same restraints. The current confirmed “no limits” world record for freediving stands at 700 feet. And the record’s holder, Austrian freediver Herbert Nitsch, has announced plans to smash through 1,000 feet later this year. It’s a staggering testament to the capability of the human body.

Which is surprising because, on paper, freediving might look like little more than glorified swimming. In reality, it’s so much more. Like scuba diving, mastering the skills and proper technique of freediving requires legitimate schooling. Instructional courses like those offered through I AM WATER Ocean Travel teach novice freedivers the science and practice behind breath-holding techniques, proper swim strokes, and — our words, not theirs — how not to drown. Courses begin in the classroom with proper book and lecture time, and end with half-day freedives in open ocean. Students are welcome to dive entirely within their comfort zone, or instructors will push them if they’re ready.

The company has even branched out to offer liveaboard freediving expeditions which are a great way to gain confidence underwater, and they’re growing in popularity. Their most popular trips take divers to some of the most exotic destinations in the world. Think: spotting humpback whales near Niue Island in the South Pacific, chasing jack fish and whale sharks in coastal Mexico, or gliding with giant manta rays in Bali. It’s difficult to imagine a more incredible learning vacation.

The post Going Deep: Forget Scuba Diving, Go Freediving appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Don’t despair — we’ve got you covered. I’ve driven this highway* hundreds of time and eaten many a mediocre Reuben and uninspired burrito in the quest for greatness. I’m happy to report that my arduous research paid off and I uncovered a few gems.

Best Mexican food on the Oregon coast?

Seaside is more famous for drunk spring-breakers than it is for cuisine, but this local favorite is the real deal. Like most good Mexican joints, The Stand doesn’t go in for fancy ambiance but instead focuses on delicious fucking tacos. Order the carnitas. I thought I’d died and gone to Michoacan.

109 N Holladay Dr, Seaside, OR

Best seafood on the Oregon coast?

That’s a tough one, but my vote would go to Local Ocean in Newport. This bi-level bayside restaurant is a bit swankier than my normal haunt, but damn! The chef sources from the fishing boats in the bay across the street, and you can tell. Although the menu varies from crab po’ boys to mocqueca de piexe (Brazilian stew with coconut milk), the diverse dishes are unified by a fresh delicacy. I particularly enjoyed the barely-grilled albacore tuna kabobs, but everything was good–so good that I’d recommend sharing many small plates in order to sample as much as possible.

213 SE Bay Blvd, Newport, OR

Best Burger on the Oregon Coast?

I am in love with a little restaurant called Homegrown . Everything about this place is good: they use local organic ingredients and quality meat; they pickle in-house; the servers are friendly and funny; the bar consistently offers a fine selection of beer and cider; they have wine on tap; they serve cocktails; it’s owned by a local woman (thereby proving that us small town people can be hip too); and it has an addictive pub plate, with pickled red onions, smoked fish, and chive cream cheese, served with an abundance of fresh bread. I’m sorry, was I talking about burgers? Yeah, the burgers are great. Eat one.

294 Laurel Street, Florence, OR

Best Reuben on the Oregon Coast?

I consider the Reuben to be a kind of deli litmus test. If you can’t make a good Reuben you shouldn’t be serving sandwiches, and if you can make a good Reuben then you earn my undying devotion. Conveniently, one of the state’s best can be found at Homegrown’s extension deli, right next door to the Florence restaurant. The best thing about this sandwich? The bread is appropriately crispy (obviously pressed correctly) and the greasy goodness is cut with tangy red cabbage sauerkraut that’s clearly house-made.

Best Soup on the Oregon Coast?

If you like Homegrown, chances are you’ll also like Siuslaw Riverside, another family-owned Florence establishment with friendly service, a homey ambiance, and tasty soup and sandwiches. The deck-side seating proffers a gorgeous view of the Siuslaw River, and the chef shows real attention to detail–the coleslaw and tomato soup are simply perfect.

1340 Bay Street, Florence, OR

Best Burger in Sonoma County?

The Railroad Station Bar & Grill is so great that I will actually go hungry in order to eat there. (And for me, that’s saying something.) Only 200 miles till Cloverdale, I’ll think as I attempt to sate my appetite with unsatisfying trail mix. So why the suffering? This refreshingly unpretentious bar has superb pub food, a solid beer selection, excellent local wine, brash bartenders, and a roster of salty and gregarious locals. What more could you want? Home cut fries and the region’s greatest burger? Oh yeah, it has that too. Also the salad is fresh with tender greens topped in a tangy house-made vinaigrette — so rare for a bar.

236 S. Cloverdale Blvd, Cloverdale CA

Best food in Eureka, CA?

My hands down favorite is Cafe Nooner, which is also homey and unpretentious with a menu that emphasizes local and organic ingredients. Are we sensing a theme here? The restaurant makes a delicious burger, but you may be tempted by the wide range of Mediterranean and Creole food, including superb, perfectly-spiced kabob plates.

409 Opera Alley, Eureka, CA

Happy eating!

*Due to the enormity of the coastline, here we’ll deal with the stretch of road from northern Oregon to Northern California.

The post Beyond Fish & Chips: Best Food on Highway 101 (Part 1) appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Food Cooler

Some might say I’m a little obsessed with cooler maintenance. But seriously, I value preserving the integrity of my food and my cold beverages. Have you ever opened a cooler to find your bacon floating in a pool of greasy ice water? To prevent this travesty:

1. Acquire two or three large wide-mouth plastic jars with air-tight lids.
2. Fill the jars 3/4 with water and freeze. These will provide a contained ice situation for the first part of your trip.
3. When the ice melts, you can drink the water or use it for washing, and then refill the containers with party ice or, preferably, small hunks of block ice (see “ice pick” on the packing list). Keep all ice contained, thus preventing the bottom of your cooler from filling with treacherous water.

Another idea: make soup or sauce at home, freeze in screw-top  plastic container (the snap top kind may leak), and pack in your cooler. You’ll conserve ice while freeing up more camping time for lazing around.

Beverage Cooler

Always bring a separate cooler for beverages. This is particularly important if you’re hanging out with beer-drinking buddies who open the cooler every five minutes. If you keep your coolers segregated, you’ll conserve ice and prevent your food from getting rifled. You’ll want to buy ice for your drink cooler from the get-go, but add a couple of frozen water bottles to make it last longer.

Cooler Packing List: 

2 coolers

3 frozen water bottles

2 large plastic jars of frozen water

extra Tupperware for leftovers

ice pick

Permanent Portable Camp Kitchen

Just because you’re camping doesn’t mean you should resort to savagery and subsist exclusively on burnt hot dogs. Camping can be a fun time to do some leisurely cooking. (Tip from a pro: Everyone will be way more impressed with your culinary talents because people have lower standards when camping.) To save the headache of packing, keep a trunk or storage bin packed with a summer camp kitchen, including cooking oil and a box of spices. (You don’t need to spend a ton of money on this–most of these items can be found at yard sales or in your own overstocked home kitchen.)

A note on plates:

I try to be environmentally conscious, but dishes can get out of control if you’re camped in a spot with limited facilities. For larger groups I go with paper boats, which are sturdier, easier to balance, and more versatile than paper plates. You can get a good deal on a huge stack at Cash-and-Carry or another restaurant supply place. Or you can order online (they also have an unbleached version).

Other cool equipment:

1. This koozie is at once functional and pleasingly stealthy.
2. If you’re keeping your eggs in the cooler (a good idea if there’s wild animals around), consider this egg case, which is far superior to a disintegrating egg carton.
3. Luci solar lights are small, lightweight, waterproof, and put out a lot of light. Bonus: save on batteries.
4. I haven’t tried this particular model, but stretchy camp chairs are the best. (The more chairs you have the fewer people will be sitting on your beer cooler.)
5. Kitchen scissors are great if want to avoid dirtying your cutting board.

Ultimate packing list:

barbecue tongs

tinfoil

kitchen scissors

paper towels

heavy-duty Ziploc bags

heavy-duty garbage bags

plastic bin for washing dishes

folding dish rack and/or towel for drying dishes

dish soap

scrubby

2 large frying pans

large cook pot

cutting board

coffee cone

coffee filters

mugs

metal cups

paper boats

Tupperware bowls

extra-large Tupperware for mixing and/or salad

colander

2 decent knives

2 small cutting boards

forks and spoons

2 spatulas

large metal spoon

camp stove

lighter

ice pick

can opener

wine/bottle opener

salt

pepper

spices

cooking oil

drink koozies

pot holder

dish towel

optional (if you’re fancy):

vegetable peeler

cheese grater

kettle

cast iron dutch oven

food tents to keep the flies away

small cooler specifically for drink ice

cocktail shaker

simple syrup

bitters

The post Packing the Ultimate Camp Kitchen appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

The so-called Million Dollar Highway is actually a small, 12-mile stretch of US 550 (a road worthy of many road trips in its own right). On any standard map, the drive appears to be little more than a thoroughfare connecting the two tiny towns of Ouray and Silverton, Colorado. Save for a few hairpin turns, it’s deceptively straight and straightforward. In reality, it’s among the most radical paved roads in the United States.

The origins of the road are clouded in a combination of mystery and revisionist history. The general path was first cut by Otto Mears — a Russian immigrant and U.S. mail carrier who frequently traveled the San Juan Mountains. He quickly found the path to be quite necessary for others seeking passage across Colorado’s most wild and rugged mountain range. By 1882, he’d consequently opened the path as a rather lucrative toll road.

When the road was first paved in the 1930s, it was purely out of function and necessity. Few folks were interested in driving it for fun, leading many to believe the origin of the road’s name stems from one traveler noting, “I wouldn’t go that way if you paid me a million dollars.” Considering the lack of “amenities” like seatbelts in some early 20th century vehicles, it’s hard to blame him. Beginning south from Ouray (with the sheer gorge to the right), the road passes through Uncompahgre Gorge before climbing to the summit of Red Mountain Pass. It’s a harrowing and downright dangerous drive marked with narrow lanes (often shared by RVs), steep cliffs, sheer dropoffs, hairpin turns, and zero guardrails.

Given the Million Dollar Highway’s breathtaking yet perilous nature, accidents can and do happen. It’s crucial to be prepared, especially when driving in such unpredictable conditions. If you find yourself in an unfortunate situation, it’s important to know about their legal services offered by experienced professionals through an accident hotline. These legal experts can provide you with crucial guidance and support following an accident, ensuring that you are protected and informed about your rights. Whether it’s handling the aftermath of a collision or offering advice on next steps, their services are designed to alleviate the stress and uncertainty that often follows such incidents.

It’s also one of the most beautiful in the country. Every bend reveals yet another panoramic view of some of the most idyllic mountain scenery in the state with names like Electra Lake, Twilight Peak, and Lookout Point. Towering rock walls, rolling fields of evergreen, beautiful alpine lakes, abandoned gold and silver mines, and the ruins of settlements once full of wide-eyed miners who arrived in the valley to strike it rich nearly 100 years ago. Thankfully, there are viewpoints along the way, although drivers are often forced to park with a little too much ass in the road.

Surprisingly — or not, because, hey this is Colorado — the Million Dollar Highway is open year-round. While it does close in snow, more often than not, the local government encourages drivers to just throw on some chains and be on their way.

The post A Most Beautiful and Dangerous Road: Colorado’s ‘Million Dollar Highway’ appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

In late November of 2009, Capen, 35, decided it was high time he acted on his dream of finding the treasure that’s rumored to be hidden in Arizona’s aptly named Superstition Wilderness Area. He drove south from Denver, planning to spend a month exploring the mountains east of Phoenix. After setting up camp, he climbed to the 4,892-foot pinnacle of Tortilla Mountain and left a note in a metal canister: “Jesse Capen was here. Dec 4, 2009.” It was his last message to the world.

Designated in 1939, the Superstition Wilderness Area now encompasses 160,200 acres of craggy desert. The dry land is crisscrossed with trails, but much of the region is impassible. The rough and steep nature of the terrain allows treasure hunters to dream that the “Dutchman’s” legendary gold is lodged away in some apparently inaccessible crevice–despite the tens of thousands of people who have searched for it.

The legends of treasure are numerous and exceedingly intricate. In one version, the treasure is a cache of gold and silver crosses, candelabras, and chalices that dates back to 1764, when the Spanish crown is expelling the Jesuits from the Americas. Feeling vindictive about getting kicked out of their missions, the Jesuits gather the valuables from  the churches in New Spain’s vast northern territories. Instead of handing these sacred treasures over to the enemy king, they take a mule train to the Superstition Mountains where they hide the loot in a cave near a rock spire.

The next legend is slightly more plausible. In 1840 an aristocratic Mexican family named Peralta develops rich gold mines in the Superstition Mountains. Their activities anger a band of Apaches, who warn the Peraltas to stay out of their sacred lands or face the wrath of the God of Thunder. The Peralta party ignores the Apache threat. The Apaches are pissed and send riders to gather a larger force. When the Peralta party packs up to transport their gold back home to Sonora, the Apache warriors ambush and massacre the Mexicans. The warriors then bury the gold and hide the entrance to the mine. (You can read a detailed version of this legend here.)

Years later, a man called Dr. Thorne supposedly befriends the same Apaches. After he cures a sick chieftain, the tribe rewards him by leading him, blindfolded, to a gold mine. They invite him to take as much gold as he can carry away.

None of these stories have been convincingly verified.

Things get a bit more concrete in 1863 when the famous “Dutchman” enters the story. The man in question was actually a German immigrant named Jacob Waltz, who arrived in the United States around 1839 and was lured west by the California gold rush. He prospected in California but never struck it rich, and headed to Arizona in 1863. He was one of the first pioneer prospectors in Arizona’s Bradshaw Mountains and eventually filed a homestead claim on the banks of the Salt River. Although he farmed the land, he continued hunting for gold in the mountains. He died in Phoenix in 1891, in the care of his friend Julia Thomas, an African American baker.

That’s all verifiable. But from here the story descends into a snarl of speculation. One-hundred-and-thirty years of speculation, in fact. According to most versions of the story, Waltz was a salty white-whiskered codger who would travel into the Superstition Mountains each year and return to town with gold nuggets of unusually high quality. These he would spend on drinking binges.

In one version of the story, Waltz has a prospecting partner named Weisman. Weisman winds up dead and Waltz claims the man was murdered by the ubiquitous Apaches, but locals speculate that Waltz murdered Weisman to protect the secret location of the lost Peralta mine or a hidden cache of Apache gold. Waltz refuses to answer any questions. Many people attempt to tail him into the wilderness, but the wily old bastard evades them all.

Back to the facts: In 1891, Waltz fell ill, likely from pneumonia. On his deathbed, he told Julia Thomas the location of the gold, but his directions were cryptic. Thomas became the first of hundreds of people who would squander their lives hunting for the treasure.

As I mentioned, the story has many versions, and the entire cast of characters is huge — with Waltz’s various friends and neighbors (and their descendants) feuding over maps and clues and the cache of gold that Waltz supposedly stashed under his bed before he died. Then come more recent developments, like the mysterious and probably phony Peralta stone tablets, which supposedly hold the key to the mystery. I’m not qualified to tell that convoluted tale. If you’re interested, you’ll need to look to the folks who’ve devoted lifetimes of study and speculation to the case.

Which brings me to my point. What really interests me is not so much the legend itself — but rather its eternal allure. Three years after bellhop Jesse Capen set out on his treasure hunt, his skeleton was found in a crevice in the Superstition Mountains. But Capen was not the lone victim. Scores of people have died or been murdered while hunting for Waltz’s treasure.

Adolph Ruth is one of the most famous victims. Like Waltz, Ruth was a German immigrant who had gold fever. Unlike Waltz, Ruth was an elderly veterinarian and ill-suited for roughing it. He was 78 when he set off into the mountains with an old map that was purported to show the Peralta mine. In June of 1931, Ruth set up camp in West Boulder Canyon, near Willow Springs. He never returned to civilization. Six months later his skull was discovered in a ravine. Although it seems likely that Ruth died of natural causes, his disappearance spawned the pervasive conspiracy theory that he was murdered for the map. This story was picked up be periodicals and, ironically, helped popularize the legend of the mine.

After that they came in hoards. The obsession with the treasure spawned several formal societies of “Dutch hunters,” including the famous Dons of Arizona, which formed in 1931 and began hosting annual treasure hunts–replete with barbecues and pageants and guests costumed like Spanish aristocrats. Dons of Arizona membership rolls include Barry Goldwater and Harry S. Truman.

But Dutch hunting wasn’t all fun and games. In 1956 a feud erupted between two camps of prospectors who had claims near the stone spire known as Weaver’s Needle. According to Dutchman scholar Tom Kollenborn, the feud began when prospector  Ed Piper arrived on the scene and began squabbling with Celeste Maria Arva Jones, an opera singer from Los Angeles who claimed to have divine visions that had led her on a hunt for the Jesuit treasure. She’d staked her claim six years before Piper’s arrival, had the habit of carrying a sawed-off shotgun, and was not to be trifled with. She allegedly hired a man named Robert St. Marie to settle things with Ed Piper.

Piper instead shot and killed St. Marie, but claimed that St. Marie had attacked him. Piper successfully plead self-defense, and returned to the mountains, where he continued battling with Jones. Eventually the Forest Service got exasperated and kicked everyone out. At that point, Jones disappears from the historical record.

Murders aside, the accidental death toll has been fairly steady since the beginning. Historian Tom Kollenborn estimates that between 50 and 70 people died in the the Superstition Wilderness during the 20th Century. The 21st Century has seen a slight uptick, with an average of about one death a year. Naturally there’s speculation about an ancient Apache curse, but the real cause is probably a tad more mundane. The terrain is notoriously rough and hot. Many of the missing hunters went into the desert alone and under-prepared. A significant number were elderly or out of shape.

Less explicable is the level of obsession. Death seems to feed it. In addition to the legends of treasure, there are now legends and conspiracy theories that spiral from the lives and deaths of countless treasure hunters. One-hundred-and-thirty years after Waltz’s deathbed proclamation, Dutch hunter forums hum with activity. Dutch hunters trade maps and clues. Dutch hunters hold reunions in the Superstition Mountains, where they spin conspiracy theories and argue about the exact dimensions of the floor plan of Julia Thomas’s bakery.

Is greed a factor? Of course. Who hasn’t dreamed of striking it rich? But there’s obviously more to it. The treasure of the Lost Dutchman Mine speaks to the heart that won’t surrender to the mundane. This obsession is so very American: born of a romantic belief in the adventure as redemption, fueled by childhood daydreams that refuse to die, kept alive by the same delusional optimism that spurred westward expansion and forged the country we know today — hidden gold and all.

The post One Great American Mystery: The Tale of the Lost Dutchman Mine appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

If you’re looking for action…You’ll want to consider Sayulita or Vallarta.

Twenty years ago, Sayulita was a sleepy little surf town on the jungled coast of Nayarit. Now it’s one of the most popular destinations in the state, but somehow retains a certain “alternative” credibility. If you’re a hipster who likes to party, this is the place for you. Here you will find your vegan burritos, your yoga classes, your beachside dance parties, your beginner surf lessons. Verdict: my personal hell.

Sprawling along Banderas Bay, Puerto Vallarta is divided into two major areas: Nuevo Vallarta, and the two older neighborhoods, downtown and Viejo Vallarta (old town). Nuevo Vallarta is a hell-zone of high-rise hotels, malls, box stores, and horrifying night clubs. There’s probably some cool places, but I wouldn’t know because I avoid Nuevo Vallarta like the plague. In contrast, the older part of town can be charming if you know where to go. From the beach, the cobblestone streets climb up the jungled mountainsides, and tiled roofs peek through the greenery. If you’re on a budget, check out the hotels on the east side of Old Town. You’ll still be within walking distance of the beach and the famous malecon (boardwalk), but you’ll also enjoy the perks of a real Mexican neighborhood: excellent tacos, carts selling fresh orange juice, and interesting little tiendas. I like Viejo Vallarta because it’s relatively small but offers a gamut of activities: from high-end restaurants to street food, from hole-in-the-wall bars to fancy gay clubs. Verdict: Fun if you don’t mind crowds of tourists. Must see: Wander through Cuale River Island, a forested park between Old Town and downtown.

If you’re looking for a mellow vacation…You’re in luck. The Pacific Coast is dotted with low-key beach towns. For a great road trip, start in San Pancho and drive Highway 200 south to Barra de Navidad.

Just north of Sayulita, San Pancho (officially called San Francisco) is still a sleepy little beach town, albeit one with a decent selection of restaurants and a large population of expats. San Pancho has a gorgeous beach, tasty seafood tacos, interesting shops, and a laid-back attitude. The only real flaw is the huge waves. Swimming here is not for the faint of heart. Verdict: Perfect if you’re looking for a low-key vacation and don’t mind big surf and a scary undertow.  Must see: If you like campy hotels, rent the penthouse suite at Villas Paradise, which is replete with 40-foot ceilings, columns shaped like elephant feet, and amazingly bad art.

Located a couple of hours south of Vallarta, Punta Perula is even sleepier than San Pancho. Here you’ll find a giant perfect beach, thatched seafood restaurants, streetside pozole, classic Mexican hotels, and snowbirds in RVs. Verdict: Ideal if you don’t mind rustic hotels and a limited (but good) range of cuisine.

If Punta Perula is too hoppin’, you’ll want to check out Tenacatita, easily one of the best camping beaches in the world (provided you have a high tolerance for mosquitos and roughing it). Located between Punta Perula and Melaque, Tenacatita is a ten-minute drive from the highway. The beach was once a hot spot for locals, Mexican vacationers, and expat campers.  But in 2010, a developer illegally seized the beach,destroyed the small restaurants and hotels, and blocked public access. The local people fought back and succeeded in getting the beach open to the public. But the battle continues. While the land is in dispute, camping is free, but there’s no facilities. Why go to the hassle? Four gorgeous adjacent beaches, a coral reef, and an amazing mangrove swamp. Verdict: for hardcore campers only. (Although the nearby town of Rebalsito has a couple of small hotels.) Must see: Watch the sunset from the roof of an abandoned hotel; take a boat tour of the mangrove swamp (information available at Chito’s Restaurant, 1 km inland); and visit Restaurante La Mosca at the Boca (ask a local for directions).

If you’re mellow but not THAT mellow…Consider Barra de Navidad or La Manzanilla.

Located just south of Tenacatita, La Manzanilla is small but packed with restaurants, bars, vacation rentals, and Canadians. The beach is nice, the region is beautiful, and the town still retains a Mexican charm. Verdict: An ideal choice if you’re traveling with a group that has a range of needs and interests. Lively enough, but still fairly chill. Must see: Walk the boardwalk through the crocodile-infested swamp.

Twenty minutes south of La Manzanilla, the old pirate port of Barra de Navidad is a fun little town with a handful of bars and a laid-back party atmosphere. Verdict: you had me at pirate port.

If you have kids…Perula is perfect because the beach is reasonably safe and the town is not overwhelming. You might also want to consider Melaque/San Patricio, a classic Mexican coastal town that shares a beach with Barra de Navidad. Melaque has tourist amenities, but retains a distinctly Mexican feel. Be sure to eat in the market. Rincon de Guayabitos has a similar vibe but is located farther north, in Nayarit. Verdict: Both towns are crowded but fun and muy Mexicano. And really, what could be better than that?

The post Exploring the Best Beach Towns on Mexico’s Pacific Coast appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

“It’s probably just a flock of wild turkeys, like that time in California,” I said, taking a swig from the bottle of Siete Leguas and handing it to Rich.

We were scrambling down the side of a volcano in the dark because I’d had a romantic notion that it would be fun to watch the sunset from the rim of the Tequila volcano while drinking tequila.

Inland Jalisco is the epicenter of Mexico’s tequila industry. Agave, or maguey, is everywhere—the spiky blue-green plants cover the rolling hillsides and grow around houses. Some farmers even take advantage of extra space and plant right up to the shoulder of the highway. Every town boasts a distillery or two hundred, and the main streets are lined with folksy liquor stores.

We were three days into an open-ended road trip through the region. Our goal was to get off the beaten path, and enjoy  Jalisco’s famous birria, tacos de barbacoa, volcanoes, lakes, and, of course, tequila. Our first stop was Atotonilco el Alto, just east of Guadalajara on Highway 90. The town was  devoid of tourists and beautiful in a distinctly Mexican way, the market pungent and bustling, the plaza hemmed by colonial buildings painted in saturated colors: sky blue, lime green, burnt orange, violent purple. More beautiful yet was the sight of the giant signs heralding the home of one of my favorite tequilas: the estimable Siete Leguas. I felt like Charlie on his way to the chocolate factory.

Siete Leguas headquarters is not a distillery, but contains a liquor store that reminded me of the duty-free shop at the airport. The woman behind the counter was impeccably made up and seemed confused by our request for a distillery tour. We’d stupidly neglected to make an appointment.

“The tour started at 11,” she said in Spanish. “It’s already over. Just one today.”

My heart sank. We’d driven 3,000 miles to get here, and Siete Leguas had been one of my major goals for our trip to Mexico. We had to be in Guadalajara that evening for a baseball game (Charros de Jalisco v Tomateros de Culiacán), so this had been our only chance to tour the distillery. We were forlornly standing  in the shiny gift shop when an elegant older woman breezed in. She wore her black hair long and loose, and a slouchy black-and-white scarf accented her silk blouse and black capris.

“You’re here for a tour?” she asked, in very good English. I suddenly realized how scruffy we looked, but she gazed upon us with absolute warmth and courtesy.

“Yes. I’m sorry we didn’t make an appointment. Siete Leguas is my favorite tequila.”

“Is it?” she smiled with genuine delight. “I think we can work something out. In fact, I’ll give you a tour myself.” I got the impression that giving tours wasn’t really part of her job description, but she was completely gracious about the interruption.

She led us to a pick-up truck and a mustachioed driver chauffeured us to one of the company’s two distilleries. Due to our negligence with reservations, we were able to see the facility that isn’t a showcase. La Vencedora, our guide explained, is the less-traditional of the two distilleries. At the show distillery, El Centenario, they grind the agave with a traditional stone wheel pulled by mules (a tahona), while La Vencedora uses a roller mill. Tequila from both distilleries is mixed to make the final product.

For a distillery that wasn’t designed as a showcase, La Vencedora was surprisingly old school. We walked into a cavernous building filled with mountains of maguey. Jimadors hacked at the agave hearts with coa de jima (flat-bladed knives attached to wooden poles), and then tossed the piñas into nifty shoots that drop to the room-sized brick ovens, where the agave steams for days.

The overall impression is of a straightforward and meticulous operation. Siete Leguas isn’t cutting any corners. Instead of the speedy stainless steel autoclaves used by bigger distilleries, Siete Leguas slow cooks in brick. We sampled dark pieces of cooked maguey that reminded me of caramelized pumpkin. The distillery also practices open-vat fermentation, which  likely contributes to the flavor of the tequila.

We climbed up metal stairs to check out this step in the process: the fermentation of the baked hearts. Pond-sized vats bubbled with fibrous liquid. With delight, I breathed the sweet, yeasty air. I sniffed the spicy notes of tequila blanco emerging from the tall stills. The entire building was suffused with intoxicating smells.

The copper stills were manned by stern-looking men in work clothes. We watched tequila pour, sparkling, into a metal vat the shape of a giant tea cup. Our gracious guide filled us snifters directly from the spout. The tequila was smooth yet complex, sweet yet spicy, mellow yet vibrant. I must have looked appropriately appreciative, because she looked pleased. “It’s her favorite tequila,” she told the distillers, who actually grinned and seemed genuinely gratified, as though they were surprised to hear that some random gringos would have ever even heard of Siete Leguas.

When we left, our guide casually handed us two bottles of Siete Leguas reposado.

“Two free bottles of some of the world’s finest tequila?” I said in wonderment as we walked back to our dusty Hyundai. “That can’t be typical. Plus, the tour was free.”

“Yeah,” Rich agreed. “I don’t think we’re going to top that.”

Instead of touring more distilleries, we decided to go camping and explore the countryside. We’d do wholesome things like visit ancient ruins, swim at the local water parks, and hike. Which was how we ended up getting lost on the side of a volcano in the dark with a bottle of tequila.

On our first attempt, we’d driven from our camp in Etzatlan to the town of Tequila, which sits at the base of the verdant Tequila volcano. As we drove in circles looking for the road up the mountain, we were hit by a sudden and torrential rainstorm, the kind that turns streets into rushing brown rivers in mere minutes. Visibility was terrible, and we were forced to park the car and wade to refuge: a bar on the Tequila town square, where we drank overpriced palomas and listened to the drunken flirtations of hipster gringos and rich kids from Mexico City.

The following day we toured the ancient Guachimontones ceremonial site, sampled the local pulque, and wandered through a cemetery. In the afternoon, we headed to the volcano. It took us nearly an hour to even find the cobblestone road that ran out of  town and up the side of the  Volcán de Tequila. And then it took us an hour to drive up the  17 kilometer road, which started out bad and got worse gradually, insidiously, until I worried that our axles would snap. We traversed potholes the size of ponds and drove over rubble piles that jacked the passenger side up so far that I worried that we’d flip. But we’d persevered. Because, in addition to have romantic notions, I’m extremely stubborn.

I peered anxiously at the setting sun. “I think we can still make it,” I said. “We’re only a couple of kilometers from the top.” We rounded the corner to face an imposing gate and a number of no trespassing signs.

As we were taking this in, a gang of boys roared down on motorbikes, riding through a narrow gap in the fence. They skidded to a stop and stared at us.

Hmm…A motorcycle gang on the side of a volcano. This was the stuff of B movies. But I tried to keep things nonchalant.

“Hey, is it still possible to get up to the rim of the volcano?” I asked in passable Spanish.

He grinned. “Yeah, don’t pay any attention to the signs. It’s just a little way. You can still go up on foot. It’s not a problem!” He then issued directions in the typically Mexican rapid-fire style, and he and his buddies roared down the mountain.

The sun was sinking low, lighting up lakes like mirrors on the floor of the valley 8,000 feet below. Despite the late hour and my brand-new fashion huaraches, we squeezed past the gate and set off on foot.

“A little way,” turned out to be two or three kilometers straight up. We weren’t even in sight of the top when the sun set, but we paused to stare at the tangerine ball of fire sinking into skeins of clouds over fields so far away that they’d faded to blue. Against the bright sky, the oak and pine trees were sharp black silhouettes. We passed the bottle of Siete Leguas and contemplated the land from whence it came.

We never did see the spine of hardened lava at the center of the volcano. We got lost and we got blisters. When we finally found the car again, it was well into the night. We jolted back down the mountain and drove through the warm Jalisco night. Off the beaten path indeed.

The post Off the Beaten Path: Adventures in Tequila Country appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

But, those feelings have waned in recent years as RI’s capital city has found its way. The city is now fresher, more vibrant, and more cosmopolitan than ever. It’s also one of the hottest small cities on the east coast, particularly in the culinary scene. As a lifelong Rhode Island native, here’s how I’d recommend you eat and drink your way around Providence.

Day One

First up: a hearty breakfast just outside the city, courtesy of Modern Diner. This 1930s-era “modernistic” diner car was the first of its kind to be placed on the National Register for Historic Places and is literally a landmark among Providence locals. The menu is long and ever-changing with more than 30 specials to choose from daily. If it’s in season, the Lobster Benedict is a must.

Hop a quick Uber ride to the heart of the city to burn off the morning’s gluttony. Launching from Waterplace Park, Providence Kayak offers single/tandem kayak rentals for paddlers to explore the city’s winding Woonasquatucket River.

Just over the highway, Ogie’s Trailer Park is a no-frills joint with plenty of trailer park-inspired kitsch. It’s the perfect spot to grab a local craft brew (from their 66-can menu) and a Southern Rhody Fried Chicken Sandwich w/ Slab Bacon from Granny Boo’s Kitchen, then wile away the afternoon on their outdoor patio.

Head back over the highway for a dose of culture around and along Benefit Street. As arguably the most historic few blocks in the entire state (and the country), it’s home to beautifully restored churches, homes, and museums. Most notable: RISD Museum (part of Rhode Island School of Design), plus dozens of colonially significant homes including the Governor Henry Lippitt House and John Brown House Museums. The Rhode Island Historical Society’s Benefit Street: A Mile of History walking tour is a great place to start.

For dinner, few restaurants represent Rhode Island’s modern culinary panache like Birch. Even “non-foodies” can appreciate their well-priced (just $49 pp), out-of-this-world good four-course prix fixe menu.

After dinner, take in a flick at Cable Car Cinema — the city’s best art house cinema that screens foreign and indie films. Or, if you’re hankering for a late-night snack, Haven Brothers has been the go-to spot for the hungry after-hours crowd. Their burgers and fries are simple, greasy, and satisfying — the perfect street food.

Day Two

Wickenden Street is a small, creative enclave on the city’s southeastern edge. Grab breakfast at the aptly named Brickway on Wickenden — a cramped, boldly designed cafe/diner with creative takes on classic fare. Go early as there’s almost always a wait.

After breakfast, head south to India Point — the city’s most beautiful urban space. The park is small, but there’s enough room to explore on foot or with a bike rental (the East Bay Bike Path runs right through the park). Or simply relax on the grass while watching the ships cruise Providence Harbor.

Grab lunch downtown at Trinity Brewhouse. While many other breweries and brewpubs have since opened throughout the state, Trinity was the first. Their rotating menu of beers brewed in-house is ever-changing, but always excellent. Ditto the pub food menu which, if the weather is cooperating, is best enjoyed alfresco on their outside patio.

To get a real sense of Providence’s modern, college-influenced culture, stroll along Thayer Street. If there’s one strip that’s the beating heart of the city’s student and youth culture, this is it. It’s short but offers a densely packed blend of restaurants and shops, peppered with buskers and a healthy dose of hipster vibe.

For some of the best Italian food in New England, most travel guides will direct you toward the Federal Hill neighborhood. And, they’re not wrong. But, I highly recommend dinner at Al Forno instead. This upscale ristorante has been a staple of the Providence food scene for decades. Every last thing on the menu is spot-on, but their wood-fired pizzas (which they claim to have popularized for all of America) are the big get.

For post-dinner drinks, hit up the adjacent Milk Money — a rustic/industrial tapas bar with an excellent cocktail menu. (I recommend the Y’all Been Warned — a blend of mezcal, jalapeno peppers, agave, passionfruit, and rhubarb)

After dinner, follow the Riverwalk through the city along the length of the Woonasquatucket River. It’s the best way to experience the entirety of the downtown core. Check the schedule for WaterFire for one of the best, most unique ways to view the city.

Where to Stay: Crash at The Dean

Remnants of Providence’s less-than-stellar past are rapidly fading. On the former site of one of the city’s seediest strip clubs (it could hardly be called a “gentleman’s club” with a straight face) has sprung its swankiest boutique hotel. The Dean is equal parts eclectic, stylish, and contemporary with a healthy dose of vintage panache. There’s even an on-site cocktail bar, karaoke lounge, and German-style restaurant/beer hall.

How ya like me now, Boston?

The post 48 Hours of Drinks and Dining in Providence, Rhode Island appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

The idea of remote employment and working from Portland one month, then Memphis the next is quickly becoming widely accepted. This is because almost all of the roadblocks to setting up a temporary life in a city have been removed in the last 10 years. Finding an apartment, getting around public transit, and locating the city’s best foods have all made temporary moves easy to accomplish. All the hassles of moving around have been solved. All the hassles of setting up a new life in a new city have been solved. The only thing left unsolved is your excuses not to do it.

Let’s be honest, remote work isn’t a vacation. You need a stable base to work from during your productive hours, but you still want the novelty of a new location during your off hours. That’s why staying in one city for between one to four months is ideal. Finding these kinds of leases certainly isn’t impossible – from landlords who specialize in this, splitting a lease with other city hoppers, or taking over the remainder of a lease for someone who desperately needs to move for one reason or another. All it takes is a little sniffing around the cities forums, want ads, and landlords.

Once you’ve got your pad, it’s time to settle in. First stop is turning your new shell into a livable space. CORT Furniture Rental can set up your pad, and they have furniture for any situation/room covered so your new dwellings can be up quickly after you arrive in a new city. You can rent furniture for any sized apartment and any length stay and when it’s time to pack up for the next adventure CORT takes everything back and you can spend time getting ready rather than dealing with craigslist buyers or hauling everything to a donation center that will hopefully take everything.

After you’ve got a home created, Lyft or public transit will get you around town, and most times a local library card will get access to local newspapers, magazines, and websites to keep you up to date on your new home. Finally, the local Reddit sub will be invaluable as you get your bearings and can get you acting like a local in no time.

Once you finally do go “totes loc” and get bored, just divest from all your temporary obligations and move on the next great city. There’s no reason you can spend your 20’s or 30’s getting to know the country one city at a time and racking up a nationwide network of friends and colleagues. So what are you waiting for?

The post Why Aren’t You City Hopping? appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Drive. Driving in Mexico terrifies the average gringo, but do you really want to be the average gringo? Once you get over your gut-pounding fear and play chicken with a semi or two, you’ll find that driving in Mexico is actually fun. It’s predictably unpredictable, but the other cars are prepped to that—your average Mexican driver is both more alert and more accommodating than your average American driver. Sure, he may pass on shoulders or blind corners, but he’ll be paying attention when you’ve just passed six cars in a row and are trying to get back into your own lane before you get mowed down by a bus.

Don’t make reservations. Your average Mexican town has more hotels than it knows what to do with. Unless it’s a holiday or Los Tigres del Norte are in town, you don’t need a reservation. Sure, I get it. You’re tired from your flight and you want an immediate shower and a place to ditch your luggage. So book your first night online, but don’t commit. Tomorrow you can explore and find someplace more interesting. Many cheap yet charming hotels don’t even have websites, and there’s always the chance that you’ll meet someone who’ll rent you a room, hut, or beach house for half the price you’d pay on Airbnb. If you give yourself more flexibility, you’ll be better able to take advantage of the many strange and winsome opportunities that make Mexico special.

Take the Libre. Around 25 years ago, Mexico introduced a system of toll highways, much to the delight of foreign travelers and rich Mexicans. These multi-lane highways run parallel to the pitted free roads, and are usually in better condition than an American freeway. The toll road, or cuota, offers a quick and reasonably safe way to get from point A to point B. So what’s the downside? Well, they can be expensive as fuck. And, in true Mexican fashion, the pricing often seems to be completely random. You’ll pay 40 pesos (about 2 USD) at one toll booth and 150 (7.50 USD) at the next. Over the course of an eight-hour drive, you might shell out as much as $75. And perhaps this seems a small price to pay to escape from the death-defying driving on the free roads, or libres. But there’s a hidden tax: missing Mexico. The cuotas bypass cities and towns. Which is great if you’re in a hurry. But if you really want to see and understand the country, driving through random towns is your ticket. Stop at the market and sample the carnitas. Stretch your legs with a walk around the plaza. Drink an ice cold coconut at a roadside stand. Buy a bottle of the local hooch. Or explore anything that strikes your fancy. There’s a reason they call it the libre.

Check out random towns. Puerto Escondido, Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita, Zijuatanejo, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, Aijijic, Playa del Carmen. You’ve probably heard of these places. Why? Because they draw tourists like flies. And sure—they have their charms. But for every Aijijic, there’s a thousand Mexican towns and cities you’ve probably never heard of that are at least as charming. Etzatlan, Uruapan, Hermosillo, Arandas, Punta Perula, Morelia, Colima…The list is long and alluring. Do you like tacos, tortas, old buildings, plazas, questionable cantinas, and friendly people? These towns are calling your name. Just pull out a map, close your eyes, and point.

The post Five Tips for Avoiding the Tourist Trail in Mexico appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Retro Sexy

First up, if you’re tired of the boring black box casing of most DSLRs, listen up. The latest batch of mirrorless cameras — particularly from Fujifilm and Olympus — offers retro cool styling. The compact size only adds to the vintage feel. If you’re looking to complete the image (literally), tack on an old school leather camera strap and toss your whole kit into a vintage messenger bag.

Lighter and Tighter

DSLR cameras take incredible photos. But their bulk means many travelers opt to leave theirs at home (and rely instead on — oh, no — their smartphone) or pack the camera in their backpack where it stays for the duration of their vacation because it’s a hassle to dig out every time the perfect photo op crops up. The size — or lack of it — of mirrorless cameras is the real win for travelers. With fewer electronics and internal guts to enclose, the modern crop of mirrorless cameras is lighter and more compact. They’re typically half the weight and size of traditional DSLRs, meaning they’re more comfortable to hold and take up less space in your luggage or backpack. Plus, without that hulking DSLR hogging your pack’s interior, you have more room for additional lenses, backup batteries, and other essentials.

Discretion Advised

Unlike “planned” photography (like weddings), travel photography often relies on being discreet. The sheer size of most DSLR cameras isn’t conducive to street photography. Most “average” strangers you encounter in your travels don’t take kindly to a three-pound camera-lens combo shoved in their face. They tense up; they get nervous; they feel too “put on the spot.” The compact size of new mirrorless cameras means photographers can be inconspicuous or, at the very least, far less obtrusive. This makes for easier, better, and more photos.

Better, Faster, Stronger

Nikon and Canon have long been the top dogs in the digital camera market. But one-time also-rans like Fujifilm, Panasonic, Sony, and Olympus have wisely shifted gears to focus on better mirrorless systems. They’re building upon tried-and-true DSLR technology, plus engineering amazing new features into current and next generation mirrorless cameras. Sony’s alpha line, for example, boasts the sharpest, quickest autofocus of any camera on the market. Plus, the same full digital sensors that provide DSLRs with their top-notch image quality can now be found in most of their mirrorless counterparts.

The Bottom Line

The current generation of mirrorless cameras is a better, faster, lighter, more stylish alternative to today’s bulky DSLRs. Unless you’re a serious photographer with ultra-niche requirements (like 600mm telephoto lenses and the like), the best bet for your next digital camera is to go mirrorless.

The post Travel Photographers: Here’s Why Your Next Digital Camera Should Be Mirrorless appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Everywhere we went we were shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of others, my wife’s brilliant red air sticking out like a beacon in a sea of black and grey professional wear that surrounded us. No matter how close everyone was and how quickly they were walking to their destination no one bumped into each other or even hit anyone else with the edges of their large umbrellas that were protecting them from the constant fall of rain.  Everyone in this city moved with mechanical precision and entire crowds weaved through each other as if they were one united organism. No one ever pushed, cut off, or even jostled their neighbor; movement in this city was a delicate ballet of beautiful movement.

At night they city illuminated in bright yet natural colors that were not overwhelming but in no way went unnoticed. Our favorite night out was this first night when we explored the tight winding alleys of Shinjuku’s Golden Gai district within Tokyo. This amazingly compact district has buildings dating back to the 1930’s, pre World War II and some of the only of their type in all of Tokyo. Each block is filled to the brim with tiny, and I mean TINY bars that are each no more than 8 feet wide and 15 feet deep, fitting at most 4 or 5 patrons on a single tight bar top. It was in these bars that I felt the most self conscious due to being taller and much wider than pretty much anyone we met in the entire trip, yet everyone was accommodating and excited to welcome outsiders into their favorite night time haunt.

There were many more bars than I could count in this 4 or 5 block area and most had a distinct theme with loyal regulars quickly filling up the limited seats early in the night. My wife and I were lucky to find a couple of these great miniature bars full of boisterous locals that shared anything about Tokyo and Japan that you could ever want to know as we exchanged stories of travels and our homes over beer, sake, whiskey, and plum wine; this was truly a night I will never forget as it is now etched into my very ethos for the rest of time.

This is all for now but be sure to check back in coming weeks when I will share my experiences in Akihabara, the anime, figurine, and media district as well as our amazing journey via Shinkansen bullet train to the unmatched beauty and culture of Kyoto and Osaka. I will also do an article focusing the best whisky and food I have ever had in my life.

The post Exploring Japan Was the Best Week in My Life appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

The Christ the Redeemer statue can be found at the peak of Corcovado Mountain within the Tijuca Forest National Park.  The statue was created by French sculptor Paul Landowski and constructed between 1922 and 1931.  The statue is 98 feet tall and the arms are 28 feet wide.  The entire statue stands on a 26-foot pedestal and weighs 700 tons.  The statue was named as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World on July 7, 2007.

The Tijuca Forest is a park that was used to grow sugar and coffee before the area was reclaimed and designated as a forest.  A park was needed at the time to protect Rio’s water supply.  The replanting of trees was successful and Tijuca Forest was declared a National Park in 1961.  Inside the park, visitors will not only see the Christ the Redeemer statue, but also the Cascatinha Waterfall, the Mayrink Chapel and a huge granite picnic table called the Mesa do Imperador.

Sugarloaf Mountain is on a peninsula at Guanabara Bay and is 1,299 feet above the harbor.  The easiest way to reach the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain is to take the two cable cars to the top.  The first cable car takes people to Morro da Urca at 722 feet and the second cable car goes to Pão de Açúcar.  As people are riding in the cable cars, they will see magnificent panoramic views of the city below.  Anyone who is a little more adventurous will also be able to rock climb at Sugarloaf Mountain or Babylon and Urca’s Mountains.

The sun and the beach are two reasons why people travel to Rio de Janeiro.  A famous resort beach in the area is Copacabana and there is a historic fort at each end of the beach.  Fort Duque de Caxias was built in 1779 and Fort Copacabana was built in 1914.  Copacabana Beach is also the beach where everyone gathers on New Year’s Eve to celebrate.

In 1808, King John VI of Portugal founded the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Gardens.  The gardens cover a 54-hectare area and it is filled with 6,500 different flowers.  There are also historical and architectural points of interest throughout the gardens.

Rio is an amazing city to visit especially if a person wants to spend quite a bit of time outside enjoying warm weather.  Visitors will find that they have plenty of activities to choose from while in this spectacular city.

The post Explore the Outdoors in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Even posh neighborhoods bristle with food stalls, taquerias, and hole-in-the-wall eateries that offer up the city’s most famous delicacies  for cheap. But the sheer diversity and abundance can be intimidating if you don’t know your comedor from your cubana. And so, a primer…

“When choosing a food cart, don’t go by spiffiness or proximity to running water so much as the appearance of the food and the appearance of the people running it. If either looks shady, walk half a block down to the next sizzling opportunity”

Rule of thumb #1: Signage and spiffy uniforms don’t mean a more reputable establishment. The world’s best taco is probably advertised by a hand-written cardboard sign. Follow your nose.

Rule of thumb #2: Unless you’re going full-on fine dining, avoid formal “restaurantes.” You’ll get better food for cheaper at diners, food stalls, and lunch counters.

Venues for Cheap Food

Comedors and loncherías: Serving traditional food to working class stiffs, these one-room diners abound in old-school or low rent neighborhoods. Typically, a comedor offers a comida corrida, or daily special, and a few additional items, such as chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, or pozole. Virtually indistinguishable, loncherías specialize in  breakfast and lunch. Proprietors may hang a crude menu on the wall, but the best strategy is to ask what there is: “Que hay?” If the kitchen is actually stocked to make everything on the menu, they’ll point it out to you; if not, they’ll tell you what they really have on hand. The comida corrida is a good way to go. For around $3 US, you’ll get a main dish (usually stewed meat or a chile relleno) served with beans, rice, and tortillas.

Try: These eateries are not destination establishments—just convenient, cheap, and authentic. To eat like a local, choose a comedor near your accommodations. You’ll know it’s the real deal when you spot cardboard signage, a framed religious icon, and a few well-fed regulars.

Taquerias: Mexico City is the Valhalla of taquerias. The city is famous for tacos al pastor, a recipe adapted from Lebanese immigrants. Thin-sliced pork is impaled on an upright spit and slow-roasted in chiles and achiote, then served on small tortillas with cilantro and shaved pineapple. The best taquerias tend to be small, dingy, and crowded.

Try: Unnamed taqueria at # 83 Calle Isabel la Catolica, in the Centro Historico.

Torterias: Because the city attracts immigrants from every state in Mexico, you’ll find sandwich shops featuring the country’s many regional torta variations, from the tortas ahogadas (drowned sandwiches) of Jalisco to the capital’s decadent torta cubana, which overflows with ham, roasted pork, pickles, and—sometimes—a hot dog, just for good measure.

Try: La Torta Brava, # 60 Calle Cinco de Mayo, Centro Historico.

Market fondas: Mexico City is home to hundreds of markets: from permanent mercados in buildings the size of airplane hangars to open-air tianguis (like flea markets) that pop up on certain days of the week. Some, like the Mercado San Juan, specialize in food. But even a market specializing in baby Jesus figurines (yes, this really exists) will have a few food booths. The selection and prices at a market fonda will be similar to a comedor, but each booth is likely to have a specialty: the best pozole, greasy parcels of carnitas, or famous chiles rellenos served in a simmering orange sauce.

Try: Mercado Merced’s Taqueria La Pasadita, just west of the Merced metro stop.

Food carts: Apart from the obvious tacos, you can find fresh-squeezed orange juice, spiced nuts, homemade candy, tortas, churros, and cups of fresh fruit drizzled in lime juice.

Try: Use your intuition. When choosing a food cart, I tend not to go by spiffiness or proximity to running water so much as the appearance of the food and the appearance of the people running it. Does the food look/smell bad? Do the people look shady? I rarely run into either situation in Mexico, and when I do, I walk the other way, half a block down, to the next sizzling opportunity.

The post Eating on the Cheap in Mexico City appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

“Mexico is a cosmopolitan country. Forget piña coladas and Cancun’s Senor Frog t-shirts. Envision eating at a decadent restaurant and shopping for fine leather shoes in Mexico City.”

Rule #1 Stop ordering margaritas

Mexicans, as a general rule, don’t drink margaritas. Perhaps this is because Mexican margaritas tend to be slushy sugar bombs. If you want to impress a local lady or bartender, order your tequila straight. And, of course, eschew Patron for something more interesting. Repeat after me: Un trago de Siete Leguas por favor. Your tequila will appear in a shot glass, but don’t feel pressured to shoot it. It’s perfectly acceptable to sip and savor. If straight liquor’s not your thing, drink like a local by ordering a Paloma, or tequila and grapefruit soda with a salted rim.

Rule #2 Leave the beach

We all need our fix of hammock time, but consider planning an inland vacation. Mexico is a cosmopolitan country and home to a handful of the world’s greatest cities, including Guadalajara, Oaxaca, and, that shining jewel–Mexico City. Instead of guzzling piña coladas and shopping for Senor Frog t-shirts in Cancun, eat at one of the world’s best restaurants and shop for fine leather shoes in Mexico City.

Rule #3 Talk to the locals

A true gentleman understands the art of conversation, and is willing to make the slight effort to extend that art across the language barrier. Take the time to learn the Spanish phrases you need to politely engage. Often a few phrases are enough to get the conversational ball rolling—in cities and tourist areas, most locals speak some English. Your respect and interest will be rewarded with local intel and, often, good company. After all, you won’t find the best restaurants, bars, or music by hanging out with other tourists.

“A few phrases are enough to get the ball rolling. Take the time to learn the Spanish phrases you need to politely engage. You won’t find the best restaurants, bars, or music by hanging out with other tourists.”

Rule #4 Ditch your flip-flops

Speaking of which, if you want to set yourself apart from the tourist herd (thereby improving your chances of getting the benefit of the doubt from interesting locals), pack some good clothes. If the heat mandates shorts, fine. If you must. But pack nice threads too. Show the residents some respect by dressing as good, or better, than you would in your home territory.

Rule #5 Stay awhile

Think slow travel. A month of in Mexico will give you the opportunity to polish your language skills, find the coolest haunts, and forge lasting relationships. Sadly, we don’t all have that luxury. But you can make the most of a short vacation by spending it all in one place and refusing to over-schedule your activities. Enjoy a daily routine, get to know a neighborhood. Rich in strange detail, Mexico is best savored at a leisurely pace, as befits a gentleman.

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