Nice moderate hike starting at the west end of Laurel Bluff Trail and returning via the Reedy Fork Trail. Trip write-up at Two Heel Drive.

Watch for mountain bikers on the Reedy Fork Trail. Note if you take Reedy Fork Trail from east to west -- you'll come to a road with arrows painted on the road pointing in the direction you've just come.

Nice, easy-to-moderate hiking at Raven Rock State Park southwest of Raleigh, North Carolina. The famous Cape Fear River passes through the park, but there's not much to be fearful of. Trip write-up at Two-Heel Drive.

Watch for cliffs, slick rocks and mud by the river's edge. I almost slid into the river at Raven Rock.

Nice hike to see some of North Carolina's most impressive waterfalls. Trip write-up to come at Two-Heel Drive.

Get there early on weekends, the parking lot fills up fast. The rivers and creeks are pouring like mad right now so it's a great time to check out Western North Carolina's waterfalls. Be super careful on the rocks next to the water... slips could get ugly.

A small bicycle visit to Loulé, in the Algarve (southern region of Portugal). No doubt bicycles are great for visiting small towns! Loulé looks really ugly when you approach it, as most Portuguese towns nowadays. However, the center is worthwhile, if not spectacular. A really old town, it still preserves part of its defensive walls, which you will find here and there.

A nice walk through Rocha da Pena, near Loulé, in the Algarve (southern region of Portugal). The walk was organized by LPN Algarve (the local branch of the oldest Portuguese environmental NGO). Its objective was to show a very beautiful plateau in the Algarve with a very interesting Mediterranean vegetation, including several species of orchids.

This was a full-day walk through the snow. It was quite an experience since the temperature was always between -4 and -1 and the whole way was covered in snow.

In a weather like this you cannot stop. Keep walking to keep heated.

We left Curitiba to do the Salto dos Macacos, but we arrived too late and it was not possible. The IAP park ranger told us that you must be at the beginning of the trail by 9am, if you arrive later than that you can't do it, as it requires around five hours to do the round trip. So we had no choice but do something easy, Rochedinho.

This is a really peanut butter easy lazy walk.

A nice bicycle tour with the family. From Monte de Santa Luzia to Viana do Castelo and back. Down hill cycling, up hill using the Santa Luzia elevator. A nice lunch at Restaurante Casa d'Armas. Lots of interesting monuments visited.

If you want to visit the Igreja da Misericórdia, go there before the Sunday mass, which starts at 12:00.

A relaxed bike ride from Modelo to Caminha, through the Mata do Camarido, and then back. Caminha is a small town with a beautiful city center. The Rua Direita has a good number of 16th century houses. The Igreja Matriz is a very interesting monument.

Realizing the CAPSI 2010 conference had no schedule for Friday afternoon, I decided to go for a walk around town. Viana do Castelo is a small but very nice town. Beautiful streets with old manor houses, nice monuments and historical building, and a modern, stylish commerce (see Boca do Lobo, for instance). Very worthwhile.

Lunching or dinning? Try Casa de Pasto Maria de Perre.