Riding the rails one ‘fine’ day? Close, but no cigar

Through travels I have visited many a place. Canada and Mexico are among the vast number of North American sites and points trekked to. But it was one cross-country journey that stands out from the rest, it taking place in the mid-1980s, with primary and secondary destinations being: Baltimore, Maryland and Hanover, Pennsylvania. Has history … Read more

Clean-air Adventure Series: Loyalton, California

During my younger days I traveled far and wide. Landing a teaching job, albeit a part-time position, at California State University, Long Beach in the Engineering and Industrial Technology Department in Sept. 1987 and extending to June ’88, during those nine months I vacationed twice. This clean-air adventure is in reference to the Memorial Day … Read more

Clean-air Adventure Series: Yosemite National Park, California

In recognition of Air Quality Awareness Week in 2017, I have put together this series of clean-air adventures. I wanted to bring attention to places I traveled to in the past with vistas of unparalleled beauty, where a person could actually see the horizon and where polluted air was out-of-sight, out-of-mind. I indeed cherish those … Read more

Clean-air Adventure Series: South Lake Tahoe

The “adventures-in-clean-air” series continues. Big-city life has its advantages and benefits but it also has its drawbacks. So, it is with the last in mind, that there are times when the part of us that longs to be in the great outdoors, wants to get away to, the great outdoors. This impulse, motive force, urging, … Read more

One great bad-air escape: Grand Canyon, Arizona

Living in a location considered by many reliable sources to have America’s worst particulate matter pollution – that’d be California’s expansive San Joaquin Valley with roughly 4 million residents, 2 million motor vehicles and which accounts for half the state’s yearly agricultural production sales dollars – literally and figuratively taking “a breather” from any number … Read more

Air Quality Matters blog on the cusp: The start of year five

When the Air Quality Matters blog first was started – Nov. 5, 2012, President Barack Obama had just completed his very first term in office and was ready to embark on his second. Meanwhile, the country at this juncture had emerged – and I would add glowingly and stalwartly – from what has since become … Read more

Excursion train travels: Fuel for thought

The Baltimore & Ohio; the California & Western; the Cape Cod & Hyannis; the Filmore & Western; the Gettysburg; the Roaring Camp & Big Trees; the Sierra; the Yosemite Mountain-Sugar Pine; the Yolo Short Line; and the Yreka Western railroads. Yup, I’ve ridden these rails, all, behind steam and diesel alike. Never rode electric, but … Read more