Cycling New Zealand

These are trips that are definitely on our schedule. Dates have been established and will probably not change. We encourage you to write or give us a call if you have any questions about any of these trips.

Hut to Hut Hiking in New Zealand. Mar. 1 - 27, 2010 - $200 Organizing Fee.

Join Margy and me as we hike some of the most famous hikes in the southern alps of New Zealand. After flying into Christchurch on the South Island, we will travel by bus to the southern alps where we have scheduled 5 hikes, each ranging in duration from 2 to 4 days with plenty of rest days in between. The hikes in order are: The Meuller Hut Hike (Mt. Cook) , The Wilkin Young Circuit, The Mt. Aspiring Day Hikes, The Routeburne Track, and The Milford Track. The Milford Track, in particular, is world renown for the incredible display of water falls along its entire route. At the end of the Milford Track, we will all spend an extra day aboard the Milford Wanderer for a full exploration of Milford Sound. All of the tracks have basic huts providing beds, cook stoves, clean water, and toilet facilities. As hikers, all we need to carry is food, cook kit, clothing, emergency gear, and personal items, and possibly a tent.

The following trips are proposed trips that Margy and I are seriously considering organizing for the future. If any of these appeal to you, contact us with your address & phone/e-mail and we will put you on our mailing list so that when we get them a little more finalized we can send you more information. In the meantime, check out the map for each trip to give you a better idea of the proposed routes……….. Proposed Trip Updates.

No Mints Adventures

(Wayne Martin & Margy Marshall)

1335 Rocking W Dr. #390

Bishop, CA 93514

Phone: 1-760-872-7630

E-mail: nomints@opriusmail.com

Web : http://www.nomints.com

Hut to Hut on the Via Alpina I - (European Alps High Route) June 4 - 30, 2010

Margy and I have recently decided to undertake the task of hiking one of Europe's long distance trails, the Via Alpina - Red Trail, that stretches 1200 miles from Trieste on the Adriatic Sea to Monaco on the Mediterranean. In doing so, it winds it's way through the alpine regions of 8 countries: Slovenia near Trieste, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Italy, and France; and finally ending near the world-famous beaches of Monaco. We have decided to hike this immense trail in stages with the hopes of finishing it in 4 years. Our first stage will take us through the mountainous region of Slovenia and Austria, and finishes in the Italian Dolomites near the famous resort of Cortina. If you think you might be interested in joining us on this alpine hut to hut journey …..check out the Via-Alpina Website.

Via Ferrata "The Iron Way". (Cortina, Italy) July 1 - 14, 2010

This is really special hiking, unlike any you will find in our country. This particular region has trails through spectacular limestone towers and spires made possible by the use of wire ropes, rungs, pegs, and ladders which have been placed with great effort and skill on difficult, sometimes vertical rock, enabling even non-climbers to do routes which formerly were the domain of trained mountain climbers. For those of you who have never climbed mountains because you had neither the training or ability to do so ….. Well guys, here is your chance. The "Via Ferrata" routes were established more than half a century ago to make the approach to many climbs possible. With the advent of WWI & WWII additional routes were established to facilitate the movement of troops through the mountains. We will base ourselves at a decent hotel in Cortina, rent a car, and head out each day to a different route.

Hiking The West Coast & Juan de Fuca Trails (Victoria, BC, Canada) Sept. 1 - 14, 2010

Hey, you want to hike along the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island on two demanding and scenic trails? Want to become exhausted muddy, and wet? Then we've got the deal for you. We plan to meet in Victoria, take in the sights there, then head out for the hike of a lifetime. The West Coast Trail was originally developed for a telegraph line from Victoria to Cape Beale. It was further enhanced in the late 1800s because of the high number of shipwrecks along this stretch of coast (Known as the Graveyard of the Pacific). The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail was later developed for recreational purposes. Both trails are very rugged and demanding. Only fit hikers with a good tolerance for physical abuse should consider joining us.

Cycling in the Salzkammergut (Lake District - Salzburg, Austria) June 1 - 14, 2011

The Salzkammergut area of Austria presents some of the most panoramic and charming cycling in all of Europe. The ride starts in Salzburg (Home of The Sound of Music) and proceeds through an area of myriad mountains and lakes. Though the mountains are impressive, the riding is relatively easy …..with short miles to give us plenty of time to hike, dine, and investigate the various attractions of each area that stay. We are hiring a professional touring company to provide us with bikes, luggage transport, lodging, and meals.

Tour of the Eastern Sierra. (Bishop, CA) May 19 - 26, 2010.

How about an early season bicycle tour on the scenic roads of the Eastern Sierra .. This is a sag supported bicycle tour starting in Bishop, CA that takes us on a giant loop on little known roads to the North. We start this little adventure by heading to Crowley Lake for our first camp. From there, we head east and then north for a stop in Lee Vining, the gateway to Yosemite. For those with still a little pep in their legs, Tioga Pass lays in wait. Heading north you will ride into an unpopulated portion of western Nevada and then back into California where we will encamp at Grover Hot Springs near Markleeville, home of the famous "Markleeville Death Ride." The ride from Markleeville takes us over impressive Monitor Pass, down to Hwy. 395, and then onto Bridgeport where we will camp under towering "Matterhorn Peak" at Twin Lakes. Our last camp will be at the mountain resort town of Mammoth Lakes before finishing our last short day to Bishop.

The Coyote/Darwin Traverse - Eastern Sierra (Bishop, CA) Aug. 10 - 19, 2010

Just outside our back door, here in Bishop, are two wonderful areas for exploration. The first is the Coyote Plateau …... It is an area of high meadows, sagebrush, and alpine peaks. Margy and I have explored the plateau on foot on various day hikes, but because of the size of the plateau, we realize that the only way we can really explore this region is to go on an extended backpack trip. Even though much of it is gentle in nature, some of it is quite demanding. The Darwin Basin is much better known, but rarely visited due to it's isolation. It consists of more rugged but doable terrain featuring rugged crags and permanent snow fields. The highlight of the Darwin section of the trip is the crossing of an extremely steep pass by going through a 4' keyhole in the ridge. Both trips require a considerable amount of cross country travel and route finding. Anyone interested in this trip should be accomplished in cross country travel and steep terrain with full packs.