Selection Of Our Trips

Exploring San Francisco with "Endless Horizons Tours"
	In June 2022 a close German friend and his wife came to the US to explore the Western US. We met them at Fisherman's Wharf to start out with a sightseeing tour through San Francisco. At first it was overcast and foggy and the visibility was poor. When arriving at Baker's Beach we did not see the Golden Gate Bridge at all, only a few inches of its base pillars. Within 30 minutes, the fog slowly lifted and revealed the beauty of the iconic bridge. It was a magnificent spectacle of scenery. The photo on the left was taken about an hour later on the other side in the Marine Headlands. Map of the San Francisco Tour with my friends

Exploring San Francisco with "Endless Horizons Tours"

In June 2022 a close German friend and his wife came to the US to explore the Western US. We met them at Fisherman's Wharf to start out with a sightseeing tour through San Francisco.

At first it was overcast and foggy and the visibility was poor. When arriving at Baker's Beach we did not see the Golden Gate Bridge at all, only a few inches of its base pillars. Within 30 minutes, the fog slowly lifted and revealed the beauty of the iconic bridge. It was a magnificent spectacle of scenery. The photo on the left was taken about an hour later on the other side in the Marine Headlands.

Map of the San Francisco Tour with my friends

A Saturday Hike at the Ocean during Covid
	Something new... My first YouTube video! A Saturday at the Ocean Some impressions when visiting Wilder Ranch State Park in Santa Cruz, California on a Saturday. The idea to make this video was triggered by a video challenge (#QAGlobal) my coworkers put out about how to stay active and healthy during COVID times. It was fun to explore nature and how to make a video combining photos and videos.

A Saturday Hike at the Ocean during Covid

Something new... My first YouTube video!
A Saturday at the Ocean

Some impressions when visiting Wilder Ranch State Park in Santa Cruz, California on a Saturday. The idea to make this video was triggered by a video challenge (#QAGlobal) my coworkers put out about how to stay active and healthy during COVID times. It was fun to explore nature and how to make a video combining photos and videos.

New Year's Eve at the End of the World
	2019 was a very different Christmas and New Year. We broke away form the busy holiday hustle and bustle in the Bay Area and took a 21 day cruise through Argentina, Antartica and Chile. After cruisng the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula for 5 days, we crossed the notorious Drake Passage, which was unusually calm, to the legendary Cape Horn. We welcommed the New Year 2020 in Ushuaia, also known as "the city at the end of the world" because it is the world's southernmost city in the sparsely populated Tierra del Fuego. Antarctica Cruise Route

New Year's Eve at the End of the World

2019 was a very different Christmas and New Year. We broke away form the busy holiday hustle and bustle in the Bay Area and took a 21 day cruise through Argentina, Antartica and Chile. After cruisng the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula for 5 days, we crossed the notorious Drake Passage, which was unusually calm, to the legendary Cape Horn.

We welcommed the New Year 2020 in Ushuaia, also known as "the city at the end of the world" because it is the world's southernmost city in the sparsely populated Tierra del Fuego.

Antarctica Cruise Route

The Pristine World of Antarctica
	During our South America and Antarctica cruise during Christmas 2019 we took over 4100 photos and close to 150 videos. We experienced incredible wildlife, landscape scenery and mind-blowing impressions. It is very hard to pick only ONE favorite photo, but I keep coming back to this one that I took on Dec 28, 2019 at 4:44pm at the Antarctic Peninsula at coordinates Latitude: 64°55’35.39” S, Longitude: 63°36’29.41” W Antarctic Memories (photobook: incredible impressions of our unforgetable journey) Antarctica Cruise Route

The Pristine World of Antarctica

During our South America and Antarctica cruise during Christmas 2019 we took over 4100 photos and close to 150 videos. We experienced incredible wildlife, landscape scenery and mind-blowing impressions. It is very hard to pick only ONE favorite photo, but I keep coming back to this one that I took on Dec 28, 2019 at 4:44pm at the Antarctic Peninsula at coordinates
Latitude: 64°55’35.39” S, Longitude: 63°36’29.41” W

Antarctic Memories
(photobook: incredible impressions of our unforgetable journey)

Antarctica Cruise Route

Puzzling Penguin Memories
	Before heading to Antarctica, we had the opportunity to mingle with penguins in their natural habit. A large Magellanic penguin colony is at The Estancia San Lorenzo Nature Reserve in Argentina. I had shutterfly turn this photo into a 1000 piece puzzle as gift for Renee for Christmas 2020. She was busy for several weeks to put together this memory as the many pebbles on the ground turned out to be quite a challenge. When Argentina and Britain started a war over the Falkland Islands in 1982, I did not know where it was and never in my wildst dreams would have thought to ever visit it. Bluff Cove Lagoon was a famous battle ground in the war, and now is home to a colony of King, Gentoo and Magellanic penguins.

Puzzling Penguin Memories

Before heading to Antarctica, we had the opportunity to mingle with penguins in their natural habit.

A large Magellanic penguin colony is at The Estancia San Lorenzo Nature Reserve in Argentina. I had shutterfly turn this photo into a 1000 piece puzzle as gift for Renee for Christmas 2020. She was busy for several weeks to put together this memory as the many pebbles on the ground turned out to be quite a challenge.

When Argentina and Britain started a war over the Falkland Islands in 1982, I did not know where it was and never in my wildst dreams would have thought to ever visit it. Bluff Cove Lagoon was a famous battle ground in the war, and now is home to a colony of King, Gentoo and Magellanic penguins.

Two World Travelers Stop in California
	In 2019 my niece and nephew traveled the world together for several months spending some time in each continent. They also visited us for a few weeks in October and November. We wanted to show them California and took them on a Northern Californa Route. The final part was quite a special adventure. When heading towards the coast in Northern California, we expierenced a power outage across several counties. Not being able to get into our hotel, we decided to abort our trip and drive back home, which we reached hours after midnight. Since our trip was cut short, we decided to spontaniously go on a Central California Route. We still cherrish our unforgettable time together by looking at these memories: Manuel's Californi a Adventures Julia's California Adventures

Two World Travelers Stop in California

In 2019 my niece and nephew traveled the world together for several months spending some time in each continent. They also visited us for a few weeks in October and November.

We wanted to show them California and took them on a Northern Californa Route. The final part was quite a special adventure. When heading towards the coast in Northern California, we expierenced a power outage across several counties. Not being able to get into our hotel, we decided to abort our trip and drive back home, which we reached hours after midnight.

Since our trip was cut short, we decided to spontaniously go on a
Central California Route.

We still cherrish our unforgettable time together by looking at these memories:
Manuel's Californi a Adventures
Julia's California Adventures

The Many Faces of Death Valley
	Many think Death Valley is just a hot desert. Yes, it is, but avoid the hot summer months and you are fine. We love it since it has so many different variations of landscape. Places along the paved highways are not a problem, but some other areas require high clearance vehicles. Just do your research before going to certain trails. Titus Canyon is a dirt road and one of the most spectacular backcountry drives in all of the US. Consider a 2 mile round trip hike to Darwin Falls, which takes you to a hidden oasis with a 20 foot waterfall. The Racetrack is a dry lakebed, best known for its strange moving rocks where even scientists still speculate how they move. Scotty's Castle is a window into the life and times of the roaring '20s and depression of the '30s. The ghost town of Rhyolite was a lively city in the early 1900s during the gold rush in Death Valley.

The Many Faces of Death Valley

Many think Death Valley is just a hot desert. Yes, it is, but avoid the hot summer months and you are fine. We love it since it has so many different variations of landscape. Places along the paved highways are not a problem, but some other areas require high clearance vehicles. Just do your research before going to certain trails.

Titus Canyon is a dirt road and one of the most spectacular backcountry drives in all of the US. Consider a 2 mile round trip hike to Darwin Falls, which takes you to a hidden oasis with a 20 foot waterfall. The Racetrack is a dry lakebed, best known for its strange moving rocks where even scientists still speculate how they move. Scotty's Castle is a window into the life and times of the roaring '20s and depression of the '30s. The ghost town of Rhyolite was a lively city in the early 1900s during the gold rush in Death Valley.

Yellowstone
	Another memorable trip was to Yellowstone and Grand Teton. We were blown away by the impressions and the beauty of nature and the colorful volcanic lakes and rock formations. If you want to learn about grizzly bears and gray wolves, don't miss visiting The Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center. The animals there were rescued and unable to survive in the wild on their own. We also enjoyed Earthquake Lake, which is just a few miles from West Yellowstone. We took a nice little walk along the lake. We were all alone on the trail, enjoying the clean and fresh air and listening to nature. Two eagles were flying back and forth to their nest to feed their young. A little bird was peeking out of a tree trunk, looking at us, like "what are you doing here"? And some butterflies were dancing in the wind. This was one of the most relaxing and serene two hours in our lives.

Yellowstone

Another memorable trip was to Yellowstone and Grand Teton. We were blown away by the impressions and the beauty of nature and the colorful volcanic lakes and rock formations. If you want to learn about grizzly bears and gray wolves, don't miss visiting The Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center. The animals there were rescued and unable to survive in the wild on their own.

We also enjoyed Earthquake Lake, which is just a few miles from West Yellowstone. We took a nice little walk along the lake. We were all alone on the trail, enjoying the clean and fresh air and listening to nature. Two eagles were flying back and forth to their nest to feed their young. A little bird was peeking out of a tree trunk, looking at us, like "what are you doing here"? And some butterflies were dancing in the wind. This was one of the most relaxing and serene two hours in our lives.

The Road to Nowhere Leads to Horses
	Renee and I met in August 2007. We had quite very opposite life styles, and everybody thought we are on the road to nowhere. At what we call our "Train Wreck Monday", we decided to (figuratively speaking) "jump off the cliff together". It was the best decision we made. We did not crash and burn, but it was the start to an awesome aventure together to explore "Endless Horizons". Our first road trip together with her son's Jeep in May 2008 was a pivotal moment in our relationship. I introduced her to Death Valley. (me: "Death Valley is one of my favorite places." Renee: "Why? It is just desert!"). We continued to Redrock Canyon in Nevada, Las Vegas, drove along Lake Mead to Valley of Fire, (upper) Antelope Canyon. Then we stayed at Lake Powell, where we took a boat tour on the lake. Since everybody goes to the southern part of Grand Canyon, we decided to do the opposite and go to Grand Canyon North Rim. The manager at the hotel in Lake Powell gave us GPS coordinates to a "special jeep tour". What an adventure! The road went from a paved to an unpaved road to just a tiny track of two tires. At the end of the tracks we were only a few feet from the edge of the Grand Canyon. Glad we did not fall off the cliff. On the way back, we saw a herd of about 20 wild horses running past us. We continued to Sunset Crater, where we decided to take a side road for 4x4 vehicles to find a way up a mountain for a better overlook. Well, we got lost. So, we used our little handheld hiking Garmin to get the GPS position and tried to find our way back to the highway. It actually worked out and we consider this one of our special adventures. We continued our trip to visit Wupatki before going on a trainride through Verde Canyon, then visiting Montezuma Well.

The Road to Nowhere Leads to Horses

Renee and I met in August 2007. We had quite very opposite life styles, and everybody thought we are on the road to nowhere. At what we call our "Train Wreck Monday", we decided to (figuratively speaking) "jump off the cliff together". It was the best decision we made. We did not crash and burn, but it was the start to an awesome aventure together to explore "Endless Horizons".

Our first road trip together with her son's Jeep in May 2008 was a pivotal moment in our relationship. I introduced her to Death Valley. (me: "Death Valley is one of my favorite places." Renee: "Why? It is just desert!"). We continued to Redrock Canyon in Nevada, Las Vegas, drove along Lake Mead to Valley of Fire, (upper) Antelope Canyon. Then we stayed at Lake Powell, where we took a boat tour on the lake. Since everybody goes to the southern part of Grand Canyon, we decided to do the opposite and go to Grand Canyon North Rim.

The manager at the hotel in Lake Powell gave us GPS coordinates to a "special jeep tour". What an adventure! The road went from a paved to an unpaved road to just a tiny track of two tires. At the end of the tracks we were only a few feet from the edge of the Grand Canyon. Glad we did not fall off the cliff. On the way back, we saw a herd of about 20 wild horses running past us.

We continued to Sunset Crater, where we decided to take a side road for 4x4 vehicles to find a way up a mountain for a better overlook. Well, we got lost. So, we used our little handheld hiking Garmin to get the GPS position and tried to find our way back to the highway. It actually worked out and we consider this one of our special adventures. We continued our trip to visit Wupatki before going on a trainride through Verde Canyon, then visiting Montezuma Well.

Decades Ago It All Began in a Swabian City
	xxxxx Placeholder