Shallow waters of Florida's Blueway give you the place nearly all to yourself

PINE ISLAND, Fla. — On pretty much any trip worth taking, there comes a time when my mind or my body or sometimes both scream:

"What were you thinking?

"You thought this would be fun?"

For me, that time came at about 2:45 the afternoon of Day 3 of kayaking the Great Calusa Blueway along Florida's Gulf Coast.

I was alone and slogging through a very modest chop against a 10 mph northeast breeze.

My back was killing me.

My arms were beginning to feel like Jell-O.

My thighs were aching from bracing them in the narrow cockpit of my kayak.

"Jug Creek has to be just around that point," I kept telling myself as I willed myself to keep paddling toward my destination.

Two hours later, I've had a shower, I'm sitting on the second-floor deck of the lovely Bokeelia Tarpon Inn, drinking a beer, watching pelicans crash into the sea while hunting, and I'm smiling.

I'm thinking about the time earlier today when I sat in the kayak in water barely deep enough to float the boat. I looked to my left, then scanned 180 degrees to my right and saw an arc of 25 pure-white great egrets wading in the flat.

"Wow! What a great day! And what a great trip!"

The Blueway is a roughly 190-mile kayak trail that meanders along the coast between Bonita Springs and Fort Myers, explores a few rivers, heads north along Pine Island, the largest island on the Gulf Coast, then loops around to the outer islands of Cayo Costa, North Captiva, Captiva and Sanibel, right across the pass from Fort Myers Beach.

But you don't come down here to kayak the whole 190 miles. And you don't have to be a kayak stud to do it. Sure, there are parts of the trail, like along the outer islands, that are best left to those who were born with a kayak paddle in their hands. But there are plenty of areas that can be tackled by a novice. And you can do it by yourself.

After all, in most places where I kayaked, the water's so shallow that if you fall out of your boat, you can stand up.

Another attraction here is that it's possible to kayak from hotel to hotel. During three days of kayaking, I sampled a bed-and-breakfast and two motels in Matlacha (Mat-la-SHAY) and a B&B in Bokeelia — all on Pine Island and all with docks you can kayak right up to. But there's enough kayakable water around here that I could have stayed put in one lodging and still covered different areas.

Pine Islanders proudly declare their space as a taste of "Old Florida." This is a place where restaurants remind you of a Wisconsin supper club, every meal is served with a side of smiles and all the waitresses call you honey or sweetie.

It's also an area that invites exploration. Paddle south out of one of the many canals that carve up Matlacha and you can parallel the more exposed eastern edge of the island that faces out onto Matlacha Pass. But cut inside to the sheltered flats and you find still waters where great egrets, white ibises, little blue herons and, if you're lucky, an occasional roseate spoonbill are reflected in the water as they wade on spindly legs, their beaks continually bobbing up and down as they feed.

The Blueway in most places periodically has markers to guide you, but with all of the little channels that invite you in to dally among the mangroves, it's good to carry a GPS or, in my case, an iPhone so you can see exactly where you are.

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A grand place on the North Shore of Lake Superior

GRAND MARAIS, Minn. — Sandwiched between the magnificence of Lake Superior and the Sawtooth Mountains, Grand Marais seems ho-hum. But don't let its disheveled downtown deceive. This is one of the best bases for exploring the North Shore. Stay in a hotel overlooking the lake, stroll to a gourmet dinner, shop at an art gallery or a classic five-and-dime, and explore the outdoors. The town may not have the charm of Lutsen's clapboard lodge or the flash of Naniboujou Lodge's painted dining room, but in the end it wows as much as the surrounding scenery.

THE BASICS:

Tucked against Lake Superior, Grand Marais, population 1,351, was once a sleepy fishing village. All that's changed, in part because it occupies one of the most scenic spots along the Arrowhead. At the edge of town, a windblown spit of land juts out into the lake, helping to form a big bay and a calm harbor, so the town looks embraced by Superior.

Get tourist information at http://www.grandmarais.com.

WHAT TO DO:

The Gunflint Trail — which cuts inland to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and where moose sometimes wander onto the road — begins its winding way in Grand Marais, but you don't really need to drive along that road to feel lost among the elements. Instead, take a walk along the bay beach to Artists' Point, the peninsula of rock and pine trees that juts out into Superior. It's the locals' go-to hike.

If you want more miles, not to mention views, of the lake, head just outside of town to Pincushion Mountain Trail System (www.pincushion trails.org). Or pop onto the Superior Hiking Trail (www.shta .org) from a number of entry points near Grand Marais.

Perhaps you'd rather hike from store to store downtown. The Sivertson Gallery (www.sivertson.com) offers warm tea for sipping while browsing its collection of works from Inuit, Alaskan and regional artists. The locally made jewelry is nice eye candy, too.

Joynes Ben Franklin Department Store can hook you up with everything from Uggs and Carhartts to Barbie dolls and Norwegian sweaters (joynesbenfranklin.com).

With its diminutive size and purple shutters next to the beach, Drury Lane Books looks like a fairytale house (www.drurylanebooks.com). That's appropriate given its small but spellbinding collection of books for children and adults.

Around the harbor bend from downtown is the North House Folk School, a collection of clapboard buildings where artisans preserve northern crafts by teaching hands-on classes (www.northhouse.org). Subjects include knitting, kayak-making and surprises such as "deer processing for carnivorous locavores." Visitors are welcome to explore the campus and stop by the gift shop.

HIDDEN TREASURE:

If you're in need of gear — or inspiration — check out Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply (www.stoneharborws.com) on the bay. The hot spot for outdoor sports opened in June 2010 and has been selling and renting essential supplies — and some unusual cool outdoor toys — ever since.

In the summer, there are kayaks, canoes and paddleboards. But when snow flies, this place becomes the cutting edge of winter fun. You can rent the usual cross-country skis and snowshoes. But you can also rent — or buy — Wintergreen clothing (beyond warm and pricey to own), Snowtrekker winter tents and the wood-burning stoves to keep them cozy, and Marquette skis, a sort of ski-snowshoe hybrid that lets you hike up a snowy trail and ski down the other side. Want some tips for your first time? Snow Harbor offers guided outings.

The place also sells nordic skates, which are specialized blades that attach to cross-country ski boots and are made for gliding over the bumps and cracks of frozen rivers and lakes. It's your route to explore the Boundary Waters by skate.

WHERE TO EAT:

Judi Barsness not only cooks exceptional meals at her sophisticated harborside restaurant, Chez Jude, she also teaches others how to do the same by offering cooking classes (www.chezjude.com; closed in November and April). At Crooked Spoon Cafe, inventive, delicious dinners include Lake Superior fish with cucumber-corn relish (www.crooked spooncafe.com; closed after today until Dec. 27). For live music and chili with a micro-brew beer, head to Gun Flint Tavern (www.gunflinttavern.com). Breakfasts are divine at the Pie Place (www.northshorepieplace.com); don't miss the maple sausage.

WHERE TO SLEEP:

Only in Grand Marais' website (www.grandmarais.com) offers links to a variety of lodging options, from cabins to B&Bs. I've enjoyed East Bay Suites, with luxury units that have sleek kitchens, stone fireplaces and expansive views of the lake just beyond the balcony (www.eastbaysuites.com).

GETTING THERE:

Grand Marais is northeast of Duluth, Minn., on Lake Superior, along Hwy. 61. The drive from the Minneapolis/ St. Paul takes about 4 12/2 hours.

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Arizona is the place to go for golf

PHOENIX (AP) — Tired of chilly weather last winter, Wayne Johnson and Rachel Wright decided it was time to get away.

Johnson has family in the Phoenix area, so they figured why not head to the desert to play some golf?

The mild Arizona weather was "just what we needed," said Johnson, of Reno, Nev. "It doesn't get any better than this."

Whether it's a way to escape the cold this coming winter or you've-got-to-be-kidding-me deals other times of year, Arizona is a haven for golf enthusiasts. The sheer volume of courses makes it worth the trip, with the 200 or so just in Phoenix and its suburbs making a map of the area look like a Dalmatian covered in green spots. The choices run across the spectrum, from local (and often more affordable) municipals to resorts that rank among the best in the world, perfectly-maintained green oases carved out of the desert, challenging all levels of golfers.

The terrain is unlike anything anywhere else, ruggedly beautiful mountains surrounding a gravel-covered Valley of the Sun filled with all shapes of cactus, twisty-trunked trees with green bark and a variety of unique flora that give the desert a distinctly clean smell.

The weather? Autumn, winter and spring, it's almost perfect, everyone walking around in shorts while the rest of the country is bundling up or digging out of VW Bug-sized snow drifts.

"If you're coming from out of the state, it's totally different experience than anywhere in the country," said Rui Pereira, general manager for Rancho de los Caballeros in Wickenburg. "You're out in the desert, it's wide-open spaces that you don't see on the East Coast and many other places in the country, and the weather is great a good part of the year."

Temperatures in Phoenix are typically around the 60s even during the coldest months with 80s in late fall and early spring. Occasionally, when the wind chills dip well below zero in the far northern states, Arizona can have a 100-degree difference in temperature. Think about that: 100 degrees warmer.

Certainly, there are times when a cold blast makes its through — the mountains above Phoenix had a couple dustings of snow this past winter — but most of the time it's short-sleeves and shorts for a round.

"You can be guaranteed that you're going to get sunshine and 90 percent of the time when you come here in the winter, you're going to get very good weather," said Greg Ellis, general manager of Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia in Peoria.

Scottsdale is the epicenter of the Arizona golf scene, with one world-class golf course seemingly next door to another. From Grayhawk and Troon North to the TPC Scottsdale and The Boulders just to the north in Carefree, you really can't go wrong. But Phoenix — about 10 miles from Scottsdale — is the launching point for many winter visitors, with the massive international airport and many entertainment and dining options in addition to a variety of golf courses of its own. A golfer could literally play a new golf course here every day for a month and not be disappointed. Oh, sure, there are a few clunkers mixed in, but the overall quality is as good throughout as anywhere in the country.

A word about the summer, for those whose budgets may not permit the peak-season winter fees: The weather that time of year is melt-your-steering-wheel hot — over 100 degrees regularly starting about mid-May and into early fall. But that's why green fees for those top-notch courses are often a quarter of the winter price: $130-150 resort courses down to $50, even $30 a round. The hotels are cheap, too, usually more than half off in the summer, meaning golfers can play and stay a week for what it would have cost for a weekend in the peak months.

Ways to cope with the heat include hitting the links by 6 a.m., even by 7:30, and finishing before the sun really starts beating down. Many courses in the desert offer iced towels — some scented with mango and other flavors — that guests can cool off with, and there's always water available all over the courses. "The standard expression is that it's a dry heat, but there's some truth to that," said Ron Woods, general manager of the Raven at Verrado in Buckeye. "Your tolerance is greater with a dry heat over humidity, so if you can tolerate the heat and prepare yourself with water, a wet frozen towel, sunscreen and a hat, you can manage. And the pricing is just unbelievable as to what you get."

Whatever season you plan your golf trip for, here are three worth trying:

RANCHO DE LOS CABALLEROS, http://www.ranchodeloscaballeros.com/.

Location: Wickenburg, about 45 minutes up Highway 60 northwest of Phoenix.

The course: Set at the foot of the Bradshaw Mountains in the upper Sonoran Desert, Los Caballeros is a hidden gem just outside the Phoenix area — and well worth the extra drive. An award-winning desert layout with spectacular views, the course is challenging yet still accommodating for higher handicappers with its wide fairways. Check out the horseback riding, target shooting and spa when you're done.

Yardages: Front tees of 5,264 yards to 7,020 from the back.

Green fees: $90 peak season to $39 in summer.

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