About Grandpa

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Brien Crothers is a boomer, a grandfather to three, a retired power-generation professional, and an avid adventurer and world traveler. In over two decades of adventure travel around the world, I’ve learned a few things that I love to pass on to others—to you, the readers of my blog posts and books.

My three wonderful grandkids live an hour’s drive from me and my wife, Kathey. When they come to our house, or when Kathey goes to see them, they often say to her, “Grandpa’s gone again?”

I don’t always travel by myself. Kathey loves all-inclusive resorts and beachside condos. Many of the tips that are on the blog in the “Getting There & Away” category I have learned from her. She has a true knack for finding the best prices on air travel, lodging, and, especially, vacation packages.

My travel experience includes the following world adventures:

  • Mountaineering expeditions in Africa (summit, Mount Kilimanjaro), South America (3 summit attempts, Cerro Aconcagua, Andes mountains), Russia (summit, Mount Elbrus), and Tibet (Advanced Base Camp, North Face Mount Everest, the Himalayas)
  • Mountain-bike racing in South Africa, the Cape Epic
  • Foot racing in the Sahara desert, the Marathon des Sables Morocco
  • Foot racing in the Ica desert, the Marathon des Sables Peru
  • Adventure racing in Vietnam (multisport event, ten days’ duration)
  • Trekking in Spain, the Camino de Santiago (Camino Frances, 500 miles;  Via de la Plata, 625 miles; and, the Camino del Norte, 500 miles)

Many of the trips I have taken with my wife have also been international in scope:

  • Resort vacations on the eastern and western Mexican coasts
  • International service projects in Mexico
  • Trips to the Alaskan wilderness (including a luxury cruise), to the Canadian Rockies, and throughout the western United States
  • Sightseeing trip to Beijing and Xian in China
  • France, Italy and Spain

Questions or comments about anything on our blog? Feel free to drop me a line on Facebook or via email at Brien.Crothers@gmail.com.