Perhaps Don Pitcher's love of travel came about because he moved so much as a child; by age 15 he had lived in six states and two dozen East Coast and Midwestern towns. He moved west for college, receiving a master's degree from the University of California, Berkeley, where his thesis examined wildfires in high elevation forests of Sequoia National Park. Don landed what seemed the coolest job on the planet shortly after grad school: being flown around Alaska's massive Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in a helicopter while conducting fire research. Wild places continued to beckon, and over the next fifteen years Don built backcountry trails, worked as a wilderness ranger, mapped grizzly habitat, and operated salmon weirs: anything to avoid an office job. After that first season in Alaska, he spent three months in the South Pacific, and quickly found himself addicted to travel. His explorations eventually took him to thirty-five countries and all fifty states. Don is the author of Moon Anchorage, Denali & the Kenai Peninsula and Moon San Juan Islands. He served as editor for Best Places Alaska and is a contributor to Triporati.com and other websites. Don's photos have appeared in a multitude of publications and advertisements, and his fine art prints are sold in many Alaska and Washington galleries. Don lives in Homer, Alaska with his wife, Karen Shemet, and their children, Aziza and Rio. When not busy on other projects, he also works as a wedding photographer and volunteer radio DJ. Visit donpitcherphotography.com to read his blog and learn more about his writing and photography projects.
"""Far from narrow minded, each Moon travel guide gives itinerary options for a variety of travelers' budgets--from frugal to lavish. They make books catering to those who love the outdoors, those who have limited time, those staying exclusively in cities and those who've fully committed to living abroad. In all, they have hundreds of titles, ranging Bermuda to Budapest, that'll teach you to embrace a new culture.""--Gear Patrol, ""The Best Travel Guidebooks for Every Journey"" ""Moon guides are perfect for the relaxed road tripper or outdoor explorer.""--No Small Plan ""Moon handbooks are always a pleasure to read. The writing is crisp, the research impressive, and the recommendations practical and down to earth.""--Chicago Tribune ""Moon handbooks are known for cannily combining logistical information with cultural background of a country or state.""--Los Angeles Times ""Moon handbooks have become known as well-written and exceptionally informative guides.""--The New York Times ""The books are more easily readable than other guides. The main attractions are also marked with a special icon and sidebars and boxes highlight special information, making the Moon handbooks one of the most user-friendly guides in terms of visual appeal and organization...the quality is uniformly excellent.""--Transitions Abroad"