Something I get asked from time to time is, "How do you travel alone so much?". It typically strikes me as an odd question but I get it.  Being alone with one's thoughts as your only companion can be difficult especially if you identify with those thoughts.  This is a major reason I meditate.  I'll write about meditation in a blog post soon but, in the meantime, these are my thoughts on traveling solo:

My career was people oriented.  I did my best to create positive relationships with everyone with whom I worked.  I truly cared about the people I worked with even if it wasn't always reciprocated.  Perhaps I was naive.  I also worked with people who didn't share my passionate values about the welfare and education of young people and I didn't mind their enmity but was always hopeful that we could "see the light" together at some point.   Nonetheless, I was constantly interacting with others.  I spent my life, from kindergarten through retirement, around groups of people on a daily basis.  As a result, my retirement has been completely different and weird at times (thank God for my beautiful family who have endured my sadness and helped me). While I used to crave solitude I now seemingly have an over supply of it.  My first year or so of not working was terribly difficult for many reasons and I often felt lonely. 

That's no longer the case.

I have learned to cherish and appreciate this solitary life.  I'm blessed with an understanding and loving wife and family.  They accept my longing for the road and pursuit of beauty.  That unconditional love provides a firm foundation which gives me permission to do what I want (and need) to do with approval and encouragement from those who "get" me.   

My days, off the road, consist of reading, meditation, and personal growth activities - like walking, writing, watching films, following sports (USC, Liverpool FC & the Dodgers), learning Spanish, reading my twitter timeline, running errands, planning trips, an occasional motorcycle ride, and learning the guitar.  My reading hunger since I stopped working has been insatiable- I know I'll die before I read everything I want to read.  

My days on the road, since I have my books and my meditation, are rarely lonely.  I do, of course, enjoy traveling with others, in particular, my kids, family, and wife.  They are all fabulous, non complaining, funny, curious and grateful, adventurers.  Of course, they have their own business to attend to and my wife can't retire for a few more years.  I do, certainly, miss many of my friends, some of whom have died and others lost to the vestiges of time and vagaries of life. The worst part of traveling alone is wanting to share the singular experiences and the astonishing scenery.  I take pictures, lots of them, in my attempts to share. This website and blog is another effort to share with my friends and family the places I see and visit.  

There is, however, something peaceful and poignant about traveling solo.  I can reflect, muse, and do all things that I damn well want to do.  If I like a place I can stay- if I don't I can move on.  After spending many hours researching I go where I want to go and see what I'm curious about.  As the Buddhists suggest, I eat when I'm hungry and rest when I'm tired.  I read voraciously.  I listen to music and spend hours preparing a long playlist specifically designed to complement the journey.  I hike.  Occasionally I fish.  I write.  I meet strangers and share travel stories.  In the evening I make a nice dinner, perhaps start a fire, and watch the sunset.  Afterwards, I crawl into the back of the truck- get comfortable and listen to the local radio stations, contemplate the doings of the day, and plan my next day's activities.   I nod off while listening to the songs of the coyotes or the pure quiet that can only be found miles away from cities.

I do miss the people that I love.  I think about their qualities- the reasons that I miss them.  I remind myself that all things are temporary, I will die, and I must use this time in the most meaningful way possible.  I worked, for a lifetime, trying to change the world and make it a better place.  I attained a doctorate and rose to the top of my profession.  All those years of work, putting my career first, ironically didn't work out as planned.  Now, I try to live my life the right way and let the Universe decide if my life will impact others positively in any way.  I can only do my best for my family and friends and this beloved earth.  I try to be an example.  I choose to surrender the rest.

This precious time in my life, when I have the freedom to travel the West, is a profound gift.  Perhaps, some day, I'll connect with former friends, become a better guitar player, write beautiful stories and poems, work publicly to save the planet, demonstrably help the poor and needy, but, for now, I'll travel alone and contemplate, learn what I can, and be the best father, husband, friend and man I know how to be.  

This solitary travel helps me ground myself, clarify what's important, and find and explore my humanity.  I enjoy myself.  I experience a powerful spiritual connection to nature and, in particular, the Southwest.  It is my sacred home.

All I can truly offer the world, in the end, is my humanity and experience - if I can stay true to a life of empathy, compassion, tenderness, and love, then, perhaps, my life will be of some worth.  I can't think of anything else to do that has more meaning.

The one song I have listened to more than any other the last several years is "'Cross the Green Mountain" by Bob Dylan.  The lyrics resonate deeply in me- like a soft breeze of pure, cool air in the late desert afternoon.  

He expresses it perfectly:

See you on the road, in fair nature's light, soon.  

I'm Utah bound in a few days.

Peace.

I've been home almost a week and, funny enough, I'm itching to get back on the road.  I know that the good weather months are dwindling and that soon it will be cold- my traveling and camping nemesis.  I have a trip planned to Utah in less than two weeks and then the wait for the twins begins in earnest and I'll probably stay pretty close to home.  

One of the most enjoyable activities  of the winter months is planning the next year's travel.  So far, I plan on two trips to Organ Pipe NM this winter.  After 11 long years the monument is now fully open again which is exciting to say the least.  I can now explore some places I've been itching to see for awhile but were closed due to the US Border Patrol's activities.  

Have you read, "The Devil's Highway" by Luis Urrea? The setting is Organ Pipe- it's a tragic story and my views on immigration were only solidified by reading it.  I know it's a complex issue but we MUST find a more humane way of dealing with those desperately poor people from Mexico who simply want a better life in the USA (as did all our relatives- except the indigenous).  I have lots of deeply passionate thoughts about these issues and, perhaps, in future, I'll devote an entire blog to what I believe the problems are (and there are many - starting with the government of Mexico and US policy) and how we might go about creating a better world for our brothers and sisters from the south.   If you have an interest in these matters please read Urrea, or "Border Patrol Nation" by Todd Miller.  Or read anything that Charles Bowden has written on the Border problems. 

If you know me, at all, you know I love all things Southwest- by extension- I love Mexico and the Mexican culture.  It's everywhere you go in the Southwest and it's one of the major reasons I love it here.  

Back to my plans for next year- so Organ Pipe is on big time.  I'm also going to spend some time at Anza Borrego near Little Blair Valley doing some boondocking near a dry lake bed.  Last year when I was there I was mesmerized by the solitude and stark beauty of the place.  The problem was that it's at 3000 feet elevation, it was during a cold snap, and when I awoke it was 21 degrees F. WAY too cold.  This fall/winter I'm hoping to go when it's a bit warmer.  Of course, I'll also figure out a time to go to my beloved Joshua Tree NP.

In March I'm heading to Big Bend National Park in Southern Texas along the mighty Rio Grande.  This is a trip that I've been wanting to do since my 20's and I'm finally going to make it happen.  That trip will include stops in Arizona and New Mexico and may include a stop at Palo Duro Canyon and Guadalupe NP. April is a wonderful month to explore the coastal mountains near Santa Barbara and Big Sur and I'll backpack then.  I love to travel in May because the weather is warming and the crowds are at a minimum.  I will probably be in Taos and Santa Fe then.  In June I'll head to the Sierras again.  July is "Lupe and Lilly time" and we are still in the process of deciding.  I'm considering two options for August - either Flathead Lake and Glacier NP in Montana or a Northern Cascades trip in Washington. 

This last trip was really spectacular and I'm strongly considering heading back to the Four Corners in Utah and Colorado in September.  I'm still, as I sit here at home, staggered by the scenery I saw in Colorado on this last trip.

My next trip, leaving on October 6, includes a visit with my very best friend from high school, Kevin D. , and still one of the best people I've ever known (or ever will know).  He went to college in Utah and then got a job there and so our visits have been sporadic (at best) over the years.  I'm hoping that changes in the next few years as we both move into the retirement phase of our lives.  As I told him recently- one of us is still working (him) and one of us is a hobo (me) so his schedule will dictate things for awhile.  Luckily he's free on the weekend of Oct. 11 and I get to hang with him on this trip.  Knowing Kev he's explored most of that beautiful country up there and I'll be the beneficiary of his knowledge.

Here's my Utah tentative itinerary:

10/6 Navajo National Monument
10/7 Arches NP
10/8 Arches NP
10/9 Arches NP
10/10 Canyonlands NP
10/11 Visiting with Kevin near Vernal, UT
10/12 Goblin SP
10/13 Goblin SP
10/14 Capitol Reef NP
10/15 Kodachrome SP
10/16 Home

Looks amazing doesn't it?  Arches NP remains my favorite.  Before I read Ed Abbey I visited it and had an OBE (out of body experience)- after I read, "Desert Solitaire" I understood why.  I probably feel more "at home" in Arches than any other place on earth. There is no place like the Red Rock Country of the Colorado Plateau.  Being there fulfills my heart's desire.  I'll look forward to sharing pictures on my return as always.  

Thanks for reading this.   I hope all is well in your life and that you too are planning your next adventure.  I'll look forward to writing again soon and sharing about another one of my new passions- playing guitar.

Peace.

This isn't about my travel but, instead, something even better that we are all very excited about.  The birth of our first grandchildren!  (You read that right- it's plural as in twins- a boy and a girl).  These are pictures that I took during the baby shower that was held on Sunday, 9/21/2014 at our home.  It was a ton of fun and thanks to everyone who came to share in the joy!

The new parents, my son Jordan and his wife Meredith, are two of the finest people anyone could ever know.  What fantastic parents they will be.  

I arrived back at the ranch yesterday exhausted from driving about 1100 miles in two days.  I will be blogging more, in the next week, about this fantastic trip.  In the meantime, please see the pictures and descriptions under Trip Reviews, September 2014.

I can't express the profound beauty of what I've been experiencing on this trip. I'll look forward to sharing more when I get home in a few days. Breathtaking places...

Hi friends.  I'm getting ready to take off early, early tomorrow morning.  "Pre-trip" is an odd emotional time.  It's an exciting time usually tinged with some sadness about missing my wife and family.  I also start to anticipate the first day's drive which means dealing with Southern California traffic until I get "out there".  The older I get the more I abhor traffic and the lack of scenery in SoCal. As I leave I can't seem to put it behind me fast enough.  In addition,  my mind gets cramped with details.  Did I pack everything?  Food? Personal items?  Do I have what I need?  Am I ready? 

Tomorrow I'll take the good old Interstate 15 through seedy, gaudy, tawdry, Las Vegas and then head toward Zion on my way to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.   I'm interested in the state park and anxious to explore it.  I hear it's a place a lot of the land maulers, aka Quad riders, visit.  The noise, partying,  and general attitude of those people aren't usually my cup of tea.  We'll see.  My hunch is that it will be more than fine.

 It's a long drive (442 miles) but not as long as Tuesday when I drive to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison (476 miles).  When I arrive there and get a camping spot my trip will settle down into a more relaxed mode.  I work at slowing down constantly the first few days of any trip.  Once that calm kicks in the trips can start to become tranquil and magical.  After rushing around for 35 years slowing down is a daily challenge.  I'll explore the new National Park at the Gunnison River and then head for fishing and hiking grounds near Silver Jack Reservoir, the Rio Grande and, eventually, the Arkansas River.

I will try to write from the road but that may not be possible given the typical lack of cell reception in the more remote and mountainous areas.  I purchased a small digital tape recorder to perhaps more easily take notes.  I also got a monocular for the camera and it will be interesting to see how that works.  The playlist is ready- lots of Bob Dylan, Calexico, Neil Young, Gourds, Jon Dee Graham, Beck, Drive-By Truckers and Alejandro Escovedo.   I'll be reading "Go In Beauty" by William Eastlake and bring lots of Edward Abbey & Terry Tempest Williams to supplement.  I'm also bringing the classic, "Land of Little Rain" by Mary Austin.  

May you all slow down and enjoy the simple things while I'm "on the road".

Peace.

My next trip starts on Monday, September 8.  I will be spending some time in Colorado.  My father grew up there albeit in one of the most desolate spots in the state, La Junta.  La junta means the meeting or meeting place in spanish and, sure enough, that's where several railroads meet (or met- passenger trains ain't what they used to be).  My father used to speak about the wind and the snowdrifts and the unbearable summer heat.  He also talked about his father being an excellent outdoorsman.  I never met my grandfather.  He died in 1948 at age 48 due to acute alcoholism.  I wish we'd known each other.  I have sensed in my lifetime that some of my genetic predilections are directly linked to him and his appetites.  

The stories that my Dad told me about the outdoors often revolved around the southwestern part of the state in the San Juan mountains. Places like Creede and Pagosa Springs were mentioned.  This is an area I'd promised myself that I  would spend time in before I died.  I plan on fishing, camping, hiking and exploring.  

The mountains are at their peak in September in the West.  The crowds and kids are gone.  September is my favorite month of the year anyway.  Even when I was working in the schools I loved it.  The parents and kids were well behaved and everyone still had hope for a successful school year.  While this made school and my job better than say, in March, I still always longed to be outside.  I remember, even as a child, thinking that I was missing some important things going on in the outdoors in September.  Now, at long last, I get to spend some time in the Rockies in September.  

Do you know the song from "The Fantasticks"? 

Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh, so mellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When grass was green and grain was yellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When you were a tender and callow fellow.
Try to remember, and if you remember,
Then follow.

I am going to "follow".  



Here's the tentative itinerary:

 September 8 Monday - Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, UT 

September 9 Tuesday- Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP, CO  

September 10 Wednesday - Same

September 11 Thursday- Silver Jack CG - (Southeast of Montrose)

September 12 Friday - Same

September 13  Saturday Bridge Campground (Northwest of Pagosa Springs).  

September 14 Sunday Bassam Guard Station (Northwest of Salida)

September 15 Monday -Same

September 16 Tuesday Holbrook, AZ

September 17 Wednesday Home

My trips are generally set up as "tentative".  If I find a place I like, and it doesn't require reservations, I'll stay and stay.  I have found, however, that being literally "on the road" is what I enjoy most.  It's the discovery that I like.  Of course, many of the best places are found in exactly that way.

I'm cutting this trip a bit short as I am required home to prepare for a baby shower of epic proportions.  This should be a good "taster" of the area.  I've always loved Durango and I'll be sure and spend some time there (if nothing else than to pick up a fishing license and grab a bite to eat).

The drive home requires one motel night in Holbrook. AZ which is a fine western town.  When I get home I'll have a bit of time to prepare for my October Utah Red Rocks trip that promises to be spectacular.  After that I'll be laying low waiting for my first grandchildren to be born. The twins are coming in November which means December and January will be perfect for celebrating their birth in Organ Pipe, Cabeza Prieta and other desert wonders in southern Arizona.

One last note, I've been communicating on Twitter with the excellent film director and cinematographer Eric Temple. He claims we are "brothers from another mother" and I agree.  His films are all great and I own "Edward Abbey: A Voice in the Wilderness" which is truly excellent.  If you can find it- buy it.  If you can't buy it then see it any way possible.  It's fantastic and features some other great Southwest artists and authors including the great Charles Bowden who just passed away.  Charles' death is a huge loss for us desert and justice lovers.  Eric did mention to me that for his next film subject he's considering either Maynard Dixon (my favorite Southwest artist) or my inspiration Everett Ruess.  See?  He is, indeed, a "brother from another mother"!

I'll keep you posted from the road.

Peace.

I've been working on this damnable site for a week and I guess it's time to "go live".   I'm sure it's filled with grammatical errors and typos.  I know it's poorly written and needs editing.  I suppose I'll spend more time doing that so bear with me or, better yet, ignore the writing and go straight to the pictures!  Ha!

The first question is what kind of an ego must a person have to create their own website?  The truth is there may not be a damn soul in the world that cares about what I say, do, or think.  I'm OK with that.  In fact, I'm actually GOOD with that. The point of this site is to share with friends, family, and others who might have a passion or even passing interest in traveling the West.  I'll journal often from the road and occasionally from home.  Much of the personal material will be specifically directed at my family who, I am presumptuous enough to believe, actually do care just as I care about what's going on with them.  Even cooler? Nobody ever is required to visit this site.  Don't like it? C'est la vie!  

I am hopeful that someone from Twitter or elsewhere might stumble across this spot in cyberspace and I'll find a few fellow travelers and lovers of the West.  I'm also hopeful that I can help others with my passion for traveling through professional consultation.  

Some topics I'm considering for future posts are: 

• How did I fall in love with the West?
• Where am I headed next? Why there?
• How do I plan for my trips?  Why ALL that research?
• Southwestern Rock Art
• Native Americans of the Southwest
• Books I'm reading and want to read.
• Music I'm listening to and using for playlists on the road
• Literature of the West
• My heroes; Edward Abbey and Everett Ruess
• Southwestern Art
• Museums of the West
• Flora and Fauna of the Southwest
• My lost friends
• Politics of The West
• The joy my family brings
• Twitter accounts and travel blogs I subscribe to
• Sports
• Hiking
• Campground reviews
• Camping equipment reviews
• Motorcycle travel & camping 
• Fishing
• Meditation
• How can I help make your trips even better?
• Kindred souls on the road

My next post will describe my next trip starting in a few days.  I'm headed to Four Corners and the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado.  Lucky me.

Explore the site.  The narrative may be repetitive and dull but there are some pretty cool pictures.  You can comment on this and all posts if you desire.  It is my hope that this site will encourage you to get out and see the natural world around you.

I'll leave with the words of Ed Abbey:

One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am — a reluctant enthusiast... a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it’s still here. So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space. Enjoy yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached to the body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this much; I promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those desk-bound men and women with their hearts in a safe deposit box, and their eyes hypnotized by desk calculators. I promise you this; You will outlive the bastards.