My daughter Lilly, the very light of my life, went off to college this fall. She is my youngest child and my only daughter.  Old sentimental sap that I am, I'm trying not to to cry as I write this.

​I miss her.

I took the truck, with her belongings, to school in Corvallis, Oregon, and on the way home, to assuage my sadness, made a road trip out of it. I saw some places new and old and nature, as it always does, provided me with comfort and succor.  

From Corvallis I headed east on magnificent Oregon Highway 20 through the Willamette National Forest. Over hills and through the mountains with water everywhere. Lost Lake, Foster Lake and the Santiam Creek were highlights. 

The Highway 20 black and whites.

After driving through Bend to Burns I spent a day in and around the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Unfortunately, this magnificent place may be more well known for the welfare rancher Ammon Bundy and his crazy, gun toting freaky followers and their month long occupation of the refuge back in January of 2016 than for being a natural splendor.  It's too bad, of course, because Malheur is also renowned for the birds that visit and call it home as well as other wildlife and, of course, the Eastern Oregon scenic beauty. I found it stunning. 

From Burns I took a leisurely drive down Highway 395 and went to visit a place I've seen on the map, all my life, and never visited - the very northeast corner of California. There are some huge lakes up there - Gigantic Goose Lake straddles the border and Lake Abert and Honey Lake are also near the highway. I'd been picturing it in my mind's eyes for a long time and it certainly was better than anything I could have imagined.

I drove to Virginia City in Nevada. My mom and grandmother took me there around 1967 and I hadn't been back since. It's a novel town that focuses on its history and, in 50 some odd years, it hasn't changed much at all. It's exactly as I remembered it and I think that's the idea.

Since I had no reason to rush I took my own sweet time to come home and was able to stop and make some photos that I think capture the everlasting Nevada of my youth. 

Another trip and another chapter ending and a new one beginning. And the seasons go round and round... Thank you for coming along. 

It's that time of year when an old Cactus Man's fancy turns from the desert to the mountains and sea. 

I have been trip planning for the last week while homebound.  Lupe and I have had some domestic issues like painting and appliance repair to deal with (I swear it feels like these damn things are never done).   As a result, I have nearly finished my trip plans for the next few months.  In addition, Lupe and I are looking at the possible purchase of a very small, affordable, versatile, high ground clearance travel trailer.  I need something that is homey enough for Lupe but I can take on my beloved dirt roads.  While I love my current setup with just the camper shell I must admit it would be nice to have a place to hole up in bad weather.  Anyway, we're not looking for something that resembles our home in any manner (why not just stay at home or in a motel then?).  We want a tiny hideaway to take us away to private and secluded spots as well as the National Parks.  The research continues...

In June- next week in fact, my son Kevin and I are headed to Boulder Basin in the San Jacinto mountains for a couple of days.   I've been trying to get him to go camping with me for a few years now and I'm really looking forward to it.  From there he'll go back to work (poor bastard) and I'll head to Nevada and Great Basin National Park.  It's my first visit there and it is one of the lesser known National Parks- which is right up my misanthropic alley.

Then it's time for Lupe and Lilly!  At the beginning of July Lupe and I are going to Point Mugu and camp right on the beach.   Then, at the end of July she and Lilly and I are going to Jalama Beach and Pismo Beach.  We'll spend a night in a motel in Morro Bay to wrap up (love that sleepy little town).

In August I'm headed back to the Southwest for a trip to the north rim of the Grand Canyon.  I've been to the south rim probably 10 times but I don't usually head there in summer when the north rim is free of snow and open.  I will probably camp a night or two at nearby Jacob Lake and look for future boondocking spots.  At the end of the month and just before Lilly starts high school (Good God!) I'm taking her to one of my favorite spots in this lifetime - Lassen Volcanic National Park.  I know it so well I can show her around!  As she grows older these chances will be come fewer and fewer (see Jordan and Kevin) and I will cherish this time together.  It will be an unforgettable trip.  

My next BIG trip is in my favorite month to travel - September.   I'll be heading to Devil's Tower National Monument in Wyoming and the Little Big Horn Battlefield in Montana. You've probably figured out my appreciation of and fascination with the indigenous people of our continent and this trip will focus heavily on Native American history and culture. 

In October I'm heading back to Big Sur area to stay at Kirk Creek Campground and boondock in the mountains that overlook the sea,  I'm gonna squeeze in a weekend back at Pinnacles National Park with my dear Bay Area family.

November brings me back to the desert...

I'll look forward to showing my pictures and narrating the trips as I return from each one. 

Peace.