47 Parks
With my sleep schedule still on east coast time, I rose before dark to drive another two hours into Utah. The terrain vacillated between green-covered mesas and stark red rock rising up alongside the road. In the distance, I could spot the San Juan mountains dappled with snow, a contrast to the landscape immediately surrounding … Read more
Thoughts & Things
Spaces & Places
Mountains are my favorite.
Having cruised all around the United States, exploring forests, deserts, and coastlines, I can wholeheartedly endorse mountains as the top-tier landmark. Sure, I recognize this as purely an opinion, but having spent a significant amount of time in the mountains, I am convinced that they are special places full of life, … Read more
47 Parks
A Throwback Tale
Cairn. I rolled the word around in my head, almost like a chant, matching pace with the sound of my feet hitting the slick rock. Canyonlands National Park in Utah was an adventurer’s dream. I was taking a much-needed break from Arches, the tourist trap only 45 minutes to the northeast. After … Read more
47 Parks
Length of Stay:
High:
Low:
Favorite Hike:
Favorite Treat:
47 Parks
I entered the Mojave desert in the dark, and I mean truly dark. With no street lights and an overcast sky, my car headlights were barely able to cut through the night. The Joshua Trees stood like silent pillars, welcoming me into their world as I zipped down the highway. My peripheral vision caught flickers … Read more
47 Parks
Length of Stay:
High:
Low:
Favorite Hike:
Favorite Treat:
47 Parks
A continuation from Death Valley Bust: Part I and Part II
Once again, the crinkling plastic water bottle alerted me to my change in elevation. My car shuddered, responding to the huge gusts of winds, and I felt my MyPod oscillate behind me as I began my slow ascent out of the Valley.
I was … Read more
47 Parks
A continuation from Death Valley Bust: Part I
The wind stirred up layers of silt and dust, obscuring the road and making it difficult to see. I watched a poor crow try to fly towards shelter. Flapping his wings furiously, he eventually gave up and just let the wind carry him. I slowed down my … Read more
47 Parks
The plastic water bottles next to me crinkled as the air pressure increased, reminding me that I was driving down into the lowest place on the continent. The sun was shining, the day was crisp, and I was relieved to be out of the Vegas metropolis.
As I set up camp at -196 feet below … Read more