Cape Disappointment State Park,Washington
Don’t come here, you’ll be disappointed. SAID NO ONE EVER. Well, except for that one guy maybe. Continue reading Cape Disappointment State Park,Washington
Mt. Rainier National Park (1st visit) – Ohanapecosh Region
We are floating, floating on windy roads, the thick forest obscured by a smoky fog. Trees grow taller and taller. It is morning, and darkly beautiful, in stark contrast to our morning stop in the sunny Yakima Valley for the best fruit we’ve ever had, purchased at a roadside stand fresh from the grower. Continue reading Mt. Rainier National Park (1st visit) – Ohanapecosh Region
Utah’s Hidden Gem: Capitol Reef National Park
On a brief 24-hour visit in 2016, Capitol Reef National Park stole our hearts, and we are pumped to come back. During this visit we will trek to some of the park’s most iconic rock formations, take a remote path less traveled, and get a peek at some petroglyphs that very few visitors get to see. Continue reading Utah’s Hidden Gem: Capitol Reef National Park
Ouray, Colorado
The tasty hikes and hot springs of the well-preserved town Ouray call us here. Finding the perfect IPA is just the icing on the cake. Continue reading Ouray, Colorado
Black Canyon of The Gunnison National Park
Soon after leaving the city limits of Durango, brown turns to green and the San Juan mountains stun us with their beauty. Our route to lesser-known-gem-of-a-park Grand Canyon of the Gunnison is a treat. Continue reading Black Canyon of The Gunnison National Park
Durango, CO / Mesa Verde National Park
I’ll have bittersweet birthday in Durango. Perhaps a history hike can shake us out of our funk. Continue reading Durango, CO / Mesa Verde National Park
Enchanted Circle / Eagle Nest Lake State Park
The photographer in me finds the charred remains of the burnt forest darkly beautiful. I quickly push that ugly thought from my mind and do not stop to take pictures of the scarred landscape. The sky is hazy. The west is burning. But in New Mexico’s Enchanted Circle we will find blue skies and a surprisingly sweet tourist town. Continue reading Enchanted Circle / Eagle Nest Lake State Park
Clayton Lake State Park
My ears fresh from the city and not yet in tune with nature sounds, I do not immediately discern what makes the sound. Perhaps a child? A moment later, a cacophony of yelps and howls tells me it is a pack of coyotes. Aside from the wind, the birds, and the chorus of grasshoppers, these are the only sounds we hear from our campsite during our stay. Continue reading Clayton Lake State Park
Prologue
As we close in on the New Mexico border, flat open plains give way to rolling green sage and juniper covered hills. After nine days of 100-110 temperatures in the Dallas area, a cold front has moved into Texas and brings welcome rain. The rain is scrubbing away not only the dust from a long period of drought in the area, but also a bit of the pain associated with what we’ve left behind. Thus begins day one of our 4-month hiatus from “real life”. Continue reading Prologue
Westward We Wander 