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From our home to yours, we wish you a happy, healthy, and adventurous holiday season and new year!
Thank you to everyone who has been reading along with us as we traverse this great country and especially to those who have provided us with words of encouragement, warm beds in which to sleep, delicious meals, inspiring conversations, and most of all, wonderful company.
Peace and love,
Stacey, Alan, and Van
Saguaro National Park, Arizona
We spent a warm and sunny week in Arizona in early November, relishing the last days of wearing shorts and the last nights of sitting outside under the stars reading without shivering and diving into our sleeping bags as soon as the sun went down. We spent the first couple of nights at a very nice (and very inexpensive) hotel in Phoenix while we ran errands. We continued south to Tuscon, and spent the rest of our week camping in Tuscon Mountain Park just west of the city.
Our first night of camping was less than ideal. I wouldn’t call it our worst night of camping (that was the night of the never-ending trains just south of Bellingham, Washington), but it was a close second. The setting was picturesque, but our neighbors were less than ideal. To one side of us was a couple that believed they could only communicate by shouting. Their shouts continued into the night and were only drowned out by the deafening sounds of a concert celebrating the Day of the Dead. It seemed like we were off in the wilderness when we set up camp. We weren’t. Though it was out of sight, our tent was not too far from an old-west theme park, complete with live (and loud) entertainment. When the music finally stopped a couple of hours past midnight, we thought we could finally catch a few zzzzs before daybreak. Hahaha! Shortly after the music stopped, our tent was illuminated by headlights from the cars of concert-goers as they parked, partied, and then crashed for the night in the site on the other side of us. Alan awoke to one man asleep on the ground, whiskey bottle to one side, Budweiser cans on the other side. Watching them awake one-by-one made me so happy that it has been a very long while since I’ve drunk enough to earn a morning hangover.
The second, third, and fourth nights were better, but no less interesting. Once all of our neighbors cleared out, new ones moved in. Replacing the drunk and passed out concertgoers was an older man and his dog. They had no car, no bike, and did not appear to have a backpack. They never left the site for the three remaining days we were there, and we’re still not sure how they arrived. There was a bit of muttering and full-on conversations with the dog, but things got interesting at the first sounds of the coyotes. One coyote started, then a second, a sixth, and a twenty-sixth. And then the older man joined in, howling right along with the coyotes for a few minutes until they all quieted down. Alan and I looked at each other, whispering that we were in for a long night. Though our human neighbors changed, one thing that did not change was the very regular sounds of coyotes near (sometimes very near) and far. Luckily for us, our neighbor did not choose to join in every chorus of the canines. Phew! Sleep was much better during the rest of our stay.
When we weren’t listening to neighbors, concerts, or coyotes, we were out enjoying the desert and the tree-like cacti that dotted the landscape. We went to both the western and eastern sections of Saguaro National Park (pronounced Sawaro) and both prefered the landscapes and the hiking trails of the western half of the park. The eastern portion is more easily accessible from the city, which also means that large portions of it have wide views of the urban area. The western portion is set further off from the city and gives you the feel of being in a more isolated locale. Regardless, the cacti, and particularly the Saguaro, were fascinating.
Saguaro Cactus, Arizona
Saguaro National Park, Arizona
I always thought of cacti as something apart from other plants, but as I get to know cacti better during this trip, I begin to see the many similarities. Saguaros are very much like a tree, from their height and girth to their woody stems. The decaying Saguaro allowed us to see the similarities most closely.
We spent our time hiking, taking photographs, and helping Van earn his fourth Junior Ranger badge.
Hiking in Saguaro National Park, Arizona
In between our forays into the desert, we spent a morning at the International Wildlife Museum, run by Safari Club International. As one might expect, there were many taxidermied animals – big game and small game – as well as a stunning collection of butterflies, moths, beetles, and other insects. The exhibits were very well done and, except for a cavernous trophy room (which was interesting and educational in its own right), were focused on wildlife conservation. They even had a display on famous hunter/conservationists, including none other than Aldo Leopold, and a quote from an author and individual I greatly admire, Wendell Berry.
Though we spent most of our time in the Tuscon area exploring its natural wonders, we did make time for a few man-made wonders. The highlight was our visit to Mission San Xavier del Back, which was constructed in the late 1700s. It’s hard to overstate the magnificence of the bright white walls against the deep, blue, afternoon sky.
But most of all, our week in Arizona will bring back memories of late night howls and the tree like cacti recoiling from any attempt at an embrace.
Joshua Tree National Park, California
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to visit Joshua Tree National Park. The name always conjured up images of a strange desert landscape full of alien trees transplanted by fairytale characters. Naturally, I had high expectations. They were blown out of the water! This park was incredible for so many reasons that have nothing to do with the fantastical plant that gives the park its name. Although seeing forests of Joshua Trees is reason enough to visit this southern California park.
We visited at a great time of year – the very end of October (yes, that means I’m a month behind on my posts). The weather was warm enough during the day that light fleeces were all that was needed, except when they were tied around our waists while we were hiking. As soon as the sun went down, it got cold. It was in the low thirties at night, so we didn’t spend a lot of time out of our tent in the evening hours. But, when we did spend some time in the cold night air, we were rewarded with the most brilliant sky I’ve seen on this trip. We’ve been camping for eight months. Without a doubt, Joshua Tree takes the prize for the most brilliant stars and inky skies we’ve seen. It was not lost on me that the lack of moonlight added to this effect. Like the Joshua Trees themselves, the night sky is reason enough to visit.
We expected to have our choice of campsites, given that the park has a generous number of sites and we were visiting in the middle of the week in the middle of the school year. We were wrong! Yes, there were plenty of spots from which we could choose, but many of the sites were already taken. Some of the spots were filled with retired travelers, a few with families who appeared to be on long-term pilgrimages like us, but most of the campers were rock climbers. Had I known more about the camel-colored rock formations pushing up from the desert floor like large drops of liquid not subject to gravity, this would not have been a surprise. We set out to find a campsite that would protect us from the 60+ mile an hour winds that were predicted at night and found a site where we could set up our tent in a crevice between rocks and shrubs. The wind may have howled, but we were snug and warmish all night long.
Campsite Success!
Alan’s ankle was beginning to feel better, so we were able to go on a number of small nature trails and a few proper hikes. Van loves the nature trails, mainly because he loves running from sign to sign or number to number. He was a little boy in heaven. My favorite of the nature trails was our amble through the Cholla Cactus Garden. The garden is situated in a part of the park where the Colorado Desert meets the higher, Mojave Desert. There are many types of Cholla Cacti throughout the southwest, but these particular Cholla, the Teddy Bear Cholla, get their name for obvious reasons.
Teddy Bear Cholla, Johua Tree National Park
Just don’t cuddle them, or even get close to them. If you brush against one with the slightest amount of skin or clothing, spines will jump off the plant and on to you. This gives the cute but unfriendly plant its nickname, Jumping Cholla. This was a case of making sure that our little Junior Ranger really stayed on trail. Thankfully that’s the one rule about hiking in sensitive habitat that Van has really embraced. Especially since he was working on obtaining yet another Junior Ranger badge.
We also took several hikes and nature walks through the Joshua Tree forests, in and around the magnificent rock formations, to see a small dam (a remnant from when this area received twice as much rain just a short century ago), and to see hypercolor Disneyified petroglyphs. Shocking to think that this area, which receives so little rain, received twice as much a mere century ago. It makes me wonder what this area will look like in another century, after climate change has an even more significant impact on the temperatures and rainfall in this area.
The most fascinating hike we took was to 49 Palms Oasis. We hiked up and over a ridge through a dry desert landscape dotted with barrel cacti. As we headed down into a valley, in the distance was a striking site. A small cluster of green. Palm trees in the middle of the desert! Yes, I’ve seen plenty of palm trees in the middle of the desert before. Typically in straight lines along streets, golf courses, and resorts. But to see a natural palm oasis was something else. What appeared to be a tiny cluster was actually quite large once we were hiking amongst the palms. I can imagine how hikers in the hot summer must feel such relief in the shade of the fan palms. And so I repeat myself, hiking to a true palm oasis is reason enough to come to Joshua Tree National Park.
49 Palm Oasis, Joshua Tree National Park
My biggest lesson from visiting Joshua Tree is that the layperson’s view that a desert is devoid of life is categorically untrue. Joshua Tree is an incredibly diverse biological environment. Many of the plants were new to me, and I had such a blast learning about the myriad of plants we were living, hiking, and eating around and what each plant did to conserve water and thrive in this environment. More surprising to me was the richness of color found in the plants. I expected that the plants would mimic the colors of the rock and soil. Instead, many of these plants stood out for their saturated colors against the tans and browns of the desert floor.
Deep Reds of a Barrel Cactus, Joshua Tree National Park
Greens of a Fan Palm, Joshua Tree National Park
Our last day in the park coincided with Halloween. We were not about to go trick or treating in the campground, so instead we celebrated by taking Van to Skull Rock. Aptly named, indeed!
Skull Rock, Joshua Tree National Park
Given the government shut-down, this was the first national park we had visited since the Pacific Northwest. It was great to spend a few solid days in the outdoors – no traffic, smog, or crowds. And since Van is growing up before our very eyes, he’s finally at the age that he can participate in the Junior Ranger activities with more understanding. Although he had received two junior rangers badges at previous parks, this was the first park where he completed the activity booklet in order to earn a badge, bragging rights, and a fabulous book that he continues to read about Lilly the Joshua Tree. The rangers were incredibly supportive and friendly with Van, which just added to how much we enjoyed Joshua Tree. If you’re traveling to Southern California, spending a few nights camping and exploring this park should be very high on your agenda. Aside from seeing friends, Joshua Tree was my clear favorite during our time in California.
To Beautiful to Bottle It!
After a fantastic week in the San Francisco area, we slowly made our way south along the coast. Our first stop was at a truly luxurious resort-like campground just south of the city (Costanoa KOA). From there we enjoyed the beach, played lawn games, washed dishes in warm water (a true luxury), and spent a day in Palo Alto having our car serviced while we frolicked around Stanford’s campus. This was my first time seeing Stanford and…wow! What an incredible campus. I felt like I was visiting a cross between a university and a resort. I know there are a few of you Stanford grads reading this blog – what a beautiful place you called home for a few years! This is definitely a place to visit if you’re ever in the area. Unfortunately for us, the museum was closed the day we swung by, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the Rodin Garden. Van especially enjoyed posing with the sculptures.
Was Van a Muse for Rodin?
Strong Like the Sculpture
Stanford
The theme of our time on the Central California Coast was wildlife. Beautiful, sea-loving wildlife – from human wildlife to feathered and flippered friends. We spent an enjoyable afternoon watching the pelicans soar above the ocean and getting our toes sandy while we watched men and women in wetsuits fly across the water.
We also ambled through the Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary, spying the beautiful winged creatures hanging like dead leaves from the branches of eucalyptus trees. It reminded me of Barbara Kingsolver’s recent novel, Flight Behavior, except not quite that overwhelming.
Monarchs in Pacific Grove
From Costanoa, we headed south along the coast through Big Sur. Big Sur is the name of a town along the coast, but it’s used more commonly to refer to the entire stretch of coast between Carmel and San Simeon. The views were stunning, but my favorite was the walk to the cliff’s edge to spy a waterfall crashing into the surf below at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. McWay Falls and the horseshoe-shaped cliffs with a beautiful sandy beach tucked into its embrace was paradise. Not a paradise where you can get your toes sandy, but a view of paradise to enjoy from above. There are signs warning you not to climb down the cliff face to the beach below, and I think we’re all better for that.
McWay Falls, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Big Sur, California
Big Sur, California
As beautiful as the views were, the highlight of our day was easily our stop in San Simeon. No, not Hearst Castle (we figured that Van wouldn’t appreciate it and we wouldn’t appreciate his whines on a guided tour), but the elephant seals! We were given good advice to stop and see the seals. While the smell was a little overwhelming at times, it didn’t stop us from spending a long time just watching these awkward creatures sunbathe, play, fight, and amble across the sand to the sea. None of us could get enough of it, but Van was particularly enamored by their antics. Below are a few of the dozens of photos we took while we were captivated.
After we pried ourselves away, we headed down to our lovely little motel in Morro Bay for a couple of days of errands and exploration. Unfortunately, the only decent photo I have of our time there was of Morro Rock, a very large (and very cool) rock erupting from the bay.
Morro Rock in Morro Bay, California
And from there we went south. We checked out a few towns along the way, but our main goal was Los Angeles. We spent several nights at a very over-priced and not tent-friendly KOA. I’ll save you the details except to tell you that we were the lucky attendees of two loud and competing concerts, all while in our pjs in the tent. Sigh…
I was excited to visit Los Angeles with Alan and Van since I’ve always been a fan when I’ve visited in the past. Though we had some great times on this visit, I realize that between camping far from any of the things we wanted to do (tent camping in the state parks was either booked solid or insanely priced – $45 to $60, no thank you) and the high level of smog, it was not an ideal visit.
Proof We Were In Los Angeles!
View of Los Angeles
That being said, the highlights were an afternoon in Santa Monica spent with Alan’s college friend, Tyler, and a day full of art at The Getty Center and The Getty Villa. Pro tip: if you’re planning to go to one of these and you have a full day, go to both on the same day. As long as you make reservations in advance to visit the villa (this is required for the villa, not for the center), you only pay for parking once ($15) and the fee is good for both places. There is no entrance fee, so the $15 parking fee is all that is needed to visit these gems.
The Getty Center, Los Angeles, California
The Getty Villa, Malibu, California
My favorites at The Getty Center were the architecture, the gardens, and a stunning temporary exhibit of Abelardo Morell’s photographs. From a past visit, just days after it first opened, I remembered that the views were stunning, as well. Alas, the smog got in the way of that during this visit. Van’s highlight was rolling down the hill. Over and over. He was in heaven!
These gorgeous flowers reminded me so much of dancers. Any leads on what type of flowers these are?
My parting observation about Los Angeles: there are a lot of Persians in this city! Given the current exhibition at The Getty Villa (The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia), we weren’t surprised to be in a sea of Persians, but that wasn’t the only place where I noted a high volume of my lovely husband’s kinfolk. Sadly, we didn’t partake in any kebab or ghormeh sabzi while were there. We’ll just have to wait until we get back to Colorado.
It’s getting colder, and our thoughts turn from where to travel next to where we’d like to live. As we run through the possibilities and all of the pros and cons, I’m getting a much better sense of my priorities. Between that, and the thoughts that come as we approach a transition in our life on the road, the lessons are coming hard and fast. Here’s my latest installment of lessons learned.
1. I do not want to live in a home that is part of a Homeowner’s Association. In certain areas, this eliminates large portions of housing. So be it. I don’t want anyone telling me I must have a two car garage, can’t hang my laundry out, can’t paint my house pink and purple, can’t have chickens or bees or goats or llamas or pet tigers (ok, maybe it’s ok if they tell me I can’t have a pet tiger). Nor do I want my neighbors to be so constrained. I understand that this opens me up to more “risk” of my neighbors opening a junkyard next door. Oh well. Homeowner’s Associations are great for some people, just not me. I’m glad I’m fully aware of this before buying a house in an HOA.
2. It is easy to travel far and wide and still only associate with a certain type of people, eat in certain types of restaurants, and stay in certain types of places. I think it is more important to travel half an hour away to a place with people very unlike you and your cohorts than to travel halfway around the world to associate with similar types in a slightly different cultural context. Some of the worldliest people never hop onto a plane, but instead fully immerse themselves in all the worlds around them. After traveling to so many places but never staying in one place for very long on this journey, I’m looking forward to getting to know a new place in depth. And not just the parts of that place that immediately appeal to me, but all the parts I may first overlook or turn away from.
3. Fall feels like home. Fall is my favorite season. Fall is Alan’s favorite season. What is the one season we missed this year? Fall. In order to attempt to outrun cold nights in the tent, we missed this most magical and cozy of seasons. I hope that this is the very last fall we ever miss. I’m not sure winter will feel the same without having been welcomed by the golden hues and smokey, sweet, crisp air of autumn.
4. When the choice is more land or more house, I will (almost) always choose more land. I don’t need a big house, but I want to be able to see lots of green from my window. I also don’t need a lot of land, but nine times out of ten, more land will satisfy me better than more house. For me, a house is really just a place to take a break from the sun, the wind, the rain, and the snow. Oh, and a place to curl up in front of a fire with a good book. Can’t forget that!
5. You can’t have it all. Certainly not at once. This is fine, but it’s a myth that gets perpetuated for young people, especially young women. When we finally realize that we can’t have it all (if we ever believed that to begin with), the truth can sting a bit. I already knew this, but when you begin to prioritize all your goals, it crystallizes this truth in a new way.
6. Having a place that feels like home is almost as important as having a place to call home. I’ve had many places to call home in my life, but only some of them actually felt like home. I spent the past two years in a very nice town home in the suburbs. It was clean, safe, and nice, but it never actually felt like home. I realize that I put off so many things that I would have done had the place felt like home. I never felt invested in the place, and in turn, it only served as a place to live and not a true home. Besides becoming invested in any place I live in the future, I’d also like to prioritize finding a place that feels like home.
7. It’s hard to go wrong with green chile sauce in New Mexico. Not much I can add to this, except for the fact that I am loving New Mexico, its people, and its delicious (and inexpensive) food.
8. I scare a lot less quickly than I did eight short months ago. There are so many ways I could illustrate this, but I’ll stick with one. Coyotes. I like coyotes. They’ve never scared me and I’ve found their cries hauntingly beautiful. But that didn’t stop me from scrambling out of my tent in Kentucky when they were making a kill very near by. At that point, we still had our van, which is where the three of us spent the rest of that night. Fast forward about seven months, and we’ve heard numerous coyotes, but none as close or as constant as when we were camping in Tucson Mountain Park. There were dozens in the area around us, some near by, some far. But even when they were howling mere feet from our tent (and even when our semi-crazy camping neighbor joined in with the coyote howls), I felt warm and secure in our tent and enjoyed the evening serenades. I’ve come a long way, baby!
Bottling Moonlight 