Coasting in CA

The last remnants of the morning fog

The California Quail is easy to recognize

Plenty of color in Mendocino

More color

WESTPORT, CA - - We're camped near the ocean.  The sun is our. No morning fog.  Life is good. 

Tufa to you, too

With a little imagination, the tufa creations can look like an fortress from the Middle Ages.

Tufa condo

LEE VINING, CA - - Thereare  tufa tower formations in numerous areas around and in Mono (moe-noe) Lake Basin.  These strange looking creations were/are created by fresh water springs forcing water (containing calcium) up through the (carbonate-rich) lake water.  So, like the geysers in Yellowstone NP, we end up with calcium carbonate deposits layering up into interesting formations.  Including bird condos.

Gold Field Photos

A hot rod enthusiasts dream for parts

Underground parking

"A paved road (out here) is considered VIP treatment

A couple of 'oldies'

Need a sink? 

GOLD FIELD, NV - - Just a couple of photos from a short walk through Gold Field.

Welcome to Nevada

Watch out for flying saucers

Pay attention to all the signs

GOLD FIELD, NV - - It's not often that you wake up in the night to the sounds of coyotes howling or burros braying.  In Gold Field, it's normal.
   We took the Extraterrestial Highway (NV Rt. 375) on our way to Gold Field to visit Lydia's brother.
The "ET Highway" as it is known goes from nowhere to Rachel, NV (the closest you are allowed to Area 51) and then back to nowhere.
     The bottom photo gives an idea of what the road is like.  Check the gas gauge!! The sign with the steer means OPEN RANGE.  So, if you are really only doing the 70mph speed limit your closing speed on that four-legged stack of sirloin, porter house and new york strip steaks standing in the middle of the highway ahead is still very quick.  Then there's the test phase of: is it a steer or a clump of sagebrush in the distance?  Most of the time, for us, it was sagebrush. 

Getting there

CEDAR CITY, UT - - We've left the land of Oz, Dorothy, The Tin Man plus wind farms and grain silos - - new, old and abandoned.  That was Tuesday.  On Wednesday, we left the city-owned campground in Ellis, KS and headed into Colorado where we ended up in a state-owned campground near Vail.  It was 29-degrees this morning.  Thursday's jaunt brought us nearly 500 miles to Cedar City, UT, a place we know well from our days at the North Rim of The Grand Canyon in 2010.  It's shower time/laundry time so we splurged on a KOA,
   Lots of desolate roads today with winds steady at 20-plus mph which made it seem we were driving on two wheels as you had to counter-steer a bit to maintain pace and direction.  Also, the speed limit on I-15 in UT is 80mph.

Stop over in St. Louis

WEBSTER GROVE, MO - - The hardest part of heading out on our annual adventure is usually the first five days.  It takes that long to leave behind the cities and population and get to where you can be close to heading into mountainous terrain.  This usually means Colorado or points north of there. 
     Right now, we are spending a few days with Lydia's relatives in a suburb of St. Louis.  Then it's a four day scramble to Western Nevada for another visit.
     Not too much scenery to see yet although Paducah, KY was nice although you could fire a cannon down the street we were on and not hit a soul.  Very quiet at 10am.

Going West

VALDOSTA, GA - - Friday was our 21st anniversary so we decided to do something both of us really like to do...we pulled out of the driveway and are now headed West, back to Glacier NP.  Of course, it wasn't a spur of the moment idea.  Leaving for five months takes some planning, lots of packing and even more Spring cleaning. 

Getting close

"I just love clean laundry."

Snowy egret on the wing.

Wood stork out on a limb.

Another lazy day

Hauling the repair kit

He probably has a Velcro attachment

Yes, this is a real police car

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - While  slowly getting ready to hit to road for Montana...   The kids have flown the nest, but Spring housekeeping still goes on for our nesting Eagles.  This squirrel was getting his tricks ready for when the circus comes to town.  They carefully hide the 'long' extension cord in the back.  The (real) policeman driving this electric whiz noted it gets 80 miles to a charge, is very quiet, can drive on sidewalks and has air conditioning.  And works really well because nobody believes it's a law enforcement vehicle.