July 4th Road Trip – Part I: Silver City

We packed our three teens into the back seat of the truck, left the Columbia River Gorge, and took off through the wilting heat for southern Idaho.

Backpacking to High Lake

That lake – a beautiful little 2.5 acre lake – was the busiest mountain lake I have ever seen.

Klickitat River for Mother’s Day

We were both much better rested, much happier, and much stinkier by Sunday afternoon.

California Camping

That’s all I wanted to say: we had the best campsites during our road trip. It is very hard to choose a boring hotel bed over these places.

Mono Lake, then north again

I was surprised at the numbers of birds there, assuming the water was somehow poisonous. But it’s not poisonous, just salty.

Dante’s View and Scotty’s Castle

Not one of them saw a return on their investment except Johnson, who got a mad storyteller and a desert guide out of the bargain.

Below Sea Level

Obviously the main attraction of Death Valley is the fact that one can stand on dry land below sea level. Moses ain’t got nuthin’ on southern California.

Red Rock Canyon State Park and Trona Pinnacles

Mary disappeared into the back for awhile, and came back loaded with brochures, a map, and a Death Valley National Park publication.

Campers vs. obnoxious huge bass system

I was so devastatingly tired I was ready to ford the Sandy River and go strangle JoeBob, BettySue, AND Lady GaGa. Rah rah ah ah ah!

Death, Prom, Japan and other minor happenings in my life

I choose to engage with everything that comes along. I feel all the requisite emotions (and then some), I participate whenever possible, and you guessed it: I am often exhausted.