A blog about our experiment in living a simple and itinerant lifestyle.
Day 60: Seattle!
Location: Greenlake/Seattle, Wa
Spring has sprung in Seattle...and the patter of showers, sun, downpour, sun, mist, showers was in full effect today!
Day 59: Seattle!
Location: Greenlake - Seattle, WA
Got a little sunshine today...which is a rare gift in March in Seattle.
Day 58: Seattle!
Location: Aurora & Denny, Seattle WA
Wendy is working on a teacher's certification for a type meditation called Yoga Nidra. As it happens, the best place to take one of the required trainings turned out to be back in Seattle. In March! She was greeted by wind & rain. Nice to be back ?!
Day 56: Work Day!
Location: Vista Del Monte, Tucson, Az
Another house in the neighborhood - Joshua Tree meets Tucson.
Day 55: Unpacking!
Location: Tuscon, AZ
We are staying in the Vista Del Monte - which the signs report is a "get back to basics" neighborhood. Sounds like our kind of place.
Day 54: Arizona here we come!
Location: I-10 California/Arizona Border
It's 85F and gas only costs $1.30 a gallon!
Day 52: Packing!
Location: Joshua Tree National Park
We did a brief walk through Black Rock Canyon this AM to take some last minute photos of the blooms, of which there are more and more each day. We'll spend most of the day packing and getting ready to head out!
Day 51: Garrett's Arch
Location: Joshua Tree National Park
We had fun using our compass and landmarks to find our way to Joshua Tree National Parks' highest rock arch! Look for Curtis climbing towards the arch - it gives you a sense of how big and high the arch is.
Day 50: Work Day!
Location: Joshua Tree National Park
Moonrise.
Day 49: Integratron - Take 2!
Location: Integratron; Landers, CA
We went back for another soundbath at the Integratron today. Last time Curt's experience was interrupted by snoring of another bather. Today was even worse! Everyone was sawing logs. Oh well!
Day 48: Camping!
Location: Joshua Tree National Park
Hard to believe, but this was our first overnight in the park. We had been hoping for warmer weather, because the Vanagon doesn't have a heater. Unfortunately, it went down to 32 last night!! Oh...so...COLD. But, we got to watch the sun and moon rise and set over the rocks by Arch Trail. Not bad.
Day 48: 100 miles!
Location: Joshua Tree National Park
We picked up our 100 miles sticker from the Ranger's office today. It took a little convincing that we had, actually, hiked 100 miles. No worries - we had documentation! The sticker has place of honor as the only sticker on the Vanagon.
Day 47: Wind Storm!
Photo Location: Highway 86
Wendy got caught up on a windstorm on a run this morning. It didn't look quite like this photo (we got caught in this storm a few weeks back), but she was eating dirt by the time she got home. Desert living at its best!
Day 46: Moon over Ryan Mountain!
Location: Joshua Tree National Park, CA
We were quite pleased to turn around after watching the sunset to find the moon peaking out over Ryan Mountain.
Day 46: Arch Rock Trail!
Location: Joshua Tree National Park, CA
Recovering from our 15 miles hike yesterday, we spent the afternoon taking photos throughout the park.
Day 45: Actual Blooms!
Location: Black Rock Canyon Campground, Joshua Tree National park
We saw some full blooms today on our hike. Most were in lower elevation areas near the campground. (Curt got a new filter for his Go Pro - his pictures look great even in bright sun!!)
Day 44: Blooms Begin!
Location: Black Rock Canyon Campground, Joshua Tree National Park
We will miss the major bloom season in the area, which happens in March. However, there are some early signs that we might catch a few blooms before we leave in about 10 days. Joshua Trees (pictured) are getting close in Black Rock Canyon.
Day 44: Pioneertown, CA!
Location: Pioneertown, CA
Located about 10 minutes from 'our' house, this is a small town created for the movies back in the 1940s. There are private houses mixed in with old western sets on "Mane" street. We found the public art project and the beautiful drive to and from were perhaps the best parts of the visit.
Day 43: Lost Horse Mine
Location: Lost Horse Mine, Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park has a number of sites that reflect the ranching and mining that took place in the area before it became a national monument. This is one example— a gold mine that was in operation from 1893-1908. It sits up on a hill about 2-3 miles from a main road. It's now surrounded by chain-link fence, both for safety and preservation. Just this week, the park closed another site called "The Castle" (there are no maps to it, you just have to find it !) because artifacts on the site had been stolen by visitors.
Say 42: Work Day!
Photo Location: Salton Sea, CA
The 'sand' at Salton Sea is made up of fish bones...the closer you get to the water the deeper and bigger the 'sand' gets. It's really quite something!
Day 41: Whoops!
Location: Yucca Valley, CA
I wish there was a good story behind this — sadly, there's not. The camera fell off our makeshift shelf (aka rubbermaid bin) onto a tile floor. I'm hoping the lens filter did it's job, but it's wedged on so I can't really tell. Time to call in the professionals!
Day 40: Malibu!
Location: Point Magu State Park, Sycamore Canyon Campground
Fog rolls in late in these parts - each morning at 9am the sun disappeared and the campground and beach got socked in until the afternoon. It was rather unexpected!
Day 39: Malibu!
Location: Point Magu State Park, Sycamore Canyon Campground, Malibu, CA
Rufus hates the beach. Curt has been dreaming of sitting on the beach. So we compromised and sat back in the grass.
Day 38: Malibu!
Location: Zuma-Trancas Canyons, Malibu, CA
This may have been Rufus' last major hike. It was HOT and the elevation was a bit too much for her. We took lots of breaks, but as is indicated in her facial expression in this picture - she was not very pleased with me.
Day 37: Work Day!
Location: Salton Sea, CA
Day 36: Samuelson's Rock
Location: Samuelson's Rock, Quail Springs, Joshua Tree National Park
Samuelson was a Swedish immigrant who had very firm ideas about nature, god and income inequality. He etched them on rocks around his homestead in 1927. We felt lucky to see them on our hike today.
Day 35: Work Day!
Photo Location: Octotillo Wells, CA - Vehicle Recreation Area.
On our way to Anza-Borrego we had our first experience with a vehicle recreation area. We were driving along and suddenly, ATV's and motorbikes were everywhere — as were RVs parked deep within the rock formations. Who knew such places existed?! Sadly, the green smoke visible in this picture was to signal a med-flight helicopter. Not a sport without it's dangers.
Day 34: Work Day!
Location: Anza Borrego State Park, Borrego Springs, CA
If you believe everything you overhear at a state park...the only palm trees that are native to California are those with long skirts, like those shown in this picture.
