Hurricane Season

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that's 107.6 degrees Fahrenheit.... IN THE SHADE FOLKS!

Scary Driving and Magical Cactus

Classic Roadside Town

We are going 4 mph up a steep grade.... whew

Moving Day

Just look where those excavators are working! It's unbelievable, and scary as hell when you drive past them behind a tank truck full of some Peligroso Fuel Stuff

Why wait?  just follow the steam roller

Maybe you can't tell how steep this is

More Cirios

Dr. Seuss Cirios.... amazing cactus and only found in Baja... I believe

Moving Smartly Along

Jesus, only you can watch over me from here on (Ensenada)

California Windmills Driving out of Sonoma ...aaaaaaawwwww

16' of power baby....

Pay Attention: that's what Daddy taught me and I have to say, that is the best darn advice I've ever had! And it has served me well so far, especially in situations of ..... peligro! That's Spanish for DANGER! And Baja I think has got me by the gut or throat or whatever since it is a constant push on the adrenaline button... So, let's start at the beginning of the latest viaje (trip ;) ... I left Sonoma with my new baby. Oh, and Daddy doesn't know about it so don't you dare tell him, I would get in big trouble. Here's some photos. Sorry, they always go in the wrong place. Now, I gotta tell you, this is one beautiful boat, but a real pain in the ass to drag since the roads in Baja are constantly being worked on and their signage is random to say the least and I think they hide behind the cactus to scream with laughter while the gringa goes flying over the tope (speedbump) with the boat crashing around in back. Surviving speed freak truckers (both in the US and Mexico) that just LOVE to pass on windy mountain roads, crossing dogs, children and drunk Mexicans (it was Sunday yesterday), Mexican Military Checkpoints (why do they ALWAYS want to know if I'm married: can't they see I'm OLD?!)   and the 42 degree C. weather in the shade.... a major adrenaline rush. The beer helps, and as soon as I cross the border and it's after 12 pm, I pop a cold one.... sorry folks... it's just a ritual and it's the BEST in that heat and tension... the border was great this year, a little slow and they waved me over to the side, but seemed so friggen taken aback by a lone woman pulling this kick-ass boat behind her that they didn't even bother to check for whatever they could tax the hell out of me for (I had 2 cases of wine in the back).... The presence of Jasper, my inherited Male Labrador, in the front seat may have made a slight difference too...  

 L.A. HIGHWAY AAAAAAAAARGGGGGGH

I don't know why this stupid thing underlined the blog... anyway pazienza and some more photos, totally out of sequence. I can't figure this out yet... Actually. You know what ? I'm going to post a separate blog with the travel photos up until my cell phone went dead, at about Santa Rosalia and then I have others later up to here... Ciudad Constitucion

Regressions and Digressions

Before time passes too quickly.... and I am truthfully in such a different place, both geographically and mentally, that it is hard to focus on this, but... I must post some photos of Daddy's 80th Birthday and the last at the beloved house on Point Drive, since they have decided to move to a lovely little house on the "flatlands" in a place called Creekside. For those of you that know Sonoma, it is on Arnold Drive, and beautiful and cool... sometimes TOO cool (the fog has a way of pouring over the golden hills there from the Pacific, especially in the summer). Now I realize that I only took pics of the beautiful beautiful table that Merryl created for the luncheon and a couple of photos of Daddy and the cake, and what a cake... what the hell, it's the feeling that counts.... Love you Daddy

Cool Movie of Nevada Flatland near Rye Patch

Headed out of Idaho for cool Nevada summits

dueling tractors in Idaho pasture before entering Nevada mountains

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pinnacles over Jarbridge canyon

eatin' dust

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dusty roads and blue blue skies

I saw a movie recently: "The Last of the Dogmen". It reminded me of how I should be out there again, in the wilds. I even got some ideas about some art work. And took some incredible photos. But they are on film so I will be posting them but it will take a few days. But these of my travels through Jarbridge, Nevada (Google it... it's amazing)... definitely the long way around to Elko.

Some Folks

happy lab: wet from swimming and has a brand new beef bone

home on the road

Aren't you sleepy yet?

I have to use ear plugs to sleep.... no kidding. Here I am in the beautiful outdoors, or practically, given that the walls of my cabin have more holes than planks, and the noise is .... deafening at times. You're thinking sheep? Yes, they are noisy and needy and wake me up every morning at 4 am to eat (?! didn't I already go through this stage with the kids?).... but it's not them that are keeping me awake. It JETS. Private jets. Taking off and landing at the nearby Hailey airport. They are supposed to stop at 10:30 pm but I think they got special permission to extend to later times. And my thought is: This country, and the world, may be in the worst depression in history, but some folks are doing just fine thank you.  At any given time there are 20 - 30 LARGE private jets parked at the airport here, which is also the airport that serves Sun Valley, so the rich are expected to play here.  These people fly in FOR THE WEEKEND. Can you imagine? "Honey, let's go to Sun Valley for dinner, whadya say? James, bring the G5 around to the front, will you?" Awesome. Anyway, I trolled for a billionaire around Ketchum a few days back, but the planets didn't line up. So last night I decided to go camping, far away from the jet engines. I heard Sandhill Cranes and larks,  other little twittery birds that I don't know what they were but they were darned cute. On my wood campfire at Hayspur Hatchery on Silver Creek I grilled half a steak, a hot Italian sausage, some leftover risotto (shrimp and trevisana), a few glasses, thanks to Joanie, of a great Cab Sav, and sat by the fire watching the sunset. This is one of the wonders of our beautiful USA: a free campground, in one of the most beautiful settings in the world. Equipped with outhouses, fire rings, beautiful old growth trees for shade and surrounded with gorgeous wildlife. Silver Creek is one of the prime fly-fishing rivers in the world. And accessible to all, unlike many fishing rivers that are closed off to the public unless you want to float it from one of the few accesses upriver. I climbed in the back of my Toyota truck where I've built a "Summer Pergola" to sleep under. Jasper slept in his crate, watching over my dreams and I slept, after looking up from my cosy bed at the .... (quiet) stars.