On the lake trail
Here is the second of three installments showing some of my favorite images from our June 2023 hike along the Bluestem Trail to Grapevine Lake in Southlake, Texas.
Sunset and shadows
During our coastal trip in mid November, our rented house was just off Highway 1 in Mendocino County, and we had been told that Manchester Beach was only “a short walk” away. I could see the ocean from our front window, so even though it was already 4:30 in the afternoon I decided to take a stroll and discover whatever […]
Clover Ruin and Bill Williams Trail
Less than a mile from our hotel in Williams, Arizona, along old Route 66, we found an area just begging to be explored — if only we’d had the time! Not only was there an intriguing archeological site with detailed interpretive signage, we also stumbled upon an oh-so-inviting trailhead, a clean restroom, and Smokey the Bear! Checking out these trails […]
The Adventure Continues… Rio
Although Huell’s focus was mainly on the places and people of California, there were a few instances when he ventured further afield. This one-hour episode of Visiting, originally aired in April 1997, is a perfect example — and with Thanksgiving in the U.S. this week, as well as wintery weather arriving in much of the Northern Hemisphere, I decided it […]
Along Kirkwood Branch to Grapevine Lake
Back in mid June 2023 I shared a few photos from a day hike along the Bluestem Trail in Southlake, Texas. Despite wet weather and warm, humid conditions, I really enjoyed the trek because, although I had visited that part of the Dallas-Fort Worth area many times, I had never had the chance to do much exploring or hiking. As […]
Tehachapi
Per Alton Pryor’s book Historic California: Its Colorful Names and How It Got Them, the word Tehachapi is “the Indian name for a creek … recorded in 1853.” After the railroad was built across the mountains in 1876, “Southern Pacific Railroad transferred the name from the old wagon route to the railroad pass.” Several train tunnel openings are visible from […]
Scenic Sunday
A secret garden
Well, the Otis R. Johnson Wilderness Park is not really a “secret garden,” but it’s still an amazing hidden gem tucked away in the middle of the historic seaside town of Fort Bragg, California. It’s not listed in my hikers guide to the Mendocino Coast, but this city park does have a number of trails that wind through tall stands […]
In the Kaibab
Arizona’s Kaibab National Forest comprises 1.6 million acres of land that stretches from the Grand Canyon south to Williams on Route 66. Kaibab is a Paiute word that means “mountain lying down.” Although the incredible scenery of the Grand Canyon is the big tourist draw in the area, it would be a mistake to overlook the hiking trails closer to […]