Although I’m not really that great at it, I do love macro photography. And for whatever reason, I get pretty excited any time I spot a banana slug — now formally designated California’s Official State Slug — along the California coast in Sonoma or Mendocino counties. I had always assumed this was a normal reaction until my most recent trip; […]
The final instalment of my images from Southlake, Texas, in June 2023. The Kirkwood Branch was swollen and muddy, and although I could see a trail on the other bank, I had no temptation to wade across. I knew if I stayed on this side and kept walking, I would eventually find the Big Guy at whatever spot along the […]
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.
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
When I arrived at my chosen trailhead on this mid November morning, the “steam” vapor was still rising at 10:30 a.m. I was eagerly looking forward to exploring an unknown path; I’d actually checked this spot out on an earlier trip but only managed to get a short way before time forced me to turn back. Today I had plenty […]
How is it possible that it’s been nearly three years since I last hiked at Doton’s Point, on Folsom Lake’s north fork? I can’t believe so much time could have passed already — but it was high time for me to get back out there. Or at least I thought so, until I arrived at Granite Bay and found Park […]