That's a big word...
Western Kansas is pretty hot and humid in the summer, but we found a nice state park and camped next to a lake. You know what we saw? Fireflies! I had never seen them before. We don't have them in California so it was really cool. I think they're my second favorite small creature after the Salt Creek pupfish in Death Valley.
I noticed that some people from the Midwest call them "lightning bugs."
One of the characteristics of this trip that you may have noticed is that we haven't visited any major parks or tourist destinations yet. In our quest for the obscure we landed here at Picture Canyon in the grasslands of southeastern Colorado. It took a few bumpy gravel roads to get here but it's an interesting place.
You can see the ruins of a pioneer cabin as well as ancient art rock (thus the name). It was very hot (100° F at least) but we survived it.
I realize that this place is not as famous as the Golden Gate Bridge or the Brooklyn Bridge, but I think it's safe to say that the bridge than spans the Rio Grande Gorge just west of Taos is the most famous one in New Mexico.
Looking east towards the Sangre De Cristo Mountains, they were sadly shrouded in haze (probably from a distant forest fire). The last time we were here a summer storm had just passed through and the view was clear and magnificent.
Of course we had to stop in Winslow, Arizona to see the "Standin' On The Corner" exhibit. It was such a fine sight to see, although I must admit that I didn't see any girls in flatbed Fords slowing down to take a look at me.
Oh, well... I've still got Dad and his Subaru.
Dad rarely uses the term "road trip" without the adjective "righteous" attached to it. It's a sign of how much fun we both have together while traveling. This year we may need a different qualifier since we missed this in 2020. I'll have to think about this while we proceed.
Yesterday was the first day of our summer road trip, which also coincided with Father's Day. What better way to celebrate than by taking my dad out for brunch on our way out of town?
We spent our first night in Needles, California where it was hot... very hot. We got to go swimming in the pool at our hotel, so that made things much better.
I love my dad and he loves me. Happy Father's Day!
Ahh... Highway 1. After the hot sun inland we got the cool fog of the Big Sur coast. This has got to be one of the most beautiful drives in the world.
Memorial Day weekend. Dad and I took our first camping trip in what seems like forever. We headed down to the Arroyo Seco area next to the Ventana Wilderness. It was great... as long as you don't mind 100 degree weather and a landscape partially charred by the 2016 Soberanes Fire. On the other hand, having a nice cool riperian stream to dip your toes in after a hike sure beats being locked down at home. I love the outdoors.
