After leaving Bryce Canyon we traveled through Staircase-Escalante National Monument via Scenic Highway 12.  We didn't know this area existed and really, it is extremely unique.  Miles and miles of stark, dry canyon land.  The earth cracked and blistered creating deep valleys and arid mesas.  We decided to stay a little longer, taking advantage of another free campsite in BLM land.

Here, in the middle of nowhere, we got our first flat tire.  A dead end town was nearby, but amenities (i.e. mechanic) were a lost cause.  Luckily, we had a good spare and a few cold beers.  We drove on that spare tire much longer than anticipated, but every town in sight was one town away from the nearest tire shop.

And of course it was a Friday night.  Shops reopen Monday morning.

In the meantime, we took advantage of our location.  We backtracked just a few miles Saturday morning and hike to the most beautiful, crystal clear, ice cold swimming hole and water fall.  The hike itself was relatively easy.  Six miles round trip on a fairly flat trail with a single obstacle... Sand.  Which, of course, made every step a little heavier, similar to hiking along a sandy beach.  It was also darn hot!

Joe and I both enjoyed a very refreshing swim.  Joe made it to the falls and back.  It was far too cold for me to be that brave.

Not too long after, we saw a few heads poke up from the top of the falls.  Repellers were getting ready to make the 126 foot trek down.  We stayed and watch the first two guys.  They were definitely excited!  

After a great morning of hiking and swimming we made our way to Capitol Reef National Park.  Another area new to us.  The 'reef' is essentially a giant fold in earth's crust that extends for nearly 100 miles.  We stayed for the weekend, knowing it wasn't safe to travel too far on a spare tire and had a really good time.  We enjoyed the scenic drive, a pretty difficult bike ride down a canyon and back, and camped for two nights.  

We also saw our first petroglyphs!  

We headed out of the park this morning and eventually made our way to a mechanic.  Got the tire fixed and had a beautiful drive out to Arches National Park.  We'll be exploring the park first thing tomorrow morning.  In the meantime, we're catching up on laundry, beers and computer time here in Moab, Utah.  

I'll start by apologizing about the length of these entries.  It has become harder and harder to find a spot to sit and write with wifi and an outlet.  

We've traveled a long way since the last we spoke.  After leaving Joshua Tree we headed north through the Mojave Desert towards Zion National Park.  The Mojave was HOT.  We followed a seemingly endless road that traveled through low desert with highs reaching 108 degrees.  At the risk of overheating and/or running out gas we seemed to find our way back up through high desert mountains and found a somewhat bizarre campsite in the middle of nowhere.  A fire had torched the area just a few years ago creating an eerie surrounding but otherwise beautiful.  Our night was topped with one of the most unique sunsets we have ever seen.  If I didn't know better (and for a moment I didn't), I would have thought a fire was emerging from the hills beyond.  

We also had our first Route 66 sighting before our entrance into the park! 

The next morning we packed up and headed out early.  We made our way to Zion National Park via Las Vegas where we stopped for an oil change.  It's a little odd being in Vegas without really being in Vegas.  Although tempted, we decided to save our sobriety and especially our money for the next stop.  

Zion is a Disneyland of national parks.  It was PACKED.  Park rangers were uptight, travelers were stressed and campsites were full.  We arrived on a Friday night around 6pm (go figure) and were escorted out because everything was booked.  After a moment of stress we decided it would be best if we pulled over for a beer.  

A little something we have just began to discover is BLM land (Bureau of Land Management).  BLM land is government owned land that is available to everyone.  What they call 'dispersed' camping is legal and free.  Essentially you are able to pull over onto service roads and find preexisting areas to camp (without the facilities of a campground, of course).  But hey, its FREE and completely awesome! 

We traveled about ten miles outside of the park that evening and discovered a perfect area to post up for the next three nights.  Other campers were around but no one was a bother.  We even had a river just steps away where we hung out for late afternoon swims to find relief from the heat.  

But like Yosemite, once you embrace the crowds you realize just why everyone has traveled miles to explore Zion.  It is breathtaking.  Giant red rock formations, deep canyons and crystal clear rivers. The drive through alone is stunning.  But get out on foot and you'll really crave more.  Keep in mind Joe's foot has yet to heal, so we were limited on hiking.  But we did do a portion of 'The Narrow's', a famous hike that leads you through tall and narrow canyons along the Virgin River.  Rather, through the river, which becomes the trail for the majority of the hike.  

We look forward to returning to complete the sixteen mile adventure through the canyons!

After a great few days we backtracked south and made our way to the north entrance of the Grand Canyon.  Again, campsites in the park were full.  But we inquired further and discovered the surrounding areas just outside the park boundaries is forestry land, different but treated the same as BLM land.  We traveled twenty miles along a dirt road and, by chance, came across a once in a lifetime camp site on the edge of the canyon.  Not only was the view spectacular, but there was absolutely no one around.  We stayed two nights.  

Instead of hiking this time around, we had a really cool mountain bike trail steps away from our spot.  It followed the rim of the canyon and dipped into forest here and there with steep ups and downs.  Being our first time trail riding, it was not only challenging but exciting!    

Joe also saw a rattlesnake about twenty feet from our tent.  Creepy!

Our next destination was back north to Bryce Canyon, Utah.  Seemingly endless narrow red rock 'hoodoos' poke up from the earth in an unbelievable way.  We hiked up and down through the famous Bryce Amphitheater where breathtaking views awaited every corner.  The glowing red rock against the bright blue sky was simply amazing.  We camped just outside the park, along the Tropic Reservoir, the first night, and in the park the next.  After a day of exploring the inner parts of the canyon, we spent the following morning cruising down the highway and enjoying the views from up top.  Bryce Canyon is a must for all!  

Without dragging this on any further, it's time for us to get back to the campsite.  Until next time...

Driving through Big Sur along Highway 1 is an absolute must for anyone traveling through California. The unforgiving twisty, steep, narrow highway is packed with endless, breathtaking views.  From jagged coastlines with royal blue waters crashing forcefully against the tall cliffs to lush, green forest that line the coast.  At about 90 miles of intensity, the drive is not for the faint of heart, but well worth the effort.

After driving directly west from Fresno to Monterey, we began our journey south back on Highway 1 and arrived to the northern 'entrance' of Big Sur in the early evening on a Saturday night.  We knew camping would be tight (the few camping sites are reserved well in advance come summer months).  But we were lucky!  We found a hike in spot about 3/4 of a mile from the highway in Andrew Molera State Park.  It was getting late and we were less than prepared but we pulled it together.  After gathering neccesary supplies (tent, sleeping bags, food, booze) we hiked in and had a great night!  The place was packed but at least we had a spot.  

The following morning we decided to take it easy.  We traveled about twelve miles before pulling over to Pfeiffer State Park.  We ended up staying there for two nights.  The first afternoon we explored the park, went on a great day hike and enjoyed biking around the campsite.  Pretty mellow.  After days of sunshine, although chilly, we woke the next morning to rain!  And it poured and poured.  So, what did we do?  Found ourselves at a local pub in the 'town' of Big Sur.  A few beers later we headed back to the campsite for a few more beers and a couple rounds of Rummy (which, by the way, I am MUCH better at than Joe).  

The sun was shinning the next morning and we continued on south.  We left the boundaries of Big Sur and found ourselves outside of San Luis Obispo in Montana de Oro State Park.  The park sits on a peninsula and is absolutely gorgeous.  We had the place to ourselves and camped for two nights.  The park is surrounded by coastal bluffs and low 'coastal scrub' forest.  The beach was stunning (Joe got in a little kite board practice) and the sunsets were magnificent.  We headed out for a twelve mile hike through the rolling hills and enjoyed the views from the top.  It was a very relaxing few days.

Our next destination was Los Angeles to visit a few familiar faces.  We made a pit stop in Santa Barbara, walked the pier and camped in Los Padres National Forest.  I could spend some serious time in that town.  

Our first stop in LA was a visit with Mariette and boyfriend, Britt, for cocktails at Moonshadow in Malibu.  The bar sat directly above the water and we walked in to a film crew filming on the patio (so California!).  We even saw dolphins!  It had been years since Mars and I have had a chance to catch up.  So much fun!  We enjoyed delicious fancy cucumber martini's and the boys had refreshing beers.  

After many laughs and saying our goodbyes we headed out in the heat of Friday night traffic in LA to make our way to Ryan's apartment in Hollywood.  It took about two and a half hours to make the short distance of thirty-three miles.  But we embraced the idea of traffic and found humor in driving the Dodge Mahal down Sunset Avenue amongst the car show that surrounded us.  

I have to start by saying I absolutely love my little brother.  It is always such a pleasure to visit California to see Ryan!  Previously living in Venice Beach, it was fun exploring his new hood of Hollywood.  I guess I didn't realize that people actually live and yes, work, in the neighborhood of Hollywood.  If fact, before this visit, I'm not certain I would consider it a 'neighborhood'.  But it is!  Just like anywhere else.  Ryan and his boyfriend, Lucas, live in a super charming apartment across from some of the original studios of Hollywood.  In fact, their building used to host celebrities as they were in town working on projects.  

Joe and I put on our 'city clothes' and headed out for a great Friday night out with Ryan and Lucas!  We kept dinner cheap and enjoyed delicious dogs at Papaya Dog.  The winner, in my opinion, was the chilly, cheese and 'side on top' (curly fries).  I like to describe food like this as 'slutty'.  It was very, VERY slutty.  We managed to get fairly inebriated that night.  

The street outside the studios I mentioned above was where we parked our beast.  And also where we slept that night.  Right there among other 'campers'. 

Joe, Ryan and I headed down to Huntington Beach the following evening for a family BBQ with cousins Kerry, John, Audrey, Kelly and Mike.  It had been YEARS since we have all seen each other. What a treat!  Great food, drink and conversation.  After an evening at the house, Kelly and Mike stayed to watch Audrey and us 'kids' went out for a night on the town.  We even danced!  

Kerry and John were heading out first thing Sunday morning to Mexico so we said our goodbyes after the bars.  Ryan was our first overnight guest in the Dodge Mahal that night. 

A huge thanks goes out to Mariette, Ryan, Lucas, Kerry and family for an unforgettable weekend in Los Angeles.  

We took our time leaving town on Sunday and made our way to San Bernardino National Forest and camped near Lake Arrowhead.  The next morning we headed directly to Joshua Tree by way of Big Bear Lake.  

Joshua Tree National Park is unlike anything we have ever seen.  The desert air is hot.  The landscape is sparse.  You are surrounded by giant rock formations that look so out of place it makes you want to know more.  Joshua trees scatter for as far as the eye can see.  Again, it's hot.  And not just hot but that mean kind of heat.  The kind that can consume your every ounce of being. 

And we loved every moment of being there.  Not to mention we had the place to ourselves.  And one of the most unique camping spots we have ever seen.  Our only downfall... Within an hour of our arrival, Joe was horsing around on the giant rocks that lined our campsite and landed wrong.  And he was hurt.  We knew it wasn't broken, or even sprained, but he received the kind of bruising on the bottom of his heal that left him immoble for twenty-four hours and with a serious limp there after.  So, instead of hiking and climbing as originally planned, we like to say we had Joshua Tree 'come to us' right there in our campsite.  We read a lot.  Enjoyed the sun and then enjoyed the shade even more.  Played lots of cards.  Took in the surreal surroundings.  We stayed for three nights.  

Joe was feeling a little better yesterday so we headed out exploring in the Mahal.  We didn't quite hit the trails but did find a few dirt roads that led to some really unique spots in the park.  From high desert to low desert, hot to really hot, we found beauty in every part of Joshua Tree and are looking forward to our return.  Next time with a pair of climbing shoes and a rope.  

After spending a breathtaking few days hiking and experiencing Yosemite, we headed straight for Fresno, CA.  Unfortunately we had to get a few things fixed up on the camper, which brought us to the next big city outside of Yosemite.  Fresno was hot as hell (pardon the language), dusty, dry and industrial.  We had the pleasure of camping in the Elite RV Repair Shop parking lot on night one (which, by the way, those guys were AWESOME!).  It might as well have been located on Aurora, South Tacoma Way or Sprague, depending on your town.  

It took the part needed an extra day to arrive (we got upgrades for the wait) so we ventured outside Fresno and camped at Millerton Lake.  At a 107 degrees and limited shade, the lake was a refreshing change.  Although (quote by me) "I'm TOO HOT to change into a swimsuit to swim".  It was that hot.

Well, we survived!  And I will admit that Fresno had some great Mexican food.  A few days in that kind of heat made us itching to get back to the coast.  We headed directly west to Monterey and are currently traveling south through Big Sur.  And it's absolutely gorgeous.