Category Archives: Nature

An Amazing Adventure

Image January 5, 2016 Keevan 9 Comments

Well hey there. It’s been over 6 months since posting on this blog.

So as is due, a quick catch up and then on to some reflections.

When we left off last June, we had arrived in Idaho to our rental house which had been trashed and defaced.

Although I could write a book just on that summer experience, let’s just say, that after being on the road for so long, we actually enjoyed our summer stay and all the hard work. We set up our camp inside the house (after lots of initial cleansing) and put our energy into creating something Beautiful from something that wasn’t.

Thinking back a few years ago, one of our initial goals when we set out on the road was that we wanted to travel for long periods, then to temporarily stay put in a community for a few months or so to get to know the local favors. Then this past summer we were forced into doing that very thing which we desired. Funny how the world works.

Now here we are into 2016 already!

Blessed with a new grandson in November, we are spending the winter months back in California, where we can be around the new baby and new parents, as well as enjoying the rest of our family.

We’ve had two house-sits to break up the winter, (and our van-stays) which were fantastic, both times taking care of lovey homes and lovely pets for wonderful people.

But really, it’s always so cozy to return to our little van home.

At years end, I spent time re-visiting this blog, and going through literally thousands of photos I’ve taken over the past two years.

I am amazed! And feel so blessed. And so unbelieving of all the incredible places we’ve traveled to, and all the beautiful experiences we’ve had traveling around in this little white van.

I have so many fond memories of gorgeous sunsets, amazing wildlife, ancient cultures, strange trees, bizarre inclement weather, solitary vistas, interesting people of so many different sorts, balloons in the air, red red rocks, birds of all colors, mile high camping, prehistoric looking animals, and on and on.

I think I could ramble on to eternity here, but I’ll spare whoever is reading this for the moment, and just say it’s a life worth living! The times of feeling homeless, and worries of where to sleep for the night, well yes, there are challenges. But life is a challenge meant to be met head on, conquering fears, daring to be different, willing to try new experiences.

So thankful for the opportunity to make these choices. So thankful for all that has come our way these past few years.

In honor of those memories and a longing to make more in the future, I’m reposting some of my favorite photos of some of my favorite places.

Thanks to those who have traveled along with us through this blog. Hoping that there will be much more to come in the future.

Peace and Good Cheer as we roll along into 2016!

Waterton National Peace Park, Alberta, Canada

IMG_4574 - Version 2 — Yellowstone River In Hayden Valley, Yellowstone National Park

Walking among the geysers in Yellowstone

Beartooth Pass over the Absaroka Mountains, Wyoming

IMG_6604 - Version 2 — Finally a Moose in Colorado

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

Camping Keevan Style – Alabama Hills, California

Beach for blog 4 — With Family Along the Coast, California

birds of Lodi 4 — The Beautiful & Majestic Sandhill Cranes

More Coastal Splendor, Why do we Like to Camp Here?

Showing Off for the Ladies. Elephant Seals at Las Piedras, California

20150320-Stewart's Point; Lake Mead-77 — Solitude at Lake Mead, Nevada

20150328-Parhangat to wild horses to corn springs-130 — Wild Horses of Nevada

20150329-Bristlecone Pines_-34 — Ancient Bristlecone Pines, Bishop, California

20150408-Folsom Lake, Folsom, CA-53 — Folsom Lake, California

❦❧❦

Nature, Simple Living, Travel

Staying Put – House-sitting Style

June 9, 2015 Keevan 2 Comments

After the wedding, Fred, Pia and I took on a house-sitting staycation in the Santa Cruz mountains area for good friends who were off traveling and having their own adventures.

We spent three very relaxing weeks lounging around, sipping coffee while reading newspapers, walking to town, and mostly enjoying this fabulous garden retreat, designed and maintained by my good friend and garden designer Albright-Souza Garden Design.

As seen above, Pia also had a buddy to hang with.

Albright-Souza Garden Design has a wonderful blog of her own, Perjoy with much useful information on designing with drought tolerant and native plants. She often showcases other gardens, so I thought it time to show off some of her handy work used to create her own backyard retreat!

If you are in this area, and think it’s finally time to tear out that water guzzling lawn, and give your yard an updo, check out her work over at her website, and give her a call!

Albright-Souza Garden Design

Perjoy

Downtime here in such a lovely setting is just what these KeeVan nomads needed to refresh and re-energize.

Time to visit with good friends, time to read books, time to reflect, time to spend with family, squeeze in a little knitting, and of course plan our next adventure.

House-sitting is a great way to take short breaks from life on the road and continue at the same time to experience new lifestyles and modes of living.

We nomads are back in our van now and are currently heading north again, but there are some more forks in our path coming up.

Stay tuned….to see which fork we take. ❧

* A little aside note.

For those interested in asking Keevansoul questions about their lifestyle / traveling adventures, please do so with your questions in the comments section of the blog. It helps to create dialog and gives me ideas to write about. I try to keep my personal e-mail for my close friends and family. Just my policy. But I will always try to answer questions here on the blog. Thanks for understanding!!

Camping, Nature, Travel, wildflowers

Folsom Lake, Wildflowers, And The Wedding

April 15, 2015 Keevan 3 Comments

We’re sitting here at Beals Point Campground on Folsom Lake, after driving north through Owen’s Valley, then over to Carson Valley, then across the Sierra’s again to warmer weather.

It’s all been gorgeous, but the weather turned bitter cold with nights into the low 20’s and wind gusting horrendously around the beautiful Carson Valley.

Planning on meeting up with our daughter who is in Sacramento on business, we decide to cross the Sierra summit before snow falls on the highway.

We miraculously find this uncrowded campground and enjoy a few days of if not drier, at least much warmer weather.

Lounging around an entire day, bundled up playing dice games, reading books, and sipping warm tea while the rain pours down and pounds the van, we are happy. We set the awning up to have a dry porch area, take shorts walks in rain gear, and enjoy Mother Nature.

The birds who stuffed this tree with winter rations are certainly prepared! Just like us, they must feel like they can never have too much food on hand…just in case.

After the storm, the days are sunny, warm and delightful.

We find wildflowers everywhere we hike.

When the weekend rolls around and the campground fills up, we drive a long and windy road to the other side of the lake, where the campground on that side, Peninsula campground, is just barely open. In fact no ranger ever comes around to collect and there is no way to pay. The camp host, the only other person here on our first day, and who only recently arrived himself, said not to worry about it. So we don’t. We have the entire campground to ourselves for the first day and a half, before a few other brave souls starting arriving.

These golden fields filled with blue Lupine and purple Vetch is what we look at here out the van door.

We finally go and meet up with daughter, and spend a few days in the city of Sacramento together, enjoying some good food, soft beds, and hot showers.

Fun is had by all, and refreshing as this is, still it’s good to be back in the van by lakeside again.

It’s really where we feel at home now.

We are here for another day, then will be heading back to Santa Cruz to finish preparing for her wedding.

I plan on being absent from this blog for awhile, and won’t be posting for at least a few weeks, while we change gears and celebrate in a different fashion, spend time with family, and oh yeah, learn how to use my new camera! (It’s a 7D markII) So many things to be excited about!

These photos and all previous photos on this blog have been taken with a really old Canon Rebel 2ti camera. It has been an awesome traveling camera, very lightweight and easy to tote around on hikes, and has taken it’s share of bumps and bruises, but it’s time, and now I’m really looking forward to playing around with this new camera, experimenting, and pushing my limits some.

Peace to all and Happy Spring. ❧

Hiking, Nature, Travel

The Oldest Trees On Earth

April 7, 2015 Keevan 6 Comments

We gradually leave the desert behind us, climbing over two summits to get through the mountain pass into the Inyo National Forest in California.

This is the view that welcomes us as we round one particular corner. Surprise!

After managing to get over the pass, we turn off onto White Mountain Road. We are heading up to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, located in the White Mountains, about an hour east of Bishop, California.

It’s refreshing being in the Pine forest again, the ground laden with slate and hidden wonders that one almost misses. We must have stepped over these beautiful little succulents numerous times before actually observing the tiny red blooms and happy yellow flowers on them.

We wind up and up and up until we are over 9,000 feet in elevation. Only because of California’s ongoing drought and the lowest recorded snowpack in history, can we visit this area this early in spring. Having not been this high for a long time, we feel like we are really on top of the world.

And just below timberline is exactly where the oldest trees on earth are living.

Some of these Bristlecone Pines are over 5,000 years old. They have been here for so long, according to one fellow hiker we meet, that they actually used to live at lower elevations, until the mountains pushed up to these colossal heights.

I try to wrap my brain around that!

These trees grow so slowly, that according to Wikipedia, even their needles sometimes stay on the trees for over 40 years. Talk about slow growth!

Somewhere in this forest is the oldest individual recorded living tree in the world. The “Methusala” tree. Depending on which scientific source one reads, it is recorded to be approximately 5,064 years old.

We hike around the Discovery trail. We are at about 10,000 feet elevation, and Pia wants to be with us. We take it slow, and take lots of rests.

But we don’t take the Methuselah trail, which is about four hours long the signage says. It takes us almost that long just for the Discovery trail, which supposedly takes about an hour and a half.

The actual Methusela Tree is a “secret.” The trail wanders about through the forest, but it is never revealed which tree is actually “it.” Some secrets are best kept secret I suppose. There are weirdos out there.

All in all, hey, what’s the difference in a 4,500 year old tree and a 5,000 year old tree anyway?

The rich colors, the twisted bark, the monstrous roots, the majestic stature of these older than old giants is pretty humbling.

I mean, I thought I was feeling old at 50-something…

No more whining or complaining about getting old, right Pia?

❧

Birding, Boondocking, Camping, Nature, Travel

Wild Horses And Wildlife Refuges

April 4, 2015 Keevan 8 Comments

Happy Easter!

Desert National Wildlife Refuge:

We hadn’t planned on backtracking, but after talking with and exchanging information with some fellow nomads, we realize there are a few more places we want to visit before leaving this part of Nevada.

We head off to Desert National Wildlife Refuge…Five long washboarded dirt and gravel road miles, and arrive late enough that it is really too late to see much. DNWF makes it clear that dry camping is allowable on the back roads of the refuge, so we find us a lovely spot, watch the sunset, and retire, so we can get going early enough the next morning to be able to hike a couple of trails before it warms up too much, and while the birds are most active.

It’s a beautiful place, a true oasis in the middle of the desert. Most of the back country requires a 4 wheel drive to crisscross the mountains and dirt roads, and although our Van has pretty high clearance, we decide not to take her on any more bumpy rides, after all the work we put into her this past winter.

We spend the morning around Corn Creek instead. Tall Cottonwoods, native shrubbery, ponds, walkways, trails, and lush green meadows surround a beautiful new visitor center. We hike on some of the trails, and enjoy a slow and easy time of it. It’s very relaxing to just hang out and enjoy the wildlife here. We meet a photographer from Massachusetts, exchange bird information, and spend much time chatting away the morning.

So many birds are busy building nests now! They are flying to and fro carrying all sorts of materials. This little Verdin has quite a mouthful!

We continue to laze around here until it starts to heat up and all is quiet in the woods.

Cold Creek Village

After making it back out and off of that horrible washboard road, (which evidently is about to get paved) we drive a few miles up the highway and take a left turn up Cold Creek Road.

This is an interesting area – the entire village of Cold Creek is off grid. The off grid homes are not just little cabins, but real substantial sized houses, all with solar panels mounted on roofs. The surrounding area is a large ATV riding area. And it is also a quaint community where wild horses roam freely.

We find it to be a beautiful valley, with snow covered peaks rising up from the desert floor.

These Wild Horses here seem much more tame than other wild horses we’ve seen. Surely they interact with the people who live in the Cold Creek community.

Of course there are signs posted asking visitors not to feed them, but there is evidence that they do get handouts, and they act like they are used to at least occasionally getting treats from someone.

Pretty hard to resist those eyes and soft noses.

No treats from us, but I did get to rub a few of those noses.

It’s the middle of the day while we visit, and mostly the horses are pretty quiet, but we do find a few youngsters a bit more frisky.

Nothing like wild horses in the desert mountains!

Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge:

Finally we wander into Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge, on the southern border of the huge Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex. On the northeast corner of the DNWF is where Pahranagat National Refuge is located. Remember, we were there last week.

We are surprised by yet another oasis, rare fish living in the spring water here, and more large reservoirs of water. Where does all this water come from?? I thought deserts didn’t have water!

We mostly drive around these reservoirs, then pull up to the visitor center, after it is closed for the day, and enjoy a picnic dinner all alone enjoying a lovely dusk as evening befalls us.

Shall I say how surprised we are, that we are loving this part of Nevada so much.

After all, we are just a stone’s throw away from Yucca Mountain, and the largest military Nuclear testing site in the West.

But that’s another story… ❧

Boondocking, Nature, Travel

Valley of Fire

March 22, 2015 Keevan 3 Comments

Valley of Fire

Since we’ve been exploring “other” areas of the Mojave Desert, we decide to visit the area north of Las Vegas, in Nevada.

On the route northward, we camp along the Colorado River, and plan on camping in Lake Mead Recreational Area. Hoo Boy, when we arrive, we find out it is Spring break here, and all Nevadan’s it seems, take their break around this lake and river.

Where else would one go I guess, if one lives in Nevada?

A little creativity, some solid research, and a bit of luck, lands us a few hidden gems for some out of the way spots to spend a few nights.

After long stretches of Creosote bush and low lying desert scrub, bypassing the lower end of Lake Mead, we instead drive the scenic back road to Valley of Fire State Park.

Ooh la la…Here it seems, is where all the Beauty of this vast and lonely state wound up eons ago.

Large mountains of red sandstone formations formed from ancient sand dunes, stand majestically against brilliant golden hues.

Imagine dinosaurs roaming here, and later Anasazi Indians gathering and hunting these canyons. The later leaving their artwork on the rock cliffs.

In more modern times, “bad” guys hid from the law in the last century, in these same box canyons, which I’m sure hold untold secrets and some rip roaring stories unknown to us present day nomads.

We meet our first Chuckwalla!!

He does look dinosaur-ish, doesn’t he?

We don’t camp in the park, the campgrounds are taken over by humongous motor homes, all with power cords leading to I wonder where? There is only one tent in the entire upper loop of the park.

We go back to our hidden jewell at night time, and enjoy the park during the day.

Before leaving we meet this little tyke…not very dinosaur looking, but awfully cute.

❧

Birding, Nature, Travel, Van Living

The Salton Sea

March 18, 2015 Keevan 2 Comments

The Salton Sea is a strange place.

Deathly. Beautiful. Intriguing. Smelly. It’s a dying sea, yet there is abundant life there.

The seashore (if you can call it that) looks from a distance like beautiful soft white sand. Up close, walking upon it, it crunches. The “sand” is actually made up of billions of dead brittle barnacles!

Then there are these fish carcasses that litter the shore.

The water is disappearing…leaving salts behind. Salts that have drained here from irrigation.

The Salton Sea was formed when the mighty Colorado River broke through diversion canals and flooded a huge low lying basin in the early 1900’s. According to the Salton Sea Museum, approximately 600 tons of salt are added to the lake annually, due to runoff of irrigated fields in the Imperial Valley. As water evaporates from Salton Sea, the salt is left behind in high concentrations, killing off the fish in the water, and the soil around the lakeside.

The future is not pretty for wildlife, migratory birds, or recreational use.

Where will they all go?

There are groups and agencies trying to save the Salton Sea.

Fresh water would be nice, if there was more to be had. But everyone wants that.

The riparian areas around the perimeters of the sea support non-waterfowl, such as this pretty little Verdin.

This vegetation is dying off also.

These burrowing owls are numerous along the ditches.

Salts and toxic silts filling their homes???

😥

Salton Sea Museum

For a great overview of the history of the Salton Sea.

National Geographic News

For an in-depth look at the environmental, economic, and political impacts of the Salton Sea

Camping, Hiking, Nature, Travel

The Other Mojave Desert

March 13, 2015 Keevan 2 Comments

We’ve been hanging out in the Mojave Desert.

This time we chose not to go to Mojave National Preserve. We’ve instead spent our time exploring some lesser known out of the way places.

Such as Owl Canyon.

This BLM campground was really nice, very uncrowded, and provided garbage cans, nice picnic tables, and shade awnings. The sites were quite spacious, and there was much to explore. With our senior pass, the price was $3.00 a night.

Most people come here for this wonderful hike up Owl Canyon.

We spent a couple of nights at Owl Canyon Campground, exploring some smaller canyons too.

Then we moved on south to Sawtooth Canyon, down in the Lucerne Valley. Much of this area is ATV territory…you can see the damage done to the fragile landscape everywhere.

Up until about five years ago, Sawtooth Canyon was also becoming a desolate wasteland from being mismanaged. The BLM finally stepped in and made it off limits to all ATV’s and all hunting. What a precious resource it is, and now mostly rock-climbers, wildflower watchers, and birders go there to enjoy the area, though you find remnants of broken glass and shotgun casings littered everywhere.

It actually made me proud of our government for taking a stand to save this treasure.

Some of the blooming wildflowers we encountered, hiking around here.

And a few of the feathered local residents entertaining us.

Leaving Sawtooth Canyon, we drove south through Joshua Tree National Monument. This area seemed really tired and very dry already, even though it’s only March. The repercussions of last year’s drought I assume.

We didn’t camp there. It felt a bit too claustrophobic with the sights right on top of each other and quite crowed, so instead we dry camped just south of the park, where we didn’t have to listen to noisy neighbors.

The break of dawn, and an early morning playtime for Pia in the desert…

Packing up, we decide to take a little jaunt down by the Salton Sea, to check out some birds for awhile.

On a stop for some coffee and gas, these handsome fellows we met charmed me into giving them a few pieces of my cracker.

I thought if I continued, he would soon be inside the van with us, coming along for the adventure!

We keep rolling along. ❧

Birding, Nature, Simple Living, Travel

Ducking Around Los Osos

March 5, 2015 Keevan Leave a comment

Green hills, the ocean, beaches, volkswagons, and birds.

We made it out to Sweet Springs Nature Preserve in Los Osos, the sweetheart of locals, where dog lovers walk their dogs, birdwatchers scope out the avian visitors, and baby boomers sip wine while watching the sunset.

Happily, we find birds! (The duck kind, and some shore birds too!)

We’ve been looking for both this Green-winged Teal, AND the Blue-winged Teal all summer, and here there are hanging out together in Los Osos.

Lesser Yellowlegs (might be a Greater Yellowlegs)

These long-legged birds have long bills to match. Seems like a definite advantage to finding grub for dinner.

Another stop to see our pals at Go Westy, we pick up a new knob for our stove top in the van, and a new cup holder for the passenger seat up front. Always a joy to visit the folks there and gawk at the beautiful camper vans they restore.

And finally, finally…we have a heater, defroster, AND air conditioner that work again, after six months of complete dysfunction of all the above. Thank you German Auto in San Luis Obispo. You guys are awesome!

This Curlew bill may be a bit too long, but I guess it works for him.

The Snowy Egret is a great fisher-bird, and so graceful and beautiful to look at.

Bird of a feather, flock together. Hmmm.

A beautiful day, a wonderful time in Los Osos, and farewell to the ocean for awhile.

❧

Camping, Nature, Travel

More Fun Along The Coast

March 1, 2015 Keevan 2 Comments

Another week of immersing ourselves in coastal living. Another week of feeling very small and insignificant compared to the mighty Pacific. Another week of watching pods of gray whales heading south for the summer.

Highway 1 along the California coast is a road like no other. It is not for the meek. But if looking for incredible ocean views, and getting a sense of just how enormously humongous the ocean is, this is the road to take.

The ocean just goes on and on and on. You are driving right on top of it, next to it, and high above on bluffs with long steep drop offs right down into it. After many miles of this highway /ocean kinship, you sort of become one with the water and sand and its creatures in a very zen like way.

The beauty is breathtaking.

My most sincere apologies to those of you reading this in the eastern half of the U.S. who are still submerged in freezing temperatures, record breaking snow and sheets of ice covering your walkways.

Here folks, Spring has arrived. Today, on a short hike I counted at least twelve different wildflowers poking there pretty faces up and blooming like no end. There were Lupines, Poppies, Flowering currents, Potato vines, Paintbrush, Milkmaids, Western Columbine, and Wild cucumber to name just a few.

Lack of wifi / or cell reception this past week, has left me a little behind on the blog, but we certainly have had our share of nourishment.

My secrets divulged here, our two favorite campgrounds along this highway:

Plaskett Campground, which is a national forest campground, therefore accepting the senior access pass, and making it quite reasonable for California at a mere $12.50 per night. It’s spacious, has lots of green grass around all the sites, and is directly across from Sand Dollar Beach.

Our other favorite is Montana de Oro in Los Osos. This one is a State Park, so a bit more pricey, but we are in California and dispersed camping is not that easy along the coast. Both campgrounds always have really nice campers staying in them for some reason.

Take Plaskett for example: Here we meet Mark and Ronnie, our next door campers with a Eurovan the exact same year and engine that ours is. We spend time comparing interiors, discussing storage options, sleeping arrangements, and all the do dads that one figures out to be helpful camping in a van.

Then this beautiful Vanagon “Syncro” (that’s a much sought after 4 x4) pulls in next door to Mark and Ronnie. Isn’t this just a gorgeous setting with three lovely vans camped next to each other?

Some thoughts on photography…

Sometimes I’m perplexed on what photos to put on this blog. Of course I like to showcase photos that I think are pretty decent. But then this isn’t a photography blog. It is a travel blog. So I wind up adding a lot of photos that I don’t actually think are great photographically speaking, but yet they still tell a story.

When memories fail, photographs are great for picking up the pieces and putting times and places together in context.

Which is why, you might have to look really hard in these next shots to see the subject. We were seeing so many pods of gray whales spouting around, I couldn’t not try to capture some of them. They were really far out in the water, but try I did, and to my amazement with my 300mm lens, and some serious cropping, they actually materialized in the shots!

What I wouldn’t give for a nice spotting scope and one of those beastly very expensive super telephoto lenses!

Well, we are heading over to San Luis Obispo to see our friends at German Auto for hopefully the last time in a really long time, (still having issues with the heater / ac unit) before leaving this beautiful shoreline and ever stretching ocean, teaming with abundant wildlife and grandeur, to head inland to warmer weather.

Looking forward to shedding a few of our heavy jackets.

❧

Keevan Soul