Last time we wrote, our intrepid travelers had just landed in the Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. What a great find that was - bonus! Very remote feeling, amazing geology, excellent hikes, astounding colors in the rocks plus petroglyphs and petrified wood. We were originally simply trying to outrun winter and we succeeded in excellent style. Wound up spending six nights there hiking, biking, grilling, taking loads of photos and relaxing by the fire. Our favorite stop so far, and a perfect place to chill. Plus halloween, oooo spooky!

Then on to Snow Canyon, a Utah state park that came widely recommended. Had one of the sweetest campsights we’ve found, first come first serve of course, on the far edge of the campground. Nothing around us but big nature. And while bouncing between time zones as daylight savings ended was a squirrelly experience, it sure seemed to work in our favor scoring campsights. A perfect punctuation to our time in the southwest. Hiking on sandstone is so different than the trails at home. A little bit scary at tmes, no evidence of a trail. We have a good trail app that helped quite a bit. And the trails are usually well marked either by a cairn, paint, or marker pinned to the rock.

Then off to Lake Tahoe to visit an old friend of Jamie’s. That was the first time we’d been in any building for more than a short time since we left let. Plus the first in-person socializing of any kind that we’d done in about a month. Felt good and safe, cozy and refreshing and no better place to hang than with a dear friend as we anxiously watched the election vote countdown. But again, the weather was chasing us (it was 8 degrees there with a dusting of snow yesterday) so off we went.

A brief stop in Santa Rosa to see Jamie’s sister to pick up a family painting she generously gave to us to take home, then north to where we are now - the redwoods. Even though we’ve been through here before we forget how magnificent the trees are. After being in the hot and dry we were chilled to the bone today even though it was in the upper 40s. So much moisture! Penetrating. Time to get out the layers, we have to get aclimated to our home climate again.

And there you have it, goodby to the southwest until the next trip, heading home now. What a fantastic trip it’s been!