Category Archives: Travelogs

In Joshua Tree with Generation Z

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The downside of staying in Slab City longer than I planned is that I am now approaching Joshua Tree National Park during the Perfect Storm; Spring Break, Easter Weekend, and the annual blooming of the Joshua Trees.   But I don’t want to delay.  I was headed to Joshua Tree last spring when I learned of my brother’s demise, and had to abort the plan driving the 1,367 miles home to Texas.  So it’s still a National Park not yet crossed off the Bucket List.   Crowds or not, I must go! Continue reading →

The First Thousand Days

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I recently passed a significant milestone in my nomadic life, my three year anniversary of becoming a full timer. I figure if I account for time away such as trips back to Texas to be with family, river trips, vacations to Mexico, etc. that should put me right around a thousand days on the road. It seems like just yesterday that I broke the news to my Mom that I was selling my house and going to live full time in an RV. Her exact words were, “You can’t be serious!” Continue reading →

The Last Free Place

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Alternative lifestyles have always intrigued me.  One of my earliest vacation memories was begging my parents to take me to the Haight-Ashbury district in San Francisco to see the hippies when I was a mere twelve years old.  And yes, I went with flowers in my hair.   I was fascinated by their free thinking take on life, and wanted to be just like them.   If only I had been of driving age in 1969 for the gathering on Yasgur’s farm, Woodstock, there would have been no stopping me.

As one who chose the more boring, conventional corporate path in life, any type of anti-establishment lifestyles, Continue reading →

Get Off Your Asphalt!

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I knew returning from Baja would be like flying at 100 mph and slamming into a tree.  Even though I could see it coming, there was no way to prepare but to brace for impact.  I’ve had a bad case of the “Baja Blahs.”

For three days, I’ve been sitting in the Viejas Casino parking lot.  I managed to move a whole 18 miles from Margie’s driveway, which was as far as I could muster.   Sitting here like a wounded bird lying on the pavement, unable to move my wings, Continue reading →

The Baja Breakdown

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There’s a tourism slogan that is prevalent all over Baja, “No Bad Days in Baja!” You see it emblazoned on everything from tee shirts to tequila shot glasses, vintage vans to surfboards. I would have to agree. Oh, sure there was that 24 hours in Cabo. But that really wasn’t “bad.” Just not to my liking. And then there was the afternoon I was chased down the hill by a scary pitt bull. But that was probably as much my fault for running. Otherwise, it was 17 blissful, feast-filled days.

Here are the logistics of the trip: Continue reading →

Last of La Paz – Que Lastima!

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I am propped up on my pillows in the Pension Baja Paradise having a Facebook Messenger exchange with Margie, as she continues to reassure me that the Winnie is doing fine in her driveway without me.  But then, she mentions two words which I had not considered, “cloudy” and “rain.”  She tells me the rain forecast calls for clouds to move in, and rain to continue throughout the weekend.  This is a factor I have not considered, as my paradigm says “It never rains in Southern California.”   You know how the rest of the song goes, right?   “….it pours, man it pours.”IMG_8874 Continue reading →

Inspire. In Spirit. Espíritu.

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In addition to my Moon Guide, which is helpful for budget options, I always consult Tripadvisor.com for their “Top 10 things to do in…” whenever I am destination planning.  Yes, those are always the most crowded activities, but just like our National Park system, there is a reason they got to be that way.  So I figure that makes them worthy of exploration.

The Number 1 activity for La Paz is a boat trip out to Espíritu Santos, (translates to “Holy Spirit,) a UNESCO-protected island in the Gulf of California Biosphere Reserve.  Jacque Cousteu called this neighboring island surrounded by idyllic bays, “the world’s aquarium.”  Continue reading →

Lovable, Livable La Paz!

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Arriving at the bus station in downtown La Paz, I am immediately smitten.  The station is right on the malecón (waterfront,) with big floor to ceiling glass windows overlooking the calm turquoise bay.    Just a two hour bus ride, and I have gone from the Chaos of Cabo back to the Bliss of Baja.    My love affair is back on again. Continue reading →

Catch a Wave, You’ll Be Sittin’….

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…on Playa de Cerritos!

I talked earlier about the “Firefly Effect,” meeting a fellow traveler who seems to “light up” when you meet them, and if you stop and share a conversation, they usually have some wisdom to impart.  Such was the nature of the effect in Todos Santos.  The unfortunate lack of wifi in my room in Hotel Gulguarte had me sitting in the courtyard, plugged in next to the laundromat, when a 50-something “surfer dude” leans over the railing and shouts down from the second floor, “What does a guy need to do to get wifi around here?”  My response, “Come down to the laundry pit.  It’s the only place it works.” Continue reading →