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wispfoxAs I noted in the previous post, I am wrapping up the South Western USA portion of my trip.
Indeed, I just sent a bunch of boxes home, full of all the camping stuff. Currently letting the cooler and water jugs air dry before wiping out the cooler and packing them into another box to send home.
There's a bunch of places I would like to either go to - because I missed them this time - or would like to go back to. Included in this currently are Mesa Verde (because I want to do that one tour that I did not do!), Taos Pueblo (because they are just that friendly and that neat), I really liked (could probably live in) Albuquerque; Canyon de chelly, petrified forest, painted desert, Grand Canyon (duh), Bryce, both Zuni and Hopi lands, Acoma (sky city). The Wolf Santuary in New Mexico.
Did not make it to Canyonlands, Bluff (besides briefly), Chaco Culture National Historical Park (this requires a better vehicle! Lots of people strongly suggested 4WD for this trip, while I was out here; I certainly can see why!). I'd like to take a look at the highlighted areas that were suggested by the friendly man in Second Mesa Hopiland, many of which were strongly suggested to have 4WD for. I'd like to see Joshua Tree National Park, and to see Seguro cacti.
There's jobs I would like to have, in another life. I think I'd like to be a Park Ranger. I'd love to volunteer at the New Mexico wolf santuary or the Flagstaff botanical gardens.
This was a fantastic trip, which I'm quite glad I took. I missed my people, and I learned that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself in some pretty interesting circumstances, as well as getting help from strangers as relevant.
I learned that wearing a skirt makes people think you are some form of christian (just today, some random guy at the post office stopped his car near me to ask what church I went to, and seemed surrpised that I said none; I think he may have been wanting to get to know me better and wanted to suggest his own, as he offered to suggest some). (still amused!)
I do, indeed, love the weather out here, including the fact that water is very precious. I love the desert, I love the startlement of seeing a bunch of green and knowing there must be an at least part time water source nearby. I miss trees at the same time, mind you, most probably because it's what I'm used to. It's much harder to find _forest_ here, but certainly not impossible! I love love _love_ the clear air and the stars and the low humidity. I love the bright sunlight to help with my seasonal depression. I don't mind driving here as much as I dislike it back east.
It's fascinating to see such long distances, to have had to adjust my expectations accordingly, to watch weather patterns approaching long before encountering them.
It's perplexing to have such distance between places, and often - at least in New Mexico - have long stretches of nothing at all, not even ranches (this was less true in the other three states, but still more true than back east). And tiny, tiny groups of people (not even big enough to call a village?) scattered along roads.
I like knowing random tidbits about my surroundings, like what is an arch vs a natural bridge (a natural bridge was formed by water and is over what is or once was a flow of water), or what various plants are and are useful for (much easier out here, since there are many fewer plants and they tend to be labelled with their names, desciptions, and uses in many of the parks out here; Mormon Tea still entertains me!), how the pottery is made out here (I totally want to get ahold of some playdo or similar and try to make spiral pots), names of various animals I see. I love seeing wild lizards around; I'm still not sure why this pleases me so much, but it does and has for my entire life.
It's... odd having little access to internet most of the time, but other than wanting to keep in touch with people and doing these updates & uploading pictures, I didn't really miss it.
Indeed, I just sent a bunch of boxes home, full of all the camping stuff. Currently letting the cooler and water jugs air dry before wiping out the cooler and packing them into another box to send home.
There's a bunch of places I would like to either go to - because I missed them this time - or would like to go back to. Included in this currently are Mesa Verde (because I want to do that one tour that I did not do!), Taos Pueblo (because they are just that friendly and that neat), I really liked (could probably live in) Albuquerque; Canyon de chelly, petrified forest, painted desert, Grand Canyon (duh), Bryce, both Zuni and Hopi lands, Acoma (sky city). The Wolf Santuary in New Mexico.
Did not make it to Canyonlands, Bluff (besides briefly), Chaco Culture National Historical Park (this requires a better vehicle! Lots of people strongly suggested 4WD for this trip, while I was out here; I certainly can see why!). I'd like to take a look at the highlighted areas that were suggested by the friendly man in Second Mesa Hopiland, many of which were strongly suggested to have 4WD for. I'd like to see Joshua Tree National Park, and to see Seguro cacti.
There's jobs I would like to have, in another life. I think I'd like to be a Park Ranger. I'd love to volunteer at the New Mexico wolf santuary or the Flagstaff botanical gardens.
This was a fantastic trip, which I'm quite glad I took. I missed my people, and I learned that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself in some pretty interesting circumstances, as well as getting help from strangers as relevant.
I learned that wearing a skirt makes people think you are some form of christian (just today, some random guy at the post office stopped his car near me to ask what church I went to, and seemed surrpised that I said none; I think he may have been wanting to get to know me better and wanted to suggest his own, as he offered to suggest some). (still amused!)
I do, indeed, love the weather out here, including the fact that water is very precious. I love the desert, I love the startlement of seeing a bunch of green and knowing there must be an at least part time water source nearby. I miss trees at the same time, mind you, most probably because it's what I'm used to. It's much harder to find _forest_ here, but certainly not impossible! I love love _love_ the clear air and the stars and the low humidity. I love the bright sunlight to help with my seasonal depression. I don't mind driving here as much as I dislike it back east.
It's fascinating to see such long distances, to have had to adjust my expectations accordingly, to watch weather patterns approaching long before encountering them.
It's perplexing to have such distance between places, and often - at least in New Mexico - have long stretches of nothing at all, not even ranches (this was less true in the other three states, but still more true than back east). And tiny, tiny groups of people (not even big enough to call a village?) scattered along roads.
I like knowing random tidbits about my surroundings, like what is an arch vs a natural bridge (a natural bridge was formed by water and is over what is or once was a flow of water), or what various plants are and are useful for (much easier out here, since there are many fewer plants and they tend to be labelled with their names, desciptions, and uses in many of the parks out here; Mormon Tea still entertains me!), how the pottery is made out here (I totally want to get ahold of some playdo or similar and try to make spiral pots), names of various animals I see. I love seeing wild lizards around; I'm still not sure why this pleases me so much, but it does and has for my entire life.
It's... odd having little access to internet most of the time, but other than wanting to keep in touch with people and doing these updates & uploading pictures, I didn't really miss it.
