Happy First Birthday, Hoodoo!

Celebratory. Look, I'm not gonna lie, this post is mostly (read: entirely) me bragging about my cat again. It's his first birthday, and he deserves to be celebrated! Because for real, I have a cat that not only tolerates travel, but actually enjoys it. I have a cat who jumps into the car, who meows until we can go hiking, who chills on my shoulders when he doesn't want to walk. Hoodoo waits patiently for me to put his harness on and snuggles up in sleeping bags while tucked into a nylon cave. He also parties most nights at 2am unless I wear him out on a few miles of trail, but he's always ready to go the next day.

While I can't say he enjoys getting wet, he doesn't mind it in the way most cats I know do. He's down for some snow play and handles rain like a champ, and even delicately crosses streams that are in his path. He was a boss while climbing mountains at just a few months old, he showed off in the desert, and he handled getting frozen into our tent during a snow shower by purring next to my belly in our tent. He had no fear while exploring rivers and forests, and it seems his only two dislikes on the planet are wind and strange dogs.

This is a cat who crawls onto everybody's lap, who purrs and chatters constantly, who makes himself at home no matter what far-flung place I take him to. He's happy sleeping on my lap for 12 hour car rides, or playing in the dirt at our campsite as we settle in for the night. He's already visited eleven states and seven national park units, spending long hours and thousands of miles in a car. He has his spots in the house and the car and the tent claimed for himself, but plays it cool if you displace him. I've never met a cat like my little orange adventure kitten, and I probably never will again.
My kitten turns one year old, and I can't wait for many more years full of adventures and cuddles.
Happy Birthday Hoodoo!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Kitten's First Beach

I went to the beach! While spending a weekend on the Gulf Coast of Texas there was no way I could pass up camping on a beach. Callie has been to the beach with me a few times, but this was Hoodoo's first trip . . . and it didn't really go well. My cat has no problem with water, but he really doesn't like the wind, and guess what happens on the beach. When he wasn't distracted by blowing feathers and flying bugs, Hoodoo made it pretty clear he had no desire to hang out in the wind. He was fine in the tent and behind something blocking the wind, but if he was exposed he meowed his displeasure. The only exception to that was just before sunrise, when I went for a walk with him and Callie before the world woke up. Hoodoo was thrilled to chase the bubbles in the surf, even braving a small wave that wet his paws. He pounced at the washed up sea grass and pawed at shells and took more than a few swipes at Callie when she shook the saltwater out of her fur after taking a dip. All in all, though, I probably won't be taking my cat back to the beach unless I can stop the wind, but I suppose there has to be some places that Hoodoo just isn't a fan of.

Leave me a comment below and tell me if your pet has a place that they don't seem to like. Where is it?

Nationals Parks Week 2019

Well-Traveled. It's National Parks Week, which means there are fee-free days at the parks! In celebration, I've shared pictures of each of the parks and monuments I visited over the last year, along with a little bit about each park. Hopefully they inspire you to visit your local park unit - I'm willing to bet there's one close to you!

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument - Nebraska

This monument tucked way at the western border of Nebraska is often overlooked, which resulted in my dad and I having the place to ourselves during a late winter visit last year. We saw the quarry sites of fossils, fossils in their museum, and took a walk through the sand hills. What a pretty park!

Arches National Park - Utah

Once again, I visited Arches!  This time around my sister and I hiked up to Delicate Arch to catch the sunset. We didn't get to see the arch glow, but we did get some awesome storms in the distance!

Bandelier National Monument - New Mexico

Continuing in the desert southwest my sister and I stopped at Bandelier to see the cliff dwellings and ancient ruins spread out along the Rio Grande canyon floor. I've never seen cliffs with so many holes in them like the ones lining the canyon - they're made of volcanic ash substance and are chalky to the touch, making it ideal for excavating living spaces.

Canyonlands National Park - Utah

It's not a trip to southern Utah without a stop at Canyonlands. This view truly never gets old.

Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve - Idaho

Considered part of the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, Craters of the Moon looks far more like its namesake than a monument located in the arid interior of Idaho. We didn't spend a whole lot of time in the park, but we did manage to get into some lava tubes!

Grand Teton National Park - Wyoming

Last summer I had the opportunity to backpack a couple of nights in the Teton mountain range, and let me tell you it did not disappoint. While we couldn't hike a full loop as we originally intended due to high avalanche danger in the back country (IN JULY) we still managed to spend two nights miles away from civilization. I really, really want to go back!

Montezuma Castle National Monument - Arizona

Just off the interstate in central Arizona sits a small national monument that hides a secret: a castle! This cliff dwelling built within an alcove along a small canyon is just one of a few ruins scattered along the creek, and I got to see several up close on the path. Bonus points because I was able to bring my cat!

Rocky Mountain National Park - Colorado

Of course I went to Rocky last summer! We only spent a night in this park and didn't hike any trails because I had Hoodoo with me, but the drive through the park alone is worth a visit.

Saguaro National Park - Arizona

Guess who was able to get a sunset and a sunrise among giant cacti! This girl!! For real though, I have always loved cacti and getting to visit these giants was something that I was determined to do with adult eyes. We visited as a family once a long time ago, but now I might have to make a trip to Tucson a little more often.

Scotts Bluff National Monument - Nebraska

While out in western Nebraska last winter my dad and I stopped at Scotts Bluff. Considered the gateway country to the more rugged areas west of here, Scotts Bluff mixes prairie with badlands, wide open skies, and big views.

White Sands National Monument - New Mexico

I've been trying to get out to this park off and on for years, ever since I moved to Texas. This time I managed to pass through right as the sun was about to set, so you bet your ass I booked it to the top of the closest pure white dune to get a few pictures. Also, Hoodoo got to play in the sand, so fun was had by all.

Yellowstone National Park - Wyoming/Montana

Yet another park that we could spend months exploring and still see new things, Alisha and I spent a full day and night here, catching the sunset over Grand Prismatic Spring and the sunrise over Old Faithful. Geothermal features are unique and amazing, and I know we only saw the bare minimum we could from the road. Next time we'll hike, and maybe see some wolves!

Zion National Park - Utah

Visited this park during the winter once again, and still have no complaint! I love visiting parks during their "off" season, when there are fewer visitors and you might get opportunities not otherwise available if you visit with everyone else. Here, a rare photo of the park roads devoid of vehicles!

A Snapshot and The Scoop: Find the Gator

A recent weekend spent down along the Gulf Coast of Texas yielded more than even I had hoped when planning my get-away. The first stop of the day was Brazos Bend, my go-to place for alligators. These living dinosaurs live in the park year-round, as they do in most of east and south Texas, but heading there in the winter when the plant life has died back a bit makes the gators even easier to see. I saw eleven gators on this trip, including a huge one out of the water just off the trail. I had both Hoodoo and Callie with me, but I kept them in my arms while skirting the edges of the lakes and sloughs, not at all interested in losing one of my babies to a hungry gator. While I am absolutely positive there were way more than eleven gators who could see me, their camouflage and general lack of movement made them less than easy to find. A little thrill of excitement shot through me every time I managed to spot one, looking more for their angular head or their serrated tail than anything else.

Leave me a comment and tell me if you see the gator in the photo above! I have several more photos of gators that are hidden even better!

Saguaro

Admiring. There really is nothing quite like waking up surrounded by giant cacti. Even if the temperatures hovered around freezing, even if I slept in my car on the side of the road because I arrived too late to get a campsite and I was not about to drive any further in the dark, even if I barely slept due to a combination of chill and worry. When dawn began to light up the sky and the silhouettes of cacti arms solidified out of the frosty air, there was nowhere else I would have rather been. My visit to Saguaro National Park in southern Arizona was the result of my stubborn streak: I want pictures of saguaro cacti for the walls in my kitchen, and I would much rather take the photos myself than buy someone else's. So I made a trip out of it this winter when I was already in Arizona helping with the Grandmaster Ultras, taking off on my own for a few more days of desert bliss once the race was finished.

I had a few hours to kill between dawn and the park's visitor center opening, but I made good use of my time. I have well over a hundred photos of saguaro cacti to take my pick from for printing and hanging, and to be honest I'm not sure how I'll decide. I was able to take Hoodoo with me on the park's pet-friendly nature trail, where we explored the desert flora and watched a couple of coyotes from a distance.

I also drove the park's scenic loop, stopping at a short trail to some petroglyphs where I left Hoodoo in the car while I explored. (Don't worry, I would never do that if it were hot out! As it was winter, he was safe and comfortable in the car.) It was pretty neat to walk among the cactus forest, even if it was only for a short hike.

Saguaro is actually divided into two parts, East and West, so once the visitor center opened and I purchased my customary magnet and park patch I headed over to the other side of Tucson to visit the second unit. I stopped at the visitor center despite already having my souvenirs, thinking I might as well. Then I hit the park road loop, driving the cactus forest and day dreaming about hiking.

I spent the vast majority of my time taking pictures of cacti, which of course is the draw to the park, but the next time I visit I won't bring Hoodoo with me and plan on hitting the trails for as long as possible. I traced some amazing trails that I would love to backpack someday, really getting to know the park and everything it has to offer.