Exploring Owens Valley, CA

The Owen's Valley road trip crew. Mike, Jeff, Me, and Matt.













The Buttermilk boulders. This is a hot spot for bouldering. There was snow on the ground but it was beautiful out. I walked around barefoot and in a tank top. Not bad weather considering it was the end of December.












This is taken at the top of a climb in the Alabama Hills. This was a really hard climb but I got the top. What a great feeling looking around after climbing a huge rock!


























The Sierra Mountains are absolutely beautiful. I look forward to hiking to the top of Mt. Whitney one of these days.

I spent the first few days of my Christmas road trip in Owen's Valley near Bishop, CA. I was even lucky enough to go to a hot springs a couple of times outside of Bishop. Sitting in a natural hot spring after a day of climbing was awesome. It was cold out that night. I think it was around 30 degrees. But sitting in the hot springs was wonderful. There is nothing like looking up at an amazing starry sky in a steamy pond in the middle of winter with a great group of friends.

Adventures in AmeriCorps

Mt. Adams


I'm now officially employed. I will be re-entering the job force on Feb. 23rd as team leader with Northwest Service Academy. I applied for quite a few jobs through AmeriCorps and was lucky enough to get my first choice! I'm excited, nervous and happy all at once.

I will be based out of Mt. Adams, Washington about 1 and half from Portland, Oregon. I'll working to help maintain trails in Washington, Oregon and California. Basically, I'll be getting paid to hike, camp and travel. I know it will be lots of hard work and an experience unlike any I've ever had. I can't wait to learn how to use a huge chainsaw!

Since I started my journey on August 30th, 2008 I've met a few people that have hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. The P.C.T. is one of the most beautiful trails in the U.S.A. It starts in southern California and ends in northern Washington. I loved this program because I will train for 6 weeks on the P.C.T. in southern California. I may even get to work on the P.C.T. in different locations.

I wonder what life is going to be like in 2 or 3 months? I've yet to make it up to Washington or Oregon. It will be fun to explore new places while helping make the forests better for everyone's enjoyment.

Forest Falls, CA

This is the view right outside my house. The sky is an incredible blue almost everyday. I have to drive over this creek down a "road" to my new home. It's the most beautiful place I've ever lived.
























I've been neglecting my blog and I'm sorry. I decided to stay in the San Bernardino Mountains outside Redlands, CA about 2 months ago.

I rented a room in an amazing log home in Forest Falls, CA. The first couple of weeks of living in a house again were strange. I had gotten used to living out of my car and a tent. I've been enjoying my new mountain home and town.

Forest Falls is a small town of 1,00o people. There is one general store and a Mexican Restaurant. It's absolutely beautiful. I'm within walking distance to wonderful trails that make me feel like I'm in the middle of the wilderness. I've seen a couple of bears and a bob cat since moving here. Pretty cool! I may have a home base right now but the adventure continues.

My new love, Rock Climbing!

I've been rock climbing almost every weekend for the past month. This is New Jack City in CA. I thought New Jack City was an actual city and we were simply going climbing in the desert to climb outside of New Jack City. I climbed to the top of the first rock and looked around, where was the city? Ha. Joke was on me when I asked this question to my fellow climbing buddies. I was in New Jack City. It's just a spot to go climbing in the desert!

We arrived on Friday night and camped all weekend. We climbed all day Saturday and Sunday. Wow, was I tired on Sunday night. It was an awesome weekend.

My first time rock climbing!

I've been lucky enough to meet some cool people that rock climb. I went climbing at Frustration Creek right next Angeles Oaks, CA.

I didn't know anyone that rock climbed regularly in Philadelphia. At the Joshua Tree Music festival I met lots of climbers and immediately wanted to try it. Now I get why people love climbing!

Riordan Mansion

The Riordan Mansion is a great example of a craftsman home. The Riordan brothers basically built the town of Flagstaff a hundred years ago.

The tour guide was a quirky college student with a funny sense of humor. The mansion is actually two separate houses that are connected by a 1,000 sqft. family room.

The one brother was studying to be a Jesuit priest when he met his future wife. I wonder what he was like? What a great love story. I can only imagine the toasts at their wedding. "My hubby was planning on being a man of God until he met me."

Arizonians take their 'old' buildings seriously. I guess I've been spoiled by living in Philadelphia and NYC. I think the crappy tenement apartment I had in the East Village of NYC was older than the Riordan Mansion.

Lava Cave

The entrance of the Lava Caves. Exploring a cave was first for both Silvi and I!




































The forest on the drive to the Lava Cave in Flagstaff, AZ.

I was lucky enough to be taken to a Lava Cave in Flagstaff, AZ. Thanks Andrew for showing me this cool place. The cave was formed by hot lava in a volcanic eruption many years ago.

I've been on top of mountains, in slot canyons and now I've been in the total darkness of an underground cave! Life is good.

The feeling of being underground surrounded by rock in the dark is unique. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who's scared of the dark or claustiphobic. I wasn't sure how Silvi would do climbing over rocks in the dark but she's a trooper and a crowd pleaser. I passed a kid that said enthusiastically "Wow, you have your dog AND a lantern, you're so lucky!"