Bad Knees Travel

Photo by Lulu  I was still expecting the GoPro to be my main camera.  I will announce when I have added the good stuff to this page. Fortunately Lulu got lots of footage. The Galapagos trip ended up being a saga rather than a post.   For links to the whole trip please go to the first Galapagos post. Sullivan Bay and Santiago Island and Rabida Island, Saturday       Santiago is about as bleak as a hunk of rock can be. But still exhilarating. Here we started to see sea lions. And where we started snorkeling. Rabida Island Kay posted these photos Rabida island is red. That is because the lava here has a high iron content.  Iron turns red when it gets rusty. Here we saw flamingos in a brine lake. You can see them in Kay's photos.  Lulu told us about how the changing water levels and salinity made it possible, then impossible, then possible for these to be here. Here is also where the GoPro started to get funky. I will write more on Rabida...

 Most of my footage on the first couple of days is still being uploaded from the GoPro. But I want these posts to be in order so I will do the narrative. I will tell you when I have actual photos for this post.  This page is for my volcano geek friends: Bree, Bryan, Jamie The Galapagos trip ended up being a saga rather than a post.   For links to the whole trip please go to the first Galapagos post. I have related to you how we were greeted at the airport and given our first safety lessons. A short bus ride, then onto the Tip Top V. We were assigned our rooms, and given a few minutes to assess our clothing change to our first hike on Baltra. White sand and black lava. Photo by Lulu A short, lovely hike. The sand is actually white coral. I so wanted to pick up a piece to bring home, but this is forbidden. We saw some bones left undisturbed.  Photo by Lulu And our first Sea Lions. Baby sea lions are cuteness.  They are curious and active.  T...

   One of the two cathedrals we breezed through This day's adventure is for my potting friends: Lodema, Mercy, Moira, et al.  The Galapagos trip ended up being a saga rather than a post.   For links to the whole trip please go to the first Galapagos post. Our Quito time was a brief but well fed. So many new foods It was the day afte r  Día de los Difuntos But since the government has decided to declare the holiday to be on Fridays, it was still going on. The best description I have found of this variation of this holiday is in a blog by Angie Drake  including recipes.  Colada Morada and Guauguas de Pan Otherwise known as baby bread and that awesome purple drink I got few photos, and most came out badly.  So the photos here are mostly things that I wanted to share with particular people.  And photos taken by other folk. Arriving after midnight after 20 hours of travel, breakfast at 7, briefing starting at 8:30 we then had less than 1...

  Dear Friends I am just back from a trip that will forever change my life. An apex experience. I am afraid I will be insufferable for a while. When you meet me in real time, I will try to not go on and on, but if you ask, I will be happy tell you about what we did. Note on the photos: I will note all of the photos taken by other people, the rest were from me, taken with my phone (or rather my camera with a phone in it.) I  have reduced the size.  If you want a full copy of one of them, contact me.   Note on dates, locations, and species: I do not claim any accuracy.  Where you find that I have erred, please let me know so I can correct.  Because of the size of the experience, and the huge number of photos I am processing, I am going to break this down into several sections because it is just so enormous in my head. I will sent an email update when I post something new, or you can check back here as I will make the following into links as I do the pos...

  Trail: 3.88 mi. Dirt and steep. Dogs: No except in the picnic area. Wheelchair: most trails in the park can be done with an adventurous chair and you can handle steep.  Not the Creekside Trail section, too narrow. Toilets, picnic tables available at the  parking lot Sonoma County Parks pass, day use fee, or park just outside on Faught Rd. Website: https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/visit/find-a-park/shiloh-ranch-regional-park Google Map and G PX File: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=13qLF1qgfwey8InVb4AxJajBmmh6q4Nc&usp=sharing As I am increasing my  hiking abilities, Shilo was a milestone for me.  It is steep. So every time I walk it is going to be a challenge. I am also using it to get used to the various electronica in my life. I am still not happy with the GroPro Typical of the Coastal Range.  Oak grassland and woodland. Lovely riparian stuff down in the Creekside and Big Leaf Trails. This area was hit hard by the 2017 Tubbs fire. Y...