Mood:  caffeinated

It's been a long couple of months, but the worst seems to be over now, and I'm getting myself and this blog back on track, bit by bit. I will be taking time off from July 2nd - 7th to celebrate the 4th around some good friends and extended family, but will be posting regularly again starting July 8th.

Have a terrific week, everyone!

Mood:  chillin'

Picacho Peak State Park is a hidden gem in southern Arizona, and I'm not just saying this because I got stuck on top of it overnight in November over a decade ago and almost died from hypothermia with Regina, but rather because it is a slice of delicious wilderness right off of I-10 that should be experienced by anyone looking for a beautiful day trip or a short overnight excursion into the desert. The saguaros are high, the crows even higher, and the coyotes will show you the way back down to civilization from the furthest reaches of the park if you are able to pay attention to their subtle signs of activity. :)

Have fun, y'all, and if the clouds don't look right, chances are, they're not, and you should be careful when climbing, as the desert weather can change dramatically within a short period of time.

Mood:  caffeinated

OK, OK, so The Flintstones aren't the most egalitarian of TV characters, but even I and my fellow Hothead Paisan-loving feminist girlfriend could not help but stop by Bedrock City, Arizona, while on an extended road trip through the American Southwest 15 years ago.

Why, do you ask? Well, for starters, the outright goofiness of the site -- a restaurant and campground on the mostly empty HWY 180 -- is full of things that are unfamiliar to the modern eye: dinosaur bones, cars you start with your feet, and a volcano in the middle of Arizona, to name a few.

The kitch value caused us to pull over, and the hospitality of the owners was the reason we took photos, stayed for lunch, and bought a few postcards to send home to our families. Like The Little Ale'Inn near Area 51 in Nevada, the people running Bedrock City are who really made our visit worthwhile, and if you're traveling in the area, I advise a stop to rest, have a quick meal, and/or visit the cute theme park out back.

Make sure to consult their website before heading out; it's a long way back to civilization!

[photo credit]

Mood:  energetic

Last month, I took a 4-day trip on the Amtrak California Zephyr, which travels from the San Francisco Bay Area to Chicago. In taking this trip, I fulfilled a childhood dream of mine to travel across the country by rail. The actual reason for the trip was for me to go to Buffalo, NY, to pick up my sister and her car, but the trip ended up being so much more.

As my little sister is to start college in September, I was asked by my family to drive her from Buffalo to Seattle in a car that she'd bought a few years ago and didn't want to sell. Because I'm too busy to take a real vacation this year, I decided to use the train trip as an excuse to get some work done on a new script, absorb the scenery, and meet as many fine people as possible.

Photo essay here:

Cross-Country Amtrak Adventure