Hiking Archives - Interstellar Orchard

Grand Canyon South Rim, AZ

May 22, 2018 | 27

May 7, Monday The drive from Williams, AZ to the Grand Canyon is short and easy, a straight shot up 64. When I arrive at the entrance booths there’s virtually no waiting to get in, but for it being before Memorial Day, it’s still a lot of people inside the park – only to be…

Mojave National Preserve, CA

April 24, 2018 | 37

April 6, Friday Yesterday my best friend Julie flew into Las Vegas, where I picked her up and we drove back to my boondocking spot in Mojave National Preserve across the border in California. She’s camping with me for a long weekend. Longtime readers know that she’s stayed with me in the Casita before, having…

From the Ocean to the Mountains

March 6, 2018 | 22

At the end of the last post, Kelly, Marshall, Michael, Joni, and I drove up the Pacific Coast Highway (hwy 1) from Santa Monica to Point Mugu State Park in Malibu, CA for a night. An expensive camping option, but one that gets us close to the ocean. Feb 22, Thursday This morning I awake…

Hiking and Driving

February 27, 2018 | 13

The middle of February finds me at Anza-Borrego State Park in southern California boondocking with several other Xscapers who are still in the area after the Annual Bash in Quartzsite last month. Feb 14, Wednesday It’s been far too long since my last good hike! In the afternoon, a group of us pile into vehicles…

Hiking Brown Mountain

December 30, 2017 | 14

After bringing Bertha back from the shop on the 13th, I spend most of my next week in Tucson, AZ focused on work. On the 17th I drive up San Joaquin Road to visit a friend, Malia of Malia’s Miles – a solo full-timer of 16 years(!). The last time we’d gotten together was the…

Fifty-two Miles

August 15, 2017 | 43

This is Part 4 of my Isle Royale backpacking travelogue. If you haven’t read the other parts, you’ll want to start there! [part 1, part 2, part 3] July 27 (Day 6) continued After our 11 am rest break we find fresh moose prints along the trail, heading the same direction we’re going. That’s exciting,…

Hiking Isle Royale National Park

August 12, 2017 | 11

This is part 3 of my Isle Royale backpacking travelogue! If you haven’t read part 1 and part 2 yet, you’ll want to start there! July 25, Day 4 But before we go, Julie and I filter more water for our packs. I’m pretty sure this trip marks the first time that I’ve drank lake…

A Crash Course in Backpacking

August 8, 2017 | 20

Hello! This is part 2 of my Isle Royale backpacking travelogue! If you haven’t read part 1 yet, you’ll want to start there! July 22, Day 1 (continued) Lets see, where were we? Oh yes, just off the ferry at Rock Harbor with 50+ pound packs, ominous clouds, and 2.7 miles to our first stop…

Now With More Ferry Rides

August 4, 2017 | 15

July 21, Friday By about noon, my best friend Julie and I have loaded all of the backpacking gear into her car and are leaving Madison, WI for Grand Portage, MN. With stops for gas and food, it’ll take us about nine hours to get to our hotel. It rains for the first couple hours…

Backpacking Trip Prep

July 21, 2017 | 16

The mad planning from early in the week transitioned to mad packing a couple days ago, and by the time you read this on Friday, Julie and I will be in the car and driving up to Grand Portage, MN where we’ll spend the night at a hotel and then catch the ferry out to…

Tips for Visiting Badlands National Park

June 2, 2017 | 19

Longtime readers will know that I worked at Badlands National Park in the summer of 2013. Boondocking out here the past two weeks has been fun and I’ve gone into the park a couple times. Rather than write a travelogue about where I went and what I did, which would be repeating stuff from four…

Back to the Black Hills

May 21, 2017 | 35

May 14, Sunday I leave my overnight camp at Riverside Park in Douglas, WY around 10. There’s less rush this morning to get on the road because my drive is only about 180 miles and I can’t check into my campsite until noon at the earliest. I retrace my route on I25 east to Orin,…

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