well off the beathen path

The masses still prefer prime time television and spoon fed news, over the web (www).  Many wish to deny reality and create fantasy, and we are in their clutches. Control and greed go hand and hand, along with profits. Corporations have run us ragged for 50 years. THEY have made us dependent fools, consumers for their worldly game.  Manipulate, associate, master-bate, educate and spread the truth, followed with science. Our planet needs us to care for her, sooner than later. Global warming is happening , we now need a meeting of the minds. Denial is no longer an option. http://earthobservatory. nasa.gov /Features/GlobalWarming/

Holy flippin moly. My footwear could give me cancer. Sunday, gorgeous weather, Autumn has arrived, and a laundry kinda afternoon. Not your typical weekend, but who's watching. Chores, yuk. I was hanging my clothes up today and just started thinking about ALL of these plastic hangers I use.  Then it dawned on me that half the stuff in my home is plastic, or some processed chemical wood product. I've heard that some plastics cause cancer, but I never bothered to verify it or look it up. Cancer rates seem epidemic  of recent - but only a few bother to find out the scientific truth.  Is plastic really that bad? it appears so. My bare feet walking, sitting, sweating in these closed-cell foam sport sandal could very well be soaking toxic in the bottom of me feet.  My ultra sticky yoga mat is made from what? Check out the numbers on Ecology Center. information is free http://www.ecologycenter.org/factsheets/plastichealtheffects.html

Camp diva DanaMite is totally re-working the GEAR store on Total Escape this summer, building new product pages and working them into the map store for ease of shopping and a place for ever expanding inventory. Kayaks to camp stoves, bear canisters to BBQs, we have your outdoor gear covered. totalescape.com/gear/ camp gear GPS units camp storage camp lighting outdoor radios camp tents camp chairs camp soaps campfire pits outdoor stoves sleeping bags

The rivers and creeks are all flowing extremely well this season, as snow is still melting in the higher elevations. Some folks have lost their lives recently because of the wild water, so be VERY careful around all water sources this summer. Just got back form a week exploring Plumas County back roads in the Northern Sierra Nevada. From Donner Pass to Downieville, Susanville to Lake Almanor, Total Escape R&D camped, GPSed and photographed some great camping sites, amazing lakes and some fierce waters. Lassen National Park was still closed on the south entrance due to snow. Mill Creek (shown above) is a small river this summer. Not the clear mellow stream we are accustom to seeing. You can expect mud or snow above 7000' elevation well into late summer. And be warned many developed Campgrounds are still closed.

Cottonwood Canyon , a photo by totalescape.com on Flickr. Cottonwood Canyon on Hwy 166, between the Central Coast & the Tejon Ranch Hills. Kern County is getting more rain tonight. Old man winter is still moving thru this Spring in California. Hang loose & hold tight for spectacular wildflowers EVERYWHERE. Share your wildflower finds w/ Total Escape on Facebook

Would love to expand and offer you more information on all back roads around the entire SouthWest, but technology is expensive. After 14 years online, I can safely says I need to hire some help. Intuit is offering a hiring grant and we need your vote to make it happen.

hite cove trail poppies and South Fork of the Merced River below a photo by Mrs Rachel on Flickr. Is it happening yet? Have you seen them? Where? Zillions of web sites and pages referencing wildflowers in California. The best imagery can be found on Flickr searches, which landed me on this incredible shot by Rachel. Total Escape covers California wildflower reporting starting in March each year.

Get the California Ski & Snow Report widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox ! Not seeing a widget? ( More info )