well off the beathen path

For those of you who haven't been out to see the wildflowers this Spring, you are missing the best show in decades! These little beauties are short lived. Certain canyons on the coast may bloom for months, but most of inland California has pockets of color, sporadically, lasting a weeks at most. You can drive past a spectacular bloom one week and the next week it's gone. Peak season means a very temporary window of opportunity for wildflower viewing . California flora blossoms, opens to glorious color during warm sunshine and then vanishes a week later. Gorman @ Tejon is about to explode very soon. Carrizo & Wind Wolves already peaked. Lower Kern is delightful. Klipstein Canyon off Hwy 166 is blooming alive. Remember the higher the elevation, the later the bloom. 1000' to 4000' (prime time now, April 2010)

Lupine Hills Originally uploaded by danamight Spring is finally here and this seasons wildflowers are abundant. Central Coast hills and back roads are blooming with poppies and lupine. The lower elevations in the deserts are also showing well. Basically any terrain under 3000' is sprouting right now. Top places this month to see California Wildflowers: Anza Borrego Desert California Central Coast Gold Country California

brown eye Originally uploaded by dipperflyfishing The brown eye of Mono. A neighbor moved away several years ago, so he could ski Mammoth and work in the Eastern Sierra. A dream perhaps. Now here he is years later, working at the Mobile deli on the far reaches of Yosemite, working 3 jobs.... fly fishing, making your lunch and ski instructing his days away. Way to go buddy! (2013 update) Brandon just informed me via Facebook that he is now living in France, running a Mexican Restaurant. No joke. This guys really knows how to live an adventurous life!

Did you know snowmobile rentals at Huntington Lake, are half the price of the ones at Mammoth rentals? Sierra Summit Resort and a bitchin' old Saloon nearby. Over 100 miles of groomed trails in the High Sierra. Let's go. Sierra Snowmobiles CA by Chris DiNenna (reposted from Spring 1998)  It was another one of those long and tiring days in the office and all I wanted to do was find myself on a open highway heading out of town. So right after the time clock struck five, I raced home, picked up my bags which were packed with my clothing and gear the night before, stopped at my girlfriends home to rescue her from the mundane existence of the apartment, we found ourselves finally on our way into snow country of the Sierra-Nevadas. Our destination was a small resort community called Lakeshore, situated on the shore of Lake Huntington between the Ansel Adams and John Muir Wildernesses in the Sierra National Forest. The drive up the mountain at dark was breath taking and clea...

Indian Mojave Originally uploaded by danamight Colorado River Jet Ski The River, the sunshine, the JetSkis, the desert, the dirt roads, the canyons, the water, the fishing. Long before there was a Hoover Dam, or the casinos at Laughlin, there were people living in this desert. Surviving the harsh elements, as we cannot even comprehend in our luxurious ways. We drive by ancient locations, in our air conditioned vehicles with leather seats at 75 mph, heading for the vacation lands below. The big river. Up on the hill, a louder voice calls to me deep within a white sandy canyon. I explore, I hike, I enjoy the outdoors. I look, I find. Find more about Colorado river tribes ... See jet ski rentals on the Colorado River

Trails in California Topanga, Truckee, Tecopa Morro Bay, Mineral King, Mount Tam Dinkey Creek, Dardanelle, Dorrington Portola, Paso Robles, Ponderosa all parks, all forests, all mountains, all deserts, all outdoors, always. Since getting lost on vacation is no fun at all, Total Escape has all the maps of California covered. Snow parks, snowmobiling, sledding spots, fishing spots, petroglyphs, hot springs, beaches, mountain biking, cabin communities. Hiking maps, topographic trails, campgrounds, off road routes, equestrian trails. Check out the new map store soon!

Tonight my meaningful post hits close to home. My neighbor was crushed to death by a huge pine tree falling on his house, this stormy, windy, winter morning. He was the sweetest boy in the neighborhood. Seriously. Devin was the first kid I met "on the mountain", late one night in 2002, walking across the baseball diamond at Lampkin Park, in Pine Mountain. Low temps in the 20's, plus some snow on the ground - and 2 teens needed some help, a ride up the hill. Rural youth, always hitch hiking back and forth between Pine Mountain and Crazier Park. Years later, Devin showed up to a party or two. Then he installed my bitchin baseboards in my purple shag, hippy love den. His dad and him worked for a week one summer, helping me with home improvements. This past weekend I thought about you, as I finally painted over the penciled in guide marks you drew on my walls. Devin you are in our thoughts tonight. About 12 hours ago, you may have heard the strong wind in your dream...