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MMM in the Americas 24-25
  • Mandy Trueman
  • Mark Gardener
Aug 2024 – Feb 2025

MMM in the Americas 24-25

Mandy and Mark are on long service leave - yippee! First 3 months visiting friends and adventuring in the USA and Canada, joined by Molly for Thanksgiving. Then a month in Galapagos, a stint in Peru, and exploring in Chile til Feb 2025. Read more
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  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    With Maggie, in Bozeman
    Downtown Shelby80's style diner in ShelbyI was there too 😊We did not stay in this motel, thankfully 😬Bus from Shelby to Great FallsPretty hills South of Great FallsElk in a pub somewhere on the wayCamping 😀Cheeky squirrel nibbled my breakfast when I tuned my backYellowstone hot springsGrizzly bears! Mum & 2 cubsBears, viewed through Maggie's scope, and photographed with my phone - not bad given the distance 😊The lake near Maggie's house

    Montana, Maggie & grizzly bears, USA

    Oct 9–12, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Justin gave us a lift from Canada, over the border to Shelby, Montana, so we could continue our travels. Shelby was a quaint town in the middle of the prairie, and we got a decent dinner despite the criticism of US immigration staff at the border - they were super friendly and competed with one another to give us advice on where to eat (out of town, apparently). Best thing is they fixed up our entry 'stamp' so we can stay in the USA until our pre-booked flight in December.
    We caught a free community service bus to the town of Great Falls - nothing to say except: Weird town 😬; not going back.

    Drove our rental car through some pretty scenery to reach Maggie, in Bozeman 😀, who I know from PhD comradeship in Perth. So great to see Maggie 🌞. She kindly hosted us, cooked for us, gave us advice, and loaned us some gear for our Yellowstone trip, and let us stay again while she's away - we're so grateful.

    Before entering Yellowstone, we camped a night and drove super early to a not-so-secret place to see grizzly bears 🐻 😀, and success! With the aid of Maggie's telescope we saw 2 mama bears, each with 2 cubs. They were hundreds of metres away so not scary 😬. It was awesome to see them running across the grassland and digging up roots to eat. Also our first taste of real cold - near zero temps, so we got out the layers and coped 😊. There was also a huge herd of elk further in the distance, and some antelope wandered by too, and we heard coyotes howling. Amazing experience 🤩; we felt very lucky.    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Antelope on the roadside, within 5 minutes of entering the park
    Bison 🦬Yellowstone RiverClear LakeWe did a beautiful walk encompassing bison on the grassland, lakes, thermal areas, canyon, etcUs in the stinky thermal areaThe 'grand canyon of Yellowstone' - incredible walking along the rimThis unreal-looking view of the Yellowstone River & canyon is actually realThe riverThe park is so popular that all campsites were full and we had to stay in this 50s motelOld Faithful geyserLots of thermal activityBeautiful landscapesThe Grotto geyserMorning Glory PoolBison beastBison traffic jamLunchDinner, back at Maggie's 😀

    Yellowstone National Park

    Oct 12–13, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C

    It's the world's oldest National Park, protected since 1872, and it set a high bar! It's mostly over 2000m high and has incredible wildlife, thermal landscapes, and rivers both rugged and serene. We were lucky to fit in a 2-day visit; the photos say it all. This was a trip highlight, combined with viewing grizzly bears (prior post).Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Yummy lunch provided by the tribeLots of energetic, enthusiastic dancingMark had a chat with this man from BrowningIncredible singingAnd drummingConfederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes off the Flathead ReservationRattlesnake Creek, just nearby the houseFall colours

    Missoula & Beartracks Powwow

    Oct 14–16, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    By serendipity, we arrived in Missoula just in time for the Beartracks Celebration Powwow hosted by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes for Indigenous Peoples Day. It was awesome! See pics & vids.
    Also Missoula is a pretty town surrounded by hills & mountains and looking real speccy with fall colours. Being more liberal than the rest of Montana, it also feels more friendly. We're lucky to be staying with Mark's colleague Cara, professor of restoration ecology here at the University of Montana. It's a lovely old house in a lovely neighbourhood, opposite a creek lined with walking trails 😍.    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    It's really cold! Lovely walk up the rattlesnake valley
    We stood in the huge mine pit next to this giant shovel. Photo from internetGraphic from Montana Resources website. We saw everything including milling & flotation - very coolIn the Rattlesnake valley areaRattlesnake CreekClark Fork River in MissoulaClark Fork RiverFall colours - Cara's Street in MissoulaAcross the street, by Rattlesnake CreekBison! At the Bison Range; they're accustomed to vehiclesLooking out over the Flathead Reservation; most of which was sold off, despite the Hellgate TreatyFemale bison wallowingBison up close - inside the museum ☺️Cara's class, at the Bison Range, finally run by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai TribesWalking with Cara, to have dinner in townTalking about plants ☺️Missoula has some beautiful old buildingsNot my pic! But we saw a coyote hunting like this at the Bison Reserve

    Butte, bison, and beauty

    Oct 16–20, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Interesting days exploring around Missoula; including a visit to the Butte Mine (copper and molybdenum), local walks, a student field trip to the bison range, and good conversation with Cara and her friends. I also spent a whole day at home reading, while Mark gave a lecture to Cara's students.Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Right along the Columbia River - awesome!
    Highway 90 in western Montana; larch are the only conifers that are deciduousWallace, a cute town in Idaho where we stopped for a cuppaThe Red Lion hotel at Pasco airport - great 70s architecture, plus fab breakfast and a nice big roomThe observation car - so good!That's Mount Hood in the distance - impressive in reality but hardly visible in the photo ☺️Such great scenery... And now there's some trees...And more trees ... And it's raining...Yep... Trees and rain; now that we're on the western side of the coastal range/ CascadesWe managed to arrive in Portland in sunshine 🌞 - a good signNice old train stationGorgeous interior of Union StationWe made it to Mary's house 🏠. Mark met Mary in Galapagos in 1998

    Overland to Oregon

    Oct 20–21, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Overland bus travel in the USA is not cheap, convenient, or nice, so we decided against that original plan. We could have driven the rental car the whole way from Missoula Montana to Portland Oregon, but we really wanted to catch a train 🚃. Conveniently, Amtrak's Empire Builder goes right along the Columbia River, so we factored that in. The drive through mountainous Montana and Idaho was really pretty, then awfully ugly and busy on the interstate through SE Washington, but we made it to Pasco in time to return the 24-hour rental-car and walk around a bit. Such a contrast to the gentrified cities we'd been in! Flat, industrial and with a racially diverse population - mostly Mexican. We had a great Mexican feed; all transacted in Spanish. Also stayed in a fabulously outdated and partially rundown hotel - the Red Lion - so good, including a full breakfast. Turns out the Amtrak engineers stay there too so it was easy to catch a ride to the train station 😃.
    The train was far from full so we had a choice of comfy seats and ended up spending most of the trip in the observation car - see pics 😄. So cool to see the landscape change from windswept desert to green hills with tall trees.    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Mary and I, near Bridal veil Falls, Columbia River Gorge area
    Halloween decorations around the neighbourhood, NE PortlandCool exhibition of real (freeze-dried) organisms; at OMSI. By Christopher MarleyOrchids! Real and freeze-driedMy favourite piece - rainbow lifeMonochrome lifeMark and I walked through the arboretum forestCooking yummy healthy food 😋Eating delicious middle eastern foodBy the waterfallsMultnomah FallsI had a lovely morning to myself at the Japanese garden in PortlandView of Mt Hood from the Japanese gardenI visited this silly little museum called the FreakyButTrue PeculiariumAnd got some cool pics thereThen Mary drove us to Silverton for us to commence enjoying Anne & Dave's wonderful hospitality

    A new friend in Portland

    Oct 21–24, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Had a lovely time in Portland with Mary, who was a volunteer in Galapagos when Mark first went to work there in 1998. Thanks to Anne for putting us in touch! We enjoyed hanging out, getting to know one another; and doing fun things including an art exhibition, home cooking, visiting waterfalls, walking the neighbourhood, and eating out. So lovely 😍Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Celebrating democracy, the night before election day. At Oso restaurant in town, with Dave and Anne
    Sewing project 😊 (see later pics too)Comfy and cosy by the fireGo Datto, go. 1978 DatsunOmg - was it sunny? I barely remember 😆Gatsby and Daisy are happy to have us here tooAnne and I made some apple crisp with apples from a friend. Anne made apple loaf from her apples 😋And swimming friend Andy came over for dinner with his wife Maggie. Mark cooked delicious lamb roastSo comfy and relaxed, no need to eat at the table. Dave is a great cook!Halloween in Silverton town was great 👍 - whole families dressed up in theme 🎃Halloween Goblin WalkAmazing costumes. Rain cloud so appropriate!Chilling outWith Sara, a new friend from yoga and Pilates classes in SilvertonDonny, Sara's husband, and Mark talking about carsMassive memory-quilt project for MaryMade from Steve's shirts; supplemented with plain coloursThe finished product, weeks laterSteve's final words to Mary ❤️

    Silverton; hosted by Anne and Dave

    Oct 24–Nov 9, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    It's our longest stay, and Anne and Dave have been so generous sharing their home, food, car, and time. It's absolutely meeting our expectations of slowing down, hanging out, and doing homely things like cooking and sewing. It's so cosy and comfy! Their house is in a rural subdivision about 8 minutes drive from the town of Silverton, which is about an hour south of Portland amongst rolling hills similar to South Gippsland in Victoria. But greener - it rains a lot in Oregon state!

    Mark and Anne met in Galapagos in 1998 and have stayed in touch (this is one of Anne's super powers), and I've been connected with her for a few years online. She and Dave missed out on our wedding in 2021 due to COVID.

    It's been great getting to know both of them and their 2 Boston terriers. Anne is on leave from work so we got busy with a big sewing project (details to come). She's also done other community work for the local arts Centre and a co-op art gallery 'Lunaria' she exhibits in. Anne is so full of energy and is super generous, always making or doing things, usually for other people or the community. Mark has been accompanying her to swim laps most mornings. I went with her to 'first Friday', held monthly, at Lunaria - essentially late-night shopping with wine and snacks on offer while customers can talk to the artists - Anne introduced me to lots of the other artists and we had great chats 😀.

    Dave is super nice, humble, skillful and funny 🤣 . He's been busy in the kitchen - he loves cooking and makes delicious meals 😄, and in his workshop - fixing various motorcycles and the car when it broke down. He also took Mark to the shooting range, for a ride in the old Datsun, and to the massive Costco store in nearby Salem (quite an experience, I heard).

    We also went into town for the Goblin Walk for Halloween. This was essentially a mass trick or treat event in the middle of town, where businesses gave out treats to kids, as families paraded around in amazing costumes. I loved all the excellent dress-ups 🤩.

    We've attended yoga and Pilates classes while here, and everyone is soooo friendly! Sara has been at every class, and convinced me to try Pilates, which has been great. We went out for coffee and discovered she lives in Anne & Dave's neighbourhood, so went over to say hi during our afternoon walk today; lovely to meet her husband too and see their HUGE hot rod car workshop.

    I did another post about some gorgeous walks we did nearby, too.

    We still have a few days left here, so I'll do another post to wrap up our stay here.

    Update: the sewing project was a memory-quilt for Mary, made of several of her husband's shirts; he had died several months earlier due to illness. It felt really special to hear about him and be a big part of the quilt project. Anne presented the quilt to Mary in December (after finishing) while I was on a video call from Galapagos!    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Pamelia Lake, with fresh snow above
    With beautiful colours, and a lucky warm day (in the teens), at Silver FallsOne of the ten fallsSilver Falls State Park - 10 falls walkBehind the falls! Most of the falls have a grotto behind them; due to the volcanic geologyGorgeous forestThanks to Google Maps, AllTrails and GaiaGPS, we can research where to walk: to Pamelia LakeHappy chappy in the forest without crowdsIt's autumn 🍁Beautifully maintained trails with the perfect knee-saving gradient for up and downThere's a massive volcano mountain behind those clouds - we glimpsed it! Mt JeffersonLooking down the valley in a moment of sunshine. Next minute it was sleeting 😁Pretty friggin cold, in the middle of the daySnowy peaks and ridges behind Pamelia LakeAgain - beautiful trail, all to ourselvesWet and green 😃 - temperate rainforest along Pamelia CreekThe 'toaster', Honda Element, kindly loaned to us by Dave and Anne

    Walking in Oregon

    October 29, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 3 °C

    A couple of beaut day-walks we've done so far while staying with Anne & Dave in Silverton. We've lucked it with the weather, neatly catching the end of an extended warm & dry fall, albeit interspersed with some typical rain and cold. At Silver Falls State Park, in warm weather, we did a lovely walk to most of the falls, accompanied by plenty of others on the popular trails. At snowy Pamelia Lake in the Mt Jefferson Wilderness we didn't see a soul and coped with the near-zero temps for some gorgeous scenery - see pics ! We didn't manage to reach the snow as it was melting as we ascended, but we were stoked to set foot on the Pacific Crest Trail, known to us from Cheryl Strayed's book Wild, which is a total classic in our family 😍Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Dancing with Mary
    Talking about Portland with Tristan 🤣The Malitones, a great Portland funk bandThe crowd - friends of the Malitones. All dressed up, just for funBridge walk with Mary in downtown PortlandHope?Beach walk at the confluence of the riversViews of Port action - importing cars and exporting grain are both huge hereAutumn colours at Mary's house, and yes, we bravely drove the toaster in the city 😬

    A night out in the city

    Nov 2–3, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 9 °C

    We headed back to Portland for Saturday night, as we were keen to go dancing / see some music, and spend more time with Mary. Totally got lucky with Mark's search for 'live music' near Mary's house; we found the Malitones, a local funk band at a nearby bar, accompanied by tonnes of their friends - what a hoot! Naturally I pushed my way to the front of the dancefloor and grooved away with Mary - soo much fun 🤩.

    Again, everyone was super friendly, and as they were all dressed up (Halloween, I guess), there were endless conversation starters. We had nice chats and got a bit of a feel for Portland life/people. Kamala-voters, apparently! And this friend group are all into camping, nature, and live music. Tristan agreed with Mary that Portland is a great mix of beautiful and gritty. Jason had been hunting and caught a deer to fill up the freezer. The bass-player, Garrett, had lived in Australia and agreed that Darwin was unbearable in November 🌞.

    Mary took us exploring on Sunday too - a bridge walk across the river and through the city, plus a trip to the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. And lunch at a cool taqueria (Mexican eatery) on Mississippi Avenue. So grateful 🥰    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Source: Online. This is the simplicity of most signs. I've never seen both together though!
    Oregon ballot questions, 2024 election. Source: BallotpediaPam and her boyfriend; explaining their badges are pro-Kamala, not for 'oo, la la' (with earrings)Photo from Anne, Silverton areaSource: Online. There were lots of signs like this in PortlandAnother photo from AnneThe count is on...Still counting, but the result is clearIn response to a post from Wild Woman Sisterhood about accepting your feelingsThese seem to illustrate the diversity of feelings about the election resultI like this anonymous post

    US Election 2024

    November 6, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C

    What was it like in the lead up to the election? And what does it feel like now? Here's my observations.

    In the lead-up I found it pretty understated compared to election campaigns in Australia. Two key reasons: There's not many campaign signs up in Oregon (or Montana) compared to at home, and I hadn't been watching the media. But I watched it on election night and it was tense - combined excitement and dread.

    Campaign signs can only be on private property so there's been no roads lined with candidate's faces, just signs in people's yards. See pics for examples. In Portland (at least the NE) it's pretty clear that a majority of residents are democratic, so there's more signs up there. Here in rural Oregon (Silverton area) it's very mixed, so I think people were less willing to publicly express their voting preference.

    Interestingly, voters voted on a range of candidates at the federal, state, and local level (some are non-partisan, e.g. judges) and local 'measures', NOT just for the president. See screenshot of the ballot questions in Oregon. Also, here in Oregon all votes were postal, so election day was just a regular day - no polling booths! This obviously varies by state, as do the questions.

    We've woken up to the result this morning, and it's flat in this household. Anne's phone is flooded with comms from worried friends. Comments online illustrate a diversity of views. I guess we'll get off the couch and get on with our day soon...
    Mandy    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    At Breitenbush with Mary..see the snow in the background?
    Being silly at the Abbey. Anne made me this cool skirt!One of many wacky exhibits in the Abbey museumFall sunset at the AbbeyScrabble and creme brulee made by Mark - totally delicious (no, he didn't follow Anne's directions)Breitenbush is a great place 🥰One of the superb hot spring pools - the water flowing in is super hot!View from the pool, including snow. There was frost 🥶 on the ground when we arrivedThe main building at Breitenbush, thankfully not burnt in the fires of several years agoHappy Mary with her delicious vegetarian lunchPathways at BreitenbushI walked in a side-channel of the river 🥶, ok when I could go get in a hot pool!Awesome view from the outdoor showers; we were so lucky to have sunny weather at Breitenbush 🌞Native Oaks were plentiful in the area until settlers cleared them and changed the regimesHappy Dave, working on a Vespa in his amazing big 'shop' (workshop)Lunch in the sun; a rarity in Oregon at this time of yearMark and I picked pounds of apples from hereProcessing apples to dehydrate 😋Final dinner with Dave and Anne; at a cowboy restaurant 😊

    Bye, Oregon friends

    November 9, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    We've wrapped up our almost-3-weeks with Anne, Dave and Mary with some final good times, including: Mary and I visited Breitenbush hot springs for a day of wonderful soaking in nature; Mark and Dave took the 50-year old motorbikes for a spin; Mary, Anne and I visited the Mt Angel Abbey; we helped Anne dehydrate pounds of her home-grown apples; we enjoyed our final Pilates class in Silverton; Sara and Donny popped over to say bye and talk about visiting us in Darwin; we laughed at the dogs and of course we all ate lots more yummy food 😋. So grateful for the generosity of these friends, and for the lovely connections 😍Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Cape Perpetua, Oregon coast
    Camping in the coastal forest; Siuslaw National ForestFinally in the forest and warming up by walking; Giant Spruce TrailElk Creek Falls, on NF-33, a small road in the back countryCoastal view to show it's not always raining. We stayed in a motel through big wind and rain 🌧️Into California and straight to these coastal redwood beauties; Simpson-Reed GroveWe spent the day here and along the gorgeous Howland Hill Rd, winding through the treesElk 🫎 - so great to see them up close at Elk Prairie Campground where we camped in the forestTall Trees Grove walk, accessed with a permit; amazing and beautiful 😍Coastal Redwood, the tallest trees in the worldTall Trees GroveRedwood forest, Tall Trees GroveMixed forest, Tall Trees Grove walkBeach - foggy, windy, and cold 😁Eureka town: beautiful wooden buildings, fancy shops, and lots of messed-up homeless peopleAmazon delivery trucks - everywhere, all the time!More beautiful redwood forest, after a couple of nights sheltering from rain at Rio DellSometimes the sun shines through the redwoods 😀Finally some clear weather at the coast; we camped the night near Fort BraggSeals and wild waves, near our campsite

    Forest, Coast, and into California

    Nov 9–15, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    We commenced our 3-week road trip travelling the coastal area from Oregon to northern California, alternating between camping and cheap motels (due to weather), and visiting beautiful forests and beaches. It took about a week to travel what many would do in a day - it was great!

    Mark has done a separate post about big trees, including the ones we sought out 😄 - on walking trails, roads, or in the middle of the forest; it was fun.

    The contrasts of America were really apparent to us during this time. From incredible natural beauty to mega-development and consumption; poor people living in trailers or on the street to rich mansions with superb views. We didn't take photos of the ugly stuff, but it was there in our faces at times.    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Douglas fir tallest verified 119.8m
    Coast redwood Statosphere Giant 113.4mCoast redwood Howard Libbey 110.5mGiant sequoia General Sherman 1395m3 volumeBristlecone pine Methuselah 4856 years oldGrove of 100m+ coast redwoodsLarge coast redwoodCoast redwood groveSitka spruceDouglas firWestern hemlock Tsuga heterophllaWestern red cedar Thuja plicataPort Orford Cedar Chamecyparis lawsonianaCalifornian laurel Umbellularia californicaJeffrey pine Pinus jeffreyi

    Big trees

    November 11, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    There are 5 species of tree that grow to more than 95m tall: the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), Douglas fir (Psuedotsuga menziesii), Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) all from North America; and mountain ash (Eucalyptus regans) from Australia. 

    Determining tree height is difficult and often lacks verification. The tallest ever unverified trees were a Douglas fir from Washington State at 142m and a mountain ash at 133m from the state of Victoria- both felled in late 1800s. The tallest verified tree was a 865 year old Douglas fir at 119.2 m which fell over in 1930. The current tallest tree is the Hyperion, a coast redwood on the Tom MacDonald Creek in northern California (116.1m and 917 years old discovered 2007). All of the top 100 tallest trees are now coast redwoods. 

    We tracked down the 4th and 11th tallest trees in world: the Statosphere Giant (113.4m- record holder from 2000 to 2006) and the Howard Libby (110.5m record holder from 1963 to 1988). The redwood forests were mapped with LiDAR in 2007 so they probably won't find a new record holder any time soon.

    The largest-volume tree is General Sherman a (giant sequoia) in the Californian Seirras which is 1395 m3 volume, 83.6m tall, 3115 years old; and the oldest tree is a bristlecone pine called Methuselah (Pinus longaeva) in the Californian White Mountains which is 4856 years old but less than 10m tall. Unfortunately snow closed roads to both and we could not visit them.

    We saw lots of other trees in our travels, some tall, large and old - see photos with species names.    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Prep for our hike: Plant species lists from Marcel's office
    Eliska and Marcel live in a cool neighbourhood in Davis; there's shared orchards & community spacesCheers! It's real Pilsener from Czech Republic. Eliska was a wonderful host 😍Our private lecture-walk with Marcel, at Cold Canyon, in the coastal rangesA beautiful day to see chaparral countryside and identify many plants. My favourites were oaksAnd once we survived Highway 99 and Motel 6, we left the madness and stopped for a moment on the PCTFirst sunset in Bishop, at 4pm! Lots of Asteraceae shrubsHiking in the eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada - bloody awesome mountainsWe hiked up to 2450m altitude, higher than any place in Australia. These mountains are around 4000mAnd it was friggin cold ❄️; with snow and ice aroundEarly morning walk, so I could experience minus 6 degrees 😲 - thanks to the sunshine, it was beautSierra Nevada😂 we played tennis in 3 degrees 😁, with Rob and 2 old fellas. It was fun, but I hurt my knee 😞

    Inland to Davis and Bishop

    Nov 15–19, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Ready to leave the rainforest coast, we headed across the coastal ranges to Davis, a 'college town', to be kindly hosted by Marcel Rejmanek and Eliska Rejmankov for a night, and do morning walk in the hills. Marcel and Mark talked plants non-stop; they met in the late 90s in Galapagos.

    Due to snow on high passes, we drove via the central valley to reach Bishop, on the other side of Sierra Nevada, to stay a week with Rob (who worked with Mark in Galapagos in the late 90s) and Elaine. The central valley is a major agricultural zone (irrigated), providing food for millions of people. Highway 99 runs right through it; we drove ~500km through almost constant development - houses, factories, shops, trucks and cars. It was awful!

    But it's awesome to be in and around Bishop, in the Owens Valley, surrounded by mountains and so much open space, which feels great after being in the rainforest. And Elaine and Rob are great hosts, providing delicious treats and wholesome dinners, and great conversation.    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Joshua tree. Even though it's only a name, it reminds me of listening to U2 in the 80s 😊
    Eureka Dunes, Death Valley National ParkOnwards and upwardsI had this lower dune to myself for about 45 minutes, and not even too cold!Desert mountains of mixed geologyPlant nerds: Mark and RobPinion pine; we bought traditionally-harvested seeds from the local native tribe to add to our saladIncredibly spectacular scenery on this drive - impossible to capture the immensity of it in photosMono Lake and it's tufas, formed underwater when the level was higherPanum Crater, near Mono LakeObsidian - formed during a volcanic eruptionAn evening out at the local brewery, with Rob and ElaineManzanar historic site; WWII camp that held 11,000 Japanese AmericansHighway 395, Owens ValleyA little oasis in the town of IndependenceHot mountain springs feed this historic pool; water is cooled as it is sprayed over the pool 😀Built in 1919 in this gorgeous mountain sceneryFinal sunset on the eastern Sierra, from BishopFinal dinner with Rob and Elaine; it's been a great weekRed Rock Canyon, Mojave Desert

    Desert, mountains, history, and friends

    Nov 20–23, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 -3 °C

    The feeling of awe inspired by this vast, rugged landscape is hard to capture in words or pictures; it's really something for the memory bank.

    Rob took us on a day trip across the beautiful Inyo mountain range into Death Valley National Park, specifically Eureka Dunes. In Rob's words: it was a wonderful day!

    Mark and I drove north to Mono Lake to admire and learn about the tufa and the amazing aquatic ecosystem (see my other post: a water story), and to climb a volcanic crater full of obsidian.

    And south to the Manzanar National Historic Site, one of many camps where Japanese Americans were held during WWII - a sobering experience to learn about the injustices.

    Bathing in the Keough historic hot springs was a real treat - I enjoyed the hot pool while Mark did laps in a big pool; both filled with cooled mountain spring water.

    And we've had a lovely time with Rob and Elaine at their place in Bishop; so grateful for their hospitality and fabulous meals every night.

    We left again South through the Owens Valley, where fresh snow covered the mountain tops. Stopped for a nice walk at Red Rock Canyon, and then left the sierras and diverted from Highway 99 to get a feel for the rural parts of the Central Valley - agriculture as far as the eye can see: e.g. fruit, nuts, grains, beef (in feedlots 😞); oh, and some oil wells too. Now in Fresno to meet Molly - woohoo 🤩🎉🌞🥰♥️.    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Mono Lake; water levels have recovered somewhat
    The level was meant to reach this sign 10 years ago, but it's still about 50m awayFlood mitigation / irrigation channel at the back of Rob and Elaine's place, BishopMini aqueduct over a natural creek channel to divert water towards the main aqueduct to LAPortrait by Steven Cavallo; displayed at the Manzanar visitor centreDittoDittoThe aqueduct taking water to LA

    A water story

    November 21, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Water in the desert? Indeed, yes - especially when there's a giant mountain range capturing winter storms and sustaining stream flows year-round from melting snow-pack. That's the situation here in the Owens Valley and the Mono Basin. Some 'clever' engineers decided in the early the 1900s that this was the perfect resource for the thirsty, growing city of Los Angeles, which now houses over 18 million people yet receives only ~300mm of rain per year.

    Water is extracted from the tributaries feeding Mono Lake; this lowered the lakes water level. This caused environmental changes that almost led to the collapse of an important ecosystem that provides refuge to millions of migrating waterbirds. Two key species in the lake are fundamental; a tiny endemic shrimp and an 'alkaline fly', both of which are adapted to the super salty and super alkaline water, and which make up the food-source for all the birds. As the lake level declined, the water chemistry changed, reducing productivity of the shrimp and the fly, thereby affecting the birds.

    In 1994 this was 'rectified' when the court ruled that the LA Department of Water and Power (DWP) must reduce extraction and allow the Lake level to rise somewhat, but not to the original level, within 20 years. This was the balance between protecting the environment and using water resources for the needs of people. Progress and protection, as is mandated in laws around the world, including the NT Environment Protection Act that I help administer at home.

    It's been 30 years and the lake still hasn't reached that target level 😞. Luckily, we saw the shrimp and the flies and plenty of birds. Is that enough?

    Just to the south, in Bishop, creeks are diverted for flood control around town, and diverted to the massive aqueduct flowing to LA. Some of the irrigation channels were initially created by the native Paiute people to irrigate edible native plants. The Paiute suffered many injustices as they were deprived of their property and water rights over time, largely by the DWP. They have a reservation at Bishop, and they number about a quarter of the population. We visited the cultural centre, which was great (no pics allowed). The LA DWP is a major force around Bishop and the whole Owens Valley; it owns the majority of land and water rights, thereby limiting development. More info at: https://www.oviwc.org/water-crusade/

    The Owens Valley and Mono Basin provide only a small portion of LA's water; other sources include the poor Colorado River and groundwater. Do the residents have any idea of the biophysical, social, and cultural environmental impacts?    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Dad and daughter, out bush within 24 hours of Molly's arrival
    Camp setup under beautiful big Oak trees, in the brief sunshineValley view ♥️Up the valley, Pinnacles National ParkBear Gulch Reservoir in the afternoon sunFamily at Bear GulchInvestigating acornsArbutus tree glistening from the wet weatherView of the Pinnacles 😂Tree appreciationHappy camperReading RoomMama and MollySleeping in to recover from the cold we gave Molly as soon as she arrived 😊

    MMMs together - the Pinnacles

    Nov 23–26, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Molly arrived! It's so great to all be together 😍.

    After a night in a noisy motel in Mexican-dominated Fresno we travelled through more fields and orchards of the Central Valley, back to the coastal mountains. Amazing to encounter no traffic en route to the Pinnacles National Park and arrive to find Tesla's charging in the car park and lots of city people! It's so close to the Bay Area cities, but we'd approached from the other direction 😊.

    At this beautiful spot in the rocky Hills and gullies we were lucky to have fine weather for camp setup and an afternoon hike before the rain set in for 2 nights 😁. We had fun together; enjoyed seeing deer, wild turkeys, squirrels, and lots of birds. And plants ☺️.    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Happy family in the sunshine
    Thousands of noisy sea lions at MontereyView from the hot tub at Pigeon Point hostel; Harbour seals on the rocks belowAnd whales in the distance, if your eyes are good enough 😉Sunrise sunshine; it's a new day babyPigeon Point lighthouse, wearing scaffolding in the morning sun 😊Elephant seals and Año Nuevo IslandElephant seals - so cool to watch them mucking around / arguing at pretty close rangeStopped for a cuppa in the sunshine; the pumpkin pie was delicious 😋We love coastal redwoods: Sequoia sempivirensSteaming giants in the midday sunPlant nerds 😊Banana slugTime to unpack and move out of the car after ~3 weeks ☺️

    Coast and redwoods again, with Molly 🤩

    Nov 26–27, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    We'd wanted to go to Sequoia National Park to see the largest trees in the world, but a winter storm came by... So we went to the Pinnacles (see previous post), coast & forests instead.

    It was awesome to see elephant seals 🤩. They were almost hunted to extinction for their blubber, but now recovering. And fun to see/hear thousands of sea lions, a few harbour seals, and some cute sea otters. And so many birds!

    We didn't like the tourist crowds at Monterey, nor eating expensive fish and chips in the rain 😔. But Pigeon Point and Año Nuevo State Park were just lovely, and the weather improved 😄 . While the redwood forest was not as impressive as further north, it was still beautiful, and the crowds were mostly just around the carpark 😂.    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    With our fabulous host Jenni
    Olivia, Molly and Jenni doing Thanksgiving meal prepSlicing up persimmons 😀; we enjoyed picking and eating theseEmi and Mark talking passionately about booksNikki, Sasha, Miles and Olivia, getting started on the big mealAt the lookout, Montalvo, SaratogaOn the train to San FranciscoCrazy Waymo driverless car in San FranciscoAngel Island, San Francisco BayGolden gate bridge in the background 😄Rat hat manDriverless 😲Christmas trees (branches)! Around $400 each, and likely grown in Oregon where we saw plantationsView of Jenni's Street with its many Eichler-designed homesI finally learned how to easily post letters in the USA 😊

    Giving thanks

    Nov 27–Dec 1, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Thanksgiving was a fitting conclusion to our North America chapter. We were generously hosted by Jenni, Olivia and Miles in their beautiful Saratoga home for 4 days. Mark and Jenni met in Costa Rica in 1993; they kept in contact via paper letters for many years and reconnected about 5 years ago via email.

    Thanksgiving day was full of preparing and eating delicious food 😋 and giving thanks for our families and time together. We were joined by Jenni's sister Emi and nieces Sasha and Nikki.

    We also enjoyed some local walking trails and Mark and Molly spent a day in San Francisco 😍 riding ferries and a driverless car 🚗 😲.

    Despite some negativity about the US election, we've had wonderful experiences in the USA, especially the generosity and openness of people we've stayed with and met along the way. We've been hosted by fifteen (15 !!) people/households across Canada and the US over the last 3 months. It is humbling that people, many of whom we barely knew, have opened their homes and hearts to us. I feel so privileged to connect with all these people, as well as others along the way.

    And the natural beauty of this continent is just incredible and so diverse! From mountains to beaches, tall trees to prairies, rainforest to desert, squirrels to bison and bears, conifers to colourful deciduousness - it's all amazing 🤩.    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    2nd bakery visit after getting lost and cycling back uphill; with Mariana who works with Jose
    One is a rock and the other is a Galapagos sea lion - can you tell which is which?Sleeping in Panama City airport, en route from SFO to QuitoArriving in QuitoDinner with Jorge Rentería, who Mark supervised for his PhD on blackberry management ~15 years agoMessing up the hotel room 😁Leaving Quito - view of Andean volcanoesArriving in San Cristóbal, GalapagosThere's sea lions everywhere 🤩Playa MannBundle of baby sea lionsView from our room at our friends' hotel, Casa Playa MannJose had the great idea to rent bikes and cycle downhill, yay 😀 it was funThe first bakery stop, El ProgresoHmmmm... This road is getting smaller (soon it was a dead end)So we cycled back and flagged down a taxi for the last bit of uphillAnd eventually had a yummy lunch at the Mercado Municipal, back in townCazuela: peanut sauce with fish & prawns - fab 😋. We also had delicious caldo de bola 😋 (soup)Molly and I went to yoga on a rooftop in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno 😍

    We made it to Galapagos

    December 3, 2024 in Ecuador ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    It was a long journey from San Francisco and now we're privileged to be staying with Jose and Carolina here on San Cristobal Island. We last saw them in Darwin in 2014, and it's wonderful to see them again and meet their son Inti (7) and their extended family.

    Today Jose led us on an "adventure" (see pics) to the Highlands to see his land and look around - it was fun 😊.

    It all feels so familiar, even though it's not the island we lived on (which apparently we won't recognise as it's changed so much). And my Spanish is coming back situationally 😄. We're also re-aquainting ourselves with Ecuadorian food, which is awesome. We have a couple more days here then we'll head to our old homeland of Santa Cruz Island; I'm so excited to see our friends there 🤩.    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Molly and CaroCutie baby sea lion; got a fright and choked on sea water 🤣Las Tijeretas. The garua (fog) is still hanging around a bit, which keeps it coolCharles Darwin and his pet dog. Oops, sea lion 😂On the path to Baquerizo BeachRelaxing at Playa Baquerizo, with plentiful marine life in the sea behindAfter we'd been here for about an hour this sea lion made it clear who belongs here😄Boss of this end of Playa BaquerizoArid lowlandsChristmas tree affirmations projectThe tree ☺️Dancing in the kitchenWe saw a bit of the San Cristóbal Christmas pageant - schools and organisations doing dances 😆Sea lions and Sally Lightfoot crabsMarine iguanas in the centre of townOpuntia galapageiaWith Jose, Caro and IntiBoat to Santa Cruz; thankfully much improved in recent years. Forward facing seats!

    San Cristóbal

    Dec 4–7, 2024 in Ecuador ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    One of the highlights of staying in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno was the entertainment provided by Galapagos sea lions - they are so silly and funny 🤣, especially the babies. And the dads 😄.

    The new sendero (path) to Playa Baquerizo was beautiful, through mixed arid vegetation on lava rocks and sand. We had the beach to ourselves, watching marine turtles and marine iguanas feeding on algae in the lagoon, a sea lion floating about, and a blue-footed booby diving for fish. The moment I stood at the water's edge for a closer look the male sea lion emerged to say "that's too close", and proceeded to come up the beach, sit on our gear, lie on the rock Mark had been sitting on, roll in the sand, showing us that it's HIS beach. Soooo funny. And cute 🥰.

    Spending time with Jose, Caro and Inti was a real treat; Molly enacted a Christmas tree / affirmations project with Inti and his friend Pablo, with help from Caro and I. We shared meals and spent time hanging out chatting about life, Galapagos, and reminiscing about them visiting us in Perth and in Darwin. And their hospitality was superb. We highly recommend Hotel Casa Playa Mann!

    A lovely, peaceful re-introduction to Galapagos.    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    With Noemi and Moz, a fabulous creation 😍 since we left in December 2011
    With Magno, the party-magnet and fab artistFresh air and nature; yay 🤩Curious pelicanThe community Christmas tree, by Playa de los AlemanesThankful for Molly's muscles to get 50kg off cement to/from the water taxi and to the houseThe best "driveway", pedestrian-onlyNoémi and Moz's houseMarine iguana at Playa TortugaPlaya TortugaThe familiar path to Tortuga BayDelicious Sopa de legumbres (veggie soup)Beautiful mosaic wall by Christy GallardoWith Mirian Silva, who has grown the native plant program into a thriving businessMargarita 😃; in the Poulsom-Toral house that holds so many fun memories for all of usWith Emily and Gaby at Galapagos DeliInti ! At Muelle de DarwinNoémi's beautiful hallway over a pond - freshly secured boards, and a new handrailOff for a day of practice-guiding 🤩The kitchen blitz driven by Colette - hard core!Crazy kids

    Reconnecting in Galapagos

    Dec 7–12, 2024 in Ecuador ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We're loving reconnecting with people, places and nature in and around Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, where we lived from 2008-2011, and also Mark was here from 1998-2000.

    So grateful to be staying with dear friend Noémi at Punta Estrada, which is separated from the busy town by a water taxi ride and a walk between houses, rocks, mangroves, lagoons and a beach.

    Mark's been in full action working with the local helper, Sixto, to fix up things around the house, ready for the French parents visiting next week. Molly and I helped neighbour Collette do a kitchen blitz, and Molly, Moz and Noemi set up the Christmas tree 🎄.

    Mark reckons that it took 2 hours to walk from the wharf to the research station at the other end of town, stopping every 5 minutes for another conversation - "haven't seen you for years!" etc. . And this will continue 😊...    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Inti, the party queen, at centre. With Noemi, Magno, Mark, Paul and I: at the Bongo, of course 😜
    Heinke cooked us a lovely dinner at her research station house, away from the busyness of townMindfulness classes! At a beautiful house on the other side; we were lucky to stay here for a bitIn the street - Friday night is open street time - for people, not cars; phewLas grietas; grateful for Colette being a fab guide and offering to take us there 🙂Molly and I with Colette; view from Las Grietas (on the other side of the bay and town)Lovely family time, tooArid zone coastal lagoon - lava rocks with cactus and other spiny shrubs; not at all invitingAnother lovely breakfast with Noemi and Moz (as a ghost) and the birdsPart of Collette's birthday celebration 🤩, passing Playa de los Alemanes, out the front of Noemi'sMore birthday funThere's a pretty moth - can you see it?And more birthday fun ! Hanging out at Ros' house doing hair tinselThe trip to/from the other side (Punta Estrada) involves a boat ride. With Noemi and ColletteFarrah night: Giancarlo, Magno, Mauricio, Stuart, MarkSettled in at Muelle de Darwin: Gabi, Ros, Rosemary, Inti, Sandy, me, NoemiNeighbours & playmates as little kids: Kirra, Yasmin, Molly. Plus Claudia & DannyMark and Matthias, reflecting on the old days in the 90sThey won 🤩😁😛Lovely times hanging out together

    About town and the other side

    Dec 13–20, 2024 in Ecuador ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    The reconnecting with people and places has continued 😀; so much is the same, especially the relationships. After not seeing people for 13 years it's incredible to walk back in and pick up friendships like no time has passed! We are so lucky to be able to do this 😀.

    Much of the wildlife also hasn't changed; we've been loving sharing mealtimes with finches and mocking birds, and watching frigate birds glide around our views.

    Puerto Ayora town has indeed changed; bigger buildings, expanding suburbs, more cars, louder music, higher prices... And some positive things like some great restaurants, more locally grown vegetables, better internet, improved inter-island boats, friends with new farms, cycle-paths etc.    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    With students and their teacher at Tortuga Bay; Galapagos Infinito program
    I spent ages watching this awesome Sally Lightfoot crab - it had no fear of my camera!Yoga and mindfulness on the beach - a key part of the Galapagos Infinito programClass time - Clara talks with the students about the Galapagos ocean environmentGood looking chap! These are the only sea-going iguanas in the worldSo cool!PosingWe all enjoyed watching this finch feeding on Opuntia nectarTaking time to look around with the binoculars, Playa Manza, Tortuga BayFun times on the beachNoemi in action as an educator: Inspiring and fun!Ready to snorkel? YESCool cactus, including it's wonderful orange trunkThe core team running the program: Noemi and IsaFrom a day prior: mindfulness on the beachThe day prior: having fun with other educatorsThe day prior: on the sailboat BallenaSailing on the BallenaAt sea

    Inspired by nature and nurture

    December 20, 2024 in Ecuador ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    It's easy to be inspired by nature in Galapagos: Funky animals are delightful 🤩. I'm also super inspired to see kids being nurtured to love and respect the incredible nature around them - this is the mission of Galapagos Infinito, a project to immerse all grade 7 children in the magic of their surrounding ocean environment.

    I've had the privilege to get involved in this while I'm here - the best bit being a day trip to Tortuga Bay with some of the kids. I was wonderfully infected by their enthusiasm throughout the day, enhancing my experience observing birds, iguanas, sharks, and crabs. So cool! I also loved spending time with some of the educators working in the program, and see this as another fabulous benefit: About 15 keen local people have been trained in the method, and now they not only get opportunities for casual paid work in the program, but also grow their skills, experience and confidence. So great!

    It's also really interesting to hear about the behind-the-scenes work. My dear friend Noemi took on the fledgling program after the founder, Roby (also a dear friend), died in 2021. It's been a real journey to get the program up and running, and so inspiring to see the success of it after such a short time. By the end of the school year all grade 7 students on all 4 inhabited islands will have had an 'oceanic classroom' day - that's over 500 kids!

    As a small and fairly new program, it doesn't yet have ongoing funding (Noemi and the board are working on that), and relies on donations and grants. Verónica (dear friend from Galapagos who now amazingly lives in Darwin) urged me to help set up a Christmas fundraising campaign, and it's working - gathering funds, momentum and more inspiration 😃. See more at: https://www.mightycause.com/story/Galapagosblit…

    It gives me great joy to be a part of this. So much of environmental work is about fixing up problems or preventing new problems, whereas this is about appreciating the wonders of nature, learning and growing; a positive way to influence our future generations. ❤️😀🙏🏼😊    Read more

  • MMM in the Americas 24-25
    Cascajo Cacao - Heinke and Jon's beautiful place in the highlands
    Cacao 😀. Pods are about 20cm long and each contain about 20 beans. Next step is fermentation.Cow. For milk, yoghurt, cheese. The dairy industry in the highlands has grown since we lived hereCave 😊. Well, a lava tunnel. We visited here while camping with Vero, Tom & kids in about 2010The "magic" swings, at the Loyola farm: Galapagos Highland ViewFun in the forest: I loved the walk around the property with positive affirmation signs all alongReminiscing with Rolando and Eugenia Loyola, and they served us a delicious lunch 😋Sunrise at Cascajo CacaoIt's exactly 11 years since I submitted my PhD thesis 😲Giant tortoise enjoying a view over a fertile crater, on the way to Garrapatero BeachGarrapatero BeachGarrapateroFlamingos 🤩; lagoon behind Garrapatero BeachLovely walk through mostly native forest; Guayabillos areaLovely mixed forestLava tunnel, with RosemaryHello tortoise 🐢. I try to get close but not so close that they withdraw into their shellNavigating through thick shrubland and uneven rocks - reminiscing about past field workFinding teabags with MiriamFun family outing; hands in the dirtLooking up at a Scalesia tree and wondering how this Scalesia baby got through the thick undergrowth

    The highlands: I know this place

    December 21, 2024 in Ecuador ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    We've just had a wonderful stay at a friends' gorgeous little house on their cacao farm in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. It's so peaceful; the dominant sounds being finches tweeting and tree canopies swaying in the breeze. It has a lovely view down to the coast, including town at a respectable distance. We did a day trip to Garrapatero Beach, which was awesome, especially for watching flamingos - see video 🤩. Grateful 🙏🏼.

    I've spent some relax time reading over my PhD papers, remembering that I used to know this area so well from traipsing around doing field work: Recording plant densities and interviewing older residents right across the Santa Cruz highlands. My publications showed that historical vegetation was more varied than commonly understood; that in 2011 invasive plants made up 41% of the canopy in the National Park; and that contemporary vegetation is highly modified from natural, and would need a lot of effort/investment to achieve management goals.

    Unsurprisingly, the overall situation hasn't changed much: Some plant invasions have worsened, others have died down due to a pathogen. Other big ecological impacts include: introduced frogs and ants are now well established, and this is affecting native insects. Thankfully, some areas are still lovely and contain lots of native trees. And the giant tortoises don't mind anyway - they eat everything!

    Earlier we were fortunate to be taken on two other trips to the Highlands:

    Rosemary drove us to Galapagos Frontier in the Guayabillos area to see giant tortoises, hike through pretty natural mixed forest, and explore a lava tunnel cave - a fab outing 😄.

    Miriam took us along to collect sample teabags buried near Cerro Mesa - this was so fun, reliving fieldwork memories of scrambling through scrubby forest with a machete 😂. It was like a treasure hunt finding the teabags under the Tradescantia plants and among rocks, roots and soil (they're used for comparing decomposition rates).

    Still hoping to visit some other choice spots in the highlands in the next 10 days🤞🏼.    Read more

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