Reset search
Coastal Crescent, 2018Coastal Crescent, 2018
Satellite
December 2017 - March 2018
Follow this trip?Follow this trip?
  • 28footprints
  • 70days
  • 1countries
  • 5kmiles
  • 93photos
  • 0videos
Newest first
  • HerbAvore
    Day70

    Canyons of the Ancients [Cortez]

     March 3, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    Took a break from house hunting in Durango to hike a portion of Canyons of the Ancients outside of Cortez, Colo. Locals know about it but since it is on BLM not NPS land it is actually a hidden gem. It contains hundreds of archaeological sites, most of which you would need a guide to find. We visited an unrestored Pueblo near the trailhead and then hiked several miles into a canyon overlook. Pictures do not do it justice.Read more

    1
    Map
    • Explore, what other travelers do in:
  • HerbAvore
    Day50

    Take a Hiatus [Durango]

     February 11, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 1 °C

    Last week we arrived in Durango for a stay of several months to check it out as a possible retirement locale. So with this post the mobile adventures will abate and resume sometime in the spring.

    Map
  • HerbAvore
    Day46

    Billy the Kid [Clovis, NM]

     February 7, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C

    Clovis, NM, silos and the wafting scent of beef feed-lots, yuck. Now driving up into the lovely hills of NM toward CO after a night in the plains of Clovis.

    Couldn't resist pulling off the road to visit the grave of Billy the Kid. The interesting part was the tortured travels of his actual headstone. Stolen decades ago, it was recovered in the 70s and then stolen again in the 90s. Found in Huntington Beach, Calif it was reinstalled in an iron cage. Kind of fitting that The Kid spends eternity behind bars.Read more

    Map
  • HerbAvore
    Day43

    Mission Mania [San Antonio]

     February 4, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    In California the 20 Spanish missions were each spaced one day's ride apart up half the length of the territory. In Texas the Comanche were such a constant threat that they crammed six of them into a day's ride apart end to end. Also notably different is the architecture. There is an obvious Moorish flavor to the San Antonio missions; arched doorways and candy canes striped arches like Cordoba Spanish Mosque. We're saving the Alamo for a later visit when we won't have the trailer to drag through congested city streets.

    On to Austin and a visit with Robyn and Doug. And Bruce.    Read more

    Map
  • HerbAvore
    Day42

    Manifest white destiny [Brownsville]

     February 3, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    The US honed its country eminent domain skills in the first battle of the Mexican-American War at Palo Alto. US troops baited the Mexican Army into crossing the Rio Grande. What's interesting is that notable Army names such as Zachary Taylor and US Grant were dubious about this adventure.

    We also visited Padre Island National Seashore, home to the largest stretch of undeveloped barrier islands in the US. The park is perhaps best known for its Kemp-Ridleys nesting grounds. Every turtle egg laid is collected and incubated for later release. This greatly improves the 1000 to 1 odds of a turtle reaching adulthood.    Read more

    Map
  • HerbAvore
    Day41

    Whooping it up [Corpus Christi]

     February 2, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Took a small boat tour out of Rockport TX to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. This is the only place the remaining wild whooping cranes fly to in winter from Buffalo Wood Provincial Park in Alberta (which is way the heck up there). Just an amazing place! Saw not only about 50 cranes with their juvenile young, but spoonbills, Kingfishers, and all sorts of sea birds. Wow! The whooping cranes population was down to 14 pairs in the 70's, now there are 400 or so birds, Better ...but they need more space and protection.Read more

    Map
  • HerbAvore
    Day40

    Cajun Resilience [Lafayette]

     February 1, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Spent our last day in Louisiana hop scotching west from one Cajun cultural center to another. Three in all. We were vaguely familiar with their story thanks to Longfellow's Evangeline but really had no clue as to how shunned, shunted and dispersed they were. It's amazing they have retained such a distinctive culture. Also learned all we needed to know about crayfish. They are raised as a " second crop" in the rice paddies here.

    Our first stop in Texas was Big Thicket National Preserve. Overlapping ecosystems give this patch of Texas supposedly more species of flora and fauna than almost anywhere in the US.    Read more

    Map
  • HerbAvore
    Day39

    The big easy [New Orleans]

     January 31, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We could almost say, another ferry, another fort. We visited the swamp hangout of the "entrepreneur" (pirate) Jean Lafitte and the 1815 battlefield of his earstwhile buddy, Andrew Jackson.

    Lafitte is quite the mythical figure. We don't quite know when or where he was born. Or when or where he died. But in between he was larger than life.

    New Orleans truly is one if a kind. A cultural melting pot like no other in America. Strolled around the French quarter with a ferry ride over the mighty Mississippi. Lots of exotic meats here to our vegetarian horror: gater turtle soup, and other helpless seafood. Passed on ding here.    Read more

    Map
  • HerbAvore
    Day38

    Selma

     January 30, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C

    Up to now, every Park we've visited was history, natural or human. Selma is different. This is our living history. The Selma to Montgomery HistoricTrail recounts in pictures, film and audio the struggle of hundreds of African Americans and some whites to gain voting rights in the 60's!

    Courage comes easily from behind a white hooded robe. Real courage is facing snarling dogs and cattle-prod thrusting clansmen dressed as cops. Without flinching, without fighting back.

    You have to wonder, given the governing paralysis today in Washington, if voting rights legislation would even get through Congress.    Read more

    Map
  • HerbAvore
    Day37

    Bama, Tuskegee

     January 29, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    A couple day diversion up to Alabama continues (as New Orleans stuff not open on the weekend). I hate to draw stereotypes, but do see hound and pit bull dogs running loose, heard a hound baying all night, and managed to camp next to a train track with a shrieking whistle and roaring train half a dozen times last night. Oiy!

    Visited Tuskegee Institute and the Tuskegee Airman's monument today. Hard to see the long journey blacks have had to travel to be recognized as intelligent and capable people. Ah, the cruel prejudice of our country. What must foreigners think when they visit our monuments? One airman said, "We served our country but they do not serve us" as they returned from WW 2 to Jim Crow laws.    Read more

    Map
  • 2021© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Support
  • Imprint
  • English