The Duffel Bag: December 2017

Where the spirit leads the feet will follow.

Down distant paths for unmapped miles.

Heads forget but hearts remember:

The art of living knows no bounds.

"The best journeys answer questions that in the beginning you didn't even think to ask." - Jeff Johnson, 180 Degrees South

"The best way out is always through" - Robert Frost

Sleep doesn't help if it's your soul that's tired.

Sunday, December 31, 2017

* 2017 In Review

"A mind that is stretched by new experience can never go back to it's old dimensions."

- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Another marvelous, wicked, wild, romantic, and cockeyed year! It isn't over yet, but it has been an amazing journey of adventure.

We started out slow in January and February as far as getting out, but spent those two months working on home projects and consolidating/downsizing a few aspects of our lives that were needed. The 2016/2017 Winter was a long and cold one in Northern California, so it was the right time to take on those projects.

When March/April arrived, the home and yard were cleaned up (well...relatively speaking), the gear was cleaned, packed and ready, and the calendar was filling up. Southeastern Oregon was on the radar for 2017, so we opted out of Utah and Nevada trips to spend time exploring the beautiful high deserts of the Owyhee Canyonlands, and the Steens Mountain/Alvord Desert/Hart Mountain areas. This part of Oregon is remote, harsh, and beautiful, and we look forward to going back to dig deeper into that seldom seen part of the state.

For complete pictures of our outings for each month you can check out the Blog Archivers in the right hand column on the home page.

Let's get started...

January

Summit of Old Dad Mountain in the Mojave Desert on New Years Day 2017. Dirtbag Desert Holiday #2 trip with the California Peaks Meetup group.

February

Building racks in the workshop to consolidate "stuff" and get rid of our rented storage shed.

March

Hiking the Mendocino Coast on the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands at Point Arena, California.

April

Paddling at Trinidad during the 2017 Explore North Coast "Thingy" sea kayaking get together.

May

The Owyhee Canyonlands of Southeastern Oregon. Succor Creek Canyon.

June

Paddling the Salt River Slough in Humboldt County's Eel River Estuary with Explore North Coast paddling club.

July

Back to South Eastern Oregon. The Steens Mountain with the Alvord Desert beyond. Amazing!!

August

More Humboldt County! Playing in the surf at Moonstone Beach with the fine folks at Explore North Coast sea kayaking Club.

September

More stellar sea kayaking on the Trinidad Coast.

October

On a trip to Humboldt County, we got in a beautiful hike at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park with our friend Ed S. If you have never hiked in this area, you should plan a trip. The redwoods are spectacular!

November