After spending all day wandering around Morro Bay, we have little time to travel to a campsite before dark. Fortunately, Montaña de Oro State Park is only six miles south of Morro Bay.
We are done wandering in eastern and central California. It's time to go to the coast. It's time to head to Big Sur and Highway 1.
After tearing through the American west, it is a relief to finally take a bit of time to relax in the Alabama Hills. Those familiar with the location are envious. Those who are not familiar probably question what a place called “Alabama Hills” is doing outside of the state of Alabama. But, I assure you, you are familiar with these hills, even if you didn’t already know it.
Cars cruise past our campsite, methodically crunching the gravel. It initially seemed odd to have a parade of vehicles regularly circle through the group camping area. Now we know better.
My dress smells of campfire smoke, my hair is tangled by the wind, and my boots are caked with mud. And I couldn't be more content. We are visiting Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, straddling the Tennessee and Kentucky border for a weekend of camping, cooking, and hiking with friends.
Route 170 along the Rio Grande is a constantly compounding collection of cliffs, hoodoos, ravines, wildflowers, and ruins. We are headed to Big Bend National Park but via 67 to 170, setting us up for a winding road along the Rio Grande. It is yet another spot where we rejoice in our relative isolation but constantly bemoan our limited time. The route is about as close to the US-Mexico border as you can get without swimming in the Rio Grand. In our theme of traveling the border, you can't do much better than this.
All we wanted was a view. And a place to cook. We had intended to make it out to some hot springs in Truth or Consequences, but after wandering through the Biosphere 2 and shopping for supplies for the night, we looked at the sun and were determined not to have another night like the Great Kofa Compromise.
The morning broke with fire in the sky. This is certainly one of the upsides of nomadic life. If I spend too much time indoors, I gradually approach a nocturnal sleeping schedule. On the road, we often rise in anticipation of the sun.
Now for some more camping but of the free variety. We are headed back to Arizona and the Kofa Wilderness Refuge for some dry camping and some hot cooking. I'm picking up steaks to cook in the wild.
Buffalo may wander through Sage Creek Campground. Tent campers are warned that buffalo may try to scratch themselves against the tends. It's all fun and games, though, until the buffalo roles.