Beyond Cuckoo

Freedom to Rest—Elephant Seals Migration to Piedras Blancas 

Female Elephant Seals spend most of their time at sea solitarily foraging the open ocean. In early May I fell among them, pointing and clicking my camera, to capture some rest.

“Are you cold?” asked the volunteer docent, a kind elderly man with grey eyes and a gentle way. “I have an extra windbreaker you can borrow.”

I hesitated long enough to delve into his face—haven’t seen ...

 I silently giggled at the trailhead’s warning sign. “Do not expect to be rescued. Rather, prevent rescues from happening in the first place, and be prepared to handle rescues within your own climbing party should something happen. Nature sets its own terms and YOU must judge how much risk you are willing to accept.” Yeah,” I say aloud. “I guess I’ve learned ...

A tidbit of historical fiction—

Joe Simpson had followed the telephone lines from Rhyolite to Skidoo. The stopover at Stovepipe Wells had replenished his canteens but he was almost dead when he stumbled into the Gold Seal Saloon.

“It’s a good day for the devil,” he remarked to the bar-keep. “Here’s the last of my money, set me up with some brew, a room with a bath and a woman.”

In 1908 Skidoo, named after ...