2011 Trips in Pics

The sky is a soft drape of powder blue and white smoke cloud. Melt drips from the eaves above the window and dissolves a dull furrow in the two inches covering the lawn. Rifle reports reverberate from somewhere beyond treeline.

It's December 27th in rural Maine.

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Like last year, I'm stealing a colleague's idea for my "wrapup" post. That colleague would be Eva Holland, former Matador editor and current senior ed at World Hum, who recently posted My Year in Travel: 7 Photos. Yes, I've even copied her on # of shots.

And like my last--I dunno--lots of posts, this one is photo based. Not a lot of creativity in the core reserve these days, and writing something of equal or greater value to these images would tap beyond what I've got.

So, in no particular order, here are most of the places I went and some of what I did there over the past year. I feel like it was a good one.

January, Colorado: On what's become sort of a family tradition, we were driving up to Monarch Mountain for some early-year skiing and happened to pass a full-on castle on the side of Highway 69, northwest of Walsenburg. This is Bishop's Castle, a 40+ year obsession of one eccentric dude. It's still under construction--Jim Bishop was milling a rather large beam during our visit. Admission is free, donation is suggested, and the castle is spectacular. Check google images for more.

September, Jordan: Thanks again to the Jordan Tourism Board, who hosted me on a freaking amazing 10-day trip through the country. This shot is of two tourists and their guide on a camel ride through Wadi Rum.

June, South Dakota: On a part anniversary, part "tour the four states I haven't been to" roadtrip, Carey and I drove through western SD's Black Hills and Badlands (the latter pictured above). We did not mtn bike--this dude was just standing there surveying.

August, Canada: A whirlwind "visit friends" roadtrip took us to Niagara Falls, Canada, where we got this view of the Canadian side of the falls.

July, Colorado: Another press trip had me in Winter Park for Crankworx Colorado. Many thanks to the Winter Park-Fraser Valley CoC and Winter Park Resort for a great time.

August, NYC: After Niagara, we continued to the city to stay with friends renting a place on the Upper West Side. This shot was taken from the High Line looking east down 23rd St.

November, Florida: At the end of October we picked up a new travel companion--Halah, our two-year-old blue heeler. She handled a week in the car like a champ during another sort of tradition--our pre-holiday roadtrip up to Maine. I think this pic was taken at a campground in Gulf Islands National Seashore, the rapidly eroding barrier island off Pensacola.