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This year is the seventh running of the most excellent SVEF Mt Charlie Challenge. I’ve been doing it every year, even before the current route up Mt Charlie. It’s always a ton of fun for me and for Charlotte, though she puts in a ridiculous amount of time to pull the event off. Charlotte, Paula, and Sally really anchor the whole effort, and it’s always worth a big thank you to them for making this the best fundraising event for SVEF for the past seven years. ...

Yesterday we got into Mojave and had a beautiful night in the desert under a full moon. This morning we’re heading out to the top of the Kelso Dunes. Gabe decides to take the steep, direct route. What an animal. That’s the RV way the heck down there! Once we crested the front edge of the dunes, it was like a sand hurricane. I didn’t want to wreck my camera, so unfortunately I couldn’t capture how totally amazing it was up there. ...

Yesterday we got into Las Vegas and stayed at another RV park. Charlotte, Nick, and Monica are off to have breakfast with their Aunt Karen, while Gabe and I try out some Bocce ball, miniature golf, and other fun things around the park. I’m starting to get pretty good at this RV thing. We originally wanted to head for the Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion, but we’ve heard it’s still freezing out there, and the miles are really going to be just way too much. Our new plan is to head south for Mojave. We make a nice stop at the Kelso Depot visitor center moments before it closes. ...

Yesterday we got to Death Valley kind of late, so we’re off to the Mesquite Dunes bright and early this morning. The dried mud along the way reminds me a bit of the trampled areas of snow during my trip to Yellowstone. Very cool. Monica does a nice little dance on the edge of a sand dune. A few of the big dunes are just ahead. It is so much fun walking along the top edges of these dunes. There are so many tracks everywhere, but I hear they are all blown away pretty quickly. ...

We’ve decided to do the RV thing this Spring Break while the kids are off. I always wanted to try it out, and most of the family really enjoy road trips, so we’ll see how it goes. Thanks to El Monte RV for the rental, and for not plastering those embarrassing pictures all across the vehicle. Driving this beast isn’t as bad as I thought, but we go through a number of passes covered with windmills, an ominous portent of things to come. ...

It was a fun day hiking the Sonoma valley area yesterday. Last night we spent our anniversary at the Kenwood Inn, thanks to a recommendation from George. It’s a beautiful spot, and there were no shortage of couples enjoying their own getaways. The vineyards look so tranquil. We headed back through Sonoma via backroads at a leisurely pace. We stopped by Sears Point Raceway for a quick look around, and found herds of sheep keeping the grass clipped. Each area had one of these gorgeous sheepdogs keeping watch. What a total cutie! ...

Last year’s anniversary in Napa was so much fun, we’re heading up to the same area again this year. This time we’re off to the Sonoma valley area right next door. It’s a much smaller valley than Napa, which makes for an even nicer trip. There’s nothing as nice as a big hike after a few hours of driving. We drive up to Sugarloaf Ridge state park just north of Kenwood. After a bit of confusion with the map and ranger directions, we head up to Red Mountain. ...

There’s a very special bond between our dog and her stuffed snake. And you better not come between the two of them.

Yesterday was an awesome day in Yellowstone park for wildlife, but today we’ll be enjoying some really close encounters. The antelope are out in full force as soon as we drive into the park. Here’s a great scene showing a typical indigenous human herd that roams the park looking for great wildlife. There’s a sub-herd of photographers, and one of wolf trackers. Both work hard all day long to spread the word about these great animals. ...

Yesterday was a great day, but today is going to be a big photography day here in Yellowstone. There are a few kills around the park this morning, and this one is crawling with lots of professionals including Tom Mangelsen andPatricio Robles Gil. Mark commonly runs into a great local named Mark Miller on his trips here. It’s pretty amazing to be standing next to such big names, though my photos really didn’t work out very well. I’m really going to need that BIG telephoto and lots more practice. This wolf wandered in while everyone was waiting, grab his fill, then walked off over the hill. ...