American West, California, Hiking, National Parks, Outdoors, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation, Writing

Yosemite Valley Nature Watching

With its diversity of habitats as well as biodiversity, Yosemite is a great place to view wildlife while being respectful of their natural surroundings. On this adventure, the Cranky Campers explored the meadows of Yosemite Valley and bird-watched while keeping an eye out for bears. The most common sighting: the opportunistic, plucky California ground squirrel.

American West, California, Camping, Hiking, Historic Sites, National Parks, Outdoors, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation, Writing

The Tioga Road

About 12 miles from Lee Vining on California 120, the Tioga Road connects U.S. 395 to Yosemite National Park. The road continues west into the park and gives access to many fun landmarks within the national park, including Tuolumne Meadows, Tenaya Lake, Olmsted Point, and Tuolumne Grove.

beaches, Camping, Florida, National Parks, Outdoors, Style, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation, Writing

Biscayne Bay

Biscayne Bay is a spectacular body of water, it's bright blue-green waves extending from the shores of Miami down to the northernmost Florida Keys, covering approximately 428 square miles. This post visits Biscayne National Park and Key Biscayne.

Camping, Florida, Hiking, Historic Sites, National Parks, Outdoors, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation

Later Gators: Long Pine Key and the Visitor Center

At the end of the summer, I revisited Everglades National Park. On this visit, the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center was now open, and I was able to spend some time watching a September Florida thunderstorm from the outside porch overlooking a manmade pond and the river of grass. I also revisited the Anhinga and Gumbo Limbo Trails and trekked over to the Long Pine Trail.

California, Camping, Hiking, Museums, National Parks, Outdoors, Photography, Travel, Vacation

A Day Among Giants: Sequoia National Park

The Cranky Campers pay a visit to the largest trees on earth: the giant sequoias in Sequoia National Park. We also learn a few things while on the trip about having grace for each other and learning when to slow down.