Wish List for 2019

It's a new year, and like usual I am desperate to be out in the wild, tramping around in the woods and streams of Indiana, and farther away places too. Here are a few locales on my Wish List for this year. Some I will probably get to, others, maybe, and still others... not a chance. Let's go!

Charleston State Park, on the Ohio River, north of Louisville. There are many great parks in Southern Indiana. This could be part of a grand tour, and some good rugged hiking.

O'Bannon Woods State Park, also on the Ohio, but further West nearer to the Hoosier National Forest, and by Corydon, Indiana, the first State Capital of Indiana. Part 2 of the southern state park tour? Also they have a fire tower, so it's a must see!

Red River Gorge, in Kentucky. 

On my list from 2018 is the Red River Gorge Scenic Byway. Full of great points of interest, arches, hiking, and who-knows-what-all. I see this as a week long trip. It's abut 5 or 6 hours from home. A sprained ankle kept me from visiting last year. Hopefully 2019 will be injury and sickness free.

Starved Rock State Park is in Illinois, west of Chicago. Beautiful. Matthiessen State Park is near it, and said to be just as, if not more, gorgeous. Definitely on the list, and not tooo far from here.

Letchworth or Watkins Glen in New York. Look at that. Letchworth is described as the Grand Canyon of the East, and voted best park in New York. At over 8 hours away, it's a big drive, but gotta be worth it. Just east of the finger lakes. There will be a lot to see and do in the area besides looking at scenic views and hiking, but WHO CARES!

Guess where? Mountains, the ocean, jungles and Sloths! It's Costa Rica! Will we get there in 2019? No, not unless momma wins the lottery. Those clouds look like dreams waiting to happen. 

union station

we wandered the streets of DC with a purpose, a definite touristy type purpose which i had hoped to avoid. Problem was, we were staying outside of DC and couldn't just walk out the front door and be part of the city. It was always sort of a hassle getting into town. Get dressed for a day out, have a bottle of water, have your keys and metro card. Every trip has a destination. And the heat. Murderous. Naggingly so. I want to kill you, said the sun. Even an overcast day couldn't keep the heat from leaking through. My thoughts of just sitting and watching, doodling, evaporated with my will to thrive in the heat. A swinging door and air conditioning were always a top priority. Nevertheless, at one point she wanted to peruse a location that i sifted through lightly, then parted. And i wound up in a little wooded park outside the front entrance to Union Station. There were bench seats along the paved avenues, but all were filled. These folks were enjoying nature, but in the shade. I found a tree and sat at its base, legs stretched out into the grass. There i let the bugs crawl over me and attempted a sketch of the building through the trees. No great artist, but i gave it a go and came up with this. Trust me, the real thing would blow you away, as do all the great architectural sights of DC, and neither my pen or a camera do them justice.

Land of Many Shadows

...because the sun is high, and HOT!

My friend Reya says D.C. is a swamp, and my wife says it sits in a bowl;

whatever, it's a freakin' slow cooker.

Although we are sort of used to it, because

the Midwest summers are hot, humid too,

with slow, heavy air that does nothing

but lay lay lay.

Anyhooo. had a good first full day of seeing some

of the sights...figuring out the transit, etc etc.

Tami has our day planned out again,

with some tours, etc.

Anyone in N.America--stay cool!

Everywhere else, dress appropriately...