Columbia River & bridge to Hood River WashingtonColumbia River & Bridge to Hood River, Oregon

The cash award I received from the temporary job with Fish & Wildlife along the Columbia River Gorge allowed me to buy my first RV, a slide-in cabover camper for my old Ford, and return to the gypsy life.

Oregon coastOregon Coast

Nov 1st, 1996, I hit the road, taking a month to travel down the west coast on Hwy 1, from the Washington peninsula to Los Angles. The wet windy weather found several major leaks in the camper eventually fixed with silicon. I stopped at every park and historic marker along the way.

Sunset Salton Sea CaliforniaSalton Sea, California

After a visit with my brother’s family in Los Angeles I went to the Salton Sea.  Here I met a man at a flea market and we caravanned together for a couple of months.

Imperial Sand Dunes CaliforniaImperial Sand Dunes, California

He showed me many remote & beautiful places as we followed the “Gem Trails of Arizona” gathering rocks and camped for free on BLM and other public land all over the desert.

Mittry Lake near Yuma ArizonaMittry Lake, Arizona

After we parted ways I spent a week camping in Joshua Tree National Park. It was a quiet time for me to be alone and regroup. But it started getting hot.

Camper in Joshua National Park CaliforniaMy camper in Joshua Tree National Park

Time to head north for the summer. Yet I needed a quick forest fix so went to the San Bernardino National Forest before the long haul back to Washington.

San Barnardino National Forest CaliforniaSan Bernardino National Forest, California