The next morning in Manitou Springs, Astrid and Bjorn ate breakfast at the counter of Moe’s Diner and Grill, a small restaurant next to their hotel, and once again were treated to the colorful bits and pieces of humanity that make up the world. There was a couple there, both of them more tattooed thanContinue reading “CO: Rocky Mountains to Great Sand Dunes”
Author Archives: ajtanek
CO: A 12er and a 14er
It was sunny and beautiful and Tuesday. She was at the point in her trip where Astrid usually thought of her children (if they weren’t with her), her cats and home, and felt a little homesick. But remembering home added a heightened awareness of the garish contrasts of the landscape around her. The differences wereContinue reading “CO: A 12er and a 14er”
CO: Flatlanders, and Elk Like Bunnies
Astrid and Bjorn struggled to get to where they were going. The flight out of Michigan had been canceled after they had boarded and sat in the plane for an hour. Then they waited in the airport in line for an hour, then because that was a false line, they waited in another line, thenContinue reading “CO: Flatlanders, and Elk Like Bunnies”
CA: The Pinnacle
Astrid was thankful and gracious for the adventure and challenge of every journey she took, but some days and places were more impactful than others. On this particular trip, she loved the car museum, appreciated the observatory, valued the experience to tour obscene, crumbling wealth, but when submerged in nature, on a trail, moving throughContinue reading “CA: The Pinnacle”
CA: Castle Overlooking a Beach, and 4$ Tea
Astrid watched the landscape through the rain-plashed windows as they drove out of Burbank, California, north on Highway 101. They passed the Ronald Reagan Library. “Travel by Map” is so much faster and easier than wheels-on-the-road, and if you’re not careful, it is easy to plan more than is possible in the time given. ButContinue reading “CA: Castle Overlooking a Beach, and 4$ Tea”
CA: Rain, Cars, Tar and Stars
“And it is at this point in my trip when I am aware of a strong desire to go home. Home–what would I do there? Deep clean something, a few somethings. Get my coldframe out, start seeds. And I would read and write and … long to be elsewhere. Sigh. The human condition is neverContinue reading “CA: Rain, Cars, Tar and Stars”
CA Intermission: Short Hike, Long Drive
The next morning after a big breakfast, the family set out once again to hike in Death Valley National Park, this time at MosaicTrail. Bjorn was worn out from an early morning search for sunrise photos at the dunes, but the light didn’t cooperate and he came back with an empty camera. Their first hikeContinue reading “CA Intermission: Short Hike, Long Drive”
CA: Rules for Hiking, Rain in Death Valley, and Dune Walking
Mel’s Diner in Beatty, Nevada, an hour’s drive outside Death Valley National Park, is a cash-only restaurant, and offers a variety of hearty, well-prepared breakfasts; it’s a great place to fuel up for the day before hiking. That’s where the family ate after checking out of their adequate motel the morning before their longish hikeContinue reading “CA: Rules for Hiking, Rain in Death Valley, and Dune Walking”
CA: Walking in Death Valley
Astrid, Bjorn and Snorri were flying into Las Vegas, Nevada … again. But, to Astrid’s relief, it was only to land, get lunch, buy gallons of water and leave again, to travel to California’s Death Valley National Park. They chose the Chevy Malibu rental car because it had an app that connected to Bjorn’s phoneContinue reading “CA: Walking in Death Valley”
Why Remember?
In Why Write?, Astrid tried to answer the question, “Why write?” for herself. She wrote to be a better thinker, because writing well takes more thought than speaking. But she also wrote to remember. And, as is many times the case, answers lead to more questions. “Why remember?” Why did she carry a pencil andContinue reading “Why Remember?”
Not I 