Some recent photos, and the end of a chapter in my life.

[mike_c]

My partner and I are moving from Northern California to mid-Arizona. I just closed up the house in Norcal and made my last trip from there to here. I haven't shared photos in some time, so here are some relatively recent ones.

Our corner of northern California!



This is from one of the moving trips. I'm going to miss that place for the rest of my life. There are two boats-in-progress on the truck, the larger one is in front in this photo. They're not that color, LOL-- that's just the tape and plastic wrap holding them together for transport.




Returning for another load I stopped by the Valley of Fire in southern Nevada. It was cold and snowy/rainy that morning.






I passed through Death Valley National Park. This trip was just a pass through, so I only took a few photos. Here are two of them:






I stopped by the Alabama Hills in Lone Pine California on my way north. Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 contiguous states is in this photo of the distant Sierra Nevada.






Before I left the house in Norcal for the last time I spent some time-- not nearly enough!-- visiting nearby scenic areas. This photo is from Blue Lake on the Six Rivers National Forest. I used to collect freshwater invertebrates here for my university classes. That gave me an excuse to spend a day in the woods.




Here is another photo of the area around Blue Lake. This is an active Port Orford cedar disease management area, and pretty much all of the old growth Port Orford cedar trees are dead. The largest trees in this image are Douglas firs. My wife wants a custom puzzle printed from this image.




Sorry for dumping so many photos at once! I don't post that often on DU any longer, and the only other place I share my photos is on Facebook. I hope you like the images!

Best,
mike_c

[blm]

1. Wishing the best for you, mike.

And the pics are cool.

[mike_c]

5. thank you so much

It's been a strange last few years as I ease into part time retirement (full time forever after this coming fall semester!). We've had one foot in norcal and the other in Arizona for the last five years. I lived in Humboldt County for 25 years. It was the place I needed to be.

[yonder]

2. Good luck in your new phase. Thanks for the photos.

Are those Dougies considered invasive in that management area?

[mike_c]

4. thanks!

No, this is in the northern coast range and Dougs are everywhere. They're the biggest trees in the forest inland from the redwood range, truly magnificent.

[yonder]

14. 👍

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. These are just wonderful photos, Mike!

Thanks for catching us up on your new chapter in your life. And best of luck there!

Hope you have time down the road to post on DU.

[mike_c]

6. thank you!

I'm glad you like the photos! I'm setting up my office in Arizona and got all nostalgic looking through them and wanted to share.

[royable]

7. Places I've never been and would love to see. Thank you so much for sharing.

Best wishes on your semi-retirement into retirement. Whereabouts in central AZ? The wild and wooly West, or Maricopa Megalopolis?

[mike_c]

8. thank you!

We're in the west valley, in Sun City. It's been a long, strange trip indeed!

[irisblue]

9. Thank you for sharing these, it is a glimpse of worlds I'll never see

You have a talent

[mike_c]

10. thanks for your kind words

It was a privilege to live here these last 25 years.

[Easterncedar]

11. Gorgeous and magical, every one

The first one is fun and would make a great puzzle, too, I think. As others have said, these are places I will never otherwise see, and it is a lovely gift to have seen them through your eyes. Thank you. I hope you share more, please, as you can. Moving is hard work, and leaving a place you've loved so long must be painful. May the next chapter be as full of beauty as the last.

[mike_c]

22. thank you!

[Nululu]

12. Beautiful photos. Nft

[NJCher]

13. After looking at those

Photos I see why you would be nostalgic.

Semi retired is the way to go.

You know, of course, that az has a surplus of nutty mag at politicians.

[mike_c]

23. thank you and yes...

...sometimes it feels like we're moving right into the snakes' den. I don't think I even knew any republicans on the north coast, lol.

[MindHowYouGo]

15. Stunning photographs--thnx for sharing!

[Grumpy Old Guy]

16. Good luck with your move.

You'll love retirement, and you'll never run out of places to photograph in Arizona.

[mike_c]

24. thank you

You're certainly right about Arizona. It too is a beautiful state. Although I might not go outside again until October, lol. We hit 116 F earlier this week.

[Gato Moteado]

17. great photos!

[JudyM]

18. Good luck in your new adventures!

I especially like that 1st Blue Lake shot. Really draws me in… I want to sit right there for the afternoon.

[mike_c]

25. thank you

I used to literally do just that, sit there for the afternoon. It's about an hour and a half drive from the university so I'd go up after my morning class or on a free day, collect invertebrates from the lake, then have lunch and just relax for a couple hours before heading home with my bugs for tomorrow's class. Right behind where I stood to take that photo there is an old campsite so you can just lean against a tree and watch the clouds go by.

[brer cat]

19. These photos are wonderful, mike.

Places unseen that come to life through your eyes.

I wish you the best in your transition into a new life. I hope it gives you more time to share with DU!

[mike_c]

26. thank you!

I'm glad you like them!

[Solly Mack]

20. Best wishes to you both!

Thank you for the photos!

[mike_c]

27. thanks!

[Callalily]

21. Thanks so much for taking us along on your travels.

And best wishes on this new chapter of your life!

An aside: You'll have to go back to Valley of Fire and Death Valley (not in summer hahahaha), both are beautiful places and great for hiking.

By the way, love your photos.

[mike_c]

28. thank you!

Yes, I agree about Valley of Fire and DVNP, but as you say, not this time of year! I've camped in DV in June before, and would just as soon not do that again.