Ron Erskine

07/12/2020

05/06/2020

This is what my new home in McCall, ID looked like when I pulled up at the end of March. And you can see the view off the back deck. Leaving from that deck, we were able to snowshoe to the North Fork of the Payette River...just steps away. All that snow is gone and the view from the deck looks more like it did in this shot taken last fall. So beautiful. The aspens haven't leafed out yet, but things are greening up and woodpeckers (northern flickers, downy & hairy woodpeckers, and a red-naped sapsucker) are busy excavating homes in those aspens at the edge of the deck. I also included a couple shots of my new home.

A couple days ago, we drove to Rapid River, near Riggins, at a lower elevation. Spring was in glorious bloom - bluebells, trillium, shooting stars, several violets, saxifrage, clematis, just for starters. The parking lot looked the same when we left, six hours after we arrived. Here are a few shots along the trail.

It has only been a month, but all this feels great, like a grand adventure. The deckside wall of my bedroom is all glass, and I see that view into the forest first thing each morning.

Still, miss your smiling faces.

07/15/2019

Yes, I got carried away with the camera. But can you blame me? Beautiful day, beautiful place, beautiful people, flowers galore. So glad to see everyone and so glad that you choose to come all the way up to the mountains so you can get your butt kicked by a mountain. But somehow, it all seems to make sense. You're all great!
Most of these are on Red Lake Peak, but a few are of the walk out to Winnemucca Lake on Friday.

05/31/2019

If you haven't visited Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, here is a taste of it. Though the calendar said late May, like everywhere else this year, it felt more like early April - cool weather and surrounding peaks capped with snow much later than usual. Our plan to walk down the Escalante River, which should have involved knee-high river crossings, would instead, this year, have chest high river crossings. So, we did day hikes and backpacked down Harris Wash (a tributary of the Escalante) instead.

04/15/2019

Your mother's were right. You are all great. Thanks for a very nice weekend. On the ride home, Melissa and I commented on what a great group we spent the weekend with. Sorry there aren't more people pictures, but hope these help remind you of a lovely trip.

03/31/2019

A lovely day. Not the flower show I hoped for, but it is hard to complain about the setting and that view.

I am truly sorry for the confusion around the road closure. Some folks got bad directions and drove a long distance out of the way.

01/01/2019

I love this. So good to see everyone. It was a great morning. Have a great year.

12/13/2018

A little south of dead center Wyoming and a short way down the Sweetwater River from South Pass, the hulking dome of Independence Rock rises above the scrub and sagebrush like the back of a huge whale napping at sea. Oddly, Independence Rock is probably a quieter place today than it was during most summers following the California Gold Rush. It sits on the Oregon/California Trail and was a busy stopover location on the journey west. [ 209 more words ]

A little south of dead center Wyoming and a short way down the Sweetwater River from South Pass, the hulking dome of Independence Rock rises above the scrub and sagebrush like the back of a huge whale napping at sea. Oddly, Independence Rock is probably a quieter place today than it was during most....

12/05/2018

From Canyon De Chelly, we continued to Santa Fe then turned north and began zigging and zagging across the Continental Divide; ten crossings in all up through the rest of New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. Sometimes when chasing fall color, you are told what surfers often hear, "You shoulda been here yesterday." Not this time. The Cirque du Soleil of fall color was in town. [ 180 more words ]

From Canyon De Chelly, we continued to Santa Fe then turned north and began zigging and zagging across the Continental Divide; ten crossings in all up through the rest of New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. Sometimes when chasing fall color, you are told what surfers often hear, “You shoulda been h...

11/06/2018

An array of motivations converged and led to a delightful road trip. Along with Charlie Hamilton, a long time friend and a perfect road trip companion, we set out with a to-do punch list that would be strung together with whimsy. Yes, we had stops to make—visit old friends, return to stomping grounds from our misspent youth, kick tires at possible relocation communities—but each day's itinerary was decided over morning coffee. [ 234 more words ]

An array of motivations converged and led to a delightful road trip. Along with Charlie Hamilton, a long time friend and a perfect road trip companion, we set out with a to-do punch list that would be strung together with whimsy. Yes, we had stops to make—visit old friends, return to stomping grou...

11/01/2018

My longtime friend from Mill Valley, Charlie Hamilton, and I decided to not act our age. We set out on a long road trip: 3 weeks, 4,200 miles, 10 crossings of the continental divide, 8 (of the 11) western states. And yes, we are still speaking (great company). The trip was motivated by seeing old friends, revisiting old stomping grounds (Aspen and Vail...in our misspent youths), and the Rocky Mountains in full color. You can check each box as joyful encounters. A few shots from the trip.