Author: Samantha Gribley

S Calif desert / American Girl Mine

More from the South California desert. I wanted to see the namesake for American Girl Mine Road, so one day I drove my SUV as far as I thought I should on a rough rocky dirt road and then hiked the rest of the way on a very windy desert day. My face was red from the wind by the time I got back.

Picturesque sandy hills along the way
Spotted this Volkswagen-sized rock…
…with a big hole in it
American Girl Mine – This is not how I pictured a mine at all. I guess I’ve seen too many movies but I picture a hole in the side of a mountain shored up with timbers. This looks like a quarry to me.
Timidly peeking over the edge of AGM – I am scared of heights, a condition that is very inconvenient for a hiker.
View from the other side of the mine, so I could see where I was peeking over.
This is always a welcome sight after a long–or very windy–hike. (Is it just me or does it look like a toy?)
We never did find out what was going on, but we routinely saw fires on the horizon. They were said to be in Mexico but we didn’t know what was burning.
A very big moon seen from our camping spot on this day.

More from the Texas portion of the trip

Just like they say, Texas is big, so it took a while to get from the eastern border to the western border, especially since I didn’t take the straightest route. So – more photos from Texas than from anywhere else (so far).

This fine piece of architecture houses the finest, high tech scale technology
Here is the finest, high tech scale technology
Stopping seemed like a good idea. This is Lake Livingston in Texas.
I drove a so-called scenic loop around the lake (it was anything but scenic) and ended up driving through a neighborhood. This guy was cute.
I loved all the American flags on this house. Beautiful.
There was only one who seemed mildly interested in the woman with the camera.
The other Huntsville. I lived in the Alabama one for 19 years.
I haven’t seen a lot of these where I’ve lived (Brahman)
Ornate artwork on an overpass
They claim the very best milk shakes in Navasota, TX. I didn’t test the claim but I do like their holiday decoration.
The homes along part of my Texas route were amazing.
I couldn’t figure out this set up until I saw the “events” sign.
Random sight along the road. Someone is a good artist.
This would not be the job for me but I’m very glad someone does it.
Interesting looking crane
I don’t know what this very tall plant was, but it was pretty–especially blowing in the wind
The entrances to these grand Texas homes were works of art themselves. I wanted to photograph all of them.
Unusual tower up high on a hill. I think this was another event venue.
I guess I like cows. Another species I don’t often see – Herefords.

Betty White

I was so sad to just hear of the passing of comedic heroine, Betty White. She was one of a kind. I am a fan from way back in the Mary Tyler Moore days. Only recently, I discovered the (now cancelled) Hot in Cleveland series, which I then watched start to finish. The funniest thing I’ve seen, however, are bloopers from Hot in Cleveland. If you want some belly laughs, look for those on YouTube. I’m so glad we have many shows by which to remember Betty. She will be sorely missed.

Here is an article from PBS:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/iconic-actress-betty-white-dies-at-age-99

From the Original Cross Country Trek

More “retro” photos from the drive across the country. Clicking on each small photo produces a larger version. Each has a caption which is also easier to read with the enlarged photo versions. (If you can’t see it, click the “i” with a circle around it at the bottom right and/or scroll down).

I remember “Sinclairs” from my childhood. They’re still out there! I think this one was in Missouri, my home state.
To me, this doesn’t seem to be the best placement for a driving range–right next to the highway. I’ll bet the odd good player could make it over that high fence.
I believe this is national forest in Oklahoma. This was a beautiful drive up, up — and a very slow one for my little rig.
View at the top
Beautiful red sumac at the overlook
I just thought this was a neat-looking house. Somewhere in OK or TX
A closer view. It had XMas lights so I bet it was pretty at night, too.
Different types of power poles. (I guess this falls under the category of “It doesn’t take much to interest me”.)
Lake Livingston State Park. I visited/hiked here while I was waiting over the Tgiving holiday to finish my residency process.
Lake Livingston State Park moss
Ever since I lived in Florida, I’ve been intrigued by moss
Pretty, in its own way
Fall color
Lots of pine trees whose needles fell and hung on lower trees and bushes. This was everywhere.
More color
Some kind of vine all along these branches up very high. Don’t know if it was poison ivy or what
This looks familiar
If there’s a wildflower in the vicinity, it will be captured by my camera
Don’t forget to look up! I love clouds.
More hanging needles
A little bird observation building at the end of a boardwalk. Loved this.
Great signage inside
Cornell – always a great resource for birding
Dwarf Palmetto, I think. Correct me, if I’m wrong
Hurricane and insect impacts in the park
While I was hunting for the tax office, I saw this old type movie theater in downtown Livingston
I even spotted an big ol’ popcorn maker through one of the windows. (Mmm…I can smell it now). I would have loved going inside.

South California Desert

My previous camping location in California was enjoyable in many ways. Mostly warm days but cool in the evenings. The desert wind was a new experience that was–let’s just say not always enjoyable! I had never been in the desert before, so there were many new things to see. I got a lot of hiking in.
(Click each photo for a larger version and to more easily read captions).

These little trees (bushes?) were everywhere
Lots of landscapes to see. Some, as in this shot, were man-made.
Lots of mining in this area. This large wood structure was used to load rock onto trucks.
My walking buddy and I bravely took this route up a nearby hill that had been mined in the past. (We are both acrophobic)
View from a plateau near the top. The line of 4wd vehicles below give an idea of our elevation. (These tours came thru the area regularly. It’s a mecca for dune buggies and such).
Broad view of a sprawling desert. Again, providing a perspective there is a many-car train in the distance. It looks like a toy from this vantage point.
Unusual desert beauty
Beauty that’s also prickly
Ouch!
Another view of the common tree/bush mentioned earlier
A close-up shows more prickly
Anyone who knows me understands if there’s a wildflower anywhere in the vicinity, I have to get a photo.
More desert beauty. And, yes, a closeup reveals thorns
A common view: a sandy surface, a “wash” with a few green trees/plants, and stunning, rugged mountains in the distance
A prevalent resident which was a good reason for me to keep my Epi pen handy. (A video would have given a better “picture” but I didn’t stick around long enough for that).
A fierce wild desert animal. Actually this is Cosmo, a new friend’s beautiful little dog. I can’t pronounce his breed, much less spell it.

States, so far

I’m trying to capture the welcome sign for each state. My success has been marginal. (Sometimes, I’m a little busy). Eventually, I would like to have a record of having visited every state, so I’ll probably fill in the ones I know I’ve been to in the past.

I’ve also thought about driving or hiking to every state’s high point. That will take quite a while longer and will never be completed entirely, but I’d like to take a run at it.

Have any of you visited every state high point, with the possible exception of Alaska/Denali? With eight others above 13k, this would obviously still be a huge accomplishment.

Two Changes

Obviously, I’ve changed blog platforms.  I didn’t know that Tumblr required an account to comment, etc.  That’s not what I wanted.  So, this is “Plan B”.

Another change:  As I mentioned, I liked the name “My Side of the Adventure” and I’ve decided to adopt it.

(photo:  A beautiful Missouri tree)

Why “Samantha Gribley”?

When I was a child, I read the book “My Side of the Mountain” by Jean George. It’s about a pre-teen boy, “Sam Gribley”, who (amiably) leaves his family home to live in the woods on his own. This story always stuck with me, for some reason. Oddly, except for constantly playing outdoors and in all kinds of sports, I didn’t hike, camp, etc., growing up. My family was not into that (partially because we lived in the suburbs of a big city–at least during my growing-up years). But I’ve come to dearly love any time outside hiking, exploring, taking photographs, listening to music–or even driving.
As I was going through all my belongings in preparation for going on the road, I found the book and read it through again. In some respects, it mirrors the adventure I’ve chosen to undertake. So far, I’m enjoying “my side of the adventure” very much. (Hmm, maybe that’s what I should have called my blog).  [EDIT:  I *did* change the name]