Something I’ve noticed about aging is that many of our loved ones become more and more articulate about what makes them happy, as the passing years bring clarity beyond the hustle and bustle of workaday life. All the same, through lack of intent or opportunity, not everyone has yet become able to move towards their […]
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Winter is the New Summer: 2024
On the morning of April 26, I drafted a proposed summer itinerary of excursions celebrating the glorious wilderness delights adjacent to Mesa Alta Base Camp. I intended to email it that evening to our camping, hiking, biking and foraging pals. It looked something like this: April – Frog Pond May- Amphitheater June- Irises and Lupine […]
Mesa Alta Base Camp, Fall and Winter 2023
Fall in New Mexico is busy, with Zozobra, Dixon, the Ren Fair, birthdays, and above all, the aspen. Several trip to MABC specifically to work on the fence alternated with encampments on top of the mesa in search of mushrooms, new views, and golden leaves. After days spent clearing brush and setting posts we rewarded […]
Mesa Alta Base Camp, Summer 2023
Though my thoughts continually dwell upon our treasured refuge, our days this summer have been spent elsewhere. We have been held hostage by domestic obligations, as our city home was long overdue for a kitchen update. Our summer also included a camping trip to Idaho for my dad’s 80th, and a “farewell” send- off camping […]
Mesa Alta Base Camp Weekend, November 12-14, 2022
With winter rolling in, we gathered up our cold weather gear and to–do list, hoping to cross a few more tasks off before snow takes hold. At the top of the list was looping our architect friend Chris into the conversation regarding the potential for building on the property. Friday night he and Stefani came […]
Mesa Alta Base Camp Weekend, October 1-2, 2022
Barbed wire and muddy boots – we always welcome rain, even as it washes away some of our intentions…. Last weekend Kevin and I corralled Jacob, Shawn and Kali for a work/ chow/ biking adventure. We drove to up Mesa Alta Base Camp Saturday, in fine Northern New Mexico autumn weather. We got right to […]
Mesa Alta Base Camp Weekend, September 3-5, 2022
We took advantage of the long holiday weekend to make some progress on vehicular access to the property. Strands of barbed wire littered the primitive road near the stretch gate, so we moved that all back toward the “boot heel” of the property to be used later, rather than have it puncture our tires. Our […]
Mesa Alta Base Camp Weekend, August 13-14, 2022
This weekend Kevin and I spent a sunny Saturday afternoon resetting posts and restringing barbed wire. There is so much downed barbed wire that rather than risk punctured tires, we once again camped just to the north, in the National Forest. The top priority for the immediate future is to keep cows out in order […]
Mesa Alta Base Camp Inaugural Weekend, July 2-4, 2022
This weekend we celebrated our first excursion as co-owners of 12 completely undeveloped, gorgeous acres in Northern New Mexico! The property is in Northern New Mexico on Highway 96 with Abiquiu to the east and Cuba to the west, between Coyote and Gallina. It sits right along the Continental Divide Trail and the Old Spanish […]
The “Why?”
Deana and I spent our early childhood in National Parks, as our dad was a Park Ranger. Our front yard had alligators in Everglades, bears in Yellowstone, and deer in Shenandoah. Life was outdoors more than indoors. Even after dad left the Park Service, the memory of Yellowstone continued to abide-a completely immersive, sensory, emotional […]