My Post-Sabbatical Year(s) in Asia (or wherever): 2018 Summer Road Trip Part 2

After a week in Las Vegas visiting my parents and friends, I headed to Fresno and a visit with my older sister. This morning I am driving to the Bay Area and then returning to Seattle.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is located 15 miles west of Las Vegas in the Mojave Desert. It was designated a National conservation area in 1990. The canyon’s sandstone walls are up to 3000 feet high (914 meters). The highest point is La Madre Mountain, at 8,154 feet (2,485 m). I have a special affinity to Red Rock Canyon, as it was one of my favorite locations. I feel like it as saved me from the insipid Las Vegas culture as I was growing up, but only fully appreciated its beauty after my travels around the world.

Yosemite National Park
In the Spring of 1978, during my Freshman year at university, I participated in the UC Extension program, backpacking for 10 weeks (and getting college credit - imagine that!). There were 3 groups of 15 students. We would go into the park for 2 weeks at a time, then come out for a day to pick up food. We had a naturalist to guide us, and a philosopher who roamed between the three groups. We had required readings of biologists and naturalists, and had to do an independent research project. I studied edible plants.

Yosemite Valley was designated a "protected area" by President Lincoln in 1864. Later, John Muir led a successful movement to establish a larger national park encompassing not just the valley, but surrounding mountains and forests as well—paving the way for the U.S. National Park system. Yosemite was declared a national park in 1890, the third national park in the US. The park has an elevation range from 2,127 to 13,114 feet (648 to 3,997 m)