2021! what are your plans for this year?

[Bluegreen kayak]

Sites on recreation.gov filled up really quickly this year. So far I have Furnace Creek 22-25 Feb (and I plan to move over to Texas Springs after that), Big Bend in Texas 5-9 April, and Capitol Reef 13 May-3 June, heading over to Bryce after that.  To get the week in Big Bend, I had to piece together two different campgrounds and three sites. I figure I'll just throw the tent in the van and move it around. All of my travel is driving.

[netllama]

What part of Turkey? I've been all over. Good luck learning Turkish I did... but the words don't sound like anything you know. Afghanistan. I have no idea what it is like these days. I spent about 2 1/2 months there in the 70s. Went across the north from Herat to Mazar via public transport on a very back roads route. I wonder what is safe to do there there days?

For me, I have some reservations for SPW in March but since I have to fly out, I am pretty dubious. I have enough risk factors, and covid is so out of control again, I will be surprised if I get anywhere before summer. Thinking Montana, maybe the Sierra (depends on snow pack), Washington state.

Just Istanbul for a 24 hour layover enroute to Afghanistan. I'll be in Kabul & Mazar-e-sharif. To be honest, none of it is truly safe, but those cities are reasonably safe, with the proper precautions. I'm sure you had a spectacular experience there, compared to what is remotely possible today.

[netllama]

Sites on recreation.gov filled up really quickly this year. So far I have Furnace Creek 22-25 Feb (and I plan to move over to Texas Springs after that), Big Bend in Texas 5-9 April, and Capitol Reef 13 May-3 June, heading over to Bryce after that.  To get the week in Big Bend, I had to piece together two different campgrounds and three sites. I figure I'll just throw the tent in the van and move it around. All of my travel is driving.

That sounds lovely. I've been wanting to get down to Big Bend for a while. I'd love if you could post a trip report, or at least photos, when you return from those trips.

[shane]

Planning a DV trip Feb 5-15 and the Wind River range in July. I’ll probably hit the Trinity Alps and Sequoia area like usual too.

[MojaveGeek]

I look forward to reading about your trip to Afghanistan! You'll go over the Salang pass between Kabul and Mazar - there was much fighting there over the years. The mosque/tomb in the center of Mazar is beautiful. I bet you'll go to nearby Balk, which was one of the cities on the Silk Road and, I think, much more history. Mostly just some ruins now, though in the day much hashish was sold there (not that I would have partaken, ahem).

The first time I went up to Mazar I'd been traveling only 10 months or so. On the way (by bus of course) we passed through Kholm/Tashkurgaon (Kholm is the new name). Wherever the bus stopped, there were mostly these mud brick buildings with beehive - like (as in the skeps we see on Utah state highway signs) roofs. I was feeling a bit nervous, as in "I hope this is not Mazar yet, I was hoping for something looking a bit more like a city". Next time I went through it was years later, and I almost got off the bus to explore there instead. Just had learned a bit more and felt a bit more comfortable.

[TacoLand]

California just started easing travel restrictions in the state, and the "storm of the century" that's supposed to bring two years worth of rain to Southern California in the span of a week appears to be missing Death Valley, so a March trip to DV is looking more and more likely. Fingers crossed.

[David_Bricker]

...the "storm of the century" that's supposed to bring two years worth of rain to Southern California in the span of a week appears to be missing Death Valley...

Death and Panamint Valleys didn't get missed entirely. Titus is closed, Cerro Gordo got a lot of snow. Nothing in Keeler, where my son lives, but they're supposed to get hit tomorrow/Wednesday. Storm warning out for highways 395, 190 and 136.

David Bricker / SYR

[TacoLand]

Death and Panamint Valleys didn't get missed entirely.  Titus is closed, Cerro Gordo got a lot of snow.  Nothing in Keeler, where my son lives, but they're supposed to get hit tomorrow/Wednesday. Storm warning out for highways 395, 190 and 136.

David Bricker / SYR

Thanks for the update – I obviously need to keep a closer eye on things. My initial reaction to "storm of the century" was, "geez ... no roads in DV for months/years, again."

[MojaveGeek]

There was an inch of snow in Las Vegas and some real dumping in the Bay Area. Next wave of the storm is coming in now or soon I believe. We'll have to see.

I have a trip "planned" for the week of 15 March, but it's highly unlikely I'll fly (from Boston) unless I can get vaccinated. My wife is good (medical professional) but at the rate we are going here in Mass. I'm about ready to call the trip off.

[David_Bricker]

Looks like the bulk of today's storm is well north of DV. Highway 395 is closed from Bishop north to Nevada border, with only the possibility of it opening tomorrow (Thursday).

I've not heard from my son; maybe he's out shoveling?

David Bricker / SYR