Don’t Miss Our Latest Adventure Video below “Follow The Sun”
For best results watch the above video on a big screen in 1080P with the volume cranked all the way up to maybe 9 or even 10
This adventure takes place in late 2025 as we explore Capitol Reef National Park in Utah and Los Padres National Forest above the Big Sur coastline in California.
The Bentonite Hills are located on BLM land just outside Capitol Reef NP.
They are softly-contoured, banded hills in varying hues of brown, red, purple, gray, and green. These layers were formed during Jurassic times when mud, silt, fine sand, and volcanic ash were deposited in swamps and lakes.
Bentonite is clay (a form of volcanic ash) that absorbs water and becomes very slick and gummy when wet, making vehicular or foot travel very difficult or impossible at these times.
Repeated cycles of absorbing water and then drying results in a popcorn-like appearance on the clay surface.
Back in 2021 we tried to drive the 60 mile Cathedral Loop (including the Bentonite Hills) but were stymied by inclement wet weather.
A high-clearance 4WD vehicle is strongly recommended. The loop involves fording the Fremont River, which can also be impassable during high water.
The Cathedrals are just that, magnificant free-standing sandstone monoliths that rise hundreds of feet from the desert floor. They are particularly striking when illuminated during the golden hour of evening light.
The Cathedral Loop is a spectacular drive of sometimes very rocky road passing through many eye exploding vistas and extremely colorful landscapes.
We next travel to the Left Coast and explore the Big Sur.
The coastal mountains above Big Sur lie within Los Padres National Forest. There are only a few campgrounds along the coast so one must climb high up into the hills to beat the crowds and find solitude.
After leaving Highway 1 we drive uphill following narrow steep mountain back roads and eventually find a camp at 3200′ with outstanding vistas of the Pacific ocean.
We spend a week perched on a remote ridge and never see a cloud the entire time…wow
The mountains and forests along the Big Sur coast are a wonderful mix of coast redwood ecosystems mixed with oak woodlands, bay laurel, and Douglas fir at slightly higher elevations.
This coastline is deeply impacted by coastal fog and rain and are part of the almost 2 million acre Los Padres National Forest.
This place reminds me of my youth and why I still love California.
Yvon Chouinard once stated “the remedy for depression is action as an antidote to a sense of hopelessness or gloom, particularly concerning the state of the environment”
Special Note:
We struggle with the idea of continuing to post our adventures online during these very uncertain and tenuous times.
While it provides us with a distraction or escape and allows us to focus on something more positive, our hope is that our videos and photos also help you in a similar way, even if it is just for a short time.
Get Involved and Stay Strong!
https://www.conservationlands.org
Get out and enjoy your public lands while you can, America is changing
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“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu
Yes, Bravo on the spectacular night shy!
Thank you Jacquelyn, we try and seek out areas with no light pollution, these were very good locations! Thanks for following the Dogs !
Wow! Tim, your video skills improve with every video. And you’ve apparently now got a master drone pilot license – bravo! I really enjoyed this one, particularly the Big Sur stuff as it does make me a little homesick for the central California landscape. But we’re loving our Baja landscape too much to really want to be elsewhere. Seeing as it’s already March, I don’t think we’ll get a chance to see you down our way this season (or will we?). I’ll raise a glass of tequila to you both tonight! Cheers.
Thanks Chris! It’s great to hear from you, yes Big Sur was very special for us and reminded me of my days hanging along that coast in the late 60’s hangin with my (hippie) buds.
Tim and Denise, as usual, and amazing look at our beautiful country. I suspect most people will never see these sites. Your use of the drone is absolutely breathtaking. Thanks for sharing your journeys. Safe travels this winter on the way bac home.
John, Its friends like you that help keep us inspired to keep exploring our world. Thanks for the nice comment! keep you posted!
As always, love the videos and seeing what you’re experiencing. This time you nailed it with the music, as it was perfect for looking at beautiful places and knowing that getting out into them is what will keep us sane. Hugs to you both@
Thanks Kris, so far this winter we have visited many new places and they have inspired us to spend the time capturing them on film, finding the right soundtrack is sometimes the tricky part, thanks for your comments we really appreciate them, Hope your staying warm in the north country!
We love seeing your videos and reading your blogs. You both are inspiring to Tony and myself. We feel so grateful to know you both and hope to catch up with you again somewhere down the road when we are back in the states. Big hugs to you three!
🫶 Ashley, Tony and Mozzie🐾
Thanks for your comments we really appreciate them, it certainly would be fun to see you three again, Maybe in Alaska? Ruby really misses Mozzie!
Your posts highlight many of the wonders that surround us and provide a front row seat to witness the possibility and essentiality of preservation and protection. Thanks for sharing and Please keep on taking us Farther!
WOW thanks for your thoughtful comments Imke! even though we are just trying to capture our life of travel its nice knowing that at times we have a possitve effect on others especially the likes you and Michael, you guys are the best….and its been a very fun winter running into you guys all over the place!!
Another masterpiece! The photography captured your adventures beautifully and the music was the icing on the cake. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Elwood! Is was easy to put together a video like this when one makes the effort to go FARTHER off the beaten track, we had a great time traveling with you four this winter, lets do it again next winter!!
Incredible. Especially the night sky with the million stars. These films give me hope. Nature always wins. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Mary Ann, thanks for following our adventures, hope you and yours are weathering the storm so to speak.
Once again the creativity and brilliant talents of of you both have put together such a beautiful piece. Your videos and photos of the landscape are stunning. How do you find such unique waypoints? And…it looks like you were lucky that the road crews graded the roads prior to your trip 🤪
Thanks Michael, it sometimes takes a little more effort to find that magical place and then it’s easy to capture it because it is magical! We had a blast meeting up with the Blanics this winter, we have a hard time staying away from Michael’s BBQ…