Coming soon

2024: a moderately sized year.

In which we aim to travel the country in our trusty 99 Chevy Blazer, observing, documenting and learning from the birds, animals, people and places we encounter.

Our family photo: Monkey, Tyler, Rachel and Blazer, surrounded by (most of) the durable goods we’re bringing for our year of heavy camping.

A (mostly complete) packing list:

• 2 camping chairs

• 2 overnight packs

• 2 daypacks

• 5 gallon water jug

• 2 water bottles

• collapsible wash basin

• Celestron Trailseeker spotting scope

• 2 pair binoculars (Vortex 8x42, Zhumell 10x42)

• travel guitar + tuner + songbook

• ukulele + kazoo + songbook

• duffel bag of linens and blankets

• vintage Ewok mug (gift from nephew, Tobiah John)

• bespoke camp box with poorly bespoke lacquer job + books* + stove + cookware + 2 plates + utensils…

• tiny Japanese-style fry pan (tamagoyaki anyone?)

• 2 throw pillows we got for cheap that are smaller than regular pillows but still awesome for sleeping on!

• yoga mat

• 2 giant warm calf-length down parkas (1 purchased for $8 at Fairbanks Value Village… remember, Caitlin L.???)

• 1 cheap sunshade from Reny’s in Maine!

• 2 sleeping bags

• 1 Big Agnes tent (thanks for the recommendation, Amelia and Drew!)

• 1 Big Agnes air mattress, for comfort and style

• Awesome extra warm camping blanket!

• One not as warm but truly awesome chickadee blanket

• 2 tarps

• Poles to put the tarps up

• Rope to hold the poles to hold the tarps up

• extra stakes

• hammer to stake the stakes

• 4 rolls of TP that have been in the Blazer for 3 years… (not pictured)

• First Aid kit

• 2 headlamps

• camping shovel (leave no trace!)

• collection of random plastic bags we have squirreled away to use for trash

• 2 laptops (faaaancy… 2?)

• 2 micro-loops for on-hands-and-knees investigation of tiny wonders

• camera

• phone

• personalized deck of cards- thanks, Paige!

• probably some other stuff, but this list is long enough.

*Book list (for starters…):

• 2 Sibley bird guides (east and west)

• A Swift Guide to Butterflies of North America

• The Audubon Guide to National Wildlife Refuges Series (all!)

• National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Trees of North America (on loan— again, thanks, Paige!)

• The Snow Leopard, Peter Matthiessen

• Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Annie Dillard

• Pensées, Blaise Pascal

• Doxology, Nell Zink

• Avalon, Nell Zink

• Galapagos, Kurt Vonnegut

• Basin and Range, John McPhee

• The Peregrine, J. A. Baker

• Casa de los espíritus, Isabel Allende