Southwest

With the first destination of Big Bear Lake, CA, and a love for the southwest, I picked a route through New Mexico and Arizona.

New Mexico will always be a happy place ❤️

I arrived at the first campsite just as the sun set over the canyon. There were lots of posted warnings about cougars in the area and it was my first time setting up camp, so I didn't have too much time for pictures or exploring. I was able to snag this just as I got out of cell reception for the night (which I neglected to inform my family, leading to some unhappy texts in the morning).

First campsite for the trip, outside of Mills, NM

The stars night sky in New Mexico are as stunning as I've seen anywhere else. Unfortunately I didn't bring a good enough camera to take pictures to share here.

Sunrise and Adobes in Santa Fe, NM

The first of many early (see: dark) mornings, I woke up early enough to tear down camp and drive a few hours to Santa Fe for this sunrise. I had enough time to drive around and enjoy some sights, but would save more of the exploring for a return later in the trip.

Sunset overlooking Tucson, AZ, just outside of Saguaro National Park

After a stop in Hatch, NM for some chiles, and a bit of a scare on running out of gas when the one station on the route in rural NM was closed, I arrived at the campsite in Tucson just in time for this sunset overlooking the city. There were lots of campers nearby, so I felt fortunate to find a spot for myself before it got too dark.

Sunset outside of Tucson, AZ

I was able to snap this shot while considering where to camp. Ultimately I had time to head a bit higher up the mountain and ended up with the sunset pictures above.

Sunset overlooking San Bernardino, CA

I was able to explore Tucson for a bit the next morning before leaving for San Bernardino, CA. I wasn't too excited to need to find a campsite so close to such a large urban area, but it ended up having some of the best views on the trip.

Purple mountain majesties outside of San Bernardino, CA

Campsite overlooking San Bernardino, CA

The one downside to this spot was the hour+ commute into the city to work during the week. It also lacked reception, but after the commute each way, working, and cooking for the day I didn't have too much time to kill anyway.

New sunset, who dis? Same campsite overlooking San Bernardino, CA

There was one day where the fog made for low visibility, and I was glad I had taken the photos when I did. I was also glad to have spent the money on a nice awning setup to stay dry while cooking.

Sunrise in San Bernardino, CA

This photo came my last morning at the campsite. It ended up being a great preview for seeing Mount Whitney just a few days later.