Big Bend National Park, Texas: Goodbye Big Bend

Big Bend National Park, Texas. September 2017.

Goodbye to Big Bend National Park.

Goodbye, tarantula.

Goodbye, lubber.

Goodbye, vinegaroon.

Goodbye, beetles.

Goodbye, cactus wren.

Goodbye, fox and bear poop.

Goodbye, grasshoppers and ants.

Goodbye, walking sticks.

.... and about the bears. I am weary of letting a fear of bear (or mountain lion or large feral pig) encounters affect my enjoyment of hikes.

Something must change about this. The fear limits me.

Chisos Campground, Big Bend National Park, Texas. September 2017.

An American Woman of a Certain Age: A Rite of Passage

My joy at achieving a certain American rite of passage conflicts with my reluctance to reveal my age.

Fuck.

OK, I'm going to share the glee at getting something, but let's be very unclear.

Maybe I already got it - years ago, months ago, days ago.

Maybe I haven't got it yet, but I'm going to get it - days from now, weeks from now, years from now, and I can't stand the anticipation of getting it, so I'm sharing it in advance.

Maybe I JUST GOT IT AND I AM SQUEALING INSIDE LIKE A SIX-YEAR-OLD!

The "it" is the America the Beautiful Senior Pass.

Or, as I like to call it: the LIFETIME national park pass! A lifetime! A whole life! The rest of my life!

Starting from whenever I turned or will turn 62. If that ever happened or might happen at some indeterminate date in the past or future.

Lifetime senior pass