The Mayans made 2012 a significant year, so I decided to do the same! That meant seeing 168 Historical Landmarks on several epic road trips, 2 National Parks, and the End of the World! Yup! Even though I’m still here writing, I saw the End of the World in 2012 by walking El Camino de Santiago de Compostela! Along the way, I learned the benefits of extending depth of field and put that knowledge to use accordingly! So, without further ado, take a look at my favorite photos from this significant year!

1. The Mesquite Dunes in Death Valley!

I woke up to see the first sunrise of 2012, and I thought, how wonderful it is to be alive! When a beaver has this thought, the idea of frolic comes quickly to mind! So, I snapped this photo in the morning light while frolicking on the Mesquite Sand Dunes! I love the vastness of the dunes receding into the background and their contrast! I was still learning a thing or two about framing, but I was getting there!

2. Save China Camp!

This summer, the California state government threatened to shut down 72 state parks, including those that contained Historical Landmarks! That was some terrible planning on their part! Anyway, I knew I had to see them before it was too late, so I did, over the course of the year, and it was so sad to see what the government chose to delete, like China Camp, one of the last Chinese shrimp fishing camps left after the racist policies of the government made it illegal for Chinese fishermen to catch shrimp in the San Francisco Bay area. I think this picture captures some of the bleakness of this decision. Luckily, though, private donors stepped in and saved all 72 of these places, which is why it’s so important to help the helpers!

3. Placing a Stone at La Cruz de Ferro!

Bring a stone from home when you walk El Camino de Santiago de Compostela, and with it bring your negative feelings, your fear, your doubt, your sorrow, and leave it at the Iron Cross. Here, your sorrows will join the sorrows of countless pilgrims before you, and like them, you will leave your sorrows behind. This may be my favorite picture of the year because of what it means!

4. A Siesta in Santiago!

It’s tiring walking 500 miles! When I took an extra day in Santiago, I just had to see what the Spanish siesta was all about! So I found this tree, bright with the colors of springtime, overlooking this magnificent medieval city! It was an incredible experience on a lovely day!

5. It’s the End of the World!

The best part of this photo is the context! I had just taken my last steps after a long journey and prepared to remove my shoes at last next to the brass pilgrim’s boots! Not only that, but I had arrived at the place named “Finisterre,” or “End of the Earth,” by the Romans, who believed there was nothing more beyond this point! So, in a way, I did see the end of the world in 2012!

6. Malakoff Diggins!

Hydraulic mining has been in practice since Roman times, but it wasn’t until the North Bloomfield Mining company brought more sophisticated equipment and started pumping 100,000 tons of mercury-laden sediment into the rivers that this actually became an environmental concern! I love that this was the site of the first big shutdown of an environmentally degrading mining operation. What’s left of it though, is a spectacular pile of gorgeous colors!

7. The Lily Pad Balancing Act!

This picture at the Mission San Juan Capistrano took me over an hour to get right! It’s not easy balancing on a lily pad on a regular day, but try balancing on a lily pad after setting a timer on a tripod in between bursts of wind and curious kids hopping into the frame! Needless to say, I’m proud that I got it at all!

8. Me & Woodchuck at Mono Lake!

My brother, Woodchuck, joined me for a roadtrip to Devil’s Postpile and Lee Vining, and we reached the glorious tufa formations of Mono Lake just as the sun was setting. This is easily the best picture we’ve ever taken together! It is now hanging on my wall!

9. The “Hysterical” Landmark!

This picture tells a tale of triumph! Last December, I followed this sign to my ruin and was stuck in the sands outside of Barstow until well after dark! I went back this year with better directions and had to take this photo in order to prove that any obstacle can be overcome, given enough time and experience!

10. Big Biscuit!

Biscuit is an animal hero! He was meant for slaughter and received a lot of growth hormones, but then the Gentle Barn rescued him! Now he weighs over 1,000 pounds, but he’s one healthy hog! He eats an all-vegetarian diet, gets plenty of rest, and most impressively, jogs for 45 solid minutes around the barnyard every morning! I had to make sure I rubbed his belly for good luck!

The adventure continues beyond 2012! May you have a whole new year of thrills!