I stuck a little closer to home this year, and by that I mean no crossing international date lines and only a few dips into other languages. During my adventures this year, I visited 31 national parks and monuments from the snows of Maryland to the rains of Alaska to the humid heat of Texas! I learned a lot about our nation’s early history and added some context to so many current events. I met my fundraising goals but hit an unexpected linguistic roadblock for restoring a landmark plaque this year.
With all the ups and downs, I had so much fun and can’t wait for 2019’s adventures to kick off! Before I get into too many details of my upcoming European adventure and quest to see a second solar eclipse, here are my 10 best photos of 2018. What do you think?
1. Windy Enchantment in New Mexico!
Boy, was the wind howling when I visited White Sands National Monument! Not only that, but when you’re frolicking on a natural playground of fine gypsum sand, that wind turns into a sandblaster! I was super lucky to find a hardy yucca to hold onto, and that my camera didn’t get totally filled with sand!
2. Two Legends: Señor Castorieti and John Brown’s Fort!
After getting snowed out at Shenandoah National Park, I met up with Señor Castorieti at the site of John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry! Though the weather was frosty on my first visit to West Virginia, it was fascinating to learn about Mr. Brown’s goal to steal the weapons stored here and free the slaves. This site is also neat for its connection with a California Historical Landmark!
3. The Treacherous Backbone of Mount Baldy!
This year, I conquered the highest peaks of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties, collectively known as the Three Saints! While all had their own unique vistas and topographies, this saddle between two cliffs on the back side of Mount Baldy really highlights the rugged beauty of these towering mountains!
4. Innovation Central!
I learned a lot about Mr. Thomas Edison by visiting his factory in Orange, New Jersey! He had an incredible hold on the imagination of America, and a tight grip on his patents that would eventually push filmmakers to Los Angeles to found the Hollywood film industry! In that way, I enjoy the parallels between this water tower and other famous water towers on LA studio lots!
5. The Wrong Side of the Mountain!
The one thing this photo can’t quite capture is how terrified I was while taking it! I’d gone up the wrong side of Hart Peak while visiting Castle Mountains National Monument on my birthday and found myself midway up a cliff! This is where I paused to figure out if it would be more dangerous to keep going or to turn back!
6. Beavers for the Ages!
Sitka National Historical Park has preserved totem poles from all along the Alaskan coast, and a big highlight of the park was learning how the Tlingit and Haida honored beavers in their totem art! This one was pretty close to my size, and you can tell it’s a beaver because of its cross-hatched tail and buck teeth!
7. Border Wars!
It was more than the heat of a Texas summer that made the Palo Alto Battlefield tense! Here in 1846, the US and Mexico had it out over a tiny strip of land between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande! This cannon looked pretty intense, but the Americans had much bigger ones down the trail!
8. Bill Bridges Not Walls!
With all the talk about the US-Mexico border this year, I decided to make a few stops along this controversial frontera in 2018! I wandered the art exhibits in a park in Juárez and had tamales in the tiny village of Boquillas del Carmen! Visiting border towns gives such a neat glimpse into the cultures of both sides of the divide!
9. Floating the Rio Grande!
I got out the flamingo tube a couple of times this year, and boy do I love it! I’d originally meant to go swimming in the wild and scenic Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park, but it was really, really muddy! So, I went floating instead, and had a wild time on its swiftly flowing waters!
10. Cadillac Crash!
Cadillac Ranch is a unique art installation just west of Amarillo. It’s completely interactive! Visitors bring cans of spray paint or leave them for others, and add their own touch to these ten vintage Cadillacs. It’s such a popular spot that the cars never look the same from one day to the next!
I hope you enjoyed following along with this year’s adventures. If you’re new to the Bill Beaver Project, why not check out my social media accounts? I’ve got new stuff up on Facebook and Twitter every day, but to see adventures before they get published here, take a look at my Instagram! I look forward to sharing more of the world with you in 2019!
Happy New Year!
