Weather at Dad's place today (April 2) in Upper Michigan: mostly freezing rain and sleet right now, with another 5 inches of snow expected on top of it. This has truly been one of the harshest winters in decades. I spoke with someone up there who said the two back-to-back storms in mid-March alone dumped 54 inches (137 cm) of snow. 😬

Three good things:

1. Even with all this weather, the camera is still giving me a window into home.

2. I'm looking forward to making several side trips while I'm in the Midwest, visiting old familiar places and some new ones, too. All with my camera in hand. Hoping to offset the inevitable moments of grief and sadness as I sort through my dad and brother's belongings.

3. It's good to finally feel excited about getting out with my camera again.

#threegoodthings #3goodthings #GriefJourney #WinterWeather #Roadtrip #TravelPhotography #gratitude #today

[2/2] Passadiços do Paiva | Paiva Walkways trailside smalls. This is Linaria triornithophora | the three birds toadflax, which is endemic to Portugal (📷1). Scilla monophyllos | the single-leaved squill is native to PT, western ES & Morocco (📷2). There were a number of native Quercus suber | cork oaks beside the trail, some close enough to tempt those with knives to prove cork was indeed inside (📷3). Hyacinthoides hispanica | the Spanish bluebell is native to the Iberian Peninsula (📷4). We also re-identified Pararge aegeria | the speckled wood butterfly, attracted to the moist riverside environment.

🇵🇹 #portugal 🇪🇺 #europe 🚀 #travel 🚐 #camperVan #nomad #roadTrip #vanLife 🥾 #hiking #nature 🌍 #unesco 🌸 #bloomScrolling

#WalkingUp to Laguna Torre enjoying the good weather and the #scenicviews. 🥾🏔

#elchalten #patagonia #argentina #trees #mountains #clouds #rainbow #travel #hike #hiking #river #autumn #roadtrip #nature #outdoors #trail #adventure

[1/2] Passadiços do Paiva | Paiva Walkways is a paid (2€ pp) 8.75km point-to-point trail following the river gorge between Areinho & Espiunca, within the Arouca UNESCO Geopark. We 🅿️ the night before at Areinho & walked towards Vau (onward to Espiunca is closed). Much of the route is boardwalk & utilizes many stairs (📷1). Another attraction in the geopark is a 516m pedestrian suspension bridge, which can be traversed from the walkway for an additional fee (📷2). The route provides views of the rio Paiva from above & waterside (📷3). The beach at Vau is made of fine gravel & ideal for a lunch break (📷4). You won’t see the giant trilobite fossils or “birthing stones” (granite from which biotite nodules are ejected) that the park is known for from the Passadiços, but the gorge landscape is especially accessible here. 10km/ 3.5h return.

🇵🇹 #portugal 🇪🇺 #europe 🚀 #travel 🚐 #camperVan #nomad #roadTrip #vanLife 🥾 #hiking #nature 🌍 #unesco

California coast road trips change everything. Big Sur cliffs rewrite ideas of ocean edges.

#bigsur #californiacoast #nature #roadtrip #travel

Take the roadtrip. It’s good for you.

#landscape #roadtrip #Canada #MentalHealth

#WalkingUp to Mirador del Paredón. Good view of El Chaltén in this beautiful #landscape and even some condors 🏔🦅☁️

#patagonia #argentina #trees #clouds #mountains #river #travel #autumn #roadtrip #nature #hiking #hike #outdoors #senicview #elchalten