With such a short time left before becoming a perpetual wanderer, my mind is already drifting off into the great beyond. I’m very anxious to get started on my journey, but there are still some things that need arranging before I can take flight. More on that later. Of course I have a long list of places I have never been that I would like to visit in my travels. I’m also accumulating quite a list of places I have already been that I would like to go back to. One such place I was recently reminded of is the Pinnacles at Crater Lake.

I’ve been to Crater Lake numerous times, but only once to the Pinnacles. It was very windy that day and the light was kind of harsh. It would be nice to have more time to spend exploring and photographing these unique, otherworldly formations.

Another place on the revisit list is Zion National Park. Having spent four days there in 2011, I’ve longed to go back ever since.

Of course, California’s giant redwoods call to me to come visit them. Not only are these trees amazing to behold and humbling to spend time among, but they are also a great opportunity to hone my skills. To say that giant redwoods are a challenge to photograph would be an understatement.

Also in 2011, I visited the Columbia Gorge in Oregon. I had planned the trip for a week in October, hoping to be there for autumn foliage. As it turns out, I was a week or two early. Although the waterfalls of the gorge are breathtaking any time of year, I hope this time to also catch the fall colors.

There is no guarantee when, or even if, I will be back to any of these places. And, I’ve learned that sometimes when you revisit a place, you often find that things have changed since you were last there. The forest fires raging in northern California right now, for example, will alter the view in many places. So, as I say “so long” to Siskiyou County rather than “goodbye,” I know that when I return to visit, some things will have changed.

But, thinking about these places, and others I hope to enjoy, as well as the inevitable and unexpected surprises that often happen on the way, is helping me make it through these last few days of managing details before I can actually set sail. Next post will be “Bon Voyage!”