somehow mosquitoes know how to bite without being seen, back of the arm, an ankle, they love me and i love them back, sort of. let me explain. mosquitoes mean summer, they mean i’m outside, maybe by a sea, a pool, a river, a lake, or somewhere at night, under the moon, or stars, and i’m not paying attention to their fluttering about, their quest for blood, because at the moment they bite me, i don’t care. but then there is that sweet itch, the phantom slap, as if they were still sucking. a few minutes later i forget the bite, and rejoin the happenings of july or august. the next day i might itch the bite, or near the bite, contemplate how far the swelling has spread over skin, this can be tormenting and enthralling. sometimes i rub it with hydrocortisone cream, sometimes i drown it in scalding water so it itches even more. it is my souvenir, my summer tattoo. a couple days go by and the redness diameter is less, the scratching urge disappears. another day or two and i search and search for where it once was, but like time, it is gone.
Tag: Camping
I Am Your Hammer
you have heard the stories about maxwell, john henry, i have killed, driven steel, been a tool of justice, like peter, paul & mary said, some might refer to me as gavel, calling court to session, nails fear me, when i was hank aaron i made pitchers nervous, i show strength at carnivals, i sometimes miss making thumbs change color, you need me for tents to stay grounded, i help penetrate the earth, thor is nothing without me, throw me, hold me, pound me, love me, i am your hammer.
I Am A Cigarette
marlboro red, the name matters, i look cool on horseback, camping, driving a truck, my synonym is man, as in, i will make you a man, your lips like a sturdy red brick chimney, creating fire, man fire, from mouth, into lungs, nicotine is my dirty word, don’t say it, it’s addictive, but i don’t care, i was born to be burned, disposable, like life, yours is mine, eventually.
Where I’ve Been in the World
As I near a half century on this earth, I’m hoping to remember everywhere I have traveled/lived in my life. This list no doubt misses some places that I’ve forgotten, or can no longer remember, but I made an attempt.
The places in bold face I have lived in (not including headliner titles). The places in italics I have spent more than a week in. (Recommend) means you should go there! PS-I plan to add to the list in the coming days ahead.
EUROPE:
Madrid, Spain (Recommend) The Plaza Mayor and the Prado.
Toledo, Spain
Alicante, Spain
Moiraira, Spain
Denia, Spain
Calpe, Spain
Gandia, Spain
Benidorm, Spain
Granada, Spain (Recommend) The Albacin and the Alhambra.
Malaga, Spain
Tarifa, Spain
Segovia, Spain
Guejar Sierra, Spain
Barcelona, Spain
Paris, France (Recommend) The Luxembourg Gardens.
Paradou, France (Recommend) The Le Bistrot du Paradou.
Les Baux Provence, France
Kinsale, Ireland
Leap, Ireland
Drombeg Stone Circle, Ireland (Recommend)
Skibberean, Ireland
Carrauntoohil Mountain, Ireland (Recommend)
Cork, Ireland
Amsterdam, Netherlands (Recommend)
Rome, Italy (Recommend) The Pantheon and Ristorante al 34.
Capri, Italy (Recommend) A boat ride with swimming in hidden caves and dinner at Le Grotelle.
Anacapri, Italy (Recommend) Hiking up Monte Solaro
Florence, Italy (Recommend) Dinner at Buco Mario.
Naples, Italy
Positano, Italy (Recommend) Swimming at the II San Pietro di Positano.
Chiusdino, Italy
Prato, Italy
Umbertide, Italy
Torre di Moravola, Italy
Venice, Italy (Recommend)
Israel:
Jerusalem (Recommend)
Haifa (Recommend)
Tel Aviv
Masada (Recommend)
Eilat (Recommend) Snorkeling in the Red Sea.
Beersheba
Nitzana-I did an archeological dig there.
Dead Sea (Recommend) Floating in the salt water.
Tiberas
AFRICA:
Tangier, Morocco (Recommend)
Fes, Morocco (Recommend)
Azrou, Morocco
Merzouga, Morocco (Sahara Desert-Recommend)
Nairobi, Kenya
Kibera-Nairobi, Kenya
Lake Naivasha, Kenya (Recommend)
Hell’s Gate National Park, Kenya (Recommend) Mountain biking through the park.
Lake Nakuru, Kenya (Recommend)
Moshi, Tanzania
Arusha, Tanzania
Usambara Mountains, Tanzania
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Zanzibar, Tanzania (Recommend)
SOUTH OF THE UNITED STATES:
Villarrica, Paraguay
Caaguazu, Paraguay
Caazapa, Paraguay
Coronel Oviedo, Paraguay
Asuncion, Paraguay
Iguazu Falls, Brazil (Recommend)
Santiago, Chile
Vina Del Mar, Chile
Valparaiso, Chile
La Serena, Chile
Vicuña, Chile
Arica, Chile
Tacna, Peru
Puno, Peru
Arequipa, Peru (Recommend)
Cuzco, Peru (Recommend)
Machu Picchu, Peru (Recommend) Hiking the Inca Trail.
Lake Titicaca, Peru (Recommend)
Copacabana, Bolivia
Machala, Ecuador
Pinas, Ecuador
Arenillas, Ecuador
Pasaje, Ecuador
Cuenca, Ecuador (Recommend) Buying a sweater in the market.
Giron, Ecuador
Guayaquil, Ecuador
Quito, Ecuador (Recommend)
Azuay, Ecuador (Recommend)
Bay Islands, Honduras (Recommend) Snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea.
Gracias, Honduras
San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Copan Ruins, Honduras
La Iguala, Honduras
Derrumbado, Honduras
Ojaca, Honduras
Tarragual, Honduras
Tablones, Honduras
Turks and Caicos
St. Barth (Recommend)
Mexico City, Mexico
Cuernavaca, Mexico
Acapulco, Mexico
Guanajuato, Mexico (Recommend)
Taxco, Mexico
Oaxaca, Mexico (Recommend)
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Cozumel, Mexico (Recommend) Renting a moped and touring the island.
Bucerias, Mexico
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
Zihuatanejo, Mexico
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
San Jose del Cabo, Mexico
CANADA:
Ottawa
Hull
Winnipeg
St. Georges
THE UNITED STATES:
Alabama:
Birmingham
Montgomery
Selma
Arizona:
Sedona (Recommend) Hiking to the Bell Rock vortex.
Page (Recommend)
California:
San Francisco (Recommend) Visiting City Lights Bookstore and eating at my cousin’s Ristorante Ideale.
Mori Point
Linda Mar Beach
Thornton Beach
Esplanade Beach
Mussel Rock Beach
Seal Cove Beach
Pillar Point Beach
Pomponio State Beach
Pebble Beach at Bean Hollow State Beach
Pistachio Beach
Pigeon Point Beach/Lighthouse
Davenport
Los Angeles
Palm Springs (Recommend)
Joshua Tree (Recommend)
Sacramento
Yosemite (Recommend) Hiking Yosemite Falls and backpacking along the Tuolumne River.
Lake Tahoe (Recommend)
Modesto
San Anselmo (Recommend)
Fairfax
Dillon Beach
Muir Beach (Recommend) Visiting Green Gulch Farm.
Woodacre (Recommend) Visiting Spirit Rock.
Point Reyes (Recommend)
Point Reyes Station (Recommend)
Inverness (Recommend)
San Rafael
Hillsborough
East Palo Alto
Palo Alto (Recommend) Walking around Stanford University.
Burlingame
Fremont
San Jose
Santa Cruz
Big Sur (Recommend) Breakfast at the Post Ranch Inn, lunch at Nepenthe, hiking all around.
Ventana Wilderness (Recommend)
Crescent City
Eureka
Redwood National Park (Recommend)
Mount Shasta (Recommend) Climbing the mountain.
Humboldt Redwoods State Park (Recommend)
Mendocino (Recommend) Going to a play at the local theater.
Sea Ranch (Recommend) Finding driftwood.
Ukiah
Willits
Healdsburg
Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve (Recommend)
Chico
Santa Rosa
Mount Tallac (Recommend) Hiking the mountain.
Mount Tam (Recommend) Hiking the mountain.
Loma Alta (Recommend) Hiking the mountain.
Dominican University (I took classes here)
University of San Francisco (I was in a Doctorate program here)
Stanford University (I did a History Fellowship here and took other classes-Recommend)
San Francisco State
UC Berkeley
Pomona College
Pomona
Truckee (Recommend) Cross country skiing at Royal Gorge.
Placerville
Daly City
Oakland
Pacifica
Brisbane
San Mateo
San Carlos
Redwood City
Foster City
Atherton (Recommend)
Woodside (Recommend) Dinner at the Woodside Pub.
Portola Valley
Mountain View
Cupertino
Saratoga
Los Gatos
Capitola
Big Basin (Recommend)
Pescadero (Recommend) Dinner or lunch at Duarte’s Tavern.
Loma Mar (Recommend) Lunch at Loma Mar Store & Kitchen
Moss Beach (Recommend) Catching a drink at the Moss Beach Distillery.
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve: (Recommend) Exploring the tide pools and seals on the beach.
McNee Ranch
Colma
Millbrae
Half Moon Bay
Purisima Creek (Recommend) Hiking along the creek.
Huddart Park
Wunderlick Park
Windy Hill Preserve (Recommend) Hiking the hill.
Butano State Park (Recommend) Hiking the whole 13.5 mile loop.
San Gregorio
Skyline Ridge Reserve (Recommend)
Wilder Ranch
Boulder Creek
Ben Lomond
Salinas
Monterrey
Carmel (Recommend)
Carmel Valley (Recommend)
Pebble Beach (Recommend)
College of San Mateo
College of Marin
San Simeon (Recommend) Visiting the Hearst Castle.
Cambria
Santa Barbara
Santa Monica (Recommend)
Venice Beach
Palos Verdes (Recommend)
Anaheim
San Diego
San Diego State
Mojave
Arnold
Jackson
Auburn
Grass Valley
Nevada City (Recommend) Visiting bookstores.
Foothills Nature Preserve (Recommend) Camping and keeping an eye out for mountain lions.
Rancho San Antonio Park
Stevens Creek Park
Campbell
Foothill College (I took tennis classes here)
Livermore (I worked/lived at Camp Sunburst nearby)
Mount Diablo (Recommend)
Antioch
Danville
Alamo
Walnut Creek
Piedmont
Alameda
Emeryville
Tilden Park
Lake Sonoma
Benicia
Richmond
Napa
Sonoma
Calistoga (Recommend) Staying at Indian Springs and bathing in the thermal water.
Yountville
Saint Helena (Recommend) Dining at Cook.
Novato
Petaluma
Occidental
Sebastapol
Samuel P Taylor Park (Recommend) Camping for a night or two.
Lagunitas
Lake Lagunitas (Recommend)
Phoenix Lake
Kent Lake (Recommend)
Bolinas (Recommend) Visiting Smiley’s Saloon.
Nicasio
Larkspur (Recommend)
Stinson Beach (Recommend) Cold water swimming.
China Camp Park
Tiburon
Ross (Recommend)
Sausalito (Recommend)
Angel Island
Alcatraz
Marin Headlands (Recommend)
Muir Woods
Kentfield
Corte Madera
Pine Mountain (Recommend) Hiking the mountain.
Dunsmir
McCloud (Recommend)
Lake Almanor (Recommend)
Chester
Lake Sikiyou (Recommend) Going for a swim.
UC Santa Cruz
San Jose State
Tahoe City
South Lake Tahoe
Northstar
Squaw Valley (Recommend) Running the Squaw Valley Mountain Run.
Tahoe Donner
Nyack Snow Park
Donner Lake (Recommend) Going for a swim.
Desolation Wilderness (Recommend)
Fourth of July Lake (Recommend)
Emigrant Wilderness (Recommend)
Groveland
Dixon
Menlo Park (Recommend)
Mill Valley (Recommend) Dining at El Paseo for dinner.
Pittsburg
Rio Vista
Rocklin
Loomis
Santa Clara
Academy of Art
DeAnza College
University of Southern California
Cal State Chico
Mount Wittenberg (Recommend) Hiking the mountain.
Guerneville
Bodega Bay
Russian River
COLORADO:
Fort Collins
Copper Mountain
Frisco
Boulder (Recommend) Hiking to the Flatirons.
Silverthorne
Breckinridge (Recommend) Visiting the Gold Pan Saloon.
Vail
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado State
Rocky Mountain National Park (Recommend)
Steamboat Springs
Telluride (Recommend)
Pikes Peak
CONNECTICUT:
New Haven
Yale University
Norwalk
DELAWARE:
Rehobeth Beach (Recommend)
Bethany Beach (Recommend)
Fenwick Island
FLORIDA:
Miami
Fort Lauderdale
Boca Raton
Orlando
Disney World
Rosemary Beach
Alys Beach (Recommend)
GEORGIA:
Emory University
Atlanta
Alpharetta
HAWAII:
Maui (Recommend)
Wailea (Recommend)
Kihei
Lahaina
Paia (Recommend) Dining at Mama’s Fish House.
ILLINOIS:
University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana
Champaign
Chicago (Recommend)
Evanston
University of Chicago
INDIANA:
Indianapolis
IOWA:
Iowa City
KANSAS:
Topeka
Lawrence
University of Kansas (Recommend) Standing at center of the Jayhawks basketball court.
KENTUCKY:
Mammoth Cave (Recommend)
Cadiz
Lake Barkley Park
Park City
LOUISIANA:
New Orleans
Lafayette
Abbeville
University of Louisiana-Lafayette
Tulane University
MAINE:
Colby College (Recommend) Skiing down Runnals Hill.
Waterville
Bates College
Portland
Camden (Recommend)
Mexico
Augusta
Oakland
Belgrade Lakes (Recommend)
Freeport (Recommend) Visiting the LL Bean store.
MARYLAND:
Silver Spring
Potomac
Chevy Chase
Rockville
Easton
Baltimore (Recommend) Watching the Orioles at Camden Yards.
Wheaton
Landover
Salisbury
Annapolis
Ocean City
Izaak Walton League (Recommend) Doing the archery course.
MASSACHUSETTS:
Harvard University (Recommend)
Lincoln (Recommend)
Sherborn
Natick
Wellesley
Nantucket (Recommend) Biking all over the island.
Martha’s Vineyard (Recommend) Going crabbing for dinner.
Boston (Recommend)
Wellesley College (Recommend)
Boston College
Stoneham
Marblehead (Recommend) Eating a fried clam sandwich.
Swampscott
South Natick
Wayland
Worcester
Northampton
Easthampton
Cambridge (Recommend) Visiting Newbury Comics and strolling through Harvard Yard.
Groton
MINNESOTA:
Minneapolis
St. Paul
Duluth
Bemidji (Recommend) Attending the Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference.
Bemidji State University
Macalester College
MISSISSIPPI:
Oxford
University of Mississippi
MISSOURI:
St. Louis
Washington University (Recommend) Counting the rabbits darting around at dusk.
St. Louis University
Kirkwood
Webster Groves
Ladue
Clayton
Cape Girardeau
Edgar Springs
MONTANA:
Missoula (Recommend)
Blackfoot River (Recommend) Going tubing on the river.
University of Montana
NEBRASKA:
I have been in the state.
NEVADA:
Reno
Las Vegas
Incline Village
Elko
Austin
Mount Rose (Recommend) Snowshoeing on the mountain.
NEW HAMPSHIRE:
Franconia Notch State Park (Recommend)
Freedom: (Recommend: Bobby Sue’s Homemade Ice Cream)
Hanover
Madison
Mount Lafayette: (Recommend: Climbing it!)
Nashua
Purity Lake: (Recommend: Purity Lake Resort)
NEW JERSEY:
New Brunswick
Rutgers University
Princeton (Recommend)
Princeton University
NEW MEXICO:
Santa Fe
Tucumcari
NEW YORK:
New York City (lived in the East Village and the West Village) (Recommend) Listening to jazz at Smalls Jazz Club.
South Salem (Recommend)
Cooperstown (Recommend) Going to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Rochester
Irondequoit
NORTH CAROLINA:
Asheville (Recommend) Going to the French Broad Chocolate Lounge.
OHIO:
College of Wooster
Wooster
Canton
OKLAHOMA:
I have been in the state.
OREGON:
Ashland (Recommend) Going to a play.
Odell Lake
Crater Lake (Recommend)
Bend
Detroit
Eugene
Corvallis
Oregon State University
University of Oregon
Portland
Florence
Bandon
Newport
Sisters
Deschutes National Forest (Recommend)
PENNSYVANIA:
Poconos Mountains
Philadelphia
Gettysburg
Gettysburg Battlefield (Recommend)
RHODE ISLAND:
Brown University
Providence
Barrington
SOUTH CAROLINA:
Myrtle Beach
Charleston (Recommend)
TENNESSEE:
Nashville (Recommend)
Franklin (Recommend)
Leipers Fork (Recommend)
Brentwood
White Bluff
Radnor Lake (Recommend) Hiking around the lake.
Long Hunter State Park (Recommend)
Mount Juliet
Gallatin (Recommend) Dessert at The Ice Cream Social.
Lebanon (Recommend)
Thompson’s Station
Tracy City (Recommend) The Dutch Maid Bakery
Devil’s Backbone State Park (Do NOT go here in the summer, ticks everywhere)
Murfreesboro
Middle Tennessee State University
Fairview
Montgomery Bell State Park
Cookeville
Tennessee Tech University
Vanderbilt University (Recommend)
The Hermitage (Recommend)
Sewanee University (Recommend)
Belmont University (Recommend)
East Nashville (Recommend) Dining at Folk for dinner.
Chattanooga (Recommend) Walking across the Walnut Street Bridge.
Johnsonville State Park
Cumberland River Trail (Recommend)
Edgar Evins State Park (Recommend)
J Percy Priest Lake (Recommend)
Beckwith Point Trail
Fiery Gizzard Trail (Recommend)
Cravens House
Sellars Archeological Area
Henry Horton Park (Recommend)
Dunbar Cave Park
Stones River Battlefield
Burgess Falls Park (Recommend)
Baxter
Cedars of Lebanon Park (Recommend)
Bledsoe Creek Park (Recommend)
Fisk University (Recommend)
Cades Cove (Recommend)
Great Smoky Mountains (Recommend)
Townsend (Recommend) Tubing on the Little River.
Tuckaleechee Caverns (Recommend)
McGavock Confederate Cemetery
Memphis
Davy Crockett State Park (Recommend)
Ethridge (Recommend) Visiting various Amish homes to buy pumpkins and jam
Mount Pleasant (Recommend)
TEXAS:
Houston
Rice University
Amarillo
UTAH:
Dinosaur National Monument
Price
VERMONT:
Burlington
Stowe (Recommend) Skiing on the mountain.
Lake Champlain (Recommend) Kayaking on the lake.
Waterbury
Charlotte (Recommend) Biking all over the area.
Shelburne
Vergennes
Middlebury
Middlebury College (Recommend)
VIRGINIA:
Arlington (Recommend) Walking along the Potomac River.
Williamsburg (Recommend)
College of William and Mary (Recommend) Looking at the statue of Thomas Jefferson eye to eye.
University of Virginia (Recommend)
Monticello (Recommend)
James Madison University
Richmond
Alexandria
George Mason University
Warrenton
Reston
Vienna
Fairfax
Burke
Annandale
Springfield
Mount Vernon (Recommend) Biking to George Washington’s estate.
Falls Church
McClean
Great Falls
Prince William Forest
Manassas
Bull Run (Recommend)
Front Royal
Shenandoah National Park (Recommend)
Old Rag Mountain (Recommend) Hiking the mountain.
Palmyra (Recommend) Sending your kids to Camp Friendship.
Charlottesville
Harrisonburg
Lexington
Washington and Lee University (Recommend)
Yorktown
Virginia Beach
Luray
WASHINGTON:
Seattle (Recommend) Eating at the Space Needle restaurant.
University of Washington
WASHINGTON, DC: (Recommend) Going to the Smithsonian Museums.
WEST VIRGINIA:
Paw Paw (Recommend)
Berkeley Springs (Recommend) Going to the Apple Butter Festival.
Seneca Rocks (Recommend) Rock climbing and rappelling.
WYOMING:
Jackson (Recommend)
Grand Teton National Park (Recommend)
End of Camping
one night i sat
up trying to count
tent time, evenings in
lean-tos, sleeping bags
on dew covered earth
after backpacking, hiking, driving
away from city streets
to forest trees, mountains
summer storms, coastal sunrises
and there were dozens
maybe two hundred of
these star-filled moon
skies with campfire sparked
memories of younger days
when injured vertebrae were
stronger and slumber more
easily arrived, now nearing
50, i feel the chapter’s
end coming, but a story
written in god’s nature
will always dwell within
Backyard Camping
Stand by Me
We wanted to follow
railroad tracks and sleep
under stars, maybe cook
up hot dogs without
a strict parent seeing
us wipe the grease
on our jeans. This
was 1986 when Polo
shirts were everything, not
following dreams or watching
morning deer, or thinking
about writing, or what
friendship could mean. But
Stand by Me let
in a little light
so we could remember
who we really are.
North Pond Hermit
they say he broke
into dozens of homes
to steal calories, for
each winter he had
to survive Maine woods
under sleeping bag after
sleeping bag, wake himself
at 2am some freezing
nights just to move
around and live, not
die of frozen heart
stoppage of blood like
how time stood still
his twenty seven years
alone in trees listening
to the chickadees, chickadees
he listened more than
the rest of us
who were warm watching
M*A*S*H reruns, wondering when
the next war would
begin, but he never
even looked at his
own reflection, didn’t witness
the changing of human
events, his were the
seasons, and the thieving
moments late at night
so he could stay
alone forever, however long
that might be, but
one evening he was
caught and it all
ended, his silent solitude
had to speak again
sad, no longer free
Seeing the Mountain Lion
please let me
tell the truth
that I saw
it, the mountain
lion, lithe, yes
springy, legs, twitching
tail, like at
the zoo but
free on golden
hillside, in California
I had just
eaten a banana
morning at camp
counselor for kids
with HIV, beautiful
sun peeking through
fog and me
and the young
lion, that I’d
wanted to see
for hundreds of
miles hiking, camping
hours of night
and nothing, but
longing for wild
but nothing, maybe
a rattlesnake or
coyote, but then
the moment passed
and it moved
down the hill
toward the road
the next day
saw it dead
on the asphalt
I wanted to
take some of
its teeth, save
something, after so
much time waiting
but I let
it rest, sad
it was gone

