Where's the Heat!

I headed out around the 2nd week of January, 2013 for my annual trip south to get some sun and warmth in Arizona and New Mexico.  I wonder how many times I have to do this before I'm officially a "Snowbird".  I think a Snowbird is older than I, although, looking in the mirror, I'm looking like I fit in nicely.  

The trouble was this year, the cold followed me all the way down.  I mean Freezing Cold, each night, in the 20's, all the way through Oregon (not too surprising) and California, (surprising).  It snowed on the way east from Bakersfield.  Theere was frost on the windshield in the mornings near Palm Springs.  I bought a comforter in Victorville to add to my sleeping bag, blanket and long underwear at night.  IT WAS COLD!

OK, enough complaining.

Stopped at three of my favorite spots along the way, Yachts OR, Brookings OR and Joshua Tree NP.  No pictures of Yachts.  It was mostly foggy and cloudy.  In other words, typical Oregon Coast weather in winter. 

I stayed at Harris Beach State Park just north of Brookings, OR. and lucked out again, getting one of the prefered campsites with a view down the coast.  

For an amateur photographer, Harris Beach has lots of opportunities for picture taking.  There's usually several of us one the beach each night snapping away.

I like the Jumbo Rocks camground in Joshua Tree as there are lots of interesting rock formations around the campground.  This night at sunset there were 3 of us running around getting shots before the sun completely set.  I think we were running because it was so cold.  

I'm not the best photographer but it's hard to miss with such great scenery

I rarely get pictures of myself.  This one is by Jim Lopes, a freelance photographer from New York.  He is much better photographer than I.  Looking at his website gave me some good ideas of where I might go in the next few weeks, after it warms up.