Still Exploring

California took some getting used to. Coming from the pristine rainforests of the Pacific Northwest, the Cascade Range and the Willamette Valley, trading moss and rain for dry hills and endless sunshine was a big adjustment. But the longer I look, the more I see the beauty, and now I want to explore every corner of this state and marvel at its diversity.

Up north, the lush coastal redwoods are the most magnificent organisms I’ve ever seen. Along the coast, rugged cliffs drop down to wide open beaches. The trails climb into the pines and granite of the San Gabriels, Mt. Baldy in the Angeles National Forest and Big Bear. Out in the desert, the variety of plants and wildlife is amazing. And then there’s Los Angeles. The sheer hyper-urban cityscape pulls me in the same way Chicago’s skyline first did, block after block stretching all the way to the horizon.