Tag Archives: Non-fiction

Scotland, Shifting Baseline Syndrome & Your Local Wilderness

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Jack Elliott

Glen Sannox as seen from Cir Mor Saddle, Isle of Arran, Scotland. Such scenic sweeping grassland is not natural, but in fact the result of human agency. “The British Isles, a Roman outpost located at the edge of European civilization, was … Continue reading →

Posted in Scotland | Tagged Arran, Forests, Hiking, Hiking (2), iPhoneography, Nature, Non-fiction, Pics, Travel, Wilderness, Wildlife | 10 Comments

Potentially Deadly Assassin Bug In Los Padres Forest

Posted on November 28, 2015 by Jack Elliott

Various triatomine bugs in all life stages. (Credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Recent news reports echoing across the Internet tell of the so-called assassin bug having now been found in at least 28 states. Known also as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Santa Barbara | Tagged Articles, Assassin Bugs, Backpacking, Bugs, Camping, Hiking, Kissing Bugs, Los Padres National Forest, Nature, Non-fiction, Parasites | 6 Comments

Burro Schmidt Tunnel and Shanty (1906-1930s)

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Jack Elliott

The entrance into the Burro Schmidt Tunnel. “What is it, what nameless, inscrutable, unearthly thing is it; what cozening, hidden lord and master, and cruel, remorseless emperor commands me; that against all natural lovings and longings, I so keep pushing, … Continue reading →

Posted in Kern County | Tagged Burro Schmidt, El Paso Mountains, Great Depression, History, Mining, Mojave Desert, Non-fiction, Photos, Travel, William Henry Schmidt, Writing | 8 Comments

Rain Beetle

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Jack Elliott

A drop of rainwater suspended in a spider web stuck to the underside of a boulder. Prior to the recent few downpours last month in late February and early this March, it hadn’t rained in a long time. Just a … Continue reading →

Posted in Santa Barbara County | Tagged Beetles, Bugs, Drought, Hiking, Insects, Nature, Non-fiction, Photos, Rain, Wildlife | 3 Comments

Point Conception, the Cape Horn of the Pacific

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Jack Elliott

A mural of Point Conception lighthouse painted on the exterior of a building in Lompoc, California, Santa Barbara County. An accompanying reader board describes the surrounding coastline as “the mariner’s stretch of nightmare coast known as ‘the graveyard of ships.’” … Continue reading →