Tag Archives: Tales

Peculiar to the Pattern

“A man must consider what a rich realm he abdicates when he becomes a conformist.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson (1839) The conformity of it all is satisfying and comforting, but something is lost. It’s group think manifest in cookie cutter conformity … Continue reading

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Pine Mountain Lodge Camp

Last November I set off in late afternoon on the punishing climb up the Gene Marshall Trail from the Piedra Blanca trailhead to the top of Pine Mountain and the camp near the old Pine Mountain Lodge site . Don’t … Continue reading

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Upper Santa Ynez Camp Vandalism

I spent this last Tuesday in the upper Santa Ynez drainage after hiking in late Monday afternoon and staying the night. I woke at 5:15, broke camp, brewed a tall cup of coffee and chomped down some homemade cake with … Continue reading

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Bedrock Mortar On Munson Creek, Pine Mountain

I intended to hike up the canyon to Munson Spring, but a rather dense bramble of wild rose eventually forced me to turn around. My thin nylon hiking pants were no match for all the tiny thorns and my legs … Continue reading

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The Sarsaparilla Drifter

The bat-winged double doors flew open smacking the saloon’s walls with an emphatic clap. He stood there, a bulky figure, face obscured in shadow, the dim sooty flutter of tallow candles warping his features into a caricature. His flat brimmed … Continue reading

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