sixdogmomma

Cleopatra’s Needles

Los Angeles is not a place you would expect to find me unless there was an extremely good reason, and witnessing our first and only grandson graduating from college was an irresistible cause. Although the family event was worthwhile, it was no fun enduring the crazy chaos of the city, and so it was a good time to take a mental trip to Patagonia, back to the Parque Nacional del Torres del Paine.

The road to the Whitney Trail starts in Lone Pine and climbs the long winding canyon to let hikers climb the highest elevation in the continental US.

As we drove down the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains, I was inspired by the sudden sharp steep rise of the Sierra escarpment over the dry high desert of the Owens Valley. The valley averages about 4,000 feet elevation and Mount Whitney is just over 14,000. That’s a pretty dramatic rise. The Sierra massif is penetrated by deep winding canyons every few miles- the passes by which hikers can gain access to the interior of the range and the high peaks which are the jewels of the Sierras. It’s not unlike the mountains of Patagonia.

Continue reading “Cleopatra’s Needles”

They’re Here!!!

It’s the Big Day we’ve been waiting for!

THE BOOKS ARE HERE!

It’s been two years since I started planning to hike the state of Vermont, 275 miles down the Long Trail, from Canada to Massachusetts. I promised my Dad that if I made the trip I’d write a book about it. Well, it’s been two years of writing and re-writing and thinking and figuring stuff out, but today we finally reached the end of the trail. THE BOOKS ARE HERE! So if anybody is interested in how a middle aged veterinarian from California came to be hiking down the length of the Green Mountains of Vermont with two wonderful dog companions, here ya’go! THE BOOKS ARE HERE!

Unloading. Pippi is hoping that Chewy carton is for her….

Hank is doubtful- this looks like it means WORK!

Happy Trails and have a Good Read!

Shirley, Lyssa & Tina

(PS I’ll bring a case of books to the clinic tomorrow for local folks, or if you wish you can have a copy shipped to your door via the links below….)

Purchase a copy now!

Use Paypal and get FREE SHIPPING

Price $17.00 (free shipping)

Or…

Go to Amazon to buy it

Discovering Parque Nacional de Torres del Paine

Discovering the Parque Nacional de Torres del Paine

Lady Florence Dixie, born Florence Caroline Douglas in 1855.

Yesterday I was casting about trying to come up with something more interesting to say about our first day at Parque Nacional de Torres del Paine other than “Holy cow wouldja look at those mountains!,“ when I stumbled across the name Lady Florence Dixie, who was one of the first Europeans to travel around Patagonia. She was also the first European woman to go to Patagonia. But the coolest thing about Lady Florence was that she wrote a book about her trip, and it was published in 1881. Lady Florence was a Scottish Upper Class Victorian Tomboy. She could ride horses and shoot a rifle; she loved the outdoors and had a passion for adventure. She was also a pretty good writer, a claim needing no further proof other than the fact that her books are still in print today! You can order them from Amazon, and you can read her book “Across Patagonia” for free online at Google Books.

Accompanied by her husband, two brothers and the artist John Beerbohm, Lady Florence sailed to Argentina on a ship, and traveled to the Andes on horseback. Led by local guides, they camped and hunted for their food, met tribes of native Teheulche, endured all kinds of weather, encountered pumas, foxes, condors and herds of wild horses, deer, guanaco and rheas (she called the ostriches), not to mention a vast array of other flora and fauna. A trip to Patagonia was an unusual choice for an upper class Lady in the 1870s. It’s still an uncommon destination for tourists, given Patagonia’s well earned reputation for rugged peaks, harsh weather and remote location. Lady Florence’s rationale for going to Patagonia still resonates today: Continue reading “Discovering Parque Nacional de Torres del Paine”

Proofs are at the Printers!

END-to-END, A Long Trail Journey, by Shirley Harman

Last year while you weren’t looking I wrote a book. Yup, I did. The Proofs are at the Printers. All the bugs are finally worked out, the Tee’s crossed and Eye’s dotted.

It’s been a Long Journey getting here! In fact, that’s actually part of the title of the book: “END-to-END, a Long Trail Journey.” I started working on it in September 2016 when Tina & Lyssa & I went on our own Big Adventure across the country and spent three weeks backpacking the Long Trail of Vermont, from Canada down to the Massachusetts State Line.

On the surface, the book is the story of the hike, walking in the woods for 21 days with 2 dogs, carrying all our food, supplies, and gear, dealing with steep rocky trails, lots of mud, thunderstorms, and all kinds of people along the way. On a deeper level it is the story about dealing with the loss of my parents and honoring their lives. It’s also a story about reclaiming my own life.

When I was thinking about doing the hike I worried a lot about abandoning my job and family for a whole month. Was I being selfish and shirking responsibilities? Would everyone survive without me there to take care of things?

Whenever I’m having trouble making a decision I take a hike down into the canyon to a special place on the creek and have a chat with my inner Dad. (It’s sort of like being in touch with your inner child, but I have an inner Dad. Some people pray, or meditate; I talk to the inner Dad.) I just ask him what he thinks and usually the answer comes pretty quickly.

So in answer to whether it would be okay if I ran away for a month and did this backpacking trip he said yes but you have to write it up. Write a trip report and share it. Write about what you see and learn. I had to pay some dues. Dad was that way, no free rides.

Anyhow it’s finally done and shipped off to the printer. In a few weeks I hope to give you an update and put together a Free Sneak Preview so you can check it out. If you like hiking, backpacking, outdoor adventures or dogs, you’d probably like it. Or maybe you know someone that might like it. Details to come!

Until then I’m taking you back to Patagonia again with Episode 5, in the Torres del Paine, currently under construction.

Thanks for coming along and Happy Trails!

Shirley

The Road to Chile

Sometimes it seems like the world is spinning out of control. Lately it often feels that way, probably because I am paying attention to the news again. So today would be a good day to go to Chilè, to visit Patagonia, to touch base with Mother Earth.

We boarded the bus for Chilè early in the morning before the break of dawn. Our Fearless Leader and #1 guide, Santiago, was anxious to reach the border crossing in good time so as to not be caught in a long line of tour buses waiting to get through customs and immigration. Continue reading “The Road to Chile”