January 4th was a milestone – final chemo treatment for Carol. I was eager to ring that bell and start a brand new year.

There was uncertainty about if or how much we could travel this year, but fortunately, we did more than we expected, including a couple of spectacular vacations.

First there was Maui – special because it was our first trip in seven months and also because we met our family there.

Next a couple of road trips to visit friends (New Mexico) and family (Montana), with interesting stops along the way.

Then came three weeks in Africa, a bucket list trip as they say – a 12-day safari plus time on our own.

We finished our travels with two weeks in California and back to Montana for Christmas.

Read on for photos and links to blog posts for our adventures in Maui and Africa, plus photos only for New Mexico, Montana and California.

March/April – Exploring the Treasures of Maui

Three weeks – nine days with family in Kihei, plus another (almost) two weeks just us. It took five blog posts to share the highlights. (Click on a link to view the article.)

1. Family Time on Maui
2. Maui’s North Shore Drive
3. Road to Hana
4. Haleakala & Maui’s Upcountry
5. Molokai

April/May – Visiting Old Friends & New Places

There’s never a bad time to visit New Mexico, especially when good friends extend an invitation and seem genuinely happy to have us stay in their guest room, which we learned is a shared space with an adorable kitty named Bella.

No blog posts from New Mexico, so here are the highlights. A visit to Pecos National Historical Park on the way to Greg & Gail’s house:

Hiking in Placitas:

Touring the Georgia O’Keefe Home and Studio in Abiquiu:

Walking around Santa Fe:

Perusing an amazing array of cool stuff at the Museum of International Folk Art:

Admiring the collection of Native American art, both old and new, at the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian:

And finally, stopping for a hike at Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs) on the drive home:

June/July – Visiting PKO (Philip, Kim & Owen) in Missoula

The summer road trip to Missoula has been a highlight every year since Owen was born in 2018. Except for 2020, of course, when COVID kept everyone home. In theory, one could drive from here to there in a long day, but we don’t. Instead, we look for new routes and new places to see along the way. No blog articles, just a few photos from this year’s trip.

A fine day for hiking in Dinosaur National Monument on the way to Montana:

A fabulous time with Philip, Kim and Owen:

Also in Missoula, a lovely hike with Bill’s cousin Thom to Sweathouse Creek Falls – still running strong in early July:

On the drive home, we visited Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park for the first time and enjoyed an awesome tour:

September/October – Searching for the Big Five in Kenya & Tanzania

Three incredible weeks – the animals, the people, the scenery, and the culture. Eight blog posts tell the story of this bucket list trip. (Click on a link to see more photos.)

1. Kenya’s Magnificent Salty Dust Place
2. Traveling Between Parks & Meeting the People
3. Perched at the Edge of Ngorongoro Crater
4. Tent Camping with Wild Animals in the Serengeti
5. Up Close & Personal at Maasai Mara
6. If You Only Have One Day in Nairobi
7. More Nairobi – Elephants, Coffee & Culture
8. Wrapping Up Our Visit with a Trip to Lake Nakuru

November – Relaxing with Family in California

One week visiting my aunt Ellen and cousin Ralph (wife Debbi) in the Sonoma-Healdsburg-Napa area:

We found some interesting and educational excursions in wine-country (for a fraction of the cost of wine-tasting), including the remarkable Jack London State Historic Park. Allow a full day to see it all.

The Charles Schulz Museum between Santa Rosa and Healdsburg:

And the Napa Valley Museum, with a nice visual history of the area:

Then we were off to sunny Huntington Beach in southern California to spend Thanksgiving week with Andrew (son) and Gail (daughter-in-law).

December – Celebrating Christmas in Montana

Very excited to return to Montana for our final trip of the year – our first Christmas with Owen.

Stay tuned for photos!

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