~ In Pursuit of Wildness: Chiricahua National Monument ~

After retiring from the National Park Service following a 36-year career—one that took me to many of our nation’s crown jewels, including Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, Mount Rainier, Joshua Tree, Pinnacles, Bighorn Canyon, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks—I set out in search of a new kind of adventure: one found on two wheels.

Traveling light, camping along the way, and taking the backroads whenever possible, I chased wildness across Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and California.

This is one of those journeys: In Pursuit of Wildness: Chiricahua National Monument.

"I’m on my motorcycle, heading west on I-10 back to California, when I see the sign for a destination totally unfamiliar to me: Chiricahua National Monument. Just the name sparks my interest. Although best known for being the home of the Grand Canyon, Arizona is rich with more than a dozen less-frequented national park areas, and in my experience these out-of-the-way treasures are the crown jewels of America.

“Why not?” I ask myself. “It’s only 35 miles and I could camp there tonight.” Decisions like this one are easy when traveling alone, and without anyone to discuss the matter with further, I exit the interstate without a second thought..."

"While living, I want to live well." - Geronimo.

I knew this would be a perfect gift for my sister, Paula Mata.

"The Wind, the Open Road, and my Motorcycle."
This is my mantra.