Oakleigh Explorations Road Trip

05/14/2017

Yesterday just before setting out on my adventure I had a close encounter with some ranch wildlife!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUBbliul16B/

0 Likes, 1 Comments - Shannon Oakleigh () on Instagram: “Walking beside the creek,  My dog bounding ahead I stop to film the waterfall. Above the gurgling…”

05/14/2017

This is living room for tonight. I'm off on another adventure. This time I'm headed for Colorado. Currently, I'm in the Cibola National Forest in New Mexico. I spent last night in a Walmart parking lot in Lubbock. It's so nice to be in a state with public land! For tonight's lodging fee, I've paid $3. This money goes to the Forest Service, so I actually like paying it.

So far on this trip I have spent about $75 (the other 72 was for gas). I've brought my own food, so that costs about as much as I normally pay.

There is nothing quite like traveling on the cheap to make you feel free!

04/22/2016

Hey there! It's been awhile. The adventure goes on!

Check back in soon to learn about our upcoming trip to South America~

https://oakleighexplorations.wordpress.com/2016/04/20/puppys-first-hike/

We go for a nice long walk through the woods with my new pup, Valley, and encounter lush creek beds, stunning sheer ridges, and a couple of fiery species among the berry bush shrubs of the pine fo…

03/22/2016

More glorious wilderness in the Lolo National Forest. We saw birds and other wildlife, but no other people. Our first hike with Valley brought us up into the mountains, past vivid wildflowers, and across lush, mossy creeks. Plus Morgan and I discovered the "flame-tipped sprotinger!"

Explore more here: https://oakleighexplorations.wordpress.com/2016/03/11/puppys-first-hike/

03/21/2016

How we started developing a language we shared with our dog so that we could communicate concepts like "sit," "down," and "come." And had a ton of fun in the process!

https://oakleighexplorations.wordpress.com/2016/02/27/valley-taming/

On our first day with my new dog, Valley, Morgan and I start developing a language of words and gestures to convey idea like “sit,” “come,” and “down.” Already t…

03/17/2016

"The Jizo shrines left a visible reminder that the space was traversed by human desire, memory and intention. The clear cuts too bore our mark, but the stark outcome was all too visible. I stopped my truck to look our over the scene. Yes the trees would grow back, and yes the wood was necessary for our lives. But the Oregon communities I had passed through didn’t seem to be benefiting much from the revenues. And the wood is going to feed a desperately hungry global economy that is wreaking havoc on the climate. Most of the logs would most likely be shipped to Asia. Neither forest was free of human intention, but the results were catastrophically different."

Discussion of forests and spirituality in a Zen monastery and clear cuts.

02/29/2016

We finally found the perfect traveling dog! Meet the new member of our pack:
https://oakleighexplorations.wordpress.com/2016/02/16/the-day-of-the-dog/

I finally find the perfect dog to share all my adventures, camping across the country and beyond!

02/17/2016

July in Lolo National Forest, one of my favorite places

Honestly one of the most beautiful and peaceful places I've ever been. Read the full adventure:
Going Lolo- httpsa//oakleighexplorations.wordpress.com/2016/01/30/going-lolo/:::https://oakleighexplorations.wordpress.com/2016/01/30/going-lolo/
The Day of the Dog- httpsa//oakleighexplorations.wordpress.com/2016/02/16/the-day-of-the-dog/:::https://oakleighexplorations.wordpress.com/2016/02/16/the-day-of-the-dog/
Valley Taming-
https://oakleighexplorations.wordpress.com/2016/02/27/valley-taming/
Puppy's First Hike-
https://oakleighexplorations.wordpress.com/2016/03/11/puppys-first-hike/

02/10/2016

Western hospitality is way better than southern hospitality. And why I like National Forests way better than National Parks. Free camping, wildness, and privacy! Read the full story: https://oakleighexplorations.wordpress.com/2016/01/30/going-lolo/

Back to Montana! We experience Western Hospitality and top-notch camping in the Lolo National Forest. The Clark Fork River, the mountains and the dragonflies resonate with stories of ancientness an...

01/25/2016

Our search for a rescue dog led us from Spokane to the Idaho panhandle where we cruised dirt roads until we were lost enough to find our way serendipitously to a Blues Festival nestled in a misty mountain valley.

Are you ready for the full experience? https://oakleighexplorations.wordpress.com/2016/01/20/misty-mountain-blues/?iframe=true

Adventures in the Inland Northwest, looking for a traveling dog, wandering up dirt roads through a misty forest and stumbling on the Wallace Blue Festival. Magical summer days and nights in Idaho. Read the story here: https://oakleighexplorations.wordpress.com/2016/01/20/misty-mountain-blues/?iframe=true

01/20/2016

Not so blue at the blues festival, because I'm on a journey to do exactly what I want to. Our quest for the right dog begins.
https://oakleighexplorations.wordpress.com/2016/01/20/misty-mountain-blues/?iframe=true

We set off looking for the perfect travelling dog and ended up having a blast at the Blues Festival in Wallace after finding out the route to Montana Google Maps suggested was a bit longer than ex...

01/14/2016

Chasing the dream of the '90s, five Texans converge on Portland and find where the sidewalk ends. https://oakleighexplorations.wordpress.com/2016/01/07/dreams-alive-in-portland/

After several days hanging out at Grandma Marcia's house, sitting around on the deck telling stories of our separate adventures from Texas to Spokane late into the sunny evenings with our Texas fri...