This year is quickly coming to an end and what a whirlwind of a year it has been for us! We were blessed with a myriad of new adventures, visits with family and friends, and had a few setbacks along the way, just to keep things real. Our year has been chock-full of travel (just what we nomads need to feed our souls) and our landscape has been painted in broad brushstrokes of colors and textures, by way of deserts, mountains, a nice mix of big cities and cool little towns and jaw-droppingly gorgeous coastline. Biking, hiking, kayaking and long strolls on the beach have filled our days and allowed spirits to take flight.
Our wandering took us through the western part of the US, where we feel the most fulfilled and the flames of our passions were brightly fanned. A medical concern for Terry early in the year diverted us away from plans to re-visit Yellowstone National Park but we were able to hike through several other national parks in lieu of the granddaddy of them all. A trip back to the midwest to visit family rounded out the mix for us, making for a most rewarding year.
We began our year in Arizona, where we spent many of our working years, then continued on to Southern California, camphosting at San Elijo State Beach for several months, into Northern California, then lazily making our way up the Oregon coast, which was beyond breathtaking. We crossed over into the state of Washington to take a peek at Mount St. Helens, and on the way back down south spent a few days in Nevada. As we continued south we drove highway 395 in California (amazing), stopping to revel in the beauty of the Eastern Sierras, searching for ghost towns and Methuselah. We met up with friends who introduced us to boondocking and when the fiery reds and golden glow of fall moved into the pronounced chill of winter, we came full-circle and returned to San Elijo State Beach, where we will stay until the end of January. It was so good to hook up with friends we had previously met on the road and wonderful to meet a few new folks.
I’ve had my camera by my side almost every step of the way so I thought I would provide a glimpse of some of the beauty we have seen along the way. If you have never been, hopefully you will be inspired to check out the breathtaking vistas of the Wild West. Enjoy!
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Paint Your Landscape 
Thanks for resharing some of your great photos of 2012, and sharing some you hadn’t previously. I, for one, have really enjoyed your adventures, and I really envy you. I am anxioius to see what you are going to do in 2013. Happy New Year!!!
Thanks Joan. Happy New Year to you as well. See you soon.
So gorgeous!
Thanks Kevin. I hope you both take lots of photos when you are in Asia and share them with all of us. Happy New Year!
Oh LuAnn the photographs are so very beautiful epitomizing the wonderful year of travel that you and Terry have had. Your writings have been excellent both the narrative and your wonderfully creative pieces. I am so happy to have “met” you and consider you a most beloved friend, I do so want us to meet and still hope this can happen somehow this coming year. And yes I do remain enviously happy for both you and Terry. And of course I hope both of you bring in the New Year in style! All my love, Penny xox
Thank you Penny. I reflect back on the short time I have known you and can see what a beautiful impact your words have had on my life and on the lives of so many others. Your passion for the health of humanity and this earth speak volumes about who you are. I would so love to meet you and will have to see how to make this possible. Our lives are taking a turn this upcoming year, one in which I will be blogging about soon. Although I will be writing a little new year’s cheer blog, I wanted to take the time to let you know what your support has meant to me and hope for much lightness and love for you and your family in this upcoming year, a year that will provide for some beautiful new memories to be made. 🙂
Thank you LuAnn, you can always count on my support, always (I’m just that way with my those I care about)! I wish you and Terry so well for the coming year also! Lots of beautiful memories for all of us indeed! 🙂
Gorgeous photo gallery LuAnn and you summed up the year beautifully. Here’s to wishing all of us gypsys a safe, healthy, and exciting New Year. Hope to meet in 2013 🙂
Thanks Ingrid. Here’s to an upcoming year of grand new adventures and much joy and love and a chance opportunity for our paths to cross. 🙂
Beautiful reflecting beck photos, LuAnn! Traveling and hiking from state to state and making friends — what a great way to spend the year! Happy 2013!
Thanks Amy. We have been blessed this year. Happy New Year to you and yours. 🙂
Those are some gorgeous photos! Thanks for sharing your travels.
My pleasure and thanks for allowing me to follow along on yours. 🙂
WOW – You’ve shared some jaw-dropping photos there!
Glad you had an overall great year. Sorry about the set-backs. But – happy that all turned out well. I look forward to your 2013 adventures xoxo
Thanks RoSy, and as for the setbacks, I believe they are needed to keep our feet on the ground and provide for some growth opportunities. Here’s to a grand new year for us all! 🙂
Your photos say way more than any words can. I think the sea star (starfish) is my favorite photo. Great job. Happy New Year.
Thanks Marsha. We are going to be spending more time in OH next year with Terry’s folks. Perhaps we can meet? 🙂
You really make that nomad lifestyle look most appealing, but I could never herd one of them monsters down the road….. though hubby DID try to talk me into it for all he was worth. I’ll stick to my idyllic location with the occasional side trip for now….. But enjoy yours while you can! Here’s to lots more adventures for you in 2013! and happy trails to you!
It took my hubby quite a bit of time to convince me that it was a lifestyle I might enjoy. We have always loved to travel but never did much during our working years so are making up for a little lost time. We will settle down again someday and this may just be a good way to find where we might want to do that. As you know, we fell in love with OR so one never knows. Until we come back, I will live vicariously through your stunning photos. Here’s to a great 2013 for us all! 🙂
Every single image is amazing! You’ve had an incredible year, and I hope that 2013 brings you exceptional health and happiness! Perhaps your trail will take you to Ecuador! For sure, we’ll cross paths one day! Z
Thanks Z. We have had a blessed year and I’m sure our paths will cross some day, if you stay in that part of the world. Here’s to great joy and health for us all this upcoming year. 🙂
i have good friends in costa rica, new friends in nicaragua, good friends in panama, and of course i’m here in ecuador. we’ll be sure to roll out the red carpet!
z
You might just find us on your doorstep some day! 😀
Beautiful…here’s hoping and praying 2013 brings greater adventures and joy.
Much love
Thanks Boomie…for us all. 🙂
I love the jaw dropping comment! Ditto! Incredible pictures.
Thanks Lynne. May you both have an upcoming year filled with great new adventures. 🙂
Wow! I am just blown away. What fabulous sights and gorgeous photos. I love northern and southern California both. I definitely need to visit the Oregon coast too now. Happy New Year!!
Thanks Angelia and yes, you definitely need to visit OR. You won’t want to put your camera down (lol)! Happy New Year! 🙂
Wow these are gorgeous LuAnn! I especially love the first one! I only wish I would have discovered your blog earlier as it looks like I missed a lot of great pics! Happy New Year and looking forward to seeing what you have in store for 2013! 🙂 Nicole
Thanks Nicole and I’m so thankful to have found your site. You add the inspiration and hope that we all need. May you and your family have a new year full of lightness and love. Looking forward to your new adventures. 🙂
🙂
My friendship with you, I was in this year and inned many meant. because I’m hanging out to you greatly expand your horizons,Ennobled their
their cognitive world and learned a lot about how to evaluate the observational facts, that would be pulled out of them the best and certainly expanded its circle of friends people big heart
heart and soul thank you for all and AND i wish you all the best in in the year 2013 !
with love stefan
Thank you Stefan. Your stirring poetry has touched us all this year and I look forward to much more from you in the upcoming year. Much lightness and love to you and your family in 2013. 🙂
What a wonderful and gorgeous scenic year you have had. I, for one, am glad that our blogs joined in 2012
We have been blessed. I too am glad we connected in 2012. I thought I would write a Happy New Year post on the 31st but will take this time to wish you and your family an upcoming year filled with joy, hope, good health, and lots of laughter. 🙂
Thanks LuAnn. I hope to see many more photos and stories of your travels 🙂
Hopefully you will. 🙂
I should never taught you how to do the gallery. Just kiddin. 😀 Best Gallery by far!!!!!
I love learning from you young ones! Thanks again Rommel. I am working on another gallery that I hear is due sometime in January. 🙂
What breath taking photos, what a year you had.they are postcard pictures or calendar material. So happy I found you to follow this year and I am looking forward to a wonderful 2013 together. Wishing you an exciting, happy,and peaceful new year! With love Ute x
Thanks Ute. I too am glad our paths crossed and look forward to us all having a year ahead filled with lightness and love, and some great new adventures. I will be looking forward to hearing about your dance lessons. 🙂
Lu, all of your posts have been so very enjoyable, insightful, interesting, fun and enlightening. The photographs have been grand. We sincerely hope you continue to post throughout the next year as we look forward to reading and seeing where you and Terry have been….living vicariously through your exploits.
May this New Year find both of you healthy and full of energy, may you see more, do more, share more and, in the process, know how much you have touched the hearts and minds of your readers both near and far. Best wishes to you both!
We have certainly had a whirlwind of a year, met some new friends, both in-person and virtual, and made fabulous memories to last a lifetime. There are changes in the air for us this upcoming year, as you know and I will be blogging about soon, but more adventures as well. What I have been anticipating for some time I believe will come true this next year, you and I will share more than just a virtual hug. I can hardly wait. I will be doing a short post for New Year’s but will say how grateful I am that our paths crossed in Mexico and the lifelong friendship that has been forged from that fateful meeting. Love you both!
i usually let les speak for me, but what a wonderful year of travelling. such beautiful places and sights. thanks for sharing all the pictures. the best for 2013 for everyone.
–david
Thanks David! Now go over and read what I wrote to that lovely wife of yours. Ditto to you my special friend. 🙂
A lovely year you have had! Thanks for sharing your travels, and allowing us to armchair travel with you! Blessing and new adventures in 2013!
Thanks Linda and to you for sharing your lovely art from up north. Blessings to you for a new year full of great joy and prosperity.
Absolutely beautiful, LuAnn! Both your awesome pictures and your lovely writing. I’ve enjoying following you on your adventures this year and am looking forward to next year. I hope to spend several months working in Yellowstone in 2013; would be wonderful to see you there! You and Terry have been an inspiration to me, as I am transitioning to full-time RVer. Happy New Year filled with peace, joy, and love…..and adventure!
Thanks Jenny and I’m so glad to hear you are joining the gypsy ranks! It took me a little time to come around, my hubby would say, but now so love the freedom it provides and the simpler way of life. Here’s to some grand adventures for us all in 2013. 🙂
Beautiful images!!! Happy New Year!
Thanks Jasmine! Happy New Year to you too! 🙂
What a fulfilling year of travel for you. The images were beautiful! I look forward to following you in the upcoming year. Happy New Year!
~Becky
Thanks Becky and Happy New Year to you as well. I look forward to tagging along with you also. 🙂
Lu. Thanks for sharing your year in review. I have so enjoyed spending “time ” with you and Terry through your blogs. I look forward to seeing you in February
Thanks Marcia. We are looking forward to catching up with you and Carl as well. 🙂
Great pictures of beautiful places. We wish you and Terry more wonderful adventures and safe travels in the new year. Hope to meet up with you along the way.
We are wishing you both the same. May we all have grand adventures that will make for beautiful memories and fabulous photos, at least on your part. I’m still practicing! 🙂
What fun to see your photos and re-live your experiences full-timing. You have a knack for capturing your travels in photos and in writing.
TravelBug-Susan
Thanks Sue. Hope this upcoming year provides you with lots of great adventures and memories galore. 🙂
Revisiting familiar places and learning about new ones through your travels has been most enjoyable. May the New Year bring you more wonderful travels.
Thanks Gale. May the upcoming year bring you much joy.
Spectacular pictures!
Do you read the magazine called RV WORLD (or maybe it’s RV MAGAZINE)?
Mary Zalmanek writes many articles (with pictures) for them, and she’s a member of the writing group I lead 3 Wednesdays each month, and our group does the editing. If you ever get a chance to meet Mary and Jim on any of your travels (including Costa Rica, but not in their RV), and think you all would enjoy each other!
Thanks Marylin. I don’t read this magazine but am going to check into it. I would love to read some of her articles and see her photography. I would love to expand my writing abilities. Wish I could join your writing group!
Thank you for letting me share in your adventure, it’s been a real eye opener to see America as we rarely get to see it over this side of the pond. Your pictures are wonderful and are acting as my desktop picture, with a handy link to your blog when people enquire where such fascinating pictures came from.
I am humbled by your comment as I still feel very much a novice photographer. I can’t thank you enough for giving me such an extensive list of books to consider reading. I am going to be quite busy in 2013. 🙂
Well there will be more to come and I hope some tickle your fancy. I look forward to seeing you improve your photographic art then because it will be even more impressive than it already is!
Your photographs are beautiful! You have visited many places that are on my ‘list’, and you’ve motivated me to make those plans reality. Happy New Year to you and yours!
Thanks and thank you for all the wonderful tips you have given me this year. Happy New Year to you and your family! 🙂
You have shown us so many places of this beautiful world. Thank you.
Happy New Years.
LuAnn,
You have expressed your fun-filled year of travel and your talent for both writing and photography in this stunning recap. Your photos are amazing. We are so lucky to have such a beautiful country! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Sheila and Happy New Year to the two of you. May the upcoming year be one filled with great joy and grand adventures. 🙂
May your life just make beautiful things , the soul remains eternally young and tender , all you desire shall be yours, and just let the tears of joy . Happy new year!
Such poetry falls from your fingers onto the keys Stefan. Thank you and Happy New Year! 🙂
A phenomenal gallery LuAnn. Your blog has been a wonderful introduction to the beauty of the American natural landscape! Thank you 🙂
Not quite the same as the international wanderer you are but someone I hope to be one of those as well. Thanks so much Madhu. 🙂
Kjempe flott blogg;) elsker bildene og tekst;)
Tusen takk. Godt Nyttår!
Tusen takk;) det samme til dere skjønne;)
😀
Really enjoyed the tour, LuAnn! Some spectacular scenes. Makes me feel like to take a RV ride. (Can’t believe I did not catch this one earlier… :?)
Thanks Amy. 🙂
Fabulous collections!!! super!!!
Thanks Rexlin. 🙂