Following Paw Prints & Claw Marks

Last night I dreamed we were stalked by a mountain lion. It wasn't a frightful dream, only a reminder that we are about to leave northern New England's comforts with all her familiarities. It was not the first time over the past few years that I'd dreamed of the West just before setting out. And if the dream were a vision of things to come, it would not be the first time we've been within feet of mountain lions. Some people who live among them never see them for their entire lives. We've been blessed to have three interactions.

The dream reminded me that we are venturing toward new worlds and landscapes with unique challenges for these three New Hampshire nemophilists. Deserts, oceans, plains, and badlands await.

During the past two trips, we'd left before Christmas, but I could not pry myself away from the coziness of our hobbit hole, the scents of our kitchen, or the warn wood of my writing desk this year. Besides, this is still my favorite time of the year in the White Mountains. T…