This three day trip from Marrakech to the first stretch of the Sahara proved to be the most exciting part of my three week vacation. Recognizing that the van broke down twice and three sketchy taxis were rented to continue after the first breakdown,  the 16 people on the van who were from 6 continents proved to be great traveling companions.  We didn’t all speak the same languages but even when the fuel line broke, we smelled gasoline, and the van stalled in the middle of the desert we took it in stride and with good humor.  This proved to be a great side trip.

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While in Marrakech I took a trip to Merzouga to visit the largest sand dune in the Moroccan Sahara.  The first part of the trip crossed the Atlas Mountains.  This renowned mountain range is truly beautiful - and the roads are aggressively driven by locals. The two day trip to the Sahara included a night in the Gorges Dades at a Le Vieux Chateau, 16 fun traveling companions, a bus that broke down twice, three sketchy taxis, and one great adventure.

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Marrakech, Morocco, with its souks (markets), hawkers, tourists, and constant activity was a whirlwind and the labyrinthine alleys, such as the alley that led to my hostel, could easily lead anyone but a local astray.  Fortunately my hostel, like many hotels and local riads, had beautiful and peaceful courtyards.  This door led to my bedroom at the Equity Point Hostel.

A highlight of the trip was listening to the call to prayer from my hostel’s rooftop patio at sunset

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Four days is not enough to explore this city, but it was enough to enjoy some beautiful fall days and nights.

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This summer I was lucky to be able to drive throughout Minnesota taking pictures as I went.  It was a blast and I was able to spend a lot of time with some really fun people.

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In second grade, long before I was fortunate to have my own horses, and between viewings of The Black Stallion and it’s sequel I read Misty of Chincoteague.  I don’t remember much about the plot but part of the story involved an annual sale of wild ponies who live on a barrier island. Realizing that the purchase of a pony could be easy, my parents heard about the sale a lot that summer.  Well, the island, the barrier island, the wild ponies, the swim across the channel, and the pony sale are all real.

The Atlantic shore, the Virginia and Maryland parks, and the town of Chincoteague are worth a visit.

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The Canadian Rockies are incredible.  The route that we took, from Calgary and Banff to Lake Louise, Mt. Robson Provincial Park and then back to Calgary through Jasper, was stunningly beautiful.  And I never knew that Calgary was such a fun town.  It’s worth a visit!

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Today I had to drive through a couple storms to complete a project.  It was exciting at times.

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An early morning walk at Afton State Park is a great way to start the day!

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Three changes I’ve enjoyed this spring/early summer involve two back-to-back instances where I saw both sunset and sunrise while at work, a new(er) car, and a fantastic new lens for my camera.

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