Seeing as though the temperatures in Milwaukee this week could not be more frigid (with the estimated low temperature tonight to be -56 degrees below zero with wind chill), my trip to Cali to see my brother Nick in Santa Barbara could not have come at a better time.

In case you just started following our blog, Nick and his family moved to Santa Barbara about a year ago so that he could pursue his passion for animals. He is currently working with an organization that does seal rescues, and he absolutely loves it.

Obviously, a big part of this trip is going to be about seeing him and the family and learning more about what he’s doing. I hope to be able to share some of that with you as it really is amazing work that they are doing.

However, I also plan on getting out and exploring some areas that I have long wanted to explore. The Channel Islands National Park is one of those areas. This beautiful chain of islands, located North of Los Angeles, is renowned for its marine wildlife. I hope to photograph whales, seals, and other wildlife in the waters surrounding the islands.

I also plan on taking a day excursion to Joshua Tree National Park. It’s about a 3.5-hour drive from Santa Barbara, which isn’t too bad. Seeing as though I have visited roughly half of the US national parks, but not the one park that shares my name, I think it is time to cross Joshua Tree off my list. It’s a stunning park that is popular with rock climbers from around the world.

Of course I will be providing daily journal updates throughout this trip and you can expect to see a number of guides and itineraries after I return. In case you haven’t noticed, I have yet to post my final Epic National Parks Road trips itinerary. That is because the final itinerary focuses on California and I want to include a lot of the great info, pictures, and experiences I get from this trip.

So, look out for a lot of great info in the next week. Until then, safe and happy travels!

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