Author Archives: Julia Bradshaw

About Julia Bradshaw

Historian and writer living in Hokitika, New Zealand. Special interests are the goldrushes, the West Coast of New Zealand, crime and the stories of women and Chinese on the goldfields. Also keen on tramping (hiking) and involved in the Mt Brown Hut Community Project.

Invaders – pests in the southwest

Posted on January 22, 2016 by Julia Bradshaw

I never imagined that tumbleweed, the iconic extra in any western movie, is actually an ‘obnoxious weed’, to quote from a sign at Cathedral Gorge State Park in Nevada. Tumbleweeds are the seed dispersing stage of ‘Russian thistle’ a plant … Continue reading →

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Trip Highlights – part 2

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Julia Bradshaw

This posting shows some more of the highlights in Utah, Arizona, Nevada and the start of our California experience. Of course it is hard to choose the photos that best show how it is, as I can’t show the sounds, … Continue reading →

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Trip highlights – part 1

Posted on November 3, 2015 by Julia Bradshaw

It’s been a real challenge to find time to get the blogs that I want to write finished because there is so much to see and do. In the meantime I thought I would put together a selection of photos … Continue reading →

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The Great Depression & the great outdoors.

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Julia Bradshaw

While travelling along the very scenic highway 12 in south-west Utah we stopped for lunch at the small town of Escalante. In the restaurant was an unattributed list of the 15 best drives in the world. US highway 12 between … Continue reading →

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The Great Depression & the great outdoors.

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Julia Bradshaw

While travelling along the very scenic highway 12 in south-west Utah we stopped for lunch at the small town of Escalante. In the restaurant was an unattributed list of the 15 best drives in the world. US highway 12 between … Continue reading →

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Colour Country – southwest Utah

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Julia Bradshaw

Since we arrived in southwest Utah we have been astounded by the colours of the landscape and the quality of the hiking. The colours are the result of the layers of mostly iron-rich rock and the many years of erosion … Continue reading →

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Water that was – experiences in California & Nevada

Posted on September 11, 2015 by Julia Bradshaw

So far everywhere that we’ve travelled has been in the grip of a drought. In California the snow-pack last winter was only five per cent of usual so there has been no snow melt to refill the reservoirs. There are … Continue reading →

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A week in the Sierra Nevadas

Posted on August 28, 2015 by Julia Bradshaw

After a great experience picking up our ‘Minnie Winnie’ from Apollo RV at San Leandro (near San Francisco), and despite horrendous head-colds, Eddie and I bravely set out for the mountains. First we had to stock up with supplies so … Continue reading →

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Exploring southwest USA

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Julia Bradshaw

After having such a fabulous time in 2012, we’re about to do it again – only this time for longer. Eddie & I were enraptured by the grandeur of the scenery and the fascinating geology on our last visit and … Continue reading →

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Travelling America’s Pacific Rim of Fire

Posted on September 23, 2012 by Julia Bradshaw

After our sojourn in the desert and prairies of eastern Oregon we drove west to the Cascade Mountains. These are part of the ring of volanoes and mountains that make up the ‘Pacific Rim of Fire’.  As usual we skipped the towns … Continue reading →

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