Cabin fever has set in and I am busy planning (mostly daydreaming, actually) about this year's trips. My fist big trip will be back to the southwest, camping in Death Valley and southern Utah. I go to southern Utah at least once a year, but this will be the earliest and also my first visit to Death Valley. Son Ted will be meeting me in Death Valley for a couple of days, which will be great. He's off in Peru doing the Inca Trail now, I expect Death Valley will be drier.

Got myself a new 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II lens to fill out my landscape range along with my 17-35mm and 28-70mm, so I should be set for focal lengths and have no excuses in that regard..

Right now I'm debating whether or not to drive straight through to Death Valley or stop and camp a day or two along the way.

I'm also planning on a visit to the greater Yellowstone area this summer. I usually go in spring and/or fall, but this trip I plan on mixing in a lot of fly fishing and hope to hit the salmon fly hatch on the Madison - that is a blast.

I'll probably manage to squeeze in some trips to the Smokies again this year too, it's an area that I have neglected for too long - especially since it is so close to home.

I can hardly wait to hit the road again, where I can start to get homesick.  :)