Ten Things To Do Instead of Shopping:
#1. Plan a Real Black Friday. 🌑

The winter is the best time to plan summer travel. Taking action towards an escape, however distant, just makes me, afflicted with everlasting wanderlust, feel better. Because your happiness is worth some forethought, fill your travel with all that feeds your heart and soul. And book things—not everything but some things. These nail down the first stages of anticipation, which you can draw from through the year as needed. These are the preliminary pleasures of your trip. Being a mostly solivagant (50 cents, please) I can confirm details, reserve things, and develop a route as quick as my fancies develop. But you do as you see fit with your travel companions which I recommend abandoning if they demonstrate a lack of what you need—an embrace of freedom mostly.

Me, I want a tremendous sky and wild land. And both of these things need special attention and preparation, like that heart and soul of yours. Specifically, I need a deep black night in the remote dark-sky wilderness. Because: The Milky Way. So I proactively address as many light variables as possible through my trip planning. I plan by the phase of the moon. And I’ll share tips here as one of my annual Ten Things You can Do Instead of Shopping and add to the ever-evolving idiot’s guide…

Fernweh 🌑 🌒 🌓 🌔 🌕 🌖 🌗 🌘 Dark & Wild Travel Tips

1.) Once you go Black. Like Poltergeist, run away from the light, Carol Ann. Find a dark sky location. But not just for one night! Weather makes one night far too high stakes, as I learned when I tried to shoot the Perseid meteor shower. I’m planning a week of evenings in multiple dark sky locations in the state with thee largest concentration of Dark-sky certified places IN THE WORLD. Utah, part of The Great Western Starry Way. After scouting locations, plan to check in on the skies often and shuffle if there’s a need.

2.) Pin down a date to see the most of the Milky Way. Summer in the Northern Hemisphere, in general, is the best season to capture the Milky Way. Though April through July is considered peak viewing due to how long its gorgeous galactic center hangs out in the sky, my travel dates are just outside this period. The lack of moonlight is much more an important factor to attempt to control. You do what you can and cross your fingers.

3.) Pin down a date with a New Moon. To increase probability of astro-awesomeness, arrive in the Waning and stay in the area through the Waxing Crescent phases (before and after the New Moon) as all of these phases offer a lot of darkness… more darkness than I have ever had at an astro-shoot thus far. Plan to be at your darkest location for the New Moon. And plan to arrive at that location during the day to scope any hikes required for your Milky Way photoshoot.

4.) Lose the sun. Plan for being awake during Total Darkness, with resources nearby. It can take a couple hours for this period of the evening to start–after civil, nautical, and astronomical twilight. You want the sun far, far away. Camping helps you have everything you may need during your wait nearby. That is, if you can shoot right outside of your campsite. Facilities are nice if at all possible. But the night is forgiving. And you can get away with things you couldn’t do in the daylight. (I’ve left my tripod with my camera clicking away in the Cherry Springs astro field to get a heavier jacket at camp 10 minutes away; I’ve shot in my underwear in Terlingua, Texas. lolz) And finally, feel good to go at night. Avoid driving a tremendous quantity of hours or hiking strenuously during the day. You want to feel good and ready to shoot for hours in the wee hours of the night.

5.) Plan to be safe. There are so many worst case scenarios. A bit of forethought for comfort and safety can go a long way. In no particular order, here are some considerations: Pack a pack an emergency set of contact lenses and a pair of glasses. And mace, in an easily accessible spot. Pack a multi-purpose tool with a blade or a larger one if you don’t need to worry about carry-on restrictions (like on a road trip). For a rustic nature trip, buy one after you land and snail mail it back to yourself at the end. Send a picture of your rental car rear with plates, make and model to someone who loves you. Share your itinerary, not publicly but with a loved one. In a park, always (!) talk to a Ranger. Ask them for advice; they know the dangers of the park. And after, they will know you–where you plan to go, whether you are vulnerable. You may also want to take a handheld GPS unit, like I did when I roamed into the Bisti Badlands in New Mexico. Activate safety features on your car. Newer cars can now make satellite calls via OnStar. Mine can and I was delighted to share my car’s phone number on my last big road trip. Bring lots of layers of clothes. If you’re limited with packing space, find a thrift store right away. And a supermarket to get a bunch of water and water-packed foods that hold up well.

Now. Go ahead and look forward. Savor. Then do it again.

Images from this post are from my first ever night shoot in April 2019.