There’s something about driving through Northern California that doesn’t make sense. The sublimity of its wilderness embodies a romanticized ideal of nature—one that is mistakenly believed to be separate from the industrialized, urban lifestyles we seek asylum from in our modern age. For all the magic and mysticism these landscapes entrance us with, observing the environment through the confines of an automobile begins to feel, in a word, paradoxical.

From rural towns to national forests, the geographic scales of time and space that compose Northern California are so vast that we split our semesterly adventure into two trips. Interstate 5 guided us inland to the peak of Mt. Shasta and the volcanic bedrock of Lassen; we later followed Highway 1 along the coast, where we camped amidst the Humboldt Redwoods for a night. Our collective journey of self-exploration coalesces into the pages before you, unearthing motifs of childhood reminiscence and sentiments of aporetic preservation.

Documenting nature is an archival process that reconsiders the environment as a cultural construction. Northern California seemingly portrays a dated narrative of Westward expansion, obscuring the image of Earth as it is subject to human forces of domination and Americana ideology. For Caravan, the creative endeavor of a college publication allows us to challenge these assumptions. As students of a land-grant university, we have a responsibility to reckon with the hidden histories implicated in stolen lands. As travel journalists, we are uniquely positioned within our ever-changing environments to deconstruct the myth of the wilderness and capture the Earth as a living organism once again.

The Northern California Issue comes at a time of moral ambiguity for the levels of ecological despair we face today. As you read through this magazine, we urge you to recognize the interconnectedness of the environment with every facet of our lives. We hope that with every article, photograph, and design you encounter, you are inspired to redefine your relationship with the changing world around us.

Safe Travels,

Alexandra Jade Garcia and Emily Langton
Co-editors in Chief