In Bearings, John Egbert, naturalist and humanist, reflects on family, chance encounters with people, wildflowers, birds, and other wildlife and wild places. Occasionally John interrupts his wide-ranging explorations to dig into linguistics. From idiosyncratic South American poems to explorations of New Mexico deserts, rivers, and lakes, and most recently, the Pacific Northwest, John's personal stories and short poems run hard through his curiosity and reflection. This book presents a collection of whim and wonder with a need for grounding; a meeting with diverse people and natural phenomena.