Writer's Block (Ergo the Pictures)

(Grand Teton National, USA)




(Yellowstone National, USA)





(Bowron Provincial, BC, Canada)





(Bowron Provincial, BC, Canada)






(Antelope Island State Park, Salt Lake City, UT)



(Somewhere in Montana, USA)


(Mt. Robson, Canada)


(Jasper National, Canada)


(Banff National, Canada)



(Glacier National, USA)

The Great Outdoors

I decided to keep a Journal for my adventures this past weekend. If you want a closer look at the pictures, click on them.

Enjoy!

July 2, 2011

7:30

Jeanine’s in town this weekend. She decided to invite her in-laws and the Holladay family up for a camping trip in American Fork Canyon. Naturally, an invitation was extended to me as well.


Shots taken while coming out of American Fork Canyon. Hurray for me finally figuring out photography water settings. Pretty effects, no?


The ride up here last night was filled with such intoxicating alpine smells and visions splendor that I more than once lifted up the visor on my helmet to howl at the sun kissed rocks in the canyon. I must have sounded like a freakin’ lunatic.

The plan today is to descend the canyon and head south to Goblin Valley. I have a craving for some alone time, and I suspect I will succeed in getting it. On to the red rock!

13:30

I’ve made it to Price, UT—so I’m more than halfway. My arms are burnt to a bloody crisp. I know I should probably put some lotion on, but I stupidly left my supply inside my tied luggage.

The ride has been beautiful, if not somewhat uncomfortable. Such is life in the saddle, I guess. The sky and rock combinations have been very distracting: everything here looks like Maynard Dixon Painting wanting to break free.


Somewhere between Price and Goblin I encountered what used to be a gas station with a bunch of llamas in front of it. It was too funny to miss getting a couple of shots. Aren't those expressions priceless?

16:00

I’ve touched down in Goblin. It’s hotter than hell. I’ve spent the last hour looking for a way to sneak into the park. No such luck. Looks like I’ll have to pay the $7 to get inside.


The "Slot" I stayed in.

Despite this monetary setback, my surroundings are incredible. I parked the bike in a quasi-slot canyon, and the silence and shade are doing wonders for me. My arms are still bacon strips, but the fluorescent blue sky and red rock are magnificent. I hope to camp in this slot later tonight.

18:00

Life works out. I came into the park and there was no ranger at the entrance. Looks like I’ll get the shots I wanted for free. Sweet.









It’s weird seeing the “goblins.” They look slightly smaller than I remember them being. Maybe it’s because I haven’t been here for five or six years, and Jaime and Kami aren’t here to tell me tall tales and angsty stories to make the surroundings magically come to life and swallow me whole.

July 3, 2011

Sometime late night/early morning…

I waited out the sunset in Goblin Valley, and I got some pretty amazing shots. Then I came back to the “campsite,” and that’s when all the trouble began. (I thought it was a little too convenient that the perfect site, with the perfect pile of free wood, and the perfect view was available without any hassle at all.)




Pretty sweet set up, right?

I built a fire, started listening to some Brandi Carlile, and wrote a letter to Jaime (the kind I always used to write her when we were living together—chalk full of silliness, secrets and vows of friendship). It was getting kind of late—about 11:00—and I thought it was time for me to hit the sack.



As I started walking away from the dying fire, I heard what could only be described as the sound of an insanely rabid cricket beast thingy. Then the logical thought occurred to me, “That sounds a bit like a rattle snake. [Pause] Nah!” I grabbed a stick from the fire and walked over to my air mattress, about twenty yards away. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong, so I forgot about it.


The stick that saved my life.

A few minutes later, I set up my camera to attempt some star trails before I went to bed (this task was not as successful as I might have hoped). I turned out all the lights, and then I heard the most terrifying sound I’ve ever heard in my life coming from a foot away. It was made very clear to me by my sense of self preservation that I was not dealing with a beast cricket after all. There was in fact a rattle snake slithering underneath my tripod, when I turned on my headlamp. Before he could properly coil, I grabbed the fire stick from the ground and aimed for his neck. I hit him as hard as I possibly could, and then I crushed his head for good measure.


"George" didn't make it.

Looks as though I’ll not be getting much sleep tonight. I really need to buy a tent.

12:30

I was correct in my prediction: I didn’t get much sleep last night. Between the burnt purple arms, the balmy warmth and the warranted dread of death by snake, I maybe got three hours of sleep.

I was then politely awoken by five hungry ravens this morning at approximately 5:30. They were busy picking off the bats that were flying directly above my head. It was a bizarre scene: bugs flying around, bats chasing them, and then ravens chasing the bats. Talk about observing the great circle of life first hand.


The sunrise as I left Goblin.

I made it to Capitol Reef a few hours later, and let me just say now, “What a freakin’ disappointment.” The ride from Goblin to the park was prettier than the park. Oh well.




The top two were in the middle of nowhere. The last is Capitol Reef.

It’s been a pretty eventful weekend, so I guess I can’t really be all that disappointed. Besides, there are many more adventures to be had before this summer is done. I'm so lucky to live in Utah!

Parting Clouds

1. First, please forgive my long overdue post. I’ve been suffering from what could only be described as a “life block.” Things are looking up, though. I’m not sure what has changed exactly (not the situation…that’s for sure), but I think having good people gently urge me to reengage with my existence has certainly helped (Jaime, Seth, Kira, Sarah, Sara Lyn & Sister King…I love you all).

2. I’ve recently taken up photography (see the pics above and below). It’s been fantastic. I’ve even managed to procure a pretty cool granola for a teacher. Poor thing (born in ’87) thinks the ‘60s were the best decade of the last century. Good decade for music, but bless her heart.







3. Speaking of the last century, I’ve been listening to a lot of '80s music as of late. I caught the U2 concert a month ago, and it sparked a frenzied return to all things related to the decade of my birth.

Thankfully, I’m not the only one. Jaime’s been in town for the summer, so I’ve had some great opportunities to really unabashedly praise and enjoy my favorites.

One song in particular has taken over. In fact, it was even recently covered by the beautiful Brandi Carlile and released on her live album this past April. She described what inspired the cover:

“Recently I was sitting around in the privacy of own home [. . .] learning “Eternal Flame.” I’m not afraid to admit it. I was learning it because I thought it was funny. I was also learning “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” And while I was having this guilty pleasure ‘80s reprise moment, I was reintroduced to a song that sort of broke my heart the first time I heard it without any instrumentation: “Forever Young.”


Brandi's Version


The Original by Alphaville

Lyrics:
Let us dance in style, let us dance for a while
Heaven can wait we're only watching the skies
Hoping for the best but expecting the worst
Are they gonna drop the bomb or not?

Let us die young or let us live forever
We don't have the power but we never say never
Sitting in a sandpit, life is a short trip
The music's for a sad man

Can you imagine when this race is won
Turn our golden faces into the sun
But praising our leaders we're getting in tune
The music's played by a madman

Forever young, I want to be forever young
Do you really want to live forever?
Forever, or never

Forever young, I want to be forever young
Do you really want to live forever?
Forever young

Some of us are like water and some are like the heat
Some are a melody and some are the beat
Sooner or later we’ll will be gone
Why don't we stay young?

But it's so hard to get old without a cause
I don't want to perish like a fading horse
Youth are like diamonds in the sun
And diamonds are forever

So many adventures could happen in a day
So many songs we forgotten to play
So many dreams are swinging out of the blue
If we let them come true

Forever young, I want to be forever young
Do you really want to live forever?
Forever, or never

Forever young, I want to be forever young
Do you really want to live forever?
Forever, or never

Forever young, I wanna be forever young
Do you really want to live forever?


Does anyone have any incite on why this song affects me so?

4. Three more weeks and I’m going to Canada! For the past few years I’ve been planning a canoeing trip to the Bowron in northeastern BC. Looks like it’s finally gonna happen. Tickets are purchased, I have almost all of my gear, and I am so stoked!

5. I’ve written five new songs in the past two months. Impressive, no? Misery is a muse. Also, I’m trying to find a way to put samples up for anyone who’s interested, so stay tuned.