Had reason to reminisce about the wonderful bike trip in 2017 riding the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath. What an incredible experience!
08
Good day!
Ive vowed to do nothing else until I passed the 50% mark on this edit. Since then, my focus has been keen.
It has less to do with productivity & efficiency, & more to do with finding the storys depth.
Despite our warm temperatures, patchy snow remains in the valley.
Be everwell.
After a meeting, went back to the location I took the photo of an evening sky yesterday. But this time, for a hike.
After a meeting, went back to the location I took the photo of an evening sky yesterday. But this time, for a hike.
4 Volcan Mountain, Julian CA
Winding hillside roads lead from San Diego to Julian and it's gold rush past. Visitors enjoy the history, but mostly enjoy the local apple pies and ciders. Get an early start and a hike up Volcan Mountain to appreciate the orchard hillside terroir and work up an appetite for the local delicacies.
07
Good day!
It must be March, the weather is like a yo-yo.
Ive errands to run as fast as possible this morning, then editing.
Im SO close to this edits midpoint, a milestone that always serves as inspiration. I can see my chart filling in & the excitement is building.
Be everwell.
A " and " idea has been growing in my brain.
The idea is to catch a train to the end of a line, and from there to the end of a different line. In with very rough routes:
Hurstbridge -> Lilydale (43km)
Lilydale -> Belgrave (36km)
Belgrave -> Pakenham (37km)
Pakenham -> Frankston (45km)
Hurstbridge -> Mernda (12km)
Mernda -> Upfield (27km)
... and so on.
In the same order as above:
06
Glacier Natl Park
Good day!
A great editing day yesterday. Hoping to repeat. Im so close to halfway through this edit, which is taking too long.
The snow is melting fast & Im realizing the season I havent hiked in here is spring. Ive heard tales of runoff & must choose carefully.
Be everwell.
"Act the way you'd like to be and soon you'll be the way you'd like to act."Bob Dylan
Wetlands & Napa River Bay Trail
Napa county touches the San Pablo Bay and has parklands, trails, wetlands, bird watching, biking, hiking, ranch lands and native American history.
The sky of Stuttgart.05
Good day!
How nice of my misadventures to supply me with a blog post, but yet again they have. I need only upload it.
Ive found my editing groove again!
Its barely above freezing when I walk, but its warm enough to spark squirrel mating mischief in the trees.
Be everwell.
(chaotic night)This is the 3rd and final post from the mini-series that I've created on February 12th. Seeing how the previous trials failed (not completely, but I didn't like the results, specially that cars didn't pass through as often as I hoped), I've decided to have another go at it, but this time I'm doing it the old classical way: Take many shots, and stack them in PS and merge them. Thus, I've run the camera on "auto-pilot," shooting continuously for 10 minutes with an average exposure of 13 seconds - total was about 46 shots. I've stacked it all and merged them together, and it was one heck of an edit! The question is though, I'm not sure if I can call it a "long exposure" or not!
04
Good day!
Youve got mail.
What a difference sleep makes. I had my best editing day in a while yesterday.
Rain is falling, but Ill walk, then draft a blog post & edit another random chapter in Exhuming Truths.
A new month means a new hike. All the melting means choosing carefully.
Be everwell.
Nach zwei Jahren Physio und vielen Rad-km habe ich in den letzten Tagen erstmalig wieder die Laufschuhe geschnrt. Ich bin zwar langsam wie ne Schnecke, aber kaschiere das einfach mit hm und . Und muss sagen, das macht immer noch Spa!
Neue Traillaufschuhe incoming
and , #2007 from the on .Photo credit Curtis Patterson
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and , #2007 from the on .
Photo credit patterson.curtis
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It's time for with the
One of my favorite close to home in Rocky Mountain National Park in , Ouzel Falls.
03
Good day!
At last, sleep. I hit the wall last night, but in truth a cascade of events & circumstances have kept sleep at a minimum for weeks.
One night wont fix this, but its a start.
Ill walk, then edit, as opposed to staring at the screen. Im craving feeling productive again.
One step
Be everwell.
CrossroadStarting a new "mini-" series if you will here. This one was done in February 12th, as I had a night walk to the nearby traffic light (carrying my tripod and camera), planning to do some long exposures. Generally speaking, the results weren't up to my expectations, but I managed to salvage some shots.
For this shoot, I've used Voigtlnder 20mm, coupled with a variable ND filter (yes, ND, at night, for long exposure), and "Starry Night" filter from Kenko. This filter is supposedly used to reduce the light pollution, and seems awkward to use it in such situations, but I just wanted to try, since I've never used this one before even though I got it months ago. This filter also has a bluish tint, and I had to set the white balance properly (using WB correction tool) and despite all of that, processing the images in terms of colors was a bit of a task, especially in terms of the color halos (or bleeding), which eventually, I had to make peace with! The exposure for this one was about 7 minutes. What's strange though, cars didn't pass by much when I shoot such long exposures, but only after I finish them!
Early morning sunshine and mist. Forest near Park Road, Waterbury, Connecticut. November 13, 2021, 8:23 AM.
02
Good day!
Trees cast shadows, natures yawn leading to sunset turning out the light.
After a crazy three days, Evie & I are home & slept wonderfully.
Time to embrace all the good of home, yet be new. Thats my goal each day. If I fail, I try again. Thats growth.
Be everwell.
A country trail in late winter is a great place to spend a .
Started in on the trail repair to get across the new landslide. About 60 feet down from the top of the slide is a rock band in a place where the slide narrows. That should be a pretty safe place to cross. Got about 50 feet of trail done and in one more day we will be able to push across the slide and build some switchbacks up to rejoin the trail. If you look carefully, you will see a safety line that we will be using as we build across the slide. We do have to cut through the tree on the far side to continue the trail. The pink flagging tape shows the planned path.
In addition to loss of federal workers who map and protect habitats, deliver programs to our , support , maintain , provide & , storms (my partner is out fishing on the ocean right now). The ignorant and illegal actions of this administration have negatively impacted tribal crews and meaningful work. No fraud or waste here. These are direct hits to my life, my community.
01
Good day!
The Mission Mountains in all their splendor. Theyre sacred land on this side. Its easy to see why.
Im thrilled to have a ton of notes now for Exhumed Reflection, the story thats demanded my attention for a year.
Evie the Cat & I head home late today. Im ready.
Be everwell.
4 Daley Ranch & Stanley Peak
5-6 miles Escondido CA We've explored one of the park's most popular routes that takes in the western hills, including an opportunity to hike up Stanley Peak.
28
Good day!
This is, literally, my view.
The place where Im babysitting a handful of animals (Evie the Cat is here). Where my car battery died after 10-years.
Ive setup collaborative hikes & my writing journal for March. Next, notes on the sequel to Deadly Stroll, which is Exhumed Reflection.
Be everwell.
As I often say, in Portugal the Caminho de Santiago is like a plate of spaghetti thrown on the ground.
Although in principle all you need to do on the Caminho Litoral from Porto to the Spanish border is keep the ocean on your left, in practice you're faced with lots of lovely situations like this one.
3 Elfin Forest, Escondido CA
The fanciful naming of these lands might lead visitors to expect to find a fairytale forest when hiking here. True, we didn't expect to encounter any mythical creatures hiking here, but we were surprised to find that there's no forest either..
27
Glacier National Park
Good day!
I accomplished an impossible number of tasks yesterday, but now its time for an adventure for Evie the Cat and I.
By March (maybe) my writing life will settle down & I can make some real headway on editing Book3. Its past time.
Be everwell.
Three towns meet sunset from ledges on Mount Sanford, Hamden-Cheshire-Bethany, Connecticut. April 23, 2017, 8:08 PM.
26
Good day!
The eternal lightness of being
done with taxes, especially this year. Just filing made me feel dirty, unclean.
Intense playing with Evie the Cat followed, along with editing.
My life will be in upheaval the next few days, but nothing bad.
Be everwell.
25
Good day!
The snow is melting fast in the valley since were far warmer than normal for this time of year.
Abnormal is normal, I guess.
Ive been completing ignored tasks. Today its about dreaded taxes. Mine are easy, but doing them online stresses me out.
Be everwell.
For those who like trainspotting while Trailspotting, we're growing a list of trail reviews around the North Yorkshire Moors Railway ..
24
Good day!
I escape into the wilds, I escape into story, it seems like in-between all I want to do is sleep.
Somehow, Im still here.
I can thank Evie the Cat. When Im drowning, knowing she needs me keeps me going.
Somewhere deep is the stubbornness I always find at the worst of times.
Be everwell.
TrailsFor the enduring love of Americas natural treasures
Bryce Canyon National Park, UtahThe recent broad dismissals of rangers and rangers has caused all of us who hold Americas natural treasures near and dear to their heart to fiercely object to these misguided actions by the . What is so dumbfounding is the apparent lack of understanding and appreciation of these gems.
Valles Caldera National Preserve, New MexicoHow in the world can certain people not understand or appreciate the stunning beauty and wonder of Americas natural treasures
Its this lack of appreciation that makes this author wonder if an early introduction to our national parks and forests while kids are in elementary and secondary school should become a standard practice. In the past, this may have been a difficult proposition for some since the geographical distribution of national park sites tended to be weighted heavily in the Western United States. Thankfully, groups such as the scouts have helped introduce young people to our diverse ecosystems across much of the country.
Zion NP, UtahCapital Reef NP, UtahMore recently, additional (lakeshores, seashores, historical parks, trails, battlefields, recreation areas, preserves, monuments, and parks themselves) have been designated in the eastern half of the nation. Believe me, its not just the national parks specifically that are beautiful. Anyone who has visited , , or will attest to the surprising beauty of those solemn battle settings. The same can be said of , , or shorelines.
White Sands NP, New MexicoGrand Canyon NP, ArizonaGuadalupe Mountains NP, TexasJoshua Tree NP, CaliforniaGreat Sand Dunes NP, ColoradoRocky Mountain NP, ColoradoA similar idea would be to require each and every member of Congress (the United States Senate and the House of Representatives) to visit at least one national park system site or national forest every year they are in office. Such a policy could be established under their internal rules and would help better acquaint members with the importance and stunning aura of these varied natural features. Then, instead of excessive overseas junkets and lobbyist paid retreats, an annual trip to our nations treasures would help open their eyes to the majestic landscapes and vistas that might be lost forever, if not cared for properly.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, MichiganThere are many that could be easily visited by school groups and elected officials. While some of these features may not be as physically dramatic as the parks themselves, they remain excellent tools for educating and endearing our citizenry of the importance of our nations natural treasures. And there are certainly many locations within our national forest system that could qualify for national park status, as well.
Sandia Mountains in Cibola National Forest, New MexicoA truly special feature within some of our national forests are wilderness areas that have been left pristine and largely untouched over time. With so few places across the Lower 48 states remaining undisturbed, unfenced, or undeveloped, these ( 100 years ago) are the last remaining vestiges of the original American landscape. An endearing landscape that was once home to our many indigenous peoples and which first greeted intrepid explorers, trappers, pioneers, and settlers.
Map of national forests and grasslands Source: en.wikipedia.orgOak Creek Canyon in Coconino National Forest, ArizonaWe abuse land because we see it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.
Aldo Leopold
The point isif everyone in this country were to become better acquainted with the national park system and national forest network, hopefully they would better appreciate our nations vast and varied natural treasures. Then, maybe just maybe, the chance of broad staff dismissals, reduced funding, and inappropriate land use proposals within or near these gems would become a thing of the past.
Peace!
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico#battlefields #deserts #dunes #environment #fun #geography #history #lakes #lakeshores #landUse #love #monuments #mountains #NationalForests #NationalParks #nature #parks #planning #preserves #recreation #river #scenic #seashores #trails #travel #water
I recently finished Trails Through Daybreak (after 70h )
Currently I have finished, sorted by the one I liked the most:
- Trails from Cold Steel II
- Trails in the Sky FC
- Trails from Zero
- Trails through Daybreak
- Trails from Cold Steel
I love the series!
Next step I need to choose between
- Trails from Cold Steel III
- Trails into Azure
- Trails in the Sky SC
- Trails through Daybreak II
Although I will probably play some of them in parallel :D
23
Good day!
A look at the valley thats been my home for the last decade. It was a lake once.
To keep myself from feeling drained, theres hiking, but also losing myself in story, as a writer, & as a reader.
Plus, Evie the Cat.
May you find your way.
Be everwell.