DayWhen Media

JB King

2012-01-29T10:07:00.000-08:00

JB King
Oretega Trail
Ojai, Calif.
January 2012

Halfway up the trail, just as your legs start burning and your lungs start huffing, there is a rock carelessly tossed by the side of the trail. The rock itself is fairly insignificant at first glance. There is little that discerns it from any of the other trail side boulders in the backcountry. It is not particularly large, nor uniquely shaped. It has a dull drab coloring unlike many of its flashier sandstone compatriots.

Truth be told by this time in the walk your concentrating more on your feet then anything else. By this time you have climbed over broken rocks and ankle-biting gravel, over a thousand feet into the hills. The sun is pounding down on your back. The trail has dropped behind the ridge line. You've been swallowed up by the foliage. Yet you are only half way up. You are only looking at your feet, grunting away with each step, get higher and further with each stride. The rock in question does little to grab your attention.

It would be quite easy to keep trudging right by this rock. I'm sure many have done just that. However as you get closer, if you pause to stretch, gulp air, rest tired feet, you notice there is something different about this rock. If you look close you may notice faint carving breaking up the face of the rock. As your brain struggles to switch into an analytical mood, shapes and words begin to form. You pear in, look closer, study the faint scratches. Your eyes squint, your head tilts.

Then it clicks, coherency is reached. "JB King, 1908, Jan. 30th." It makes sense. Or does it? Who was JB King? Did he die here? Was he carried up here by loved ones to be lain to rest? Why here? Why this rock? Why not in the valley below, next to a waterfall or along a grassy creek side meadow? Why not at the top with the expansive views and commanding vistas of the Ojai Valley and the Channel Islands? Why here?

These questions have perplexed many hikers, historians, and other gatherers of long lost oddities. There is no record, no surviving memory to answer the who or why. Its a mystery, a riddle. Guesses have been wagered by men much smarter then I. Erudite explanations have been offered, disproved, reworked, and offered again. Through it all the rock remains, the riddle of JB King still to be solved.

JB King.

**An interesting account of one reporter's sleuthing can be read here.**

Ortega

2012-01-29T09:49:00.000-08:00

Ortega Trail
Ojai Frontcountry
Ojai, Calif.
January 2012

I went for a drive, which turned into a walk, which turned into a hike, which ended up being one heck of an adventure. Funny how that happens.

Old Man Mtn & The Murrieta Divide.

Ojai Valley.

Trees.

Anacapa.

Swell

2012-01-25T19:59:00.000-08:00

Swell

Ventura, Calif.

Jan. 2012

The first of what we hope will be many winter swells swept are way in early January. Of course with work I missed all but the tail end. There will be more, I tell myself this over and over. There will be more.

Chop.

Fire on the Mountain.

Kites

2012-01-25T19:57:00.000-08:00

Kites
Ventura Pier
Ventura, Calif.
Jan. 2012

Surfer's Point.

Brownie

2012-01-05T11:40:00.000-08:00

Brownie
Ventura, Calif.
January 2012

I scored this little guy at the thrift store the other day for $4. I justified the expense by saying it was a belated Christmas gift to me Yah me! It has seen better days and probably isn't even worth the $4. Regardless I was pretty stoked to take it home.

Vintage.

Busy Bees

2012-01-05T11:34:00.000-08:00

Busy Bees
Backyard
Ventuckey, Calif.
January 2012

The backyard has become quite the industrious place to be. With all the activity buzzing around me in the noon sun I almost feel bad relaxing in the midst of it. Almost.

Bo Biz Buzz.

Bloom.

Humming.

Falafel

2012-01-05T11:22:00.000-08:00

Falafel
Ventuckey, Calif.
Jan. 2012

I tried my hand at making falafel. Running around in the middle east falafel stands are as common as Starbucks here. They literally dot every city block of Istanbul, Beirut, or Damascus. It is great street food-- fast, cheap, tasty. Wrap 'em up in pita bread or on a stick, its comfort food. Needless to say the very idea of hot falafel on a warm January afternoon had me reminiscing about simpler times when I was a lot younger and a little dumber. Memories of a time where grabbing street food and watching sunset over the Med was a nightly ritual.

I whipped up my best mint yogurt sauce. The tangy sweetness is characteristic of middle east cuisine and a must have for traditional falafel. With hot oil popping around my knucles I grabbed each little ball of fried memories once they reached a golden brown. A big mug of sweat tea and a spot under the banana trees completed the setting. I gobbled up the first one and by the gods it was horrible. It tasted like musty old chalk dust. I was sorely disappointed. Big fail.

This must be a sign to pack the bags and head back to Beirut. Spring break is only a few months away after all....

Fail.

NYE

2012-01-05T11:16:00.000-08:00

NYE Day
Ventura, Calif.
Dec. 2011

Last swell of the old year. 2011, good riddance.

Walk Out.

Kelp.

Purple Slush.

Christmas Day

2012-01-05T11:10:00.000-08:00

Christmas Day
Ventura, Calif.
Dec. 25th, 2011

Merry merry.

"Happiness held is the seed..."

Holiday Nap.

Black Friday

2011-11-29T11:44:00.001-08:00

Black Friday
Surfer's Point
Ventura, Calif.
Nov. 2011

The malls and big block stores may have been crowded from midnight onward as people pepper-sprayed there way to gorge on rampant consumerism. Thankfully $200 flat screen TVs made by 8 year olds in China kept the wackos off the beach and out of the line up. Always have to find the bright side.

Walk in.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-29T11:41:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving
Ventuckey, Calif.
Nov. 2011

Climbed the hill, parked on the bench, watched the sunset sink below the islands. Brilliant.

Backyard.

Day Hike

2011-11-29T10:45:00.000-08:00

Day Hike
Reyes Peak>Haddock Peak>Piedra Blanca; 16.5 miles
Sespe Wilderness, Calif.
Nov. 2011

For some places in SoCal fall is well underway. You would never know it by the 80 degree heat, flush palm trees, and the the tiny bikinis here at the beach. Head up into the mountains and it is a different story. Already the mountains have seen record lows, incredible high velocity winds, and even a few snow storms. With winter threatening to close most of the access roads and trail heads to the mountains we ventured out for one last epic hike, one last hurrah.

I was feeling a little under the weather so to speak so we pushed off a few days later then anticipated. This was actually a blessing really. The day we had originally planned on tackling this walk saw temps pushing well into the low 80s int he backcountry, it would have been murder. When we woke up with the sunrise temps were a brutal 30 degrees. The clean fresh mountain air cut through our multiple layers of high-tech modern day active wear. Every bone in my body was screaming to crawl back into my warm sleeping bag and call it a day. Somehow we got dressed and chipped away some ice for coffee. Finally with some warmth in my belly I woke up Sparky. As his bushy sleep-deprived head popped out of the tent like a whack-a-mole on downers you could easily tell he was thinking the same thoughts as I-- screw this. Only Tessie was excited to start the day. She was jumping around bouncing off of pine trees trying her best to get Sparky and I motivated and on the trail. Eventually we got moving. Thankfully.

Despite our early morning reluctance the walk was a brilliant adventure. The first section up to Haddock peak is an amazing ridge line walk. We were covered in old-growth Pinon Pines the entire way. The footpath was covered in a deep carpet of dried red pine nettles. Huge grotesque sandstone boulders, carved by the wind and rain jutted up along the ridge line. The views were expensive and rewarding. From the ridge you have uninterrupted views almost down towards the beaches of Ventura and the backcountry of Santa Barbara. Despite my upset stomach we made good time early and reached the summit of Haddock in short order. From there the punishment began in earnest.

We climbed a few miles down to meet up with the Gene Marshal- Piedra Blanca Nat'l Recreation Trail. The climb down was choked with sharp brambles, incredibly painful as we shredded forward. Once we hooked up with the Gene Marshal the trail leveled out for a bit. We followed a meandering river down through the valley. Surrounded by the bright yellows, crisp reds, and vibrant oranges of fall it was easy to get lost in blissful thoughts. The serenity ended abruptly when we hit the Rollercoaster. The name is well deserved. The Rollercoaster marks a back-breaking section of trail with incredibly steep ups and downs with no break. Up up up, suck air, bitch, moan, up up up, suck air, down down down, up up up, consider possibility of taking a nap, up up up, suck air, down down down, praise Jesus, up up up, I spoke too soon, up up up, suck air, curse the hills, down down down, and well you get the point. Sparky blazed through with ease. I wasn't so lucky and slowed considerably.

Eventually though I tumbled into Pine Mountain Lodge camp and plopped down next to the stream for a quick break. Pine Mountain Lodge is a little misleading as there is no lodge, not even a coffee service waiting for us. I was a little perturbed. A latte and maybe a spa treatment or at least a cold beer and a hut tub would have been a nice treat at this point. No such luck. Thankfully getting to this camp was my biggest concern. The difficult climbs and gut busting sections were behind us. From here to the Sespe River it was all down hill. Literally. Seven miles of downhill without a break. It would be grueling in its own right but at least it wasn't the Rollercoaster. I was soaking up the gentle sunshine enjoying the afternoon while Sparky impatiently hopped around and huffed and puffed to get me going again. After an all together too short of a break we set out yet for the home stretch. After about 20 minutes I was over the downhill crap. It was unpleasantly steep and loosely packed sand and gravel. A few times I thought my knees would end up lodged in my throat.

The temps barely made it above 55 all day, cooler in the shade. It was predicted to be in the 20s after sunset. Tired and soaked with 6 hours of sweat this was not a pleasant thought. We were chasing the setting sun and had no interest in getting caught in the cold dark. We motored on. My knees and ankles screamed in protest at the fast pace but we kept on. Eventually we made it to Piedra Blanca and admired a brilliant sunset to the west. The car was only a few short miles away. Reinvigorated by the end of the downhill we cruised over to Lion's Camp and the refuge of the car. We beat the setting sun by about 20 minutes.

16.5 miles of brutal but amazing walking in 8 hours. Not bad for a chubby old man. Not bad for a Thursday. Can't wait to go again.

Sparky.

Foliage.

Bottom.

Refill Shoppe

2011-11-13T10:25:00.000-08:00

Refill Shoppe
Main St., Ventura
Fall 2011

The newly minted Bickfords hit up the left coast for a lazy weekend. They swung through Ventuckey for an afternoon to check out new sights and revisit old haunts. We stopped by our friends shop for the afternoon. If you haven't been by the Refill Shoppe on Main Street you are missing out. The Refill Shoppe is an eco-conscious store challenging the standards of consumerism by offering quality bath, body, home and cleaning liquids in bulk. By allowing you to refill your own bottle you can do your part to reduce waste in a fun way! You can even add custom mixed scents to your soap, lotion, oils, cleaning supplies, etc. Its a pretty rad idea everyone should check out!

Custom Scents.

Mixing.

Vice Vickford refills his favorite lavender white chocolate message oil.

The Old Gang.

Pie

2011-11-06T11:46:00.000-08:00

Pie
Fall 2011

Dude, pie. Fall is here and in the Toothless Hippy household that means cheesecake-- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie to be exact. Yah I know, I rock.

Fresh.

Last Slice.

Hardly

2011-11-05T17:49:00.001-07:00

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival
San Francisco, Calif.
Oct. 2011

3 days, City by the Bay, 6 stages, 100+ bands, 600k spectators. I'm not sure where to even begin.

Mother Hips.

Crowd.

1st Hips show!

Hipsters.

After party, (Tessie snuck in).

Burn

2011-10-31T20:09:00.000-07:00

Night Burn
New Doc Project
Day 3
Ventuckey, Calif.
Summer/ Fall 2011

Spark.

Sespe

2011-10-31T19:40:00.000-07:00

Sespe Hot Springs Hike
Sespe Wilderness, Calif.
October 2011

"Remember the days when an adventure almost always entailed biting off more then you could chew? Time to get back in the habit. Time for an adventure. Time to stretch tired legs and a tireder soul. Time to make new stories, sing new songs, and spin new yarns. Its time for a long over due walk in the woods. See yah when the whiskey's gone or the legs are happy, whichever comes first."

That was what I was thinking when I first set out. I should have bit my tongue, knocked on wood, etc. etc. etc. If an adventure doesn't start until everything goes wrong, this was one heck of an adventure cause everything went wrong. The map was wrong, the temps reached well over 100 degrees by 9am, I had 7 blisters after the first 2 miles, the poor dog over heated, food spoiled, water dried up, a 35 mile 3 day leisurely walk turned into a 2 day slog thanks to the dog eating a skunk our 2nd night, I could go on and on but I digress.

Im glad we went out, I'm even glader we are back home sitting on the couch with a cold one.

River.

100 in the shade.

<----- Coastal______|______High Desert ----->

Cabin.

Welcoming.

Jack.

Jacked.

Junk.

Milky.

Sun Rise.

Project, Day 2

2011-10-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

New Doc Project
Day 2
Ventuckey, Calif.
Summer/ Fall 2011

Cool thing #107 about being unemployed continued...

After successfully testing the furnace and smelting process it was time to sand cast the very first prototype. This is to be the fist cast in a very long process of casts in order to complete the final test piece. Because of the intricacy of the final device, the limited tools available, and the quirks of sand casting it is altogether impossible to fashion a model of the final device and use that model to cast the prototype. Instead the model of the prototype must be built up layer by layer by melting and casting aluminum over and over again.

This first cast will start to simply give a basic shape to the device. Once cast it will be drilled and sanded down to a finished shape. Then that shape will be built up in essential areas in order to serve as the model for the next cast. Future casts will build on this shape, each following cast adding a bit more to the original shape. Eventually after a series of upwards of a dozen casts the hope is to have a finished model with which to cast the actual prototype. It is thankless work but you got to start somewhere.

Sand.

Cast; Pre-Pour.

First Look; Post-Pour.

Drill.

Matilija

2011-10-08T13:44:00.000-07:00

Matilija Walk
Ojai, Calif.
September 2011

The Matilija Damn has been a sore source of contention since I first came to California 7 years ago. The damn was built in 1947 for flood control and water storage. Critics claim the damn construction was flawed and unnecessary from the very beginning. The damn destroyed what was once a flourishing steelhead trout area. It blocks the flow of silt downstream, effectively limiting local beaches much needed material to replenish themselves after winter storms. Today the old damn is crumbling under an estimated six million cubic yards of built up silt and sediment deposited along its length. The last decade or so a group of environmentalists, outdoor enthusiasts, fisherman, and surfers have been working towards its destruction. With costs to tear down the damn estimated at over $140 million smackers and the fact that the damn straddles a fault line, it is unlikely it will be torn down any time soon.

As a not so silent protest, anonymous activists rappelled down the face of the damn in the dark of night to leave a cutting statement. Weeks later still no one has come forward to claim responsibility for the brilliant graffiti. Soon after the mysterious shears appeared the local media was abuzz. The graffiti was featured on the front page of the local newspaper and even got its own write up in the LA Times. With all the commotion, Tess and I decided to head out and take a walk to see what all the fuss was about.

Shears.

Broken.

Boarded.

Pump.

Snip.

Hummers

2011-10-05T14:43:00.000-07:00

Hummingbirds
Summer 2011

We put up a new hummingbird feeder on the porch. Turns out these buggers aren't shy at all! I can watch these little dudes all day long.

Tongue.

Emerald Back.

36 Hours

2011-10-05T14:21:00.000-07:00

36 Hours
Back Garden
Ventuckey, Calif.
Summer 2011

Cool thing #67 about being unemployed; being able to sit in the garden and watch been sprouts grow. For 36 hours. Straight.

Hour 1 .......................................... Hour 36.

Project

2011-10-05T12:46:00.000-07:00

New Doc Project
Day 1
Ventuckey, Calif.
Summer/ Fall 2011

Cool thing #107 about being unemployed; having the free time to develop personal projects. Its been way too long since I have been able to develop a long term personal project. In fact while working for the man that was my biggest complaint. I spent so much time chained up in the office I never had the time to work on any of my own ideas. I get laid off and voila, free time galore!

Just a few miles from Patagonia's Old Iron Works headquarters another climbing visionary Jacob Tester is working on a revolutionary new climbing device. Like Chouinard out in the now famous woodshed, Tester spends hours working and reworking aluminum casts to get the perfect lines for his idea. Smoke pours from his backyard when he is working. The air is full of buzzing saws and ringing hammers. The smell of charcoal and burnt metal greats each curious visitor.

I cant say too much without giving it all away though suffice to say if successful this new device could easily change the climbing community for the better. Tester has spent close to 10 years developing his idea to get to this point. Now it is time to actually build the prototype and test out his design theories.

The first step Tester combed through local thrift stores to find the necessary elements to build a back yard furnace. For about $20 he was able to find the necessary parts to piece together the furnace with which to melt aluminum. The first day we met up he was putting the final touches on the furnace. When everything was ready he lit it up and attempted to melt test ingots. These test ingots are made of scrap aluminum. the firing process will burn off much of the impurities and collected dirt of the low grade aluminum. Later these ingots will be re-melted and used to cast the first prototype.

Though I can't show the entire development process until after the prototype has been fully developed, tested, and patented I will try to post a few shots here and there outlining Tester's progress.

Plans.

Furnace.

First Pour.

Ingot Success.

Air

2011-10-05T11:38:00.000-07:00

Camarillo Air Show
Ventura, Calif.
Aug. 2011

Cool thing #13 about being unemployed; relaxing in the back yard on a sunshinny beautiful SoCal day, beer in one hand camera in the other, and watching random fly-bys of vintage airplanes performing down the road at the air show. Who doesn't like air shows? Granted being unemployed I do have to temper my activities. Actually going down and watching from the runway is an extravagance not in the budget. Chillaxing in the back yard though under the palm trees to enjoy the show isn't that bad of an alternative.

Big Blue.

Saints Camp

2011-10-05T11:19:00.000-07:00

Saints Preseason Training Camp
Oxnard, Calif.
Aug. 24th, 2011

Cool thing #9 about being unemployed; playing hookey to watch the NFL's 2010 Super Bowl winning New Orleans Saints practice in sunny Oxnard, California. Are you ready for some football? Drew Brees, Pierre Thomas, Marques Colston, Jonathan Vilma, Mark Ingram, Tracy Porter-- enough said.

Bomb.

Tackle.

Pressure.

Autograph.

Lockwood

2011-09-06T20:55:00.000-07:00

Lockwood Valley to Pine Mtn Hike
Gene Marshal Piedra Blanca Nat'l Scenic Trail
Sespe Wilderness, Calif.
Aug. 2011

I have always wanted to do the Gene Marshal Trail in one big non-stop through hike. Judging from the topo map it will be one heck of a journey on foot. You start down in Lockwood Valley and climb a good 3000 feet up the backside of Pine Mountain to the top of Haddock Mountain. Then after catching your breathe you plunge 3000 down into Rose Valley and cross the Sespe River a handful of times. When you are sufficiently bedraggle you climb another 3200 feet to the tip top of Topa Topa Mtn. Hopefully your second wind has just about kicking in right there as you then have to descend 4700 feet down to the Ojai Valley. If everything goes as planned you pop out after 34-ish miles just outside of downtown Ojai.

There is no way I could do that in 24 hours right now. I am simply way too chubby and otherwise inclined to laziness these days. Instead I decided to scout out the approach to Haddock Mountain. I hoped to determine if this first big climb would be doable in a manageable amount of time. A 16.2 mile hike with an elevation gain of over 3000 isn't exactly a picnic. I figured it would serve as an adequate barometer of my performance and readiness to do the whole 30+ mile push. If I made it up then I would at least have a better understanding of the trail and the conditions for the real hike.

I had been warned that the trail may be "a little overgrown".

3 Miles in.

Back to camp just before sunset.

IPA

2011-09-06T20:50:00.000-07:00

IPA
Lake Elisabeth, Calif.
Aug. 5, 2011

Cool thing #17 about being unemployed; International IPA Day! Ok so anyone can and obviously millions the world over do in fact enjoy Int'l IPA Day while being gainfully employed. The really cool thing about being unemployed however when Int'l IPA Day rolls around-- if you don't have to get up the next morning or the next week and someone else is footing the bill it is so much more enjoyable. You are free to imbibe without an early morning hanging over your head or worry about eating through or in this case drinking through your rather meager bank account.

The Soldiers.

Summer

2011-08-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

Summer
Out and About, California
July 2011

Cool thing #33 about being unemployed; the dog days of summer = pure bliss. Don't get me wrong, the dog days of summer are always a simple pleasure that is pretty easy to indulge in regardless of circumstances. However when you're living on the dole the long summer days can quite easily pick up your soul and recharge the batteries. Swimming holes, afternoon thunderstorms, sipping lemonade, Sox games on the radio, stick ball in the street, riding bikes, long walks, super late sunsets, its all good.

Swimming Hole.

Rose.

Channel Island Afternoon.

Oil Piers.

Chorro

2011-08-08T09:36:00.000-07:00

Chorro Grande
Los Padres Nat'l Forest
July 2011

Hot. That pretty much sums it up, HOT. 3000 feet of elevation gained in 4.something miles. Hot. Temps in the 80s with little spots of shade here and there. Hot. The sun blasting down on you as you hump up and up and up. Hot. Most the mountain springs and streams dried for the year. Hot. Noontime hot. Chorro Grande hot.

This way.

Chorro Spring, 1 mile left.

Shade.

Pine> Ojai Hike

2011-07-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

Pine Mtn to Ojai, Calif. Hike

32.7 miles via Portrero Seco

Cool thing #74 about being unemployed; being able to walk 32 miles into the back country for a solo viewing of sunrise. I can't even begin to explain how miserable this hike was! I set out from VTA just before 6 in the am. It was cold and overcast, a sign I took as a good omen. I dropped off the Focus in Matilija Canyon by the hot springs. A good friend then taxied Tess and I up the 33 to Pine Mountain summit. A quick coffee, one last cigarette, we saddled up and stepped off.

The first couple hours were pure bliss. It was chilly but comfortably so. As long as we didn't stop for too long we would not feel the chill. Portrero Seco Road forms an impromptu boundary between undecimated lush green wilderness and fire scorched wasteland. To the northwest as far as the eye can see lies the burn area of the Zaca fire. To the southeast all the way to the Pacific nothing burned. The extremes are separated only by a ten foot wide jeep trail. You are literally walking down this giant seem between the two extremes.

The first nine miles went by quick enough, clocking in at just over 2.5 hours. The cool mountain air and the lite breeze and the freedom of being out on the trail put a spring in my step and a sparkle in my eye. I was feeling great, like I was in my early 20s again traipsing up and down the AT. I started to think we could easily finish the entire 32.7 miles in a single day. After a quick break we set off with this goal in mind.

Shortly after noon my resolve was quickly diminishing. The temperatures had climbed steadily since dawn. The breeze had died down leaving nothing but stale desert air to greet my every step. As we climbed higher and higher the sun got stronger and stronger. Shade was practically non-existent. Nothing grew higher then 12 inches. Every hour or so we would crawl on our bellies into the brush to escape to sun's ferocity for a 15min break. The next 7 miles saw us climbing just short of 1500 feet though the map showed only a difference of 400 feet between. The ridge was an ever changing rollercoaster, we would climb up 400 feet only to drop 100 feet, then we would climb another 200 feet and drop 400 feet, then we would climb 300 feet and drop 200 feet and so on for hours. It was brutal, the downhill just as bad as the uphill.

Finally when hope was wearing thin we came to the alpine pond, our planned overnight spot for the trip. To call it a pond is like putting lipstick on a pig; a big muddy puddle would be more accurate. Around this puddle were dozens of fresh, alarmingly fresh lion and beer prints. It was the happening place for the locals. I filled up on water and soaked my poor blistered feet. I cooked up some red pepper and avocado quesadillas and we relaxed as we waited for the sun to set. About an hour before sun set we packed everything up and set out again. There was no way I was going to overnight in the middle of a bunch of lion and bears.

With the cool air slowly starting to reach up to our altitude my idea of finishing the hike was renewed. I was a little more then halfway done and after dinner my strength was renewed. As the temps dropped with the falling sun I thought finishing around midnight was a definite possibility. So off we went, but first we had to tackle the toughest climb of the hike. Much to my surprise we flew through the climb and shot down the backside. Our pace had quicken and our spirits were definitely up.

Unfortunately our motivation didnt last long. After just barely 3 miles I could barely walk. The blisters I had been fighting all day had flared up with a vengeance. They had gotten so bad each step brought tears to my eyes. Despite everything else feeling great I could not walk without extreme pain. I tried to push on but it was excruciatingly difficult. Finally I threw on the towel and set up the tent right in the middle of the trail. Quickly I slit each blister with my pocket knife to relieve the pressure. I had no first aid kit, moleskin, not even duct tape so all I could do was hope for the best. A few minutes later Tess and I were fast asleep.

We rose with the morning light, had some fruit for breakfast and set out hoping to take advantage of another cool morning. Again though the temperatures would not cooperate. By 9am it was a dry 82 degrees. At 6100 feet, the suns rays are brutal. My forehead bore the brunt of the suns anger and was painful to the touch. It hurt to sweet. After the 2nd mile my blisters came back worse then the night before. After too long hard climbs we reached the last pond. It was a harsh disappointing 5 miles. We struggled to complete the last section in four agonizing hours. We were averaging just over 1 mile an hour, pretty pathetic really but at least we were moving. At the pond I cut open my blisters once again to let the fluid out. I was really looking forward to soaking my feet in the last pond. Once we reached the pond though I was so disgusted with the hike I barely looked up as we walked by.

From the pond down into the Matilija we would drop 3000 feet in 7 miles, 1000 feet in the first mile and a half. Its a brutal decline for blistered feet. Despite the pain I was so driven to get off the ridge line and back down under the cover of the forest we double timed it down to the Murrieta Divide and into the trees. There is a small cold spring just below the Divide. As soon as we were in sight I dropped my pack and Tess and I jumped right in. We lounged in the cool crisp mountains water for about an hour. By the time we left the spring the temperatures had risen to almost 87 degress. The last 5.5 miles downhill was our biggest challenge yet. The dry hardpacked trail was incredibly warm. It was torture on Tess's feet. By the time we finished the first mile down her paws were incredibly burnt and she was limping severely. I ended up carrying her for 20 minutes then making her walk for 20 minutes, then carrying her again. After each section we would take a 15 minute break in whatever shade we could find. Thankfully there was ample water on the way down. Each spring we crossed we would both soak our abused feet in the cool streams. Finally just over 3 hours since we started down we hit the Matilija and jumped in the river. We were still over a mile from where we left the car but it didn't matter.

All told I had nine blisters on my poor feet. Every toe except my two big toes had a blister. My heel had a blister that was over 2 inches long. I had horrid sunburns on my arms and forehead, despite wearing a long sleeved t-shirt and a bandana. Tess's paws were so bad she didn't leave her bed for almost 3 days after we got back. It was definitely and adventure I suppose. Thankfully it is over. I can't wait to do it again, next time maybe try to do the entire trip in a single day. It should be rad!

Backcountry Begins.

Lilacs.

Break.

Sunrise, finally.

Coffee

2011-07-11T14:05:00.000-07:00

Coffee
Pine Mtn., Calif.
June 2011

Cool thing #02 about being unemployed; morning coffee with a friend tastes so much better.

Mountain Roast.

Raspberry Spring

2011-07-08T09:34:00.000-07:00

Raspberry Spring
Pine Mtn, Calif.
June 2011

Cool thing #18 about being unemployed; plenty of time to explore. I had heard rumours of an old Basque sheep herders camp from the 1880s somewhere just off of Reyes Peak somewhere down in Boulder Canyon. I was a little skeptical at first, I mean who had ever heard of Basque sheep herders in SoCal? Turns out the Basques have a pretty rich tradition of cattle ranching and sheep raising in and around Ventura since the mid-1820s. There is still a working Basque cattle ranch in Wheeler Canyon even today. I had no idea.

I've been up to the Pine Mountain Ridge literally hundreds of times since coming to California. With the exception of a few drunken wanderings and the odd trip to check out newly found boulders I had not really ventured too far from the known climbing and camping areas. It was time to stretch the legs and see what was out there. I spent a few minutes checking out the topo and set out, decaf coffee in one hand, camera in the other. The cool thing about Reyes Peak and the Pine Mountain Ridge is that it is pretty damn near impossible to get lost. Its perfect for exploring. Whenever you are tired or had enough you simply start walking up. Eventually you will hit the ridge road and then its pretty easy walking back to where ever your calling home for the night. You would have to be a damn fool (or a member of the Sierra Club) to get lost out there. As long as you know to walk uphill you are good to go.

That being said we found the old spring easy enough. There isnt much left, just the remnants of a wooden barrel to collect the water. Surprisingly the spring was still running and spitting out water in good form. It was rather surprising actually. I had only a general idea where we were headed and honestly getting there was only of minor importance. Before I knew it I heard running water. I looked around but only saw the dry brown and red forest around me. Then looking down, way down, I saw this tiny patch of green sprouting out of the dusty forest floor. Ahh the spring. We hung out for a bit then got back to exploring.

We found the spring in under an hour and decided to just keep on walking. So off we went with no particular destination in mind. Off to see what we could see. Off to do a little exploring and random wandering. It was a rad day.

Spring.

Mosses.

Raspberry Flats.

Bird

2011-06-08T17:39:00.000-07:00

Bird

backyard, VTA

May 2011

All I know is something like a bird within her sang,
All I know she sang a little while and then flew on,
Tell me all that you know, I'll show you snow and rain.

If you hear that same sweet song again, will you know why?
Anyone who sings a tune so sweet is passin' by,
Laugh in the sunshine, sing, cry in the dark, fly through the night.

Don't cry now, don't you cry, don't you cry anymore.
Sleep in the stars, don't you cry, dry your eyes on the wind.

-Robbie Hunter, 1970

Mellow.

Desert Bloom

2011-06-05T10:10:00.000-07:00

Desert Bloom
Santa Margarita-ish, Calif.
May 2011

Coreopsis blends.

Petite.

Silver Bush.

Layias.

Munz's Tidy-Tip.

Soda Lake

2011-06-05T08:04:00.000-07:00

Soda Lake
Carrizo National Monument
May 2011

Overlook Hill.

Endorheic Basin.

East.

Soda.

Chaff.

Caliente

2011-05-30T18:46:00.000-07:00

Caliente Ridge
Carrizo National Monument
California Badlands
May 2011

16 mile hike, there and back. 16 miles of amazing views and little shade.

Salt Flats.

Intersection.

Preview of Pine.

Contours.

Fault.

San Andreas.

Road.

Carrizo

2011-05-30T18:26:00.000-07:00

Carrizo National Monument
California Badlands
May 2011

Five days, four sunrises, four sunsets. Brilliant. Privileged.

Overlook.

Painted Rock.

Barn.

Road to Nowhere.

Soar.

Plains.

Rose Valley

2011-05-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

Rose Valley Falls
outside Ojai, Calif.
March 2011

Lower Falls.

Lower.

The Crazy Redhead.

Upper Falls.

Upper.

Supa Rica

2011-05-28T22:47:00.000-07:00

La Supa Rica Taqueria
Santa Barbara, Calif.
March 20, 2011

Best pasole in the world according to Julia Childs. She wasn't lying.

Pasole.

Conner.

#16.

Flooded

2011-05-28T22:28:00.000-07:00

Lockwood Canyon
outside Maricopa, Calif.
March 2011

Should I? Should I? Ahhh heck why not. Giddy up!

Contemplation.

Focus.

Stewart Cyn

2011-05-28T22:12:00.000-07:00

Stewart Canyon
Ojai, Calif.
March 2011

More rain in the hills. Dozens of hikers airlifted from the Sespe Wilderness due to flash floods and swollen rivers. Amatures.

Down Canyon.

Reyes Creek

2011-05-28T21:50:00.000-07:00

Reyes Creek to Pine Mountain via Gene Marshall Nat'l Trail
Reyes Creek, Calif.
March 2011

Hiked the back side of Pine Mountain in the snow, forgot my camera, got soaked through and through. Not too fun. Spent the afternoon exploring this faux ghost town tourist trap set up by the city folk and keeping Tess away from a horny hound dog. Sorta fun. Crashed out by the fire under the full moon with a bottle of Barefoot and my journal. Rad fun!

Chapel.

Sanctum.

Saloon.

Cuckoo.

Chill.

Dry Lakes

2011-03-12T18:34:00.001-08:00

Dry Lakes (Again)
Dry Lakes Ridge Botanical Area
Ojai, Calif.
March 2011

1300 feet elevation gained in 0.8mi and 2500 feet gained overall in 4 miles looks significantly easier on paper. I'm a glutton for punishment, though I believe if I wasn't such a glutton it wouldn't be nearly as punishing.

First Lake.

Topa

2011-03-03T22:44:00.000-08:00

Topa Topa
Ojai, Calif
March 2011

Pink Period.

Anacapa

2011-03-03T22:25:00.000-08:00

Anacapa Island, CINP
Viewed from top of Sulpher Mtn.
Ojai, Calif.
March 2011

Arch.

Been Cooking

2011-03-03T19:56:00.000-08:00

Been Cooking
Kitchen, Le Hermitage
Feb. 2011

Cool thing #12 about being unemployed; making a mess in the kitchen! When I was working it was rare I would ever spend more then a few minutes preparing dinner in the evening. More often then not after a long stressful day in the office I would come home, boil up some pasta, add a sausage or two and call it good. Sometimes I would skip dinner all together for a beer and a smoke and an early night hitting the hay. Getting creative in the kitchen was quite rare.

Now wasting a few hours to toss together some lunch in the afternoon is a joy. Rolling up the sleeves and trying new recipes and experimenting all evening long for a crazy dinner is something I look forward to. I've been whipping up all sorts of different lasagnas, homemade ravioli, chinese pies, all sorts of new stir fries w/ different Thai sauces, coq au vin, the list goes on and on. So far everything has been quite delectable (knock on wood!).

Pan Seared Peppered Ahi w/ Rosemary & Garlic Pommes Frites, garnished w/ En Salade Herbes Fraîches.

Spam Musubi.

Palms

2011-02-23T22:33:00.000-08:00

Palms
VTA Keys
Feb. 2011

Royal.

Hoist

2011-02-23T22:18:00.000-08:00

Hoist
VTA Harbour
Feb. 2011

Compass card is spinning, helm is swinging to and fro
Oh, where is the dog star, oh, where's the moon.
You're a lost sailor, been away too long at sea.

Somedays the gales are howling, sometimes the sea is still as glass.
Oh, raise the main sail, oh, lash the mast.
You're a lost sailor, been away too long at sea.
Now the shorelines beckon, there is a price for being free.

There's a sea bird cryin' and there's a ghost wind blowing
And it's calling you, to that misty swirling sea.
Till the chains of your dreams are broken,
No place in this world you can be.

You're a lost sailor, been away too long at sea.
Now the shorelines beckon, there is a price for being free.

--John Perry Barlow
Mill Valley, California, July, 1979.

Embark.

Progress

2011-02-23T21:58:00.000-08:00

Progress
VTA River Mouth
Feb. 2011

Progress, like time and the tides, waits for no man.

Dozer.

Dusk Patrol

2011-02-06T15:05:00.000-08:00

Dusk Patrol
Ventuck, Calif.
Feb. 2011

Dusk patrol is quite similar to dawn patrol except that you get to sleep in and typically its a lot warmer and more crowded and a lot noisier and you keep warm w/ a beer instead of coffee. Either way, its a damn fine way to start your day.

The Point.

One last set.

Heading Home.

Purple.

Pier Break

2011-02-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

Pier Break
VTA, Calif.
Feb. 2011

Crouch.

Paddle.

Almost.

Swell

2011-02-05T20:56:00.000-08:00

Swell

C Street
VTA, Calif.
Feb. 2011

Golden hour at Surfer's Point.

Longboard.

Sets.

Been FBML-ing

2011-02-02T17:04:00.000-08:00

Been FBML-ing
in the Batcave
VTA, CA
Feb. 2011

Cool thing #12 about being unemployed; I can actually focus on me, more specifically promoting me. I always wanted to see where my dabbling with paint could take me. Today I spent the afternoon working on promotional outlets to get the word out about my paintings in hopes of getting a solo art show somewhere. I photographed the entire collection, designed and laid out some promotional postcards and set up a Facebook page just for my paintings. In doing so I got to brush up on my rather stale HTML skills and learn alittle FBML. Lemme know what you think. Or better yet check me out on Facebook here!

Welcome Banner For First Time Visitors.

FB Fanpage Profile Pic.

Artist Statement or something like that Banner.

All together now.

Matilija Falls

2011-01-31T10:53:00.000-08:00

Matilija Falls
outside Ojai, Calif.
January 25, 2010

Cool thing #12 about being unemployed; being able to get lost and wander. The idea was to take a quick little walk before breakfast-- nothing too serious, just something to stretch the legs and work up an appetite. We set out at oh-dark-thirty for the hills above Ojai. 15 miles, 9 hours, and 4 tic bites later my "breakfast" walk was done and done. When you don't have anywhere in particular to be, I suppose lost isn't really lost.

Lower.

Upper.

Rincon

2011-01-28T18:02:00.000-08:00

Rincon
Jan. 20, 2011

First time shooting surfing. Obviously I wont be showing up on any Surfer mag covers. I have quite a bit to learn and a bit to go before I shake the dust off of shooting action sports.

Baby Barrel.

Ride.

Antoine.

O'Neill

Alone.

Sunset

2011-01-27T21:08:00.000-08:00

Sunset
Emma Wood SP, outside VTA, Calif.
January 2011

Cool thing #54 about being unemployed; catching a winters sunset live and in person down on the beach instead of tucked away in an cubicle in a non-descript office building. Winter sunsets around these parts are pretty majestic. Its really the only time we have clouds in the sky. Usually in the winter I would be stuck w/ my nose in a pile of spreadsheets looking for coversheets for my TPS reports. The sun would usually be down before quitting time and the splendor would be missed entirely. Not so anymore!

Last wave.

Puddle Optics.

Sulphur

2011-01-27T21:01:00.000-08:00

Sulphur Mtn.
Ojai, Calif.
Jan. 5th, 2011

Eleven miles of the raddest green rolling hills, jagged mountain ridges, ocean views, great company, and boxed wine! Not bad for a Wednesday.

Photo doesn't do it justice.

Last house on the block.

Julie.

Sunrise

2011-01-26T20:28:00.000-08:00

Sunrise
Grant Park, VTA, Calif.
Jan. 4th, 2011

Cool thing #18 about being unemployed; being able to great the sunrise with a warm mug of tea and a Dominican cigar w/o being hurried or worried about being late to work. Totally worth it.

Good morning Ventuckey.

Hummingbird

2011-01-26T20:22:00.000-08:00

Humming Bird
Backyard
Jan. 4th, 2011

Cool thing #37 about being unemployed: spend all day in the back yard chasing hummingbirds and not feel bad about it. I didn't quite get the shot but came close. Now that I think about it, cool thing #37a about being unemployed; I can try again tomorrow and not feel to guilty about it. Days well spent.

Waiting.

Almost.

Unenjoyment

2011-01-26T20:04:00.000-08:00

Unenjoyment
Corner Office
VTA, Calif.
Jan. 3rd, 2011

Yup yup laid off, downsized, restructured, position eliminated, brushed to the side by an unforgiving corporate monstrosity, no questions asked and no answers volunteered, tossed out by a gaggle of bean counters in a faceless gray cubicle somewhere up the corporate ladder.

Five years tethered to a computer, chained to a desk, forced to drink watery coffee and stressed out for weeks on end, stuck under the heal of the Man all comes down to a quick handshake and a cardboard box.

Hows that for a happy New Years! Unemployment. Many call it unenjoyment. I guess we will see about that.

Amazing how little I have to show for 5yrs of service.

New Years

2011-01-07T16:11:00.000-08:00

New Years
Angels Rest
Sta Monica Mtns
outside Newbury Park, Calif.
January 2011

Traditions.

2011.

West.

Girls.

Em.

Christmas

2011-01-07T11:27:00.000-08:00

Christmas
Dry Lake Ridge Botanical Area
Ojai-ish, Calif.
December, 2010

Chilly.

Above.

Been Painting

2011-01-06T11:54:00.000-08:00

Been Painting
Patio
Vta, Calif.
Oct.- Dec. 2010

Its been too long. Too many excuses, motivations, procrastinations have come and gone and gone. Time to pick up a brush. Time to stare at stretched canvas. Time to turn the nothingness into somethingness. Time to start throwing paint around. Its long been overdue. Blank canvas, pure whiteness. White. Nothing. The absence of memory. Add color and memory comes to life. Thats all I do really, give memory shape and form and color and cloud out the whiteness.

So I was driving down the 101 this am, totally late as usual, brushing my teeth and tying my tie and fiddling w/ the radio trying to find NPR on the FM as I merged in and out of slow ass traffic. All of a sudden something falls in my lap. I look down. Its a big arse spider trying I swear to fit my whole leg in his mouth. I about drove off the road. I blame it on you, all of you. Totally your fault of course.

Yup. Anyhow I decided it was a flashing neon lit message from the powers that be to can the whole work idea and call in sick. So I did. Call in sick I mean. Fall is here and the weather is crisp and the sun is shining. Pretty soon winter will be here and the darkness will set in. No need to rush it. No need to spend all day in an office. Plenty of time to stare at dull ass walls when we're dead. So it was a beautiful day i picked up a cold sixer and headed home to jump back into my painting.

Yup thats right. Been painting, covered in it in fact right now. Head to toe, covered. blues, greens, pinks, purples and a thousand other colors that man just hasn't found time to name yet. I love it. Feels great to be back. I turned this big ass patio room that runs along the back of the house into a studio. I don't have a traditional studio per say. I don't even have traditional accoutrements of a serious painter. Instead I went to the beach and filled two buckets with sand. I found an old door and laid them down over the buckets to form a table of sorts. Nothing serious. Nothing a real artist would have. Instead I got me a couple five gallon buckets filled with sand from Surfer's Point and laid an old door across the top. It does the trick.

Who am I kidding. Its awesome actually. I can watch Tess running around in the back yard as I work. She is stoked. Has the whole place to herself. Loves it I tell yah. I got her a squeeky hamburger. She tears all over the back yard chasing it. She goes after it like a one toothed dog in a flee biting contest. Its hilarious. Its awesome. Makes me chuckle, sometimes bust out laughing. I dont care how loud I am. I am the only one here. Me and my paints. And my dog. A few beers. F-in good times dude, genuine really.

Best mood I've been in since the wife left me for that Punta Canaian soap sales man at the farmer's market. Left me. Grubby bastard. Good riddance. Painting the dirty whore bag wife a piece right now. I'm using heartbreak and dissonance as my primary colors. Left me. Left me? Fuck you! Definitely best mood I've been in since I moved outta the car back into the world of the house-bound. Genuine. Yah okay I've never been married. Never been so inclined. But it sounded good. And it seemed to compliment the story. So i went with it.

Genuine.

Painting is going well. Good to be back at it. Its been too long. Way too long. Haven't had a project likes this since before being homeless. Never had space to stretch out before. Hurts though. Its been too long. My brain needs time to adjust. The first week was hard. Kinda like going climbing after a long absence. Or snowboarding too I imagine. Maybe not. Wouldn't know. Never bothered with the snowboarding thing. Its a craze I'll leave to those crazy kids with the pink hair and designer jackets that smell like dope. Every muscles screams in protest. Hands hurt, fingers, toes, back, shoulders. Total pain. Same thing w/ my brain. Not used to being creative like this. Gotta think differently. Hurts though. Hurts so good. Pain is good. Means I'm stretching a foggy part of my thinking, part that hasn't been used in years. Way too long. Love it. Genuine.

#1
16x20

I painted this two years ago. I hated it then and still hate it now.
So I painted over it and went to work afresh.

King Cole.
32x40
(painted over the canvas above)

More to come. Much more!

Thanksgiving

2011-01-06T10:42:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving
Sespe River
Rose Valley, Calif.
Nov. 2010

Clashing Fronts.

24.7

2011-01-01T22:44:00.000-08:00

24.7
Santa Barbara to Ojai via the Murrieta Divide
SoCal
Nov. 20, 2010

Nearly 25 miles, in the pouring rain and freezing cold and gale force winds. Happy to have made it. Happier that its finally over.

Intrepid.

Red Rock Canyon.

Drops.

River Crossing.

Half Way.

Puddle.

15 down, 9 to go.

Cloud Cover.

Murrieta Divide. All downhill from here, 6 miles downhill.

Full

2010-12-27T22:17:00.000-08:00

Full
VTA, CA
October, 2010

My new roommate found an old telescope at his rental house. His previous tenants had left it behind. It looked brand new and barely used. It had all the pieces but no instruction booklet. Who am I kidding. We are men, no need for instruction booklets!

Craters.

Guard

2010-12-27T22:09:00.000-08:00

Guard
Front Window
Ventuckey, Calif.
Any day after work, 2010

Guard dog, and she means business. No really, she does.

Grrrrr.

Kate

2010-12-27T22:06:00.001-08:00

Kate
Ventuckey, Calif.
October 2010

Kate swung on down from Yosemite for a night. We painted, shared stories, laughed a bit. It was nice.

Done.

The End.

2010-12-10T22:01:00.000-08:00

The End.
Pacific Coast Highway
outside Ventura, Calif.
Oct. 2010

And so as all good things have a habit of doing, it ends. The dog and I made it back to Ventucky in one piece with 2 months of memories, 27 states, 10,400 dusty miles crossed, and the smell of two oceans still fresh in my mind's eye. Made it back to the coast with just a few minutes to spare to catch one heck of a sunset.

Even though I was home I had no real ambition to actually go home. Kicked the feet up on the dash, cranked up the tunes, cracked open a cold beer, let the dog run in the surf, sat back after 2 months on the road and watched the show. And then once I was sure it was really over, I took one very long breath. Ahhhhh. Damn fine trip, damn fine ending.

The End.

Command

2010-11-30T22:50:00.000-08:00

Command Center
Everywhere, USA
Aug./Sept. 2010

Life on the road for 7 weeks, this is the office.

Plugged In.

Lakes

2010-11-30T22:46:00.000-08:00

Lakes
Eastern Sierras, Calif.
Sept. 2010

Mono.

North.

Sabrina.

Tufa

2010-11-30T22:40:00.000-08:00

Tufa Reserve
Mono Lake Tufa SNR
Lee Vining, Calif.
Sept. 2010

Calcium-Carbonate.

Towers.

Calcite.

Spires.

Lonely.

Reflections

2010-11-26T14:24:00.000-08:00

Reflections
Bodie SHP
Eastern Sierra Nevadas
Sept. 2010

Gold.

Bot-bellied.

Panes.

Porch.

Saloon.

General.

Drapes.

Globe.

Coffee.

Arrested Decay Pt. 2

2010-11-24T21:51:00.000-08:00

Arrested Decay Part 2
Bodie SHP
Eastern Sierra Nevadas
Sept. 2010

Bed Frame.

Local Watering Hole.

Java.

Beer Club. Nice.

Billiards.

Five n Dime.

Arrested Decay

2010-11-08T19:57:00.000-08:00

Arrested Decay
Bodie SHP
Eastern Sierra Nevadas
Sept. 2010

By its peak in 1879, Bodie had roughly 12,000 inhabitants placing the town as the 3rd largest in the state. With approximately 67 saloons, dozens of brothels, opium dens every few doors in a seedy Chinatown, and gun fights in back alleys, Bodie had the reputation of being one of the most furious, vehement, violent, and lawless towns in all the Mother Lode. Many of the locals believed the only worthwhile way to settle an argument was with a bullet to the back of the head.

Bodie's reputation for lawlessness and a general lack of civility was notorious the world over. Renowned for its shockingly high mortality rate, those who had the misfortune of traveling there were often heard whispering "Good bye God, I'm going to Bodie..."

After a devastating earth quake destroyed most of the primary gold veins the town slowly began to whittle away. A fire tore through much of the town in 1892 forcing many of the remaining inhabitants to leave for good. Due to the remoteness of the town, the difficult route to get out of town, and the high probability of being waylaid by highway men and bandits most residents only took their most prize possessions with them when they left. They simply packed up a few bags, maybe an old crate or two and left the rest of their lives behind locked doors to be swallowed up by time.

Tables were left with full place settings, book cases full of the latest dime store pulp. Cupboards were left full of canned goods and other dry stuffs. Sheds were left full of rusting tools and cobwebs. Automobiles that couldn't be driven out where left to rot in the fields. The town itself was left in a state of arrested decay.

Empty.

Dresser.

Rocking.

Shed.

Key Hole.

Collapse.

Clunkers

2010-11-07T09:31:00.000-08:00

Clunkers
Bodie SHP
Eastern Sierra Nevadas
Sept. 2010

Chassis.

V/8.

Crack.

Gasoline.

Bodie -- Part 2

2010-11-04T21:43:00.000-07:00

Bodie SHP -- Part 2
Eastern Sierra Nevadas
Sept. 2010

Olds.

Brick.

Peer.

Bottles.

Sign.

Pink.

Mine.

Prescott.

School.

Bodie

2010-10-31T22:31:00.000-07:00

Bodie SHP
Eastern Sierra Nevadas
Sept. 2010

Church.

Sanctuary.

Twin.

Locked.

Porch.

Siding.

Sleigh.

Bishop

2010-10-28T18:06:00.000-07:00

Bishop
Sept. 2010

Made it to Bishop in record time only to find the entire valley choked with smoke. Fires in Yosemite. Strong eastern winds. The smoke would clear by early evening most days and come flooding back in the late morning. I climbed as much as I could as early as I could before retreating for the day. When I got tired of the smokey routine I hiked up white mountain to escape into fresher air. After six days I gave up and went north.

Smoke.

Claire de Lune.

Peak, White Mountain.

Sunrise

2010-10-28T17:58:00.001-07:00

Sunrise
somewhere in the Mojave Desert, Calif.

Sept. 2010

Temperatures though the deserts of southern Utah, Arizona, and California were well over 100 degrees, sometimes pushing beyond 110 on the highway. It had been four days of ridiculous heat. The dog and I were over it.

Even though I had already been on the road since 5am I decided to drive straight through the night. I thought once the sun set it would cool off. Besides its barely 10 hours from the Grand Canyon to Ventura. Boy was I wrong. Once the sun set the humidity climbed as did the mercury. Then the thunderstorms started. The whole car shook with every thunder clap. My hair was tingling and standing on end from the static electricity. Then the rain came. It rained so hard it was like a cow peeing on a flat rock.

With white knuckles are clenched teeth we pushed on through the blackness. When morning came we were greeted with an amazing sunrise.

Billboard.

No Smoking

2010-10-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

No Smoking
Motel 6
between Little Rock & Memphis
August 2010

I found this going through odds & ends of the road trip. It made me chuckle then, makes me chuckle now. If you get yourself a no smoking room wouldn't it be easier/ make more sense to either A) remove all the ashtrays in the no smoking rooms all together and B) put up a simple sign that reiterates the desired no smoking policy? Nope, guess not. Instead in the ever-seeing wisdom of corporate America, they decided to print no smoking stickers and affix them to the bottoms of the ashtrays in each room. Really? Really?

Isn't it feasible that an offending smoker could turn the ashtray over and use it as such only to argue later on that he/she found the ashtray in its rightful position and thus missed the no smoking sign? Okay... try as I might, I can't make this shyte up.

Convenience.

Historic 66

2010-10-25T18:54:00.000-07:00

Historic 66
somewhere outside Bullhead City
Route 66, AZ
Sept. 2010

Not quite the middle of no where, but close enough you could toss a stick at it. Its God's country. No one else wants it.

Biker.

Historic.

Hippies.

Volvoline.

Cola.

National.

Hackberry

2010-10-24T15:15:00.000-07:00

Hackberry Garage
somewhere on the 66
Hackberry, AZ
Sept. 2010

- "How many people live in Hackberry anyhow?"
- "Well sir, none that matter..."

Welcome.

Horns.

Orland.

Diamond.

Fan.

Tuff.

Buick.

South Rim

2010-10-23T18:37:00.000-07:00

South Rim
Grand Canyon, AZ
Sept. 2010

Watchtower.

Bloom.

Black's

2010-10-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

Black's Tours
Jeep Tours & Trail Rides
between Rain God Mesa & Thunderbird Mesa
Monument Valley, AZ

Sept. 2010

Alfalfa.

Brush.

Buckle.

Peek-a-boo.

Bridle.

Monument

2010-10-18T20:29:00.000-07:00

Monument
Monument Valley, UT
Sept. 2010

Mittens, Sunrise.

Sisters.

Flare.

So. Utah

2010-10-16T20:56:00.000-07:00

Southern Utah
Sept. 2010

On the road from Moab to Momument, UT.

Towers.

Shack.

Tourists Trap.

Camp for the night.

Mexican Hat

2010-10-12T22:07:00.000-07:00

Mexican Hat
Utah
Sept. 2010

Hot.

Goosenecks

2010-10-12T22:06:00.001-07:00

Goosenecks
Goosenecks State Park, UT
Sept. 2010

Dry.

Kings

2010-10-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

Valley of Kings

Utah
Sept. 2010

Valley.

Sentry.

7 Sailors.

Lava.

Pant.

Bluff

2010-10-09T13:11:00.000-07:00

Bluff
Bluff, UT
Sept. 2010

Eight.

King Rastus.

Skyline

2010-10-09T12:21:00.000-07:00

Skyline Arch
Arches NP
Moab, UT
Sept. 2010

Caught sunrise in Arches National Park. Brilliant.

Arches.

Moab

2010-10-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

Moab
Moab, UT
Sept. 2010

So funny story, I drove into Utah from Denver w/ the goal of crashing someplace outside of Moab for a night or two. I was open to anything. I had a schedule but certainly wasn't glued to it. I rolled through the Rockies w/o problem. Stopped at Grand Junction to pick up real beer & cowboy whiskey before heading across the border. I can't do 3.2 beer, simple as that. So stocked up I did.

After a brief stop at the Cisco ghost town I was rolling south making good time. I hit the 128 South just in the early afternoon. I had read that there were tons of spots to camp along the Colorado all the way to Moab. I stopped at every single one. EVERY SINGLE ONE. And didn't find a single bloody camping spot. Keep in mind I hadn't seen a calendar or the internet or civilization since leaving Maine a few weeks earlier. I had no idea what so ever it was a holiday weekend. Everyone and their brother (and their mothers, and sisters, and favorite step aunts, and priests, and masseuses, and heir... well you get the point, it was dang cramped!). I wasn't too worried though. Its Moab after all.

I headed out to Fischer Towers having no luck finding a free spot to call home for the night. After staking out a rather comfy if not dusty spot to call my own a BLM ranger pulled up. Because it was a holiday weekend (dang you holiday weekend!) free range camping on undeveloped BLM land was highly regulated. "Highly regulated" was the ranger's term, in layman's speak I was SOL and had to move along or risk temporary detainment. I'm not sure how "temporary" temporary detainment would have been. Heck knowing my luck some hung-over minimum wage illiterate government lackey barely recovered from the three-day holiday weekend would misfile my paperwork and I'd be sent of to Guantanamo on a clerical error (dang you holiday weekend!). Off I went.

Long story short, I spent another four hours watching the setting sun disappear into the amazing Moab horizon from the windshield of the car driving around looking for a vacant camping spot. Hours after the darkness had set in I found the one camp ground in town that had an available site. Pissed off about my bad luck and having missed shooting an amazing sun set and super tired from 18 hours in the car driving through Colorado and Utah I took the camp site sight unseen. Talk about a colossal mistake. The site I was given was stuck between a barb wire fence and a dumpster. I stole the picnic table from a nearby site to have something to site on (odd side note; by morning it was back where it belonged though I had no hand in returning it. Strange indeed.) The whole place smelt like burning garbage on a back street on an early hazing Moscow morning. The freeway was all of 3.2 feet away from where I pitched the tent on the other side of the barbed wire. Did I mention I paid $28 for the privileged of pitching tent in this mess for all of 9 hours? Yup, in by 0900, out by 0600 in the dim AM.

If it wasn't for me having the foresight to stock up on 8.5 beer & cowboy whiskey in Grand Junction earlier that day I would have been royally screwed. Thankfully the hoppy goodness helped ease my bruised ego just a tad. Just a tad.

(4)20.

Night.

Morning.

Cisco

2010-10-05T19:15:00.001-07:00

Cisco Landing
Cisco, UT
Sept. 2010

Open Daily.

Post.

Gas.

Faux-vignette.

Plains

2010-10-04T18:14:00.000-07:00

Great Plains
Outside Cheyenne, WY
Sept. 2010

So this is what Little House on the Prairie was all about.... The great plains go on for days, weeks, maybe they go on forever. Its a sorta place where you could watch your dog run towards the horizon all day long. The next morning if you stood on a chair you could see the dog keep running for a whole 'nother day.

Endless.

Wind.

Devil's Rope.

Dalton

2010-09-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

Dalton
Round Robin Burgers
Dalton, Nebraska
Sept. 2010

Took a quick break from driving the I-80 and made a pitstop to visit Paulie. Chicago, IL to Sidney, NE in a single day. It was so flat, so damn flat. I was ready to gauge my eyeballs out. I was praying for hills, trees, mountains, anything. A rest was definitely well appreciated. After a night out on the town we drove over to Dalton (population 332) for one of the Round Robin's world-famous Dalton burgers. I was not disappointed.

Round Robin.

Hungry Paulie.

Milk Shake.

Your Wife.

Truckin'

2010-09-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

Truckin'
I-80
Still somewhere in Nebraska
Sept. 2010

What in the world ever became of sweet Jane?
She lost her sparkle, you know she isn't the same
Living on reds, vitamin C and cocaine
all a friend can say is "ain't it a shame."

Straight on til morning.

Rain

2010-09-22T22:25:00.000-07:00

Rain
I-80, Somewhere in Nebraska
Sept. 2010

I live in SoCal now. I don't do rain. Especially when its 90+ degrees outside and the car has no AC. The only way to stay cool is to roll down the windows and crank the radio. No such luck when its pouring out. We had passed through showers before on the trip. None lasted more then 20 or 30 minutes though. This was totally different. It lasted hours and hours. It was raining so hard, kinda like a cow peeing on a flat rock. It was a rough stretch of highway.

Louisville

2010-09-22T22:07:00.000-07:00

Louisville
Louisville, KY
Sept. 2010

Got tired of I-80. Gave Bethwards a quick call. "Hey where you at? Hmmm Louisville you say. Me? Ohhh umm outside of Akron, westbound and down. You hungry, feel like brunch? Yah! Okay cool. I'll swing by in the am. Rad!" And so I had a brunch date. Awesome! And of course it was. Living in and exploring around Louisville more, yup its on the bucket list.

Horses. Everywhere. Still not sure why.

Heartland

2010-09-22T22:04:00.001-07:00

Heartland
Ohio
Sept. 2010

Lonely, Motel.

Gilgo

2010-09-22T18:29:00.000-07:00

Dawn Patrol
Gilgo Beach, Long Island, NY
Aug. 2010

Peaks.

Jim.

Sara.

Amish Aaron.

Jelly.