Paid a long overdue visit to my old alma mater. The trip was a little bittersweet, for it was to see my old mountaineering teacher off to his new position as headmaster of the College School in St. Louis. Nevertheless, it gave me a chance to see some old teachers and heft the Mountaineering Award for the first time in 21 years.
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A highly recommend exploring Jekyll Island by bike. The island’s stewards have really put a lot of thought into the trails’ construction. In fact, there are even boardwalks that you can bike on that take you over the march and creeks. There is much history and wildlife to explore, and a cool dip in the Atlantic Ocean is never far away.
Cumberland Island’s inhabitants are as varied as the landscape. Starting with the Timucua Indians, it has passed hands through Spanish, British and most notably, the Carnegie family. The ruins you see here are of one of the Carnegie mansions that burned. There was also a large recreation center complete with sauna and pool. One can only imagine the life they led in the 1880s till the 1950s. Now a National Seashore, this beautiful island is only accessible by boat.
And of course if you are going to have a mansion, well, you better have a grand oak entrance.
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The rustic charm and beauty of Blue Ridge, Georgia somewhat conceals the influence of Atlanta. Just a short trip up the road from the big city, you will find beautiful waterfalls and idyllic farm settings tucked into the rolling mountains. Look a little further and you will see those luxury properties that people dream of. It’s all there including a quaint little town with shops, galleries and nice restaurants.
Sure was great to be back out West with good friends in spectacular places.
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I’ll be honest. I’ve been a point-and-shoot kind of guy for a long time. If I ever were to get a little bold and throw it in Manual, I’d inevitably be asking myself, wait, is it f4 or f22 that let’s the most light in? Okay, maybe it wasn’t that bad – but close.
With the purchase of the Canon 7D, I decided it was time to venture beyond the automatic settings, and my cavalier approach, and possibly see beyond my one dimension. I came across Donne Ashlock’s photography lessons and decided to give it a go.
When I showed up for my lesson it was a cold and wintry day at Piedmont Park in Midtown Atlanta. Nevertheless, Donne surprised me by bringing along a model, and we immediately set to work.
We went through some basics, and then he showed me some deeper custom functions of the camera. Next he helped me think through how I framed the subject and the background, as well as adjusting to the light source. The experience was certainly eye opening.
I have a long way to go – and hope to schedule future classes with Donne Ashlock – but my baseline knowledge is slowly growing.
Even in the winter months, there are plenty of great opportunities in Charleston, South Carolina for catching fish either on the fly or with a spinning rod. A friend and I caught about 15 of these redfish. Good times!
In the days leading up to departure to Sayulita, Mexico, I had purposely repressed any potentially misguided excitement. Reason:I had no clear indication as to whether it would be one of those propped up touristy towns, or one that has actually preserved some semblance of authenticity? I’ve been to a few other places in Mexico, as well as Costa Rica and Peru. Sometimes culture will stand up and shake its rattle at you. Other times it is disappointingly absent or smothered. But after arriving at the Puerto Vallarta airport and promptly being whisked north to Sayulita, I began to think that I was going to be pleasantly surprised.
Upon waking the next morning and gazing up towards the jungle covered mountains, and then out towards the deep blue Pacific, I still reserved final judgement. I needed to have a good look around what appeared to be a rather quaint little town tucked into a big sweeping bay. As I walked the stone streets I passed by the Escuela where children played in their black and white Catholic attire. Outside the walls women swept the street. A man rode by shouting, “Camarones!” while flashing a large one by the tentacles. Crossing the river I could see surfers moving across the reef.
Sayulita turned out to be a wonderful little stop off by the sea. The locals have not only managed to preserve their town as best as they can, but they are quite warm to tourists as they seem to recognize their contributions to the economy. There are wonderful galleries and restaurants and recreational activities abound. I happened to be there during their Mexican Revolution Day, and I have a vivid memory of watching a fantastic music performance in the square downtown after a colorful parade. None of that mariachi crap you always think of but instead men, for example, adeptly playing clarinets in plain clothes while friends and townspeople cheered and danced along.
Just south of Sayulita is Punta Mita which offers several surf breaks composed of both reef and sand. During the winter months whales migrate through the area, and it is common to see them close to shore. Fishing is excellent and there is no shortage of boats and captains strewn across the bay waiting to take you out for a chance at hooking up. There are day trips available that run the gamut from mountain biking to bird watching. It is all there if you want it, including a comfy chair, warm sand and a view for when you are not up for much of anything.
Would I go back? Absolutamente!
Great time riding and camping in Pisgah. Fall colors are beginning to appear. Love how this photo turned out.
