Breakthroughs

Today, I spent a good part of my walking listening to Big Magic by Elizabeth (Liz) Gilbert. I also spent some time trying to learn the craft associated with Digital SLR photography. It's not clear to me what caused it, but today, I also suffered a bit of a breakthrough.

Sunday Street Music - Main Street - Annapolis, MD

Part of the breakthrough developed as the realization that I really like taking photographs of people. It's a new direction for me, and after months of taking almost exclusively sunsets, I'm not really sure what happened. I know that this photograph of the accordion player seemed to be a pivot point.

I also realized deep down in my soul that walking...yes, walking, is my calling right now. Again, the realization defies logic and good sense, but there it is.

Headed Home - Severn River Sunset - Annapolis, MD

The surety that these breakthroughs came also defies explanation, but I feel good having some uncertainty in the face of so much other uncertainty. It's unclear to me just how I'll be able to earn my keep, but with these breakthroughs came a deep and enduring faith that I'll be able to figure things out.

I know what I have to do, and although I don't know where tomorrow may lead, I know I have a direction.

Expanding the Horizons of My Photography

First, it has been far too long since I posted. There are a myriad of excuses, but none of them really ring true, so I'll just leave them outside the confines of this experience.

On the upside, I have been given the opportunity to expand the horizons of my photography, and although the sunset this evening didn't look too promising because of the dearth of cloud cover, I headed out to one of my favorite spots anyway. I'm grateful that I did because the afterglow this evening was truly spectacular.

Expanding the Horizons of My Photography - Behind the Scenes - Severn River - Annapolis, MD

A friend of my has made it possible for me to try my hand at DSLR photography, and today was the first time I stepped out.  I haven't processed those photos yet, so all of these are still cell phone shots, but the flexibility and challenge of the DSLR toolset is quite alluring.

Afterglow - #nofilter - Severn River - Annapolis, MD

I'm wrapping up the day with a great deal of gratitude for the folks who have made this visual exploration possible and the shoulders of the giants that I'm standing on as I embark on this journey.

I don't know what tomorrow will bring, but I'm hopeful that it proves to be as fulfilling and beautiful as today. I'm optimistic.

Spring in Annapolis

Resurrection - Annapolis, MD

It's good to be home. I'm back on familiar trails and byways, and the glory of spring (aka Sundress Season) is in full display. Change is constant, but it's good that the broad strokes keep coming around in new and exciting ways.

End of an Era - Farewell to Fairhope

Fairhope, AL is currently my favorite sunset spot in the continental United States. I'm grateful for tonight's sunset because it appears it will be the last that I see for some time due to an unexpected transition associated with my "day job" that will likely have far less travel to Alabama.

This evening, Fairhope proved that she'd saved the best for last. Spectacular.

Fishing Partner at Sunset - Fairhope, AL

Getting this close to a Great Blue Heron proved to be a unique experience for me this far. This guy seemed intent on stalking the dock and waiting on handouts from the fisherman at the end of the pier. He was fearless around humans, and that characteristic is pretty rare in these normally skittish predators. Bearing witness to this type of magnificent stateliness gives me hope that the direction of the universal momentum propels me along the path that's meant for me.

The sun settled, and although the sky started cloudy and dark earlier in the evening, the final coda was one of the best that I've ever seen.

End of an Era - Fairhope, AL

I'm going to miss Fairhope. It is difficult to imagine that the gift of presence in this magical area can be easily replaced, but I remain optimistic. The spectacular nature of my final evening hear fills me with the warmth of confidence that the universe knows what I need and is pulling me inexorably down the path it has chosen for me to follow.

I'm even less sure what tomorrow will hold, but the signs keep pointing toward a future filled with adventure and wonder. For that, I'm profoundly grateful.

Self-Reflections

I've been granted the opportunity recently to take some time for self-reflection. It's been a truly enriching experience. My walking has ramped up to near pre-broken foot levels, I'm trying out some new photography techniques, and I've met a number of really interesting and loving people over the last six weeks.

I-565 Sentinel, Huntsville, AL (f/20, 13.00s, 39.00mm, ISO 100)

As an example, before yesterday, I've personally witnessed only two occasions of raw courage wrapped in selfless sacrifice with a dose of truth in order to help someone else. Yesterday, I saw the third example of just that behavior and it was stunning. That kind of thing re-opens the mind to the reality that love is more powerful than fear, and in spite of the risks, it's worth it.

I'm grateful for this period of self-reflection, and I'm looking forward to the attempt at bringing it back to the grind of the workaday world. Tomorrow will bring what it does, and I'm looking forward to the unfolding.

Rory's Back in Town

I'm happy to report that Rory Conlan is still breathing and walking. Although he hasn't (yet) followed up on his promise of more to follow on these pages, we did lash up this weekend for a series of long training walks in Huntsville, AL.

Monte Sano State Park Overlook - Huntsville, AL

I'm happy to report that the weather's been spectacular, and we've gotten in some credible distance over the last couple of days.

Alligator Gar - Aldridge Creek - Huntsville, AL

We even saw quite a few fish today including several good size large mouth bass, two alligator gar, and some sunfish/bream.

It's been quite enjoyable to get out on the trail with Rory, but we both have some work to do conditioning wise in the lead up to the N2N-TCP.

I'm not sure what tomorrow may hold, but I know it's time to get back to work.  Eleven months to go until stepping out.

Meeting New People

Starting in August 2016, I added introducing myself to someone new on a daily (well, almost) practice. Since I started that practice, I've introduced myself to one hundred ninety four folks. Initially, I felt pretty awkward carrying out this discipline. I've never been real shy, but there was always that tickling sensation in the back of my mind that said someone might reject the advances (as innocuous as an offered handshake often) from a total stranger.

It turns out that only one of those one hundred and ninety four folks ever refused to give me a name. I had a few handshake dodgers, and it's possible, nea likely, that a few of the names that I got were not entirely aligned with the truth. All in all though, this exercise has restored a bit of faith in my fellow man, and I'm pretty sure I've made a friend or two along the way.

Today wasn't any different. Walking along the shoreline at Ditto Landing on the Tennessee River in Huntsville, AL, I came across two fishermen.  Actually, it was one fisherman and one fisherwonan. The man looked at me a bit skeptically and then asked me, "What's up?" Before panic could grip my tongue, I quickly responded with the truth. I was down taking pictures of the sunset, and I introduced myself and offered the traditional handshake.

George responded well, and introduced himself. We talked briefly about the finer points of bass fishing on the Tennessee River, and after a moment or two he asked me if I'd mind taking a picture of him and his fishing partner who I presume to be his wife.

Catchin' the Last Rays & (Hopefully) a Few Fish - Ditto Landing - Huntsville, AL

I've been practicing my photography for just such and occasion, so I took a few shots and texted them over to him. He was a good chap, and I hope he got what he wanted from the photography. I like the result, but more importantly, I made a new connection.

When it comes down to it, we're all quite a bit more alike than we are different. We all have the same time in the moment. Most of us enjoy the company of others, though sometimes in small doses. Quite a few of us a drawn to the water (or the mountains), and I haven't met anyone yet who didn't somehow appreciate the glory of a colorful sunrise or sunset.

Today was a good day for the practice, and though I don't know what tomorrow will bring, I'm looking forward to finding out.

Rock Legends Pointing Toward a Better Future

Today, my ambling ways took me to the Rocket and Space Center here in Huntsville, AL to catch the sunset. As far as sunsets go, it was not the most spectacular set of colors that I've ever witnessed, but as I was seeing the nuclear fire settle in behind the horizon with the Rocket Center in the foreground my thoughts were drawn to the sad loss of Rock 'n Roll legend Chuck Berry earlier this weekend.

Chuck Berry was a real innovator, and he seems to have come from an era of innovators. Their accomplishments have become part of our culture, and sadly, the innovators and explorers of that era seem to be inevitably passing away. Their accomplishments have been turned into monuments.

Space and Rocket Center - Huntsville, AL

Johnny B. Goode was written in 1958 and recorded in 1959.  Eighteen years later, at the height of NASA's push toward the stars, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were sent forth on the first interstellar exploration mission with a gold plated copper record that among other cultural icons of humanity had this most excellent example of Rock 'n Roll recorded on its surface.

The hope and optimism shown by those giants of innovation and exploration have laid out the challenge that its time we live up to in the early part of the 21st century.

Saturn I Rocket - Space and Rocket Center - Huntsville, AL

As the sun begins to set on those great accomplishments from almost half a century ago, the time has come for humanity to once again slip the surly bonds of Low Earth Orbit and recapture the thrill, hope, and audacity that drove earlier explorers to land mankind on the moon.

The cure for the current state of fear that seems to have become so interwoven with day to day life is to stretch our legs and minds and set out on a great adventure to the stars. The Moon waits, full of water at the poles for fuel, and Mars beckons.  I hope to live to see the day where we once again grasp our cultural, scientific, and engineering inheritance from the innovators and greats that have shown us the way to a better future for humanity. It's time to go back.  It's been far to long.

I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, but I know that opportunity abounds. I'm looking forward to taking advantage of the gifts we've been given.

Pushing Through

I've been living under the belly of the whale for a little less than a week now.  I'm not really sure why, but I think it might be due to tiredness. At any rate, there's nothing really for it but to push through, so that's what I've been up to the last several days.

It's Not Always Blue Skies and Sunsets, but if You Keep Putting One Foot In Front of the Other, the Storm will
Eventually Break - Walk On - Huntsville, AL

It's not been all gloom and despair.  Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to visit Little River Canyon Preserve near Fort Payne, AL.  In addition to getting a mild case of food poisoning (I'm pretty sure) and practicing sleeping in a tent during a sleet/rain storm, I did manage to capture some nice vistas that nature put at my disposal.

Grace High Falls - Little River Canyon, AL

I've begun to experiment a little with a Digital SLR coupled with a tripod and telephoto lens. The animation above is the result of some of those photos, and I have to say that I really like it as a first attempt.  More to follow on that stage of my photographic skill set because I have A LOT to learn, but I'm looking forward to it.

Little River Falls - Little River Canyon, AL

The main falls in the canyon was also spectacular. I found that I had to pinch myself to make sure this was only about an hour an twenty minute drive from where I'm staying while I'm on my sojourn down south. Stunning and accessible. That's a powerful combination, and I may have to schedule a return trip (without the food poisoning, thank you).

At any rate, I'm feeling better now, and though I don't know what will happen tomorrow I'm looking forward to the adventure of the journey.  Till then....

Uncertainty in Pursuit of Purpose

One of the reasons I'm pursuing the Newport to Newport Transcontinental Pilgrimage is to connect with people to show them what's within the art of the possible.  One path toward that purpose is to document the things that I see along the trail, and today I went out and hiked the Certain Trail in the Blevins Gap Preservation area near Huntsville, AL to practice the skills associated with that goal.

From the Mountaintop, Looking Into the Valley of the Mother of the Tides
Blevins Gap Preserve - Huntsville, AL

I'm not sure I succeeded in capturing the feel of the trail I was walking, but it was gorgeous.  Walking the trail with valleys to the right and the left with the sun setting in the west and the moon rising in the east. Spectacular.

More work to be done on the documentation aspect I suppose, but practice makes progress. I may not have hit it out of the park this time with the photography this time, but I don't regret looking out over the edge of the mountain.

Looking Out over the Edge

Tomorrow the plan is to head east to Fort Payne, AL and visit Little River Canyon. The weather forecast is a bit sketchy so I'm not sure how it will turn out, but I'm looking forward to the experience whatever may come.

Walking Out to the Edge

New Perspectives Await When Your Walk Up to the Edge - Rainbow Mountain - Madison, AL

A relatively new friend of mine has taken action and embarked on a life of adventure that is both heartening and inspiring. She tells her story much better than I could ever hope to convey it, so I recommend you go see for yourself the way she's taking people to where they don't or can't go and giving them the courage, through her example, on how to step out and seek their own adventure.

She's stepping out on the edge, and though many of her friends and family worry for her, she's found new perspectives on the world by taking calculated and reasonable risks.

Today, I stumbled upon the opportunity to step out on the edge while tramping around Rainbow Mountain in Madison, AL. The drop was not very far...twenty feet or so, but the view from the top of the ridge brought its own new perspective into my consciousness.

I am grateful to my friend for breaking the trail and leading by example on this journey of life. While I'm not sure what's going to happen tomorrow, I know that I'll be looking for edges to walk up and pear over thanks to the support of my friend and the experience I've had taking reasonable risks in the pursuit of new vistas.

Branching Out from Huntsville

I've been in Huntsville, AL for a little over a week, and like all my travel, I'm really enjoying the experience.

Retention Pond Sunset - Huntsville, AL

Thankfully, the sun sets and rises here in about the same way it does everywhere else I've been, and I've been able to find a vista or two. I do need some more time to explore, but in a matter of days, I've found some "old standby" haunts when time is short and the need for some beauty is high.

I'm not letting the moss grow on my this rolling stone, and tomorrow I head out to Georgia to attend the Second Annual (2017) Georgia Tiny House Festival in Eatonton, GA.

I'm planning on hammock camping which will be a first for me, and I'm really looking forward to the adventure. We'll see how it all shakes out, but I'm hoping to have some tall tales and photos worth sharing before it's all said and done.  Until then...

Open to the Surprises of the Universe

I don't normally like making travel connections through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. I also don't normally prefer to take photos indoors. Today was different.

Rainforest Art Installation - Atlanta International Airport
Atlanta, GA

Since I had plenty of time between connections, I decided to take the pedestrian path between Concourse A where I landed and Concourse D where my connection was patiently waiting. In the span between Concourse A and Concourse B, I came upon the rainforest art installation pictured above.

There were sound, light, and video elements that the still photo just doesn't capture. I had to pull up short because I thought I was about to walk through a curtain of falling water.  Nope. Just light and sound that gave every impression of water falling out of the ceiling and onto the floor. It was exceptionally well done.

Today was an "in my face" reminder that I need to be open to the surprises the Universe puts in the middle of my path. Sometimes, they're on the ceiling, so I better not forget to look up.

Tomorrow will be a new day with new discoveries, and I'm looking forward to the adventure.

Humble Shelter - Spectacular View

Even the Humblest of Shelters can have a Great View - 11th Street Bridge - Washington, DC

Today, on my morning walk, it occurred to me while standing underneath the 11th Street Bridge over the Anacostia River that even the most humble of shelters could sometimes, even often, have a great view.


This kind of realization forces me ever closer to the seemingly inevitable conclusion that I've spent the greater part of the last four decades chasing the wrong kind of wealth. Seriously...if I'd stayed inside the house that I have to work so hard to pay the rent, watching television, or playing one of the endlessly prolific games for entertainment, I'd have never been exposed to the beauty that I saw this morning.


Apart from walking, about the only way I would have seen this kind of vista would have been to find myself homeless huddled underneath the bridge to get out of the wind for a little bit of comfort.


I beginning to believe I've been doing it wrong.  I don't know what tomorrow will reveal, but I hope this life lessons keep coming, and I hope to have the presence to recognize them when the universe puts them squarely in my path.

Pummelwagon - USS Alabama

Just when you think you've missed the sunset, if you're lucky mother nature will throw you a curveball...the good kind that gives you a chance to make solid contact and maybe get in a couple of extra bases.

Pummelwagon - USS Alabama - Mobile, AL

Walking has taught me that beauty appears when you're least likely to suspect its presence. This scene crept up on me, but I was fortunate enough to catch a hint of it out of the corner of my eye.

I don't know where beauty will appear tomorrow, but I know that it will. I only have to be observant enough to touch the moment when it rolls around.

Sunsets Are Better With Company

Distance walking is an inherently solitary activity. I've been looking for a partner in my ambulatory activities for quite awhile now, and although I've has some casual interest (and even a few takers for some short jaunts), I have not been able to corral anyone else onto the trail with any consistency.

I'd hoped that pictures of sunrises:

Wow...Just Wow - Anacostia River Sunrise - Washington, DC

 - or sunsets:

Painted River - Anacostia Sunset - Washington, DC

- might entice a fellow traveller or two to join me on my journey. That has not been the case, and I suppose I'm alright with that outcome. Walking is a solitary (though rarely lonely) activity.

The absence of a regular partner makes the times I can coax someone out to join me even more special, and yesterday, I managed to get my two small male roommates away from killing zombies and giant worms on their X-Box long enough to take a jaunt out to the wrecked sailboat I've been visiting.

After we got down to the beach, they exhibited an adventurous streak that surprised me a little, and they insisted on exploring the boat.  Cold water didn't stop them, and they seemed to genuinely enjoy the experience.

Bridge Building - Severn River - Annapolis, MD

After trying in vain to keep dry, they decided that they'd just go ahead and take the plunge.

Making the Leap - Severn River - Annapolis, MD

Reports back from the wreck indicate it is filled with water, Jamaican coffee, a bag of marshmallows, and more than a few stacks of party plates. No pirate booty, I'm stad to report.

Boys on a Boat - Severn River - Annapolis, MD

When I go out on the trail, I'm never really sure what's going to happen, but every time I head out things seem to come together in a way that was destined to work out all right by powers much greater than myself. 

With any manner of luck, I'll be granted the opportunity to hit the trail again tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to the fulfillment and adventure that's sure to follow.

The Promise of Adventure and Happiness

The Sunset is Fearless, It Knows It Foreshadows and New Dawn - Severn River - Annapolis, MD

I tell many lies but am always believed

if the worst happens, I'll be greatly relieved

On the day you were born, I poisoned your heart

I'll still be here on the day you depart.

Deepak Chopra speaks this little riddle through the voice of his main character in Why is God Laughing?, and when the answer is given it stopped me short. Fear is a liar, and when I’m honest, every little bit of this ditty is true in my life except the last line.

It’s taken me far too long, but I’m grateful that I’m finally becoming more aware of the attitudes and outlooks that have largely shaped my life over the last four decades. I hope that awareness will give me a fighting chance to adjust my path and in turn shape my journey.

I know now that I’m being drawn to the cross country walking pilgrimage that my lifetime friend and I have been planning over the last couple of years. I don’t know how I’m going to earn my keep, but I’ve grown weary of earning my living. The walk we’re planning from Newport, RI to Newport, OR represents an opportunity to take a chance on adventure and happiness. I’m drawn to it in a way I can’t logically defend.

What great adventure have you been setting to the side? If you’re like me, there are a thousand reasons not to pursue your dreams. If you’re like me, all of those reasons are really just fear in disguise. Fear’s a sneaky adversary, but I encourage you to take a chance on adventure and happiness. What’s the worst that could happen?

I'm not sure what will happen tomorrow, but I'm going to try to take a chance on adventure and happiness.

Evening Colors

Beautiful sunset this evening.

Evening Colors - USS Alabama - Mobile, AL

In the cloudless sky this evening, I didn't think any sunset pictures would be any good. I'm pleased to say I still haven't developed any real skill as a fortune teller. Tomorrow will certainly bring another adventure or two, and I'm looking forward to uncovering them.

Quadcopter Sunset

After a bit of travel, I headed out to put in some miles at one of my favorite sunset locations. Distance was not the goal since the weather was spectacular and every now and then one should take some time to enjoy previous rounds of location recon.

I was a little nervous that I'd headed out a bit late, and quite frankly given the lack of broken cloud cover on the horizon, I launched out with a bit of skepticism that the photographic exploits of the evening would amount to much.

Boy was I wrong (which just goes to show you that I'm not much of a fortune teller.  I got down to the beach in Fairhope, AL just in time to prop my feet up on a stormwater outfall and soak in the glorious ending of the day.

Kicked Back - Feet Up - Fairhope, AL

I mean, seriously? I'm getting paid for this? I'm pretty sure I'd do this for free, and to top it all off, I was surrounded by fellow sunchasers.

Fellow Sunchasers (and dog) #2 - Fairhope, AL

Every time I come down to this place, I feel like I get a little bit closer to the Divine. I'm not a great fan of churchiness, but it's hard not to be awed by a power greater than yourself when you see it displayed in all of its glory.

While I was soaking in my good fortune, I noticed that someone was doing the same with the assistance of some augmentation from technology.

Quadcopter at Sunset - Fairhope, AL

Not knowing whether I was under surveillance or not, I decided to go with the civil response and waved a shaka in the general general direction of my robotic overseer. This little guy buzzed around a little, and given the running lights, seems to be facing the sun rather than facing the pilgrim.

On my way back to the car, I ran across the Quadcopter operator who happened to be a photographer as well.  Chris and I talked about Maryland, Alabama, the Navy, Coca Cola, and photography for a thoroughly enjoyable twenty or thirty minutes.  I met his service dog and one of his longtime friends, Cora as well.

Today was another great day for the record books. I don't know what tomorrow will bring, but I'll tell you this...I'm going to keep hitting the trail because it just keeps getting better the more I'm out there walking the path of the pilgrim.

A Brief Note on Libraries

In pursuit of the pilgrimage, I've really grown fond of being outside chasing the sun and putting in miles on the trail. There's a new adventure around every turn, and I've found that the anticipation and the discovery is worth every step in the course of exploration.

Pining for Spring - City Dock - Annapolis, MD

During this time I've found another temple of exploration and adventure. The Library.

I remember reading about the Great Library at Alexandria, Egypt back when I was in middle school.  I also remember heading out to the library in our home town on the weekends with my dad. To be honest, I wasn't always thrilled to be going with him. He'd spend time in the stacks looking up books on fly fishing and camping, and I'd usually be able to find something in the kid or young adult section to occupy my time...once I stopped complaining and buckled down.

Fast Forward to high school and college, and somehow, my view of the library as a hall of drudgery and work became even further entrenched.  It became the place I went to study and put in the grind to get the grades.  I'd avoid it if I could, and when I couldn't stay away, I'd endeavor to make my stay as brief as possible.

It's taken me two decades to get back into the library again after the high school and college experience. That's a real same. During that time, I can't tell you how much money I've spend on books, but you can rest assured that it was in the thousands of dollars. Not a complete waste, but at least a little wasteful.

I'm grateful to be back in this great hall of learning and self-improvement. In addition to being a real money saver over the last six months, I've really come to appreciate the gems of literature that I've stumbled upong wandering the collection. They've all added joy to my life.

If you're a librarian, thanks for waiting patiently for the prodigal son to return. If you only visit the library, please don't take the place for granted like I did for the last twenty years.

I don't know what tomorrow will bring, but I know at least two places I can find peace, learning, and adventure...outside and at the library.

Sometimes It Rains

"Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes...it rains. Think about that for awhile." 

- Ebby Calvin LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) in Ron Shelton's "Bull Durham"

Here in the mid-Atlantic region this time of year is affectionately known as the "Dark Ages," and the last four days has delivered weather that backed up that nickname.

In the Shadow of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge - Sandy Point State Park - Annapolis, MD

A good friend of mine from England once observed that, "There's no such thing as bad weather...Only inappropriate clothing." 

Fortunately for the cause of the pilgrimage, I've learned a thing or two about clothing over the years, and though the pictures aren't the best, I've managed to stay warm and (mostly) dry out on the trail.

Here's to hoping that the sun reveals itself to us mere mortals soon, but if it doesn't I'm going to continue to enjoy the trail.

Look to the Sky for Inspiration and Guidposts

When you find yourself out on the ocean, a glance to the sky will reveal what so many of us in the city have long forgotten. The sweep of the universe punctuates the black ball of the cosmos with pinpricks of light which, if you know how to read them, will guide your path.

Skygazing - Anacostia River - Washington, DC

The ocean sky is the birthplace of dreams, and I’ve found through my long distance walking that an occasional glance towards the vacuum of space gives both inspiration and guidance that I’d long ago abandoned in the wake of the seemingly perpetual rat race.

I’ve wasted far too many decades with my nose to the grindstone giving no thought to a glance at the heavens. I might have stayed in this state of somnambulation forever, but the persistent notion of walking long distances rescued me from myself. Like the clarity of the ocean sky, walking long distances gave me the space and the time to experience the presence of the moment fortified by the more than occasional glance toward the sky.

I’ve been once again filled with the wonder of the universe, and when I turn to the north, Polaris reliably guides my path forward.

Looking to the sky for guidance and inspiration, as the ocean once taught me, rekindled the ability to dream, that I’d long since forgotten.  For that, I am grateful.

Horizons and Harbors - Things the Ocean Taught Me

No matter the weather, a ship should be at sea.  

Fellow Sunchasers - Severn River - Annapolis, MD

The wind might howl and the waves pile up like liquid mountains, but she’s safer out there with plenty of room to maneuver.  

Looking back on the days spent at anchor does one no good at all. If the weather was calm in the harbor, it’s easy to fool oneself that times were better, though in the midst of the maelstrom, the ride would be much worse bound to the unyielding rock of the land.  If things were rough near the dock, one might be tempted to take comfort in the escape to the sea, but by looking astern, miss the challenges and promise advancing from the heart of the storm.

A savvy master will keep a weather eye on the horizon to prepare for the unexpected, but that distant divide between the sea and the sky is a fantasy that the ship cannot fetch no matter how far she sails. It’s a vast sweep of possibilities where only a degree or two of course difference results in thousands of miles of change as time unfolds.

The best approach is to sail as she goes with a general direction in mind. It’s less work, and much more rewarding. Sailing from where you are allows one to surf the waves and follow the ever shifting line of the wind.  Eyes forward, but always present...that’s the course to master the elements and capture fulfillment.

-- Things the Ocean Taught Me

Run Toward Your Dreams

Progress in the direction of the N2N-TCP is gaining momentum.  After a lackluster year of physical training last year because of my broken foot in January 2016, I've changed shoes, gotten some downtime for healing, and I'm back out on the trail.  Yesterday was a sunrise and sunset day, and it was truly spectacular. The trail stretched between the two, and the walking itself was just exactly what I needed as well.

Squeezing the Last Fire Out of the Day - College Creek - Annapolis, MD

In addition to walking, Rory Conlan and I have engaged the help of a great graphics designer to help us out with a logo to represent the walk.  It's something we've been kicking around for about two years now, and while we came up with some concepts, I'm really excited to see what a professional can do with this crazy idea we're pursuing.

I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, but I know that as long as we're willing to take the next step toward our dreams the universe is conspiring to deliver exactly what we need.  What started as an escape has transformed itself into a goal, and I'm having the time of my life.

Escape or Pursuit, the Path May Be the Same

Have you ever just wanted to escape from your surroundings? Drop everything, pull your money out of the bank in cash, hit the road, and leave everything else behind. At its core, this desire to run away, leave my problems in my wake, was at the center of the genesis of the Newport to Newport Transcontinental Pilgrimage.

Four years later, the desire to hit the road has not diminished at all. If anything's happened, that draw has gained strength, but some things have changed dramatically.

Back then, in the dark ages, the desire to escape was the only consideration. It would not have worked. I wanted to escape from myself, and try as one might, I'm pretty sure that hasn't ever worked for a person, past, present, or future.

The road still calls, but now, I think I'm moving toward something rather than running away. Escape or pursuit, the path may be the same.

Nuclear Reflections - Greenbury Point - Annapolis, MD

I suppose the lesson that I'm learning is that thoughts can take you down a path that might not be in your best interests, but on the other hand, it's worth considering them for positive things they might offer.  Even the crazy ones.

I don't know what will happen tomorrow, but I'll keep putting one foot in front of the other and have faith that the path will continue to rise up to meet me. The next step will be taken in the context of faith that the universe is conspiring to bring those things into my life that are meant to be there. It's been quite an adventure so far.

First "Sale" - The Beginning of a Photography Market?

The birth of the notion surrounding walking long distances was firmly rooted in the idea that walking would allow me to shrink my life a little. Let's face it, when you're moving at a walking pace it's pretty difficult to get too very excited about things that are happening outside of arm's reach. That's what I thought when I started this process anyway.

Life has a way of giving you what you need rather than what you expect, and walking turned out to be one of those cases. At the beginning, walking did shrink my world, but that's because most of the world that I knew was pure fiction being invented by my mind.  I remember the first six miles of walking I did in a semi-serious manner.  Not because I had the incorrect footwear, and I'd managed a pretty bad blister at that point.  That happened of course, but the thing that strikes me about those first six miles is that I could not escape the debate raging in my head.  I was wondering what it would feel like. I was worried about being bored. I wondered what the turnaround point would look like, and if it would bring a sense of elation or dread.

Seventeen miles later, my outlook has shifted just a bit. By that point, after walking on blisters for about eleven miles, my primary focus was my feet. I didn't care what it would feel like to get to the end.  I just wanted the interminable miles to end.  I'd seen the turnaround point, and it turned out to be just about like every other point on the walk.  My world had certainly been minimized to arm's distance.  Thinking about any more was too difficult.

As time passed, and my mind continued to calm, the debate subsided. I started to notice things I'd never even imagined existed as I'd become used to passing them at vehicle speed. While the space of my life had contracted, the richness of the experience started to expand as seeing took a back seat and observing took over.

Sometime during that transition, photography became a practice that crept its way into my routine, and at that point the expansion of my world really took off.  It's too long of a story for a short blog post, but my photography began to shape my social networking behavior. When in the past, I rarely passed up the opportunity for an internet battle, the calmness of mind that was developing began to pull me away from that sort of behavior.

About twenty months later, I've gotten to the point of posting only pictures and offering only encouraging comments to my fellow etherworld travellers. Even photography is a pretty light touch since it's rare that I post more than one or two photos a day.

As time passed and I practiced, I'd like to think I've gotten a little better at the mindfulness and the photography aspect.  I've even begun to think it may be a way to earn a  living while pursuing the pilgrimage. That's probably wildly optimistic, but just a few days ago I took a photo at a location I frequent that someone offered to purchase.

Settling in for a Long Winter - Severn River - Annapolis, MD

First, I'm exceedingly grateful that my photography is triggering a positive reaction with my friends. Secondly, the possibility of developing a market for my amateur photography, albeit a very small one right now, heartens me and gives me the courage to realize I might be on a the right path.

Instead of selling this print, I'm going to give it away. The encouragement is more valuable to me than any monetary remuneration. I few days ago I was a crazy man with a dream, but my friends encouragement has banished the crazy and put the doubts back in the box.

This photo is going to that brave individual who was willing to ask for it, and it will be retired as a one of one artist proof.  Similar to businesses framing their first dollar, I hope to look back on this photo as the place where my journey finally really got traction. Thank you Nikki for the encouragement, and although I don't know what will happen tomorrow, you've given me the courage to keep stepping along.