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.

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...