Tomorrow

I always knew the day would come at some point, I guess I was just never truly prepared for how it would feel. Tomorrow I am closing a chapter in my life and leaving home for the first time. My girlfriend and I are going to head out early, drive across a few states, and end up in Boulder, Colorado which will be home for a couple of months. It's a little nerve-racking to be heading away from the coast and home for an extended period of time, but it's exciting and something I've been wanting to do for awhile. I'm hoping that all of the green and lush environment will leave me breathless and endlessly snapping photos and writing music. As I sit here in my room for what will be the last night for sometime to come, it's difficult to not think back to all of the memories I have here; both fond and not so fond. I will miss home and my family, but I'm looking forward to all of the possibilites that the open road has in store. Tomorrow will be a day I doubt I'll forget.

My home

I miss it

Dawn in Joshua Tree

Last night

The Milky Way, August 13, 1:30 AM

Beautiful things happen when you go with the natural ebb and flow of life. In this case, I ended up in Joshua Tree at around midnight last night only to be greeted by an intensely clear, moonless sky; the exact condition one hopes for when going to watch a meteor shower. And man did the heavens deliver. Another night spent sleeping in the Jeep made worth it by nature.

Creation

I'll admit it, I spend a lot of time with a camera in my hand. Almost any and every outing of mine means a chance at shooting. It's quite possible though that I spend even more time with a guitar in my hands. Especially as of lately. My girlfriend shot this photo of me playing inside of an abandoned power house hidden away in the Santa Ana river bottom one afternoon while we were out for a short hike. I rarely like photos of myself, but I'll admit that I love this photo.

Good days

Lake Silverwood, 8/10/10

Top of the world

I love the foggy mornings in summer. Gives us a chance to beat the heat and go for morning walks in the hills.

Missing the greenery

Living in the heart of Southern California, it can get tough for me this time of year. The heat of summer has about dried up just about any living thing, the crowds have fully inundated the coastline, and fuel prices are up (which isn't good when you drive a Jeep). I'm missing the intense greenery and all-out beauty that is Santa Barbara during the springtime. This was the Lumberjack hanging around during a camp trip to El Cap in the middle of an exceptionally green spring.

Chambered Paipo is done!

After a few weekends spent hollowing out, routing, and shaping, the paipo is done. Here's the results. I haven't had a chance to get her into any real good waves yet, but from what I have ridden on it, I'm stoked. This one is 4' even. I'm thinking of making the next one somewhere in the 4'6-5' range, just to see what happens when you go longer. I had knee boarding in mind most of the time for this one, but I would like to have a stand-up paipo as well. This one just doesn't have quite enough floatation to stand on. For the next one I plan on reducing weight more and adding more floatation by hollowing out even more of the board.

Summer thunderstorm chasing

If there's anything that I wish for more of here in Southern California it's weather. The relentlessly predictable sunshine does, on occasion, get old. So whenever there's even a hint of weather about to take place, my girlfriend and I are normally on it, ready to photograph and take it whatever nature is willing to show us. About a week and a half ago we had some rare late-afternoon thunderstorms and some rain. We headed out to try to watch any lightning and maybe snap a few photos. We ended up not catching much rain where we were, but the conditions made for an epic sunset.

Discovered Again

San Clemente, September 2009

I want to fly

Redirecting

I feel most comfortable while on the road. Ask anyone close to me and they'll tell you the same thing. Somedays it feels like I'm in a continuous state of leaving and packing. My room is generally littered with half full suitcases, guitar cases, and clothes that don't fit the climate I'm currently in. But it's comfortable to me. The road means long hours spent listening to music and photographing out the window. I love watching the environment change around me, especially when things start getting greener.

Detail Work

My father's hand, giving me a hand and showing me the "finer points" of sanding on a freshly-shaped, hollow paipo board.

Alleyway Love

Often times I find myself walking around random parts of cities (mine, yours, where ever really) waiting for a photo to "tap me on the shoulder" as my dad has always said they tend to do. And to be honest, he's right. This happened the other day in an alleyway, and this is the result.