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The night before I took off on my Sunday morning romp over to the Olympics, I put out several messages to friends, to seek out companionship. Goose eggs on that notion. Even my own son Cole said "no way pops". I went to bed with two firm options on the table; when my alarm goes off at 4:30 AM, backhand it across the room and sleep some more or, get my sorry butt out of bed, load up the car and go.......alone.
Alone in nature is a far better alternative to hanging around doing house chores on and off throughout the day. I chose the manly thing and silently retreated to my car in stealth mode and retreated down the road, singing oldies.......!
I was overpacked as usual, but if I somehow got lost on my bushwhack, at least I could survive a night in the forest. After all, I did have Rice Krispy Treats, a cheese sandwich, and some sort of chewy stick to the teeth stuff (?) and water. I had extra warm clothes, a fire starter, a flashlight and most importantly, a positive attitude.
So, I had the right stuff. I pulled up to the trailhead that leads to Murhut Falls and was surprised that I was the only car in the usually under crowded parking area. It was 6:48 AM and quite frankly, why would anybody be up at this time on a Sunday morning? All of a sudden, I saw myself slapping the alarm clock into the wall all the while continuing my dream state......ha, not on this day buddy.
You are here, overpacked as usual and you are going to have fun dammit. As I locked my daughters Honda Civic, bad thoughts crept into my dull like cavity that occasionally supports my brain.
I wonder if my car is safe? Hmmmm, my great contact Greg, had his car broken into and his gear stolen. Then I had the idea that I would write a note and attach it to my drivers side window, explaining to the would be intruder that I am a Microsoft geek that is an expert in security systems. No, that would not work, I would need a patch.
Then, I fancied myself quickly digging a six foot pit, complete with sharp spikes at the bottom of the hole, like an old black and white Tarzan movie. The thought of me walking back to my car and falling into my own trap put this notion to rest. My wife would be frustrated if I somehow damaged my camera----don't worry about the blood dear, I will probably recover from my wounds.
The third option sounded risky, but sometimes "risk" is my middle name. I locked the doors and went hiking. I convinced myself, that by leaving my Barry Manilow CD cover on the dash, that my car was safe.
Nobody messes with Barry Manilow......not even the bad guys!
As I made my way just a short distance up the trail, I decided to "sign in" just to let people know that I was alone. Looking around from here, I heard what appeared to be a rustling of shrubbery just twenty feet away. I thought to myself, shit, a bear is eating its kill and I am next. Like a ninja warrior, I unzipped a pocket of my backpack (are you kidding me, ninja's don't even use backpacks) to retrieve my knife. As I unfolded my deadly weapon, I thought to myself, 'this three inch blade will not even penetrate a mean spirited bear, I am going to get seriously injured'. Nevertheless, I opened my stupid knife and tossed my backpack over my shoulders and pressed on. The thought of retreating back home to perform housework was my motivating factor to move and move now! As I proceeded with caution on the path, I hunkered down and watched and listened. One step, pause, next step pause. The rustling was still ongoing only louder as I neared a slight drop off to the right of the path. Then I saw it---IT was a bit of water running through a drainage culvert that was hitting some overgrown shrubs!!!
Oh my God, are you kidding me? Relieved but feeling pretty ridiculous and continued up the hill on my way to Murhut Falls.......with my stupid pocket knife clutched in my right hand. I thought well maybe a deranged ninja might be lurking about!
Soon I got to the main falls and I snapped some different compositions, some in color and others in dedicated black and white. I hopped down to Murhut Creek, but decided not to cross it this go around. The spray from the upper falls was intense and I did not feel like putting my camera in a waterproof condom.
So, I headed downstream to Ithilian Falls, a beautiful triple falls that is one of my favorite places to hang out at. The solitude and peacefulness of the place is almost too good for the likes of me.
After an hour here, I decided to get back up to the trail and see if I could locate the drop off point for a bushwhack adventure to some lower falls that Ara, Patrick, Joel and I went on over a year ago.
I had no map, no compass, no GPS and no clue. I felt safe.
I found the route and proceeded into the underbrush and tree laden steepish slope. After about ten steps I slipped and fell on my back. Oh great, this is fun. I quickly recovered, then looked around to see if anyone had witnessed my mishap......yeah right Lance, nobody is even awake yet you fool.
As I sauntered down through the eerily quiet forest, I found myself at ease now. Thoughts of bad parking lot a-holes were out of my mind and well, I felt like I was home. I must have been born to some elfin clad in the middle of a great forest in some other life. That is how comfortable I now felt.
As I got down to a flat pitch, still with small trees and shrubbery around, the way became easy and I could hear my first waterfall (the photograph you see above!). As I climbed down a large moss covered boulder and over some large slippery logs, I took off my pack and began to set up for some shooting. The last time I was here, it was pouring rain and I did not one good shot of this falls. I was so pissed off. Being around new people had me on my best behavior as far as my sailor language went. My mind was racing with foul words however! At any rate, that was my last visit. On this day, I sat stunned as to what I had done. My tripod fell out of my f*#king pack.
Damn it.
I decided to leave my pack by the creek and go back and retrieve it. I walked back a couple hundred yards retracing my route, but I could not find it.
Damn it......what a knucklehead.
Then I thought to myself that I better not leave my pack and camera gear alone. It could walk away, so I hurried back to the creeks edge and slipped into the water.
Damn it.
As I gathered my gear, I hoisted my backpack on and thought to myself, 'why did I pack so much stuff'.....what an idiot.
I climbed back up the slope and went back to find my tripod (actually my son's tripod, that I borrowed without asking). Again, the thought of my wife yelling at me when I fessed up to losing Cole's tripod, put a little motivation to my backtracking. As I hurried back up the steep slope, all the while cursing worse than a sailor finding out that he just slept with the ugliest woman from Bremerton. (that is what cheap liquor gets you), I stumbled here and there in panic mode. I lost my balance two times and fell. Then I found it. HAPPY DAYS, I can go home after all! This unplanned side trip cost me 30 minutes. I walked back about a third of the way to get it :(
Now I faced another choice, go back and shoot some waterfalls or just continue up the slope to my "probably" trashed car.
I decided to shoot waterfalls. As I walked back AGAIN, I securely held on to my sons tripod. This time, I went back and shot away without any other bizarre mishaps. It was quite fun and I liked this shot!
From this location, I made my way upstream to photograph Middle Murhut Falls again and the light was really bright. I waited patiently and fired off several shots before decided that I needed to head back out. As I hugged the moss laden slope above the creek, I slipped and went chest first into a broken tree branch. It hit right on my right man boob and nipple. For the love of Jesus it hurt like hell. Ladies, I do not know how you deal with your amenities!
From this point on it was like a death march up through the shrubs and back to the nice Murhut Falls trail. I stopped several times to gather myself and just take in the sounds of nature. After a loud fart and my own wheezing became too overwhelming, I continued with a bit of urgency.
Up, up, up!
Soon, I heard laughter above me and I knew that the "real" trail was only a hundred feet away. As I plopped my sorry ass out of the forest, panting, soaking wet rain gear (on a dry day), I felt a keen sense of pride in myself. I did something that I normally never do, I hiked by myself.......and lived!
I took off my rain pants after walking on the trail for several hundred yards and I realized that I was pretty darn tired. Soon a family of five came up the trail towards me. Three kids were sprinting and playing tag as they raced past me. The mom said "hello" and gave my a funny look. The dad stopped me and asked, "aren't you a little over-prepared to visit the falls"? I mentioned that I had dropped over into the forest for a view of some other falls. He asked, "why"? I answered "because they are there" and I went on my way.
I felt some good at this point.....truly did.
My daughters car was still parked where I left it, unharmed.
I knew it would be all along :)
For those of you that took the time to read my novel----thanks.
Life is a great journey and it is fun being a part of it. With a camera in hand, it becomes a bit better.
love being outdoors, love taking a long walk with my dogs and looking at the trees, flowers, the sky.
~Audrey Hepburn
my last day on the beach in Miami, July 2005
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away"
... AND A FLOWER FOR Y'ALL'S WEEKEND ;-)
I know, the day-to-day swept me away, yet again...
I was trying out my friend Michael's Nikon, having lots of fun, missing FLICKR like crazy.
Memorial Park Arboretum, Houston, TX.
Contrast adjustment and minor crop in post.
Der Eurofighter 31+07 vom Taktischen Luftwaffengeschwader 71 „Richthofen“ fliegt anlässlich der baldigen Rückkehr des Geschwaders zum Fliegerhorst Wittmund mit der Sonderfolierung Back Again im norddeutschen Luftraum, am 27.02.2025.
©Bundeswehr/Christian Timmig
... George Washington Bridge, taken from the car, while Gabi, madswisscow, is driving home to the Bronx.
Well, it was no surprise to see this Starling show up today. After all, it IS very c-c-cold outside, and they are one of the regulars who show up during the winter months.
I can't help but wonder if this was the scout, looking for the most promising feeding ground for the rest of his friends. Tomorrow, we may have dozens on them. :-(
Kampfflugzeuge Eurofighter vom Taktischen Luftwaffengeschwader 71 "Richthofen" fliegen in Formation nach mehr als drei Jahren Umbau ihres Heimatstandortes zurück zum Fliegerhorst Wittmund, am 17.07.2025.
©Bundeswehr/Christian Timmig
92 nautical miles, Port Hadlock to Olympia, July 15-19, 2021. We didn't go all the way to Port Townsend, Just to Port Hadlock, then turned around and started our return journey to Olympia, where we'd left our trailers.
Der Eurofighter 31+07 mit der Sonderfolierung Back Again vom Taktischen Luftwaffengeschwader 71 "Richthofen" wird feierlich auf dem Fliegerhorst Wittmundhafen begrüßt, am 17.07.2025.
©Bundeswehr/Christian Timmig
Day 27-Today was the first day back for the fourth semester and this was taken at lunch. I was meaning to post it elsewhere but my phone battery was dying and not being cooperative.
It has been a long day but good.
Der Eurofighter 31+07 vom Taktischen Luftwaffengeschwader 71 „Richthofen“ fliegt anlässlich der baldigen Rückkehr des Geschwaders zum Fliegerhorst Wittmund mit der Sonderfolierung Back Again im norddeutschen Luftraum, am 27.02.2025.
©Bundeswehr/Christian Timmig
So here's another familiar face - Czech Chick Maruschka, who made an impact a year ago - my Most Interesting Photo of 2007 and my Fourth-Most Interesting Ever.
Back in Tsilivi for another holiday.
Here are the photos I shot for my first of many features for StayStanced. Feel free to check it out here
I would love it if you share my pictures, just please keep the watermark and give me credit, thanks!
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