View allAll Photos Tagged getoutthere
In Minnesota we are all very used to winter, and we all have that moment when we realize it is finally here and here to stay. Not many days after I took this photo, the North Shore received another 20" of fresh snow. It truly is a winter wonderland up there right now! Sometimes it feels like time just keeps flying by, we are near the end of another year and another year closer to the end. Sometimes when the seasons change it can feel easy to get lost in time or even lost in life. What is the meaning? What is the purpose? Another year is ending only to be replaced by another one coming. If we chose to look at life like this it can feel so shallow. We were made for more than to watch the sun rise and set day after day and with the years pass by. There is more to life than this. We are created for something more. We are called for something so much greater!
Doesn't life often feel like a continuation of climbing mountaintops and walking valley floors. We will hit our mountaintop moments where everything is going just how we want it to and then we will walk down in the lowest valleys. Other times the mountains are in the way and we feel there is no way around it. Life is hard if we are truly honest. It is filled with ups and downs and plenty of challenges. While we may feel on top of the world when we are at the top, the valleys humble us and remind us how small we are. So far this may seem like a bit of a downer to read, but there is encouragement. The King of the universe takes notice of you! Not just a quick glance either. God loves you and He knows you even though frankly humanity is very small in comparison to the whole universe. It is an encouraging thought that whether we are at the top of the mountain or the bottom of the valley that we are known and cared for by the Creator of everything and the King over everything!
Seeing the beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline covered in snow was truly breathtaking and the -10 wind chills also helped in taking my breath away as well! I love the beauty of nature and it has such a profound impact on anyone who is willing to take the time to admire it. The riches of God's blessings to us leave an impact on us that no words can describe. When we have encountered something so beautiful we are not able to forget it.
This is a word I don't think we even fully understand most of the time. It is not just a slight momentary improvement in a tough situation, but rather a radical and life changing reality. This is the word I would use to describe Christ's work in me. It was not just a small and momentary change, but a lifelong impact. I will never be the same as I was before! The power and sheer force of the ONE whom I have encountered can never be forgotten. It isn't a gentle rustling of the leaves by the wind, but a never ending wind as strong as a hurricane and the highest wave of a tsunami that cannot ever be tamed or stopped! His power and His presence is a BREAKTHROUGH so powerful, no human word can even describe it. I invite you by His command to obey His words to you, "Follow Me!"
I recently did a 4-day camping trip in the Eastern Sierras. We camped out at the Big Pine Creek Campground.
On one of the days, we hiked the Big Pine Creek North Fork trail. We went as far as Second Lake. This photo is of First Lake (not very imaginative names)!
First Lake is at 9,900 feet and Second Lake is at 10,000 feet. We gained 2,250 feet in elevation and the round trip hike was 9.6 miles. My Steps App reported 31,054 steps and claimed I walked 11.97 miles. Either the App is wrong or I walked around in circles at some point!
My future plan is to hike all the way to to Palisade Glacier. That will involve an overnight backpack which I have never done. The Sierras are so gorgeous and the turquoise lakes slayed me! I really can't wait to get back out there!
Willow Lake Reflections - I got lucky with a sunset the other night. I took this one with a little high PoV from a previous post. Just as the sun was dipping down some low clouds moved in over the lake with a little virga which caught the last bit of sun. Using a .6 second I was able to get some smoothness in the water and some great reflections.
There is something so special about being out in the quiet stillness of nature. It is soothing and comforting to my soul. It has been a very trial some season for me and to be able to sit and enjoy the beauty of God and share that special moment with my wife was incredibly meaningful to me. The warm sunlight filled the forest even in the cold. What beauty there is in His creation!
This is another pano from the Nipigon River Recreational Trail.
~ Cell Phone Pano Pic
To the left (and behind) the water leads to the small town of Nipigon, Ontario, Canada. It is here that the Nipigon River meets the mighty Lake Superior (aka ‘gichi-gami’ ~ pronounced gitchi-gami. It translates to ‘great sea’ in Ojibwe). Lake Superior is the largest of the great lakes and the largest fresh water lake (by area) in the world. It falls third largest in the world by volume of water (next to Lake Baikal in Siberia and Lake Tanganyika in East Africa).
On the right you can see the quaint little town of Red Rock and its marina.
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Little known fact. Minnesota is most known for being Land of 10,000 Lakes, however its also land to some of the most dazzling Northern Lights displays in the lower 48 states. When the skies dance, it is a truly breathtaking experience.
The #superbloom is going strong in Death Valley! What an amazing sight to see. It is still going on so what are you waiting for: #getoutthere !
38 hours of driving, 5,300 miles, across 5 states, 2 Providences and 1 Territory, there's no other way to describe this trip other than epic. Aurora, the darkest night skies I have ever seen, a huge waterfall, wildlife, with not a single soul around for the hour we were there. It almost felt as I was in another world. Exploring a new planet where only me and the person I was with existed. Did you know this and the other two territories in Canada only make up of 3% of Canada's population? Made me also think I was an Indian roaming around this world back in the day seeing nature untouched by man.
Really grateful I decided to grind out the drive home from Minnesota after dropping Brennan off since this snow event in Illinois seems to be over performing. Also, had an interesting experience last night in Chicago as a huge pileup occurred and everyone was turning around driving down the wrong way down the interstate to hop into the express lanes around 4am CDT. This trip will rank up there in the top 5 adventures I have ever taken, and images will be coming throughout the week so bare with me. Can't wait to tell friends and family about this one!
Another image of the spectacular northern lights show I saw the other night in Michigan! Words can't describe seeing these things in person. Did you get out and explore something today?
Seeing couples like this really makes me anxious to meet that special someone one day to share my adventures with. Great site to see!
I am so enamored with the warm color palette seen along the Artist Palette drive in Death Valley. Everywhere I turned, the setting sun was painting a new canvas.
For a second on the Pacific Crest Trail. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. The trail was a daily battle mentally, especially while hiking 20 miles a day through the very brutal terrain in the Sierra Nevada's. But, it seemed after every peak we'd summit the view would not only completely change, it'll be even more beautiful than the last. After passing "The Chute" elevation 13,500 feet we began our decent and paralleled a river so clear it looked like water filtered in the store. Passing between two huge mountain ranges, we had a sense of an ant trapped in a bowl. As if the view couldn't get better, the skies and air were so clear and calm after a storm front passed through the night before each and every alpine lake we passed was so smooth it looked like there were mountain ranges above and below the water.
"20 years from now, you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do, than by the ones you did do. Sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sail, and Explore. Dream. Discover."
-Mark Twain
Took me forever to find this waterfall as there aren't any signs even promoting "Twin Sisters Falls" located in Cuyahoga National Park. But, with some help of the All Trails app I was able to finally find the general area I was supposed to be in. After making my way through a slippery, narrow trail and paralleling a small creek I found this beautiful location. About 15 minutes after shooting, I turned around to get my bag and about had the crap scared out of me as I suddenly saw two people walking up the same creek bed.
Chris (pictured in the photo) was out and about showing his friend Tainui who'm he met while doing seasonal work in Zion National Park around the area and had also heard of this waterfall. Both are fellow hikers, photographers and future van life travelers. Chris proceeded to tell me about his adventures out in Zion, Yosemetti, and Glacier National Parks and I think was equally as excited as I was to stumble across another adventurer from Ohio as they are pretty rare to come by. Heers to new friendships and embracing the beautiful Winter scenes before Spring and Summer travels come back.
Really, the only way I can describe this morning. I woke up around 6am thinking sunrise was still at 7. But, due to the time change I miscalculated and ran behind. I could of went back to sleep, but instead I quickly rolled out of bed, threw on some sandals and bolted for my "magic road".
It seemed like an eternity driving through the thick, dense fog. Higher, and higher I'd climb with no hope in site of breaking through the clouds. I rounded one last bend, and like out of a scene of a fairy tale the clouds opened up and a magical orange glow casts on hoar frost covered trees and with one more bend I poked through the clouds. Almost, as if I was on an airplane taking off from the airport. Clouds zipping by, and an incredible golden hour making for some moody light I began to go photo crazy.
This is truly a road, that just keeps giving.
Spent my Earth Day exploring caves with an amazing group of Geologist. I will never ceased to be amazed by the other worldly landscape that lays below our very feet hidden in the darkness waiting to be explored. At one point in the second cave explored I was hunched over, face 3 inches from the cold water and neck propped against the ceiling of the section of cave stepping through muk that smelled like human waste thanks to the methane that is trapped below only to be greeted to a massive 50ft cave on the other side and endless natural subway tunnels. So stoked to put together this vlog tomorrow and can't thank one of the coolest girls from Ohio I've met for inviting me along and for the hospitality provide to the now new friends I made this weekend. Now, my eyes focus West!
Sometimes I bet people wonder why I love perspective shots so much. Its because I think sometimes we take ourselves for granted and don't realize how small of a spec we are in the grand seem of things.