tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52044212385778467152024-02-19T00:47:00.616-05:00Good Life ProjectWho doesn't want to have a good life? Join me, Larissa, in my quest to make each day count.Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-44308646106593665072011-01-19T17:31:00.000-05:002011-01-19T17:31:30.349-05:00One Word for 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVZQUIvmLXrtgUK4KfikFyARtPp-GkAeIWx1NbJnjT-AeQ0WY2Z4XDu2Ywe1E-OC6XbmJwQWpzP1Ogg3B1ujP0qOAOPhNgTOGzoYs5y1iHHsaXM8AlYy81lzolMIxPtRI_a2oi7A3BVw/s1600/20100211007RS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVZQUIvmLXrtgUK4KfikFyARtPp-GkAeIWx1NbJnjT-AeQ0WY2Z4XDu2Ywe1E-OC6XbmJwQWpzP1Ogg3B1ujP0qOAOPhNgTOGzoYs5y1iHHsaXM8AlYy81lzolMIxPtRI_a2oi7A3BVw/s320/20100211007RS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I am a very task-oriented person. I derive so much satisfaction from checking things off my to-do list...sometimes it's scary. So, at the suggestion of <a href="http://christinekane.com/blog/">Christine Kane</a>, I decided to approach 2011 from the standpoint of ONE WORD, instead of a laundry list of resolutions.<br />
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I picked the word ENJOY, because I feel it aligns me with my most desired priorities, and will help steer me away from my task-oriented nature a bit. Even if I am working at my to-do list, at least I can remind myself with my one word to enjoy each task as much as possible and focus on the moment at hand.<br />
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At our New Years Eve celebration, my friends and I sat by the fire at our friend's cabin and discussed our chosen words for 2011. It was fun and fascinating to hear what word each person's desires conjured up. Words like HOME, STAY, FAITH, INNOVATE, and BOLD were mentioned. All of us are at so many different points in our lives (and many of us live all over the country), so it was interesting to see how each person's word coincided with their current situation.<br />
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The great thing about picking just one word is that it allows for its infusion into all aspects of your life. Instead of saying, "I am going to be better about practicing the guitar," keeping the word ENJOY in my mind's eye encourages my brain to approach my guitar playing with joy, instead of something I "need" to do. This, in turn, will (hopefully) inspire me to practice more.<br />
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And, how much easier is it to remember one word as opposed to a whole list of "shoulds"?<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">So, what is your word for 2011?</span>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-57076989059057005792010-12-10T15:32:00.001-05:002010-12-10T15:41:48.450-05:00Winter Pause<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQ1LZrxPdxTv80jFPZ6P_ZHSiq4r2OJz5gEXePOwiP1Aofz2Nyrm7PZ4nYssz9wNyQu9YQjLYhvwTcx1tUGNS7wNwXpPLkHs4DdTQP_HUErbCCTv01bvoVQgQhP56-xUiqYwDAnGUHyg/s1600/20090128003RS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQ1LZrxPdxTv80jFPZ6P_ZHSiq4r2OJz5gEXePOwiP1Aofz2Nyrm7PZ4nYssz9wNyQu9YQjLYhvwTcx1tUGNS7wNwXpPLkHs4DdTQP_HUErbCCTv01bvoVQgQhP56-xUiqYwDAnGUHyg/s320/20090128003RS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This morning on my run, as I listened to the crunch of partially frozen earth beneath my shoes, my brain was filled with its usual ramblings and concerns. At one point, I actually thought to myself, "Have I even thought this whole time about what I'm doing <i>right now</i>, or am I just completely in my head?" Why can't I just put my brain on pause for once?<br />
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Well, this morning, mother nature paused it for me. As I trudged through the recesses of stored up memories and worries, a few flakes started to fall from the sky. I took note of this, but kept up with my brain-centric ways. Then, all of a sudden, it was as if the sky took a breath. The scant flakes that had been floating to the ground, tentatively, ceased, and there was a pause all around me. Even the dogs seemed to take a moment. And, like the beginning of a beautiful song, the sky released a symphony of huge flakes that fell to the ground with true intention.<br />
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I breathed out a big sigh as I watched my surroundings take on a new identity, a hint of snow dust slowly turning into a solid covering.<br />
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Then, finally, my brain was quiet, hushed by this blanket of new snow, our first of the year.<br />
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Thank you for that, Winter.Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-32388872426431448192010-11-24T17:48:00.001-05:002010-11-24T17:50:36.589-05:00Happy and GratefulJust a quick note to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!<br />
I am so grateful for so many things, but this year I am thinking the most about the following:<br />
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<ul><li>The health of my little cousin, <a href="http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/chandlerbenjamin">Chandler</a>, who has been fighting leukemia for over a year now. She's kicking butt and I'm so grateful for it!</li>
<li>I am a very social person, and I am thankful every day for all the people I meet being in a <a href="http://www.thehellostrangers.com/">band</a>. I make new friends every weekend, and I am so happy to have this renewable source of good people in my life.</li>
<li>The great fall we've had with our <a href="http://www.ryansmithphoto.com/">business</a>. We've been busy, have gained some great new clients, and feel like we're really working toward better and better things. I am so thankful to be able to wake up each day and be my own boss.</li>
</ul><div>I wish you the best this Thanksgiving. Here's to good health and merriment!<br />
What are you grateful for?</div>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-81691121613516885712010-11-17T17:03:00.000-05:002010-11-17T17:03:06.651-05:00Must Love Dogs<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmEsKqfCrn5etJ2eJVWy2guLm7gIa14ibAgH1xiaTs47IT5D3DvWWo2ROG538027klMx0YZYEpn779tSyLogyexCdTBC7oti4IudnbESiBTHLHqbIrzbkOOYl-efaDXJtNfxdFbypKwg/s1600/20100221009RS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmEsKqfCrn5etJ2eJVWy2guLm7gIa14ibAgH1xiaTs47IT5D3DvWWo2ROG538027klMx0YZYEpn779tSyLogyexCdTBC7oti4IudnbESiBTHLHqbIrzbkOOYl-efaDXJtNfxdFbypKwg/s400/20100221009RS.jpg" width="300" /></a>I attract dogs. I must walk around sending a message to the universe that I want to be surrounded by dogs, all the time, and lots of them. We always have somewhere between 1-5 dogs running around our house at one time.<br />
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Sometimes, they make me want to pull my hair out. Chuck, one of our current "live-ins," has many endearingly irritating qualities. One of his favorite pastimes is to walk out to the horse barn behind our house and munch on horse manure for a leisurely half hour. This is often followed by a return (on his own schedule, of course) to the house for some much-needed "face time" with his human housemates, where he puts both paws on your front and breathes heavily in your general direction.<br />
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Chuck is a Labradoodle, with lots of gray, unkempt curls and a huge block head. While our dog, Sadie (prissy as she is), generally avoids getting too dirty on walks, Chuck insists on trotting through as many patches of burdock as possible, claiming an innumerable amount for himself to take home and deposit all over the house. Not to mention his dedication to finding at least one swampy area during our daily jogs. Needless to say, he takes the longest to towel off once we return home.<br />
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But there is something about the sound of two dogs snoring at the foot of your bed that makes the burdock-covered carpets and horse manure breath all worth while - how they choose their place to rest for the night as close to you as possible. Something about the complete and utter trust that these creatures put in you that makes the human-canine bond so extraordinary.<br />
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And when morning comes and they eagerly await for you to fill their bowls with the thing in life they love the most (aside from us, of course), prancing about and huffing in gratitude, I know one thing is for sure. We need them as much as they need us.Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-9675062414781238362010-11-10T17:44:00.001-05:002010-11-10T17:44:45.945-05:00I Miss Writing HereSo, I miss writing. And I miss writing in this blog. Nowhere else can I write for the sake of writing, so I hereby reinvigorate my motivation to contribute to this blog. The title is still relevant, as is my goal - to explore the workings of this life and try my darnedest to live it well.<br />
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I thought I had given up on this blog. I thought I was too busy with two photography brands, a small business, a gigging band, songwriting, trying to even get through just one darned library book, having time for my marriage, friends, family, I'm sure you know how it is. And maybe I still don't have time for this. But I keep coming back to the fact that I miss writing for the sake of writing. And, I must admit, I miss you. I did, at one point, have a nice readership here. So, if you're still out there somewhere, come back! Let me know you're there and you still care (I realize it's been since May that I've posted)! I won't let you down this time...<br />
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And I'm not going to be such a perfectionist here. I'm just going to write for the sake of it (I'll say it again so I remember). Just like I try to live for the sake of it.<br />
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Yours,<br />
LarissaLarissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-14488292450648093622010-05-07T14:44:00.002-04:002010-05-07T14:54:21.337-04:00My Band Has a New Blog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVo9AP0Q9VYliy9u-4gRd_rzqLPMO26ARu8q16HJ3sqHzwPqekQGKqM6VA-7jIfG16B5Y8AxDi5M5DZ5JYeup7JyFJpdq_Ljr0V2Pivl20T7ENh-fDNnAlJW_XvSWItr60zhJCXhqtSQw/s1600/Picture+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVo9AP0Q9VYliy9u-4gRd_rzqLPMO26ARu8q16HJ3sqHzwPqekQGKqM6VA-7jIfG16B5Y8AxDi5M5DZ5JYeup7JyFJpdq_Ljr0V2Pivl20T7ENh-fDNnAlJW_XvSWItr60zhJCXhqtSQw/s400/Picture+7.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Introducing <a href="http://thehellostrangers.com/thsblog/">Love, Pulp, and Murder Ballads: The Hello Strangers in the Blogosphere</a> - my <a href="http://www.thehellostrangers.com/">band's</a> new blog! Here's a little blurb about it:<br />
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<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">We’re excited to share with you the inner workings of our band on our new blog – from biographical nuggets, road stories, studio secrets, to other juicy behind-the-scenes stuff!</span></span></blockquote>I will be cross-referencing quite a bit from this blog since I will be doing most of the writing. As I have mentioned before, my band is a major part of how I spend my personal time nowadays, so much of my writing will be about the band. I'm excited to share my experiences as a musician with all of you!Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-34634428151470237872010-03-19T10:39:00.005-04:002010-03-19T14:30:32.840-04:00Home...Revisited<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHVhpjNnCeFzBNnIi-Heiyo9rVWS_KQnNfhSS7__5Q6SjmCHJGx8JltMbHGfxRzGgPCYAR-qAW1B6DynODaT-MlGXgWaeSZHCOmKP2WOPQrR6C1esqiW5VIEe5EIT_ZufvFsrKIp2Ru4/s1600-h/20100211004RS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHVhpjNnCeFzBNnIi-Heiyo9rVWS_KQnNfhSS7__5Q6SjmCHJGx8JltMbHGfxRzGgPCYAR-qAW1B6DynODaT-MlGXgWaeSZHCOmKP2WOPQrR6C1esqiW5VIEe5EIT_ZufvFsrKIp2Ru4/s400/20100211004RS.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Pabst Snow Picnic with my siblings</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I am writing this on the last day of Winter, 2010. I have been thinking about Home this week. Home in the sense of people, places and things.<br />
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A year ago, I prepared to fly down to Austin with my sister to revisit our old town and attend the wedding of friends. I had not flown in several years and had since experienced a slow, creeping anxiety about flying. I wrote about my experience getting back on a plane in my blog post, "<a href="http://goodlifeproject.blogspot.com/2009/04/why-i-am-not-at-home-in-plane.html">Why I Am Not at Home On a Plane</a>." Strange that a year later these feelings are resurfacing, spurred by a dream I had several days ago about flying to China with a friend and not being able to board the plane out of sheer fear and panic. As mentioned in my blog post from a year ago, before getting on the plane again, I had to come to grips with why I really, truly, and honestly am afraid to fly. <br />
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My mind treats flying as if it is a treacherous journey full of peril, like going to the moon. Many people I know treat flying with the same ease as riding a sleigh "to Grandmother's house we go." Why my mind can't see flying as what it is - one of the safest ways to travel - is a mystery. But it is not just about the act of flying on a plane for me, it is ultimately my fear of dying manifested in a tangible form - something that I do while living that reminds me of my vulnerability and the fact that, yes, I am going to die one day, and so is everyone around me.<br />
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It's no wonder then that I cling so fiercely to things that seem constant, stable, and true: my simple life in our farmhouse with my husband and dog; the thought of sleeping in my own bed with just them in the room with me; my siblings, friends, and family who live close by; trips to visit my parents, sister, Grandmother, aunts, uncles, cousins, in places that I've known my whole life. There is nothing unusual about just wanting to be home, whatever home is to you in that moment.<br />
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So why do I seem to revisit these thoughts of home every year when the world is just awakening again after a long winter? Perhaps it's just my recent dream that happened to spark these feelings again. Or perhaps it's hormones, a passing mood, a last moment of reflection and introspection as the pensive season of winter dies again. <br />
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I do know one thing for sure: I cherish these places and people more than anything, and more than ever, as adulthood forces me to face my own vulnerability and fragility in this world, and the mortality of those around me. I never let a day pass without spending time in face-to-face, meaningful experiences with real people (not the computer screen) - and animals - doing real activities: sampling new foods, romping around outside, sharing a laugh around the kitchen table, playing music together on a stage, toasting life over glasses of wine, taking walks with my dog and husband, giving hugs, being honest, sharing emotions and memories, playing board games, writing songs, having picnics in the snow, hosting dinner parties with almost more dogs than people...<br />
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...and for now I just want all these things in my little corner of the U.S. I travel quite a bit with my <a href="http://www.sonicbids.com/thehellostrangers">band</a> and because most of my family lives 3-5 hours away. I lived and traveled around the world as a child (Norway, France, Europe, etc.), and all over the country in my 20s (Boston, Idaho, Austin). I do love to travel and experience new things, but my instinct at this point in my life as I enter my 30s, unpredictable as instincts are, is to simplify and focus on things that are close, immediate, constant, and that I've known my whole life.<br />
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As <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHKuB85EgnI">Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros</a> sing: "Home, yes I am home! Home is wherever I'm with you."Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-88429835350308670152010-02-03T14:00:00.010-05:002010-02-04T09:43:32.789-05:00Good Intentions<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZhCDbQc9lB0WIS4TglEZKH1aOKOi_-UhQ2qSv0nvePWcltlAF3K2mp2yRhzjkOnhJ38ktvL-uccUxD9WKg7mJiXNvszHU4TkYbin4wxdHotTQ278A4-cfm5BZtlA-pkdrWAAa7ihP3s/s1600-h/20090128003RS.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZhCDbQc9lB0WIS4TglEZKH1aOKOi_-UhQ2qSv0nvePWcltlAF3K2mp2yRhzjkOnhJ38ktvL-uccUxD9WKg7mJiXNvszHU4TkYbin4wxdHotTQ278A4-cfm5BZtlA-pkdrWAAa7ihP3s/s400/20090128003RS.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434107055517100978" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">© </span><a href="http://www.ryansmithphoto.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Ryan Smith Photography</span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Do you ever feel like you're trapped in your day the moment you wake up? Like you can't quite grasp what it is you really <i>want</i> to do or accomplish, so you go through the motions of obligations or things you feel you <i>should</i> do? You spend most of the day with a vague sense that you're not really doing what you were meant to do, just what you're supposed to do.<div><br /></div><div>Today was, for once, not one of those days. It easily could have been. I awoke feeling aimless and adrift. I got up and walked mindlessly down to the kitchen to let my dog out and observe the fresh blanket of snow that had been deposited overnight. Then I stared blankly out the kitchen window as I drank a glass of water, wondering if I would spend the entire day as I did the day before, unfocused and slightly dissatisfied, but not knowing why. And then it happened - a moment that shifted the trajectory of the entire day.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was so simple. From my window, I spotted a neighbor's dog far off in the field next to our house. And he was absolutely delighting in the snow. He was alone and unattended, but completely immersed in running in circles and hopping around in the white fluff. His ears and posture were perked and eager, his tail wagged as he strutted about. </div><div><br /></div><div>Suddenly, my day had intention again. Watching the dog for just a few moments reminded me of the essence of being. It was one of those rare glimpses, that seem to come so few and far between, of something akin to the meaning of life. How do we forget so easily? I set my glass down on the counter and ran upstairs to change. I knew I had to get outside and play, too.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, I took the dog's lead and traipsed outside through the snowy woods with my dog and husband. We often venture out for morning walks or jogs, but because I had been given a lesson in intention, this morning felt different. I knew I needed to have this much intention each morning before I start slogging through the day.</div><div><br /></div><div>Later, at my desk, I chanced upon an <a href="http://everydaypossibilities.blogspot.com/2010/02/morning-rituals.html">article</a> by <a href="http://christinekane.com/blog/">Christine Kane</a> about the importance of having a morning ritual. I usually have somewhat of a routine in the morning and already do many of the things she suggests (yes, I do use a Neti Pot habitually), but have yet to make these things part of a ritual. So I took her advice and wrote out my morning ritual. Now I can begin each day with intention and focus, and not have to rely on the neighbor's dog to remind me! </div><div><br /></div><div>I give thanks to that little dog for giving me these insights today. I have been so much more focused and happy ever since.</div><div><br /></div><div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Speaking of intentions, you can see that I haven't contributed to this blog since October. I've had "intentions" to, but have been thinking too much about my </i><a href="http://www.thehellostrangers.com/"><i>band</i></a><i> of late. And I think that's a great way to spend my time. So more and more you will see posts specifically about</i><a href="http://www.thehellostrangers.com/"><i> The Hello Strangers</i></a><i>, music, and creativity. These will eventually be linked and posted on our band site: <a href="http://www.thehellostrangers.com/">www.</a></i><i><a href="http://www.thehellostrangers.com/">thehellostrangers.com</a></i><i>.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>While you're at it, check out my friend Jamie's recent </i><a href="http://www.alwaysmoretohear.com/2010/01/introducing-max-schmidt-first-full.html"><i>blog post</i></a><i> about us!</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-14936439732697646542009-10-28T10:59:00.002-04:002009-10-28T11:04:03.590-04:00Two Bands, a Makeshift Studio, and Murder Weapons Make For a Great Halloween Portfolio<div>Once again, it's time for our Halloween photo project!</div><div><br /></div><div>In past years, we've done spooky <a href="http://goodlifeproject.blogspot.com/2007/10/halloween.html">attic</a> shots and <a href="http://goodlifeproject.blogspot.com/2008/10/boo.html">murder in a field</a>. Here's what my husband and photographer, Ryan Smith, had to say about this year's project with my band, <a href="http://www.sonicbids.com/thehellostrangers">The Hello Strangers</a>:</div><div><br /></div>I'm not particularly crazy about horror films and scaring the living daylights out of myself, but there is something so intriguing and inspirational in creating images of a darker nature. I've always said that I like to make beautiful pictures and that is still very true. I strive to make great pictures every time I pick up the camera. Sometimes even the darkest subjects can make beautiful pictures when interpreted in a certain way.<br /><br />This is the third year in a row that Larissa and I have created "Halloween" photos. The previous two years involved Larissa and I murdering each other in various ways. This year, the opportunity presented itself to photograph <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thomasroue">The Pale Barn Ghosts</a> and <a href="http://www.sonicbids.com/epk/epk.aspx?epk_id=234644">The Hello Strangers</a>(Larissa's band) in preparation for their Halloween show.<br /><br />We knew that we wanted to shoot tight portraits of each band member against a black background. I had been thinking about this year's Halloween shot for some time and already had the lighting planned in my head . . . dark shadows, high contrast and mysterious light. We set up our studio in our neighbor's barn, which worked perfectly. I set up in the afternoon and had everything ready for the evening of the shoot. We were able to shoot 8 portraits between 6:30pm and 10:30pm. Pretty damn efficient!<br /><br />The ninth portrait had to be shot the following week because Brechyn from The Hello Strangers was not able to make it to the previous shoot. We decided to try something a little different with this one by utilizing the spooky closet in my attic. I lit the scene almost identically to the other portraits to keep the mood consistent.<br /><br />I wanted each band member to really bring his or her ideas to each portrait, and everyone came through. The goal was to show a little bit of each band member's personality while emphasizing our darkest human fears.<br /><br />Here are a few images from this year's Halloween shoot along with a short video I created to help promote the October 31st show. To see the other 5 images from this shoot, go to the<a href="http://www.csphotographs.com/#a=0&at=0&mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=0&p=4">Horror</a> portfolio on our website. To see more of the video shorts, add us as a friend on<a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Mercersburg-PA/Chace-Smith-Photography/53070993020?ref=ts">Facebook</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZKnZc5tZW2ri6BEoHiFVARwtRTxuUqqL9mUVPxTT-7IevDRLWtSkhS7Aj59AJPGTWg6_b_5uWeasDG1pxQ7NGbSRxX_DR6dyboKOB-syUPcsJ9bwEUbTjuItAXXDEDteI2CJuFIysOp_/s1600-h/20091014052RS.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZKnZc5tZW2ri6BEoHiFVARwtRTxuUqqL9mUVPxTT-7IevDRLWtSkhS7Aj59AJPGTWg6_b_5uWeasDG1pxQ7NGbSRxX_DR6dyboKOB-syUPcsJ9bwEUbTjuItAXXDEDteI2CJuFIysOp_/s400/20091014052RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397276680718050562" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNM3o1k_8aPE_QNhPOL7ztF27Nn6h6UD-s7lO3S3LwJ-TDRcHMWaE1v_dcbqbIgzqUXwXuiKr_oB4ITOWyJfgNvxVbtV777DWximuNOEPmWtF1_u5sjujzY5AiLjaEMYIyMRNEpwobjzV/s1600-h/20091014102RS.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNM3o1k_8aPE_QNhPOL7ztF27Nn6h6UD-s7lO3S3LwJ-TDRcHMWaE1v_dcbqbIgzqUXwXuiKr_oB4ITOWyJfgNvxVbtV777DWximuNOEPmWtF1_u5sjujzY5AiLjaEMYIyMRNEpwobjzV/s400/20091014102RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397276669902186962" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 319px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWgN_9ZSIaXQ8zgrxSVAZkfjKiUkRyDxzkde6YlVoWJqezKeHvbVGcGu0wMyH3fEfOYZYyIFYjy39-Wzrtn1v0hKeHeHpYQ1Ti2FMOgGpevhNO5Ieb_nYwkD7-Jw_P9mmLCyJTl0Vr_ZQ/s1600-h/20091014183RS.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWgN_9ZSIaXQ8zgrxSVAZkfjKiUkRyDxzkde6YlVoWJqezKeHvbVGcGu0wMyH3fEfOYZYyIFYjy39-Wzrtn1v0hKeHeHpYQ1Ti2FMOgGpevhNO5Ieb_nYwkD7-Jw_P9mmLCyJTl0Vr_ZQ/s400/20091014183RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397276429500193330" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 319px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwiCZTlh5mWg6uj6J0jw5JoP_kzimgjl679Y4TQQ8_hf2y1a4x7dW0dIJmKILLUlFmwAdZIoQhuiXkIdO9eOzN_bP_q5aSXGUVImnITbrqan5upeW6aPK73nPhC4aYb-IuhEzh8S6CSaS/s1600-h/20091022031RS.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwiCZTlh5mWg6uj6J0jw5JoP_kzimgjl679Y4TQQ8_hf2y1a4x7dW0dIJmKILLUlFmwAdZIoQhuiXkIdO9eOzN_bP_q5aSXGUVImnITbrqan5upeW6aPK73nPhC4aYb-IuhEzh8S6CSaS/s400/20091022031RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397276418538152530" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 319px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; "><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyDVERBFxBsxtq3tb4WpI3LZXRUNWObEZBDGdnuEewXsK689QvIBqfjzEIvHpgEpl4CYA3v4mP9riYP7QL-9g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">All photos and video © </span><a href="http://www.ryansmithphoto.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ryan Smith Photography</span></a></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; "><br />What are you going to be for Halloween?</span><br /></span></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-29216771778266068552009-10-15T07:00:00.000-04:002009-10-15T11:03:49.383-04:00Blog Action Day 2009: Climate Change<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogactionday.org/"><img border="0" src="http://www.blogactionday.org/imgs/badges/bad-180-150.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Today is <a href="http://www.blogactionday.org/">Blog Action Day</a>! For the past several years, my blog has participated in this great event. According to the website,</div><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">"Blog Action Day is an annual event that unites the world's bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day on their own blogs with the aim of sparking discussion around an issue of global importance. Blog Action Day 2009 will be the largest-ever social change event on the web. One day. One issue. Thousands of voices."</blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Topics in years past have included the Environment and Poverty.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This year's topic of Climate Change is as daunting as it is urgent. Unless you are truly living under a rock, we can no longer ignore the fact that our planet's climate is changing at an unprecedented rate. While fingers point to myriad sources of blame and excuses, the effects of climate change are already being felt all over the globe.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Take this recent <a href="http://gallagher-photo.com/">Photo Essay</a> on desertification in China by photographer Sean Gallagher as an example. For nations all over the world, climate change is now a part of their daily lives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Complacency, Urgency, and Denial</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Three narratives that seem to be prevalent in such a massive threat as climate change couldn't be more opposite in nature. I spend most of my time in the first two of these paradigms, rarely in between. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Most of the time, I find myself distracted by the "urgencies" of everyday life: paying the bills, keeping a small business afloat in a shaky economy, trying to fit in time and motivation to stay healthy by exercising and not eating out of convenience. My husband and I are generally "green" in our lifestyle choices: we compost, recycle, keep the thermostat low, avoid over-consumption, drive a low emission vehicle, purchase green products, use CFL light bulbs, turn off power strips...you get the idea. But beyond these nanoscale actions, a whole force beyond our understanding is at work in the atmosphere around us. So, in essence, we are COMPLACENT in that we are hardly able to fathom what "climate change" really means on the grand scale. It's not that we don't care, we just find it hard to focus on something so intangible and colossal when there are more immediate matters to take care of on a daily basis.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then there are those heart-pounding moments of URGENCY when I hear something on the news about climate change that makes me stand up from my seat, say something like, "We have to do something!" and proceed to stumble through the house like a lunatic, running into walls. This reaction seems to be just as unproductive as being complacent and detached. What am I supposed to do with this information and the emotions it conjures up? How can I have any effect on something so massively beyond my control? How are we supposed to sleep at night knowing that everything we see and know around us could be destroyed in 100 years? Ahhhhhh!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Maybe all we need is for someone to tell us WHAT TO DO - supply some concrete answers or explanations to this incredibly convoluted topic. Easier said than done, obviously.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And then there's DENIAL, and we all know how productive that is. This is an ideology that many in our country have pledged their allegiance to, and have thus set aside any urgency to dwell on the topic of climate change altogether. This is most certainly the worst, most detrimental approach possible. After all, the potential consequences for not acting on the threats of climate change far outweigh the time, effort, and money we should be putting into preventing them in the first place. We can't afford NOT to put our best feet forward, regardless of who is to blame or whether or not you believe the scientists' premonitions. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides, it wouldn't hurt us to be a little more responsible with our natural resources, regardless of whether or not we "believe" in climate change. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, do I have any palpable answers for you today? Unfortunately, no more than I would have a few years ago. I just hope we find more concrete ways to change the fate of our planet - and soon - before I run into a wall and knock myself out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For more Blog Action Day posts, click <a href="http://www.blogactionday.org/">here</a>.</div>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-19264131429169418972009-09-27T17:13:00.009-04:002009-09-29T11:00:51.202-04:00Turning 30: I'll Cry If I Want To<div style="text-align: left;">I lay on the lawn chair like a sack. My head was heavy from a happy-birthday cold and a few too many last-night-to-be-29 drinks the evening before. Was this really my 30th birthday? Shouldn't I have been feeling at the pinnacle of health and vibrancy on this day of days? Could the day have snuck up so quickly, and why couldn't it wait until I had time to shake this stupid cold?</div><div><br /></div><div>The morning sun twinkled against the white plastic chair slats as I smashed my cheek against them, staring languidly down through them to the grass below. At least it was warm in the sun, and I didn't have to accomplish anything in particular today. I had grown accustomed to this feeling of listlessness over the past several days; I barely had the brain power to contemplate my passage into 30-dome.</div><div><br /></div><div>I suppose the old and wise would tell me that this is exactly how life is going to be from now on. They would say, "Life is full of disappointments. Just accept that things aren't always going to turn out how you want." I tell you, no matter how many times I turn that adage over in my mind, it still remains unacceptable to me. There has got to be more to life than surrendering helplessly to every disappointment.</div><div><br /></div><div>I never planned to be anywhere else than the lake for my 30th birthday weekend. And despite my cold, and the fact that several people who planned to come to my party had to back out, I (underneath the gloom) was utterly content to be there surrounded by my family. I had had more than a few moments of feeling sorry for myself during the week preceding the big day, and my family members, in their undying effervescence, cheered me greatly. After all, wasn't 30 when you stopped crying over people not coming to your birthday party?</div><div><br /></div><div>The next day, at my party, my husband surprised me with a sparkling, retro, baby blue and cream reissue 1950s electric guitar. In the midst of my wallowing, I had almost forgot that there was going to be celebration - and presents - with my family and friends surrounding me. There was no longer any room, or time, to feel despondent. When I pulled the wrapper off that shiny guitar, I wept into my hands, completely taken by surprise. Everyone had stopped what they were doing when they saw the large, wrapped package emerge from the cottage. And now, as tears streamed down my cheeks and a big smile began to form on my face, they watched expectantly and then applauded as I held the guitar up exultantly for all to see. I gave my husband his well-deserved hug and stepped out of the gloom.</div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps <i>this</i> is exactly how life is going to be from now on (and always has been). Just when you think life has completely trashed the party, through the mess come the most beautiful moments in the shape of shiny electric guitars, elderflower liqueur, tears of surprise, those darling faces of your family around you, or a friend driving through the dark for 5 hours to see you in the last hours of your birthday. We must never take these things for granted. Luckily for us, life will never let us.</div><div><br /></div><div>For your enjoyment, here is the series of photographs of me opening my guitar (taken by Ricky MacPherson):</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEice2uGQIT9ljjwkuVF1hZLI_S_4t5rVK6hwsE7GG32QHqRAdrBaQ2HCWn4atLc8gRoXSezzjxEDdSXcAz9YNhOWcEI2jE12oY5xj9Csh43bWqK3-iWpBREcwPVPETyce80vPSzv0Gnxow/s1600-h/IMG_6873.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEice2uGQIT9ljjwkuVF1hZLI_S_4t5rVK6hwsE7GG32QHqRAdrBaQ2HCWn4atLc8gRoXSezzjxEDdSXcAz9YNhOWcEI2jE12oY5xj9Csh43bWqK3-iWpBREcwPVPETyce80vPSzv0Gnxow/s400/IMG_6873.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386865974722018002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgei3tjK5MZpNxiB7jqJpve0ShERuRE8EHuwHcvOOZYZ4IF6XlvEXo92YuQ2W1vlA0XV9uYtS0uJzidd4VbddHYqSu6fdCuIsDQ8WW4KzSv-Iiy8jST1DeNn5-VBTsxKc-X7aDS7J3DfRA/s1600-h/IMG_6885.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgei3tjK5MZpNxiB7jqJpve0ShERuRE8EHuwHcvOOZYZ4IF6XlvEXo92YuQ2W1vlA0XV9uYtS0uJzidd4VbddHYqSu6fdCuIsDQ8WW4KzSv-Iiy8jST1DeNn5-VBTsxKc-X7aDS7J3DfRA/s400/IMG_6885.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386865967051025650" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0CEr65Q_BcS4UeJVDDPHcNgi8hO5WqJ4SpcL8BifAVnAX_dtiJr-kRx-10uL1S0WXupFNhaW_e00YLnCqYfdExjOHu0XsPsNMQ2dLRjlheZJiyVNwvdLuKzJMQ32DLdsNbzzF56V5yQY/s1600-h/IMG_6888.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0CEr65Q_BcS4UeJVDDPHcNgi8hO5WqJ4SpcL8BifAVnAX_dtiJr-kRx-10uL1S0WXupFNhaW_e00YLnCqYfdExjOHu0XsPsNMQ2dLRjlheZJiyVNwvdLuKzJMQ32DLdsNbzzF56V5yQY/s400/IMG_6888.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386865622206663922" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNgSsNbZQugp-KNtf9ry6XLxgtWbWZqIsPPelGFRztSsrgcG681FOxSTl648NcU09O65JSeuer_i3m6zOP_Re7jCXgx4bQcD01l-W8iikEu0AZYgz08qJMlR9CZEvqRMT5napYE-afwg/s1600-h/IMG_6889.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNgSsNbZQugp-KNtf9ry6XLxgtWbWZqIsPPelGFRztSsrgcG681FOxSTl648NcU09O65JSeuer_i3m6zOP_Re7jCXgx4bQcD01l-W8iikEu0AZYgz08qJMlR9CZEvqRMT5napYE-afwg/s400/IMG_6889.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386865614431935202" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiT7eP1CECkvGKTUiqlM5QOLDGLJXMW6-z6HpacCaWEUcbFHSMPEqmDIySvd8_cVMo9Rhjz6F1H9zJj_bH1wt0r5qrknEq_6Ytc109Es2FdbxY05jQi-tYFikxUMb3sLID7zoAeto5RHE/s1600-h/IMG_6892.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiT7eP1CECkvGKTUiqlM5QOLDGLJXMW6-z6HpacCaWEUcbFHSMPEqmDIySvd8_cVMo9Rhjz6F1H9zJj_bH1wt0r5qrknEq_6Ytc109Es2FdbxY05jQi-tYFikxUMb3sLID7zoAeto5RHE/s400/IMG_6892.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386865608411266658" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Ryan gets his hug</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjMwcCuvlgPyeN0qJay7y2oXD1qX0SW07o3sS3qFriaR2KH8dK-ps1IEp-PuqP_pF-Jt3HuCxbNuUFrK4VzGjPoo7dv21ilaQO4fpWNsswvzHAWMAN3jXf09yEDN40_eHpZFlVTcOwjA/s1600-h/IMG_6897.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjMwcCuvlgPyeN0qJay7y2oXD1qX0SW07o3sS3qFriaR2KH8dK-ps1IEp-PuqP_pF-Jt3HuCxbNuUFrK4VzGjPoo7dv21ilaQO4fpWNsswvzHAWMAN3jXf09yEDN40_eHpZFlVTcOwjA/s400/IMG_6897.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386865600973583778" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">My Danelectro</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJRroT6tunN4PTwc54skjEE07TYuhAbBtx0vUsixPEZOHUPSUWNLNieGjivXisO_91ovB0yZIJQoC0RHp_3xM_ibr_CTlnxthpMofAenMihm8XdQzCTqvjRR62ngtcKL0Sln1KWB6RsE/s1600-h/IMG_6904.JPG"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJRroT6tunN4PTwc54skjEE07TYuhAbBtx0vUsixPEZOHUPSUWNLNieGjivXisO_91ovB0yZIJQoC0RHp_3xM_ibr_CTlnxthpMofAenMihm8XdQzCTqvjRR62ngtcKL0Sln1KWB6RsE/s1600-h/IMG_6904.JPG"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJRroT6tunN4PTwc54skjEE07TYuhAbBtx0vUsixPEZOHUPSUWNLNieGjivXisO_91ovB0yZIJQoC0RHp_3xM_ibr_CTlnxthpMofAenMihm8XdQzCTqvjRR62ngtcKL0Sln1KWB6RsE/s1600-h/IMG_6904.JPG"></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJRroT6tunN4PTwc54skjEE07TYuhAbBtx0vUsixPEZOHUPSUWNLNieGjivXisO_91ovB0yZIJQoC0RHp_3xM_ibr_CTlnxthpMofAenMihm8XdQzCTqvjRR62ngtcKL0Sln1KWB6RsE/s1600-h/IMG_6904.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJRroT6tunN4PTwc54skjEE07TYuhAbBtx0vUsixPEZOHUPSUWNLNieGjivXisO_91ovB0yZIJQoC0RHp_3xM_ibr_CTlnxthpMofAenMihm8XdQzCTqvjRR62ngtcKL0Sln1KWB6RsE/s400/IMG_6904.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386865593361890642" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ryan even made me a sweet card with my face superimposed!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-58314713313468600392009-08-28T09:33:00.000-04:002009-08-28T09:34:33.374-04:00Roadside Kitsch to Rugged Landscapes: Photo Review of Creative Highways 2009<div>Now that we have had time to look over the hundreds of images Ryan took on our Northwestern tour this July, we have hand-picked six that stand out as truly capturing the story of the Great American road trip.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ironically, all these photos were taken within the first quarter of our trip, when we were most hungry for creative inspiration everywhere we looked. We are excited to see these images come together to represent our experience.</div><div><br /></div><div>What are your favorites?</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUv2cW18VR0R8xw2lnt1TIWG-0r-tUG5uY4_16jBFOItWwTkjFCRGx_OrNySxrCUv4znEcwMZSL8c5ISj3GE47R1xgUMJs3vuCOPuAX3f1tgwda10FkaEVgyEACHeRu3ZDYxwAn246Sg3h/s1600-h/20090629039RS.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUv2cW18VR0R8xw2lnt1TIWG-0r-tUG5uY4_16jBFOItWwTkjFCRGx_OrNySxrCUv4znEcwMZSL8c5ISj3GE47R1xgUMJs3vuCOPuAX3f1tgwda10FkaEVgyEACHeRu3ZDYxwAn246Sg3h/s400/20090629039RS.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375002043193716834" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center; ">"Ben Biking" in Sparta, Wisconsin</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0riroyBmJifX_d2pHjPGKTqMCMYldWIKUTp68DkmjaPftRZe5gCjSFxrS248yOduaagxUJzvxlITxpS3anqN2omF5aeN3lnP0QhcofFcdshRQuS4FqgeBUkiscNNT3ySdlmELA6wY25ps/s1600-h/20090629054RS.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0riroyBmJifX_d2pHjPGKTqMCMYldWIKUTp68DkmjaPftRZe5gCjSFxrS248yOduaagxUJzvxlITxpS3anqN2omF5aeN3lnP0QhcofFcdshRQuS4FqgeBUkiscNNT3ySdlmELA6wY25ps/s400/20090629054RS.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375002034929974146" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center; ">Jolly Green Giant, Blue Earth, Minnesota</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggI2xjG9ijdN-RTNHNV6GDZz6MRL7Xi_0xuZr0DTGfZxejrtnc34IN1Whph0rdv6mWWqOC88sMdPk-Ot107uM0exSwzndGgt3clfuE1-yiiWwyNyvDpoHcsKr-m9MVvl-h2IPaS28iEEkD/s1600-h/20090630090RS.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggI2xjG9ijdN-RTNHNV6GDZz6MRL7Xi_0xuZr0DTGfZxejrtnc34IN1Whph0rdv6mWWqOC88sMdPk-Ot107uM0exSwzndGgt3clfuE1-yiiWwyNyvDpoHcsKr-m9MVvl-h2IPaS28iEEkD/s400/20090630090RS.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375002031974759938" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center; ">Picnic Shell, Badlands, South Dakota</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xBEe1ZJpAGT3q6CnKM2_eQJDb0P17DRVZjSQjb_2XAhlmJJmWrHEkU62sVPkCd5Yic1-FBml60bpvsRTmrDQYpshkGpT8XFN-6A6ZJIavV6qNLucE4aCDpUhCUzgjlzDzycd1y7Kkflu/s1600-h/20090701112RS.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xBEe1ZJpAGT3q6CnKM2_eQJDb0P17DRVZjSQjb_2XAhlmJJmWrHEkU62sVPkCd5Yic1-FBml60bpvsRTmrDQYpshkGpT8XFN-6A6ZJIavV6qNLucE4aCDpUhCUzgjlzDzycd1y7Kkflu/s400/20090701112RS.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375001893240875410" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center; ">RV in Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrC-nTFE1dN6j-gdnY_EGMaTr8v8O8P-t2ECDnetxTGzNHwywX8oy_5ssz_CZzVoIkDggZHHGu7sE6n6IxF60KTZh495uW3h7hK5XV8ljvweAwU5e1cwSIat9e0vCx-5RuMNq_H5GnJU_/s1600-h/20090702219RS.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrC-nTFE1dN6j-gdnY_EGMaTr8v8O8P-t2ECDnetxTGzNHwywX8oy_5ssz_CZzVoIkDggZHHGu7sE6n6IxF60KTZh495uW3h7hK5XV8ljvweAwU5e1cwSIat9e0vCx-5RuMNq_H5GnJU_/s400/20090702219RS.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375001884062672578" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center; ">Summer storm on the Snake River Plain, Idaho</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEg-KEJVgZmOzNtoy_h3o3FfgYirKXosOaU2FjFetR0__5hUp3mMNwLHz4LkROBPN_7vmOmYxz8rihkU3n3TvXNYo7boAhICpMKK0UuPblww0shSSvufvAk3cMPlG0dWYLDazUcYBe9tQ/s1600-h/20090709160RS.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEg-KEJVgZmOzNtoy_h3o3FfgYirKXosOaU2FjFetR0__5hUp3mMNwLHz4LkROBPN_7vmOmYxz8rihkU3n3TvXNYo7boAhICpMKK0UuPblww0shSSvufvAk3cMPlG0dWYLDazUcYBe9tQ/s400/20090709160RS.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375001879144301426" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center; ">Bivouac camping at Smith Rock, Oregon</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">All photos © </span><a href="http://www.csphotographs.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Chace + Smith Photography</span></a></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-49221848742196671852009-08-21T11:28:00.000-04:002009-08-21T11:29:19.516-04:00Creative Highways Project: Closing Remarks<div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-4f7HwAHhcQpzcCj0axuPU5w28O1Y5qOOflH-spSJirFlEOIHST9j222JkUyEyRSiTyH04d1tN2_jw6VBBzkWMKUhIH_7rixo6REi4zPUomc85nqtnNshypmqyKLd_1scQmXj6We0d6m/s1600-h/CreativeHighways.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-4f7HwAHhcQpzcCj0axuPU5w28O1Y5qOOflH-spSJirFlEOIHST9j222JkUyEyRSiTyH04d1tN2_jw6VBBzkWMKUhIH_7rixo6REi4zPUomc85nqtnNshypmqyKLd_1scQmXj6We0d6m/s400/CreativeHighways.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372080790512437394" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px; " /></a><br />(posted by Larissa)<br /><br />These last few weeks since we returned from our trip have had us immersed again in our domestic/business lives: sales calls, laundry, marketing, reorganizing, socializing with friends and family, weddings, budgeting, and so on. We have easily allowed the time to go by without collecting or writing any closing thoughts about our epic Northwestern tour this July.<br /><br />Did we actually just do that? Did we really drive for 7414 miles in our tiny car, with our fairly large dog, and a few spare belongings?<br /><br />Yes, we did. And though it seems but a blip in the grand journey of life, its importance to our creativity, emotional and physical health, and lives is paramount. We will never feel the same sense of freedom we did on that trip - no children, no major liabilities or responsibilities (aside from a small business) waiting for us at home. We may never feel the same sense of patriotism we did when traversing the vast expanses of our country's geography. We will not as easily feel the spirit of the road in our bones, even if we write about it and try to capture it in photographs. "I don't want to lose this sense of spirit we've been reminded of on this trip!" I exclaimed while on a beach in Idaho overlooking one of the deepest river canyons in the Northern hemisphere. I haven't lost it, but I find it harder and harder to really grasp now that I'm back in the East, amidst my tasks and responsibilities. And it may get harder unless we seek it out in new ways, again and again.<br /><br />When we wrote a summary of our Creative Highways Project on our <a href="http://www.csphotographs.com/">website</a> prior to our trip, we described our purpose as "searching for the last bastions of Americana." What does this mean, and is Americana really disappearing? I believe our search uncovered more than a yes or no answer to this question.<br /><br />In essence, Americana is reinvented every day in this country through greasy diner culture, RVs crawling along precarious precipices, 5 cent coffee in Wall Drug, SD, being recommended a live reggae event by a Japanese sushi chef in Boulder, Colorado, and streaming indie rock via satellite radio in the middle of the Utah desert. Americana is a clash of tradition and contemporary artifacts and associations. It is at the same time disappearing as it is being recreated.<br /><br />What does Americana mean for each of us? Where is that sacred space of nostalgic national identity we each hold in our hearts? For us, we searched for the "last bastions" of Americana but found, in many ways we did not expect, that Americana is alive and well. We found it exists for the collective as well as within our own individual experiences. So, it is what you see outside your car window, or from a high mountain trail, and how you see it in your heart and mind simultaneously.<div><br /></div><div>Americana is the essence of all great traditions, fads, oddities, rituals, songs, poems, vistas, highways, and ideas that make up this great country, all rolled into one word. Americana is what we make it, and it's always there to experience whenever we want.</div><div><br /></div><div>For now, we see it every morning when we look out our farmhouse windows at the mist shrouded hills of Pennsylvania. We find it around a table at an Irish pub, passing the guitar, and swapping stories and songs. We hear it in the strains of church bells floating up the road, and taste it at our favorite Mexican taco joint, with all the 'fixins.</div><div><br /></div><div>We found it on the road, and we discover it again and again right here at home.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Thanks to all our friends that greeted us along our route this July - you are our Americana, and our true inspirations!</i></div></div>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-72178438845096229722009-08-05T14:55:00.002-04:002009-08-05T15:01:31.191-04:00Creative Highways: The Last LegWe are sad to have our road trip come to a close. We have seen many joys and beautiful things and people; we even had our endurance tested to a certain extent, living out of a Honda Fit for a month. It was surprisingly easy and simple. The simplicity of it all is something we will take with us back into domestic life. Paired-down meals, living quarters, and belongings have reminded us that living with only the bare necessities can enrich our lives and teach many lessons. We are better able to live in the present moment, without being bogged down by petty busywork and material items that we really don't need. This is just one of the many gifts this trip has bestowed upon us.<br /><br />Here is a selection of images from the last few days of our Northwestern road trip for the summer of 2009:<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoRdxBVRP6ONFiqRiJLX2C1K8t7IykNbbnr8PLMpgXQyQylHgFI_kaZv5yPLtfIS6KqcQd6nCzyWngSa60HynXWGkwTFrWMbQp1dNGbN4f3Drvir0_kkJ44Ytqc5VXgtTv0hVHVVSvew77/s1600-h/20090724575RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoRdxBVRP6ONFiqRiJLX2C1K8t7IykNbbnr8PLMpgXQyQylHgFI_kaZv5yPLtfIS6KqcQd6nCzyWngSa60HynXWGkwTFrWMbQp1dNGbN4f3Drvir0_kkJ44Ytqc5VXgtTv0hVHVVSvew77/s400/20090724575RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363533155752410594" border="0" /></a>Sadie has now settled in to her spot in the car. She naps as we drive for hours, occasionally poking her head up front to check in. She's a seasoned traveler, and knows when it's time to rest, and when it's time to play.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1eVnIPoXKbBKb1jYQOeQ2ilbhsCVxBjdUwfQbJNFNrGB8ZmCawSPyI2IRFuAXJqj_txwj6-iJF-fbAaQG1uBOO7ORvdRdGkRdM6udchmeBnsPqe1l4UrZggFxdsi43V_c8EVNmM-Ykse/s1600-h/20090719546RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1eVnIPoXKbBKb1jYQOeQ2ilbhsCVxBjdUwfQbJNFNrGB8ZmCawSPyI2IRFuAXJqj_txwj6-iJF-fbAaQG1uBOO7ORvdRdGkRdM6udchmeBnsPqe1l4UrZggFxdsi43V_c8EVNmM-Ykse/s400/20090719546RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363532811965630834" border="0" /></a>A stop at Shoshone Falls State Park in Twin Falls, Idaho to meet up with our friend, Katie. It was blazing hot down on the Snake River plain in Southern Idaho, but it was great to see my old roommate and friend (though I'm still kicking myself for not getting a photo of the two of us!).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Nwiz6qj6pa4_RwZglJjzzrAf-w3UmmPASu-6xWI3zm5Hxm2JHPJcBfWdfObPgskrcoSXn7-JnTFLlHz79BHwivlG5VAFeMMhjWTI_5M1bWVh26ciDkshC5otU6ijrXX-NlpiaW0FUmPj/s1600-h/20090720558RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Nwiz6qj6pa4_RwZglJjzzrAf-w3UmmPASu-6xWI3zm5Hxm2JHPJcBfWdfObPgskrcoSXn7-JnTFLlHz79BHwivlG5VAFeMMhjWTI_5M1bWVh26ciDkshC5otU6ijrXX-NlpiaW0FUmPj/s400/20090720558RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363532821701581586" border="0" /></a>Elegant Aspen and Lupine greet us on our way through the Manti-La Sal National Forest and Joe's Valley in central Utah.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxdOnf6Hu6lK8ZIxXN4JCL3YWBfLnvUTWDlJD67fflIYfiwaIur5Vh6WbL54HYkVo_ur-Ny_pgdy8g4UOfRUF9gF7CDAdmPnLmV8-Qw-elPrBhAuBWq-aImpFy767KpRC8eL4Q-kgbotB/s1600-h/20090720548RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxdOnf6Hu6lK8ZIxXN4JCL3YWBfLnvUTWDlJD67fflIYfiwaIur5Vh6WbL54HYkVo_ur-Ny_pgdy8g4UOfRUF9gF7CDAdmPnLmV8-Qw-elPrBhAuBWq-aImpFy767KpRC8eL4Q-kgbotB/s400/20090720548RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363532814930484738" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdew2e3auWIfXRS4ndzgAlfQplXQ6cPw5nTxIy0cLvsKANsvMGex8D6ggiuYhlYko910Kr6tm2ftCU7pnoVXNxZERjb5GRDNaB4ZRsNwjr9iM2aB8RYDtJMkrHunJgYXnnBNL0HhtmIIS/s1600-h/20090721589RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdew2e3auWIfXRS4ndzgAlfQplXQ6cPw5nTxIy0cLvsKANsvMGex8D6ggiuYhlYko910Kr6tm2ftCU7pnoVXNxZERjb5GRDNaB4ZRsNwjr9iM2aB8RYDtJMkrHunJgYXnnBNL0HhtmIIS/s400/20090721589RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363533038777625794" border="0" /></a>Joe's Valley also affords fun bouldering opportunities along the San Raphael River. Ryan makes a move on this river-side boulder. The water was the coldest of all the Northwestern creeks and rivers we visited. As desert-hot as it was that day, we couldn't manage to get in past our feet.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfIP8YGiA0kG5tOsfOlrMywt4O5Pww8SJMSM0ipt3RMNKN2dMymdL9j1kbAbd5zMa0sgvPiup2X2IDBXrFM1V1ExbYHKGoUaoU0r13WpyWyHl8AA1IHgtICDiuxziHnX7w5OXb8EiFB-m/s1600-h/20090721583RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfIP8YGiA0kG5tOsfOlrMywt4O5Pww8SJMSM0ipt3RMNKN2dMymdL9j1kbAbd5zMa0sgvPiup2X2IDBXrFM1V1ExbYHKGoUaoU0r13WpyWyHl8AA1IHgtICDiuxziHnX7w5OXb8EiFB-m/s400/20090721583RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363533029417512418" border="0" /></a>Larissa traverses another boulder down the way.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5oivyK2-VU8fB7zJqZZvYcBWr2P3xu4zE8U0oiUfK5KvrNk96OoV931UPM4fZlwmzlroLmqqUTa4BTH8X6pbkspM_p234171sYBrRxGRNPwcvhuhfhkbw0QcfhpkFFGQbTjGqtSsqdcfl/s1600-h/20090721577RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5oivyK2-VU8fB7zJqZZvYcBWr2P3xu4zE8U0oiUfK5KvrNk96OoV931UPM4fZlwmzlroLmqqUTa4BTH8X6pbkspM_p234171sYBrRxGRNPwcvhuhfhkbw0QcfhpkFFGQbTjGqtSsqdcfl/s400/20090721577RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363532827340732674" border="0" /></a>At our bouldering spot, Ryan performs our ritual of car cooking that we did so many times during the month. Just pick a spot along the road, pull out the camp stove, and go to work. On the menu that morning: Migas, a Tex-Mex concoction of eggs, corn tortilla, salsa, and cheese.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj765MLazo1jnoKv5lVdtlcitTysnzU-nrK7wHMC88dGeeTWxHt8pUvkL0D7U-4h-dEYySxZl2g_392BZCVy8g2tDdj9n1yw3xc00PIgPRi9jH0bGCtNzJBXMQTldEMki7q3jKQhu_c47ZR/s1600-h/20090721564RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj765MLazo1jnoKv5lVdtlcitTysnzU-nrK7wHMC88dGeeTWxHt8pUvkL0D7U-4h-dEYySxZl2g_392BZCVy8g2tDdj9n1yw3xc00PIgPRi9jH0bGCtNzJBXMQTldEMki7q3jKQhu_c47ZR/s400/20090721564RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363532821272486754" border="0" /></a>Along Highway 70 in Utah - not how rest stops look in Pennsylvania.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkeq8iWpFwD0caXjEbYEw3lqliR4tKJ-L7fGyuTBYLm6Elcxkp5qjNnN-WqDTz8UKcllfTM-gvWo5FtXB0elUWeqm6KeCTPRdlpINWZTK0dr09jVHkLiEv0M8Gn6dwmPYxJP-4Oq6Gm61L/s1600-h/20090722572RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkeq8iWpFwD0caXjEbYEw3lqliR4tKJ-L7fGyuTBYLm6Elcxkp5qjNnN-WqDTz8UKcllfTM-gvWo5FtXB0elUWeqm6KeCTPRdlpINWZTK0dr09jVHkLiEv0M8Gn6dwmPYxJP-4Oq6Gm61L/s400/20090722572RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363533043142686578" border="0" /></a>Then, it was on to Colorful Colorado! We drove over Loveland Pass, one of the highest paved drivable passes in North America at 11,990 feet in altitude.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIl4cOlQkDLvVuvEJK09RU6Vr4YB7_oUxb2xaHohchq_5uZ0120ABvI-r1-MwwydVEoFYv8RD9lb7NDy3W3R4l8SAeVvFR0-oa5VZNOB6Qvh9y2fJibZzg1_zvnvVME9GssrbqNh5719LG/s1600-h/20090722607RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIl4cOlQkDLvVuvEJK09RU6Vr4YB7_oUxb2xaHohchq_5uZ0120ABvI-r1-MwwydVEoFYv8RD9lb7NDy3W3R4l8SAeVvFR0-oa5VZNOB6Qvh9y2fJibZzg1_zvnvVME9GssrbqNh5719LG/s400/20090722607RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363533052070934754" border="0" /></a>In Boulder, we completed our long-lost search for a sushi roll we ate 9 years ago, when we were first dating and Ryan was attending Colorado Mountain College. We found it at <a href="http://www.sushizanmai.com/">Sushi Zanmai</a>: the Green Hornet Roll - still the most delicious roll we've ever had. We were extremely pleased that our memories had preserved the experience of eating that roll so precisely. We had a grand time drinking Katana sake and talking with our friendly sushi chef. Larissa also had a delicious sake cucumber martini. We finished the evening with live reggae down the street at the Draft House. It was our last big hoorah on our amazing trip.<br /><br /></div> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxaZC1IUH-EcwgOp67Cx2WRshTGnSKBUhrqGzjzb8Nj4uZKzANaFj4s5ug2iSzjWV1UZkRE0dZaiLWe5u70W6EEEJN-TMdSxAfRSKNoiH0xoWGht8k7hwxEO0_0Nrx9NEKAXGWzRHOkYP/s1600-h/20090722608RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxaZC1IUH-EcwgOp67Cx2WRshTGnSKBUhrqGzjzb8Nj4uZKzANaFj4s5ug2iSzjWV1UZkRE0dZaiLWe5u70W6EEEJN-TMdSxAfRSKNoiH0xoWGht8k7hwxEO0_0Nrx9NEKAXGWzRHOkYP/s400/20090722608RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363533149060600162" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeZY4pYiUAEgKNG976ao3kq3Cxxp3yH5lPKSUEJ7K2LckZkge4GZ-1tOghcstt6gUgdtTcJKvxi-PeugJk2LOpm_rBrGwtfW-gCR5F0CuDamH67WzOJWCLifcnwOwmqVGDfpYUnFEmtA4/s1600-h/20090722602RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeZY4pYiUAEgKNG976ao3kq3Cxxp3yH5lPKSUEJ7K2LckZkge4GZ-1tOghcstt6gUgdtTcJKvxi-PeugJk2LOpm_rBrGwtfW-gCR5F0CuDamH67WzOJWCLifcnwOwmqVGDfpYUnFEmtA4/s400/20090722602RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363533044468249698" border="0" /></a>Larissa and Ryan savor the last moments of their road trip trail running and hiking near Loveland Pass in Colorado. See you next time, Rockies!<br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><br />All photos © <a href="http://www.csphotographs.com/">Chace + Smith Photography</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Coming up: Closing Remarks from our grand American tour!</span><br /></div> </div>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-53249445155155882422009-08-05T14:02:00.001-04:002009-08-05T14:08:25.110-04:00Creative Highways: This Is What Sand Makes Our Dog DoOn the Salmon River, camping in central Idaho on our road trip, our dog Sadie neurotically dug hole after hole in the sand at our camp spot. Every day she got up, stretched and "got back to work" on her holes - important work to be done. If only our daily tasks were so simple and focused!<br /><br />See her in action:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyQ3Og_T8_BM69P2x9rYdb3gOMkSSa9ISwdZgyfddzri-xaIv6Vm8oAs7oljUrKkFAPeLibc-RP6vtIEiR2fQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-66568683514539614602009-07-30T13:13:00.004-04:002009-07-30T13:32:57.254-04:00Creative Highways: Video Recap<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The following is a selection of the many videos we took along our 7414 miles during our Creative Highways project. They can't possible capture everything we saw, but they do show how many </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">different</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> things we experienced along the way:</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold;">DRIVING HIGHLIGHTS:<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">This first video is a montage of many video clips combined into one video of highlights, showcasing the great variety of geography we crossed. I think it demonstrates the vast and diverse beauty of our country (song credit: "Scare Easy" by Mudcrutch. </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">This song became the soundtrack to our trip). Can anyone identify where some of these places are?:</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwUXVwk24JQbX5CaX1nE6dzngjyvLRSKS7uW7fNaQr7md4NvAdIeyPCaCC58DiSw3VrJ5ro5BYqwukdw9dOSQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold;">THE THREE ELEMENTS OF ROAD TRIPPING: WATER, AIR, MUSIC</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold;">WATER:</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Underwater in Warm Spring Creek, near Bonneville hot springs, Idaho:</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyfNk5v6vhJKBdHYTNzuMwqlbuiRluSek5sDVOaGnONXl-5vFPng6QxaODILGbckU2huXtJYDYn1dwQkn-EoA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Sadie braves the gnar on Gedney Creek in central Idaho:</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzFgT-kQyk0q4tx4nYs8aUEoIxgMnKrotf1j0bZhqG1XeZEigp5r_M0EHG0VkE9G8i3dDyEpW4QmsF1m6K1Bg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Soaking in Glenwood Springs Pool, a commercial hot springs pool, Glenwood Springs, CO. It was a gorgeous evening, and we noticed how mellow the crowd at a public hot springs pool is compared to those typical at public chlorine pools - ah, the magic of geothermal - so relaxing after a day of driving!:</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzK3M3wfkAomXbd2jzZ8AQd6-woVbhaz7OjutwrdFjGWmuT9HIQknTXNvUNA5rOPJ1w-xWGTDFCiIYLpjZIZQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold;">AIR:<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">At 8000 ft. in elevation in central Idaho, along the Seven Devils Mountain Range, Sadie (our dog) and I (Larissa) stopped after hiking and running the Narrows trail to take this video:</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dymqvnMxcBaZXPoWDes3xooxtzXDxJrbn5IMfL0Tptubv-B9snOACT2RGXdBMtTvi1wDCBJ6_-wVsqtgtzpDw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Sadie hikes at around 8,500 ft. along the Titus Lake trail near the Sawtooth Mountain Range in central Idaho:</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy91bGJnXTTVYQ9xsCN8Q2vLuwYRgbhNPE2IpQTp4I2vb1M0XTZZ3voHUPvXYnJRW825GEhS-FkGmCmpKtJNg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold;">MUSIC:</span><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" href="http://www.salsaceltica.com/">Salsa Celtica</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> performs in Hailey, Sun Valley, Idaho. An interesting mix of salsa and traditional Celtic music. We had lots of fun hanging out with the people of Sun Valley and our friends, Hallie and Julia. Check out the crazy dancers in this video:</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzKhUMeoNCBKqdIR_Y2G58WHIV_lrxasiINkF6ZXmin87pi9KeAj7znSe3aU1jDcIEXT7jpiARbgbSAseqzKw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">And live reggae at the </span><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" href="http://www.boulderdrafthouse.com/">Draft House</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> in Boulder, Colorado. This was recommended to us by our sushi chef at the great </span><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" href="http://www.sushizanmai.com/">Sushi Zanmai</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. Just one night in a fun town and you never know what you'll get into:</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyrxOeswkZzW6605MGu3T9c-T-sTVOkF-nEIvbN5PyxleaNlYId3KKLnnd_bTrXCpbSQzCIsHjKx2vueCvyMw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Coming up next: the last photos from our trip, and some closing remarks.</span>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-33587834961701134942009-07-22T12:24:00.000-04:002009-07-22T12:25:21.493-04:00Creative Highways: Our Own Private IdahoIn the entire state of Idaho, there are only <em style="font-size: medium;">1,523,816 </em>people. That's an average of 18 people per square mile. It's hard to want to share this "<a href="http://www.visitidaho.org/about/facts.aspx">gem</a>" of a state with others who think it's only potato fields, but here's a sneak peek at our 8 days of camping and seeing old friends in Central and Southern Idaho. How sensational to be able to turn our cell phones and computers off for 8 straight days - definitely no cell service where we were headed:<em style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></em>Our journey from Moscow, Idaho on Sunday, July 11 began with a night camping on Gedney Creek just off the remote and beautiful Selway River. I had camped and hiked the trail before and wanted to find the spot again. We hiked, Ryan fished, and we swam in the chilly, roaring mountain creek.<br /><em style="font-size: medium;"><br /></em><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFcSPRxUWhJ8a1ndHXfzMwnuuctPurPcfsmFf76fsUqhiLXrk7PwuEtmUwrvLyPazQO4U67akZNc5UUheBgAF3lnzA4_ZewI44f7U89OY1KPLrdFHZoc1ocwvngpSoNevwcXJ6LkxA4GJ/s1600-h/20090712251RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFcSPRxUWhJ8a1ndHXfzMwnuuctPurPcfsmFf76fsUqhiLXrk7PwuEtmUwrvLyPazQO4U67akZNc5UUheBgAF3lnzA4_ZewI44f7U89OY1KPLrdFHZoc1ocwvngpSoNevwcXJ6LkxA4GJ/s400/20090712251RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360408473107736578" border="0" /></a>Selway River, Idaho<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3Eq8LLCtC9NZiVakV1rURJYheOmMd5W6NtPPjhaoP0Kwey-mcDOFs-OkwL9tA6LeT8qK5-wQrUYBHwGmrcVPEjZmLSA0f9waax3kXXNE4iq9bvhJuPEFbybbmSfqwmSGXCm4CuwpBAHv/s1600-h/20090712239RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3Eq8LLCtC9NZiVakV1rURJYheOmMd5W6NtPPjhaoP0Kwey-mcDOFs-OkwL9tA6LeT8qK5-wQrUYBHwGmrcVPEjZmLSA0f9waax3kXXNE4iq9bvhJuPEFbybbmSfqwmSGXCm4CuwpBAHv/s400/20090712239RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360408468852181970" border="0" /></a><br />Selway Falls, Selway River, Idaho<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The next day was spent camping along the nearby Lochsa River and soaking at Weir Creek hot springs along Highway 12. We were pleased to find a lively and hospitable group of young people already soaking, with which we swapped wine, beer, and stories of our travels (we represented Pennsylvania, Montana, and Minnesota). Idaho hot springs have their own subculture, attracting bucolic bon vivants of all backgrounds seeking one thing only: that geothermal wonder pouring out of the earth, bubbling over rocks, filling up pools, and warming the senses in a way no domestic bath can (see the photo below from Bonneville hot springs).<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4uUrgI_Z0uCRZTsC8fMKAzE6pVr9gDiFpXrAgwfYjPl5qDDvoLhEnAHiwaEBHF0zAYKiIqoik3ynTlFjl18CvLXWsvX73V8FIyKBhG0PPuKa1wC4xLr5COsQJ-Q02HH_bS8Qber5mPnH/s1600-h/20090714500RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4uUrgI_Z0uCRZTsC8fMKAzE6pVr9gDiFpXrAgwfYjPl5qDDvoLhEnAHiwaEBHF0zAYKiIqoik3ynTlFjl18CvLXWsvX73V8FIyKBhG0PPuKa1wC4xLr5COsQJ-Q02HH_bS8Qber5mPnH/s400/20090714500RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360408474907968882" border="0" /></a>Ryan fishing on the Lochsa River<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The next stop was three nights on our favorite river in the world, the Salmon River. We had our own private beach on which to camp, and spent a good part of the day swimming, reading in hammocks, and playing frisbee with Sadie.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgapkXqjD3kyzYp4V-AyPyZM3LVTBd7OjABW-4IuyhdRDugQd36eFSFzenwmk-L_3PKVhnW4ELi9hD-GtWkU3ks0vZ1WwcuV_s3zrC5YRXig8T4mTnenDNjKuGdsdJRdYUg73Dn8XmR5KdC/s1600-h/20090716399RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgapkXqjD3kyzYp4V-AyPyZM3LVTBd7OjABW-4IuyhdRDugQd36eFSFzenwmk-L_3PKVhnW4ELi9hD-GtWkU3ks0vZ1WwcuV_s3zrC5YRXig8T4mTnenDNjKuGdsdJRdYUg73Dn8XmR5KdC/s400/20090716399RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360408765264200962" border="0" /></a>Our camp spot on the Salmon<br /><br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSl7SJv_s4ZsxwZNbGrK-FCScQAN_mx8983YPeYM5ly2hiAO_P9upkJe6xOAYX4OIopKQKh7t79pVBu7sQYCmssAvpM1XogO7JYlBUfw5ge_lwVpVlYNd6gZKSm7GEHaIRXN52_5BGmjt/s1600-h/20090716421RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSl7SJv_s4ZsxwZNbGrK-FCScQAN_mx8983YPeYM5ly2hiAO_P9upkJe6xOAYX4OIopKQKh7t79pVBu7sQYCmssAvpM1XogO7JYlBUfw5ge_lwVpVlYNd6gZKSm7GEHaIRXN52_5BGmjt/s400/20090716421RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360409129107183506" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNNKdZtVXiZ0XhPVh9IUeVK8Rd22zUipoyb1__vrmUZ9kEFifLPBAPS0t3NWYWE-xxpfpnh_3vDRZEubqrCPFTdwPWV1Za3DwMe7jBbHr031W4H6wQJza3Wb_K1Lt1QQKedUjjZ4_BiQE/s1600-h/20090716372RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNNKdZtVXiZ0XhPVh9IUeVK8Rd22zUipoyb1__vrmUZ9kEFifLPBAPS0t3NWYWE-xxpfpnh_3vDRZEubqrCPFTdwPWV1Za3DwMe7jBbHr031W4H6wQJza3Wb_K1Lt1QQKedUjjZ4_BiQE/s400/20090716372RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360408760971219282" border="0" /></a>The Salmon River canyon is the second deepest in North America next to the Snake River, which also traverses Idaho. You can't tell from the bottom, but the canyon extends up and out for miles and miles.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58qLfqZ_X7FsFOc4Ae9wpPmkqTr5rU2lmh2P3QntlJ6xNPJy98KFTf5xtllJZQdQrQQaBx3xWZfUGDkvXPlKduOBgDFl8vPLTzNBnDW76JGKCMTbqd4qQ31mHzEhfJeGYS5Upr3DiYNxe/s1600-h/20090716515RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58qLfqZ_X7FsFOc4Ae9wpPmkqTr5rU2lmh2P3QntlJ6xNPJy98KFTf5xtllJZQdQrQQaBx3xWZfUGDkvXPlKduOBgDFl8vPLTzNBnDW76JGKCMTbqd4qQ31mHzEhfJeGYS5Upr3DiYNxe/s400/20090716515RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360409131559827858" border="0" /></a>Sadie loved our time on the Salmon, leash and worry free!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKI-hqyIpNBUTvZ1LSUTPleV9gZXHkC68y9KtvaqN7O9avQ9twmVktYllM_kSWTb65kd7soz37XsGYhV48J3MrqKdTHudEtCDGKMVmWSTHjybRn6qwZEjFloz2HfJZp_WD53HxrHpJPkqc/s1600-h/20090717525RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKI-hqyIpNBUTvZ1LSUTPleV9gZXHkC68y9KtvaqN7O9avQ9twmVktYllM_kSWTb65kd7soz37XsGYhV48J3MrqKdTHudEtCDGKMVmWSTHjybRn6qwZEjFloz2HfJZp_WD53HxrHpJPkqc/s400/20090717525RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360409140157948626" border="0" /></a>An abstract of Sadie from underwater<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">On one of the days along the Salmon, we met up with our friend Mark and drove up to the Seven Devils Mountain range just West of Riggins, ID. Sadie and I drove up as high as we could drive to revisit a trail called the Narrows, which extends along a ridge overlooking Hells and Salmon canyons on either side. We ran, hiked, spooked a bull elk, and enjoyed the beautiful wild flowers scattered about the slopes and meadows. The Seven Devils range is always a sight to behold.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZC1yUwjsx6az-gxkIxZy-Cb6zuVvsfWFcsiwp9D1PoocnItDOYaR4SQvDN2tivfAKNruewuVAdoC3XchMzPlrf0WMJBHIhc2wxGZJxB_NcUaeVuxR-bUVZoXrdIXtbITbwBLn9zpZqF21/s1600-h/20090715507RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZC1yUwjsx6az-gxkIxZy-Cb6zuVvsfWFcsiwp9D1PoocnItDOYaR4SQvDN2tivfAKNruewuVAdoC3XchMzPlrf0WMJBHIhc2wxGZJxB_NcUaeVuxR-bUVZoXrdIXtbITbwBLn9zpZqF21/s400/20090715507RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360408756434639218" border="0" /></a>The Seven Devils<br /></div><br />Meanwhile, Mark and Ryan climbed at a nearby crag. I eventually joined them and had fun watching Ryan jug up the rope with his camera so he could get some shots of Mark in action.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10B_5bthcgt20y8MUE8XDj_Qz38eHjpZQA3GX_K-bg38aV29pd_tyX3wFxic8J-kGqurrZdX413Jy6EQfNKVC_ezcwtcd-d5y_CX0CuvSR5jdeJrGBOlZlpktTPNIswD2mcUu1yRU_lK3/s1600-h/20090715513RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10B_5bthcgt20y8MUE8XDj_Qz38eHjpZQA3GX_K-bg38aV29pd_tyX3wFxic8J-kGqurrZdX413Jy6EQfNKVC_ezcwtcd-d5y_CX0CuvSR5jdeJrGBOlZlpktTPNIswD2mcUu1yRU_lK3/s400/20090715513RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360408757188749682" border="0" /></a>Ryan loves this stuff<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-sOQTnwqbDXxVkgpw8w3L2ugR-caLD4Z9fOKHaV7vT6bpVKtV-H5MgVb27lr6UORScwSgh8pBSQeEM_m4xiDyElGBMMYEnGKek5D9na-tyqvrPLyWaXpxiUwzTITkRIQlB2P4-qr6lYoL/s1600-h/20090715329RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-sOQTnwqbDXxVkgpw8w3L2ugR-caLD4Z9fOKHaV7vT6bpVKtV-H5MgVb27lr6UORScwSgh8pBSQeEM_m4xiDyElGBMMYEnGKek5D9na-tyqvrPLyWaXpxiUwzTITkRIQlB2P4-qr6lYoL/s400/20090715329RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360408754790074802" border="0" /></a>One of Ryan's shots of Mark climbing. Mark is an excellent climber, so it was easy for Ryan to get the shots he wanted.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">On Friday, July 17, we said goodbye to the Salmon (that was tough) and made our way down through McCall, Idaho, and along the South Fork of the Payette River. We camped at Bonneville hot springs and enjoyed a wonderful evening soak.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTndv5W_gMXGOeH2FRYybwg2JOKKFw1pz9A593G3JaDZjEEW-UqiH_Bqx5Pzcf3zlwokD2vRW5AnCuktktmFG8ludzy7E3gooMqy33otKJhRsPiOfrtT_vdY1CHk9oqPFkIdUM6umwn3G3/s1600-h/20090717435RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTndv5W_gMXGOeH2FRYybwg2JOKKFw1pz9A593G3JaDZjEEW-UqiH_Bqx5Pzcf3zlwokD2vRW5AnCuktktmFG8ludzy7E3gooMqy33otKJhRsPiOfrtT_vdY1CHk9oqPFkIdUM6umwn3G3/s400/20090717435RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360409135458781042" border="0" /></a>Larissa enjoys the kind of serenity only found in the wilds of Idaho<br /></div><br />The next day we headed further East along the Sawtooth Mountain range. We stopped in Stanley, Idaho for breakfast, where they were having their busiest weekend of the year, what with their archery and craft shows going on at the same time!<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOnplFHHn126fChopkD4SmL7klU1QjiL_-2M9vmpcz49lhFxl-WxdqFGn-avF6VW6pioXbAhpG06S1FLGVne1n58trovdlXTaNzSUEQe-xSw2eZpNVvKkIGKKaFbTofXqoX7JUwqLxJe2/s1600-h/20090718455RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOnplFHHn126fChopkD4SmL7klU1QjiL_-2M9vmpcz49lhFxl-WxdqFGn-avF6VW6pioXbAhpG06S1FLGVne1n58trovdlXTaNzSUEQe-xSw2eZpNVvKkIGKKaFbTofXqoX7JUwqLxJe2/s400/20090718455RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360409141124403570" border="0" /></a>Our car, which has now traveled close to 5,000 miles on this trip, with the Sawtooths looming beyond<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We continued on toward Sun Valley to stay with our friend, Hallie (in Hailey, Idaho, to be specific). On the way, we stopped for some trail running and hiking along the Titus Lake trail, near Galena summit. Sadie enjoyed chasing rocks and swimming in the mountain lake.<br /><br /></div> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpxANzTqNOiWFVhg7bAgliqXBmrVDCOM7gpSHL2y9g6etYWjtGRqj4KazgE9BMP_Fy4k7gN_38P5F-sX8L6FtPRAUl8Vz55rEqMcf1wwRGkouxHkBx7RPwMP4YkrMeM9XOiwLdHLU3b-K/s1600-h/20090718538RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpxANzTqNOiWFVhg7bAgliqXBmrVDCOM7gpSHL2y9g6etYWjtGRqj4KazgE9BMP_Fy4k7gN_38P5F-sX8L6FtPRAUl8Vz55rEqMcf1wwRGkouxHkBx7RPwMP4YkrMeM9XOiwLdHLU3b-K/s400/20090718538RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360409366016093586" border="0" /></a>Titus Lake is nestled in the mountains along a beautiful trail<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggnB7ScJ_n0-qm70ozlYHquJ8LfT6OcCwfzhth2WP9d-TkpHh4U7TsX83ORbwBzvEEokKMOY22Qs3hJs_wxGzgeCBgsJYsi6pOT_9hSsEV-Wq5Ax0Flurqd4JiFKLqtp7qygGOHUAatgMU/s1600-h/20090719543RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggnB7ScJ_n0-qm70ozlYHquJ8LfT6OcCwfzhth2WP9d-TkpHh4U7TsX83ORbwBzvEEokKMOY22Qs3hJs_wxGzgeCBgsJYsi6pOT_9hSsEV-Wq5Ax0Flurqd4JiFKLqtp7qygGOHUAatgMU/s400/20090719543RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360409368614175170" border="0" /></a>Larissa and Hallie in Hailey, Idaho, reunited after 6 years! We stayed at her house overnight and enjoyed catching up and going to the park to see a live salsa/scottish band called <a href="http://www.salsaceltica.com/">Salsa Celtica</a> (I was skeptical at first of this combo of genres, but they were quite good...video updates from this concert to come).<br /><br />All photos © <a href="http://www.csphotographs.com/">Chace + Smith Photography</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">After a wonderful stay in one of our favorite former home states, we said goodbye to Idaho and moved South to Utah, where our adventures continued. Stay tuned for more video and photo updates!<br /><br /><br /></div></div>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-45720449439907329022009-07-20T02:54:00.000-04:002009-07-20T02:55:27.544-04:00Creative Highways: Morels and Old Friends in Moscow, IdahoOn Thursday, July 9, Ryan, Sadie and I crossed the Washington/Idaho border and drove up the Lewiston, Idaho grade to our old town of Moscow. For me it had been since 2004 that I had visited this place; for Ryan, since 2003, when he graduated from the University of Idaho. We both were very quiet, except for the occasional sigh of, "Wow," from one of us, as we drove into town and past familiar locales and scenery. Over the course of the next 3 days, we observed how many memories from Moscow were locked away and could only surface by being back there. It was fun to reminisce about the early years of our relationship, having moved out to Idaho without ever seeing it before, taking a big leap together, and accepting the place for all its foibles and charms.<br /><br />We were able to appreciate the area with new eyes this time around, and we left knowing that we will return to this place again and again.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeuoNlzO4yVe-TJZJz6IjCExJBmmxXmyW57muDPebaEvgv2fL4PrqD8asabxC1eRi2r1G_9pp9vf48VowYNBdRjflJePE4AS6RgM-FteaeKSLfHOX4G9mq8pHLlXmuZieD3n1OcG65mfXB/s1600-h/20090710474RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeuoNlzO4yVe-TJZJz6IjCExJBmmxXmyW57muDPebaEvgv2fL4PrqD8asabxC1eRi2r1G_9pp9vf48VowYNBdRjflJePE4AS6RgM-FteaeKSLfHOX4G9mq8pHLlXmuZieD3n1OcG65mfXB/s400/20090710474RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360408179329366146" border="0" /></a><br />Sadie was born and adopted in Moscow. Here she is surveying her old stomping grounds at Philips Farm just outside of town.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5uuEyilExazcS2OU2YpdXKtw-jJb8WWneJvEIwx9fzymvkeOVps4mROTwp4bxkiyOxzvbXPSI5M6HU0Fkw2X1gTngP1Nq_S0tk5fIw9zBXbpscBhadbvp14CO66tn46I9yDlDZEhk2SIT/s1600-h/20090710470RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5uuEyilExazcS2OU2YpdXKtw-jJb8WWneJvEIwx9fzymvkeOVps4mROTwp4bxkiyOxzvbXPSI5M6HU0Fkw2X1gTngP1Nq_S0tk5fIw9zBXbpscBhadbvp14CO66tn46I9yDlDZEhk2SIT/s400/20090710470RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360408176057041778" border="0" /></a>I worked at the U. of Idaho Early Childcare Center during our two years in Moscow. Here I am pictured with a family I was close to. The eight-year-old to my far left was 3 when I left. The strangest part of it all was how she didn't remember me, but also how quickly we all became friends again.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFv_bGhAeJnzJigLH6ikGCZL-TglMzfaMH5STHoBMrWP-V8Rn5uCqEZZPOfk_2DmG0j8bzruBFSKtPGJ80_meqxXqi2UKswbRVg5gLuBZzbf3KTJLfzickiiVCUwD-CP6iPJGTJKZNSGdC/s1600-h/20090711483RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFv_bGhAeJnzJigLH6ikGCZL-TglMzfaMH5STHoBMrWP-V8Rn5uCqEZZPOfk_2DmG0j8bzruBFSKtPGJ80_meqxXqi2UKswbRVg5gLuBZzbf3KTJLfzickiiVCUwD-CP6iPJGTJKZNSGdC/s400/20090711483RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360420827375657874" border="0" /></a>We were able to make a quick stop to see my old colleague Stacey, her husband, Jeff, and puppy Gracie.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0V74nBNAdEeM9hHeK1siBKMqyXNw1jkszTSvyDAhc0ux2wk6O06rfXRDAqhs2fG71d-Giql1RzmbnfhyphenhyphenPEfTxvPzT8gFm4q6FMyahyAXeKhOcKWcTUGMV54vSCZdkQ9VDtRZHTSGt6LXe/s1600-h/20090709466RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0V74nBNAdEeM9hHeK1siBKMqyXNw1jkszTSvyDAhc0ux2wk6O06rfXRDAqhs2fG71d-Giql1RzmbnfhyphenhyphenPEfTxvPzT8gFm4q6FMyahyAXeKhOcKWcTUGMV54vSCZdkQ9VDtRZHTSGt6LXe/s400/20090709466RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360408175712977538" border="0" /></a><br />We stayed with friends Leanne and Mark during our visit, and were greeted with hand picked and battered morel mushrooms, freshly caught fish, and plenty of wine and beer!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyjyEOrdoKldogxgUBusBnuHI6oXPYiHhHvlDtB9zfRrE64p05hqS3N7eTzWIZTle-2y_qYv6jw6XV1NFQHrE_qUWeBDygmMnXl9ciIUp6AM6fvxi-iSEFECPjthmTlQu_fkUfQfCGb5z/s1600-h/20090711482RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyjyEOrdoKldogxgUBusBnuHI6oXPYiHhHvlDtB9zfRrE64p05hqS3N7eTzWIZTle-2y_qYv6jw6XV1NFQHrE_qUWeBDygmMnXl9ciIUp6AM6fvxi-iSEFECPjthmTlQu_fkUfQfCGb5z/s400/20090711482RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360408467748519410" border="0" /></a><br />On Saturday morning, we made sure to make a stop at one of our favorite haunts from our Moscow days: the expansive farmers market.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lgTUp6xB9XIvmcwunSxltAdZkBHoCUbJvm7z_9jRgnnbRy0kxdGsy7Qtw19qe56HBviyDKCK_jT6KUXhcYjWWxKl23WbMlNhmIW5kZnCznFQ0SNILbUgU4eWft6_kNztnGxSeYxX1hZK/s1600-h/20090711235RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lgTUp6xB9XIvmcwunSxltAdZkBHoCUbJvm7z_9jRgnnbRy0kxdGsy7Qtw19qe56HBviyDKCK_jT6KUXhcYjWWxKl23WbMlNhmIW5kZnCznFQ0SNILbUgU4eWft6_kNztnGxSeYxX1hZK/s400/20090711235RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360408187132412578" border="0" /></a>Moscow is situated on the Palouse Prairie, a very unique landscape, and just on the edge of the Bitterroot Mountains. We had a picnic on Moscow Mountain on Saturday evening and caught the Palouse in all its glory just as the sun was going down.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ReLbxBBlEFwq2pVv3P_sYznuA8Ky49hSr5C10WNl0zRjdP4HEhxuL_w7MvIqLBrxABR-BDARCiraNuPIfw3uMJfMCKxHwwn-zawPaUv3sVpl3F-CQK4WMUsL7qBcOtNHQgZR768z4zJn/s1600-h/20090711495RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ReLbxBBlEFwq2pVv3P_sYznuA8Ky49hSr5C10WNl0zRjdP4HEhxuL_w7MvIqLBrxABR-BDARCiraNuPIfw3uMJfMCKxHwwn-zawPaUv3sVpl3F-CQK4WMUsL7qBcOtNHQgZR768z4zJn/s400/20090711495RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360408464906231730" border="0" /></a>Ryan aims to get the perfect shot.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSD2Z1ITR55tKGqSAHjlJRpuwwy423KQ4M2AmWFD16m2oRAP4bMLcNYFh-pl-bQ3R-0KYSY6N2BlNj-QclnixfEsj0Aizrp9LEu1xEutmnQjdNADsQk204nbswYOgJsOuurd-MDxJEa02D/s1600-h/20090711232RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSD2Z1ITR55tKGqSAHjlJRpuwwy423KQ4M2AmWFD16m2oRAP4bMLcNYFh-pl-bQ3R-0KYSY6N2BlNj-QclnixfEsj0Aizrp9LEu1xEutmnQjdNADsQk204nbswYOgJsOuurd-MDxJEa02D/s400/20090711232RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360408184478047698" border="0" /></a>That's the one.<br /><br />All photos © <a href="http://www.csphotographs.com/">Chace + Smith Photography</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Soon to come: updates about camping for 5 nights in the wilds of Idaho, and meeting up with old friends in Central and Southern Idaho before moving on to Utah!<br /><br /><br /></div></div>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-15248742475325013182009-07-11T17:39:00.001-04:002009-07-11T17:43:42.569-04:00Creative Highways: Climbing at Smith Rock and Walla Walla WineriesWith heavy hearts we said goodbye to friends Kendra and Adam (and their dog, Jake) on Wednesday, July 8, and turned our backs toward the West coast and headed East. It's always hard to know that you have already reached your furthest point West, but thankfully we have much left to explore out here. Our first stop on the other side of the Cascades was Smith Rock, one of our country's rock climbing meccas, where we spent the afternoon climbing and hiking through the beautiful Crooked River canyon. We found a great camp spot for the night, and enjoyed cooking and socializing with the long-term campers and climbing bums at the bivouac camp ground at Smith.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIP4SvcWo2bq5hsCrW5EcLTYMnV9qvQMAXrRv4ZvDHLBtw9KyAEx8nK98PILLNjtccYyq6J8tCFbz0fYx2hmfGRx2LOmbFTIIJUVUlUUUTdpTlsaUM99CJr8b8iayvzA5jTWDA0T_7O-0/s1600-h/20090709190RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIP4SvcWo2bq5hsCrW5EcLTYMnV9qvQMAXrRv4ZvDHLBtw9KyAEx8nK98PILLNjtccYyq6J8tCFbz0fYx2hmfGRx2LOmbFTIIJUVUlUUUTdpTlsaUM99CJr8b8iayvzA5jTWDA0T_7O-0/s400/20090709190RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357012599913688034" border="0" /></a><br />Smith Rock with Mount Jefferson of the Cascade Range in the background<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KHpSUYo1bN6TNg8qRt9HV0lRyxfSEZnG9F0BQBO4zG0TbX_7awsrl7gzjrrJIZBSM_5LC8HxKkM-A5De7CHgQrKSdKoWtLt2jrq27L42DzYD5LOMLSYgljQUAf3iQy9sVNnn5f8UtcQ/s1600-h/20090709200RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KHpSUYo1bN6TNg8qRt9HV0lRyxfSEZnG9F0BQBO4zG0TbX_7awsrl7gzjrrJIZBSM_5LC8HxKkM-A5De7CHgQrKSdKoWtLt2jrq27L42DzYD5LOMLSYgljQUAf3iQy9sVNnn5f8UtcQ/s400/20090709200RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357012601503198146" border="0" /></a>Sagebrush feathers the landscape along the Crooked River canyon<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrgJqwxWuLApuzogP0zKnSg4SGeuc7e2tOx20MuE1Mw5wdU5YFd241gO1aPIoJ-Kk78LN8gcqHXVvFJSD_5MFUDtwMDcmb0BWfSHwD2M2RiUUA4jp8hhjsAIpBRC0LKR6yVZxjLDQ3Wg/s1600-h/20090709177RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrgJqwxWuLApuzogP0zKnSg4SGeuc7e2tOx20MuE1Mw5wdU5YFd241gO1aPIoJ-Kk78LN8gcqHXVvFJSD_5MFUDtwMDcmb0BWfSHwD2M2RiUUA4jp8hhjsAIpBRC0LKR6yVZxjLDQ3Wg/s400/20090709177RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357012594080252658" border="0" /></a><br />Smith Rock and the aptly-named Crooked River<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHNNgh81j_gIr_CoXPkCmMYVhKbgwOPcPK_W2cMO1pB_BAm_5DuHqY0txenxy6z_92lylCrB28fuNtlWdk_Ij5oOcqdgruONAIcKjBSsUnmcUwZdTzyi-2o1ho_uPZ-19GZqagQSf11Y/s1600-h/20090709166RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHNNgh81j_gIr_CoXPkCmMYVhKbgwOPcPK_W2cMO1pB_BAm_5DuHqY0txenxy6z_92lylCrB28fuNtlWdk_Ij5oOcqdgruONAIcKjBSsUnmcUwZdTzyi-2o1ho_uPZ-19GZqagQSf11Y/s400/20090709166RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357012588738937458" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi58Xmu4HSViUX7o9qj7-Y6_zZAPZWfG0jgyf1W8YKk4i2oEHmFcIAyIdNTTYW-GrV0dOJ8_Caua1bFDMfYoemvpsAGvM29t0AwIxTWPxRZAIWTVH4PjfS1pouKp9Nx2CNI4Hkjs7lujH4/s1600-h/20090709209RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi58Xmu4HSViUX7o9qj7-Y6_zZAPZWfG0jgyf1W8YKk4i2oEHmFcIAyIdNTTYW-GrV0dOJ8_Caua1bFDMfYoemvpsAGvM29t0AwIxTWPxRZAIWTVH4PjfS1pouKp9Nx2CNI4Hkjs7lujH4/s400/20090709209RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357313067692960498" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJcGGJ-sloHsMe6isz_7yHwxBS7_EsPDkHIzKJ_cXkQy9M3tk_BfVAxyUiqE2XhzjJZqleAIsCgZ7LqF8d_bUs_yNqs0lLY0ZLLzTxKCfnnE0UQVy1Z5KX-euLViXiW0L9tvlF1Ph4Qw/s1600-h/20090709160RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJcGGJ-sloHsMe6isz_7yHwxBS7_EsPDkHIzKJ_cXkQy9M3tk_BfVAxyUiqE2XhzjJZqleAIsCgZ7LqF8d_bUs_yNqs0lLY0ZLLzTxKCfnnE0UQVy1Z5KX-euLViXiW0L9tvlF1Ph4Qw/s400/20090709160RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357012587630593266" border="0" /></a><br />Our camp spot overlooking Smith Rock and the desert sky<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The following day, on the way to Moscow, ID, our old Idaho hometown, we stopped through Walla Walla, WA to visit two wineries, <a href="http://www.lecole.com/">L'Ecole Nº 41</a> and <a href="http://www.threeriverswinery.com/">Three Rivers Winery</a>. It was fun to explore, albeit briefly, an area we have never spent much time in, nor associated with good wines.<br /></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7IXDa_0tvzplJxpRt2xQcJNBQu_-5mJvtMIgu_ZxukUzW1gYcMUMXYuDbXQ0yRnf-KJVPEXTGuKyCPgOLdPgp7DC4UUt0nO5Swf6IlMytSTSht_gg1mbXXQpzQ2M-LMwPGPxY0FYbbY/s1600-h/20090709217RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7IXDa_0tvzplJxpRt2xQcJNBQu_-5mJvtMIgu_ZxukUzW1gYcMUMXYuDbXQ0yRnf-KJVPEXTGuKyCPgOLdPgp7DC4UUt0nO5Swf6IlMytSTSht_gg1mbXXQpzQ2M-LMwPGPxY0FYbbY/s400/20090709217RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357012786272493090" border="0" /></a><br />L'Ecole Nº 41, our first winery stop, features beautiful architecture and decor<br /><br />All photos © <a href="http://www.csphotographs.com/">Chace + Smith Photography</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Coming soon: photos and updates about our three days in Moscow, ID, as well as from the Lochsa, Selway and Salmon River Regions of mountainous central Idaho, where we will be camping and hotspringing for the next week. We will be off the map now for about 8 days, but we will post updates as soon as we can - maybe we'll find some random free wifi somewhere. You never know these days!<br /><br /></div></div>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-25732122028245723202009-07-08T01:38:00.000-04:002009-07-08T01:39:01.725-04:00Creative Highways: Newts, Dunes, and Sasquatch Sightings on the Oregon CoastSince this past Friday, July 3, we have been spending marvelous, long days with our dear friends, Kendra, Adam, and their dog, Jake. We arrived in Corvallis, Oregon on Friday afternoon, where Kendra and Adam currently live. Both are originally from West Virginia, but are now spending a few years in Corvallis while Kendra gets her Masters. Since they don't live in the next state over from ours anymore, it was quite a pleasure to reunite once again.<br /><br />We spent the Fourth of July weekend camping along the Oregon Coast, sampling local beers (mostly Rogue brewery), eating seafood, hiking along the dunes and coastal forests, and having long coffee and chatting sessions every morning. It was a wonderful time with old, great friends.<br /><br />Here is a sampling of the fun times we had:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15jVphQGwhM5sOAAAwcnnf6ir2xi2KIp66tVli4lsO9H0XJBfgvKWBlf7Vda-QHSC6NRGFkeBm-v0Qu4y5of7XYGfydoY_efUgBpEYbv7YIuqeH3IHq85BLok4dg546HUk2D3QK-oOZ8/s1600-h/20090706142RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15jVphQGwhM5sOAAAwcnnf6ir2xi2KIp66tVli4lsO9H0XJBfgvKWBlf7Vda-QHSC6NRGFkeBm-v0Qu4y5of7XYGfydoY_efUgBpEYbv7YIuqeH3IHq85BLok4dg546HUk2D3QK-oOZ8/s400/20090706142RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355945507931752242" border="0" /></a><br />Sadie loves digging along the sea shore. She chases rocks we throw to her, then digs them into holes and finds them again.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXUiIKHrnYa0_s7etZ8vFnKI94V2rggWEqZgakMjx190ArkM-ARLl-rtmoqMN0jm3zeiKy1LWXkYAviDCD2MWh4hEXNmg_gtTMrXTcnK6lhXWrDYlMuYs3oIHud78y38nQva_JqOqBFdI/s1600-h/20090706139RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXUiIKHrnYa0_s7etZ8vFnKI94V2rggWEqZgakMjx190ArkM-ARLl-rtmoqMN0jm3zeiKy1LWXkYAviDCD2MWh4hEXNmg_gtTMrXTcnK6lhXWrDYlMuYs3oIHud78y38nQva_JqOqBFdI/s400/20090706139RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355945500662925570" border="0" /></a><br />Sadie waits with bated breath as Adam prepares to launch a rock down the shore.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRAAScM9otZaFgCcANpAoKk-QIB6TzV5Tab6HEPPpmuwx19ChwgEdv3uCfb1MMV87gdL_iumaMfbWymxoXTO59FlLLG0-Z2_Rskghw6ZEie7ejNNpbsyYltI3uw40ukLTABSLI00wC7g/s1600-h/20090706061RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRAAScM9otZaFgCcANpAoKk-QIB6TzV5Tab6HEPPpmuwx19ChwgEdv3uCfb1MMV87gdL_iumaMfbWymxoXTO59FlLLG0-Z2_Rskghw6ZEie7ejNNpbsyYltI3uw40ukLTABSLI00wC7g/s400/20090706061RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355945497226277810" border="0" /></a>Fishery doorway in the bay of Newport, Oregon<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6sCQUJ7MyfRNvXQhV9NhV9OYB9N9gplq7IhGplaooZdddxh85p2SyqlGcLv5O49jR0zC7ZYzu3XI5cjAchKEVRavzlg0d7gTewKdUNnPQEAVtSuwdi1vIvznunt-T20RyvkDYtsw_CPc/s1600-h/20090706058RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6sCQUJ7MyfRNvXQhV9NhV9OYB9N9gplq7IhGplaooZdddxh85p2SyqlGcLv5O49jR0zC7ZYzu3XI5cjAchKEVRavzlg0d7gTewKdUNnPQEAVtSuwdi1vIvznunt-T20RyvkDYtsw_CPc/s400/20090706058RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355945498609706610" border="0" /></a><br />Local beers and fresh seafood at <a href="http://www.localocean.net/">Local Ocean Seafoods</a> in Newport, OR after two days of camping.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJ1bc_gNLLWc84Sb5n9JBEEvYAvq6HA-CN4O9D7C8wZOR5pjTERpSHTjfpIlLN7rIQc0f-X3V4kMCE0MvWCZ3aj883fD6eSQ0MIONFCM_B8NqYfgZI6cRCqposKu9Ztb1axm4fMnS1Zk/s1600-h/20090706055RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJ1bc_gNLLWc84Sb5n9JBEEvYAvq6HA-CN4O9D7C8wZOR5pjTERpSHTjfpIlLN7rIQc0f-X3V4kMCE0MvWCZ3aj883fD6eSQ0MIONFCM_B8NqYfgZI6cRCqposKu9Ztb1axm4fMnS1Zk/s400/20090706055RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355945303221304642" border="0" /></a><br />Adam, Kendra, Larissa, and Ryan in Newport, OR<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dypWAomv7nxOZ4oBAaYZvf5V3dO1VLy4GHstD59TEdA-vA4xdFS2k0K_T9ecdkWnTC13Q37zc9hkqzTWpqfKw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Sasquatch sighting in Newport!<br />Warning: this video may contain images that will shock and awe.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKH-37d5Mr9Juq58IywQchx1tDX3Ibb7uLp1GoIX4gwuF1BLLUBKyMRw3NV7whqhIf2iuyvuGSrsmCdlPz-fywir_a5HpxY84HiqR1KERXEJvjWHv8LM1c44rUuLo5Iq5mKwKZg5nfqYw/s1600-h/20090705131RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKH-37d5Mr9Juq58IywQchx1tDX3Ibb7uLp1GoIX4gwuF1BLLUBKyMRw3NV7whqhIf2iuyvuGSrsmCdlPz-fywir_a5HpxY84HiqR1KERXEJvjWHv8LM1c44rUuLo5Iq5mKwKZg5nfqYw/s400/20090705131RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355945293915906306" border="0" /></a><br />Our hike near the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area south of Florence, OR. The trail started at our campground and wound through dunes, forests, the beach, and a freshwater lake.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1phyvhlP2IPRhoxQy2R1u-4Txch-7wxiNsPCZNmvfyoi_XpqmBnxzA4wx4R_NLqbSEqS1f7_gKcafa5zH49cxyX9G2fR4u0RYN62vNLRhnqj_TZy2u8LtP9ZG0rooPDfdvnrZVMT93y4/s1600-h/20090705127RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1phyvhlP2IPRhoxQy2R1u-4Txch-7wxiNsPCZNmvfyoi_XpqmBnxzA4wx4R_NLqbSEqS1f7_gKcafa5zH49cxyX9G2fR4u0RYN62vNLRhnqj_TZy2u8LtP9ZG0rooPDfdvnrZVMT93y4/s400/20090705127RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355945289896770002" border="0" /></a><br />Rough skinned newt along our hiking path<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9oRiEKHVe0uExSSW0e26xrsQEoFG8exaoHxVE4W508d6VBEQv_kyoDb05lL5aAp23rcDKhJdd249CWL59aBA0NMUOAdICCeCHtXLiksd39kWKg8YtwAb810fuMxrfttkWZmJHgOxyAQ/s1600-h/20090705125RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9oRiEKHVe0uExSSW0e26xrsQEoFG8exaoHxVE4W508d6VBEQv_kyoDb05lL5aAp23rcDKhJdd249CWL59aBA0NMUOAdICCeCHtXLiksd39kWKg8YtwAb810fuMxrfttkWZmJHgOxyAQ/s400/20090705125RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355945287122882210" border="0" /></a><br />Ryan's self portrait in the Oregon coastal woods<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7T08oqAB324Tdj09qcJqz1Cje1NLzCYU-xXeeWwAKpc3nu42zKwWiEUn7qXLKJTveuvg2LyeiLNZu8XhOyG4ZaWT4YB7fwGAxWhN1UR9GenQx06bXY61Cc1PZT8Agp09r88NHzMQZms/s1600-h/20090705122RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7T08oqAB324Tdj09qcJqz1Cje1NLzCYU-xXeeWwAKpc3nu42zKwWiEUn7qXLKJTveuvg2LyeiLNZu8XhOyG4ZaWT4YB7fwGAxWhN1UR9GenQx06bXY61Cc1PZT8Agp09r88NHzMQZms/s400/20090705122RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355945107486862338" border="0" /></a>Big Trees, Little People<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaNlt0zqehwQNzNrJBFD6hK085lj5x4vVE6W67awslYnj17rE1d422-OIYd2174d88lIS-E_erM86fmQ4A7gPCJFt03CBespFzvz0YXCSzG0_wMNJbeb3IwkSZpb_wdsTaIrVZSU7zJM/s1600-h/20090705100RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaNlt0zqehwQNzNrJBFD6hK085lj5x4vVE6W67awslYnj17rE1d422-OIYd2174d88lIS-E_erM86fmQ4A7gPCJFt03CBespFzvz0YXCSzG0_wMNJbeb3IwkSZpb_wdsTaIrVZSU7zJM/s400/20090705100RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355945100989785666" border="0" /></a><br />Kendra, Larissa, and Sadie fly and skip down a dune leading to Three Mile Lake, just off the beach - so many diverse ecosystems on this hike.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXuK_HpP9bdAKAw9LM5OYJnaPWeg2nQWOWnNUkk_OSnyQT01dGfVZnucZj_Fw40CJBVwEgjgOpPfgBEyoaww3gs27SPTXxDNBp-lR10qY0-1nm5699jUbgIjkJfRyDbNSSTerMIGXOf3o/s1600-h/20090705089RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXuK_HpP9bdAKAw9LM5OYJnaPWeg2nQWOWnNUkk_OSnyQT01dGfVZnucZj_Fw40CJBVwEgjgOpPfgBEyoaww3gs27SPTXxDNBp-lR10qY0-1nm5699jUbgIjkJfRyDbNSSTerMIGXOf3o/s400/20090705089RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355945096051523058" border="0" /></a><br />Larissa, Ryan, and Sadie on the Oregon Coast<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixO55juAv78PmbjoSEH9qvNQwagGqFjRSyHTJcFvz6ffv5hTEvSlXnOcTi-aMi7d6YRfeQ2ORYvrTrOdOsFpEguRm8aXM-C_3SlXuRBiAj5L0wnF3GiwMerFyPErQtTAY_2swMZkQHtek/s1600-h/20090705083RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixO55juAv78PmbjoSEH9qvNQwagGqFjRSyHTJcFvz6ffv5hTEvSlXnOcTi-aMi7d6YRfeQ2ORYvrTrOdOsFpEguRm8aXM-C_3SlXuRBiAj5L0wnF3GiwMerFyPErQtTAY_2swMZkQHtek/s400/20090705083RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355945090451431522" border="0" /></a><br />Kendra hiking on the trail leading to the beach<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5U666FyX3MQLiAbEsLoGGV1B1qeF06gQwHz51N3rWh9Fn3i_dvJhhLv_4_EqV5uu8SwUPJQaiGTLVjGNCWs4D7rNFhEUar1_hQe-lZ7xxX50Cig3INzcAhdAbOXGgfIFG7FC90OS7pA/s1600-h/20090705082RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5U666FyX3MQLiAbEsLoGGV1B1qeF06gQwHz51N3rWh9Fn3i_dvJhhLv_4_EqV5uu8SwUPJQaiGTLVjGNCWs4D7rNFhEUar1_hQe-lZ7xxX50Cig3INzcAhdAbOXGgfIFG7FC90OS7pA/s400/20090705082RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355945085441649010" border="0" /></a><br />Larissa and Kendra in the dunes<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPE66GiEpaCFlQVZ58Nqh2ahcEphLBJI3c7UvUVVztC10MNs8i3O7s80oKP2D4W_EXADwkTvSx6s1pP3BK8v1_zGi4F1EUk1HBcQAEO2e1XJss3K6OmvYOTPUWaVInOXZSat1R8ndzWs/s1600-h/20090705136RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPE66GiEpaCFlQVZ58Nqh2ahcEphLBJI3c7UvUVVztC10MNs8i3O7s80oKP2D4W_EXADwkTvSx6s1pP3BK8v1_zGi4F1EUk1HBcQAEO2e1XJss3K6OmvYOTPUWaVInOXZSat1R8ndzWs/s400/20090705136RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355945297956062642" border="0" /></a>The dunes encroaching upon the forest<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4XBYfa3w0CG1eRwB9LSUaUygQdrFxHSGBD6geo8yvND72IefwI1e-V5taj_utHCsH79vGbgHnTC0isx7x7iYtWZNHW74SOZD2iRGwffL4so7-9j18f19lPOFC_7Rjh15NqdqgVe7L-SU/s1600-h/20090704068RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4XBYfa3w0CG1eRwB9LSUaUygQdrFxHSGBD6geo8yvND72IefwI1e-V5taj_utHCsH79vGbgHnTC0isx7x7iYtWZNHW74SOZD2iRGwffL4so7-9j18f19lPOFC_7Rjh15NqdqgVe7L-SU/s400/20090704068RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355944905542829170" border="0" /></a><br />Adam and the tidal pools along the coast <br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyFQeamRX_uHk8-2nGNNfWSJLwHJOX_AAqq6I5majJszwJcSpcjDPApzZ2JFdO8xOW8k_zdt6yx56dMZOtlTj8nw1B_-CIamjnGR6B2uahdUS1Ea2ZcyXzyOQn56e4J2Hkjksc6CL9Ww/s1600-h/20090704062RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyFQeamRX_uHk8-2nGNNfWSJLwHJOX_AAqq6I5majJszwJcSpcjDPApzZ2JFdO8xOW8k_zdt6yx56dMZOtlTj8nw1B_-CIamjnGR6B2uahdUS1Ea2ZcyXzyOQn56e4J2Hkjksc6CL9Ww/s400/20090704062RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355944898938675490" border="0" /></a>Cliffs and coves along the beautiful Pacific coast<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKfNqoTL9OgR9rQB4JBlL504gqLxbTmTIUBnXabtRzQ4b-eKTL1AWfZLAXvGTEZQ4hD9XCgyvzdkgsboHBIHHMAqOD6O_3j_OVSn_bbTssZIzommB873wDoQExzqbUUTsK27z9uXVjG8/s1600-h/20090704034RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKfNqoTL9OgR9rQB4JBlL504gqLxbTmTIUBnXabtRzQ4b-eKTL1AWfZLAXvGTEZQ4hD9XCgyvzdkgsboHBIHHMAqOD6O_3j_OVSn_bbTssZIzommB873wDoQExzqbUUTsK27z9uXVjG8/s400/20090704034RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355944896525542962" border="0" /></a><br />Kendra, Adam and Jake relax at our camp spot.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieS0eEcsa6RkzKNIDqvE0Z1oix5H1cG2dCpLhqL-D3EkwuaZqlkqp88kVfChH9cpdDfPZCzsR9o7P2gm8VuSUO9-_IT6RxhxZg0iIgdnU9mbcUdePJPRtRjNiA63JYU-8ApXdhkEpW_yY/s1600-h/20090704028RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieS0eEcsa6RkzKNIDqvE0Z1oix5H1cG2dCpLhqL-D3EkwuaZqlkqp88kVfChH9cpdDfPZCzsR9o7P2gm8VuSUO9-_IT6RxhxZg0iIgdnU9mbcUdePJPRtRjNiA63JYU-8ApXdhkEpW_yY/s400/20090704028RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355944893764285346" border="0" /></a><br />A tough decision at Rogue Brewery in Newport, OR<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD32WRzBBmKWK2bL7nI1P500SeQP494hFaR02hGzZ8KS-xWIgxrbQ1Wa85YK5h8p-ul5_XspWKvbxEegXbBTD_0MKBXilWCbxbMZzCbUATm__Bt2dNc544lCnebMcNlb3E7P0Dthr1k9c/s1600-h/20090704023RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD32WRzBBmKWK2bL7nI1P500SeQP494hFaR02hGzZ8KS-xWIgxrbQ1Wa85YK5h8p-ul5_XspWKvbxEegXbBTD_0MKBXilWCbxbMZzCbUATm__Bt2dNc544lCnebMcNlb3E7P0Dthr1k9c/s400/20090704023RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355944890139446018" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">All photos © <a href="http://www.csphotographs.com/">Chace + Smith Photography</a><br /></div><br />Tomorrow's adventure: say goodbye to Kendra, Adam, and Jake, and on to <a href="http://www.smithrock.com/">Smith Rock</a> near Redmond, OR for some climbing and camping. Then, on to Moscow, Idaho, our old hometown for a few days!Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-34201391332616792352009-07-04T14:13:00.001-04:002009-07-04T14:13:43.317-04:00Video UpdateHere is just a quick video update of our recent travels. The first is of Sadie crossing the border into Idaho, her home state. The second is of us driving along the Columbia River Gorge approaching Mount Hood yesterday on our way to Corvallis. <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz2uDU4zXFL_N2sMHTFFy70T7PgKKOUAONCPmJn8HWOH0SBNK8tj32s01rGo2A3-TrSNW7UvT7T56696ZSXAg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyLynBDUQBh1NfO_eQNatTGGedfphKzG_jtS5FOAQULKZJkQErRCBCrMvPmJqxGftjjTCWYHwLN3Ucm5KV0GQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Today we're on our way to the Oregon Coast for a few days of camping with friends. Happy Independence Day!Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-44498249912187291942009-07-03T02:29:00.000-04:002009-07-03T02:30:06.715-04:00Creative Highways: Storms, Windy Tents, and Mountain PeaksAfter two days "off the map", we are shacked up in a motel in <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Baker+City,+OR&daddr=2301+SW+Leonard+St,+Corvallis,+OR+97333&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.984987,56.337891&ie=UTF8&z=7">Baker City, Oregon</a> - a bit off course from our <a href="http://tiny.cc/kMf6z">original plan</a> (which was to go through Bend on our way to Corvallis, OR), but we got a little behind so we are taking the fast track to Corvallis.<br /><br />Here is a sampling of all the amazing things we've seen during the past 3 days. We've covered so much ground, it's become a bit of a blur, so let's review:<br /><br />The Badlands of South Dakota:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjARSSeOUUoFJqzV_quZkCY4BlWpCMK1oscs01f2JreGY1Jy9Z4h84OPTLLZ-iyXS2seSm8qYb2oYPjouDgbfvMjQ_IyFDt-A9slt2bGNfEa91TJi5jrp4aXlZER9U0bucAtSKsP-eoFiXf/s1600-h/20090630076RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjARSSeOUUoFJqzV_quZkCY4BlWpCMK1oscs01f2JreGY1Jy9Z4h84OPTLLZ-iyXS2seSm8qYb2oYPjouDgbfvMjQ_IyFDt-A9slt2bGNfEa91TJi5jrp4aXlZER9U0bucAtSKsP-eoFiXf/s400/20090630076RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104086414739074" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSzWT-EwMxqxy8NwkiKmIm0yniD5RZLBWKy6e94NdhTVe3jScrPSQbwtAEFWFoGxkV_B5prgxF0Brox2AmPOToSSNwspd_AqTaEti6ggeclxYHEc6OExxqYj8430Pw1-tXf_RHI4d59V6/s1600-h/20090630067RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSzWT-EwMxqxy8NwkiKmIm0yniD5RZLBWKy6e94NdhTVe3jScrPSQbwtAEFWFoGxkV_B5prgxF0Brox2AmPOToSSNwspd_AqTaEti6ggeclxYHEc6OExxqYj8430Pw1-tXf_RHI4d59V6/s400/20090630067RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104083019915842" border="0" /></a>Bighorn Sheep<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4PikJm34VOFF5I3FAT2jZGjyTDIDPQ9soW_3fVOTXwU8RvOVrvVdVcWrv7m5-i3Y_feMqC5iHox0WtoDIFpw1oZrmG_VI6e-jhJodek095ELlVcMz8n4e4Iy3XkWe87q9STg16zDX93y/s1600-h/20090630089RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4PikJm34VOFF5I3FAT2jZGjyTDIDPQ9soW_3fVOTXwU8RvOVrvVdVcWrv7m5-i3Y_feMqC5iHox0WtoDIFpw1oZrmG_VI6e-jhJodek095ELlVcMz8n4e4Iy3XkWe87q9STg16zDX93y/s400/20090630089RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104093424512482" border="0" /></a>Picnicking in the Badlands<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkR6NkcH5ersa8JvcePXJQtYJFXTgLClPkwt7g6nOab5QQk9lNhRT_SfGuxGNqx-JPxmBVlzjft1oOBC8eFiladnFfLUzMQkbDbYiX0b9oGTniEsVaoyD69CjAbHLEPWQP5lglUaUP33rJ/s1600-h/20090630090RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkR6NkcH5ersa8JvcePXJQtYJFXTgLClPkwt7g6nOab5QQk9lNhRT_SfGuxGNqx-JPxmBVlzjft1oOBC8eFiladnFfLUzMQkbDbYiX0b9oGTniEsVaoyD69CjAbHLEPWQP5lglUaUP33rJ/s400/20090630090RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104096522864450" border="0" /></a><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHEciM64MTZGH_wAcDUtidNpefOm1BoIPNYreHNeKQ_p9I-FZ80nMuGf5toZXCq3YXXD-1PXu1B8-31zEiS08g6jYbF8SkUZh-C_9i8I6ScaiLpFKz-UlhpVh16nKZoOZD9-kkQtpJsYJ/s1600-h/20090630097RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHEciM64MTZGH_wAcDUtidNpefOm1BoIPNYreHNeKQ_p9I-FZ80nMuGf5toZXCq3YXXD-1PXu1B8-31zEiS08g6jYbF8SkUZh-C_9i8I6ScaiLpFKz-UlhpVh16nKZoOZD9-kkQtpJsYJ/s400/20090630097RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104101731220274" border="0" /></a><br />Ryan's self portrait near our picnic site<br />(tilt shift lens extravaganza)<br /></div><br />Big Horn National Forest, Wyoming:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjR5KiLTR1sfr48blZ7_hjhlsOrT1NDXio7Mw_4UCtp9w10fbgQ-t2W-8ZwiW0ZuJ6IP5ToStpmsE-tWuEzYYcDyjoOaXXWJGaVnshEiJ193JpBq-CriEu7rP7aB1D-DGFRE-6Egs6iRiC/s1600-h/20090701112RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjR5KiLTR1sfr48blZ7_hjhlsOrT1NDXio7Mw_4UCtp9w10fbgQ-t2W-8ZwiW0ZuJ6IP5ToStpmsE-tWuEzYYcDyjoOaXXWJGaVnshEiJ193JpBq-CriEu7rP7aB1D-DGFRE-6Egs6iRiC/s400/20090701112RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104397226922018" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxGfiQEo6idilcnlVqHpsqCh6R_WqXqx1ZsNQG_Fd_tXTHSyb_sTVoDLVyr3-qNugERxHp1cxrqMKObcnOCX7D0yGcZYWw9lFDxBoCpCI-EWIHNwzXItKp88pXUnzuAa4sWdHT0IkQe7t/s1600-h/20090630103RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxGfiQEo6idilcnlVqHpsqCh6R_WqXqx1ZsNQG_Fd_tXTHSyb_sTVoDLVyr3-qNugERxHp1cxrqMKObcnOCX7D0yGcZYWw9lFDxBoCpCI-EWIHNwzXItKp88pXUnzuAa4sWdHT0IkQe7t/s400/20090630103RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104387549990882" border="0" /></a><br />Our campsite by Crazy Woman Creek<br /><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpAm0jdMNcI9YwWn30MmSSHQml96D5k3DvFueaI8GpFqvPa5Qw55_p9Yl5CUhvx40fffR0Ivl1LmsmXD-qCBhsl25xVJFHHnSH6wdEyMixJf2NkdF2BT4DpGX90jkSt-7e1nm28m8itsEN/s1600-h/20090630109RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpAm0jdMNcI9YwWn30MmSSHQml96D5k3DvFueaI8GpFqvPa5Qw55_p9Yl5CUhvx40fffR0Ivl1LmsmXD-qCBhsl25xVJFHHnSH6wdEyMixJf2NkdF2BT4DpGX90jkSt-7e1nm28m8itsEN/s400/20090630109RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104396252158034" border="0" /></a><br />Don't let this serene scene fool you;<br />we slept through extremely high winds and rain that night.<br /></div><br /><br />Yellowstone National Park:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidT78i03tfuL31_JSPz1Btvyd1zo2OQra_6JmFbX28VhQb2MFS6FEpXzW0G8jgkU0gYBz-Fbx0x5nNI9BdqLePDFH1pGUUrchSYRF78xcLWVGkV7pFkNyB-GpvSpP8_744h7vRazzIsB65/s1600-h/20090701122RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidT78i03tfuL31_JSPz1Btvyd1zo2OQra_6JmFbX28VhQb2MFS6FEpXzW0G8jgkU0gYBz-Fbx0x5nNI9BdqLePDFH1pGUUrchSYRF78xcLWVGkV7pFkNyB-GpvSpP8_744h7vRazzIsB65/s400/20090701122RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104397953542082" border="0" /></a><br />West Thumb Geyser Pools in Yellowstone<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXloibrpnh-nB0zT6uofQboi3JLFsvjfCc0kIkTPM2XWbdy-Z6uME36gl5bekwc2E7Jiv3_saQvq2TJgCmUP6KtQIlWlxs8xQ3zOAX0RKdpPXEwYeGs0lxyoFD83dBnK-zjmdSOISZxbMf/s1600-h/20090701128RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXloibrpnh-nB0zT6uofQboi3JLFsvjfCc0kIkTPM2XWbdy-Z6uME36gl5bekwc2E7Jiv3_saQvq2TJgCmUP6KtQIlWlxs8xQ3zOAX0RKdpPXEwYeGs0lxyoFD83dBnK-zjmdSOISZxbMf/s400/20090701128RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104642404641122" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWAivdl5BCG9iv9O1M6cJg0UDCy7rZBIb7zYdO4yuEB3rMU2kt7sPnW0Mk-MLhuSzZ_qoZVHUJKSnBVAVxnbJ4ktaNefQQy9eVduclE2zeNURNSjjSiDl6pdcIRwIVzJZ5ipYsnj3Oycn/s1600-h/20090701124RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWAivdl5BCG9iv9O1M6cJg0UDCy7rZBIb7zYdO4yuEB3rMU2kt7sPnW0Mk-MLhuSzZ_qoZVHUJKSnBVAVxnbJ4ktaNefQQy9eVduclE2zeNURNSjjSiDl6pdcIRwIVzJZ5ipYsnj3Oycn/s400/20090701124RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104403171740466" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigghvE3oh0Fcz6jvBZQq0wjg5KzAxuKQ9OPLIpiIXkpBm2xJZZQjYuc0O_mPH19aNMQlCkPGJnLec2aLXlASWtvy9vEO8F3sS2fXHN8cEw0dzR1uDkTfJzh5PBDKTPjtzuL9ahK_hdQiHv/s1600-h/20090701131RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigghvE3oh0Fcz6jvBZQq0wjg5KzAxuKQ9OPLIpiIXkpBm2xJZZQjYuc0O_mPH19aNMQlCkPGJnLec2aLXlASWtvy9vEO8F3sS2fXHN8cEw0dzR1uDkTfJzh5PBDKTPjtzuL9ahK_hdQiHv/s400/20090701131RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104647244224610" border="0" /></a><br />Geothermal activity flowing straight into Yellowstone Lake<br /><br /></div><br />Teton National Park:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2D0Jkhft8e7Xx3QqxyzcvfHftCTbwp0kWjfHVj9-hj7N8CEgpz8VulxePeH07uw2f35j2TNwWUGjUT93iv15iZvb98nU4HEzMyRVr0M-MMmwt0juT6f8Vde5IkUl2XFS9fslQeBMtVH9/s1600-h/20090702203RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2D0Jkhft8e7Xx3QqxyzcvfHftCTbwp0kWjfHVj9-hj7N8CEgpz8VulxePeH07uw2f35j2TNwWUGjUT93iv15iZvb98nU4HEzMyRVr0M-MMmwt0juT6f8Vde5IkUl2XFS9fslQeBMtVH9/s400/20090702203RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104908844209618" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0IdBhkCttUsYe2F-FBoS40j3kshCoIGlx2ML49pPMwjNDSVbjMn9rSb6t-KCtkcxB4YOF8c2XDZVzxZyqlDF74UqKRW9reZU6OqHUVC743VeomPbMk74ZgF5xyHjdOgrWrZPQbki87G3/s1600-h/20090702196RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0IdBhkCttUsYe2F-FBoS40j3kshCoIGlx2ML49pPMwjNDSVbjMn9rSb6t-KCtkcxB4YOF8c2XDZVzxZyqlDF74UqKRW9reZU6OqHUVC743VeomPbMk74ZgF5xyHjdOgrWrZPQbki87G3/s400/20090702196RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104902014615106" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfi95TQwmRLqG35OtJQB1fEHiO9lNfaUvIJSGtxYVHL41lrBkLIw1JN-xx4orbSXx9pePcueGmr-jEzCLU6egKzf_aeRmg6oOVY7WSSFZR4Q5wlyTjNbRmpfgos_YjnbekzHE6hgpEJgYf/s1600-h/20090702173RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfi95TQwmRLqG35OtJQB1fEHiO9lNfaUvIJSGtxYVHL41lrBkLIw1JN-xx4orbSXx9pePcueGmr-jEzCLU6egKzf_aeRmg6oOVY7WSSFZR4Q5wlyTjNbRmpfgos_YjnbekzHE6hgpEJgYf/s400/20090702173RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104666750263122" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLnDbDXvvKe-76v5muzArwwo1wUOGhQx7jQosRkFZbHv0Oqn4Ed0pv1mwO_-YJUT0XWQss1FcfLBNIE9mR_kxeDi8CTMwCQPol6RQD9pBJpj3nA8Xndg5BdGvXwzqr-sf0b_N8QLf8zY2/s1600-h/20090702167RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLnDbDXvvKe-76v5muzArwwo1wUOGhQx7jQosRkFZbHv0Oqn4Ed0pv1mwO_-YJUT0XWQss1FcfLBNIE9mR_kxeDi8CTMwCQPol6RQD9pBJpj3nA8Xndg5BdGvXwzqr-sf0b_N8QLf8zY2/s400/20090702167RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104657651818658" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2x1IGhlO9CqJQA4K2XYXBL7b44Z7K8xh8i_JauPmQqd34DqIAWB6e9UtPjZqsPLkAMFG5sXarmA48a7lCb6q1WsNM1llpBLuOqCbiNr7iWZHbL94Uv2qQ0zquvRmSviRYfqgl4sEKyNT/s1600-h/20090701143RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2x1IGhlO9CqJQA4K2XYXBL7b44Z7K8xh8i_JauPmQqd34DqIAWB6e9UtPjZqsPLkAMFG5sXarmA48a7lCb6q1WsNM1llpBLuOqCbiNr7iWZHbL94Uv2qQ0zquvRmSviRYfqgl4sEKyNT/s400/20090701143RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104652078458642" border="0" /></a>This was taken from our camp ground - a beautiful sunset over Jackson Lake;<br />once again, we awoke to a thunderstorm and rain at 5 a.m.<br /><br /></div> A stop in Pocatello, ID to see our friend, Christina, her cute house, and cute dogs:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0a0tRj9HvGmq-8YjCV1f_1a8pd72wsqksiGwDQAxWR_cSZWvo6N-Aw_KSdc7mso0wyhoI-3J1OryDVKsH_I_culfhtRZBQMwQ_N_QxsBwSe6t_qIdyrst3a0k50M0smbnSQgt1nkE2NJ/s1600-h/20090702217RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0a0tRj9HvGmq-8YjCV1f_1a8pd72wsqksiGwDQAxWR_cSZWvo6N-Aw_KSdc7mso0wyhoI-3J1OryDVKsH_I_culfhtRZBQMwQ_N_QxsBwSe6t_qIdyrst3a0k50M0smbnSQgt1nkE2NJ/s400/20090702217RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104918867494258" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBm29qwH0ZNcJp0TP7Xt940uzeuELMysixWfWg8lyorNWLjWu75dJhBnsiiAmYym9mnOo5oLozxb7bYuRB2pFYvdK-g1CdrShVCBLoDonaYqOudX9pb1-09HltGEc671aq51QaNraBjwT/s1600-h/20090702215RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBm29qwH0ZNcJp0TP7Xt940uzeuELMysixWfWg8lyorNWLjWu75dJhBnsiiAmYym9mnOo5oLozxb7bYuRB2pFYvdK-g1CdrShVCBLoDonaYqOudX9pb1-09HltGEc671aq51QaNraBjwT/s400/20090702215RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354104914218452594" border="0" /></a><br />Marley and Obe keep cool in the yard<br /><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqNHe7SEHEhUy_YctElKEj_agT8s3_IyRYcKA5yx2ORuFk7P_iPcYn1YnovyiHHF8F7DVRQOQq-56oZf-H7lynTGXYr_t6qGWH8pm9HS8dZ7WF8svLR9CaMw5MROpNh3cKnkZSbX8DOkv/s1600-h/20090702219RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqNHe7SEHEhUy_YctElKEj_agT8s3_IyRYcKA5yx2ORuFk7P_iPcYn1YnovyiHHF8F7DVRQOQq-56oZf-H7lynTGXYr_t6qGWH8pm9HS8dZ7WF8svLR9CaMw5MROpNh3cKnkZSbX8DOkv/s400/20090702219RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354105119172788114" border="0" /></a>Another terrific Western storm on our way across Southern Idaho<br /><br />All photos © <a href="http://www.csphotographs.com/">Chace + Smith Photography</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Tomorrow's adventure: Corvallis, Oregon and July 4th weekend on the Oregon Coast!<br /></div> </div>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-82301978088236993632009-06-30T00:53:00.002-04:002009-06-30T01:00:09.875-04:00Creative Highways: South Dakota Sunsets and Jolly Green Giants(posted by Larissa)<br /><br />As I stood beneath the looming shadow of the Jolly Green Giant statue in Blue Earth, Minnesota, I observed the soothing flow of traffic on I-90 several yards away, and the cars slowly pulling in and out of the Dairy Queen parking lot across from the neatly trimmed lawns of Jolly Green's domicile. After months of anticipation, I knew in that moment that we had finally reached what Ryan so aptly describes in the current intro on our website as the "space in between."<br /><br />It is this liminality that makes road trips so salient to our personal experiences as individuals and as a couple. We have officially and successfully separated ourselves from the doldrums of our day-to-day, our to-do lists, appointments, and social obligations. I am not implying that our lives are hard to bear by any means. But we realize how hard it can be for us, as members of our society, to truly travel/move/flee from our daily routines. It is the space in between that one must find from time to time that speaks to and galvanizes our lives when we are living our "normal" everyday existences. And the further and longer we travel from the routine into the space in between, the more cogent the effects will be on our well-beings.<br /><br />In the following photos, we narrate the voices of Americana that we have been discovering along the way - those ironic, iconic, and campy artifacts of our lives as humans in this country.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zyuc57-5zxTL5BEJXXP58n_9aaLNMf6Fm6lEf6lXtk4fCSAnJDdYIQzdzlTS7avZAIlYKB5ubye9ZUZ2SW6GbZqGMWkvrRL6JUJ-Ca9Jd7nxCBiSNSPsl24LVOqS-DmgN4kl3pXz9oc/s1600-h/20090629061RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zyuc57-5zxTL5BEJXXP58n_9aaLNMf6Fm6lEf6lXtk4fCSAnJDdYIQzdzlTS7avZAIlYKB5ubye9ZUZ2SW6GbZqGMWkvrRL6JUJ-Ca9Jd7nxCBiSNSPsl24LVOqS-DmgN4kl3pXz9oc/s400/20090629061RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352965206609394098" border="0" /></a><br />Jolly Green beholds his vast prairie empire in Blue Earth.<br /><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBd_7gC63eTyIzBowMIdqhiwLVp1gQZp5GzxOrTf2iWmNhAlC8PXKxqknI3YralkMbFQ9t2HUNaCyLYNGKxHlOF29WHvESqjUYBPyJST7rLrurrnFHfEA3tKi8eZToQwduvL9_DSpxKI/s1600-h/20090629059RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBd_7gC63eTyIzBowMIdqhiwLVp1gQZp5GzxOrTf2iWmNhAlC8PXKxqknI3YralkMbFQ9t2HUNaCyLYNGKxHlOF29WHvESqjUYBPyJST7rLrurrnFHfEA3tKi8eZToQwduvL9_DSpxKI/s400/20090629059RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352965200683702226" border="0" /></a>Always seek a different perspective.<br /><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoJdcq5eYvrRwACDuayPqwVrwrqURCL36hrVG-iFw47IJi-88GhKZ4jTnb6sm0SC2ajNdsWTgTlzEGh2BXm7nV_pz-KEXIuuAvL-tMnk7Svj-qDMGdDPgSxCf9DMmkr0sP2ahvjav2KM/s1600-h/20090629054RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoJdcq5eYvrRwACDuayPqwVrwrqURCL36hrVG-iFw47IJi-88GhKZ4jTnb6sm0SC2ajNdsWTgTlzEGh2BXm7nV_pz-KEXIuuAvL-tMnk7Svj-qDMGdDPgSxCf9DMmkr0sP2ahvjav2KM/s400/20090629054RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352964835578162194" border="0" /></a><br />What defines a man?<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_rVEBXLm6bD53eliWB7xKJ5IfLYmDSmFLZZUmb23MLrxSL9AZFNv5PPNxN8rVdTIBEmCRDRHnzfkmKzxT5B0JDVkEIrxKu9v4n7QYFbL20rq2CQTEe_hBCTdNOoM6dXY7hcvegOJKso/s1600-h/20090629050RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_rVEBXLm6bD53eliWB7xKJ5IfLYmDSmFLZZUmb23MLrxSL9AZFNv5PPNxN8rVdTIBEmCRDRHnzfkmKzxT5B0JDVkEIrxKu9v4n7QYFbL20rq2CQTEe_hBCTdNOoM6dXY7hcvegOJKso/s400/20090629050RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352964836988243234" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6EGl-VE6Mmsa_7zZM5KXW-cpGQoGQ9HusATU0Y9cesNx7hkN_tioenDP1Mga1d32KSlL_IblFzAunNEL2FBhG6rMaISMHGr4tHGeZ95xlTNqo7KPKytwT1aFe7TF1NFWCVKNKEJkDhyE/s1600-h/20090629045RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6EGl-VE6Mmsa_7zZM5KXW-cpGQoGQ9HusATU0Y9cesNx7hkN_tioenDP1Mga1d32KSlL_IblFzAunNEL2FBhG6rMaISMHGr4tHGeZ95xlTNqo7KPKytwT1aFe7TF1NFWCVKNKEJkDhyE/s400/20090629045RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352964830794311634" border="0" /></a><br />The roadways of America are a clash of kitschy tourism and vacant businesses.<br /><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_YeB4I1nH6Yeo3JOQmFLqfaqVAlgiKofwlEy4jo9esS250RNktmuVhAanIChi-0Fxz4YQrAITNUn-ld2tyiH_mgzaBEr3QySH_pLv7FuMgiM9RbX9vxlpn4d3kiDOPlbprTz0ZXBz_w/s1600-h/20090629039RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_YeB4I1nH6Yeo3JOQmFLqfaqVAlgiKofwlEy4jo9esS250RNktmuVhAanIChi-0Fxz4YQrAITNUn-ld2tyiH_mgzaBEr3QySH_pLv7FuMgiM9RbX9vxlpn4d3kiDOPlbprTz0ZXBz_w/s400/20090629039RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352964826988089746" border="0" /></a><br />"Ben Biking" greets motorists just off I-90 in Sparta, Wisconsin, the bicycle capitol of the world.<br /><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AFBlKi_AcoSK0Ebp31888CCZ8yE2oaXYgMyn9wAtE0zeM6ylFhSGh-v4Q1-n4qoRF0z24H-1Wbsi5p_IhPNSB_KQ3b3BAp22YDQQMb8nVrdecasKtKl8oMTn3xUw0_K4FX9xuFP_9R0/s1600-h/20090629032RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AFBlKi_AcoSK0Ebp31888CCZ8yE2oaXYgMyn9wAtE0zeM6ylFhSGh-v4Q1-n4qoRF0z24H-1Wbsi5p_IhPNSB_KQ3b3BAp22YDQQMb8nVrdecasKtKl8oMTn3xUw0_K4FX9xuFP_9R0/s400/20090629032RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352964824000341490" border="0" /></a><br />Snack time at the Love's truck stop in Wisconsin where we ran into travelers from Chambersburg, PA, a town just 30 minutes from our own...all we could say was, "Small world!"<br /><br /></div> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQlJGJ2D9UNtPsxQ1frPTDdFhcwliJvtDutupaNS6uYZMGM3wVirIUNUkiEJpyZonIXKsSLJ-Cc58_I16w7L0sXLKAItiT-6GIzlFK6js7dpvp3WxSJ5wTcojaK-iX5-leUUss675Oqk/s1600-h/20090629066RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQlJGJ2D9UNtPsxQ1frPTDdFhcwliJvtDutupaNS6uYZMGM3wVirIUNUkiEJpyZonIXKsSLJ-Cc58_I16w7L0sXLKAItiT-6GIzlFK6js7dpvp3WxSJ5wTcojaK-iX5-leUUss675Oqk/s400/20090629066RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352965205569329058" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">All there is left to do now is drive off into the sunset...<br /><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dymLJMTA_qqkrRnq80uNPqm24EhqZmQFcL3qe6FW10pFRvpiuMPOIo4mdIXsFXR3rXwDhW9d8ogW6PQrl8iKQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />A South Dakota honky-tonk sunset<br /><br />All photos © <a href="http://www.csphotographs.com/">Chace + Smith Photography</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Tomorrow's adventure: The Badlands of South Dakota, Wall Drug, SD, Devil's Tower in Eastern Wyoming, and camping in Bighorn National Forest in central WY!<br /><br /><br /></div> </div>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-73392251695352959892009-06-29T08:58:00.002-04:002009-06-29T09:04:32.290-04:00Creative Highways: Cleveland and ChicagolandOur trip has begun! We pulled out of our driveway at approximately 8:15 a.m. on Sunday, June 28 and drove away from our cozy abode. It felt strange to be leaving a place we always used to travel long distances to visit. Now, it is our home and (most likely) permanent dwelling place, so this time we take to the open road not to go home, but to test our mettle at traversing the open highways of our country again. We take to the open road to make sure we aren't getting <span style="font-style: italic;">too</span> comfortable at home.<br /><br />The trip yesterday was very smooth, and we were even able to make a last minute stop in Cleveland to see our friend, Kathryn, who we had not seen in 3 years. We had a nice salad lunch, ate gourmet chocolate that Kathryn gave us as a gift, and walked down to Lake Erie for a few minutes while our dog played in the whitecaps lapping the shore.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIi8OZYgNt-t5FqPqvIOU4TricZwnETPomcBjWnSK_M0K3DRLvxfUQ01KFa6FuN-I2GNsQgR2dY9lonnhLsZHZQ1FnsVHW2it-v7IsekHFGzREDBGdY0ZRGb8JdY-Q-cpUj50rPYbp-k2A/s1600-h/20090628012RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIi8OZYgNt-t5FqPqvIOU4TricZwnETPomcBjWnSK_M0K3DRLvxfUQ01KFa6FuN-I2GNsQgR2dY9lonnhLsZHZQ1FnsVHW2it-v7IsekHFGzREDBGdY0ZRGb8JdY-Q-cpUj50rPYbp-k2A/s400/20090628012RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352727474404148962" border="0" /></a>Kathryn's apartment<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxxSOZ_4khO4bnrRCVnV3uBYj0DtbAv-2DhtENYZKhK-ZJPQ9McqcevRx172p2LqMsW9ZTtQnsZ146a-UzXYwnv5nj2qLYltVlqBppyk0xYS49huwL4ejpJDav0aWAO7JfjxqQIAtt7C-/s1600-h/20090628003RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxxSOZ_4khO4bnrRCVnV3uBYj0DtbAv-2DhtENYZKhK-ZJPQ9McqcevRx172p2LqMsW9ZTtQnsZ146a-UzXYwnv5nj2qLYltVlqBppyk0xYS49huwL4ejpJDav0aWAO7JfjxqQIAtt7C-/s400/20090628003RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352727472037320114" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIAN7BzjoRdm2jpV4oUS5TOIDO3_XDUJNs7F0Bb5QMIksZzwBuo3grzaWweBZ1RfZMaBLzIDL_FS6y0jPP510MD-99IV7D8M1qEuD9C7LnCImg4KBBhj9CgWU5gYLcyRI5KrcwdSigXH-/s1600-h/20090628027RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIAN7BzjoRdm2jpV4oUS5TOIDO3_XDUJNs7F0Bb5QMIksZzwBuo3grzaWweBZ1RfZMaBLzIDL_FS6y0jPP510MD-99IV7D8M1qEuD9C7LnCImg4KBBhj9CgWU5gYLcyRI5KrcwdSigXH-/s400/20090628027RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352727483622046786" border="0" /></a><br />Sadie in Lake Erie - she loves road trips!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kewIlbyDsGgZOA_IbaW2WOofe90xIiv4YuHQ4LE-slTbN9lKXI5hyOeaO1020Y9ef_wNfCm-USglsb2fFH3SK7RuY6nmCWjxXr3f_t3PkbhA0jkfvU558TKmPTpHmJu43U3E5AspUGwI/s1600-h/20090628025RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kewIlbyDsGgZOA_IbaW2WOofe90xIiv4YuHQ4LE-slTbN9lKXI5hyOeaO1020Y9ef_wNfCm-USglsb2fFH3SK7RuY6nmCWjxXr3f_t3PkbhA0jkfvU558TKmPTpHmJu43U3E5AspUGwI/s400/20090628025RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352727481618952706" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiS3LqB6i4YzS5aWIO7DcinY2JeejtldiHh6WaIeJepBLfxk-MbBaub2RhVU57beJLvMbMker1-bIH3rXRNxL8Zl-qgpXw1BYRLGfC_nWufxD-WiG_vULoK4t-wY0JUCyfx0pvzi1YmFlh/s1600-h/20090628028RS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiS3LqB6i4YzS5aWIO7DcinY2JeejtldiHh6WaIeJepBLfxk-MbBaub2RhVU57beJLvMbMker1-bIH3rXRNxL8Zl-qgpXw1BYRLGfC_nWufxD-WiG_vULoK4t-wY0JUCyfx0pvzi1YmFlh/s400/20090628028RS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352727488215005810" border="0" /></a>Kathryn and Larissa<br />(all photos © <a href="http://www.csphotographs.com/">Chace + Smith Photography</a>)<br /><br /></div>Outside of Cleveland, and headed out into the plains of the mid-West, we hit some wind gusts that sent our gas mileage plummeting. Our Honda Fit normally gets excellent mileage for a non-hybrid, but since we have a roof box the winds seemed to grab it and push us in the other direction.<br /><br />We arrived safely in Chicago at my best friend, Emily's, apartment around 8 p.m. last night after a long day of driving. We had a lovely dinner with her and her boyfriend, Jon, at <a href="http://www.hopleaf.com/">Hopleaf Bar</a> (mussels, wine, craft-brewed beer, yum) - and then went straight to bed!<br /><br />The open road is like a long-lost friend you forgot you had. Once you are finally with it, you realize how much you missed it. Ryan and my relationship began on the road, so when we return to it, it stirs up memories and emotions from almost a decade ago. With your dog and spouse as your only companions, and your car, packed to the hilt, containing only possessions you truly need, one can't help but feel a deep sense of satisfaction and exhilaration at what lies ahead.<br /><br />Today, we head to the <a href="http://tiny.cc/kMf6z">Badlands of South Dakota</a>...Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204421238577846715.post-43493510341914071542009-06-22T18:11:00.004-04:002009-06-22T23:01:58.130-04:00Creative Highways Project 2009 Itinerary!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOJnE6_ygPGtFtJyIIed_MI8yQAb1yBkvsTm9PUyzyiuvWvv5ckP-FZAL7jur_3T4VKcRIRjMmET69-8kVPYxxS5AY5O7nQRLJQpDDBU9RigYXkcRWlTgB9wy3-i0mqHTX4c33FZP5iM/s1600-h/Picture+1.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 317px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOJnE6_ygPGtFtJyIIed_MI8yQAb1yBkvsTm9PUyzyiuvWvv5ckP-FZAL7jur_3T4VKcRIRjMmET69-8kVPYxxS5AY5O7nQRLJQpDDBU9RigYXkcRWlTgB9wy3-i0mqHTX4c33FZP5iM/s400/Picture+1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350352434803009938" border="0" /></a><br />It's official, folks! The trip itinerary for our Creative Highways Project 2009 has been published. It is, of course, subject to change on a whim (we may make a left turn instead of a right way out there in the desert), but we will certainly be keeping you updated on our stops and photos along the way. Here is a summary of our trip:<br /><blockquote>June 28 – depart Mercersburg, PA for Chicago, IL to stay with Larissa’s best friend, Emily Adair Peterson. Urban fun, Vespa rides, perhaps a stop at <a href="http://www.hideoutchicago.com/">The Hideout</a> - and dinner out.<br /><br />June 29 – Chicago, IL to Kadoka, SD, the gateway to the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/badl">Badlands National Park</a> and <a href="http://www.walldrug.com/">Wall Drug</a>, both common stops on our past trips West.<br /><br />June 30 – Kadoka, SD through the Badlands, and on to <a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/bighorn/">Bighorn National Forest</a>, WY. Though not yet in the “Rockies”, this recreational area rises straight out of the central Wyoming plains and offers beautiful and dramatic vistas and higher elevation relief from the heat below. We’ve camped there before and love everything from the drive up to the explorations above.<br /><br />July 1 – Bighorn through <a href="http://www.nps.gov/yell/">Yellowstone National Park</a> (Yellowstone in the summer is a bit much to take. We can only take the bumper to bumper traffic through a wildlife area for so long - try it in the winter, it's glorious!), and on to <a href="http://www.nps.gov/grte/">Grand Teton National Park</a> for more camping. The Tetons take our breath away.<br /><br />July 2 – Breakfast in trendy <a href="http://www.jacksonholechamber.com/">Jackson, WY</a>, then a drive to <a href="http://www.ci.bend.or.us/">Bend, OR</a> (via Pocatello, Twin Falls, and Boise, ID). Don't know if we'll have time to stop off for some climbing at <a href="http://www.smithrock.com/aboutsr/index.html">Smith Rock</a>, but it would be sweet. We were there in the fall before, though, so it might be a bit toasty to climb there in July.<br /><br />July 3 – Bend, OR to <a href="http://www.visitcorvallis.com/">Corvallis, OR</a> to stay with friends, Kendra and Adam. Their dog, Jake, just had knee surgery, so even though he and our dog, Sadie, love to play, we'll have to make sure they only have so much fun! Kendra and Adam moved out to Oregon last fall so that Kendra could attend <a href="http://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University's</a> graduate geology program. We're excited to see where they've been shacking up for the past year.<br /><br />July 4-5 – Celebrating our furthest point West and our nation’s naissance on the <a href="http://visittheoregoncoast.com/">Oregon Coast</a> with Kendra and Adam. Mmmm, the misty Pacific sea cliffs, a camp fire on the beach, wine, the dogs, good friends - nothing like it!<br /><br />July 6-7 – Bumming around Corvallis and Vicinity - hangin' with the dogs and Kendra and Adam.<br /><br />July 8 – Corvallis to <a href="http://www.wallawalla.org/">Walla Walla, WA</a> for some wineries and <a href="http://www.spokaneoutdoors.com/pfalls.htm">Palouse Falls.</a><br /><br />July 9 – Walla Walla, WA to <a href="http://www.moscow.id.us/">Moscow, ID</a>, our old Idaho hometown, where we lived from 2001-2003! We will spend two nights staying in downtown Moscow and visiting old haunts such as <a href="http://www.alleyvault.com/">John’s Alley</a>, the <a href="http://moscowfood.coop/">Moscow Food Coop</a>, friends, <a href="http://www.uidaho.edu/">University of Idaho</a> (Ryan's alma mater and Larissa's former employer), etc.<br /><br />July 9-11 – Moscow, ID and Vicinity<br /><br />July 11-13 – Moscow to <a href="http://www.lochsa.info/resources/thingstodo.php">Lochsa</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selway_River">Selway</a> River regions for <a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3090/3131927187_1b5f683472.jpg?v=1233804119">hotspringing</a>, camping, and general no-man’s-land-ing.<br /><br />July 13-15 – Lochsa/Selway area to <a href="http://www.rigginsidaho.com/">Riggins, ID</a> for camping on the white sand beaches of the Salmon River, our favorite river in the world! You get a whole beach to yourself! Hope to find French Creek hot springs way up along the canyon walls where we went for Ryan’s birthday in 2003.<br /><br />July 15 – Riggins, ID to the South Fork of the Payette River near Lowman, ID. More hot springs and beautiful vistas of the <a href="http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_nra/id_sawto.htm">Sawtooth Mountain Range</a> await! Just the drive alone is gorgeous.<br /><br />July 16 – To <a href="http://www.visitidaho.org/thingstodo/view-attraction.aspx?id=30953">Redfish Lake</a>, the furthest point East that salmon swimming from the Pacific Ocean along the Colombia River travel - a gorgeous lake near <a href="http://www.visitidaho.org/placestogo/communities/stanley.aspx">Stanley, ID</a>, nestled along the Sawtooth Mountain Range.<br /><br />July 17 – Redfish Lake, through the Sawtooths, south through the Snake River plain of Idaho, and on to <a href="http://www.provo.org/">Provo, UT</a> for a motel, clean-up, and gearing up for more camping.<br /><br />July 18-20 – Provo to Joe’s Valley in the <a href="http://www.utah.com/nationalsites/manti_lasal.htm">Manti-La Sal Mountains</a>, and the San Rafael River - a climbing and bouldering mecca and a place we remember loving to camp – gorgeous.<br /><br />July 20-22 – Joe’s Valley to <a href="http://www.discovermoab.com/">Moab, UT</a> area for some explorations of <a href="http://www.nps.gov/arch/">Arches National Park</a> and the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/cany/">Canyon Lands</a>.<br /><br />July 22 – Moab to <a href="http://www.bouldercoloradousa.com/">Boulder, CO</a> in search of the Green Hornet sushi roll, which we ate there way back in 2000 (our first year together). We think we might be able to find it <a href="http://www.sushizanmai.com/">here</a>. Will it taste as good now as it did then?<br /><br />July 23 – Boulder to <a href="http://www.explorestlouis.com/">St. Louis</a><a href="http://www.explorestlouis.com/">, MO</a> – we’re truckin’ now, haulin' home.<br /><br />July 24 – St. Louis to <a href="http://www.mercersburg.org/">Mercersburg, PA</a> - home at last!<br /><br /><br />Click <a href="http://tiny.cc/kMf6z">here</a> for an interactive map of our trip.</blockquote>Larissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04241697129017772043noreply@blogger.com1