A few GoPro shots from the recent swells generated by Hurrican Florence. After a long, hot, flat summer, it was great to get back into the water and catch some good waves. Prayers to all of those who were negatively impacted by the effects of this storm, including my own relatives in South Carolina.
Expansive view of the Guana River Reserve as shot from the northern-most public access.
I recently took a trip to Payne’s Prairie to hang out with my oldest daughter, Kendall, for Dad / Daughter weekend with her sorority at the University of Florida. Kendall and I decided to go for a hike in this spectacular state park and came across a lot of wildlife (although we didn’t run into any wild horses or bison -yes, bison- that live in the park). Nonetheless, it was an awesome time adventuring with my daughter, who’s always up for exploring with me.
My daughter Kendall and I came across this fellow while hiking in Payne’s Prairie in Gainesville, FL recently. Ironically, I had literally just finished telling her seconds before, about how the area reminded me of other places in North Florida I’d explore as a child, and that we’d occasionally find rattlesnakes living in abandoned gopher tortoise holes. Then lo and behold, as soon as I finished that sentence, we came upon this good-sized rattler splayed out right across the trail. Great experience! You don’t see these guys as often as you used to.
Guana River State Park – Even in the dead of winter, she’s still gorgeous!
Bright fall colors in Hartsville, SC. Beautiful Red Maples at Thanksgiving.
‘Merica! A rusted old GMC bucket truck up on the farm in Hartsville, SC. Good as she ever was…
Nope, this isn’t the General Lee from the Dukes of Hazard. That was a ’69 Dodge Challenger. This is bigger and better – a ’67 Plymouth Road Runner. As muscle cars go, it’s the real king of the hill (err… cornfield!). And this one is real, sitting on a farm up in South Carolina. What a beauty!
The Blizzard Branch Syrup company in Middendorf, South Carolina makes pure cane sugar syrup using fresh cut sugar cane and a hand press. Sugar cane goes in. Sweet stuff comes out. Then it’s off to be strained boiled and strained again. Willy Wonka has nothing on these guys! I’m pretty sure this is where they recorded the sound effects for that movie, anyway. This is a great example of sustainable farming and agritourism. Interesting stuff! We had a good time romping around up there while visiting family in Hartsville, SC over the Thanksgiving holidays.
A windmill sitting high above the land in farm country in Middendorf, SC
Fresh cut sugar cane just before it is fed into a press on its way to becoming syrup.
The Blizzard Branch Syrup Company in Middendorf, SC makes pure cane sugar syrup by hand.
One of a few shots from our family’s annual trek up to Hartsville, South Carolina at Thanksgiving. This is from the nearby Blizzard Branch farm where they make pure cane sugar syrup, yellow corn grits and blueberry wine by traditional methods. Fascinating, beautiful and delicious.!
The gorges of the upper Navua River in the interior of Viti Levu, Fiji. This place was like the land that time forgot. I kept waiting for a T. Rex to pop up around every corner!
A few good-sized waves last weekend, this one from inside Guana State Park.
A frame grab from a Go-Pro time-lapse of nightfall in Fiji that I made last year.
The Appalachians, starting to show their colors in Fall.
Good times with this daring crew of ladies, who are always up for some new form of adventure (in this case, ziplining through the Appalachians near Lake Lure, NC)!
One more nice one of an Appalachian stream along the North Carolina / Tennessee border
Gotta love the serene beauty of a Smoky Mountain stream…
This beautiful stream is on the Gatlinburg side of the Great Smoky Mountain.
I recently took a trip to the Smoky Mountains with my brother Rob’s wife and daughters, her parents, and my own, to release some of my brother’s ashes into the Appalachians, up there. His 18-year-old daughter, Madison, found this perfect spot. This stream is on the Gatlinburg side of the Great Smoky Mountain. Fortunately, we made it up there just a few weeks before the deadly wildfires of this past week.
Rob, myself and our family used to travel up here every Christmas, to romp around around in the snow, hike the trails and go skiing. Like all of us, Rob loved it, and while his soul is with the Lord, I know he’d sure be happy with the returning of the ashes of his body to the earth, right here in this beautiful, peaceful setting that held so many great memories for our family. Rest in Peace, Rob. We love you, and will never forget you.
What I love about my girls: they’re always up for anything! I just sign the waivers, tell them it’s safe and they don’t ask any questions. It’s great! Rafting on the American River in Coloma, CA east of Sacramento.
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