Smoky Mountain Stream
Gotta love the serene beauty of a Smoky Mountain stream…
Resting Place
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.
Whitewater Aftermath!
The aftermath of our whitewater fun- frozen fits and giggles! Biggest waves I caught all summer, in a river in Cali!
Going… Going… Gone!
“The brochure said Class III, I swear!!! Sorry girls!” : )
American River Fun
Kaelyn almost got tossed!
Whitewater Rafting, South Fork, American River
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.
Nice and Calm, Right?…
Nice and calm, right? That’s what I thought up until this point… then just around that bend…
Santa Monica from Above
Nope, it’s not from a drone. It’s from the top of the ferris wheel in Pacific Park at the Santa Monica Pier!
Surf Art, Santa Monica
Some fun surf art in Pacific Park at the Santa Monica Pier, near Venice, CA
Good Times
My good friend and former UF roommate, Dan Rudd. Dan hosted us for a few days in Santa Barbara on our recent trip out west. When I was 19, Dan and I, along with my younger brother, a friend of his and my dad went across country in two cars hitting a ton of national parks. All the way from Florida to Huntington Beach! We did the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, White Sands, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Grand Tetons, Rocky Mountains, Mt. Rushmore… More than I can remember over 2-3 weeks! There was no Instagram back then, but we took a coffee table book about national parks with us and in each park, we’d look at the photos and try to find the exact spots where the photographers shot from, to recreate them for comparison later. It was fun detective work. Dan said that trip changed his life and later helped prompt him to move out West (like several other of my close college friends). I’m a very happy third-gen native of (Jax) Florida, but do love it out there. So beautiful! Tomorrow is the 100th birthday of the National Parks Service, so a good time to reflect on some of those special places and good times.
A River Runs Through It
Big Sur is big country. Everything is just… big. This shot of the river bed in Pfeifer State Park provides some scale.
Grant Park, Ventura, CA
One of my favorite places in California. Ventura is a killer little town with great surf, a cool downtown and laid-back vibe. Beautiful place!
Santa Barbara Wildflowers
The don;t call it the “Golden State” for nothing. Wildflowers in Santa Barbara, CA.
Santa Barbara Bonfire
Bonfire on the Beach in Santa Barbara with my good friend, Dan, who hosted us for a couple of nights. This sums up the California vibe.
Big Sur, CA Wildflowers
It didn’t really matter where you pulled off on the PCH in Big Sur. It was beautiful in every direction.
PCH Big Sur Overlook, Rocky Point
I wonder why they call this “Rocky Point”?
Jellies
Jellyfish exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I could watch these things all day and night.
Kelp!
Two-story+ high kelp bed observation window at the Monterey bay Aquarium
Monterey Bay Aquarium, Oceanside
The Monterey Bay Aquarium integrates directly into the Pacific Ocean. The water actually works right into the exhibits and provides scientists an excellent place to do their work. Genius! And beautiful!
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Nice shot of the re-used sardine plant that became the Monterey Bay Aquarium on Cannery Row in Monetrey, CA. Beautiful facilty!
Marine Layer
A view of the seemingly ever-present marine layer fog bank looming in the background of the Big Sur area of north central California
Into the Woods | Pfeiffer Big Sur Redwoods
My girlies providing scale for the giant redwoods in Pfeiffer State Park in Big Sur, CA
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, NorCal
Kaelyn, adding her own touch of beauty to the beautiful natural surroundings of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. This place is amazing.
Honey Tree | Big Sur | Pfeiffer State Park Sequoias
My “Honey” tree. Two of my favorite travel partners (we’re partners in a lot of things), Kendall and Gretchen, providing some scale for the giant redwoods in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
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