The Year 2010, Revisited

The good news about getting old and blogging is that you can look back to see what you did for the year.  Now that we are in the last two days in 2010, it's only appropriate to recap the year to see what I did to reflect on those experiences and make goals for the following year.

As you may know, I set 39 goals for my 39th year last year and am happy to report that I completed most of the goals.  Some were easy and I just needed to make time to do them and others were out of my control since it took more than myself to complete them, such as getting photos published in a magazine.  I have to say that it's been an exciting year and one I won't soon forget.

In 2009, I traveled the country in a tent with Max like I did this year so January was spent touring around in my city and putting up my etsy site.  Since I was hanging around Long Beach, it was only appropriate to get involved in the community and work with Scott Jones (Long Beach Person of the year) and his non profit organization, We Love Long Beach.  I helped them document the opening of the city's skate park and one of the many community breakfasts they have hosted in each neighborhood in the city to bring neighbors together.

In February, I had the opportunity to have my first art show in town.  I also stepped out and took photographs of barber shops, and went to a creative mixer that lead to a photograph published in our local weekly paper called, "The District."  Unfortunately, The District is no longer with us.

I began March by visiting the Salton Sea for the day to check that goal off of my list. I also baked a cake, painted, had a feature on the women's surf school las olas's website, took a trip to New York City, went back to the Salton Sea area to see Salvation Mountain and went on a camping trip to meet other ladies who love to camp and who love all things shiny.  I had a great time meeting these women that call themselves the "silver sisters" who camp together with their airstreams.  They allowed me to join the group even though I don't have an airstream but a silver teardrop trailer.

In April I started to prepare to get on the road so I donated all of my work clothes to "clothes the deal," I also had my first brave soul to be the subject of a senior portrait session, participated in a local art walk,  celebrated one year without alcohol, saw Sia in concert, and was selected to be a participant in the Month of Los Angeles (MOPLA) group show with a photograph I took a month earlier at the silver sisters rally.

In May, I took a photo editing class and decided to trade passions to own my first DSLR camera.  All photos up to this point have been taken with a point and shoot camera.  During this month, I also decided to see what an iphone was all about and started taking photographs with my camera on  my phone.   I spent most of the month going places to take photographs with both cameras even when I took an unexpected turn and ended up in the emergency room.  I felt the need to photograph that experience even as I was in the ambulance.  I also went on my first "sisters on the fly" gathering in Arizona, saw what life was like on a working ranch and finally traveling to my second sisters on the fly meeting in California.

June started out in Jackson Center, Ohio when I was asked to be the official photographer for Airstream's "Alumapalooza" event.  It was an exciting five days of meeting people from all over North America (and beyond!) with their shared love of Airstreams.  All of the people I met were so down to earth and friendly.  Even though the rain came and went, it didn't take away from all of us having a great time.  After the event, I put together a slide show of the people and activities that transpired during those days. At the end of the month, I went to a Johnny Cash tribute show, photographed the Long Beach Roller Derby, toured Venice Beach and then hit the road with my camera, tent and my dog, Max!

The first day on my adventure took me to Twenty Nine palms in triple digit temperatures to meet author and photographer, Candacy Taylor. Max and I then went to Big Bear and headed up North in the middle of the state and ended up in beautiful Yosemite. For my ongoing project, "Women's Work," I was able to interview and photograph some of the women park rangers of Yosemite during my stay.  The following weeks took me to Chico, Nevada City, and Lake Tahoe.  The heat was pretty brutal during this time so I thought the solution would be to drive to the coast and stay on the coast from Northern California to Seattle. On that journey, I met "muffin man," camped at a wonderful free site on the coast of Oregon, saw a hit and run in Tillamook, and ended up visiting my dear friends near Seattle. I toured the Seattle area for a while and then headed up to Canada to meet blogger friends, Kim and Deb who worked at a motel while living in their Airstream.

At the end of July, I headed back to America to camp in North East Washington and stopped in Spokane for a few weeks to visit my friend Cat. During that time, I photographed the Washington State University team Airstream project, herded cows on a working ranch, went to an art fair in Idaho, and met some great friends during my stay in Spokane.

In August I headed to Montana to visit Glacier National Park, and met and stayed with Photographer Lauren Grabelle.  From there I had to visit my favorite National Park, Yellowstone for a few days.  Even in August, it was hailing and temps dropped to 28 degrees.  During that time, Max kept me warm inside of the sleeping bag and was a trooper even in the sudden cold spell we were having.  After a few days in Yellowstone, we headed to the Badlands and then met friend, Kristiana Spaulding on her travels west in South Dakota. When I met Kristiana, it was my first stop at a motel 6 and a welcome one.  Max and I then headed to Illionis to visit Adriane.  It was the first time I took my cruiser off of the bike rack to take it for a spin with some very serious bike riders in Bloomington. During this time, some photographs I took were published in Airstream Life magazine and Nesting Newbies Magazine.  The end of August took me to Columbus, Ohio to meet writer/blogger Amy Kehoe.

September took me to the East Coast with my first stop being in Boston.  I stayed with artist, Ronnie White and was lucky enough to catch a Red Sox game in Fenway Park. Labor Day weekend took me to upstate New York to attend the third annual gathering of Westy owners for their "Westyfest" camping event. I headed back to Boston to attend a family reunion (I was a guest) and soon after that I was headed to one of my favorite states, Maine.  I met Adam and Susan at Alumapalooza in June and they offered Max and I to come visit and stay with them if we were in the area on our travels.  While visiting them, I was lucky enough to attend Jane and Paul's annual pizza party on Bailey Island.  Adam and Susan left to travel but extended an offer for Max and I to stay at their home while they were out and about.  Of course we took them up on their offer!  During this time, I met and got to know their neighbors Ralph and Dolly (Ralph's story was published in the Jan/Feb issue of Maine. The Magazine), ran into captain Andy and his yard ship in Rockland, met Susan of "Maine. The Magazine",  documented BINGO in the area, visited Red's Eats as much as possible and enjoyed the sights of the area. My best friend Dan came to visit me in Maine for a week which was a treat to see someone from home after being on the road for months. We toured the Portland harbor, went to Arcadia National Park and then drove together to Cape Cod before he left.

The beginning of October was spent in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Max and I were fortunate to be able to stay in the home of Lisa and Diane for a few weeks for the second year. We took advantage of the one sunny day and rode the cruiser around the ocean path with Max's trailer in tow. It was Max's first time in the trailer and I think he enjoyed it.  I love the cape and always will.  This time around it was a short visit.  After the cape, I headed back to Boston.  During this time, I started making my art boxes, finalized my Photography Website, met Sue Dooley for lunch, attended more BINGO halls, visited the museum of bad art in Dedham and hung out with Ronnie and her friends in Boston.

At this time, the leaves were changing and you could feel the chill in the air.  I headed South in November with my first stop being the coast of Delaware.  I drove down to Virginia while hugging the coast along the way South. I stopped in Myrtle Beach for some BINGO and headed down to Savannah, Georgia.  I loved this area so I stayed for a few days before breaking into the Florida panhandle. I met Rich Luhr and his family in a campsite in Destin, Florida for a night and quickly continued West on my journey.  My next stop was Mobile, Alabama and then New Orleans, LA.   I then drove west and stayed a few days in one of my favorite cities, Austin, TX.  In Austin, I met some great photographers and a few Airstream vendors and was lucky enough to be in the city during their East Austin Studio tour weekend.  Eventually I headed West to El Paso and then decided it was time to go home.

Once I was home, I made more art, showed in a few art shows and was finally able to get back into my house in December once the last renters of the season left.  I've been in one place for a month now and it has been an adjustment.  Living out of a car and being on the road can be a difficult way of life for some, but I got used to it fairly quickly.  Once I was accustomed to that way of living, staying put also has some getting used to.  I am still acclimating to the "home in one spot" way of life.  We'll see how long it lasts.

I am very fortunate to be able to do everything I did in 2010.  The year has been good to me.  I couldn't have done it without the help of old friends and new ones I met along my journey. Now that the year is over, I am working on my 40 goals for 2011.  So far, I've written down three.  It's not as easy as it seems but once they are written down, it's amazing how I hold myself accountable and look for ways to accomplish the goals...sometimes without thinking.

Thank you for reading about my adventures in 2010.  I look forward to sharing more in the new year with you!  Here's to the best year ever in 2011!

MOBA The Museum Of Bad Art In Dedham, Massachusetts

The other day I had my mind set on catching a train into Boston to walk around the city and take pictures of what I came across.  I even had it on my goal list! As you might have read with my update blog, I was standing on the wrong tracks, on the wrong side so ultimately, I watched the train come and go.

Since that was the last train for a while, I decided to do something different.  I took out my handy Roadside America iphone app and came across an attraction called the Museum of Bad Art.  Perfect, I thought!

I followed the directions from the app and it took me to an old movie theatre in town.  As I walked in, there was a man standing there with a puzzled look on his face. I suspect since it was in the middle of the day and there weren't any movies showing for a long time.  I asked him where the museum was.  He said, "museum?" I said, "um..yes, the one with the bad art..."  He smiled and said, "oh, it's down there...enjoy!"

I looked across the hall and there was a small hallway with steps leading to what seemed like a basement.  Turns out it was also the way to the restrooms.  The museum was actually in the hallway in the basement to the restrooms.

I looked around and saw several paintings scattered about.  I felt a little sad thinking that works of art that people worked so hard at was shown in a museum specifically dedicated to bad art.  However, my mind changed a bit when I read the statement on the wall.  It read, "Welcome to the Museum of Bad Art, a unique institutaion occupying a niche previously ignored in the international community of art collection, preservation and interpretation.  MOBA exists to celebrate the labor of artists whose work would be displayed and appreciated in no other forum."

It went on to say, "The majority of art in the collection has been purchased at yard sales, second-hand stores, and thrift shops.  Some pieces were donated by the artists, and others were rescued from inevitable destruction after being entered as detritus into a solid-waste disposal system.  The principal is that it must have been created by someone seriously attempting to make an artistic statement, but something has gone horribly awry in either its concept or execution."

It was an interesting tour.  For more information, visit their website HERE.

The Badlands

I've driven by this National Park the last few years on the road and this time I decided to stop for a night.  I am so glad I did.  Even though it's off of  boring highway 90, it's like you stumbled upon a different world.  When I first looked at the rock formations, it reminded me of those glass jars you could buy at tourist shops with layers of pastel colored sand in them.  Or, you might have made those yourself at some point to decorate your stylish room.

The mountains and rock formations are beautiful.  Max and I set up camp at a lovely site that gave us plenty of room to stretch out.  The weather was perfect, scenery was beautiful.  We even slept with the "windows" on the tent open in order to see the sunrise.  It didn't disappoint.

This site is one of the more relaxing and beautiful sights I've been to so far.  Voices in this small campsite carry and lucky for us, most campers realized that and kept it down.  If you visit, know that the sites don't have hook ups and there aren't fires allowed.  What they do have is a beautiful view and a sky that seems to go on for miles.

If you are traveling cross country and need a break from the highway, this is the best you can ask for in the middle of South Dakota.

I am glad I took the time to take a break off of the highway to see this beautiful park.

A Trip To The Coast To Beat The Heat

Max and I decided to take a break from the heat and headed towards the coast.  I haven't been this far up Northern California since I took a trip with my family in our wood paneled station wagon when I was 10 years old.  It was my mom, brother, grandmother, grandfather, and father all packed into a car and headed to Canada.  My mother and I sat in the reverse seat in the back and looked out the window to where we've been.

Since the temperatures were over 100 where we were, the coast temperatures are a welcome site.  We left pretty late in the afternoon so we finally arrived to the Redwood Forest visitor center after hours.  The nice ranger saw me and decided to come out and give me a map only to tell me that all sites were filled.  He wished me luck in my search and gave me a tip that some hike in sites along the coastal dirt road might be available.

Max and I decided to take his advice and try to find the free hike in sites.  We drove North and turned at the bridge before Klamath, just as the ranger said and came upon an unpaved road.  We continued on the coastal trail and stopped when we saw a few cars parked outside.  We arrived at the Flint Ridge campsite. There were a few campers having dinner by their car so I talked to them about the availability at the site.  They weren't sure so we decided to get everything out of the car and haul it up about a half a mile to the campsites.  Lucky for us, there was a space available.  It was a nice hike but the best part about it was that it's FREE!

We set up camp and headed down the hill to watch the sunset.  It was a beautiful foggy sunset.  After that, we called it a night.

 Tomorrow we will be on the hunt for some tall trees.

The Beauty Of Yosemite

I love traveling to our National parks.  There is something about them that instantly relaxes me.  Just driving up to the gate fills me with excitement with the anticipation of what I'm going to see, especially if I haven't been there before.  This was my first visit to Yosemite and despite the crowds, it is truly a sight to see.  As with every park, there are places you can find to get lost or stay with people if you want to drive around the valley.

Since Max isn't allowed on the trails, I had to stay near the road and even doing so brought me to some amazing views.  One of the best investments I've made was purchasing a National Park Pass.  For $80, you can travel to all parks for a year without paying admission.  If you plan to visit several, it's well worth the price.

I plan to visit as many National Parks as possible this time around and I look forward to seeing many I haven't explored before.  This is the perfect time of year to dust off your tent and equipment, get in the car and take a road trip to see the most beautiful acres of property in this country.

A Few Hours In Nevada City, California

I decided to get out of the forest for a few hours so I kept Max in the cool cabin and headed to Nevada City.  I used to come here in the winter when I lived in Northern California.  The town is so charming and the people are so down to earth and friendly.  If you happen to be in the area during Christmas time, it's not to miss.  The entire town is decorated and will put you in the spirit instantly.

It's pretty hot around here right now as it is in most parts of the country today.  I decided to hang out at a coffee shop for a while to power up my computer and write for a while online.

As Western Mining History describes, "First settled in 1849, Nevada City is one of the oldest of the Gold Rush towns. The settlement was known by several names until the name Nevada was selected in 1850. In 1861, the creation of the territory of Nevada once again prompted a name change and Nevada City became the final name of the town. 

A prosperous mining town, Nevada City became Californias third largest city with over 10,000 residents. Nevada City became the most sophisticated of the gold rush mining camps. New England moral influence, and able leadership from early settlers resulted in a relatively lawful town in contrast to the lawless camps of the time."

The houses here in town are so beautiful, I wanted to see if I could get people in their element sitting on the porch.  I think I toured during the hottest part of the day since most people were inside of their homes.  This is a dog lovers town and there were several best friends hanging out on the street with their local owners and a few scattered tourists around.  From the last time I was here, it seems more quiet than usual.  I didn't mind, it was a nice break of the day to get out and be around people for a while.

After just a few hours, I headed back into the hills.  I look forward to seeing what I come across tomorrow.

A Tourist Watching Tourists In Yosemite National Park

Ahhh, the joy of getting out of the city to get away from it all.  To breathe in the fresh air, see the mountains, look at the beautiful trees...oh yeah, with everyone else driving from the city to do the same.  I love our National Parks, as many other Americans do, but sometimes the crowds can rival those in metro areas. This was one of those weekends.

You know the stories of extremely rich people wanting to go to outer space alone and are willing to pay big bucks to do so?  I wonder what it would be like if you could do that with a National Park.  Can you imagine being at one of these parks alone? Now I just need to win the lottery to see if it's possible.

As I toured through Yosemite, I wondered if Ansel Adams could handle the crowds that tour the park today.  I was laughing to myself thinking of him setting up his camera and waiting for the light as 20 tourists stood behind him snapping away.  It is pretty insane how many people line up to wait for a parking space and then walk fifty feet to look at a waterfall.  Don't get me wrong, the scenery is so beautiful and amazing but when you pair it with sitting in traffic to park just to walk behind a herd of people, you start thinking to yourself, "this better be the most beautiful waterfall ever!...or else!"

I took pictures of the scenery, but I also enjoyed snapping pictures of the tourists.  Once a bear was spotted in the field, the traffic was jammed up for miles, there was a ranger directing the traffic and yelling at people to keep moving, the same ranger was yelling at people to stay on the road as the crowd tried to inch closer and closer to the grazing bear.  I cracked up as I saw a family turning to take a family photo. This is how the mother would describe the printed picture to someone: "Here's the last picture I have of my husband and kids when they turned their back to the hungry bear in Yosemite."

Oh, and after the hike to the waterfall, there was also the line ten people deep to use the "bathroom."

I spent the day driving on the road that took me through the entire park.  After touring the valley, it was time to go back to the campsite for some quiet time with Max.  The following morning, we left our site around 7:30a.m and the line to get a site was out of the door at the reservation house.  Oddly enough, I wasn't the only one who thought it would be a good idea to camp at Yosemite this weekend.