Self Portrait - South Kaibab Trail, Grand Canyon National Park | Dec 2020
Happy New Year, yall! I’m a little late to the 2021 posting party, and have been just now getting back into a good work groove it seems. Currently I’m wrapping up some late 2020 projects, and gearing up for some exciting new 2021 gigs. I’m looking forward to getting vaccinated, and imperfectly wading through these challenging waters with most of yall. This portrait was taken during a covid friendly car trip Alec and I made during December. We drove thousands of miles, hiked into the grand canyon, met a few new friends at a safe distance, car camped in freezing temperatures, made freeze dried meals, and so on. It was by and large, a blast. Hiking and camping however didnt come naturally to me. Sometimes the things you wish to add to your life will not be comfortable.
In 2019, I bought myself a pair of hiking boots in order to push myself outside more. I developed a lifelong love of our park systems almost immediately. It’s my dream to explore all 62 (and counting) National Parks. In 2020 and mostly out of a desire to save money, I got into camping. But it turned out I loved it! Not without its challenges, however. I learned pretty quickly I had some massive anxiety when it came to sleeping in the wilderness at night with just a thin layer of material separating me from whatever walked by at all hours of the night. I learned pretty quickly that I had to face my fears and rise above them. I’m still doing that. Hiking and spending so much time in nature has been a God-send for me these last couple of years. It’s made me so much stronger, mentally and physically.
During covid, this largely mask-free escape into nature has been deeply important to my well being; to surround myself with challenges and joys that had nothing to do with the chaos of a modern world. No matter the trends, news, bickering and debating, these places (through extensive protection) exist. These places are ours to love and protect, to grow in spirit and strength in. Challenging myself with hiking and camping has been an important aspect to my life, and I’m so thankful for it. I’ll be posting a journal entry later this week with more imagery from our trip. In the meantime, if you have questions or concerns on how to #recreateresponsibly during whats left of this pandemic, feel free to DM me and I’ll be glad to offer science-based advice with credible sources for further reading.
