Countdown - (Now Available on Amazon!)

 Writing a novel is something I thought about doing for many years but never followed through because of my lack of writing skills to pull it off. Last year (2024) I revisited that idea and a storyline I had played around with, to finally complete that first attempt at creating a full blown novel. It's title, Running The Edge, and it reflected the premise of a story based on the operations of an elite U.S. Coast Guard Lifeboat Search and Rescue unit...something in which I have some personal experience. 

I enjoyed creating that book so much, in more recent times I decided to write a sequel to it called 'Countdown'. It is a continuation of the same premise of the first book using the same characters and setting. Countdown is a more involved story with twists and turns where the main characters are thrown into dangerous situations made more demanding and serious by a time limit factor. It explores the personal relationships between the characters and how they overcome not only their personal haunting demons, but external events that threatens to destroy everything and everyone they love. It is a story about good vs evil and one that will send the reader to the edge of their seat.

A third book in the series may be in the works in the near future, but for now, I'll just leave you with enjoying this newest of novels called Countdown...available May 26, 2025 on Amazon in paperback and ebook formats.

Please enjoy this short Promo Video...

A True Adventure - Book Revue

I not only enjoy writing and have indeed written a great deal on various subjects, mostly about personal outdoor adventures and photography. (I have also written and published a novel, my first, last year and I am currently working on my second one.) This blog contains well over 500 articles about those subjects. Not only do I enjoy writing, I also enjoy reading. 

As a child I learned the value of reading. My favorite kind of books back then were true adventure stories. They still are today and I have read and re-read a number of good ones. One of my favorites is the true story of Kon Tiki. 

Going forward as part of this blog, I will from time to time post a book revue about an adventure book I have read. In this post we'll explore this amazing adventure and how it helped to nurture me as a young boy to grow into dreaming of grand adventures.

The Story

Kon Tiki is the true story written by Norwegian adventurer and ethnographer Thor Heyerdahl. Thor developed a theory about how the Polynesian islands became inhabited basing his theory on observations and deductions on the similarity of cultures found in South America to those found across Polynesia. He believed those similarities were so strong, he thought it was possible for peoples from South America to have navigated westward across the Pacific on rafts made from balsa wood logs.

Balsa wood grew along the coast in the highlands of what is now Peru and the peoples there learned to construct rafts using the logs to sail along the coast. Even some of the legends and stories passed down from generations across Polynesia referred to their ancient ancestors as having come from where the sun rises on large rafts.

To prove his theory, he and a select team of five other men built a raft using the same techniques the ancient ones used and took off on journey to sail across the Pacific. They encountered hardships and amazing experiences along the way. About 100 days after embarking, they ran aground on a small uninhabited  island, one that was part of a chain of islands that were inhabited.

The journey did not prove that Polynesia was indeed populated from people from South America. It only proved that is was possible.

The Impact

As a young boy I often dreamed of grand adventures and those dreams and the ideals surrounding the challenge of them, formed deep within my mindset. Opportunities to partake of such things never truly materialized, but the influence of having read this story certainly played a roll in my pursuing other kinds of adventures.

My joining the U.S. Coast Guard three years into my college career certainly was influenced by the idea of chasing an adventure...and it became the defining adventure of and the single most influential moment of my life, before or since. Hiking into the woodlands, camping, canoeing and canoe camping, hunting, fishing, and yes even photography all were products germinated from the seed of adventure this book planted within my young mind.

Recommendations

I know many good people who rarely read anything much beyond a shopping list. Many young folks today are almost all visually oriented relying on video and other visual mass media for their entertainment. Being visually fed has its limitations. Allowing your mind to absorb and generate it own visual references is by far a better way to explore life. This book is written at a level that young teens can become engrossed with the story. Certainly adults have the ability to do so if they take the time to read it.

This story took place in 1947, an era when ordinary men could part of an adventure such as this and live a fascinating true life story. The ability to do such things today is limited for so many reasons, but the ability to expand your own ability to dream of grand adventures is as full and exciting as ever. Kon Tiki can provide the reader with that sense of adventure they may never be able to live themselves, but it can also serve to motivate and propel some to achieve amazing things.

Old School Camping in Foul Weather

 Well, the 2025 Spring season has turned into a wet one. Just a few weeks ago I was gearing up getting ready for some canoe camping adventures. Since then, we've had so much rain, my traditional canoe camping location has been inundated. Canoe camping is out of the question for now. Barren River Lake is currently over 25 feet above its normal summer pool. That is very near its flood stage level with more rain in the forecast. All the remote camping areas on the lake are underwater and the lake itself looks like chocolate milk. Not too inviting at the moment. We dodged a bullet just a few days ago when a strong thunderstorm passed through. During that stretch which occurred around 1:00 AM, a deluge of rain, literally a wall of rain, hammered our remote area, then it suddenly stopped. Behind it a little distance away, I heard a loud and steady roar that grew ever louder and closer. I got up and checked the weather station. At that very moment they were showing a large supercell with a well defined hook echo passing directly over where we live. It had a definite tornadic signature, but luckily it never produced a live tornado that touched the ground. My neighbor said he stepped outside at that time and could see the rotation of the clouds directly above.

So, what does this have to do with old school camping. Well, not much really, but because the weather has been so off the charts wicked the last few weeks, I've not been able to get out much. So I thought I would explore the roll of how Old School Camping in foul weather served as a learning experience on how to deal with adverse situations when pursuing a few moments alone out in nature.

One of the first true backpacking trips I ever made was way back in the mid-1980's. I worked a lot of hours back then so time to get away was sparse and far between. I decided I needed to get away and wanted to make a backpacking trip. The closest place was a small lake called Greenleaf Lake, just south of Muskogee, Ok. Roughly a 10 mile loop circled the lake and offered at least an opportunity to try out this backpacking thing.

My backpacking gear was rather old school at the time. The pack was a cheap frame type, pretty small actually, but I managed to stuff it and strap to it all the assorted gear I would need. The only modern thing I had was a Coleman Peak One Packer stove. I still have that stove and it still works great. I got a late start and didn't arrive at the trailhead until late in the afternoon. Maybe 3 or 4 hours of daylight remained and since I had never hiked this loop before I did not know what to expect. Not more than a half hour into the hike, an ominous dark cloud started rolling in from the southwest accompanied by lightning and rain. I hiked faster and faster trying to find a suitable location to camp before that storm caught up with me.

The trail in places was not very well marked and not heavily used, so I had to guess at times where to walk. As a result I managed to lose the trail several times, but eventually found my way to it again. At one one point I had to jump across a small, swollen creek. Thought I could make it without  removing the pack. I didn't. Went in both feet up to my knees in the creek. My boots and socks were completely soaked and from then on I hiked with wet feet that turned into wet blisters. As I looped around and headed in a more southerly direction the steepness of the terrain did not offer any kind of suitable camping location...and the storm clouds grew closer and closer, and the thunder grew louder and sharper, and the wind grew stronger and stronger. It was time to seek shelter so I picked out the most level spot, which was not all that level, and threw up my little tent as fast as I could. Just as I drove in the last stake to hold the tent in place, the skies opened up and I barely crawled inside before being completely drenched.

Trees all around me were swaying. Lightning followed by instant thunder remained constant. On and on it continued well into the night. I did manage to warm up a meal using that Peak One stove, which was not easy within the tight confines of that little tent, but man-o-man did it ever storm. I could hear tree limbs crashing to the ground and my little tent bent and swayed in the wind, but to its credit, I stayed mostly dry through it all.

Not much sleep followed me that night. Not until in the early morning hours just before dawn did the storm let up and I managed a hour or so of sleep. When I awoke, I could hear birds singing and rain drops dripping from the trees. I climbed out into a glorious blue sky morning. My feet were blistered. My gear mostly waterlogged. I was hungry and sleep deprived, but I loaded up and headed on down the trail. By the time I reached my vehicle several miles later, my blistered feet hurt so bad I could hardly walk, but I made it...through the storm and all.

I've had numerous run ins with foul weather on camping trips. Some of them were down right challenging to say the least. One of the most challenging occurred some years back when my good buddy Rocky and I were on a multi-day float trip down Arkansas' Buffalo River. We experienced just about every kind of weather you could possibly run into with the exception of snow...and we came close to getting some that too.

We started out with almost perfect weather. Upper 70's to low 80's. Blue skies. Not much wind. Those conditions proved quite deceptive and as we continued our trip, the wind kicked up. I have yet to figure out why it is, that no matter what direction you travel in on a float trip, the wind is always in your face. It proved true on this trip. Strong gusty winds pushed and shoved at us so much so we found it difficult to even try to fish. We were worn out by the end of the day. Then the temperature began to drop. Coupled with the wind, it grew quite chilly. Toward the end of the second day as that cold front worked its way across the landscape, storm clouds began to build, then the thunder, along with lightning. Some of the lightning was quite intense and way too close for comfort. Being exposed like we were, we deemed it necessary to get off the river until the storm passed. It took over an hour for it to work through and we sat, not having any other options, under a group of trees during that time. Eventually, we shoved off again, but by now the cold front had infiltrated and the temperature began to drop...and it got down right cold. Rain was still spitting on us and at times, that rain turned into sleet. It felt like snow was on the way, but fortunately only sleet and freezing rain taunted us.

That second night turned quite cold and I didn't have quite enough cloths for that kind of weather. By the next morning, a fire was pretty much out of the question as everything was soaked so we ate some oatmeal heated by my Peak One stove and shoved off again only by this time the river level started to rise. As it turned out, our last day involved just a few, although chilly, river miles of floating and we were able to pull out around midday.  We certainly experienced a unique few days on that trip.

You know, some of the most memorable outings seemed to always revolve around the weather. I suppose spending much time outdoors you just learn to adapt to what nature throws at you. The old school way of approaching it is perhaps the most rewarding way. 

Spring Season - The Hardest Season to Photograph

 Of all the attempts I've made over the years to capture the Spring season photographically, I've only managed to take one image that I truly like, and it's a black and white photograph. For some reason, I've never felt satisfied with the results of those attempts and I've struggle to figure out why. By all rights Spring should be one of the best times for a photographer with all the color exploding across the landscape. However, there is a gap between what my camera should be able to create and what I typically end up with. Let's take a moment to review this one image and why it seems to work, at least from my personal taste.

Dogwoods tend to bloom a bit later in Spring than other trees, but when they do, they create eye catching splashes of white scattered across the landscape. On this particular morning I returned to a location where I knew a row of dogwoods grew along the length of an old split rail fence. I, most likely like other photographers, have a habit of trying to capture the entire scene, in this case the trees and fence all in one image, with the result following a similar pattern where the images are simply ordinary with not much depth to the subject. 

The morning light filtered through a background of clutter to eventually encounter the dogwoods. I saw something in the moment and, as I often do, moved in a bit closer to frame a group of the blooms hovering above a portion of the split rail fence.  I allowed my eyes to find the composition and fired off a couple of quick shots. Taking a quick glance at the images I felt like at least one just might work and later on, after I applied some basic post processing the image began to develop a unique personality. It was only after I converted it into a black and white image with a small amount of sepia applied that the image leaped off the screen.

Spring photography is usually a time for color, but on this occasion, black and white worked its magic. To further enhance the image, I applied some Gaussian blur and using the eraser tool removed the blur on the front few blooms. Doing this added an element of depth and magic to the image. 

I've never been able to truly duplicate this process in other Spring photographs. I suppose it is because no two moments of light are ever the same and each one offers a unique opportunity. The difficulty lies in being able to recognize how any given moment of light wraps itself around a subject, and understanding that each one requires a unique perspective photographically. The Spring season by far demands more intense scrutiny from a photographer in order to capture the amazing opportunity it presents. I guess I'll keep trying and maybe someday discover how to capture this wonderful time of year.

A Nature Photographer's Personal Perpective

 It started oh so many years ago as a young boy growing up in Southeastern Oklahoma. Those days spent exploring the creeks and woodlands near my home set the foundation for my love of nature which lead to my eventually becoming a nature photographer.

This video is a personal perspective on that journey and explores what it means to be a nature photographer. 

Please enjoy...

Gearing Up For Canoe Camping/Photography Season - Camera, Lenses, Camping & Canoe Gear, Physical Fitness

This past winter seemed rather long and somewhat more challenging than most winters in Kentucky. After not having been sick for at least four years, I had to fight off some kind of respiratory ailment that lasted for several weeks this past winter.  Even though I did manage to get out some with my camera or to simply take a hike from time to time, as the winter progressed I longed more and more for the warmer days of canoeing season. I found myself thumbing through previous photos or video clips from past canoe camping seasons. About all that accomplished was to enhance my desire to get out again. 

The canoeing season for me usually begins somewhere around the end of March or early April and ends somewhere around the end of October or maybe early November. That four or five month gap between seasons allows for some free time to prepare for the next season. It is important, especially as for someone older like myself (I'll turn 73 this year) to stay physically fit. Neglecting doing so can actually prevent or at the very least, slow you down when the new canoe season arrives. 

(As always check with your doctor before beginning any kind of strenuous workout routine). I keep it simple and do what works for me. There was a day I would spend a good deal of time at the gym. Now that's a good thing, but it took a lot of time and involved some expense. In more recent days I have streamlined my workout routine by using my garage as a gym. It's a whole lot cheaper and way more convenient. Overall, I workout 3, sometimes 4 days a week. On those days, I do a series of pushups ... usually about 100 or so spread over three or four sets. Pushups are one of the best and easiest forms of strength training routines as it works pretty much your whole body especially your shoulders and upper back which are crucial muscles for canoeing. I also throw in some arm strengthening routines using, of all things, an old car battery for a weight. It weighs about 40 pounds or so and provides enough resistance to strengthen not only my biceps but my upper back, lats, and shoulders. My two car battery routines include bicep curls and one arm bent-over rows. The full workout usually takes about 15 at most 20 minutes. In addition I also throw in some walking usually averaging 2 to 3 miles upwards to 3 to 4 times a week...except during the coldest part of the winter where I tend to back off for a while. Last year I managed over 800 miles of walking with as many as 10 miles for a high, and as few as less than 2. My goal was to make 1000 miles for the year...oh well...I came close. It's a good idea and kind of fun to keep a walking log tracking your daily miles, month to date miles, and overall mileage. It also serves as a form of motivation to keep going and over time it adds up quickly. Start slow and build endurance and strength..and keep it simple and fun and remember, you don't have to wear yourself out, just get started and stay with it! ( I managed to drop a few pounds along the way.)

When it comes to canoe camping or any kind of activity that involves carrying your camping gear with you, less is most always better. For canoeing I use two main waterproof bags ... the smaller one I use for my personal gear like dry clothes, spit kit, small towel ... you know, those things you will need around camp but not so much through the day. The larger one carries my actual camping gear like tent or tarp, sleeping bag, ground cloth, cooking gear, small shovel, small hatchet ... again...those things necessary for an overnight or multi-day trip. I also use a very small bag for wallet, phone, keys, extra camera batteries and such. During the hotter months and even though I avoid using one most of the time, I will actually carry a small cooler to store any kind of perishable food items.

Speaking of food, there is nothing more satisfying than eating a good meal cooked over a campfire. I love bacon and eggs of a morning while observing fog drifting off the water. At day's end, a good steak or even hamburger really completes the day. If not for items such as those, I would never carry a cooler with me. Most of the time I can get by with freeze dried foods or food not needing to stay cool. The idea is to keep it simple but nourishing.

As far as canoe gear goes, this past offseason allowed me to build and/or modify a couple of canoe/kayak paddles. One was a how to make a double paddle instructional video I posted as YouTube video   (https://youtu.be/Va3iK9KRTpw?si=Ugak5WJhH23oJ6pm).  

Fun project and I'm looking forward to trying it out. The other one I simply modified a previous paddle so I can break it down into two pieces.

My canoe gear for most canoe trips stays about the same regardless if it is a day trip or overnighter. I use a 16 foot Old Town Camper canoe. It's a great canoe and has served we well for over 20 years now. It weighs in at 59 pounds...there are newer and lighter weight canoes available now days, but, I'd be lost without my venerable and trusty Old Town. Paddles include one double bladed paddle plus a spare single paddle.  When you need to cover some distance, that double paddle is the way to go. It offers almost continuous momentum and straight tracking. A lifejacket, throwable cushion, seatback, water bailer, fifteen feet or so of rope plus an anchor...and that's about it to round out the basics. I keep it simple too along with some basic fishing gear. As always, it is best to build up slowly until you gain confidence and skill. 

My camera gear needs, I have learned should also remain simple. For landscapes and such I use my Sony A77 plus two lenses: a 75-300 Minolta zoom and a 18-50 Sigma wide angle fitted with a circular polarizer filter. For video I primarily use my phone for it takes very good video. I will also shoot some video with the Sony for certain kinds of footage the phone may not capture quite as well. I also include a small tripod to secure the phone too for the video footage and for long exposures with the other camera gear. Yes, I have more capable camera gear, but there really is no need to lug it around, which I have done in the past. it is amazing how little camera gear you actually need to capture your adventure. All the gear is stored inside a watertight ammo box when not in use.

When loading the canoe, I place most all the gear as far forward as I can. This provides a counter weight forward to offset my weight aft and allows the canoe to track better and to not be as adversely affected by the wind. I also load the gear as low in the canoe as possible avoiding any packs or bags to extend above the gunwales. This lowers the center of gravity helping to retain canoe stability, and reduces its wind catching signature. Camera and fishing gear I keep close to me as well as water bottles and snacks.

Yeah, I'm ready for a new season of canoeing adventure. The photographic possibilities are almost limitless and with any luck at all, I'll be able to capture some unique moments of light. Preparing for those potential moments requires a measure of planning and preparation, but those things are what adds to the mystique and enduring nature of pursuing such things. Keeping it simple, staying within your own capabilities, and being willing to give it a try makes what might seem out of reach...possible.

Defining Success Afield

A fine line exists between experiencing success afield or feeling discouraged by a lack of it. It doesn't matter the endeavor, most of us who challenge ourselves in the outdoors have most likely experienced both. Yet, over the years I have experienced a great deal of insight as a result of having moments of success and moments of discouragement. As a result, I have learned one fundamental axiom; whether through photography, fishing, canoeing, or any outdoor related activity, success can often be defined by one word: Attitude.

I have missed far more photographic moments than I have ever captured, and I have experienced many fishing days where I've been completely skunked. Although I rarely hunt these days, more often than not in years past my hunting skills fell well short of expectations. Target shooting, fishing, canoeing, camping, photography have all contributed to what most people might see as an indication of a failed attempt. But, failure is a harsh word to describe such things for I see those moments as a series of steps toward success. There is a difference in thinking when it comes to accepting that sometimes, results fall short of expectations. Successful completion of expectations takes effort and the results are far from certain, but...that is exactly why I try.

The trick is to adjust expectations for the moment and look at the situation from a positive perspective. I remember once, a good number of years ago now, back in Oklahoma I took a co-worker and younger friend of mine on his first canoe fishing trip. All week we talked about it and I may have elevated his expectations by building up this little lake as having produced several good bass over the years. He was all excited about getting out come that Saturday. Of course he was late arriving for our early morning start...which by the way became a bad habit of his...and we missed the early morning fishing opportunity. All through the morning both of us made cast after cast after cast without a single hit of any kind. By mid-morning he began to grumble and gripe. By noon, the day in his mind was turning into a waste. By early afternoon I was getting rather tired of his griping and decided the fishing trip was over and so we pulled out early. During our fishing time and on the way home, I tried to redirect his negative thinking toward just how much fun it was to be out on the water in the canoe. We had a beautiful day and there were other values just wanting recognition. Yet, in his single minded focus the fishing was lousy so the day became a big waste of time.  To him, the day was a failure.  His incessant griping put a damper on the day, even for me. Even so, I loved just being there and would have enjoyed the day in spite of the lack of fishing success, but his attitude pretty well ruined the day for both of us. I never again took him fishing. 

By this time in my life I had learned how the outcome is the least important element and just being there was what actually mattered the most. A positive outcome is simply the icing and a positive attitude will make any day afield a good experience. My late good friend Ralph became instrumental in teaching me to think this way and he did so by example. I never knew of him to grumble or gripe about the situation regardless of the circumstances, and we experienced just about every kind of situation. His attitude was one of first, just being able to get out and enjoy the day and second, let's see if we can catch a fish or two along the way. 

Sometimes I will head out with my camera hoping to discover some exciting moments of light. Rest assured, many of those times the light was simply not there, yet I was still able to experience a great morning or afternoon because I set the camera aside and listened to what nature was offering. 

Many times I have done similar things during other situations. I'll set the fishing rod down and sit on the creek bank and just allow the motion of the water talk to me, or instead of fishing from my canoe, I'll stow the rod away and spend the day paddling around getting up close to explore some tucked away cove or rocky bluff or watch a high flying eagle or osprey do their acrobatics. They, after all, are certainly far better at fishing than I ever will become.

I love to just sit behind a campfire and listen to its song and absorb its aroma. No two of them are ever the same and each one develops its own personality. Seeking out a sunset while doing such things can be one of the most soothing and calming of moments. I often find myself alone during such times, and for the most part, that is what I prefer. 

Moments such as these are what define success afield. Each of us who pursue such things must develop our own definition of what that should look like. For me, just being there is success enough. Storing those moments within the memory banks of my heart is like having money in the bank.The trick is to not deplete the value of such things by allowing negative attitudes to overdraw the account.  Just enjoy the opportunity in whatever form it is given.