Uncategorized | WONDER

Jun 14

Something Special About East Africa

Greetings! In the morning Susan drives me to Fort Collins where I catch the shuttle to Denver International Airport. My flight (destination Nairobi, Kenya) departs early Sunday morning. If all goes well, Monday evening I should be sipping a gin and tonic with my traveling buddy Curtis at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi. This is a very special trip organized with my friend John Kambutu – 11 guests are participating in a two-week adventure that we’re all quite excited about. After spending a few days in Nairobi, we visit a variety of national parks and game reserves (Samburu, Mt Kenya, Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, and Lake Naivasha) and meet a variety of local peoples along the way. You can read the description elsewhere in the blog. Susan will stay home with the pooches (a return trip is planned to the Serengeti for my 70^th birthday). Below are a few composite images but you can find other photographs in the blog (African Wildlife Safari, East Africa Parks and Lodges, Great Migration). Hope you’re well and I’ll be back in touch in early July. This is my sixth trip to East Africa … there truly is something special about this part of the world!

Jun 5

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Catching Up

Greetings! May was a busy month. It began with a trip to San Francisco where we visited my mom and sister; spent time with some close friends; and Susan successfully ran the Divas Half Marathon in Burlingame. Then it was off to Idaho and Yellowstone with Nancy and Steve. When we returned to Laramie it was back to winter for a bit and then some R&R in Denver. Now the weather is great, the dogs are healthy (though Trapper tore a nail in his paw), the road over the Snowies is open (we picnicked there a few days back), the wildflowers are beginning to bloom, and it is feeling a lot like summer. Hope you’re well and stay in touch. Below are a few photos … just realized I spent lots of time close to water.

Golden Gate Bridge – San Francisco, California

Pacific Ocean – Half Moon Bay, California

Walking the beach with Dale – Half Moon Bay, California

Susan completing the Divas Half Marathon – Burlingame, California

Springer Spaniels scrap metal sculptures by Amiot & Laurent, Marimar Estates – Sebastopol, California

Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve – California State Parks

View of the Tetons from the west – near Victor, Idaho

Upper Mesa Falls – Mesa Falls Recreation Area, Idaho

Cave Falls – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Bechler Falls – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Trumpeter Swans, Harriman State Park – Island Park, Idaho

Bald Eagle – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Grizzly Bear #399 with cubs – Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Apr 14

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Spring Skiing

Greetings!

Though the weather has warmed some snow continues to fall … it’s a wonderful time to visit the mountains and take photos. Last weekend I joined Marty and Paul to ski in the Colorado State Forest on the Jewel Lake Trail (beneath Clark Peak, 12,954’); we spent two nights in a Yurt beautifully nestled in a snow-covered forest (at about 9,600’). On Wednesday Ed and I skied at Steamboat Springs – our last ski in the area until next year. The beauty and joy of AT skiing (alpine touring) and spring skiing in Steamboat are the lack of other skiers. Below are a few photos.

Trail head Jewel Lake (Clark Peak in the background) – Colorado State Forest, Colorado

Clark Peak Yurt – Colorado State Forest, Colorado

Fresh snow, Clark Peak Yurt – Colorado State Forest, Colorado

Jewel Lake Trail – Colorado State Forest, Colorado

Marty and Paul, Jewel Lake Trail – Colorado State Forest, Colorado

Jewel Lake Trail – Colorado State Forest, Colorado

Marty and Paul, Jewel Lake Trail – Colorado State Forest, Colorado

Paul above Jewel Lake (11,270′) – Colorado State Forest, Colorado

Paul skiing down Jewel Lake Trail – Colorado State Forest, Colorado

View southwest Jewel Lake Trail – Colorado State Forest, Colorado

Marty and Paul skiing down Jewel Lake Trail – Colorado State Forest, Colorado

Marty, Michael and Paul, Clark Peak Yurt – Colorado State Forest, Colorado

Steamboat Ski & Resort – Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Ed, Steamboat Ski & Resort – Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Michael, Steamboat Ski & Resort – Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Apr 4

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Pet Photography

Greetings and hope everyone enjoyed Easter weekend. We did … nice and sunny for a change. Saw and heard our first robins … spring truly has arrived (for a while anyway). Have been considering how to do more with my photography (i.e., make a bit of money); even “briefly” considered doing a few weddings 😦 … decided upon Pet Photography – there seems to be a niche for this in Laramie and I think I may actually enjoy doing it. See adverts below.

For those who live in the area please share with friends. Have also added a few pet photos to the blog Photographs. Hope you’re all well!

Below are a few pet photos I’ve included in my portfolio:

Mar 15

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Hibernation

Greetings and where did the past two months disappear to? Seems like Susan, I, and the dogs must have been hibernating.

But when I think about it we HAVE been doing stuff. Lots of snow this winter and lots of skiing for me, running in snow for the dogs, and running and reading for Susan … you know the weather outside is dreary when Susan could read (and finish) Melville’s Moby Dick: Or How I learned to Love the Whale. For me, there’s been lots of teaching beginning skiers at Snowy Range – a small family ski area about 35miles West of Laramie. I’ve also registered for a few ski clinics: one last month devoted to teaching children and one next month devoted to teaching seniors (I now know a few). Have also been working on a few photographs (last evening Ken at the Cross Country Connection hosted an After Hours Slide Show on the recent trek to the South Base Camp of Mount Everest); Brenda at Artisans’ Gallery is also displaying some of my Himalaya photos.Everest Base Camp Trek Flier

Also am close to finally completing the East Africa Wildlife Safari Photo Journal … only have about fifteen birds left to include (it seems the finished project will feature over 110 wildlife species and be about 100 pages in length) … hoping to complete before Tax Day.

Hope you’re well and will remember the winter plight of all sturdy souls in cold snowy Wyoming when spring finally arrives next week! No more hibernating for us!! Below are a few photos … brrrrrrr!

March snow – Laramie, Wyoming

Skiers enjoying fresh snow – Steamboat Springs, Colorado

March snow – Laramie, Wyoming

Neighborhood watch (in March) – Laramie, Wyoming

Sorrel & Rusty enjoying the snow (sort of) – Laramie, Wyoming

Trapper enjoying the snow – Laramie, Wyoming

Jan 9

The Hobbit

Greetings and very much hope your 2013 is off to a good beginning. Susan and I usually attend a movie on New Year’s eve and this year saw The Hobbit. By now some of you might be a tad tired of the Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Ring trilogy so may give this movie a pass but I hope you don’t. True the movie overdoes special effects (there’s even a 3-D version) especially fighting scenes with trolls, goblins, wolves, and stone-giants but it does celebrate a theme emphasized in this blog: the value of adventure in our lives. Though the movie may not successfully capture that Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit) is fifty years of age at the beginning of the story (as intended by author J.R.R. Tolkien) it does capture Bilbo’s contentment, complacency, and reluctance to venture far from home and habit. When encouraged by the wizard Gandalf “to share in a adventure” Bilbo responds that hobbits “are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can’t think what anybody sees in them.” Yet, Bilbo does participate in an adventure and, as the wizard predicts, it changes the hobbit’s life forever. It really is a grand story and a fun movie especially if, as an adult, you still enjoy having adventures.

In retrospect, 2012 was a grand year for experiencing what two fascinating cultures believe about the origin of the world, the niche human beings and other living things have in it, and the meaning and purpose of existence: Pharonic Egypt (to be added shortly) and Tibetan Buddhism. I’ve added some photos to the Travel section of the blog.

Again, have a great year!

Dec 31

Season Greetings 2012

Season Greetings and Happy New Year,

Heard from many of you the past few weeks and always appreciate it; wonderful having caring friends! Had opportunities in 2012 to travel (and have adventures) with some of you and hope for more outings in 2013. Susan, the kids (Rusty, Sorrel and Trapper) and I spent Christmas snug in the house … outside fresh snow fell (Laramie can be lovely in winter). Below are a few photos.

Have also added a few more photos from the Everest Base Camp Trek: Mount Everest (Wonder), Khumbu Peaks and Valleys (Photographs), and Everest Base Camp Trek (Travel). In addition, included is an article Amber Travsky wrote for our Laramie newspaper. Everest Base Camp Trek (Amber Article)

Christmas tree ornaments with Buddhist prayer flags – Laramie, Wyoming

Holiday snow – Laramie, Wyoming

Susan’s 2012 Christmas toast – Laramie, Wyoming

Trapper with Christmas collar – Laramie, Wyoming

Susan sharing some Christmas treats with Trapper, Sorrel and Rusty – Laramie, Wyoming

Susan and Rusty with springer spaniel marionette – Laramie, Wyoming

Prescott’s Wild Ponies sculpture with Christmas bows – Laramie, Wyoming

Doghouse with Christmas wreath and Buddhist prayer flags – Laramie, Wyoming

Rusty, Sorrel and Trapper with Christmas collars – Laramie, Wyoming

Christmas tree ornaments with Buddhist prayer flags – Laramie, Wyoming

Nov 7

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Trapper

Greetings all,

A few days ago I mentioned we’ve a new addition to the family: Trapper. He came to us via a Springer Spaniel Rescue group/ Rocky Mountain Region. Apparently Trapper (his previous family named him Trigger) and a brother (Cody) were taken to a shelter when their family needed to move and could no longer provide for them. Seems brother Cody was a bit of a handful and is still looking for a new home somewhere in Colorado but Trapper (i.e., Trigger) was moved to Laramie … where Susan discovered him. What a dear! He’s about 9 years old and has a wonderful mellow personality; he also has a fascination with watching TV. The twins have adjusted well to Trapper – perhaps they still missed their uncle Andy who passed a few moths ago. We’ve named him Trapper (it’s close enough to Trigger not to confuse him too much we hope) because years ago our friends Ed and Candy had a very personable Springer Spaniel named Trapper and it’s sort of a tribute to that wonderful dog! Below are a few photos.

More soon,

Michael

Trapper (9 year old English Springer Spaniel)

Susan and Trapper

Nov 5

5 Comments

Back from the Himalayas

Greetings all,

What a grand adventure! (Unfortunately I was unable to update the blog during the trek.) I arrived in Kathmandu Thursday October 11^th after spending over 24 hours in the air (and a twelve hour layover in Bangkok); needless to say I was exhausted! The next day my spirits improved greatly when after purchasing an inexpensive Nepalese cell phone and calling card I was able to call Susan and the kids for the first time. (Over the next few weeks I called home frequently, even during the trek — appreciate the suggestion Mark.) Spent three days exploring Nepal’s capital city: fascinating! Though Kathmandu is a noisy, confusing and dusty city to navigate on foot it is culturally diverse and visually exciting. (Took lots of photos some of which will be added to permanent sections of the blog.) Trek actually began Monday, October 15^th after a 30-minute flight to Lukla (elevation 9,300’). Here our REI group of 14 trekkers met Tupten Yeshi (trip leader), Kale Gurung (sidar), Madhu Paudel (cook) and a support group of guides, zokio drivers, porters and kitchen boys. This group provided lots of amenities such as transporting tents and personal duffels, setting up and tearing down camps, hot tea and wash water when we woke each day and entered camp each afternoon, excellent meals, and full trekking support; they were a joy! From Lukla the route descended to our first camp in Phakding (8,500’), near a large suspension bridge over the Dudh Kosi River. Over the next eight days we hiked about 36 miles and climbed nearly 10,000’. The weather was exceptionally clear each morning, generally foggy and or cloudy each afternoon, and blessed with starry skies each night. Temperatures fluctuated from around 20 degrees in the morning, 60-70 degrees around noon, and 10 degrees at night (generally clear and cold). Got my first view of Mount Everest on the 4^th day of our trek after leaving Namche Bazzar – hard to describe the sensation (had tears in my eyes!). Nearly each day for the next week we had clear views of Everest as well as the other majestic peaks surrounding us. The ascending part of the trek culminated in a visit to Base Camp (17,500’) — where some on Andy’s ashes were laid to rest – and to the summit of Kala Pattar (a bit over 18,000’): both destinations provided breathtaking views. Then we turned around and hiked another 35 miles back to Lukla. Throughout I stayed healthy and seemed to acclimatize well to the steady increase in elevation (only took a few Aleve and Tylenol tablets). Also took a lot of photos. (Below are a few of the photos with more to be added to permanent sections of the blog shortly.)

Very happy to be home with Susan and the twins! Also we’ve added a new family member: Trapper, a nine-year old Springer spaniel who we found through Springer Rescue. (Photos to follow shortly.)

Hindu holy man, Durbar Square – Kathmandu, Nepal

Zokios carrying supplies – Trekking in the Everest Region, Nepal

Early view of Mount Everest (surrounded by plume of clouds) – Trekking in the Everest Region, Nepal

Khumbu Ice Fall and Mount Everest (29,028′) behind with slight plume of clouds – Trekking in the Everest

Region, Nepal

Nine members of our REI Group with trip leader Tupten (far right) and three guides – Everest Base Camp, Nepal

Photo of Andy with Prayer Flags – Everest Base Camp, Nepal

Trip leader Tupten who was a Buddhist monk for ten years says some prayers as I scatter

Andy’s ashes – Everest Base Camp, Nepal

Prayer flags, Khumbu Ice Fall, Mount Everest from summit of Kala Pattar (18,190′) – Kala Pattar, Nepal

Khumbu Ice Fall and Mount Everest from summit of Kala Pattar – Kala Pattar, Nepal

Mount Everest with cloud plume from summit of Kala Pattar – Kala Pattar, Nepal

Summit of Kala Pattar with Khumbu Ice Fall and Mount Everest in background – Kala Pattar, Nepal

Oct 4

3 Comments

Preparing For Nepal

Greetings all,

It’s been awhile. Have spent the past month preparing for the Nepal adventure: hiking in the mountains and packing, repacking, and repacking again my bags (depart next week, October 8^th 2012). Logistically, the packing is a real challenge. What should I carry in my daypack (carry-on luggage) and what should I pack for the flight to Lukla (the airstrip and beginning of the 2 week trek to the south base-camp of Mt. Everest)? The daypack/carry-on challenge centers around camera gear, i.e., how much stuff am I willing to schlep? Packing for Lukla is guided by a 30lb weight limit and some expectations such as packing a bulky down sleeping bag and packing clothes for both mild and severe weather conditions, and for two weeks living out of a tent. I’ll finally have to decide this weekend. The hiking has been much more enjoyable. Over the past few weeks I’ve hiked to the summit of Medicine Bow Peak (12,013’) in the Snowy Mountains from both the north trailhead (via Lewis Lake) and from the south trailhead (via Lake Marie); also hiked (with Marty) the Montgomery Trail in the North Park area of Colorado. Below are a few photos. Also, this month at Artisans’ Gallery in Laramie a number of my Egypt photos are displayed; there is a reception from 3-4pm this Saturday (see attached flier).