Serpentine

So this little guy was one of five rattlers I saw this summer. He's a tiger rattlesnake, and he carries one of the most potent venoms of all North American snakes. I probably got a bit closer than I should have for this pic, for he told me he wasn't keen on cuddling. But what the hell...no guts no glory, right?

Dog Days

"Nicks in mirror are closer than they appear." Haha. I couldn't resist. It's Moulak's 22nd birthday today, so I figured I'd bring this one up to commemorate him. He must have learned this one from his dogs.

Beacon

My dear Swasey on a foggy Autumn night. Winter is fast approaching...it's already snowed twice and most of the corn has fallen to the reaper. One more Fall just about over, but not until one last visit to the point.

Old Glory

How many Americans actually know the words to the Star-Spangled Banner? Or who wrote it? Or when it was written and under what conditions? Perhaps not many of us. Perhaps not even you.

Holy Buckeye

Undefeated and sprinting towards a date with big blue on November 18th. The stage is set and the national title awaits the victor.

Last Chance

Today I realized that this is the last Autumn I will witness on a college campus. So I grabbed camera and set out on an afternoon stroll. Unfortunately, it appeared as though I was too late. Most trees had already ousted what remained of last Spring. There were, however, a precious few that still refused to give up their leaves. To those who have already fallen, I salute you. Here they lie, waiting to be swallowed up by winter snow.

Relentless

We all pursue it--even if we don't know. Some more than others, and some more expectantly than those who choose to give up. Despite this it remains something infinitely beyond our grasp--pure, unattainable, ever-growing.

Blue

"Dos thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff that life is made of." Long live college.

Soldiers

There always seem to be those who get left behind. They take one for the team, do what's asked of them. Often they wound and die. Then they get abandoned, forgotten, shattered. All without a shred of love. Here's to the army of lost hope. Here's to the disregarded few.

Gather 'round

It took two attempts, but we finally got the fire started. The stars were out in full force--so too was winter's approach. The evening was festive. We all slept soundly that night, no one knowing or for that matter caring what the river had in store for the morrow.

Midnight Vision

The silver bullet on a frosty eve. The night before our whitewater rafting trip on the Upper Gauley. The beer was cold. The night was even colder. Our tent acted as the frostbrew liner; seeming to keep the cold in. We awoke to a twinkling wonderland of frost this morning. What did the rest of the day hold in store? 14 miles of world-class whitewater, five...count 'em, 5 class-five rapids, and plenty of gulps of Gauley water. Top it off with a hot grilled lunch, a Buckeye victory and a five-hour drive and you've got yourself one hell of a saturday.

Rippled

The Sirens await their next victim. What unsuspecting young lad will they tempt with their sweetness?

Lead

Snowman--Scott and my's dashboard decoration during our 5,000 mile trip out west. This little guy stood the test of time--and of sun--and led us the way. He's resting right now, still at the tail end of his spring-to-fall hibernation. Winter is almost upon us, however, and Snowman will soon grace our dashboard yet again.

All Smiles

Do you see a smiley face?

Starbright

Nearly a full moon on what felt like the first day of Fall. Time to bust out the coats and pants and put away the flipflops til spring.

Forest Fire

"Look at mother nature on the run in the 1970s."
-Neil Young

Moondance

Moonrise the Texas way. I figured this goes nicely with my last two posts. Now between these three I've covered a sunrise, sunset and moonrise. This was the last night of our 8-day, 5,000 mile, 3 National Park Spring Break extravaganza last year. Hopefully we can outdo it this year!

Standing

The lonely skeleton of a fir tree sits atop the Rincon Mountains in Arizona. Like an oasis in the desert, this mountain range rises over 4,000' above the sonoran desert floor and the ever-expanding city lights of Tucson. This tree has had a front row seat in watching this once small mining town blossom into a major US metropolis. Decaying a bit more each day, what remains of this fir stands testament to the versatility of life. How much longer can it last?