A Little Kayaking Anyone?

On Saturday I met Dave and Carl. Two kayakers who are making a 1300-mile voyage around Lake Superior in their kayaks. Dave and Karl are from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. They started on their journey May 28th in Thunder Bay, and expect the trip to take approximately two months of continuous, day-to-day paddling. You can learn more about their voyage and follow their progress at www.bigwater08.com.

I talked with Dave on the beach at Split Rock State Park campground, while his fellow paddler Karl had gone off to check on something near the campground. We chatted about their trip, preparations, kayaks, and of course, the weather. Dave was very enthusiastic about the trip thus far, despite some of the inclement weather. Gratefully, however, they had missed all the serious storms since their start, almost two weeks ago. Once Karl returned, I introduced myself and we all talked a little more. It seems Karl has been troubled by a stiff and sore neck, no doubt from all that paddling and the hard ground he’s not accustomed to sleeping on, eh!

I found myself quite envious of these guys who get to take the summer off to paddle around the largest freshwater lake in the world (by surface area).

Day Hill Trail

So, I’m back in Minnesota....

I drove up to the North Shore Friday. For me, it’s like going to church. I find peace, serenity, and good orderly direction in nature.

I first came up the the North Shore with my grandparents when I was a kid. I have so many fond memories of those days. When I see those roadside agate shops and log cabin souvenir stores, I can remember when I visited them for the first time with grandma and grandpa. Those memories are like going home for the holidays for me. Some of the scenery has changed, in the way of those roadside Highway 61 stores and cabins, but the land and the feel of the spirit is the same... just grand.

There’s a rock on the top of Day Hill Trail at Split Rock State Park that I take sanctuary in. I remember visiting Split Rock Lighthouse for the first time with my grandparents, but I don’t really remember if we made the hike to the top of the trail back then. There probably wasn’t even a trail back then, for all I know. I like to sit and take in the view of Split Rock Lighthouse to the north and the majesty of Lake Superior all around me. I can recall all those great memories from my childhood as I soak in the magic of the North Shore. I can feel god touch me and nurture my being as I breath away my troubles of the modern world.

At the top of Day Hill trail is a stone fireplace, just sitting there, all by its lonesome. The story goes, that Frank Day owned the land way back when. He was soon to wed his sweetheart, so he began building their new home. Not long after he had started building, the misses called the wedding off, for some unknown reason. Devastated, Frank halted the construction, and... no one really knows what happened after that. But, the fireplace still stands at the top of Day Hill trail, looking out over Lake Superior, as a testament to all the lonely hearts on the North Shore.

Fires above Palm Springs

I was driving home from Carl's Jr. and saw the flames dancing on the ridges and valley of the San Jacinto Mountains, just south of town. The fire had been reported as starting on the Idyllwild side during the afternoon and came over the crest of the mountains by nightfall, and made a feeble run at the Indian Canyons valley floor. As of now, the winds have subsided, and it appears this fire will be handled quickly by the firefighters who have hiked up to stamp it out.

Restaurant Hama

Formerly Sushi Hama, this Venice sushi bar gets good reviews from many sources, including Frommer's in the NY Times. I think it just looks cool.

More from Venice Beach...

The guy on the wall was yakking on his phone... must've been at it for over a half-hour. Amazing how many people passed by on their bike, skateboard, and rollerblades yakking on their phones too.

I guess it's been almost two months... jeez.

Spent the day at the beach. Rode my bike from the Santa Monica Pier to Will Rogers State Beach (about 2 miles) where the path ends out onto the PCH. I turned around because I didn't want to dodge traffic. If you've ever driven the PCH north side of Santa Monica you know what I mean. Read my book there at Will Rogers and had a nice rest with the whole beach to myself pretty much! Rode back, got some lunch, and went to Venice Beach to take some pics. Always love people watching at Venice Beach.

Desert Poppy

Today I hiked Lost Palms Oasis at Cotton Spring in Joshua Tree NP. Wildflowers are starting to pop here and there all over the desert. I passed oodles of them on the way into the park, but managed to find more on my hike. There is something about roadside flora that seems cheap and dirty.

Araby Trail

Yeah, I'm back in Palm Springs... that's the Bob Hope Estate in the lower left.

2007 Twin Cities Marathon

The marathon course goes right by my house, so I got my ass outta bed on a Sunday morning and got a few nice shots. These are all the front-runners leading the pack. They are probably just over a mile into the race at this point.

Christy Love and You Know Who

Christy Love and You Know Who, originally uploaded by timophoto.

Christy Love made Boogie Wonderland huge in the Twin Cites. She is a great singer and an energetic performer.

Big Check

Master of Ceremonies, Dark Star, presents a check on behalf of Canterbury Downs to 35W Bridge Relief Benefit Concert organizers for minnesotahelps.org.

35W Bridge Relief Benefit Concert

I recently participated in the 35W Bridge Relief Benefit Concert, as an event photographer, which took place at the Fineline Music Cafe in Minneapolis. It was a great success, raising $40,000 for affected families of the disaster. There were many local and national sponsors who donated items for the silent auctions and raffles. The Fineline donated a portion of bar sales. Canterbury Downs donated a check totaling $5,000, and was presented by the evening’s master of ceremonies, Dark Star, from WCCO radio.

I was truly grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this cause with all the top-notch organizers and participants who made this event truly remarkable. Some of the bands were instrumental and at the forefront of organizing the event and making it come together in a very short period of time. The staff at the Fineline were more than accommodating in providing the venue. It was great seeing the nice turn-out and all the news coverage the event created. This was truly a testament to the real sense of community and genuine caring and humanity which we are all so very fortunate to have all around us in this great city and state. I am very proud to be Minnesota born and raised... I will always be a Minnesota boy, no matter where my journey’s in life take me.

If you are still wondering how you can help those affected by the 35W bridge collapse, please give a visit to www.minnesotahelps.org to find out more. I would also suggest looking for other benefits forthcoming in the Twin Cities area in which you can volunteer and participate in. It has made a huge impact on me and helped me deal with the difficulty I had accepting that something this devastating can really actually happen... right here, right now, and to me and you.

I took over 1200 photos during the seven hours at the benefit concert. Following are some of the highlights of the bands performances and also presentations from a few noted individuals. I will provide future links, when available, to view more of the photos.

Hairball

Hairball, originally uploaded by timophoto.

Headlining the 35W Bridge Benefit Concert at the Fineline Sunday night was Hairball. It was awesome to see all the great bands and be a part of such a great cause! Last tally was about $40,000 raised to assist families affected by the bridge collapse.